Health Issues In The Workplace Essay

1520 Words4 Pages
bulb-icon

Recommended: Carpal tunnel syndrome paper

As you become older in the workplace there are certain issues that most people have to

deal with while working at an office job or skill trades, which can take a toll on a person. The

demand of the more outgoing jobs are decreasing, leaving more people having to settle working

at a job sitting in an office. It might be hard to believe but office jobs are not as safe as you think.

There are many health problems from working at a desk but here are the 5 main health issues.

Carpal tunnel syndrome, eye strain, back pain, bacteria and stress. Being an elderly worker you

are more prone to these health risks. Carpal tunnel syndrome is when a person types too much

causing pain, numbness and soreness. Eye strain and back pain are both …show more content…

One of the major issues is that as workers age into their sixties they may begin to experience health problems. This is a problem for both the company and the employee. It is a problem for the company because if workers are constantly out for trips to the hospital or sick days it decreases profits and efficiency. It is a problem for the worker because they may feel obligated to continue working until retirement age even though their body cannot handle the work. Another issue for the company, as stated in Heenan Blaikie’s article, is that retirement is not mandatory. This means that an employee could continue to hold their job as long as they were able to perform the bare minimum required. This, in turn, does not allow the employer to hire younger workers who could be more productive than an older employee. The non-mandatory retirement age is also an issue for employees because they may feel pressured to keep working because they are not forced to retire. Overall, the retirement age causes many issues in the workplace, both for the employers and the employee. These various issues are the source of the controversy surrounding the retirement …show more content…

The largest issue by far is the topic of what the retirement age should be. Some people argue it should be lower, some people argue it should be higher. At the moment, Canada’s retirement age is 65 and, as stated by Service Canada, is scheduled to become 67 in 2018. Another controversy is whether or not the retirement age should be mandatory. Some people believe that once a person reaches retirement age they should be forced to retire, some believe it should only be a guideline. The retirement age is not mandatory in Canada, person may continue to work as long as they are fit for the job. For employees who are older, this may benefit them as they want to continue to work after the age of 65. For younger workers trying to move up in a company or just trying to find employment, this can be a detriment. This is because the longer older employees stay in the workforce, the less jobs there are for younger

Show More
Related

  • Musculoskeletal System Case Study

    1189 Words  | 3 Pages

    As technology improves and time on the computer increases, symptoms for these diseases begin to appear more frequently. Sitting on the computer for hours on end makes you prone to developing a musculoskeletal disease since you are not being active or exercising your muscles. Ardahan and Simsek (2015) analyze the interaction and affect on excessive computer work and disease in the musculoskeleton. Their study includes 490 participants who work in a government office in Turkey, and observe how their bodies were reacting to their work environment, excluding workers who are already struggling with pain coming from a previous disease. Results were taken from the experiment by filling out questionnaires that attempted to document the level of discomfort that they experienced. More than 25% were discovered to not take a break during their session on the computer, but found that the average amount of time spent on the computer was 7 hours. The workers recorded musculoskeletal pain symptoms mainly in the neck area and back. Age was not a determinant factor when it came to being more prone to experiencing these symptoms. In some of the results, it was found that women are more likely to have pain in certain areas in comparison to men, and overall dealt with more pain. The data from the study proved that the more use you get on the computer, the more likely you are to develop symptoms of a disorder in your musculoskeletal system. To ensure that you don’t suffer through the pain, the results show that taking breaks from long computer usage is beneficial. It’s important to relax your muscles and keep them active instead of staring at a computer for more than 7 hours with no breaks in

    Read More

  • Discrimination In Ageism

    1525 Words  | 4 Pages

    Elderly folks are eminently mature and have the finest instinct about what is right and wrong though It’s challenging to change someone’s point of view in a matter like this. When such injustice takes place, it de-motivates senior workers from their work. In an article over Ageists by Vincent J Roscigno, he states facts about different views on older Americans in general and in workplaces such as, “most of the population consists of biases and preconceptions, and the accused are unashamed in their views of older Americans. Those who believe that younger employees have much more value than senior employees are inserting a strong assumption based on their age. “Ageist attitudes and discrimination is what results in lower levels of overall organizational commitment to older workers, and a “push” out of a particular workplace.” Just because of an older employee’s depiction, such unfairness circulates in workplaces which cause false impressions of older

    Read More

  • A Nurse Manager's Role in Reducing Musculoskeletal Disorders

    3035 Words  | 7 Pages

    One potential barrier that affects nurses is musculoskeletal disorders (MSD) such as lower back or shoulder pain related to unsafe patient handling and lifting. According to the U.S. Department of Labor Bureau of Labor Statistics, in 2010, nursing aides, orderlies, and attendants had a 7% increase in the incidence of musculoskeletal disorders while ranking second overall in categories of employees with injuries requiring days away from work and total percent of musculoskeletal disorders (2011). Registered nurses ranked fifth in these same categories (2011).

    Read More

  • A Report on Canada's Aging Population

    2340 Words  | 5 Pages

    An aging population is indeed a problem for the society and will possibly cause many social and economic difficulties in the future. According to David Foot (2003), professor of Economics at University of Toronto, an effective birth rate of 2.2% against current 1.75% will be necessary to replace the current work force in the near future and the government’s policy of bringing in more immigrants will eventually fail (Foot, 2003, 2). However some people predict that the increased size of an aging population will drive growth in the home, health care, and many other industries resulting in job creation and economic growth (Marketwire, 2013, 1). Majority of the people are of the opinion that the issue will be mainly in the health care and economic activity. As humans age, they start to develop health problems, leading to more visits to a medical clinic putting extra burden on health care system.

    Read More

  • Hazards for the Healthcare Professional in the Healthcare Workplace

    1895 Words  | 4 Pages

    Within the Care Industry the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (2010) stated that “nursing aides, orderlies and attendants had the highest rate of musculoskeletal disorders of all occupations in 2010”.

    Read More

  • Mckinney V. University Of Guelph Summary

    1698 Words  | 4 Pages

    The subsequent paragraphs contain a general analysis as well as a description of the legal questions and principles that were raised in the age discrimination case of Mckinney v. University of Guelph. This case raised the issue of whether a company or organization (in this case, a post secondary institution for education) should have jurisdiction over the age at which an individual must retire. Additionally, this document contains an analysis of the laws of mandatory retirement and how they are still currently in effect in countries such as China. Along with the aforementioned is a description of how mandatory retirement is imperative to population management,

    Read More

  • Occupational Stress Essay

    2211 Words  | 5 Pages

    Stress is stress involving work. Stress is defined in terms of its physical and physiological effects on a person, and can be a mental, physical or emotional strain. It can also be a tension or a situation or factor that can cause stress.[1] Occupational stress occurs when there is a discrepancy between the demands of the environment/workplace and an individual’s ability to carry out and complete these demands.[2] Often a stressor can lead the body to have a physiological reaction which can strain a person physically as well as mentally. One of the main causes of occupational stress is work overload. Occupational stress is a major hazard for many workers. Increased workloads, downsizing, overtime, hostile work environments, and shift work are

    Read More

  • Age Discrimination in the Workplace

    1823 Words  | 4 Pages

    The issue at hand constitutes that companies are not willing to look beyond their aging workforce, choosing instead to push them out of the technological loop rather than attempting to incorporate them as valuable assets. "There is enough research that says older workers are dependable, they can change, they can learn. What we haven' t come to grips with is that research and management practice are not always related" (Capowski, 1994, p. 10).

    Read More

  • Unraveling Workplace Discrimination: An Insight

    1378 Words  | 3 Pages

    In 1967, a law was passed called the “Age Discrimination Employment Act”. The law simply means that an employer may not discriminate someone in any way due to their age. So often you hear of someone not getting a job because they are too young or even too old. Employers think that if someone is young they might not have the experience or maturity for certain positions, which may not always be the case. On the other hand, if a potential candidate for employment is older, a company might not want to hire them because they know that the person may be retiring soon. Take a look at the lawsuit against Radio Shack in 2007. David Nelson, then 55, had been employed for over 25 years when RadioShack assigned a new, 43-year-old regional manager to supervise him. Within four months of the new supervisor’s arrival, Nelson, who had a 25-year spotless performance record, was placed on two performance improvement plans (United States). Nelson, believing that he was being discriminated against by his new supervisor because of his age, complained to the human resources department. According to the complaint, within five days, before the allotted time for improvement was over, RadioShack terminated Nelson in retaliation for his complaint of discrimination (United

    Read More

  • Baby Boomers And Social Change

    1230 Words  | 3 Pages

    The Canadian Pension Plan (CPP) helps people who are planning to go into retirement. However, some people going into retirement will face problematic issues and will lead to anxiety and depression. Marxism is an economic power and material wealth create a situation of natural competition between different classes in society. The millennials and the baby boomers clashing at work because it's not easy to get jobs in the field where it may be in because the employers want employees who are proficient in the work. Millennials may be young urban and educated that but it is easier to have employees who have the experience and skills, the baby boomers. The retirement of the baby boomers represents a challenge and response theory. A theory, in which every society faces an initial challenge posed by its environment. External factors such as Population changes. While the baby boomers may have a higher life expectancy due to the advancement in technology of the impact of medical research sooner or later there is going to be a need to replace them in terms of jobs, paying of taxes, and other reasons to keep society functioning normal. Therefore, this conflict propels change to the economic system and in society as a

    Read More

  • Occupational Health And Safety Essay

    882 Words  | 2 Pages

    The term ‘occupational health and safety’ (often abbreviated to OHS), is used describe work practices that will keep employees safe. The absence of OHS can be detrimental to a company and its workers alike, as there is a high risk of serious injury. Safety on many worksites must be the top priority for any corporation. Though at our walk-around of Juggernaut Industries, we noticed it wasn’t monitored at all. The following is a list of possible effects and laws that will remind you of the consequences.

    Read More

  • Health Care Essay

    1535 Words  | 4 Pages

    Health care has always been an interesting topic all over the world. Voltaire once said, “The art of medicine consists of amusing the patient while nature cures the disease.” It may seem like health care that nothing gets accomplished in different health care systems, but ultimately many trying to cures diseases and improve health care systems.

    Read More

  • Stress In The Workplace Essay

    2939 Words  | 6 Pages

    Everyday, there are workers who come home from their jobs with a high amount of health issues. Headaches, aching muscles, exhaustion, and many more health issues have workers wondering why this is happening. All of these symptoms can be linked to stress in the workplace. Job stress has become more of a problem than ever before. Numerous studies show that job stress is the major source of stress for American adults and that it has escalated progressively over the past few decades (“Workplace Stress,” 2004).

    Read More

  • Long Working Hours Essay

    1109 Words  | 3 Pages

    Long working hours continue to be one of the largest health concerns in the world. Currently, the world population has become so busy due to the pressure from harsh economic conditions. People are therefore spending long working hours in the workplace, which is an aspect that has negative impact on their health conditions. Statistics from Working Condition Survey indicates that approximately 30% of workers residing in European Union believe that their health is at risk due to the hours they spent in the workplace (Gurung, 2010:16)

    Read More

  • Computers and Health

    2805 Words  | 6 Pages

    Carpal tunnel syndrome is the first term that comes to mind when thinking of problems that people experience with computer use regarding their hands. Based on my limited knowledge of this topic, Carpal Tunnel Syndrome occurs due to a persons prolonged usage of a computer keyboard. Problems of this sort occur more often due to poor ergonomics and posture. Computer office furniture that does not allow one to adjust the height of the chair or keyboard, so that the arms form a write angle at the elbow, cause strain on the wrist, which may result in carpal tunnel syndrome. People who use computers for long periods of time without giving themselves a break and flexing their wrist have a higher propensity of developing problems.

    Read More

More about Health Issues In The Workplace Essay

Open Document