Productivity Improvement Research

Scientific research has shown that taking brief micro-breaks – lasting a minute or two and strategically placed during the day – can substantially reduce employee risk of developing injuries as well as increasing the accuracy of people using computers.

Magnitude’s patented ergonomic software tools have been proven to increase the quality of work done by computer users through reducing user fatigue at the computer.  

Several major universities have conducted extensive studies in real-world business environments using Magnitude’s ergonomic tools.

In July 1999, Cornell University released a study entitled “Effects of Ergonomic Management Software on Employee Performance, a field test of the effects of ErgoManager on computer work activity”. 

Professor Alan Hedge tested the effects of using Magnitude’s ergonomic pacing software to monitor keyboard and mouse activity, and to provide computer users with information on appropriate, discretionary rest breaks.  The software also provided information on stretching exercises, appropriate postures, and appropriate workstation adjustments.  The Wall Street office of a nationwide insurance brokerage firm, New Century Global (Reliance Insurance), was chosen as the test site for this study. 

Data gathered in the study covered 6,195 hours of computer usage, equivalent to 800 person/days of computer use.  Participants used computers an average of 5.9 hours per day, and typed over 3,949,000 keystrokes during the course of the study.  The study evaluated the performance of 21 individuals including executives, administrators, customer service specialists, underwriters, and accountants. 

Alerting users to take more short rest and break periods improved work accuracy, and did not impair overall keystroke and mouse usage.  Most importantly, these study results agree with previous research.  In addition, the study concluded that from an economic standpoint, the performance benefits projected to accrue from using ErgoManager indicated a full return on investment in approximately three months.

In February 2001, a study by Cornell and Lockheed Martin using a newer version of ErgoManager, entitled “Ergonomic Management Software and Work Performance” presented a return on investment analysis to quantify the potential economic impact of a 59% improvement in keystroke accuracy for the test group.  Based on a combination of factors including estimated hourly employee costs which include wages, benefits, occupied internal floor space, pre-study hourly error costs, hourly savings per person, and the annual “per seat” cost of ErgoManager, the study indicated that the breakeven point is achieved in 25.1 hours of usage.  Lockheed Martin’s Enterprise Information Systems (EIS) Division in Orlando, Florida designated ErgoManager as a Best Practice.  The term “Best Practice” is an acknowledgement that a concept, process, or product is proven to produce the desired results and is applicable throughout the enterprise across organizational lines.