Worksite International Blog

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.

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!

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 every day count. 

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.