Koma, B.S. (Bauba)Bergh, Anne-MarieCosta-Black, K.M. (Katia)2018-10-242019-02Koma, B.S., Bergh, A.-M. & Costa-Black, K.M. 2019, 'Barriers to and facilitators for implementing an office ergonomics programme in a South African research organisation', Applied Ergonomics, vol. 75, pp. 83-90.0003-6870 (print)1872-9126 (online)10.1016/j.apergo.2018.09.003http://hdl.handle.net/2263/67060The focus of this study was on the possibility of implementing an office ergonomics programme as part of a broader workplace health initiative at a South African research organisation. We explored the perspectives of actors in the workplace regarding organisational barriers and facilitators to implementing ergonomic interventions. This qualitative study presents the perspectives of three workplace actor groups: operational managers (n=4); health and safety representatives (n=9); and office employees (n=4) who were involved in a previous ergonomic assessments that proposed several corrective and preventive actions. Eight factors emerged as either barriers or as simultaneous barriers and facilitators to the implementation of proposed ergonomic interventions. These are: organisational culture; information and specialist support; funding; support from operational managers; attitude towards changes; general organisational awareness; individual knowledge of ergonomics; and support from colleagues. This study is one of the first in South Africa to investigate the perspectives of workplace actors in an office setting with regard to factors that influence implementation of ergonomics initiatives to reduce work-related musculoskeletal disorders.en© 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved. Notice : this is the author’s version of a work that was accepted for publication in Applied Ergonomics. Changes resulting from the publishing process, such as peer review, editing, corrections, structural formatting, and other quality control mechanisms may not be reflected in this document. A definitive version was subsequently published in Applied Ergonomics, vol. 75, pp. 83-90, 2019, doi : 10.1016/j.apergo.2018.09.003.Musculoskeletal disordersOffice ergonomicsBarriers and facilitatorsErgonomic interventionDiseasesHuman resource management (HRM)ManagersOrganisational culturePreventive actionWork-related musculoskeletal disordersAttitude to changeSouth Africa (SA)Postprint Article