This paper investigates the implementation of injury prevention advice tailored according to the Stage of
Change (SOC) approach. The managers of 25 workgroups, drawn from medium to large companies across
a wide range of occupational sectors were allocated to receive either standard ergonomics advice or
ergonomics advice tailored according to the workgroup SOC. Twelve months after the advice was provided,
semi-structured interviews were conducted with each manager. In a multivariate model, managers
who had received tailored advice were found to have implemented significantly more of the
recommended changes (IRR ¼ 1.68, 95% CI 1.07e2.63) and more “additional” changes (IRR ¼ 1.90, 95% CI
1.12e3.20). Qualitative analysis identified that the key barriers and facilitators to the implementation of
changes were largely related to worker resistance to change and the attitudes of senior managers towards
health and safety. The findings from this study suggest that the implementation of ergonomics
recommendations may be improved by the tailoring of advice according to SOC principles.
© 2015 Elsevier Ltd and The Ergonomics Society. All right