In today’s digital‑first workplaces, we think of cybersecurity, productivity, and retention as separate challenges—but physical discomfort links them all. A sore back, stiff neck, or constant fatigue may seem minor, but research shows these issues quietly drain budgets, reduce performance, and raise substantial security risks.
Employees using computers for their work remain in static postures for hours, often in poorly adjusted workstations. Even in first class workstations sporting adjustable furniture and equipment, poor employee behaviors block or negate the benefits of good design. Over time, this leads to musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs)—conditions that affect muscles, tendons, joints, and nerves.
In our article, we’ll break down why workplace discomfort matters for both employers and employees, and how office ergonomics can definitely mitigate root causes affecting knowledge workers. We’ll learn how discomfort impacts human error and how human error has been documented to be the largest enabler (75% or more) of devastating security breaches.
To assemble a solid foundation for understanding the root causes, impacts and mitigation strategies, your intrepid author has been reviewing scores of recent studies and Tier-1 sources, including:
o Kaiser Permanente Business. Musculoskeletal Conditions in the Workplace. 2025
o Markel Insurance. The Cost of Musculoskeletal Disorders. 2024
o CCOHS / OSHA. Ergonomics and Workplace Safety Guidelines. 2023–2025
o Hike Medical. Hidden Costs of MSK Disorders for Employers. 2024
o NIOSH (CDC). Office Environment Ergonomic Risk Factors. 2024
o Theranow. Workplace Musculoskeletal Injuries: Hidden Costs. 2024
o OSHA. Worker Fatigue Hazards. 2023
o Springer. Human Factors and Security: Safety–Security Interaction. 2020
Financial Impacts For Employers
Regarding direct healthcare and injury-related costs, conditions affecting muscles, joints and connective tissues (referred to as musculoskeletal disorders or MSDs) are among the top cost drivers for employers. For example, for the U.S. workforce, an average estimate says MSDs cost employers ~$353 billion annually, representing roughly 15% of their total medical spend. On it’s own, that is a huge cost and now add to the equation how healthcare costs are generally expected to rise 9% to 10% in 2026.
Looking at absenteeism & presenteeism, employees suffering from physical discomfort may miss work (absenteeism) or show up but function at reduced capability (presenteeism). These are significant drains on productivity. Many sources note that the indirect costs of MSDs (lost productivity, disability, turnover) can be as high as five times the direct medical costs.
Turning to productivity including turnover and talent attraction, poor ergonomic behaviors and poor office ergonomics impairs physical well-being and thereby hampers concentration, workflow and quality. Companies suffering with these conditions, face higher turnover and difficulty attracting talent if employees perceive the physical workplace to be unsupportive of their comfort and well-being.
Financial Impacts For Employees
Regarding out-of-pocket costs & long-term health, an employee experiencing chronic neck/back pain, wrist/hand strain (common in desk work) the impacts include medical bills, possible reduced work capacity, more sick days, and potential decline in earning potential. MSDs are a leading cause of disability and early retirement, which impacts lifetime earnings and financial security.
Looking at career/role impact, persistent physical discomfort can force an employee to shift to less demanding tasks, reduce hours, or exit the workforce early—all of which carry financial baggage. Further, if productivity is reduced (via presenteeism), the employee’s internal reputation, advancement prospects, and job satisfaction will likely suffer.
Each of these impacts highly influence employee feelings about their employer thus impacting employee satisfactions and talent retention.
Security & Safety Impacts
“Security” refers to data and cyber threats. Physical discomfort in the workplace also has safety and human-risk consequences, which in turn affect organizational security posture and risk management.
- Fatigue, discomfort and musculoskeletal strain reduce a worker’s alertness, concentration and reaction-time.
- The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) notes that fatigue (which may be exacerbated by physical discomfort) increases injury risk, impaired judgment and slower reaction times.
- In office environments, while heavy machinery may not be present, physical discomfort often leads to poor posture, increased fatigue, distraction, slip/trip hazards (e.g., from cords, awkward seating) or mistakes in task execution.
- Errors resulting from discomfort or fatigue (e.g., mis-typing, failing to lock a workstation, ignoring security protocols) may be more likely when staff are distracted by pain or fatigue.
- From an organizational security standpoint, “human risk” (the weakest link) is amplified when workers are ergonomically compromised. While direct data linking office MSDs to data breaches is limited, the logic of reduced cognitive capacity/mistakes holds.
- The interface of safety and security has been explored in occupational science: poor safety conditions (including ergonomic hazards) can easily create vulnerabilities in security systems.
- Physical workplace discomfort may degrade “workplace safety culture” — if employees feel the physical environment is neglected, they may perceive broader organisational neglect, reduce vigilance, and contribute less to security-safe behaviors.
It is not possible to overstate how important the human element is as a major factor in security breaches.
Human error is the major contributing cause in a significant majority of security breaches, with many recent industry reports indicating that the figure is between 74% and 95%.
- 95% of data breaches involve human error, according to a 2024 report by Mimecast.
- 74% of data breaches involve a human element, such as errors, social engineering, and credential misuse, as highlighted in a recent Verizon Data Breach Investigations Report (DBIR).
- A study by Stanford University found that approximately 88% of all cyberattacks are linked to human error.
Synthesis: Why Employers Should Care
There is strong financial logic to investing in ergonomics and workplace comfort: since every dollar spent on prevention (ergonomics, training, workstation adjustment) will yield multiple dollars in savings.
There is strong risk logic in that physical discomfort isn’t just a health issue—it degrades performance, increases errors, invites safety/security lapses, and increases the overall operational risk profile of an organization.
There is strong employee-experience logic: In a competitive talent market, workplaces that support physical comfort and workstation ergonomics will fare better in morale, retention, and brand as an employer of choice.
Actionable Steps for Employers
- Provide office ergonomics training and awareness: teach employees about best practice behaviors including neutral postures, micro-breaks, early reporting of discomfort, etc...
- Provide ergonomic self-assessments and, when high risk is indicated, conduct ergonomic assessments of office workstations (desk/chair height, keyboard/mouse placement, monitor height, etc.).
- Monitor absenteeism/presenteeism data and link to ergonomic conditions; include ergonomics in safety/security risk assessments.
- Recognize that physical comfort supports safety/security. Incorporate ergonomic risk into broader risk registers (not just environment/IT/security).
Actionable Steps for Employees
- Use adjustable workstations if available; practice correct seating posture and take micro-breaks (stand/stretch) regularly.
- Report early symptoms of discomfort before they escalate into larger issues. Early intervention is both health-saving and productivity-protecting.
- Be mindful of fatigue: discomfort and fatigue often go hand-in-hand and both degrade cognitive/safety performance.
- Collaborate with supervisors/HR to request ergonomic support (if you’re experiencing persistent discomfort).
Key Takeaways
Physical discomfort in office workplaces is more than a matter of employee well-being alone—it is a financial and risk-management issue. For employers, ignoring the ergonomic environment and the physical comfort of staff means absorbing hidden costs (healthcare, lost productivity, turnover) and increasing vulnerability to safety and security lapses. For employees, managing discomfort is essential to sustaining career longevity, productivity and financial + health outcomes.
Optimizing the physical workplace—through office ergonomics, early intervention, behavioral improvement, and linking physical comfort to safety/security frameworks—is a smart, strategic investment.