INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF SCIENTIFIC & TECHNOLOGY RESEARCH VOLUME 9, ISSUE 10, OCTOBER 2020 ISSN 2277-8616

The Physical Workload Analysis By

Cardiovascular Load (CLV) Method For
Administration Employees
Shinta Prastika, Dayal Gustopo, Prima Vitasari

Abstract: A workload adjustment is an important factor in any type of work. Adjustment of physical workload must be maintained in balance to make
employees not burnt out by excessive workload when carrying out their activities. Excessive workload can lead to decreased work productivity, work
motivation, work injuries, and reduced concentration. This service company is one of the state companies run in shipping and logistics services
businesses. It must be able to control the workload to make it appropriate for its employees. The service company owns many subsidiaries throughout
Indonesia, although difficult to evaluate, this company must be able to balance the physical workload in its entire company. One example from the
branch of Malang Raya showed an unbalanced physical workload. Therefore it is necessary to measure the workload in this study by applying the
Cardiovascular Load (CVL) Method. This method is used by several previous studies to measure the physical workloads. The measurement instrument
to gauge the physical workload is an oximeter. Participants in this study were the employees with a total amount of 30 people. It conveys an average
result of 40.75 % from 30 employees taken of the branch of Malang Raya. This result measurement categorized as high classification of workload so
that improvements are needed to help in balancing the physical workload which experienced by most of its employees. From the workload
measurement, this service company should consider the evenly distributed tasks or workloads over each employee in this company, especially for those
who have experienced physical overload. In addition, it is necessary to consider additional employees at branches of service companies whose working
conditions had reached the workload limit. As for the next researcher, it can be analyzed to see the mental workload and employee needs for each
branch of this service company.

Index Terms: workload, cardiovascular load, heart rate, ergonomics, productivity

————————————————————
1 INTRODUCTION
In general, some service companies are currently battling with to (A. Luque-Casado et al, 2016) states that the
changes in the business environment whether internally and Cardiovascular Load method through the heart rate is able to
externally as a result of technological developments and the observe heart rate or pulse variations as a cognitive function
global economy. Therefore, logistics service companies must and balance the workload physically. Therefore, this study
remain able to compete with new competitors such as aims to determine the physical workload experienced by
emerging shipping and logistics services like JNE, J&T, JET employees at delivery service companies in Malang Raya area
Express, Wahana, Tiki, and others. To retain its competitive and to analyze employees’ physical workload using the CVL
edge, this service company also improving the service quality method.
by creating several types of new product services like express
mail, postal cargo, and Q-comm as their most current product. 2 LITERATURE REVIEW
The development of these new products would be better
supported by the availability of sufficient human resources, 2.1 Workload
which unfortunately several problems such as not adequate The definition of workload according to (R.L. Charles, 2019) is
staff in their service lining became a poor assessment for an important variable used to measure an employee's
logistics service companies. Several problems often occur in performance in his or her activities. Each employee obviously
service companies which related to the unbalanced workload has a different workload for each work perfomance in the form
of employees such as: 1) the N2 report at closing time often of physical workload, mental workload, as well as social
having miscalculation/different financial amount from its workload. It influenced by the type of activity carried out by
cashier counter, 2) a large number of consumers every day each employee. Castro, Strayer, Matzke, and Heathcote
with various types of postal products that employees must (2019) also stated that the workload received by everyone can
served and variety of data entry applications that employees also endanger their own lives and others every day when the
also must do, 3) the main postal product related to pentionary workload received is not balanced, even more when the
fund is unable to be performed well (especially on the 1st to workload is done by splitting their focus to some tasks, for
15th at the beginning of the month), 4) when queues are full, example, while driving and having conversation through
factor of service speed often becomes a priority than accuracy, cellphone at the same time. From Thammarak and Witthaya
as a result some data entry are inaccurate. On the basis of (2020), workload can be defined as the type of work that
these problems, one approach is selected to determine the performed by employees which include job duties,
physical workload experienced by the branch office employees responsibilities, and anything in work space coverage and
by applying the Cardiovascular Load (CVL) method. According usually each employee also has their own responsibility of
———————————————— their respective workload. According to Thammarak and
 Shinta Prastika is currently pursuing masters degree program in Witthaya (2020) workloads can be divided into three types,
industrial engineering in ITN, Indonesia, PH-+61281232236009. namely task-level workload, unit-level workload, and work-
E-mail: shintaprastika90@gmail.com level workload. Thammarak and Witthaya (2020) also found
that work overload will occur when employees receive
workloads that are beyond their abilities caused by increased
productivity and high demand for performance. Increased
productivity found to occur on a large scale in employees who
207
IJSTR©2020
www.ijstr.org
 INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF SCIENTIFIC & TECHNOLOGY RESEARCH VOLUME 9, ISSUE 10, OCTOBER 2020 ISSN 2277-8616

participate in an organization where usually certain job

completion is must be done during predetermined time. Then it 2.3 Methods of Measuring Workload
can be concluded that excessive deadlines and workloads will The usual procedures to measure the physical workload can
make employees often experience high levels of stress. Y. be taken from utilizing cardiac, respiratory, eye, speech, and
Gan et al (2020) said that workload can be described as a brain activities. Variables of heart rate activity or pulse rate
relationship between the number of task requests being activity are the common method for measuring workload (M.
performed by a resource and the ability of task implementer to Shakouri et.al, 2018). Previous research conducted by Kamilla
supply the resources. Hence, there are three things that are Run Johannsdottir (2017) stated that measuring physical
used for an analytical assessment of workload namely: workload with the cardiovascular load method can also
sensory, cognitive, and psychomotor aspects. Y. Gan et al monitor and manage physical workload, so it is used as a way
(2020), also stated that as a product of task complexity, the to maximize human performance, minimize errors, and ensure
workload will usually increase due to the increasing complexity physical and mental health of employees in the best possible
of the task, and as a response, employees will experience a way. The action taken to measure the physical workload
high level of stress. It is also supported by Thammarak and carried out by Kamilla (2017) by using blood pressure
Witthaya (2020), showing that workload will cause fatigue and regulation which was also aimed for detecting workload onset
errors at work in which can lead to emotional exhaustion. and offset but not consistently differentiating between
Aside from that, the workload can create opinion impact of individual task load levels. The cardiovascular load
different generations. As we know that in an organization, data method with Electrodiagram as a support device can also be
of employees consist of various ages or generations and used to measure physical workload (A. Stuiver et al., 2014).
characters. Opinions from each generation will be different, The direction in using this device is placing it on the two lowest
where some generations might be say that a heavier workload ribs and in between the left and right chest. In addition, it also
will affect the work quality while others stated that a heavy can be used to measure blood pressure. The results that can
workload will not affect the quality of work. Furthermore, Ilies be obtained are heart rate and blood pressure measurements.
et al. (2015) found that within a job where an employee felt These variables play as indicators of changes in improvement
overloaded with work, this will bring conflict to the family. This plan in setting workloads for a long period of time. According
type of problem mostly occurs in employees who receive to (Darvishi, 2016), a high physical workload will also cause
heavy workload and they can not cope or balancing their work physical fatigue, stress, and irritability which in a way will take
with their family responsibilities. This is also supported by by effect on lowering the level of concentration, decreasing
Molino, Cortese, Bakker, and Ghislieri (2015) by stating that productivity at work of employees and even causing losses to
they found a strong relationship between workload and family the company.
conflict.
3 RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
2.2 Physical Workload
Physical workload according to (Y. Gan et al, 2020) is a 3.1 Participants
workload that able to assess by measuring the heart rate. The Respondents involved in this study consisted of 30 employees
variables of heart rate and heart respiration can be a good of service company branch office. The number of male
indicator to assess physical workload. The physical capacity respondents is 25 employees, and the number of female
from a person will affect his or her behavior in carrying out employees is 5 employees. The average age of the
every activity. A high physical workload combined with respondents was 35 to 44 years, with a percentage of 66% of
complex work conditions (such as in noisy condition of work them are on working period between 2 and 6 years.
system, working time, work facilities, and work environment),
will increase the likelihood of errors in his/her activities, so 3.2 Physical Workload Measurement
workload evaluation is an important research to get effective In this study, the measurement of the pulse during before and
and efficient activities at work. C. St-Onge, N. Kara, O.A. after work is a method for assessing cardiovascular strains.
Wahab et al (2020) also stated that measuring workload can The equipment for this study is an oximeter. Elevating pulse
be taken as an approach in decision making. A decision has a very important role in increasing cardiac output from rest
making is necessary to optimize any strategy taken for to optimal work. An approach for taking a physical workload
providing resources and to anticipate any workperformance measurement is the Cardiovascular Load (CVL) method. The
problems that occur. Andersen (2016) also stated that a high steps are as follow:
physical workload can lead to poor body health. Examples of 1. Conducting physical workload measurement through heart
ordinary physical workloads are bending or turning your back, rate variable.
working with your arms over your shoulders, squatting or 2. Pulse measurement is carried out while doing work.
kneeling, as well as pushing, pulling, lifting or carrying objects. 3. Work rate calculation used to assess the weight (heavy or
There is a statement saying that physical workload will have light) of a workload.
an impact on physical health problems that also been proven 4. By using this method, pulse rate can be calculated as:
by Yu Yantao (2018), physical workload is proven to be one of %CVL = 100 x (working pulse - resting pulse) (1)
the main risk factors for major injury and even more max pulse - resting pulse
musculoskeletal disorders. To provide an assessment of the
physical workload, this workload will be measured from two There is another study done by cardiovascular load came from
different loads: the biomechanical load and the cardiovascular Rieska E. (2019), stated that this method helps to find out the
load. physical workload by measuring the pulse based on energy
release. Method of calculating pulse rate is obtained by 10
pulse method using a stopwatch. It obtains results that state a
208
IJSTR©2020
www.ijstr.org
 INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF SCIENTIFIC & TECHNOLOGY RESEARCH VOLUME 9, ISSUE 10, OCTOBER 2020 ISSN 2277-8616

high physical workload in a management system will affect an 30 - <60% = Required repairs
activity, so that it will affect in the declining of employee’s work 60 - <80% = Work in no time
quality. 80 - <100% = Immediate action required
> 100% = Not allowed to move
4 RESULT After obtaining the calculation results for the pulse
The next data that will be presented here is a recapitulation of rate experienced by employees at the branch office, the next
physical workload observation obtained from employees at step is to classify each physical workload experienced by
Malang Raya branch office which taken by oximeter device. service company office employees at the branch. The results
The data obtained are as follow: of the classification in table 2 are as follows:

Table 1 Table 2
Employees Pulse Rate Recapitulation Data The CVL Calculation of Employee’s Physical Workload
Employee’s
No. Age Result Workload Category
id

1 A 32 37,50 Required repairs

2 AC 34 25,00 No fatigue
3 AS 33 46,15 Required repairs
4 AT 40 40,00 Required repairs
5 AD 44 33,33 Required repairs
6 AN 46 48,28 Required repairs
7 SW 37 31,03 Required repairs
8 Y 37 30,23 Required repairs
9 D 37 40,00 Required repairs
10 EP 46 48,98 Required repairs
11 L 38 34,21 Required repairs
12 MD 36 23,08 No fatigue
13 AG 47 50,00 Required repairs
14 B 40 46,81 Required repairs
15 AJ 44 51,11 Required repairs
16 LS 50 30,77 Required repairs
17 DW 54 57,50 Required repairs
18 G 49 33,33 Required repairs
19 AA 40 42,50 Required repairs
20 AY 38 47,92 Required repairs
21 YB 37 42,86 Required repairs
22 CH 39 48,28 Required repairs
23 DP 36 34,21 Required repairs
24 AB 38 48,89 Required repairs
25 F 42 37,50 Required repairs
26 MF 40 41,67 Required repairs
27 ADW 37 55,88 Required repairs
From data recapitulation in table 1, the pulse rate 28 P 37 48,28 Required repairs
measurement states that calculation from employees with
average age of 40 years old from Malang Raya branch office 29 RY 40 37,14 Required repairs
area are 62 pulse rate in resting condition, 79 pulse rate in 30 T 41 30,19 Required repairs
working condition and 103 pulse rate in maximum condition.
Average 40 40,75 Required repairs
After collecting pulse rate measurement recapitulation data
from each employee, the next step is classifying physical
From table 2 description above showed that two employees of
workload by Cardiovascular Load (CVL) method. Rieska
the branch office of the service company did not experience
(2017) states that the classification is as follows:
physical fatigue at working condition while the rest of 28
<30% = No fatigue
employees had an average CVL value of 40.75. By these
209
IJSTR©2020
www.ijstr.org
 INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF SCIENTIFIC & TECHNOLOGY RESEARCH VOLUME 9, ISSUE 10, OCTOBER 2020 ISSN 2277-8616

average results suggest that needs repair to the physical Psychology:Human Perception and Performance, Advance
workload of employees at Malang Raya branch office. online publication.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1037/xhp0000638
4 ANALYSIS [3] Cédric St-Onge ,Nadjia Kara, Omar Abdel Wahab, Claes
The analysis of physical load from the calculation result Edstrom, Yves Lemieux.(2020). Detection of time series
explained above showed that smallest workload value is MD patterns and periodicity of cloud computing workloads.
employee with a cardiovascular load percentage of 23.08%. Future Generation Computer Systems 109,249–261.
This small percentage due to employee’s resting pulse is more https://doi.org/10.1016/j.future.2020.03.059
than adequate when compared to the pulse in working [4] Charles, R.L. (2019). Measuring Mental Workload Using
condition or after finishing work and this can also be Physiological Measures : A Systematic Review. Cranfield
influenced by many factors including age and health record University, United Kingdom.
from the employee. Furthermore, by calculating the workload, [5] Darvishi, E., Mehdi Meimanatabadi.(2015). The rate of
it is also known that there is a branch office employee who has subjective mental workload and it’s correlation with
a high CVL percentage value namely DW employee with a musculoskeletal disorders in bank staff in Kurdistan, Iran.
value of 57.50 %. This high CVL percentage value is due to [6] Ernawati, R., Suhardi, B., Pujiyanto, E.(2017).Using the
the fact of so many jobs serving customers even accompanied NASA task load index and heart rate to evaluate vocational
by carrying or shipments or parcels during service causing the student’s mental and physical workload. AIP Conf. Proc.
employee get tired easily, also supported by the working 2097, 030057-1–030057-6.
atmosphere in this office has a hot climate that impacted on https://doi.org/10.1063/1.5098232
the employee, as well as the age and endurance factors of the [7] Gan Yu, Xiaolu Dong, Yijing Zhang, Xuegang Zhang , Ming
employee. From result measurement, these calculation can be Jia, Zhaopeng Liu, Zhizhong Li.(2020). Workload
classified according to (Rieska E., 2017) where gives a Measurement Using Physiological and Activity Measures
conclution that employees of Malang Raya branch office were for Validation Test : A case study for the main control room
experiencing physical fatique at work and the need for of a power plant. Beijing, China.
improvement to support employee’s productivity at work. [8] Ilies, R., Huth, M., Ryan, A. M., & Dimotakis, N. (2015).
Explaining the links between workload, distress, and work–
family conflict among school employees: Physical,
5 CONCLUSION cognitive, and emotional fatigue. Journal of Educational
The result of physical workload calculation by applying the Psychology, 107(4), 1136–1149.
Cardiovascular Load (CVL) method showing that employees [9] Kamilla, R.J., Eydis, H.M., Signour,S., Jon,
from Malang Raya branch office are included in the high G.(2017).Cardiovascular monitoring of cognitive workload:
physical workload category because the administrative staff in Exploring the role of individuals‘ working memory capacity.
this branch office also perform work in moving goods in their Department of Psychology,Reykjavik University,Iceland.
process activities other than administrative working activities. [10] Luque-Casado, A., Perales, J. C., Cárdenas, D., &
The physical workload of service company branch office Sanabria, D. (2016). Heart rate variability and cognitive
employees that classified into quite high category will affect processing: The autonomic response to task demands.
the declining quality and productivity of their work so it is Biological Psychology, 113, 83–90.
necessary to evaluate improvements in a balanced system of [11]Molino, M., Cortese, C. G., Bakker, A. B., & Ghislieri, C.
distribution of workloads for each service company branch (2015). Do recovery experiences moderate the relationship
office employee to get a balance of workload. In further between workload and work-family conflict? Career
research, it can be analyzed in detail about the effect of mental Development International, 20(7), 686–702.
and physical workloads and labor requirements for each [12]Shakouri ,M., Ikuma L.H., Aghazadeh,F.,
branch office of this service company. Nahmens,I.(2018). Analysis of the sensitivity of heart rate
variability and subjective workload measures in a driving
6 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS simulator: The case of highway work zones. International
This research was conducted to fulfill the Master of Industrial Journal of Industrial Ergonomics 66, 136-145.
Engineering study program at the National Institute of [13]Srimarut Thammarak, Mekhum Witthaya.(2020). The
Technology Malang in 2020. The author would like to thank the Influence of Workload and Co-Worker Attitude on Job
individual and organizations support from The Logistics Satisfaction among Employees of Pharmaceutical Industry
Service Company in Malang Raya, LPPM ITN Malang through in Bangkok, Thailand: The Mediating Role of Training. Sys
the ITN Malang research grant, and colleagues from other Rev Pharm 2020; 11(2): 603 611.
industrial engineering masters that always support this [14] Stuiver, A., Brookhuis, K. A., de Waard, D., & Mulder, B.
research. (2014). Short-term cardiovascular measures for driver
support: Increasing sensitivity for detecting changes in
7 REFERENCES mental workload. International Journal of
Psychophysiology, 92(1), 35–41.
[1]Andersen, L. L., Fallentin, N., Thorsen, S. V., & Holtermann,
A. (2016). Estimating construction workers physical
workload by fusing computer vision and smart insole
technologies. International Symposium on Automation and
Robotics in Construction, China.
[2] Castro, S. C., Strayer, D. L., Matzke, D., & Heathcote, A.
(2019). Cognitive Workload Measurement and Modeling
Under Divided Attention. Journal of Experimental
210
IJSTR©2020
www.ijstr.org