Ergo-Power® Approach

Traditional approaches to injury prevention usually consist of ergonomic evaluations, ergonomic engineering controls, job task modifications, lectures, demonstrations, generic videos, safety training, etc. Research shows that these approaches have proven to be inconsistent at best at reducing and preventing musculoskeletal injuries. Our approach is based on 6 Principles that are essential if you want to change behaviors and ultimately get sustained results. Some or all of these principles are frequently missing in many traditional approaches whether addressing cumulative trauma or slips, trips and falls.

1. Your employees behave in ways they believe are safe and practical.
2. You can't change your employees' beliefs; only they can.
3. If it doesn't apply to your employees they won't change.
4. Employees are more likely to change when they feel it for themselves.
5. Employees learn new skills by practicing them; not by watching them.
6. Changing employee behavior requires reinforcement.

Principle #1 - Your employees behave in ways they believe are safe and practical.

Do most of your employees blame their working behaviors for how they feel everyday? Or, do they believe the aches and pains they feel simply go with the territory because of the work they do? Ask them and they'll tell you. We've surveyed more than 50,000 employees over the years and the answer is consistently the same. It's the tools, equipment, job tasks, working environment, the job itself or aging that cause our aches, pains and injuries. Worse yet, this belief has been reinforced over their lifetime by their daily experiences. Research has shown that traditional approaches to training can be effective at increasing an employee's knowledge but are not effective at changing their behavior. These approaches fail because they do not address employee belief systems. We focus on challenging and changing employee belief systems.

Ever win a political argument by citing indisputable facts? Usually doesn't happen. Why? Telling and showing of facts or information will not usually change anyone's long held beliefs that have been reinforced over a lifetime. A recent client described our program in a testimonial letter as "a process of facilitated self discovery." We believe you cannot teach an employee to change their behavior. Instead, you can only help them find it within themselves to change. When employees discover for themselves that their behaviors determine how they feel they open themselves up to the possibility of change. More importantly, when employees can discover the solutions for themselves they are far more likely to enact long term change. Our program is designed so that the employees see, feel, and discover for themselves that their behaviors dramatically affect how they feel every day and their risk of injury at home and on the job.

Have you ever shown a training video and heard: "We don't do that like that here" or "that wouldn't work because our trucks (tools, equipment, operations, etc.) are different?"  Even industry specific programs lack the customization that is needed. In our experience, the tools, equipment, operations, and even working policies vary from company to company.  In many cases these differences actually require different approaches with unique solutions. To be effective programs must be highly customized. We customize our approach by engaging the employees throughout the process. We have found that when employees are given the opportunity to contribute they are more open to change. In order to get employees to reduce their risk of musculoskeletal or slip, trip, and fall injuries all obstacles to change must be eliminated. Our programs are created so that everything they see and learn is practical and applies to everything they do.

Principle #4 - Employees are more likely to change when they feel it for themselves.

The nature of cumulative trauma is that we don't feel it while we do it to ourselves. Because it can take years for any symptoms to first appear employees typically develop and reinforce the false belief that their working habits are safe and practical. When they can see and feel the effects of cumulative trauma in their own bodies even when they're not in pain it becomes real for them. Only then are they ready and open to making long term change.  The process of self discovery is incorporated throughout our program.

Principle #5 - Employees learn new skills by practicing them; not by watching them.

What level of expertise do you feel your employees should have with their new working skills? Learning new working habits is like learning any new physical skill. It's no different than learning how to swing a golf club or swim for the first time. While we can all pick up tips from watching a video or demonstration it's almost impossible to really learn that new skill without practice and coaching. This is especially true when breaking bad habits that have become deeply ingrained over the years. Our programs involve coaching and practice of their new skills and knowledge in their work environment not just the classroom. In our approach employees learn by doing.

Changing how your employees feel about the work they do and getting them to develop new working habits is a process. To effectively change behavior and achieve sustained results there must be frequent reinforcement. We believe a process oriented approach is the most efficient and effective. Reinforcement must focus on both hazard elimination and behavior change. One of the most powerful tools of reinforcement is the immediate knowledge of results. If employees know they are learning, making progress, or achieving desired goals they will more readily engage in these actions. Reinforcement is an integral component of our approach. We have developed a variety of reinforcement tools that can be tailored to your organization's needs so that you achieve substantial and sustained results.

Back to Top