{"id":6499,"date":"2026-08-03T09:37:31","date_gmt":"2026-08-03T13:37:31","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ergokinox.com\/ergonomics-means-knowing-how-to-paddle-upstream\/"},"modified":"2026-08-06T10:04:01","modified_gmt":"2026-08-06T14:04:01","slug":"ergonomics-means-knowing-how-to-paddle-upstream","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ergokinox.com\/en\/ergonomics-means-knowing-how-to-paddle-upstream\/","title":{"rendered":"Ergonomics Means Knowing How to Paddle Upstream"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t
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ARTICLE<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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Ergonomics Means Knowing How to Paddle Upstream<\/h1>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t
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Foreword<\/h3>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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It is possible to overlook (or choose to overlook) the benefits of ergonomics. However, it is impossible not to notice the consequences of poor ergonomics.<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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This is the paradox of how ergonomists are perceived within organizations. Ergonomists can contribute significantly to the organizations that hire them, yet they are often brought in under mandates that severely limit what they can accomplish. <\/p>

So, how can organizations get the most out of an ergonomist?<\/p>

The simple answer is to understand what ergonomists can do, develop the mandate with them, and involve them at the right time.<\/p>

This five minute read will help you better define (or redefine) the ergonomist\u2019s role and understand how they can support what matters most to your organization.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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<\/strong>\u201cWhat does an ergonomist do?\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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This is a question I like to ask at the beginning of every training session I deliver to workplace teams.<\/p>

Often, the perception of the ergonomist is limited to that of the \u201cposture police\u201d an expert in proper workplace posture. At other times, I am pleasantly surprised to hear a more nuanced definition that positions the ergonomist as a professional who transforms work to better support workers.<\/p>

In every case, however, the same pattern emerges: the ergonomist is called in because a need has already been identified downstream.<\/p>

The reality of consulting in private organizations is that ergonomists are still too often brought in after the most important decisions have already been made.<\/p>

In a study of 64 engineers from five Swedish manufacturing companies, Falck and Rosenqvist\u00b9 found that ergonomic measures were often introduced too late, after complaints had emerged or health problems were already present. The authors also noted that engineers sometimes had a limited understanding of the ergonomic consequences of their design decisions.<\/p>

The product has already been designed, the equipment purchased, the contract signed, the production rate established, and the workspace built. At that point, the only remaining option is often to try to adapt the worker to a system whose main constraints have already been fixed.<\/p>

The ergonomist is asked to transform the work, but only after the most influential decisions have already been made.<\/p>

Have you ever been on a river where the current flows against your intended direction? It can be frightening. You struggle, expend energy, and eventually become exhausted \u2026 only to remain in the same place.<\/p>

You can adjust your paddle, improve the kayak seat, or learn to distribute your effort more effectively. You may even be able to remove a few rocks from the river. However, you often have very little influence over the river\u2019s path, flow, or current. <\/a><\/p>

The ergonomist should not intervene solely to make a demanding workstation temporarily more tolerable. <\/u><\/p>

Their role should also be to understand why the situation exists, which decisions created it, and what transformations could prevent it from recurring.<\/p>

To do that, they must paddle upstream.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t

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Key takeaway<\/strong>: If you want to get the most out of an ergonomist, allow them toexamine the workstations and operations both before and after the targeted position. Give them the opportunity to question the design, work organization, and quality and productivity requirements. Only by thoroughly analyzing all the factors influencing risk at the targeted workstation can the work be meaningfully transformed and lasting benefits achieved. <\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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From the Workstation to the Business Model: How Far Upstream Should the Ergonomist Go?<\/strong><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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A systematic review\u00b2 of 73 empirical studies conducted in manufacturing environments identified numerous relationships between product, process, and workstation design on the one hand, and production quality on the other. The authors concluded that human factors are not peripheral to quality, they are among its key determinants.<\/p>

Consider a physically demanding material-handling task. The ergonomist may initially observe that loads are handled far from the body, movements are performed quickly, or the shoulders are repeatedly elevated. However, they may also examine the operational consequences of these conditions:<\/p>