In the world of ergonomics and injury prevention, we’ve gotten really good at evaluating the work.
We analyze workstation setups, lifting angles, reach zones, forces, repetition, posture, and more.
We walk away with a detailed report and solid recommendations that make the job safer.
But there’s one critical piece that often gets overlooked—the worker.
Beyond Post-Offer Employment Testing
When we talk about assessing the worker, most people jump to post-offer employment testing. That’s not what this is about. Those tests determine whether someone can meet the physical demands of a job before they start.
What we’re talking about here is something much more valuable: functional assessments for current employees—an ongoing look at how a worker’s body moves, where their limitations may be, and how those factors influence risk on the job.
Why This Matters
You can have a perfectly designed workstation, but if the employee has mobility restrictions, poor balance, or limited range of motion, that “perfect” design doesn’t translate into real-world safety.
Here’s what happens when we don’t look at the worker’s physical capabilities:
- The employee compensates with awkward movements.
- Fatigue sets in faster, increasing error and risk.
- Discomfort grows quietly until it becomes an injury.
Ergonomics is about fitting the job to the person—and that second half requires knowing what that person is capable of.
The Power of Functional Assessments
A functional movement assessment helps identify individual strengths and limitations—things like shoulder mobility, core stability, balance, and flexibility. Once you have that data, you can:
- Tailor coaching and warm-up exercises to target weaknesses.
- Adjust workstation setups with precision.
- Track improvement over time as employees build better movement patterns.
This isn’t about medical diagnosis or fitness testing—it’s about functional performance.
It’s the bridge between ergonomic design and human capability.
The Future of Injury Prevention
Companies that combine ergonomic workstation assessments and individual functional assessments are seeing the best outcomes:
- Fewer soreness reports
- Faster intervention when risk patterns appear
- Stronger employee engagement in injury prevention programs
The future of ergonomics and injury prevention isn’t just about how the job is designed—it’s about how people move within it.
If you’re not assessing both, you’re only seeing half the picture.
