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Case study

Turning ergonomic performance into financial impact

How Marsh, Adecco, and a leading global retailer delivered safer work and stronger financial outcomes

The challenge 

Adecco, one of the world’s largest temporary staffing firms, provides talent to distribution and fulfillment centers across the US — but does not own or control client facilities or safety outcomes. 

During RAMP (peak retail and wholesale distribution period), ergonomic injury rates climbed at a leading global retailer’s operations. Adecco associates performed repetitive manual handling tasks throughout long shifts and faced a growing risk of musculoskeletal disorders, particularly back and shoulder injuries.

Workstations were set at inconsistent heights, scanners required constant repetitive wrist movement, and manual conveyor configurations forced associates to pull heavy totes. There was no real-time behavioral data to identify high-risk movement patterns before injuries occurred. Workers’ compensation claims were escalating — a clear signal that a more proactive, data-driven approach was needed to drive down injuries and costs.

The solution 

Drawing on a 12-year partnership with Adecco, Marsh’s Workforce Strategies consultants deployed a two-pronged approach: targeted workstation redesign to eliminate root-cause hazards, paired with a wearable technology program to monitor movement patterns in real time and drive behavioral change through coaching and job rotation. Both elements were designed to deliver prompt, measurable impact.

Physical workstation improvement recommendations included:

  • Uniform-height workstations to allow sliding of boxes, eliminating unnecessary lifting
  • Downward-docked scanner stations to minimize repetitive hand and wrist movement
  • Automatic diverter conveyors and roller ball conveyors to reduce tote-pulling strain

Associates were equipped with wearable sensor devices that tracked back and shoulder movement throughout each shift. Data fed into dashboards, enabling the Marsh and Adecco teams to identify high-risk behaviors and respond with targeted coaching. The program ran across two pilot cohorts at the facility, providing measurable before-and-after data at both the individual and group level to guide ongoing improvement.

The result s

The combined program delivered significant, measurable improvements in worker safety behavior and financial performance — with results that speak for themselves.

  • Overall hazardous movements per hour fell by 20%, with back manual handling down 23% and shoulder handling down 18%
  • 23% of wearable users moved to a lower risk group; more than 90% showed neutral or positive behavioral change
  • Average claim cost experienced a reduction of more than 75% in severity

This retailer worker safety program demonstrates what is possible when an independent, trusted advisor integrates risk analytics, ergonomic expertise, and emerging technology into a single, coordinated strategy with a trusted client — and stands as a scalable model for other fulfillment and distribution operations seeking to reduce injuries and improve financial impacts.

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