Improving the efficiency and performance of any company is central to the role of every business leader. When business leaders embrace the field of ergonomics and human factors, which applies the full range of human science to optimise the performance and wellbeing of employees.

Human Factors will achieve this by :

 Human factors as a profit centre

 Measuring the impact of human factors

 Early intervention of human factors

 Using human factors to prepare for automation.

Today’s business world is complex and challenging, with concerns about rapidly changing technologies that are transforming the nature of work, in addition to pandemics, climate change and resource uncertainty. Embracing a human factors approach to a company’s operations provides a well-tested business tool for coping with these challenges.

A cross industry study by McKinsey & Company found that companies with a strong human-centred approach to their products and services out-performed their industry competitors by as much as two to one. These companies know how to repeatedly create successful products and services by adopting an inter-disciplinary approach that centres on understanding user needs and designing the products and services that emphasize these needs.

This human-centred approach applies not just to the products and services, but also to the design of work within companies. Companies that innovate their internal operations to design production lines, computer systems and internal processes to be compatible with human capabilities see ROIs that range from 10% to 500%.

Not only do these interventions reduce costs from accidents and injuries, and reduce training and maintenance costs, companies typically see significant improvements in worker productivity and job satisfaction, which reduce employee turnover and absenteeism.

In a business climate where companies are increasingly finding it hard to hire and keep good personnel, and where managing costs is paramount, there is no room to neglect the productivity and safety of workers.

The field of ergonomics and human factors has more than 70 years of scientific knowledge of how people work, and of designing technologies, workplaces, and processes to optimise human performance while at the same time reducing injuries and costs.

This win-win approach is key to optimizing the functioning of any organisation and to creating successful products and services.