Looking forward to your summer holidays? Do you pay attention to work ergonomics as its benefits extend far beyond the workplace? Have you ever considered how your work environment and postures impact your free time?
Ergonomic working conditions create the foundation for good performance at work, improving productivity and well-being of employees at work. However, the benefits of work ergonomics extend far beyond the workplace. After all, we have just one body, whether on or off work.
If our bodies feel good at work, we have the energy and ability to enjoy our free time activities too, whether it is headbanging at a rock festival, practising yoga postures, or simply enjoying playing with our kids.
We shouldn’t feel worn out after a workday
We shouldn’t feel exhausted and worn out after a workday. Instead, we should be able to continue our day’s activities with enthusiasm and energy. Work ergonomics significantly impact our success at work but also our quality of life during leisure time. Conversely, our free time activities affect our work capabilities. Free time should recharge our batteries and provide us with energy that benefits and enhances our work performance.
According to European Agency for Safety and Health at Work, up to three out of five employees in Europe report musculoskeletal symptoms. Musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) are the largest occupational health hazard in Europe. In Finland, Confederation of Finnish Industries has reported that employees in the industrial sector have the highest rate of sickness absences, averaging 16 working days per person per year, with roughly one-third of these absences due to MSDs.
Having sickness absences is of course a significant burden on companies and society as a whole, but they are also personal tragedies for those affected. Maybe a person cannot enjoy playing with their grandchildren, walking their dogs, or engaging in their favourite sports.
We have one body on and off work
We have one body on and off work, and it would be shame not to recognize how paying attention to work ergonomics can profoundly impact our entire life, not just our work life. People truly appreciate feeling energetic after a full workday, and this message has resonated strongly with those performing manual work. Treston is one of the world’s leading manufacturers of ergonomic industrial furniture and is keen on improving industrial workers working conditions with ergonomic solutions.

Jonna Patama is an enthusiastic advocate for industrial ergonomics and well-being at work, with a passion for fostering active and effective work environments. With an MSc in Ergonomics and Well-being at Work, she collaborates closely with occupational safety and health professionals and engineering teams to enhance workplace environments, ultimately boosting employee well-being and performance.