Designed to Thrive – An Ergonomic Quest

Linda Miller never set out to transform the way people move and work; her initial goal was simply to help them recover. Early in her career as a rehabilitation specialist, she witnessed how preventable injuries could derail entire professions, employees sidelined by chronic pain that could have been avoided.

“I kept wondering, why are we treating the damage instead of preventing it?” she recalls.

That question led her to ergonomics, where she realized that the real opportunity for change wasn’t in rehabilitation, it was in design. Her first major project involved tackling a series of repetitive strain injuries at a lumber facility. That experience sparked a lasting philosophy that has guided her career ever since:

Instead of forcing people to adapt to their work, design work to fit the people who do it.

From hospitals to construction sites, Miller’s company, EWI Works, has championed a more human-centered approach to safety. Her mission goes beyond basic compliance, it’s about creating workplaces that support well-being, improve concentration, and enhance productivity. Through her leadership, thousands of organizations have discovered that even small ergonomic adjustments can lead to measurable improvements in employee health, morale, and overall performance.