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With compliance non-negotiable, DSE assessments for financial workers are essential. But, given the size of teams and complexity of workstations typical of financial services organisations, managing DSE can be resource-intensive.
The good news is that effective DSE programmes for finance firms can be delivered at scale in a cost-efficient way while protecting compliance, but it requires a shift in approach.
In this guide, we explore why it’s so challenging (but important) to manage DSE risks in the financial sector, and outline the kind of DSE solution that specifically addresses these issues.
Why are DSE assessments so challenging and expensive in financial services?
There are several reasons why DSE assessments are difficult to deliver and can account for such a significant portion of the H&S budget at financial firms, but much of the cost can be traced to four factors:
- Large average size of the financial workforce
- Complex trading desks and other multi-screen workflows
- Hybrid working patterns
- Reliance on in-person assessments
Why reducing the rate of DSE assessments for finance workers isn’t a viable way to cut costs
Some organisations may consider delaying DSE assessments for financial workers as a way to keep costs under control. We’d recommend against this, as potential cost savings are outweighed by potential losses via:
MSD exposure
Reducing the rate of DSE assessments means hazards are endured for longer, significantly increasing the chance of workers experiencing discomfort or pain, or developing musculoskeletal disorders.
Disregarding general ill health, musculoskeletal disorders was the second-most common cause of days away from work in the UK between 2024 and 20251, averaging 14 days off per afflicted employee.
For guidance on controlling MSD risks common to office work, download our whitepaper
Additional productivity losses
Eye strain is another factor to consider. Although not a permanent condition, it can harm employee wellbeing and reduce productivity by around 18.6%2. Experienced over a week, this equates to just short of an entire wasted workday. Similar to presenteeism, someone suffering from eye strain may appear engaged but works at a slower pace and requires more frequent breaks.
No proactive injury prevention
If the thinking is to simply hold back on DSE assessments until problems arise, you’ve regressed from a proactive model to a reactive model. In this scenario, preventable discomfort and injuries have to occur for interventions to happen.
Compliance concerns
Depending on the extent of delays, they could also open the company up to financial risk through lapsed compliance and other legal disputes. A much safer way to control the costs of DSE assessments in financial services is to use a triage system.
Using a triage system to reduce the cost of DSE assessments for financial workers
Most DSE issues don’t require a DSE specialist to be present, and compliance doesn’t have to mean manual assessments.
What compliance is actually about:
- Suitable assessments
- Identifying risks
- Taking action
- Keeping records
- Reviewing when necessary
Given the right support and insight, financial workers can identify and fix most problems with their workstation setup independently.
From there, remaining issues can be progressed for professional evaluation if necessary. This way, only a small minority of DSE problems require the allocation of resources.
Here’s how the triage system can work, even for large, global workforces:
Step 1: Employee completes self-assessment
Step 2: Employee receives tailored guidance and online training
Step 3: Simple issues self-corrected – Most DSE problems filtered out of the pipeline here
Step 4: Unresolved issues escalated to phone consultation with DSE experts
Step 5: Employees flagged as high risk during phone consultation escalated to on-site assessment by DSE expert
This is the format we use when delivering virtual DSE assessments. Learn more.
Using this model, instead of sending DSE experts to assess the workstations of every employee, you find out who actually needs that level of support, allowing you to focus resources where they will have the greatest impact, reducing both costs and administrative burden.
How to implement a triage DSE assessment model for financial workers
The DSE triage system is a software-based assessment approach, but not all DSE software is suitable for financial services.
Many platforms are designed around standard office workstations, asking generic questions that fail to account for the specialist equipment and working practices common across the sector.
Financial professionals may work across multiple monitors, Bloomberg terminals, specialist keyboards, sit-stand desks or dual office and home workstations. If the assessment isn’t tailored to these environments, important risks can be overlooked, while employees may be unnecessarily escalated for specialist review.
To deliver meaningful results, DSE software should allow organisations to customise assessments for different workstation types, job roles and working environments. Combined with intelligent risk-based triage, this ensures straightforward issues can be resolved through employee guidance, while higher-risk or more complex cases are automatically identified for further intervention.
Virtual DSE assessments for financial workers, powered by Healthy Working®
Powered by our award-winning DSE software, virtual DSE assessments from Cardinus offer an efficient triage approach for financial workers wherever business happens, from Canary Wharf to the home office.
Employees can complete tailored self-assessments and receive personalised guidance, while higher-risk or more complex cases are escalated to qualified DSE consultants for further support.
With virtual, telephone and onsite assessment options available, organisations can access the right level of expertise for each situation while maintaining consistency across their workforce.
Cut costs, not compliance – find out more about our virtual ergonomics assessments for finance workers.
