Understanding and Alleviating Musculoskeletal Disorders in Remote Office Workers: A Follow-Up Study and Intervention

Abstract

Over a year after the COVID-19 pandemic created an influx of remote office workers nationwide, the number of these workers is projected to stay elevated after the pandemic ends. Despite the hassle of shifting to remote work conditions, employers and employees have seen the benefits of remote work. From lower facilities costs to greater flexibility in balancing personal and organizational obligations, it offers significant benefits. However, despite the benefits, remote work creates challenges for the field of occupational health and safety, specifically with office ergonomics risks. When “work” has often been employer-controlled and separate from “home,” what does it mean when the two blend? Will separation from traditional office equipment affect employees’ long-term health? What are the best practices for training remote employees to reduce ergonomics risks and protect their health? These issues must be tackled as the new, post-pandemic workforce emerges. This dissertation research consists of two studies. The first study aimed to determine if long-term remote office work affected workers’ productivity and physical health. A follow-up assessment was conducted for a 2019 study which evaluated how desk type (e.g., sit-stand, stand-biased, and traditional) affected measures of computer-use metrics, physical activity, and musculoskeletal discomfort measures in a cohort of office workers. In the current follow-up study, the same variables were reassessed in the same cohort after they worked remotely for a year. Results showed that musculoskeletal discomfort, physical activity, and computer-based productivity measures were largely unchanged after a period of long-term remote work. The second research study empirically contrasted methods for web-based ergonomics training for remote office workers. Through a randomized controlled trial, remote office workers were exposed to either a traditional online training course or an online training course enhanced with a digital person. Within-groups comparisons were analyzed for knowledge retention, behavior change, and musculoskeletal discomfort. Results showed no statistically significant improvements for musculoskeletal discomfort and ergonomic behavior. However, there were statistically significant improvements in scores for ergonomics knowledge; individuals who completed a digital person training had a greater increase in scores compared to individuals who completed a traditional training or no training.