By Siya Hlebani
When we talk about the future of work, the conversation tends to veer to automation, AI, and digital disruption. But a quieter, equally powerful force is reshaping how we work and how we feel while doing it. That force is ergonomics.
This idea was brought into sharp focus at a recent symposium hosted by Rhodes University’s Department of Human Kinetics and Ergonomics (HKE), where leading researchers and practitioners gathered to explore the future of work through the lens of ergonomic science. The sessions weren’t just themed around ergonomic thinking – they embodied it. Talks were kept intentionally short. Breaks were built in. The design of the day quietly echoed the very principles it aimed to explore.
It wasn’t just good scheduling. It was the science of work design in action.
So, what is ergonomics really about, and why should it matter?
At its core, ergonomics is the study and practice of designing work environments, systems, and tasks to fit the people who perform them with the intention of improving well-being and performance. It blends a range of different disciplines, such as physiology, psychology, biomechanics and design to create healthier, more efficient, and more humane ways to work. As global work cultures become more digitised and demanding, ergonomics offers a counter-narrative: one that prioritises well-being over mere output.
And it turns out, even the most minor changes, like when and how we take breaks, can make a big difference.
A 2023 report from the Harvard Business Review highlights that the human brain’s ability to focus declines sharply after 50 to 60 minutes of continuous work. Strategic short breaks throughout the day have been shown to improve concentration, reduce fatigue, and boost overall performance, a direct endorsement of the kind of session structuring seen at the HKE symposium.
The HKE department at Rhodes University is no stranger to transformation. Celebrating its 80th anniversary this year, the department has evolved from its origins in physical education to becoming the first in South Africa to offer a full-time ergonomics degree, thanks in large part to Professor Pat Scott, who served on staff for 33 years.
What began as human movement studies gradually expanded into ergonomics under Professor Scott’s leadership, supported by the visionary academic work of figures like Professor Jack Chartres. They introduced the idea that while sports science seeks to maximise performance for athletes, ergonomics seeks to optimise function for all workers, such as miners, office staff, and community members.
Practical solutions for real-world problems
For all its academic depth, the real strength of HKE lies in its groundedness. Ergonomics, as practised by this department, is not about flashy tech or futuristic labs. It’s about real problems, in real workplaces, solved with practical, cost-effective solutions.
That practical mindset was echoed throughout the symposium, where presenters emphasised low-tech interventions that make a meaningful difference, from safer lifting techniques to more inclusive workplace design.
One of the keynote speakers, Professor Andrew Thatcher, who is the President of the International Ergonomics Association (IEA), in his presentation on the future of Human Factors and Ergonomics (HFE) and sustainable work, argued that the concept of “sustainable work” must be reframed. “There is no such thing as true sustainability in the way we often think about it. Sustainability is not a permanent state; it is something that lasts until something changes,” he said.
Sharing insights from a three-year IEA global study on future work trends, Professor Thatcher highlighted urgent issues such as skills mismatches, demographic shifts, and renewable energy transitions. In South Africa, for instance, unemployment is driven not by a lack of people, but by a lack of relevant skills.
“We have people, but we don’t have jobs that match their skills or the education system to bridge that gap,” he added. He illustrated this with an example of solar panels installed in the wrong direction due to poor training. “We saw panels facing south, east, and west in the Southern Hemisphere when they should be facing north,” stressing the importance of proper technical training for future job creation.
Impact in South Africa
In South Africa, where manual handling remains a significant workplace hazard, the department has focused on low-tech interventions: safer lifting techniques, more supportive seating, and spatial designs that prevent injury. Their research has informed practices across industries from the military to mining and recently contributed to legal changes improving pilot rest periods through a five-year collaboration with several stakeholders in the aviation industry.
Over 130 people have completed their ergonomics short courses, more than 50 of whom are government officials, proving that demand for this kind of expertise is growing across sectors.
Another compelling thread running through the department's work is its deep commitment to social justice. Since 2014, it has launched several township-based programmes aimed at improving physical literacy and access to physical education. It has supported disability inclusion projects and partnered with high-performance centres to extend the department’s expertise to underserved communities.
That same commitment was evident in the symposium’s focus on accessibility and equity, ensuring that conversations about the future of work include those on the margins, not just those in boardrooms.
As Professor Sizwe Mabizela, Rhodes University Vice-Chancellor, emphasised, all academic work should be in service of the public good. The HKE department has taken that to heart, embedding ergonomics into every layer of community engagement, curriculum, and collaboration. If the future of work is one where humans and machines must coexist, ergonomics is the discipline that might help them get along.