On the eighth day of industrial ergonomics, my favorite safety team gave to me…insights into the connection between mental health and ergonomics, and a chance to win a $15 Target gift card!
Remember: For your chance to win the daily prize, share this blog on LinkedIn, Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, or TikTok and tag the DORN Companies account so we can record your submission. For extra entries, you can share each day’s blog on multiple social media platforms and tag your friends and colleagues in the safety world.
The winner from Day 7 of the 12 Days of Ergonomics is Alex Bernstein. Today’s prize: $15 Target gift card!
Emotional Ergonomics: Why Mental Health Matters in Workplace Safety
For decades, ergonomics programs have focused on physical safety: workstation design, repetitive motion, and musculoskeletal injury prevention. But today’s workforce faces new challenges that go beyond the physical. The modern pace of work, digital overload, and emotional strain are reshaping what it means to create a truly safe workplace.
The Hidden Link Between Stress and Injury
Research indicates that 80% of American workers experience work-related stress, resulting in more than $190 billion in annual healthcare costs. Even more alarming, over half of workplace injuries (52%) have ties to mental health factors such as fatigue, burnout, or distraction.
When workers experience chronic stress, anxiety, or depression, their ability to focus, react, and move safely declines. This “emotional load” creates a negative feedback loop...stress leads to fatigue and chronic pain, which in turn worsens mental health.
Common Causes of Emotional Strain at Work:
- Unclear job roles or lack of autonomy
- Excessive workloads and unrealistic deadlines
- Poor communication between employees and management
- Toxic, hostile, or discriminatory environments
- Harassment, bullying, or lack of inclusion
These factors combine to create emotional overload, where the brain and body operate under constant strain, making even simple ergonomic interventions less effective.
Watch DORN’s Cheryl Roy break down the science of emotional ergonomics and explore how addressing mental health can dramatically reduce injury rates and improve workplace morale.
Emotional Ergonomics: A Holistic Approach to Worker Well-Being
Forward-thinking organizations are now embracing emotional ergonomics, an approach that combines mental wellness and physical ergonomics to create safer and healthier work environments.
By recognizing the mind-body connection at the heart of safety and productivity, employers can better understand the stress–pain–injury cycle and design interventions that address root causes, not just symptoms.
Strategies to Strengthen Emotional and Physical Safety
- Create Calmer Environments: Introduce quiet zones, natural lighting, and break spaces to reduce stress.
- Foster Open Communication: Encourage transparency and regular feedback loops between staff and leadership.
- Promote Work-Life Balance: Offer flexible scheduling and remote work options.
- Support Whole-Person Health: Provide access to counseling, mindfulness resources, and fitness programs.
- Offer On-Site Relief: Incorporate DORN’s on-site pain management therapies and fatigue prevention programs.
- Build Connection: Create social hubs and team-building opportunities to enhance belonging and morale.
Thank you for joining us for Day 8 of the 12 Days of Ergonomics! Don’t forget to share this post, tag @DORNCompanies, and mention your wellness partner for your chance to win today’s $15 Target gift card.
Stay tuned for Day 9, where we explore the next step in creating a safer, healthier workplace for all.
