David Koeppel of MSN Money reports that the global crisis has not spared thousands of people in the real-estate industry, which scored a massive lay-off of at least 7,000. This is ironic in an industry that has produced millionaires among ordinary men and women in recent years. Today, even these real estate agents-turned- millionaires are facing a bleak future.

This makes a lot of us realize how fleeting good times are and how immensely necessary it is to hold on to the jobs we still have.

But can you secure your employment in an uncertain economy? Fact is, you can.

Unless facing bankruptcy, no employer will let go of an employee who has performed well on his job. You won't second-guess what happens to an employee who is always on sick leave. However, most often than not, employees who felt sick were not actually sick, but could be suffering from Repetitive Stress Injuries (RSI).

RSI is characterized by all sorts of pain- wrist pain, shoulder pain and back pain, to name a few. What employers failed to realize was, they too, could have contributed to their employees' aches, which intensify poor performance; those names they have submitted to the lay-off list were actually unwitting victims of inappropriate office equipments in the workplace.

How Ergonomics can Save the Day

For the employee, his knowledge of Ergonomics can impact his efficiency at work, which the boss will surely take notice of and would secure his tenure on his job and might even qualify him for a raise!

For the employer, the study of Ergonomics will minimize, if not totally eliminate, lost hours on the job by an employee suffering from RSI.

What is Ergonomics?

Ergonomics is the study of man and his machine. It focuses on finding a "fit" between a person's job and suitable equipments he should use that will optimize his productivity while promoting his well-being. As a saying goes, "Health is Wealth. When health is lost, everything is lost."

The human body is like machine. It has tolerance levels for stress and repetitive tasks however when limits are exceeded, repetitive strain injuries can occur and these can lead to disability. The good news is, the study of ergonomics in recent years have rubbed on a lot of people concerned about well-being in the workplace and has inspired manufacturers to produce ergonomically-designed office equipments that can prevent RSI.

Where to Buy Ergonomically-Designed Office Equipments

The internet spews out 385,000 links for the search terms "ergonomics office equipments". This number gives one an idea just how extensive the study of ergonomics has become in recent years. It will surely quadruple in the coming months and years as more and more people are becoming aware of how helpful it is to choose ergonomically-designed office equipments than just pick up a new model in the market.

A lot of websites, like ErgonomicsMadeEasy.com, sell reasonably-priced ergonomic office equipments, such as ergonomic keyboards, mouse, pads, desks and accessories that can protect users from the ill-effects of repetitive tasks. Unlike ordinary keyboards, ergonomically-designed keyboards and pads can actually increase productivity as they maximize speed at work by protecting hands from symptoms of RSI; wrists can develop carpal-tunnel syndrome, which can be debilitating and often result to an employee's "downtime".

Minimize Layoff, Switch to Ergonomics

In a troubled economy, down-sizing an organization can be a remedy however an employer should not readily consider this as his ultimate option. The use of ergonomically-designed office equipments can increase productivity at lesser cost than sending employees you have already trained to your competitor's door when economy improves, as it always will. Imagine how costly it is to advertise and train again when you need the skills-set of those people you have terminated or laid-off at a "bad" time, which can only be temporary.

Switching to Ergonomics can be your answer to difficult times - not layoff.