What is Ergonomics? It’s Like a Warm Blanket at Work

Work efficiency has always been a major point of contention for anyone who is any bit concerned with hiring the best in terms of manpower for any job. Straight from the middle ages to the modern extravagant job atmosphere, the survival theory has seen the more efficient workers retained in a top firm while passengers in a corporate train have always been left behind. Yet modern approaches to work and life in general have left people with a serious introspective situation wherein the considerations between efficiency and the people from whom it is expected are made on the basis of the kind of work conditions plying in the setup. Ergonomics, they call it. Ergonomics has become much fashionable in some quadrants of the work sphere while in some cases; it has become much of a necessity than a form of extravagance. So the obvious question here is what is ergonomics all about?

‘Ergonomics’ etymologically comes from the Greek derivates ‘ergon’ and ‘nomos’ which mean ‘work’ and ‘laws’ respectively. The basic understanding of ergonomics suggests that these are certain set of instruction deemed crucial to work spheres. A far more developed understanding of Ergonomics in modern work spheres defines it as the study of efficiency in work environments. Perhaps simpler explanations are in order. If one takes the situation of a high stress work environment where efficiency is of supreme importance, workers will be categorized on the basis of their efficiency towards the tasks assigned to them. In such situations the ones which fall into the lower end of the spectrum of efficiency will trigger either thoughts of removal on the basis of performance or a though process wherein the basis of their inefficiencies are delved into. The point of Ergonomics is to ascertain as to whether the reasons behind their lack of efficiency is deep seated in the work conditions themselves or not.
However the role of ergonomics doesn’t end there. Ergonomics will at some point look to eradicate the core points of work condition oriented stress from the workplace thereby presenting those on the established lower spectrum of efficiency a chance to improve on their present predicament while giving those on the higher end of the evaluation a chance to improve their efficiency rates. The aim is to eradicate all points of physical stress from the workplace caused due to occupational hazards. For instance, a professional video editor whose job is to constantly stare at a computer screen all day long sitting on a chair will have physical distress after a point of time. So, what is ergonomics going to do about it? Well, the editor will be provided with a flexible chair that attunes itself to his or her shifts in posture and one that prevents posture oriented distress. Ergonomics will also suggest, along with the option for the chair to adjust the angle at which the screen is placed so as to reduce stress, referable guidelines that reduce chances of physical stress related to working without affecting work rate. Overall, ergonomics is indeed like a warm blanket at work atmospheres, which tend to be a little cold (figuratively speaking of course)!