ErgoSuite’s Employee Tools – ErgoMeter™

• Your ErgoSuite is a highly cost-effective technology platform which
  seamlessly integrates critical-path web-based and computer-based tools
  designed to extend the capability and return of employers’ existing and
  new Office Ergonomics Programs.

Choose a tool:	ErgoTutor | SmartRULA | General Assessments | Discomfort Assessments
	ErgoCoach | ErgoMeter | MyErgo Dashboard | ErgoSuite QuickStart Guide Personal Console | Ergo Self-Assessments | Ergonomics Resource Library Ergonomic Assistance Requests
Or switch to:	EH&S, Risk Manager Tools

ErgoMeter: An Effective Office Ergonomics Behavioral Training Portal

ErgoSuite’s ErgoMeter provides several important functions. Primarily, it provides one of the very successful and unique indicator mechanisms utilized by ErgoCoach.

ErgoMeter is also the icon gateway, or portal, to ErgoSuite’s Employee toolset, as well as to your own office ergonomics resources which you’ve developed or purchased from commercial vendors.

ErgoSuite’s Administration Console allows authorized managers to change this personal ergonomics portal remotely from any Internet Browser by individuals or any grouping. You can edit, remove and add menu items including links to other tools and resources already established in your Office Ergonomics Program.

Optionally, employees can also be permitted to customize ErgoSuite’sErgoMeter in many ways for their personal preferences. This also can be segmented by any groupings or by individuals.

        

When you are an employee protected by ErgoSuite, you will notice ErgoSuite () in your Windows
Taskbar in the Windows System Tray:
     

The ErgoSuite icon () is a strain gauge and works similar to your home stereo volume indicator.  On your home stereo, when the volume is low, the indicator bars appear green.   When the volume is increased, the bars start to become red.  With ErgoSuite, instead of having a bar for the left and right speaker volume, ErgoSuite has an alert indicator for the keyboard on the left and an alert indicator for the mouse on the right.  An increase in the number of red bars that are displayed indicates the increased need for the user to take some brief microbreaks.

Biofeedback Simplicity

One of the keystones in ErgoSuite’s stunning success over more than 20 years is keeping the biofeedback loop very simple and clear for employees where by design there are only three alert types:

• Mousing and Keying alerts () are the first two types of alerts.   These satisfy what Ergonomists call Dynamic Loading which is the need for a brief microbreak (recovery period) that builds dynamically, depending the pattern of rest and keying or mousing, during your time on the computer.  When you see the ErgoMeter bars growing increasingly red, this is an excellent time to take a brief break and stretch!


• Sit/Stand alerts () are the third type of alerts.  These satisfy what Ergonomists call Static Loading which is the need for a brief rest break (recovery period) that builds simply from your sitting (or standing) in one place over an extended period of time without switching between sitting and standing. When you see the ErgoMeter bars display yellow, this is your signal that, based on your recent pattern of work and rest, it is an excellent time to simply change position and stretch!

Have it your way…

ErgoSuite’s ErgoMeter alerts can be configured many ways to adapt to any environment or individual. Just a few examples include (in increasing visibility):

• ErgoMeter’s icon can simply and discreetly just change the red bars…


• ErgoMeter’s icon can be configured to flash during an alert…


• ErgoMeter’s icon can include a standard Windows Notification announcing the alert:


• ErgoMeter’s icon can also direct the stretching screen to display automatically (e.g. Return To Work cases, etc…) during an alert…


• Many more configurations are available…

ErgoSuite’s Administration Console allows authorized managers to change any of these settings as well as all other ErgoSuite Policies remotely from any Internet Browser by individuals or any grouping.

At A Glance…

As you work during the day and notice ErgoSuite’s strain gauge start to display red bars for the keyboard or mouse, try to plan in a brief microbreak!  This could be as simple as a 45 second stretch break.  As you do this, over time, ErgoSuite’s gauge will return to green.

When you naturally take brief breaks from the keyboard and mouse during the day, you will not be alerted by ErgoSuite’s ErgoMeter. 

ErgoSuite’s ErgoMeter icon will change to red if you work with your keyboard or mouse without taking appropriate breaks during work. When this occurs, you have three choices:

• You can ignore the alert and continue to work; or


• You can simply move your mouse over the flashing  icon () to bring up a live stretching coach; or


• You can simply take or plan a natural break and do some other task such as filing, phoning, etc.

Also, anytime during the day that you want to stretch, simply double-click on the ErgoMeter icon, hit the Start button, or select a different stretch choosing from among any of the other options available.

Over the years, many clients have shared how more and more employees are additionally and routinely using ErgoCoach to “warm-up stretch” prior to a work period.