title: A review and exploration of sociotechnical ergonomics.
abstract: A holistic review of ergonomic history shows that science remains important for general occupational health and safety (OSH), the broad society, culture, politics and the design of everyday things. Science provides an unconventional and multifaceted viewpoint exploring ergonomics from a social, corporate and OSH perspective. Ergonomic solutions from this mindset may redefine the science, and it will change with companies that change within this socially hyper-connected world. Authentic corporate social responsibility will counter 'misleadership' by not approaching ergonomics with an afterthought. The review concludes that ergonomics will be stronger with social respect and ergonomic thinking based on the optimisation of anthropometric data, digital human models, computer-aided tools, self-empowerment, job enrichment, work enlargement, physiology, industrial psychology, cybernetic ergonomics, operations design, ergonomic-friendly process technologies, ergonomic empowerment, behaviour-based safety, outcome-based employee wellness and fatigue risk management solutions, to mention a few.
authors.affiliation: a University of South Africa , South Africa.
authors.forename: Riaan
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Dirkse van Schalkwyk
authors.affiliation: a University of South Africa , South Africa.
authors.forename: Rigard J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Steenkamp
mesh_terms: D001696:Biomechanical Phenomena; D006804:Ergonomics / Q000266:history / Q000379:methods; D049673:History, 20th Century; D049674:History, 21st Century; D006801:Humans; D009784:Occupational Diseases / Q000517:prevention & control; D016272:Occupational Health; D015279:Organizational Culture; D009936:Organizational Innovation
keywords: ergonomics; occupational health and safety; quality of work life; social respect; sociotechnical system; work enrichment