A diverse and inclusive workplace is one that makes everyone, regardless of who they are or what they do for the business, feel equally involved in and supported in all areas of the workplace. 

While the pandemic has changed our work and home lives in the short term, the impact of it in the long term remains to be seen around the world. An important outcome of the pandemic is the rise of interest in wellness and well-being especially in the workplace. 

As a Professional Ergonomist and Chair Assessment Specialist (CASp), I often talk about the science of sitting, chair assessment, selection and fit in my blogs, in my presentations, and when I evaluate employees in the office. You may of heard me say, "if the chair isn't right, then the ergonomics of the workstation will never be correct." 

Pre-Pandemic Workforce Trends 

The impact of the pandemic as a societal change agent has been powerful. In fact, nothing in the last few decades has had more influence on the impact of women at work. There are numerous studies implicating the differences in how the pandemic has affected men and women differently over the last 18 months. In reality, many of these societal/cultural changes started long before the pandemic.

Over the last year, we've all adapted to working from home. This fact has got me thinking, how many of our new habits, are good habits? This includes our work postures.

Teachers at Risk for Injuries

While we have all been zooming from home, so were teachers. Primarily with only a laptop. If lucky, they had a separate monitor and an ergonomic chair. As a result, many teachers have been working for six or more hours on a laptop from the kitchen or dining room table, with awkward, static postures experiencing musculoskeletal stress and stains to their neck, back, arms, wrist and hands for months. 

The State of Higher Education

We were already headed for a crisis in education before COVID hit. But that crisis has accelerated like so many other things this year.

Dozens and potentially hundreds of small four-year colleges are likely to go under within the next year, and others in the next five years, according Frank Bruni, NY Times article (6/4/2020).

As the virus proliferates, so does online instruction, as it allows for learning in a safe environment at home, expanded enrollment, better access to financially strapped students and adults wanting continuing education.

The Era of the Remote Worker 

The era of the remote worker is here to stay. With it comes new responsibilities for all employers who are pivoting to remote work as a corporate strategy. In the last year, many have had to make the change from the office to working from home whether we had a home office or not.

Your Onboarding Process

Having a consistent onboarding process for new hires can make or break any employment relationship. In today’s new way of working, a personal, and well-designed remote onboarding process for new hires is more important than ever. Recent high growth industries that have taken off during the pandemic, such as grocery stores, manufacturing of pandemic-related products, pharmaceuticals, high-tech, digital platforms, and cloud-based services, and more rely on an effective online, on-boarding process. This is particularly important for employees working remotely at home.

Ergonomic Credentials are Like Alphabet Soup

Buyers of ergonomics services don’t necessarily understand the science of ergonomics, how people should work safely with good ergonomics, and what makes a good ergonomics consultant. The differences in evaluator education, training, and experiences impacts the quality of service provided, the fees charged and ultimately the results the buyer or employer will achieve. These days, ergonomic credentials and certifications are like a bowl of alphabet soup!