title: Ergonomics Climate Assessment: A measure of operational performance and employee well-being.
abstract: Ergonomics interventions have the potential to improve operational performance and employee well-being. We introduce a framework for ergonomics climate, the extent to which an organization emphasizes and supports the design and modification of work to maximize both performance and well-being outcomes. We assessed ergonomics climate at a large manufacturing facility twice during a two-year period. When the organization used ergonomics to promote performance and well-being equally, and at a high level, employees reported less work-related pain. A larger discrepancy between measures of operational performance and employee well-being was associated with increased reports of work-related pain. The direction of this discrepancy was not significantly related to work-related pain, such that it didn't matter which facet was valued more. The Ergonomics Climate Assessment can provide companies with a baseline assessment of the overall value placed on ergonomics and help prioritize areas for improving operational performance and employee well-being.
authors.affiliation: Colorado State University, USA. Electronic address: krista.hoffmeister@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Krista
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Hoffmeister
authors.affiliation: Colorado State University, USA.
authors.forename: Alyssa
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Gibbons
authors.affiliation: Colorado State University, USA.
authors.forename: Natalie
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Schwatka
authors.affiliation: Colorado State University, USA.
authors.forename: John
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Rosecrance
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D017598:Efficiency, Organizational; D006804:Ergonomics / Q000379:methods* / Q000592:standards; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D016272:Occupational Health / Q000592:standards; D015279:Organizational Culture; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D017132:Workplace / Q000523:psychology / Q000592:standards
keywords: Ergonomics climate; Performance; Well-being