Office Ergonomics & Human Behaviour. Economics Of Ergonomics

The Economics of Ergonomics

Ergonomics is a well-established applied science with more than 50 years of evidence-based practice. Its purpose is simple and powerful: to maximise human performance by preventing workplace behaviours that lead to injury.

Ergonomic programs should not be viewed as a cost to organisations. They are a long-term investment that consistently delivers measurable financial and human returns by reducing injury, downtime, and inefficiency.

Well-designed ergonomics programs provide practical, systematic strategies to prevent unnecessary musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs). These programs are straightforward to implement and produce benefits rapidly when embedded into everyday work practices.

Why Ergonomics Makes Economic Sense

1. People are an organisation’s greatest cost

Workers represent the largest ongoing investment for most organisations. Recruiting, onboarding, training, and retaining skilled staff is expensive — and preventable injury undermines that investment.

Ergonomics programs help protect workers from avoidable harm, reducing turnover, workers’ compensation claims, and the significant costs associated with lost experience and retraining.

2. Musculoskeletal disorders are preventable

MSDs cost the economy billions of dollars each year and cause significant pain, disruption, and long-term consequences for workers, their families, and colleagues.

Evidence shows that many MSDs can be prevented through appropriate workstation design, posture education, and task variation — all core elements of ergonomic practice.

3. Ergonomics builds safety culture and eliminates hidden costs

When ergonomics is prioritised, it reinforces a proactive safety culture. This leads to the reduction of “hidden costs” such as:

Absenteeism and presenteeism
Reduced concentration and errors
Declining morale and engagement

Once implemented, measurable reductions in these costs are typically observed quickly.

4. Productivity improves when injury risk decreases

Effective ergonomics programs focus on cost reduction through prevention, not reaction. By minimising injury, fatigue, and discomfort, organisations benefit from:

Higher sustained productivity
Fewer errors and rework
Improved task efficiency
More consistent performance across the workday

The Business Outcome

A basic ergonomics program - combining worker education, appropriate equipment, and posture awareness - is firmly in an organisation’s best interests.

When ergonomics is embedded into daily operations, organisations experience: