Theor. Appl. Ergon., Volume 1, Issue 2 (December 2025) – 6 articles

Nurses in Africa are exposed to musculoskeletal disorders at work (WMSDs). They are multifactorial and may be related to demographic, economic, and quality-of-life factors. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of nurses’ age, experience, body mass index (BMI), and macroscopic indices such as nurse-to-bed ratio, Human Development Index (HDI), and Gross Domestic Product (GDP) on the overall prevalence and prevalence by body area. A systematic review and a meta-analysis were conducted during September 2025. ScienceDirect, PubMed/Medline, Google Scholar, Science.gov, and Mendeley were scanned without a date limit. The article selection, review, critical appraisal, and data extraction were performed by two authors independently. Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) was used for reporting the search results. Among the 4305 identified records, 18 studies included for a total of 4266. The overall prevalence was pooled at 77.4%. Subgroup analyses demonstrated a decrease in WMSDs with age, and nurse-to-bed ratio, and an increase in lower limb WMSDs with experience, BMI, GDP, and HDI (for most of body areas). Future work could examine the effect of the nurse-to-bed ratio by considering the resources of a facility and conducting more in-depth analyses by subgroup. The development of ergonomic programs remains essential to the well-being at work of African nurses. Full article

Adults, on average, spend between 55% and 70% of their waking hours primarily in prolonged sitting, and such sedentary behavior has been associated with several health problems. Prolonged sitting postures during work hours are often mandated by the nature of the work task performed. Sit-to-stand workstations offer the benefit of transitioning from and between sitting to standing postures. However, most of the literature on sit-to-stand workstations is focused on generalized office workers, but different occupations have a whole different set of work-specific tasks that can inhibit the appropriate use of sit-to-stand workstations. Therefore, this narrative review aims to summarize various occupations that utilize or can utilize sit-to-stand workstations, including their nature of work tasks, the associated needs, benefits, pitfalls, and recommendations for improved workplace ergonomics. This narrative review summarizes important but less researched occupations such as emergency dispatchers, architects, customer support representatives, general practitioners, engineers, pharmacists, and laboratory research scientists, along with generalized office workers. The review will be of benefit to different health care professionals, work safety and ergonomic professionals, and individuals in each of the occupations discussed to better understand sit-to-stand workstations and their use to promote health and safety in the workplace. Full article

Background: Light is essential to many facets of human endeavors and is not only required for vision. The prevailing climate in the areas where workplaces are situated might moderate good lighting conditions, which are described as those that balance human needs. This study aimed to clarify how the Ergonomic Lighting Indicator should be used in workplaces while considering two distinct climates. Methods: Utilizing the Ergonomic Lighting Indicator questionnaire, the current investigation was conducted. A total of 140 volunteers who worked in indoor environments (70 in each climate condition) took part. Spider charts and descriptive analysis were employed. Results: In Isfahan City, practically every employee expressed complete satisfaction with the natural lighting’s quality. There was more visual comfort, according to workers in the province of Isfahan (p = 0.03). Except for the empowerment rating (p = 0.03; Mazandaran > Isfahan), Isfahan had greater scores on the Ergonomic Lighting Indicator than Mazandaran (visual performance: p = 0.02; vista: p = 0.01; vitality: p = 0.04). Conclusions: Based on this study, the use of Ergonomic Lighting Indicators to evaluate light quality is acceptable. In addition, this instrument can be applied in a variety of nations with diverse climates. Full article

Employee satisfaction is a crucial factor affecting organizational performance, productivity, and overall workplace efficiency. This study investigates employment satisfaction within the Greek technology sector through sentiment analysis, focusing on employees’ responses through the Employee Experience-Satisfaction (EmEx-Sa) questionnaire. The study employs natural language processing (NLP) and, in particular, the lexicon-based sentiment analysis methodology to analyze data from 208 employees across the entirety of Greece, obtained from open and semi-open questions, multiple-choice alternatives, and demographic questions. The objective is to utilize data from sources such as the Michigan Organizational Assessment Questionnaire (MOAQ), Minnesota Satisfaction Questionnaire (MSQ) and Job Descriptive Index (JDI) to determine the primary elements that impact job satisfaction and, by applying principles of organizational ergonomics, gain insight into the attitudes and emotions of employees. Results reveal that the working environment (total sentiment score: 21.50) is the primary driver of positive sentiment, while salary (total sentiment score: −18.72) is the main source of dissatisfaction. Sentiment regarding superiors is more balanced, leaning slightly positive (total sentiment score: 0.02), but the analysis indicates opinions lack significant polarization. The findings delineate critical factors influencing job satisfaction, encompassing the work environment, leadership quality, salary, and opportunities for professional advancement. The research underscores the significance of internal marketing tactics in fostering engagement, trust, and transparency between management and employees and provides actionable suggestions for boosting working conditions, fostering employee well-being, and improving organizational performance, underscoring the strategic imperative of prioritizing job satisfaction. Full article

This research explored the connections between Work Support, Satisfaction with Life, and experienced stress among workers from the automotive sector, with a focus on the indirect influence of job support in the relationship between satisfaction with life and perceived stress using a cross-sectional design. The sample comprised 672 employees (52.98% females). Most participants were aged between 30 and 39 years old (33.48%) or between 40 and 49 years old (29.46%). The primary analysis indicated that Work Support had a partial effect on the connection between Satisfaction with Life and Perceived Stress. Satisfaction with Life was found to directly predict Perceived Stress (B = −0.210, p < 0.001), and there was also a significant indirect effect of Work Support (B = −0.036, 95% CI: −0.051, −0.020). Taken in combination, these results provide several contributions to our comprehension of the mechanisms connecting these constructs, particularly in the car industry. Although Satisfaction with Life showed direct links on Perceived Stress, a significant indirect association via Work Support indicates that a portion of these links are influenced by this route, with potential implications for occupational health. Full article

Vibrotactile stimulation has applications in a variety of fields, including medicine, virtual reality, and human–computer interaction. Eccentric Rotating Mass (ERM) vibrating motors are widely used in wearable haptic devices owing to their small size, low cost, and low-energy features. User experience with vibrotactile stimulation is an important factor in ergonomic design for these applications. The effects of ERM motor vibrations on upper-extremity sensation and perception, which are important in the design of better wearable haptic devices, have not been thoroughly studied previously. Our study focuses on the relationship between user sensation and perception and on different vibration parameters, including frequency, location, and number of motors. We conducted experiments with vibrotactile stimulation on 15 healthy participants while the subjects were both at rest and in motion to capture different use cases of haptic devices. Eight motors were placed on a consistent set of muscles in the subjects’ upper extremities, and one motor was placed on their index fingers. We found a significant correlation between voltage and sensation intensity (r = 0.39). This finding is important in the design and safety of customized haptic devices. However, we did not find a significant aggregate-level correlation with the perceived pleasantness of the simulation. The sensation intensity varied based on the location of the vibration on the upper extremities (with the lowest intensities on the triceps brachii and brachialis) and slightly decreased (5.9 ± 2.9%) when the participants performed reaching movements. When a single motor was vibrating, the participants’ accuracy in identifying the motor without visual feedback increased as the voltage increased, reaching up to 81.4 ± 14.2%. When we stimulated three muscles simultaneously, we found that most participants were able to identify only two out of three vibrating motors (41.7 ± 32.3%). Our findings can help identify stimulation parameters for the ergonomic design of haptic devices. Full article