Empowerment Ergonomics
Optimizing Health and Wellness of the Workforce

Not long ago, businesses were tasked with reenvisioning their approach to conducting day-to-day business operations to remain afloat and successful. Although organizations responded in a number of ways to thwart the challenges raised by the pandemic, there appears to be a common element among those who seem to be weathering the storm better than others. To that end, an ergonomics and workplace wellness company, Empowerment Ergonomics, in Ithaca, New York, is transforming the way organizations imagine work environments. The company has refined its approach of provisioning a comprehensive workplace wellness program to serve clients in their business settings. Empowerment Ergonomics’ comprehensive approach includes injury prevention, workspace design, and at-work wellness consultation.

A common challenge that many organizations faced during the global outbreak was optimizing the productivity and health of their workforce in an evolving work environments. Even pre-pandemic, a lot of companies had been experimenting with in-person versus hybrid models and even enabling their workforces to work from home. In response, Empowerment Ergonomics adapted to help employers retain and sustain their workforces prior to the pandemic. They shifted from onsite evaluation to developing education tools and home office design strategies to optimize work-from-home.

However, supporting clients through turbulent times is nothing new for the agile provider. Established in 2003, Empowerment Ergonomics, with its team of occupational therapists, have built a service model that stands the test of time. As a result, Empowerment’s ergonomic and wellness services have a track record of improved employee health and productivity.”We anticipate that our portfolio of ergonomics, accessibility and wellness services will be more vital than ever in terms of supporting our clients in finding the right balance between working from home and office while helping them adapt to their work environments accordingly,” says Todd Baker, Principal at Empowerment Ergonomics.

In addition to its broad spectrum of health care, fitness instruction, and ergonomics evaluation credentials, the occupational therapists at Empowerment Ergonomics are specialists in environmental accessibility to ensure the success of workers with disabilities. This promotes a more inclusive workplace. When an employer makes necessary accommodations for people with disabilities - furniture, equipment, and strategies –the firm ensures that the relevant data is captured for Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) compliance and reporting. Furthermore, consultants in the company help clients incorporate ergonomics principles into tool selection for optimal comfort and performance. They work with client procurement and suppliers to determine costeffective solutions.

Empowerment Ergonomics’ unique proposition is how they manage employers’ ergonomics needs with its comprehensive services to elevate the environment where clients operate. The company caters to clients in the corporate and higher education arena, assisting them in managing a high volume of ergonomics activity. Proprietary technology translates the data from these interactions into actionable intelligence that drives decision-making. This allows their partners to prioritize investment according to the furniture, tools and processes that will have the greatest impact on performance and production. To further illustrate the core competencies of Empowerment Ergonomics, Baker cites the success story of one of its clients who wanted to re-design their traditional workspace to accommodate a hybrid workforce.

Baker believes many businesses today do not intend to reintegrate their entire workforce into the conventional office setting. This implies that the office equipment and workplace layouts/seating arrangements will not be the same anymore. To that end, Empowerment Ergonomics helped its client reimagine their workplace design to be collaborative for hybrid teams. By helping the client remain hyper-focused on worker and task requirements, they were able to realize greater efficiency, flexibility and savings. This is but one of the numerous success stories that Empowerment Ergonomics has crafted over the years. As a result, organizations must be confident that they are enabling their people with a scientifically designed workspace and quality equipment.

Empowerment Ergonomics also adopts a holistic approach to health promotion with evaluation, design, purchasing, and training — always pushing customers to be more proactive and preventive. Organizations will always have to react to injuries and crises, but using Empowerment’s data and experience to improve process is where the value lies. Solving a problem with furniture or equipment is good but creating a standard that anticipates the problem is best. Furthermore, consultants help clients incorporate ergonomics principles across disciplines. They work with client procurement partners and suppliers to determine cost-effective solutions. They attempt to integrate with HR, safety and operations to support compliance, culture and performance.

With an expanding network of occupational therapists and health and wellness professionals, Empowerment Ergonomics is well positioned for growth. Its time-tested comprehensive work wellness programs are built around a small consulting footprint yet scalable to serve organizations with a high volume of workplace assessments and other wellness needs. Treading ahead, Empowerment Ergonomics will continue to approach ergonomics and workspace health and design from a human performance mindset. Even as work environments continue to evolve, their partners can be confident that they are optimizing employee health and production.