What if protecting the human body became a design principle in the workplace?
That’s increasingly the direction of travel. According to Ernst & Young’s analysis of workplace megatrends for 2025, one of the most significant shifts underway is the growing partnership between humans and assistive technologies such as exoskeletons.
The shift
Across physically demanding sectors, the pressures are mounting. Workforces are ageing. Labour shortages are growing. Musculoskeletal disorders remain one of the leading causes of workplace absence.
Companies are beginning to recognise a simple reality: if you want physical work to be sustainable long-term, you need to protect the people doing it.
This is where exoskeletons come in.
Research cited by EY shows that exoskeletons can reduce workplace injuries by between 20% and 60%, while improving productivity by 15% to 25% through reduced fatigue and greater movement stability.
In one example, Ford deployed 75 exoskeletons in its factories and reported an 83% drop in injuries linked to repetitive motion, plus 52% fewer medical visits.
The solution
This is precisely why OE Group is proud to be the UK reseller of Hapo.
Hapo’s passive exoskeleton range is designed to support the body during demanding work without motors, batteries or restrictive mechanisms. The systems redistribute load away from vulnerable joints, stabilise posture, and reduce fatigue during repetitive or sustained tasks.
Back support for lifting and bending. Shoulder and arm support for repetitive upper-limb work. Neck and cervical support for prolonged head-up tasks. Mechanical assistance where the body needs it most (see carousel).
A rapidly growing technology
The global exoskeleton market is expanding quickly, with more than 63,000 units expected to be in use worldwide by the end of 2025 (source: EY megatrends 2025).
Behind those numbers is a fundamental shift in how organisations think about workforce sustainability. Protecting people is no longer just a safety objective. It is becoming an operational strategy.
See it for yourself
OE Group’s Director of Sales, Mark Rigby, and Hapo’s Vincent Armougom will be at the Health and Wellbeing at Work Show at Birmingham NEC on the 10th and 11th of March 2026. Private demos and free trials available, because nothing makes the case for an exoskeleton like putting one on.
