Office and Workspace Ergonomics Training Course (NZ Version)
$27.50 inc. GST
This course teaches New Zealand workers how to create a safe, healthy, and productive workspace — whether in an office, at home, or in a hybrid arrangement. It covers workstation setup, environmental factors, movement strategies, and the connection between physical workspace design and mental wellbeing. Learners leave with practical knowledge they can apply immediately to reduce discomfort, prevent injury, and support their overall health at work.
Developed specifically for New Zealand workplaces, the course is suitable for all desk-based workers and requires no prior knowledge. On completion, learners receive an instant digital certificate as evidence of training.
This course will take approximately 46 minutes to complete.
Why is the Office and Workspace Ergonomics Course Important?
Working at a desk may not look hazardous, but poor ergonomic habits compound over time. Repetitive strain, awkward postures, static positions, and poorly managed environments — including screen glare, noise, and inadequate seating — are among the leading causes of musculoskeletal disorders and work-related stress in office settings. These injuries are preventable, but they rarely resolve without deliberate action.
Under the Health and Safety at Work Act 2015, New Zealand employers (PCBUs) have a duty to eliminate or minimise workplace risks as far as reasonably practicable — and that obligation extends to the physical setup of office and remote workspaces. Workers, in turn, carry a duty to take reasonable care of their own health and safety and to cooperate with their employer’s health and safety measures.
This course gives workers the practical knowledge to set up their workstation correctly, manage environmental risks, structure their day to support physical and mental wellbeing, and fulfil their responsibilities under New Zealand health and safety law.
Who Should Complete This Course
- Employees who use computers or perform desk-based work in an office, from home, or in a hybrid arrangement
- Supervisors and managers are responsible for the health and safety of office-based or remote teams
- Contractors and casual staff are required to meet workplace health and safety compliance standards
- Any worker seeking to reduce discomfort, prevent injury, and support their physical and mental well-being at work
Topics Covered
- Health and safety risks in the office
- Setting up your workspace
- Arranging your workstation
- Creating a safe office environment
- Maintaining health throughout the workday
Course Experience
Learners can expect:
- Fully online and accessible anytime
- Interactive and scenario-based learning
- Self-paced completion (pause/resume anytime)
- Assessment: 10-question quiz, 10/10 correct answers required
- Instant digital certificate on completion
- Accessible design (WCAG 2.2 AA compliant; suitable for all literacy levels)
Assessment
There is an assessment for this topic. 10-question quiz, 10/10 correct answers required.
Related Courses
- Workplace Health and Safety Fundamentals Training Course (NZ Version)
- Manual Handling Safety Training Course (NZ Version)
- Managing Slip and Trip Hazards Training Course (NZ Version)
- Duty of Care for Employees Training Course
- Duty of Care for Managers Training Course
- Mental Health Awareness for Employees Training Course (NZ Version)
- Mental Health Awareness for Managers Training Course (NZ Version)
- General Evacuation Training Course (NZ Version)
- Equal Employment Opportunity for Managers Training Course (NZ Version)
- Warden Training 1: Emergency Preparation Training Course (NZ Version)
Learning Outcomes
By the end of this course, learners will be able to:
- Identify common health risks associated with desk-based work, including musculoskeletal strain and work-related stress
- Apply correct workstation setup principles to reduce injury risk and improve posture
- Recognise how environmental factors such as lighting, noise, and temperature affect health and performance
- Describe practical strategies to build movement and recovery into the working day
- Understand their responsibilities under the Health and Safety at Work Act 2015 in relation to their own workspace and wellbeing
Organisational Benefits
- Reduce workplace injury and ACC claims — Properly trained workers are less likely to develop musculoskeletal disorders, reducing the frequency and cost of injury-related absences and ACC claims.
- Demonstrate compliance with health and safety duties — Documented ergonomics training supports your obligations under the Health and Safety at Work Act 2015 and shows WorkSafe NZ that risks are being actively managed.
- Support hybrid and remote work safely — As home-based and hybrid working becomes standard, this training gives distributed teams the knowledge to set up safe workspaces wherever they work.
- Improve productivity and focus — Workers who are comfortable, well-positioned, and taking regular breaks perform better and are less prone to fatigue, distraction, and disengagement.
- Strengthen a proactive health and safety culture — Providing ergonomics training signals that the organisation takes employee wellbeing seriously — not just when injuries occur, but before they do.
| Platforms | Desktop, laptop, tablet or mobile (widescreen) |
| Browsers | Chrome, Edge, Firefox and Safari are supported (typically versions from 2019 onwards). IE11 is not supported |
| Hosting | Enrol in Tribal Habits portal |
| Accessible | Yes, meets WCAG 2.2 guidelines at a Level AA standard – More info on WCAG 2.2 here |
Description
Why is the Office and Workspace Ergonomics Course Important?
Working at a desk may not look hazardous, but poor ergonomic habits compound over time. Repetitive strain, awkward postures, static positions, and poorly managed environments — including screen glare, noise, and inadequate seating — are among the leading causes of musculoskeletal disorders and work-related stress in office settings. These injuries are preventable, but they rarely resolve without deliberate action.
Under the Health and Safety at Work Act 2015, New Zealand employers (PCBUs) have a duty to eliminate or minimise workplace risks as far as reasonably practicable — and that obligation extends to the physical setup of office and remote workspaces. Workers, in turn, carry a duty to take reasonable care of their own health and safety and to cooperate with their employer’s health and safety measures.
This course gives workers the practical knowledge to set up their workstation correctly, manage environmental risks, structure their day to support physical and mental wellbeing, and fulfil their responsibilities under New Zealand health and safety law.
Who Should Complete This Course
- Employees who use computers or perform desk-based work in an office, from home, or in a hybrid arrangement
- Supervisors and managers are responsible for the health and safety of office-based or remote teams
- Contractors and casual staff are required to meet workplace health and safety compliance standards
- Any worker seeking to reduce discomfort, prevent injury, and support their physical and mental well-being at work
Topics Covered
Topics Covered
- Health and safety risks in the office
- Setting up your workspace
- Arranging your workstation
- Creating a safe office environment
- Maintaining health throughout the workday
Experience
Course Experience
Learners can expect:
- Fully online and accessible anytime
- Interactive and scenario-based learning
- Self-paced completion (pause/resume anytime)
- Assessment: 10-question quiz, 10/10 correct answers required
- Instant digital certificate on completion
- Accessible design (WCAG 2.2 AA compliant; suitable for all literacy levels)
Assessment
There is an assessment for this topic. 10-question quiz, 10/10 correct answers required.
Related Courses
- Workplace Health and Safety Fundamentals Training Course (NZ Version)
- Manual Handling Safety Training Course (NZ Version)
- Managing Slip and Trip Hazards Training Course (NZ Version)
- Duty of Care for Employees Training Course
- Duty of Care for Managers Training Course
- Mental Health Awareness for Employees Training Course (NZ Version)
- Mental Health Awareness for Managers Training Course (NZ Version)
- General Evacuation Training Course (NZ Version)
- Equal Employment Opportunity for Managers Training Course (NZ Version)
- Warden Training 1: Emergency Preparation Training Course (NZ Version)
Outcomes
Learning Outcomes
By the end of this course, learners will be able to:
- Identify common health risks associated with desk-based work, including musculoskeletal strain and work-related stress
- Apply correct workstation setup principles to reduce injury risk and improve posture
- Recognise how environmental factors such as lighting, noise, and temperature affect health and performance
- Describe practical strategies to build movement and recovery into the working day
- Understand their responsibilities under the Health and Safety at Work Act 2015 in relation to their own workspace and wellbeing
Organisational Benefits
- Reduce workplace injury and ACC claims — Properly trained workers are less likely to develop musculoskeletal disorders, reducing the frequency and cost of injury-related absences and ACC claims.
- Demonstrate compliance with health and safety duties — Documented ergonomics training supports your obligations under the Health and Safety at Work Act 2015 and shows WorkSafe NZ that risks are being actively managed.
- Support hybrid and remote work safely — As home-based and hybrid working becomes standard, this training gives distributed teams the knowledge to set up safe workspaces wherever they work.
- Improve productivity and focus — Workers who are comfortable, well-positioned, and taking regular breaks perform better and are less prone to fatigue, distraction, and disengagement.
- Strengthen a proactive health and safety culture — Providing ergonomics training signals that the organisation takes employee wellbeing seriously — not just when injuries occur, but before they do.
Accessibility
| Platforms | Desktop, laptop, tablet or mobile (widescreen) |
| Browsers | Chrome, Edge, Firefox and Safari are supported (typically versions from 2019 onwards). IE11 is not supported |
| Hosting | Enrol in Tribal Habits portal |
| Accessible | Yes, meets WCAG 2.2 guidelines at a Level AA standard – More info on WCAG 2.2 here |