When I started Taylor’d Ergo, I had already worked both as a consultant and on-site as a staff ergonomist. Early in my career, I realized that “on-site” is where relationships are formed, questions are answered, and the best solutions are generated. In contrast, as a traditional consultant, I often felt isolated. I brainstormed alone or with a few of my ergo colleagues, developed grandiose ideas, and rarely got to see my recommendations implemented—let alone learn from their outcomes.
This experience shaped the way we work at Taylor’d Ergo. A key feature that has differentiated us from our competitors is that almost all of our consulting work is done on-site at the client’s facility. For regular clients where we serve as a part-time ergonomist, employees often expect to see us on a certain day of the week—some even set aside a desk for us! For one-off projects, we aim to stay on-site to complete analysis and reporting, provided there’s a workspace available.
Here are some lessons we’ve learned by working directly alongside our clients:
Changes might not get implemented exactly as you envisioned
I went into a plant during a shutdown to discover that the controls for the height-adjustable worker platforms that I had recommended were “upside down”. The worker would have to push the “up” button to make the platform go down. After a bit of pleading, the crew agreed to re-wire these controls so the adjustment could be more intuitive (and therefore get used).
Checking implementation progress on-site allows us to identify and correct any issues, big or small, before they affect the outcome.
Our work is more efficient when we stay on-site to complete it
After collecting measurements, photos, and observations, a traditional consultant would pack up and head back to the office. There, the consultant would be bombarded with interruptions and competing projects. By processing our data on-site, we don’t lose our train of thought, and the reports get completed faster. We also have access to the facility, if we need one more data point, or have one more question, or we want to run an idea by a supervisor or engineer. The report for a 3-day project, for example, is delivered by the end of day 3; our “on-site” clients do not wait for weeks after the consultant’s visit to receive a report.
Performing data analysis and report writing on-site is more efficient, and therefore reduces our project times.
There’s always “one more thing”
This is also true in industry, but I like to tuck in an office example here and there. When we finish the interview, observations and measurements for an employee’s office assessment, we like to set up our computer at an empty desk to write the report. About 50% of the time, the employee seeks us out after the assessment with a question, concern, or feedback. Having the opportunity to interact with the employee at this stage is valuable. We can put their mind at ease or resolve a nagging question. Sometimes they just want to let us know that left-handed mousing wasn’t as hard as they expected!
On-site presence invites spontaneous conversations, making room for these valuable insights.
Employees need training for new equipment, in a safe place
You’ve heard the lament that “people hate change”. But it’s perfectly natural to feel uneasy about any kind of change to your regular routine. (I know I do – adjust my morning alarm by 15 minutes and I’ll feel off all day!)
I’ve learned that even the most amazing invention on the planet won’t be well received if it’s just plopped out there. Employees need to be trained how to use “the thing” – a hoist, an adjustable table or pallet lift, or even a new mouse. They need a bit of flexibility during the training process. If they worry about getting behind and bogging down the process, they’d rather not try the new thing. And if they’re expected to learn while keeping up, that pressure may lead to a boil-over.
Having the ergonomist on-site when a change is implemented allows the employees to express their concerns, and allows the ergonomist to immediately see how the change is working, and fix any minor issues.
“No news” isn’t good or bad
I confess that I experience a bit of anxiety when I’m going out to follow up on a change that has not resulted in any kafuffles. A change of any sort usually results in excitement – either happiness because it helps, or frustration because there’s a bug. But if there’s no word flying up the flagpole, we still need to seek feedback.
Good news deserves to be shared! Bad news warrants attention too. Almost always, a minor tweak can resolve the issues and lead to success. But if we don’t go look, there’s a good chance the intervention is collecting dust. Dust – a sign of disuse – damages the reputation of the ergonomics program. And clearing away that metaphorical dust is part of every ergonomist’s growth. Why did my idea fail? What did I learn? How can I fix it? How can I make sure I don’t make this mistake again? (And, of course, as a consulting company, we share our dust-lessons with all of our ergonomists and future ergonomists.)
If we can’t be there, we can at least survey
Admittedly, we can’t do on-site follow-up for every project. But if we can’t see the changes in person, we can at least learn about them through follow up surveys. We offer these surveys for all projects, but we get the best response rate with our office ergo assessments. People want to tell us how much better they feel. The few employees who don’t feel better can be addressed individually, through email, video chat, or in-person if needed.
This extra step transforms a potential complaint into a success story.
Celebrate successes
Nothing makes an ergonomist happier than seeing a solution succeed. Traditional consulting ergonomists rarely have the opportunity to learn from mistakes, or celebrate successes. Ours do.
The ROI of on-site ergonomics
The value of on-site ergonomics is clear:
- Reduced injuries: Fewer musculoskeletal injuries lead to lower costs and increased uptime.
- Improved efficiency: Real-time problem-solving minimizes disruptions and maximizes the success of interventions.
- Stronger collaboration: Being on-site fosters trust and teamwork, ensuring solutions align with employee and employer needs.
By working directly in your environment, we ensure every intervention is practical, effective, and sustainable. Whether we’re tweaking a workstation in an office or rethinking processes in a factory, our on-site approach leads to better outcomes—and more satisfied teams.
Let’s Work Together
Ready to see how on-site ergonomics can transform your workplace? Contact us today to discuss your specific needs. Carrie@TaylordErgo.com
FAQs:
We understand that productivity is a top priority, so we work around your schedule to minimize disruptions. We can observe tasks discreetly without interfering with production. Our approach is collaborative—we communicate with supervisors and employees to ensure our presence enhances workflow rather than interrupting it. We ask questions when it’s less busy.
2. What industries or job types benefit most from on-site ergonomics services?
On-site ergonomics benefits a wide range of industries, including:
- Manufacturing: Tasks involving repetitive motions, heavy lifting, or awkward postures.
- Municipal services: Roles like waste management, fleet maintenance, and water treatment operations, where ergonomics can improve safety and efficiency.
- Offices: For addressing workstation discomfort and preventing long-term musculoskeletal issues.
If your workplace involves hands-on tasks, specialized equipment, or unique workflows, on-site ergonomics is particularly valuable.