:: Back Pain Linked to Workplace Morale

February 26, 2003

Researchers at the University of Pittsburgh are giving a boost to the idea of improving the morale at work, by making a link between back pain and an unpleasant workplace.

Headed by Dr. Janet M. Johnston, the research, published in the February 2003 American Journal of Industrial Medicine, found that the physical risk of back pain was comparable to the psychological impact of the workplace.

The study involved interviews with 6,311 workers with retail material handling responsibilities – receiving, stocking or management. Subjects were asked about social and psychological environments at work; information was also gathered on physical risks of back pain.

After taking into consideration previous back injuries and job-related lifting duties, researchers found that the quality of the work environment could affect the risk of back pain. Workers, for example, who had to concentrate for long periods of time or who worked in hectic environments were found to be at a greater risk for reporting back pain. However, Johnson, in a Reuter’s Health article, noted that since the study involved a worker’s memory of pain, workers who are dissatisfied with their work environment may be more apt to remember and report back pain.

Ergonomics encompasses all aspects of a worker’s environment, including workplace morale. A report on how ergonomics affects absenteeism from both a physical and morale perspective can be found in the upcoming (March, 2003) issue of The Ergonomics Report, Ergoweb Inc.’s monthly subscription newsletter.

Source: Reuter’s Health - Jeanie Croasmun