Efficacy of efficient remote office ergonomics education

Abstract

Many employees have makeshift areas within their homes to conduct their work during the current pandemic, increasing their risk for discomfort and injury. This study looked at the ability of a distance education office ergonomics course for participants in Canada who normally work in an office and are now working from home because of the global pandemic where physical distancing limits the ability to obtain a face-to-face ergonomic assessment. Using an explanatory sequential mixed methods design, the distance education course was assessed to determine its effectiveness in addressing knowledge and behaviour of office ergonomics. There was evidence of increasing knowledge after participants completed the eLearning program and adoption of this knowledge after the provision of feedback from the participant photos submitted for review. In future, a larger group should be identified to recreate this study using a randomized-cluster design.