Worksite International Blog

College is Out, Alternative Credentials Are In

Before technology evolved into what it is today, college was where you could learn about one subject deeply and acquire specialized knowledge in a particular field earning a four- year degree. Then subsequently, landing a fantastic job so you could pay back your student loan.

The pandemic has changed our sense of community.  During the pandemic, everything changed. Most of us were forced to transition from working in the office to working from home and online. In the process, we learned how to adapt and connect worldwide. Online communities thrived during the pandemic and continue today. The WINetwork is an example of unifying the ergonomics community globally.  

Ergonomics Credentials are Like Alphabet Soup

These days ergonomic credentials are like a bowl of alphabet soup leading to lots of confusion for buyers of ergonomics services and those seeking to uplevel their career with ergonomics. There are many credentials available in the ergonomics training marketplace. Understanding the various ergonomics credentials helps to understand the education, training, and experiences impacting the quality of service provided, the fees charged and the results the buyer or employer will achieve. 

Nowadays its critical employers focus on employee health, safety, and well-being more than ever. The cultural shift to ensure employees are working well has never been a higher priority. To that end, the science of ergonomics is proven to help promote better performance, health, and well-being for employees, making a positive impact on organizations. But who is your organization's designated ergonomics specialist? And are they certified to perform at the level you need them to? 

Are You a Goal Setter? 

Goals are meaningless without a plan that sets out how you will achieve them. If you want to achieve a certain goal, then you must build a path toward that goal. Goal-setting helps to prioritize your workload, build good habits so you can make everyday count. This blog focuses on two methods to achieve your goals in 2022. 

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 to 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.

If you are contemplating learning how to perform ergonomics evaluations you might be asking yourself, “What is the difference between a Certificate vs. Certification in Ergonomics and are they necessary?”

Every employer has employees exposed to ergonomic risk factors in the workplace. Whether it is repetitive motion, awkward postures or forceful exertion, all employees face these primary risk factors. These are the most common precursors to a work injury.

With the growing interest in ergonomics as a corporate strategy to promote health and wellness, it’s a perfect time for employers to assure they have adequate ergonomics knowledge in-house to solve day to day employee concerns related to workstation and work practice needs.

Commodities are the raw ingredients or components of almost everything we consume or use in our everyday life. Some of the most common commodities are corn, wheat, gold, silver, copper, oil, gas, cattle, sugar, coffee and cotton. They are uniform in quality between companies that produce and sell them. Typically, you can’t tell the difference between one firm’s product and another. When considering ergonomics in this context, as a commodity, it removes the specialty expertise it takes to perform it and makes it more common place, able to be done by everyone in the same way.