The impact of ergonomics programme on workplace benefits: a PLS-SEM study in the Mexican manufacturing industry

Implementing ergonomics programmes in Mexican manufacturing industries faces major challenges, including limited management commitment, reduced resources, and a shortage of trained personnel. Consequently, initiatives are often superficial or short-lived, limiting their impact on occupational health, safety, and productivity. This study identifies, from the perspective of middle and senior managers, the critical factors that enhance the likelihood of achieving ergonomics-related benefits. A four-stage implementation model was examined: Planning, Process Start-up, the Work Improvement Cycle, and Long-term Development. Each stage was specified as a formative construct influencing economic, health and safety, and quality of working life outcomes within a reflective structural model. Using Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modelling, strong external loadings were found for Planning (0.862), the Work Improvement Cycle (0.909), and Long-term Development (0.916), with Long-term Development contributing most strongly. The model explains 30% of the variance in economic benefits (R2 = 0.300; Q2 = 0.274; β = 0.550, p < 0.001). Similar results were found for health and safety (R2 = 0.310; Q2 = 0.285; β = 0.560, p < 0.001). Quality of working life showed the highest explanatory power (R2 = 0.334; Q2 = 0.285; β = 0.580, p < 0.001), providing robust support for the proposed model.