5 Most Common Reasons Ergonomics (as well as other) Programs Fail: Part 2

Reason #1:  Lack of a Systems and Systems Aproach 

How are new program ideas generated?  Where do they get there start?  Well, typically things start because there is a need for something.  Once the need is identified, then the company has to decide how to address that need.  This is often done by a person or committee that sifts through choices and determines the best one.  Then is assigned to lead the program and implement the changes.  There is typically a budget and a timeline attached for implementation.

This is what I call the PROJECT approach.  A project can be looked at as a straight line bookended by a mark signifying the beginning and an end.  For some initiatives, using a project mentality fits perfectly.  For example, a company has something specific to the 2011 Christmas season.  It makes sense that a project approach be used.  However, for things such as ergonomics, safety and customer service, having the focus on a specific timeline only serves to limit the success and life of those efforts.  For those efforts I strongly prefer to use a SYSTEMS approach.  Meaning, the system (i.e. ergonomics) may have a beginning but there is no end.  One can think of a system as drawing a circle.  You have a starting point but after that it continues to go round and round.  I believe the reason companies are quick to move on the next fad or “in thing” is because they take a project approach instead of a systems approach to their initiatives.  After all, it’s much easier to get people’s attention and enthusiasm for new things but when it comes to sustaining things people (companies) tend to get bored or complacent. 

I always recommend using a SYSTEMS approach with anything that needs to last and get ingrained into the processes and culture of a company.  When I work with companies who want to “do” ergonomics I will purposefully ask them if they want ergonomics for today, tomorrow or for years to come.  Some just want the fire to be put out, but others not only want the fire put out and for it to never happen again.  That’s the difference between a PROJECT and SYSTEM.  Designing, implementing and sustaining an ergonomics system doesn’t happen overnight, and it just doesn’t involve the one employee, one work area or one piece of equipment.  It involves the entire organization.  

One final note using the word “program”:  I personally stay away from using the term “program”, although I did for the title of this blog series because the word can imply either a “project” or a “system”.  I’d rather use the term that best describes the process of how the goal is going to be met. 

What do you think?  Is ergonomics best seen as a project or system?