The field of workplace ergonomics has expanded rapidly in response to the cognitive, emotional, and physical demands of contemporary work environments, particularly as organizations adopt digital and hybrid modalities. In this context, mental workload—often used interchangeably with cognitive workload—refers to the psychological demands placed on attention, memory, and executive control during task performance. Advances in technology have increased flexibility and connectivity but also intensified risks of mental workload accumulation, psychological strain, and blurred work-life boundaries. Prolonged digital exposure, multitasking, and reduced restorative breaks can undermine employee well-being and performance. These challenges highlight the need to translate ergonomic and human factors principles into practical strategies that foster cognitive recovery, inclusivity, and sustainable organizational effectiveness.

This Research Topic aims to integrate cutting-edge research and applied perspectives on the ergonomics of recovery, emphasizing interventions that promote relief from mental or cognitive workload, well-being, and sustained effectiveness in contemporary workplaces. The goal is to understand how physical, cognitive, social, and organizational factors can be optimized to support attentional restoration, mental health, and performance in an era of continuous connectivity. Despite growing recognition of mental workload as a critical occupational concern, gaps remain in translating evidence into scalable design, leadership, and policy frameworks. By bridging ergonomics, organizational psychology, and inclusive design, this Research Topic seeks to advance practical and evidence-based approaches for building recovery-supportive cultures that enhance engagement, fairness, and human sustainability across diverse digital and hybrid work contexts.

We welcome original empirical contributions—quantitative, qualitative, or mixed-methods—as well as reviews, conceptual analyses, and case studies that examine how contemporary work settings, including hybrid, telework, and digitally intensive environments, facilitate recovery from mental or cognitive workload.

Research focusing primarily on machine-learning model development or engineering design (e.g., cobot systems) falls outside the intended scope.

We invite submissions addressing, but not limited to, the following themes:

• Multilevel design strategies—physical, cognitive, social, and organizational—that promote recovery and restoration;
• Leadership, team norms, and communication practices shaping recovery-supportive and inclusive cultures;
• Measurement and assessment of workload relief, well-being, and ergonomic interventions;
• Digital policies (e.g., right to disconnect, meeting hygiene, flexible scheduling) and boundary management

Are you interested in contributing a manuscript to this Research Topic?

Ergonomics of Recovery: Enhancing Mental or Cognitive Workload Relief and Well-Being in Contemporary Workplaces