Document Type : Original Article

Authors

1 Department of Management, Shiraz Branch, Islamic Azad University, Shiraz, Iran

2 Student Research Committee, Department of Ergonomics, School of Health, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran

3 Department of Physiotherapy, School of Rehabilitation Sciences, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran

Abstract

Background: Productivity plays a fundamental role in the global economy. Human resources are the most important factor, causing an increase or decrease in the productivity of an organization. Ergonomics is the scientific theory that studies the relationship between individuals and other elements of a system and the profession applies theories, principles, evidence, and methods to design to optimize human well-being and productivity of the organization. This study aims to investigate the effects of ergonomic features and anxiety on the productivity of office workers. Methods: In this descriptive-analytical cross-sectional study, 176 office workers (133 female and 43 male) of a university with three years of work experience were randomly selected. Data collection tools included demographic surveys, an inspection checklist, Rapid Upper Limb Assessment (RULA) checklist, the productivity measurement questionnaire, and Beck anxiety inventory. Results: The study results showed that 70% of workstations need to be changed through ergonomic interventions and changes. According to the results obtained from the linear regression model between productivity and working posture, anxiety, and work environmental factors, there is a positive relationship between working environment conditions and productivity (P=0.002). Conclusion: The main contribution of this research is that productivity should receive attention through changing working environment. The chairs are a vital element of an ergonomic and productive work office

Keywords

  1. Mastromarco C, Simar L. Globalization and productivity: A robust nonparametric world frontier analysis. Economic Modelling. 2018;69:134-49.
  2. Tangen S, editor Understanding the concept of productivity. Proceedings of the 7th Asia-Pacific Industrial Engineering and Management Systems Conference, Taipei; 2002.
  3. Jafarnezhad M, Saatchi M, Javidi H. Investigation of human factors and barriers to job productivity of South Pars Gas Complex employees. Human Resource Management in Oil Industry. 2021; 12 (48) :38-55.
  4. Meegahapola Pubuduni A, Prabodanie RAR. Impact of environmental conditions on workers’ productivity and health. International Journal of Workplace Health Management. 2018;11(2):74-84.
  5. Yusuf M, Santiana M, Lokantara W, editors. Improvement of work posture to decrease musculoskeletal disorder and increase work productivity jewelry worker in bali. Proceedings; 2018.
  6. Zakerian SA, Garosi E, Abdi Z, Bakhshi E, Kamrani M, Kalantari R. Studying the influence of workplace design on productivity of bank clerks. Health and Safety at Work. 2016;6(2):35-42.
  7. Smith MJ, Bayeh AD. Do ergonomics improvements increase computer workers' productivity?: an intervention study in a call centre. Ergonomics. 2003;46(1-3):3-18.
  8. Hong S, Shin DJMh. Relationship between pain intensity, disability, exercise time and computer usage time and depression in office workers with non-specific chronic low back pain. 2020;137:109562.
  9. Pereira MJ, Johnston V, Straker LM, Sjøgaard G, Melloh M, O’Leary SP, et al. An investigation of self-reported health-related productivity loss in office workers and associations with individual and work-related factors using an Employer's perspective. 2017;59(7):e138-e44.
  10. Johnston V, Chen X, Welch A, Sjøgaard G, Comans TA, McStea M, et al. A cluster-randomized trial of workplace ergonomics and neck-specific exercise versus ergonomics and health promotion for office workers to manage neck pain–a secondary outcome analysis. BMC Musculoskeletal Disorders. 2021;22(1):1-12.
  11. Huysmans MA, Srinivasan D, Mathiassen SEJAowe, health. Consistency of sedentary behavior patterns among office workers with long-term access to sit-stand workstations. 2019;63(5):583-91.
  12. Parsons K. Environmental ergonomics: a review of principles, methods and models. Applied ergonomics. 2000;31(6):581-94.
  13. Leblebici D. Impact of workplace quality on employee’s productivity: case study of a bank in Turkey. Journal of Business, Economics. 2012;1(1):38-49.
  14. Carty P, Cooper MR, Barr A, Neitzel RL, Balmes J, Rempel DJAowe, et al. The effects of bit wear on respirable silica dust, noise and productivity: A hammer drill bench study. 2017;61(6):700-10.
  15. Falahati M, Dehghani F, Malakoutikhah M, Karimi A, Zare A. Using fuzzy logic approach to predict work-related musculoskeletal disorders among automotive assembly workers. Medical journal of the Islamic Republic of Iran. 2019;33:136.
  16. Taiwo AS. The influence of work environment on workers productivity: A case of selected oil and gas industry in Lagos, Nigeria. African journal of business management. 2010;4(3):299-307.
  17. Al Horr Y, Arif M, Kaushik A, Mazroei A, Katafygiotou M, Elsarrag E. Occupant productivity and office indoor environment quality: A review of the literature. Building and environment. 2016;105:369-89.
  18. Haynes BP. An evaluation of the impact of the office environment on productivity. Facilities. 2008.
  19. Sharma D, Sharma M. The concept of ergonomic evaluation for industrial building spaces. International Journal of Productivity and Quality Management. 2020;31(1):68-78.
  20. Lind C. Assessment and design of industrial manual handling to reduce physical ergonomics hazards:–use and development of assessment tools: KTH Royal Institute of Technology; 2017.
  21. Roy S, Kumar K, Satpathy B. Strategic planning of optimising productivity: a'5S under lean quality'approach. International Journal of Productivity and Quality Management. 2021;32(1):53-71.
  22. Kar G, Hedge A. Effect of workstation configuration on musculoskeletal discomfort, productivity, postural risks, and perceived fatigue in a sit-stand-walk intervention for computer-based work. Applied Ergonomics. 2021;90:103211.
  23. Hoe VC, Urquhart DM, Kelsall HL, Zamri EN, Sim MR. Ergonomic interventions for preventing work‐related musculoskeletal disorders of the upper limb and neck among office workers. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews. 2018(10).
  24. Punnett LJAowe, health. On the Relationship of Musculoskeletal Disorder Compensation Claims to Ergonomic Factors in Manufacturing. 2020.
  25. Daneshmandi H, Choobineh A, Ghaem H, Alhamd M, Fakherpour A. The effect of musculoskeletal problems on fatigue and productivity of office personnel: a cross-sectional study. Journal of preventive medicine and hygiene. 2017;58(3):E252.
  26. Hedge A, Ray EJ, editors. Effects of an electronic height-adjustable worksurface on computer worker musculoskeletal discomfort and productivity. Proceedings of the human factors and ergonomics society annual meeting; 2004: SAGE Publications Sage CA: Los Angeles, CA.
  27. Organization WH. Investing in treatment for depression and anxiety leads to fourfold return. Washington, DC: Lancet Psychiatry. 2016.
  28. Marciniak MD, Lage MJ, Dunayevich E, Russell JM, Bowman L, Landbloom RP, et al. The cost of treating anxiety: the medical and demographic correlates that impact total medical costs. Depression and anxiety. 2005;21(4):178-84.
  29. Kierkegaard S. The concept of anxiety: Princeton University Press; 2013.
  30. Bouwmans C, Vemer P, van Straten A, Tan SS, Hakkaart-van Roijen L. Health-related quality of life and productivity losses in patients with depression and anxiety disorders. Journal of occupational and environmental medicine. 2014;56(4):420-4.
  31. Habibi E, Mohammadi Z, Sartang AG. Ergonomic assessment of musculoskeletal disorders risk among the computer users by Rapid Upper Limb Assessment method. International Journal of Environmental Health Engineering. 2016;5(1):15.
  32. Najafi A, Afrazeh A, Jahanshahi M. Relationship of stress and knowledge workers productivity in Mess-Sarcheshmeh Company. Iran Occupational Health. 2010;7(1):5-0.
  33. Naqvi SMH, Khan MA, Kant AQ, Khan SN. Job stress and employees’ productivity: case of Azad Kashmir public health sector. Interdisciplinary journal of contemporary research in business. 2013;5(3):525-42.
  34. Ghanbary Sartang A, Ashnagar M, Habibi E, Sadeghi S. The association of anxiety and depression with musculoskeletal disorders among military personnel in 2016. Journal of Occupational Health and Epidemiology. 2016;5(2):98-104.
  35. Khansa W, Haddad C, Hallit R, Akel M, Obeid S, Haddad G, et al. Interaction between anxiety and depression on suicidal ideation, quality of life, and work productivity impairment: Results from a representative sample of the Lebanese population. Perspectives in psychiatric care. 2019.
  36. Choobineh A, Rahimi Fard H, Jahangiri M, Mahmood Khani S. Musculoskeletal injuries and their associated risk factors. Iran Occupational Health. 2012;8(4):70-81.
  37. McAtamney L, Corlett EN. RULA: a survey method for the investigation of work-related upper limb disorders. Applied ergonomics. 1993;24(2):91-9.
  38. Valentim DP, de Oliveira Sato T, Comper MLC, da Silva AM, Boas CV, Padula RS. Reliability, construct validity and interpretability of the Brazilian version of the Rapid Upper Limb Assessment (RULA) and Strain Index (SI). Brazilian journal of physical therapy. 2018;22(3):198-204.
  39. Beck AT, Epstein N, Brown G, Steer RA. An inventory for measuring clinical anxiety: psychometric properties. Journal of consulting and clinical psychology. 1988;56(6):893.
  40. Khesht-Masjedi MF, Omar Z, Masoleh SMK. Psychometrics properties of the Persian version of Beck Anxiety Inventory in North of Iranian adolescents. International Journal of Educational and Psychological Researches. 2015;1(2):145.
  41. Hersey P, Goldsmith M. A situational approach to performance planning. Training and Development Journal. 1980;34(11):38-+.
  42. Nasiripour AA, Raeisi P, Hedayati P. The Relationship between Organizational Cultures and Employees Productivity in Ecucayional Hospital of Iran University Medical Sciences. Journal of Health Administration. 2009.12(35):17-24.
  43. Lan L, Lian Z, Pan L. The effects of air temperature on office workers’ well-being, workload and productivity-evaluated with subjective ratings. Applied ergonomics. 2010;42(1):29-36.
  44. Clements-Croome D. Creating the productive workplace: Taylor & Francis; 2006.
  45. Baleshzar A, Tabodi M, Rojhani Shirazi Z. The Relationship Between Environmental and Demographic Factors with Productivity of Islamic Azad University of Shiraz Employees. Iranian Journal of Ergonomics. 2019;7(2):39-44.
  46. DeRango K, Amick B, Robertson M, Rooney T, Moore A, Bazzani L. The productivity consequences of two ergonomic interventions. Upjohn Institute Working
  47. Levanon Y, Lerman Y, Gefen A, Ratzon NZ. Validity of the modified RULA for computer workers and reliability of one observation compared to six. Ergonomics. 2014;57(12):1856-63.
  48. Soleimani E, Satiarvand M, Motamedzade M, Soleimani M. Prevalence and risk assessment of musculoskeletal disorders in office workers of a construction company by RULA method in 2014. Pajouhan Scientific Journal. 2016;14(3):39-48.
  49. Tarafdar M, Tu Q, Ragu-Nathan BS, Ragu-Nathan T. The impact of technostress on role stress and productivity. Journal of management information systems. 2007;24(1):301-28.
  50. Khansa W, Haddad C, Hallit R, Akel M, Obeid S, Haddad G, et al. Interaction between anxiety and depression on suicidal ideation, quality of life, and work productivity impairment: Results from a representative sample of the Lebanese population. Perspectives in psychiatric care. 2019;56(2):270-9.