Are you lifting objects correctly? If not, you could be at risk for an ergonomics-related injury, such as a sprain or strain, back injury, or repetitive-motion injury.

Work-related musculoskeletal disorders – also referred to as repetitive motion or repetitive strain injuries – are a group of painful conditions that affect the muscles, tendons and nerves. According to the Canadian Center for Occupational Health and Safety, workers can develop an MSD from bending, gripping, straightening, holding, twisting, or reaching with their arms and hands.

Good ergonomics isn’t limited to the office: The same practices that can help avoid aches and pains at your desk can be applied to your drive to and from work, the Canadian Center for Occupational Health and Safety says.

With shelter-in-place orders in effect throughout much of the United States because of the COVID-19 pandemic, millions of people are working remotely. This presents unique challenges and safety concerns.

Working from home during the COVID-19 pandemic? The Washington State Department of Labor & Industries offers tips on how to best set up a safe and efficient workstation.

Does your job require you to stand for long periods? Or maybe you spend hours lifting and pushing heavy materials. Perhaps you’re in an office environment and sit at a desk for hours while typing on a computer most of the day. These situations are all considered risk factors for musculoskeletal disorders.

Download this white paper from Soter Analytics to learn how wearable technologies can automate ergonomic training processes, motivate workers and drive down injury rates as much as 55%.

Jobs that require frequent standing can lead to a number of health-related problems, including sore feet, leg swelling, muscle fatigue, low back pain, and stiffness in the neck and shoulders.

Menlo Park, CA — Thirty-four percent of employees say they’re more burned out than they were a year ago, according to the results of a recent survey developed by global staffing firm Robert Half.

Hartford, CT — Thirty-three percent of people working from home during the COVID-19 pandemic are concerned about their mental health, according to the results of a recent survey conducted by health benefits provider Aetna International.

Bannockburn, IL — Nearly 1 out of 4 workers don’t receive training on COVID-19 safety guidelines, according to a recent survey commissioned by compliance company Stericycle.

Tilburg, Netherlands — Employers who take a more tailored approach to supporting workers who return to work after a mental health-related absence “could not only prevent mental health problems from becoming more severe but also help employees achieve a more sustainable return,” according to a new research report from the Institution of Occupational Safety and Health.

Lansing, MI — Michigan OSHA has launched a state emphasis program focused on protecting workers in office settings, where community spread of COVID-19 is a risk.

Dortmund, Germany — People who work from home are more likely to continue working when they’re ill, according to a recent study conducted by researchers from the Federal Institute for Occupational Safety and Health.

New York — Nearly three-quarters of remote workers say their employer should provide a general work-from-home stipend to help make their home workspaces more ergonomically correct, results of a recent survey show.

Aurora, CO — Raise your cup, coffee drinkers! Drinking one or more cups of caffeinated coffee a day may reduce your risk of heart failure, according to the results of a recent review conducted by researchers from the University of Colorado.

Washington — About two-thirds of employees say they’ve observed co-workers vaping, while a nearly equal amount believe the secondhand vapors from e-cigarettes and other vaping devices are at least moderately harmful to their own health, according to the results of a recent survey.

Mill Valley, CA — Seventy percent of workers want their employer to require employees to be vaccinated against COVID-19 before fully reopening the office, according to the results of a recent survey commissioned by job research and review company Glassdoor.

Oulu, Finland — If you stay up late at night, you risk underperforming at work, results of a recent study out of Finland indicate.

Raleigh, NC — Some people may believe that colleagues who step away from their desks are avoiding work, but the results of a recent study conducted by researchers from North Carolina State University show short breaks actually can help boost productivity and manage energy.

Menlo Park, CA — Thirty-four percent of office employees working remotely during of the COVID-19 pandemic say they might look for another job if directed to return to the office full-time, results of a recent survey show.

Halifax, Nova Scotia — Nearly half of employees working remotely are experiencing higher levels of exhaustion caused by a combination of more virtual meetings and pressure to be on camera for them, results of a recent survey show.

San Francisco — Slightly more than 70% of employers expect their workers to want a hybrid model when their physical workplace reopens, but only 55% plan to offer that option, according to the results of a recent survey.

San Francisco — Around half of workers say their employer isn’t doing enough to address the mental health impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, according to the results of a recent survey conducted by Total Brain, a mental health and brain performance platform provider.

Lansing, MI — If you rely on caffeine to provide a brain boost after a poor night of sleep, findings of a recent study from researchers at Michigan State University may give you a jolt.

Alexandria, VA — About 6 out of 10 U.S. adults believe masks should be a requirement for workers at onsite locations, even if those workers are fully vaccinated, according to the results of a recent Harris Poll survey commissioned by the American Staffing Association.

Fort Collins, CO — Ambiguous expectations and undefined work boundaries may put more conscientious remote workers at elevated risk for burnout, dissatisfaction and illness, a recent study suggests.

Menlo Park, CA — More than 40% of employees say they’re more burned out on the job than they were a year ago, and 1 out of 3 plan to take at least three weeks of vacation this year, recent survey results show.

Chicago — Although a growing number of employers are purchasing air purifiers as part of reopening their workplaces amid the COVID-19 pandemic, one type of the technology might not be as effective as advertised, results of a recent study show.

Philadelphia — A vast majority of employees who are returning to the workplace after working remotely during the COVID-19 pandemic say they plan to continue practicing elevated hygiene amid concerns over the cleanliness of their offices and being around colleagues again, according to the results of a recent survey commissioned by hygiene and health company Essity.

Tampa, FL — Just one night of inadequate sleep can negatively affect your mental and physical well-being, a researcher from the University of South Florida says.

New York — Nearly half of workers whose employers have a flexible remote work policy say it’s their most coveted employee perk, while more than 3 out of 4 would like to work from home permanently, results of a recent survey show.

Washington — Employees’ satisfaction with physical safety conditions in the workplace has returned to levels that predate the COVID-19 pandemic, results of an annual survey indicate.

Tucson, AZ — Is your schedule of upcoming Zoom meetings getting you down? Results of a recent study suggest that the path to reduced fatigue – and increased engagement – might be as simple as switching off your camera during virtual meetings.

Atlanta — Almost three-quarters of U.S. employees are concerned about workplace safety standards and cleanliness as a protection against COVID-19, according to the results of a recent survey.

Barcelona, Spain — Exposure to printer toner, cleaning products and mold circulated in air conditioning systems – along with poor ventilation – can trigger asthma in office workers, results of a recent study out of England suggest.

Boston — Improved air quality in offices can boost worker focus, response times and overall cognitive ability, researchers from the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health claim.

Adelaide, Australia — Open toilet lids, defective plumbing drains and uncovered trash cans may increase the risk of bacterial and viral disease transmission in public restrooms, according to a recent research review.

Atlanta — People who travel frequently for business may have trouble keeping the pounds off, researchers from Emory University say.

Bilbao, Spain — Promoting good musculoskeletal health among remote workers and their employers is the goal of a new fact sheet from the European Agency for Safety and Health at Work, also known as EU-OSHA.

Copenhagen, Denmark — Performing “simple and brief strengthening exercises designed to strengthen the primary muscles used during work” – known as micro-exercise – while on the job may help prevent long-term sickness absences, according to a recent study out of Denmark.

Ann Arbor, MI — Employers with remote workforces can look at workers’ use of positive or negative emoji – those small images or icons featured in text communications and email – to help gauge if employees are experiencing stress or burnout, researchers at the University of Michigan say.

Los Angeles — A recent survey of people who worked from home during the COVID-19 pandemic shows that nearly three-quarters experienced new mental health issues, while 65% developed new physical issues.

Ljubljana, Slovenia — Work intensity is the most commonly identified risk factor for daily stress on the job, European researchers have concluded after conducting a research review.

Guildford, England — Commuters are more likely to bike to work when the average speed of vehicle traffic along their route is below 20 mph, results of a recent study out of England suggest.

Provo, UT — Nearly half of U.S. employees say they work while on vacation, according to the results of a recent survey.

San Diego — Saying “thank you” and expressing other forms of gratitude to co-workers can lead to better cardiovascular response in high-stress situations, results of a recent study show.

Leicester, England — Researchers in England have developed a program they say can, when paired with a height-adjustable desk, reduce office workers’ sitting time by more than an hour a day.

Oulu, Finland — “Even light physical activity may foster work engagement,” researchers in Finland are saying after studying on- and off-the-job data for more than 6,800 workers.

Adding physical activity to your daily routine could lead to a longer life – regardless of genetic predisposition, say researchers at the University of California, San Diego.