Occupational health and ergonomics play a vital role in improving workplace conditions and promoting employee well-being. While occupational health focuses on preventing work-related illnesses and injuries, ergonomics aims to align job demands, tools, and environments with workers’ physical and cognitive capabilities to reduce discomfort and musculoskeletal risks. Despite its importance, ergonomics remains a relatively underexplored field in Malaysia, particularly within private higher education institutions (PHEIs), where academic staff face challenges such as prolonged sedentary work, poorly designed workstations, and digital eye strain. This conceptual paper addresses a critical research gap by examining the relationship between ergonomic awareness defined as knowledge and application of ergonomic principles and employee well-being in PHEIs. It proposes a conceptual model outlining potential pathways through which ergonomic awareness influences physical and psychological health outcomes. The paper contributes to the existing literature by offering propositions for future empirical research and providing a framework to guide educational policymakers and institutional leaders in fostering healthier academic work environments.