Office ergonomics - whether we realize it or not - directly or indirectly affects every one of us. It is the study of the work we do, the environment we work in, and the tools we use to successfully perform our jobs.
Office ergonomics helps us be comfortable and safe at work, which reduces the risk of injury, lowers stress, increases personal engagement, and raises overall work performance. This book embraces and addresses the new reality of the traditional 'office' work, which is ever changing and evolving, and offers tactical recommendations on how to make non-traditional office settings more comfortable.
This book suggests how to
- Set up the office, wherever that may be - at a company site, at home, at a corner café, on a commuter train
- Interact with colleagues
- Organize and pace work
- Select and arrange equipment and furniture
- Maintain the physical climate - lighting, sound, heating and cooling
The book is a practical one, based on sound theory and solid research. Written for non-engineers as well as those in the industry, it has a conversational tone, reflects true-life situations that office workers face, and is adaptable to multiple office settings. While budding ergonomists will find it educational, office managers and designers will benefit from it as well. You will find ten fast-paced chapters, augmented with brief case studies and illustrations, and capped off with a series of practical design recommendations. Three appendices delve into ergonomic topics with more thorough details.
This book suggests how best to achieve a harmonious work scenario by optimizing the 'fit' between the person and his or her environment. This, in a nutshell, is what ergonomics is all about: working with ease and efficiency.
ANNE D. KROEMER - Bachelor's Degree in Marketing & French, Virginia Tech, 1985 / MBA, Darden School of Business, University of Virginia, 1990. Upon graduation from UVA, held progressively important roles in client service with world-class advertising agencies including Leo Burnett (4 years) and J Walter Thompson (2 years). After honing her marketing and advertising expertise, left to pursue human rights interests by working with a large Chicago-based social service agency as Director of Marketing and Development (4 years). While raising a young child, worked in community-based organization LPCC as Director of Outreach and Marketing (4 years). Currently employed as a free-lance marketing and communications consultant in Chicago with clients including Geja's Café, Li'l Buds Theatre Company, Robinson Hill USA, Tengelsen Family Foundation, Essentia Intl, and more.
Karl H. E. Kroemer is professor Emeritus of Industrial and Systems Engineering from Virginia Tech., Blacksburg, VA.He was a member of the Committee on Human Factors of the National Research Council, National Academy of Sciences. He was an elected Fellow of the Human Factors and Ergonomics Society and of the Ergonomics Society. Dr. Kroemer earned a B.S., a M.S. and a Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering, from Technical University Hannover, Germany. He has authored/or co-authored over 200 publications and articles on various Human Factors, Ergonomics, and Physiology topics.
