Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Lisa Golden . We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Lisa, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today How did you get your first job in the field that you practice in today?

As a Physical Therapist I am used to people asking my advice about a variety of aches, pains, and symptoms. Though I can provide general advice in some cases, my recommendation for those who are experiencing pain or loss of function is to get a formal PT evaluation as the advice that could help them the most would only come following a detailed clinical assessment. The early stages of my ergonomics consulting career started with a series of requests from friends and others referred to me, who were having symptoms specifically while at work. I had been working as a Physical Therapist specializing in Orthopedics and contributing to the expansion of the ergonomics program at a leading healthcare system in San Diego for many years. I realized there was a need in the community for ergonomics consulting from a professional who had a clinical background and could provide insight tailored to the individual’s specific needs and a plan that was easy to understand and implement. When the time was right, I started Golden Ergonomics, providing ergonomics consulting services in the San Diego area, then expanded my services to include virtual assessments for those who work remotely.

Lisa, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

I always knew I wanted to be in healthcare and while recuperating from an injury in middle school I was introduced to the field of Physical Therapy. The PT I worked with educated, supported, and provided me with the tools to get back to my activities and sport. After volunteering in the PT department at a local hospital, then with a hippotherapy program for children with disabilities, and working at a PT clinic during college, I knew Physical Therapy was the profession I was best suited for. I completed my undergraduate studies at the University of California, San Diego with a Bachelor of Science in Animal Physiology and Neuroscience, then my Master of Science degree in Physical Therapy at the University of California, San Francisco. Upon graduation and licensure, I started working at a hospital system in San Diego.

My involvement in ergonomics began after seeing patients in outpatient physical therapy who had avoidable workplace injuries. Ergonomics is the scientific discipline of fitting the job task to the person. It relies on a body of knowledge about physical abilities and limitations and how these impact interactions with the work environment. The overall goal is to improve performance and efficiency while reducing risk of injury. I began taking continuing education coursework in injury prevention, functional job analysis, office ergonomics, industrial ergonomics, workstation and facility design, and other related orthopedic topics. I became a Certified Ergonomics Evaluation Specialist (CEES) after completing comprehensive coursework and submitting reports that were reviewed and critiqued by leaders in the ergonomics industry. At the time, the healthcare organization I was working for had a fledgling ergonomics program, mainly reactive, focused on assessing and making recommendations for employees who already had injuries. I was fortunate to get involved at a time when leadership was shifting more of its focus to safety and looking to expand internal ergonomics services with the goal of reducing employee injuries. This gave me the opportunity to work with a multi-disciplinary team including Safety, Workers Compensation, Occupational Health, department directors, Facilities, Supply Chain Management, Information Services, and Human Resources to look at all aspects of supporting a healthy and safe work environment and develop processes to support that culture. That collaborative work experience was invaluable when I began my own business.

Golden Ergonomics offers a range of services including individual ergonomics evaluations both proactive and comprehensive, job duty evaluations for non-desk-based environments, ergonomic program development, establishing ergonomic product and chair standards, workplace design reviews, and educational training sessions. The goal is to promote a productive, safe work environment while reducing risk of injury.

When I started Golden Ergonomics, I expected most of my clients to be self-employed or working for small companies that didn’t have someone on staff who could handle ergonomics related issues. What I found was that many of my requests came from larger companies who were lacking the expertise in providing ergonomic support for their employees who were having symptoms or were returning to work following an injury or surgery. With a physical therapy background, I bring my clinical experience to address a wide range of individuals, with insight into special considerations including pregnancy and postpartum, the aging workforce, children and teens, and employees who for a variety of reasons fall outside the definition of “average.”

What makes me most fulfilled is helping someone improve their quality of life. We spend a lot of our time working and there is really no need to be uncomfortable or to work in an area that is inefficient. If we can work in a healthier more productive environment, we will have more energy to spend on the things outside of work that matter most to us.

Other than training/knowledge, what do you think is most helpful for succeeding in your field?

To succeed in any business, I believe you need to truly listen to the client. What are their goals? What is reasonable and available to them? When people hear the word “ergonomics” they usually think of products and are concerned they may need to spend a lot of money. While making a change to a product that the client is using might be considered, my reports include a range of options with recommendations they can implement right away at no cost.

If you could go back, would you choose the same profession, specialty, etc.?

I would absolutely choose the same career. Ergonomics is about the individual and I love that each interaction with a client is a unique experience. Recommendations that work for one may not work for another. It keeps my work interesting and challenging which lends itself to a fulfilling career.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.goldenergonomics.com
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lisa-golden-74a81016b/