Ergonomics/human factors and the future of work: A global systems perspective Andrew Thatcher, Augustine Appah Acquah, Agnès Aublet-Cuvelier, Rob Becker, Tim Bentley, Maria Elena Boatca, Daniel Braatz, Hong-In Cheng, Fabien Coutarel, Somnath Gangopadhyay, Nicola Green, Nigel Heaton, Hongwei Hsiao, Liang Ma, Masaaki Mochimaru, Beata Mrugalska, Verena Nitsch, Paulo Antonio Barros Oliveira, Taezoon Park, Arto Reiman, Yordán Rodriguez, Gary Roth, Urmi Ravindra Salve, Rosemary Seva, Anita Tisch, Andrew Todd, Yaniel Torres, Yoshiko Yagi, Shanqing Yin, Wei Zhang Applied Ergonomics, 2026 In a webinar series hosted by the International Ergonomics Association, the Future of Work Committee of the International Ergonomics Association gathered inputs about the future of work from ergonomics/human factors (E/HF) experts representing different regions around the world. Through these insights, four global megatrends relevant to E/HF driving the future of work were identified: labour-market supply; work informality; technology; and climate change. Next, we applied an E/HF systems approach, using causal loop diagrams, to explore the unfolding interrelationships between these megatrends at a global level and with a national level example to determine what novel insights can be uncovered using systems analysis. We demonstrate the power of E/HF systems thinking that can enable national E/HF societies and regional think-tanks to move beyond a siloed approach to megatrends. We conclude with some high-level suggestions for E/HF to consider in order to meet the future of work challenges. • Global perspective on the future of work requires a systems perspective. • Key megatrends are labour-market supply, informality, technology, and climate change. • Unique national/regional factors elicit differential pathways for each nation. • E/HF considerations require a detailed national/regional analysis. • Future of work determinations are a continually unfolding task.
The fade of a discipline or a shift in the centre of gravity? Andrew Todd, Andrew Thatcher Ergonomics, 2026 There are certainly aspects from de Winter and Eisma (2024) paper that we agree with and that we feel are important for ergonomics and human factors (EHF) to consider and debate. For example, we ag...
Designing a greywater treatment system in a highly adaptive urban environment: an ergonomics and human factors observational analysis Jonathan Davy, Andrew Todd, Geneviève S. Metson, Andrew Thatcher Urban Water Journal, 2023 Unplanned, high-density settlements in low-middle income countries often lack functional wastewater management systems. Nature-based solutions, such as constructed wetlands, are an option for the treatment of greywater, provided they are used by and useful to the community. We explored the effectiveness of iterative design for two pilot constructed wetlands in an informal settlement in Johannesburg, South Africa. Using ergonomics and human factors (E/HF) design approaches, this study evaluated the usability and postural risks associated with interactions with the constructed wetlands to motivate (and evaluate) design changes to increase use and reduce the risk of musculoskeletal pain. An elevated work area reduced musculoskeletal risks and a larger work area allowed more users at one time. The raised work areas provided other benefits such as stormwater and sewerage protection. The value of E/HF as part of a broader transdisciplinary team was demonstrated by embedding the design in the activities of the community.
ERGONOMICS IN THE DESIGN OF A GREYWATER TREATMENT SYSTEM FOR AN URBAN INFORMAL SETTLEMENT Andrew Thatcher, Andrew Todd, Jonathan Davy, Geneviève S Metson Proceedings of the Human Factors and Ergonomics Society, 2022 Greywater disposal in urban informal settlements currently leads to the presence of potentially harmful wastewater in the community. In this paper we describe how HFE contributed to the improved design of a nature-based solution, constructed wetlands, implemented for the channelling and treatment of greywater in an informal settlement. Using observational ethnographic activity analysis in two phases, HFE was used to identify human user interaction issues requiring redesign and to evaluate the effectiveness of the design recommendations. The paper demonstrates the value of HFE to the design team in getting community members to use the constructed wetlands and to provide additional services to the community not envisaged by the design team.
The COVID-19 lockdown and changes in routine-oriented lifestyle behaviors and symptoms of depression, anxiety, and insomnia in South Africa Jonathan P. Davy, Karine Scheuermaier, Laura C. Roden, Candice J. Christie, Alison Bentley, Francesc X. Gomez-Olive, Stella Iacovides, Raphaella Lewis, Gosia Lipinska, Johanna Roche, Andrew Todd, Swantje Zschernack, Dale E. Rae Journal of Physical Activity and Health, 2021 Background: The authors assessed the impact of lockdown in response to the COVID-19 pandemic on routine-oriented lifestyle behaviors and symptoms of depression, anxiety, and insomnia in South Africans. Methods: In this observational study, 1048 adults (median age = 27 y; n = 767 females; n = 473 students) responded to an online survey on work, exercise, screen, alcohol, caffeine and sleep behaviors, depression, anxiety, and insomnia before and during lockdown. Comparisons were made between males and females, and students and nonstudents. Results: During lockdown, males reported larger reductions in higher intensity exercise and alcohol use than females, while depressive symptoms increased more among females, more of whom also reported poorer sleep quality. Students demonstrated larger delays in work and sleep timing, greater increases in sitting, screen, sleep duration, napping, depression and insomnia and larger decreases in work hours, exercise time, and sleep regularity compared with nonstudents. Conclusions: Students experienced more changes in their routine-oriented behaviors than nonstudents, coupled with larger increases in depression and insomnia. The dramatic change in their work and sleep timing suggests habitual routines that are at odds with their chronotype, with their sleep changes during lockdown likely reflecting “catch-up” sleep in response to accumulated sleep debt under usual routines.
From Theory to Real-World Integration: Implementation Science and Beyond Giulia Dagliana, Sara Albolino, Zewdie Mulissa, Jonathan Davy, Andrew Todd Textbook of Patient Safety and Clinical Risk Management, 2020 The increasing complexity and dynamicity of our society (and world of work) have meant that healthcare systems have and continue to change and consequently the state of healthcare systems continues to assume different characteristics. The causes of mortality are an excellent example of this rapid transformation: non-communicable diseases have become the leading cause of death, according to World Health Organization (WHO) data, but at the same time there are new problems emerging such as infectious diseases, like Ebola or some forms of influenza, which occur unexpectedly or without advanced warning. Many of these new diseases diffuse rapidly through the different parts of the globe due to the increasingly interconnected nature of the world. Another example of the healthcare transformation is the innovation associated with the introduction and development of advanced communication and technology systems (such as minimally invasive surgery and robotics, transplantation, automated antiblastic preparation) at all levels of care. Consequently, the social and technical dimensions of healthcare are becoming more and more complex and provide a significant challenge for all the stakeholders in the system to make sense of and ensure high quality healthcare. These stakeholders include but are not limited to patients and their families, caregivers, clinicians, managers, policymakers, regulators, and politicians. It is an inescapable truth that Humans are always going to be part of the healthcare systems, and it is these human, who by their very nature introduce variability and complexity to the system (we do not necessarily view this as a negative and this chapter will illustrate). A microlevel a central relationship in focus is that between the clinician and the patient, two human beings, making the health system a very peculiar organization compared to similarly high-risk organizations such as aviation or nuclear energy. This double human being system [1] requires significant effort (good design) in managing unpredictability through the development of personal and organization skills, such as the ability to react positively and rapidly to unexpected events and to adopt a resilient strategy for survival and advancement. In contrast to other similar industries, in terms of level of risk and system safety, healthcare settings are still plagued by numerous errors and negative events involving humans (and other elements) at various levels within the system. The emotional involvement is very high due to the exposure to social relationships daily and results in significant challenges to address both technical and non-technical issues simultaneously.
HFE in underdeveloped countries: How do we facilitate equitable, egalitarian, and respectful progress? Advancing Diversity Inclusion and Social Justice Through Human Systems Engineering, 2019
The fade of a discipline or a shift in the centre of gravity? A Todd, A Thatcher Ergonomics 69 (3), 432-436 , 2026 2026 Citations: 1
Ergonomics/human factors and the future of work: A global systems perspective A Thatcher, AA Acquah, A Aublet-Cuvelier, R Becker, T Bentley, ... Applied Ergonomics 131, 104665 , 2026 2026 Citations: 1
Reflections on an engaged research approach to understanding patient record-keeping systems in a local clinic in Makhanda K Kingwill, A Todd, J Davy, S Pama African Journal of Higher Education Community Engagement 1 (2), 1-25 , 2024 2024 Citations: 1
An Investigation into the Lower Back Pain Attitudes and Beliefs of Current Educators and Future Ergonomists in South Africa AG Du Plessis, AI Todd Congress of the International Ergonomics Association, 414-419 , 2024 2024
Designing a greywater treatment system in a highly adaptive urban environment: An ergonomics and human factors observational analysis J Davy, A Todd, GS Metson, A Thatcher Urban Water Journal 20 (5), 624-637 , 2023 2023 Citations: 6
Ergonomics in the design of a greywater treatment system for an urban informal settlement A Thatcher, A Todd, J Davy, GS Metson Proceedings of the Human Factors and Ergonomics Society Annual Meeting 66 (1 … , 2022 2022 Citations: 2
The COVID-19 lockdown and changes in routine-oriented lifestyle behaviors and symptoms of depression, anxiety, and insomnia in South Africa JP Davy, K Scheuermaier, LC Roden, CJ Christie, A Bentley, ... Journal of Physical Activity and Health 18 (9), 1046-1057 , 2021 2021 Citations: 28
Chasing significance in B Ryan, A Todd Challenging the Apartheids of Knowledge in Higher Education through Social … , 2021 2021
Reflections on experiences working alongside informal traders at Warwick Junction in Durban: A human factors and ergonomics perspective J Davy, A Todd, R Dobson, T Quazi, P Ndlovu, L Alfers Challenging the “Apartheids” of knowledge in higher education through social … , 2021 2021 Citations: 1
Musculoskeletal Disorders in Unstructured, Unregulated Work: Assessment Methods and Injuries C D’Souza, B Martin, JN Fobil, A Todd, JO Gomes Congress of the International Ergonomics Association, 720-727 , 2021 2021 Citations: 3
Textbook of patient safety and clinical risk management L Donaldson, W Ricciardi, S Sheridan, R Tartaglia Springer Nature , 2021 2021 Citations: 158
Dalla teoria all’integrazione nel mondo reale: la scienza dell’implementazione e oltre G Dagliana, S Alboino, Z Mulissa, J Davy, A Todd Donaldson, L; Ricciardi, W; Sheridan, S; Tartaglia, 199-218 , 2021 2021 Citations: 1
From theory to real-world integration: implementation science and beyond G Dagliana, S Albolino, Z Mulissa, J Davy, A Todd Textbook of patient safety and clinical risk management, 143-157 , 2020 2020 Citations: 11
Advancing diversity, inclusion, and social justice through human systems engineering RD Roscoe, EK Chiou, AR Wooldridge CRC Press , 2019 2019 Citations: 66
HFE in underdeveloped countries: how do we facilitate equitable, egalitarian, and respectful progress? A Thatcher, A Todd Advancing diversity, inclusion, and social justice through human systems … , 2019 2019 Citations: 15
The way forward for human factors/ergonomics and sustainability A Thatcher, P Waterson, A Todd, PHP Yeow Congress of the International Ergonomics Association, 616-625 , 2018 2018 Citations: 7
Networks and cities in a dynamic society H Searle, A Todd Congress of the International Ergonomics Association, 841-850 , 2018 2018 Citations: 2
Matching New Ergonomics Regulations to Stakeholder Competence in South Africa AI Todd Congress of the International Ergonomics Association, 478-483 , 2018 2018
The BRICS plus Network: A Historical Overview and Future Perspectives of the Network’s Role in Human Factors and Ergonomics J Davy, JO Gomes, A Volosiuk, A Jana, G Ray, AK Ganguli, W Zhang, ... Congress of the International Ergonomics Association, 647-656 , 2018 2018 Citations: 8
“Ergonomics on the Ground”: A Case Study of Service Learning in Ergonomics Education J Davy, K Weaver, A Todd, S Paphitis Congress of the International Ergonomics Association, 693-702 , 2018 2018 Citations: 4
MOST CITED SCHOLAR PUBLICATIONS
State of Science: ergonomics and global issues A Thatcher, P Waterson, A Todd, N Moray Ergonomics 61 (2), 197-213 , 2018 2018 Citations: 182
Textbook of patient safety and clinical risk management L Donaldson, W Ricciardi, S Sheridan, R Tartaglia Springer Nature , 2021 2021 Citations: 158
Advancing diversity, inclusion, and social justice through human systems engineering RD Roscoe, EK Chiou, AR Wooldridge CRC Press , 2019 2019 Citations: 66
Ergonomics in developing regions: Needs and applications PA Scott CRC Press , 2009 2009 Citations: 65
Physical implications of prolonged sitting in a confined posture-a literature review AI Todd, AI Bennett, CJ Christie Ergonomics SA: Journal of the Ergonomics Society of South Africa 19 (2), 7-21 , 2007 2007 Citations: 59
Pushing and pulling, technique and load effects: An electromyographical study AI Bennett, AI Todd, SD Desai Work 38 (3), 291-299 , 2011 2011 Citations: 53
Muscle fatigue induced by a soccer match-play simulation in amateur Black South African players RI Jones, B Ryan, AI Todd Journal of sports sciences 33 (12), 1305-1311 , 2015 2015 Citations: 47
Selected physiological responses during batting in a simulated cricket work bout: A pilot study CJ Christie, AI Todd, GA King Journal of Science and Medicine in Sport 11 (6), 581-584 , 2008 2008 Citations: 40
Operator work-related musculoskeletal disorders during forwarding operations in South Africa: an ergonomic assessment K Phairah, M Brink, P Chirwa, A Todd Southern Forests: A Journal of Forest Science 78 (1), 1-9 , 2016 2016 Citations: 30
The COVID-19 lockdown and changes in routine-oriented lifestyle behaviors and symptoms of depression, anxiety, and insomnia in South Africa JP Davy, K Scheuermaier, LC Roden, CJ Christie, A Bentley, ... Journal of Physical Activity and Health 18 (9), 1046-1057 , 2021 2021 Citations: 28
The effects of load and gradient on hand force responses during dynamic pushing and pulling tasks AI Bennett, SD Desai, AI Todd, H Freeland Ergonomics SA: Journal of the Ergonomics Society of South Africa 20 (1), 3-15 , 2008 2008 Citations: 25
Current trends in research focused on pushing and pulling AI Todd Ergonomics SA: Journal of the Ergonomics Society of South Africa 17 (2), 42-53 , 2005 2005 Citations: 21
Effect of protective gear on skin temperature responses and sweat loss during cricket batting activity AI King, Gregory A., Christie, Candice J. & Todd South African Journal of Sports Medicine 9 (2), 30-35 , 2002 2002 Citations: 17
HFE in underdeveloped countries: how do we facilitate equitable, egalitarian, and respectful progress? A Thatcher, A Todd Advancing diversity, inclusion, and social justice through human systems … , 2019 2019 Citations: 15
From theory to real-world integration: implementation science and beyond G Dagliana, S Albolino, Z Mulissa, J Davy, A Todd Textbook of patient safety and clinical risk management, 143-157 , 2020 2020 Citations: 11
The BRICS plus Network: A Historical Overview and Future Perspectives of the Network’s Role in Human Factors and Ergonomics J Davy, JO Gomes, A Volosiuk, A Jana, G Ray, AK Ganguli, W Zhang, ... Congress of the International Ergonomics Association, 647-656 , 2018 2018 Citations: 8
Analyses of time use in informal economy workers reveals long work hours, inadequate rest and time poverty J Davy, D Rasetsoke, A Todd, T Quazi, P Ndlovu, R Dobson, L Alfers Congress of the International Ergonomics Association, 415-424 , 2018 2018 Citations: 8
The way forward for human factors/ergonomics and sustainability A Thatcher, P Waterson, A Todd, PHP Yeow Congress of the International Ergonomics Association, 616-625 , 2018 2018 Citations: 7
The energy cost of batting during a simulated batting work bout CJ Christie, AI Todd, GA King Science and Medicine in Sports and Exercise 11, 581-584 , 2008 2008 Citations: 7
Ergonomics Report: forest harvesting PA Scott, C Christie, G James, A Todd Ergonomics Unit, Rhodes University, Grahamstown, South Africa , 2004 2004 Citations: 7
