By Lauren Brizendine, MPH, CPE, Director of Ergonomics, Fit For Work
When you first think of safety and ergonomics in the workplace, you might envision expensive equipment and detailed process refinements that elevate performance and well-being in industrial, physically demanding environments like manufacturing facilities and warehouses. But the scope of workplaces and companies that have a true, high-priority need for ergonomic optimization is much, much greater than that, encompassing everything from corporate offices to educational settings.
The ergonomics initiative put into motion by Grandview C4 School District in Kansas City, MO, in 2023 is a perfect example. In September 2023, Janet Melton, Senior Wellbeing Coordinator at the school district, joined the Workplace Injury Prevention Podcast to discuss the process of bringing new, ergonomic workstations to the district’s 650 employees and how Fit For Work provided the expertise and guidance needed to move the initiative forward. Let’s take a look.
The Challenge: “Chairs, Chairs, Chairs”
The need for workstation improvements across the district really came to light following a survey of its 650 employees that simply asked, “How can we improve well-being within the district?” According to Janet, this brief, open-ended question received one overwhelmingly prevalent response: “Chairs, chairs, chairs.”
In the past, when a teacher needed a new chair, they would simply ask the principal and pick one out. But because school districts typically don’t have a lot of funding, teachers would often select based on price, which would result in the chairs not lasting more than a few school years. This one-by-one process also led to the district having a widely varied assortment of chairs from one workstation to the next, most of which could not be adjusted if someone else needed to use that workstation.
When the issue became evident to Janet, she set out in search of a solution. Since she is admittedly not an expert on workstations or ergonomics, she began looking for a partner that could support her in this initiative. After vetting a few different companies, she landed on Fit For Work and began taking steps toward district-wide improvement.
The Solution: Comprehensive Assessment & Phased Improvement
Once Janet made the connection with Fit For Work, she signed on for a subscription-based ergonomics program that paired her with a certified ergonomist that visited the district twice per quarter for a year.
Initially, the ergonomist walked staff members through some tips and techniques for adjusting their existing workstations to better suit their needs. In doing so, however, it became especially evident that much of the furniture needed replacement.
With Fit For Work’s help, Janet began researching and speaking with several different furniture companies.
“I had no idea what I was looking for or what I needed,” Janet said. “Through their education, [Fit For Work] helped me land on the correct company to work with and helped a lot with prioritizing workstations, as well.”
Because the district didn’t have the budget to replace all of its furniture at one time, they worked with Fit For Work to develop a three-year implementation plan. To help with prioritizing where to start, Janet and the certified ergonomist went around and took photos of all 650 workstations. Then, the ergonomist ranked the workstations from 1 through 650 based on whose was in most need of improvement and began ordering furniture.
Apart from the workstation improvement initiative, Fit For Work also educated the district’s employees on the science of ergonomics, why it’s important, and how individuals can adjust their workstations and routines to stay fresh and focused throughout the day.
The Result: A Happier, Healthier School District
In the fall of 2023, the Grandview C4 School District started its school year with 1/3 of the district having new workstations – and the plan is continuing to move forward.
The days of having widely varied and ineffective workstations across the district are a thing of the past. Now, with help from Fit For Work, the district has found a chair and desk combination that can be adjusted to fit any and every employee that might use a workstation. The district was even able to create a catalog for its principals so when it’s time to order again, they can see what is available and what is recommended from an ergonomic standpoint.
“It’s been very beneficial, and the staff have been thrilled with the results,” Janet said. “We just delivered a lot of the furniture last week, and as I was walking out of rooms, I was getting a lot of hugs from teachers. It’s been a really exciting and great project.”
About Fit For Work
Safety in the workplace is about getting ahead of injuries before they happen by cultivating a proactive, results-driven safety program focused on preventing your employees from becoming patients.
Fit For Work achieves this by providing employers at thousands of locations across the country with strategic, consistent support to ensure their workers can experience a safer, happier, and more productive professional life. From onsite early intervention and ergonomics to safety compliance and employee testing, our services are designed to help safety managers and specialists prevent injuries while creating a more productive environment for their workers.
