Although productivity tends to increase with prolonged use of exoskeletons, this is not their main purpose.

The main reason for using an exoskeleton is to reduce the wear and tear that work inflicts on workers and help them perform their jobs without injury. An exoskeleton is slightly different from other protective equipment in that it is not used to prevent injuries from accidents, but rather to prevent injuries that occur gradually from the work being done.

It takes time to get used to using an exoskeleton, and productivity often declines during the training period, but this should be short-lived. After a few days, you should be back to your previous level of productivity. In some cases, productivity actually increases, as you can work longer without taking breaks, but this is not where you should measure the return on your investment in exoskeletons.

The return comes from reduced sick leave and less staff turnover. Skilled workers can stay at work longer without becoming exhausted. Productivity may need to be increased over a longer period of time before the cost of the exoskeleton is recouped, but it will not take many days of reduced sick leave before the purchase price pays for itself.

So when you are considering whether it is right to purchase exoskeletons for your workplace, look at the money saved due to reduced sick leave rather than the higher income from increased productivity.