Ergonomics.  This is the new buzzword in corporates in South Africa at the moment and its been a long time coming.  The profession started developing around the time of the second world war and has finally been legislated in South Africa in December 2019.

Ergonomics is an important part of health and safety but a lesser known element is how ergonomics is able to streamline the functioning of a system and improve the quality of its output (any output – not only goods) as well as improving work productivity while keeping the people working in the system in high morale and good health.

When looking to improve a system, ergonomics will look at how the system functions as a whole, as well as the interaction between divisions within a system (a system can be a whole organization or a team or an individual work task).   Ergonomists will then look at the physical, cognitive and mental elements involved and how they can be improved to create win-win scenarios for business and individuals.