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The statistics on lost productivity caused by 'unhealthy' office environments are staggering. "Consider that in the United States alone, poor office ergonomics cost business in the vicinity of $20bn a year in lost productivity," says Dr Looi Kok-Poh, clinical director of Pacific Healthcare Specialist Centre and immediate past president of the Singapore Society for Hand Surgery.
Looi, a leading hand surgeon trained in Singapore and the US, specialises in repetitive strain injuries of the wrist and hand - along with the lower back and eyes, the area most typically affected by poor ergonomics. "The hand is an extremely complex organ. It is a vital component in almost everything we do, every day," he says. "Considering the cost to an organisation broadly, it is not just about getting some medical treatment and taking some sick leave."
Poor ergonomics can have far-reaching effects on team dynamics and morale. A worker off sick leaves others - who may be suffering from the same condition themselves - with higher workloads. At worst, projects may fail, generating insurance hikes or even legal consequences.
While hand and wrist injuries are difficult and costly to treat, poor working conditions can create many other negative consequences, both physical and psychological (see sidebar). "Seven out of ten working adults in Singapore today suffer from back, shoulder and neck pains," says Joseph Tan, marketing manager of ergonomic products retailer Impact Lifestyle Inc. "The number of cases pertaining work-related musculoskeletal discomfort is also escalating. It's caused by a mix of badly designed workstations, inactivity and poor work habits. If left unchecked, such illnesses can be costly to business as productivity levels deteriorate and healthcare costs escalate."
Dr Bernard Lee, consultant anaesthesiologist and pain specialist at the Pacific Pain Care Centre, agrees and adds that poor ergonomics can trigger underlying conditions in the sufferer. "This is extremely serious. Less seriously a number of personal welfare conditions can develop like chronic pain, in which case the company suffers through lost man hours. But these are reversible by re-engineering office ergonomics." That may be a saving grace for management and HR professionals. It is clear that businesses that take ergonomics seriously can avert not only massive losses of productivity, but possible medical and legal ramifications associated with substandard physical working conditions.
Holistic ergonomics
Holistic ergonomics starts with the notion that a properly functioning employee is the critical factor in a business' productivity. If the employee is not functioning at or near full capacity, the business suffers in terms of productivity and often morale. Impact Lifestyle's Tan notes that the International Ergonomics Association defines ergonomics as the study of nature, engineering, social and human sciences combined to produce workplaces, products and working environments that are fitted to the physical, psychological and mental needs and limits of the human being.
"Ergonomics is about designing a workplace that is fitted to the human being," he says. "Human beings are the most important source of value - and the most expensive production factor. One lost work day per person costs the company. So factors such as ergonomic office furniture promoting good posture and safer working conditions can help reduce office-related health problems. This will translate into higher levels of job satisfaction and productivity," says Tan.
Working in conjunction with the SPRING Singapore - which spearheads the push to improve ergonomic awareness through its Singapore Standard SS514:2005 Code of practice for office ergonomics - Tan's business Ergoworks is spearheading a campaign to monitor and improve office ergonomic parameters in Singapore. Ergoworks is a full ergonomic concept store specialising in the distribution and retail of the Duorest range of ergonomic chairs and a variety of accessories. "We simply aim to provide the best ergonomic solution for home and office," he says.
Avoidance the best form of prevention
"Most of us do not appreciate ergonomics but do appreciate our bodies," says Dr Looi. "If you feel pain, take a break and speak to HR so that they can have the issue addressed, before the problem becomes chronic and irreversible."
But the real answer, he says, lies in prevention. A simple workstation with good support and set to the right height is important. "An employee must not be required to over-extend - this is where a major problem lies. Over-extension puts strain on the tendons in the wrists. Carpal tunnel damage may also develop from keyboards that are too high or too low."
Ergoworks' Tan adds that his organisation's customer service team encourages 'dynamic sitting for optimum comfort', either at home, work or rest. "Static seating and posture is a huge threat, from childhood through adulthood. Especially now, with computer and TV games, laptops and small screen or PDA phones." Static seating can result in a number of injuries related to the eyes, neck, shoulders, wrists and back area.
The key is therefore to avoid bad posture, physically demanding tasks such as over-extending, and damaging repetitive tasks.
But it is only once office managers, human resources personnel and management recognise what constitutes damaging activity that such problems can be avoided.
Anaesthesiologist Lee recommends major public education campaigns, similar to those on construction site safety and counter-terrorism awareness. "If you enter a construction site without your hard hat, the foreman disciplines you. That's mainly for your own sake, but also because it breaches best practices and leaves the company exposed," he says. A similar approach would benefit sedentary occupations, with HR initiating education campaigns encouraging staff to sit, lift and type properly. HR can also recommend reducing ergonomic stress on employees by budgeting for anti-glare computer screens and placing noisy office equipment such as photocopiers in a separate area.
Take-home message for employees and HR
"Most companies just don't take this issue seriously enough," says Lee. "But good ergonomics is like medical insurance - you never need it until you need it. Businesses don't treat it an urgent business matter, so they don't devote thought and money to it until it is too late, by which time the organisation has to respond reactively.
"Some HR professionals invest a lot of their time in an ergonomically friendly workplace, but that's just a few more progressive companies," says Lee. In this respect, HR's role is critical. "HR needs to show foresight and leadership in convincing management to avert major health problems before they begin."