Objectives: In the last decade in Iran, the highest prevalence of musculoskeletal pain and discomfort among office workers has been reported in the neck, back, and shoulder areas. The present study aimed to assess the impact of ergonomic interventions in knowledge-based companies on musculoskeletal disorders, work-related stress, and quality of work life.
Methods: In this quasi-randomized controlled trial study, the participants, including 311 office workers, received ergonomic interventions at both individual and managerial levels.
Results: The implementation of individual ergonomic training interventions significantly reduced disorders in the neck, right and left shoulders, right forearm, and right wrist. Social support also demonstrated a significant increase in all three intervention groups. The interventions had a significant impact on the quality of working life. The changes in the mean quality of working life for the second and third groups in the first month of growth were significant and then continued similar to the trend of the control group.
Conclusion: The implementation of individual ergonomic training interventions significantly reduced musculoskeletal disorders in the neck, shoulders, and upper limbs. Nonetheless, management training interventions did not affect the musculoskeletal disorders of employees. Furthermore, concurrent implementation of individual ergonomics and management interventions exerted a more pronounced effect on the reduction of disorders. The implementation of management educational interventions and combined interventions led to a marked increase in the level of control experienced by participants, while both types of social support interventions also increased. The implementation of a multi-component ergonomics intervention program was demonstrated to enhance the impact of interventions on employees' health and productivity.
