Healthy Worker Healthy Workplace

Answers the question: "Does an investment in active programs of health promotion and disability prevention result in lower labor costs and an increase in productivity?"Contents: The worker and the job: what is a healthy workforce?; The employer and the workplace: what makes a healthy workplace?; Labor/management relations in the modern work environment; the role of state gov't.: what changes in public policy are necessary?; the present role of state gov't. in occupational health; databases in state gov't. related to occupational health and safety. Charts.

This book describes the theory and research evidence underlying Total Worker Health (R), an initiative of the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) that aims to create a culture of healthy workplaces nationwide.

This book examines the complex interplay between employees and management, to determine how a psychologically healthy workplace is constructed and maintained.

Work, so fundamental to well-being, has its darker and more costly side. Work can adversely affect our health, well beyond the usual counts of injuries that we think of as 'occupational health'. The ways in which work is organized - its pace and intensity, degree of control over the work process, sense of justice, and employment security, among other things - can be as toxic to the health of workers as the chemicals in the air. These work characteristics can be detrimental not only to mental well-being but to physical health. Scientists refer to these features of work as 'hazards' of the 'psychosocial' work environment. One key pathway from the work environment to illness is through the mechanism of stress; thus we speak of 'stressors' in the work environment, or 'work stress'. This is in contrast to the popular psychological understandings of 'stress', which locate many of the problems with the individual rather than the environment. In this book we advance a social environmental understanding of the workplace and health. The book addresses this topic in three parts: the important changes taking place in the world of work in the context of the global economy (Part I); scientific findings on the effects of particular forms of work organization and work stressors on employees' health, 'unhealthy work' as a major public health problem, and estimates of costs to employers and society (Part II); and, case studies and various approaches to improve working conditions, prevent disease, and improve health (Part III).

"Helps business owners and managers target the main health concerns in the workplace and implement low-cost or free programs to increase productivity, boost morale, lower workplace stress, and potentially lower health insurance costs"--

This book presents research on the determinants of workers’ health (physical and mental well-being) and the organization’s health (performance and culture). It addresses the impact of psychosocial working conditions on workers’ well-being, and their performance, productivity, innovation, and morale at work. Discusses how to manage workers to enable them to be engaged and creative Raises employee awareness on how to maintain good physical and mental health at work Covers how to work beyond retirement age Presents how to design a work environment that prevents counterproductive behaviors Covers work–life balance and how it can affect work This book is aimed at professionals, postgraduate students, scientists, and practitioners in the fields of work and health psychology, management, occupational health and safety, and human resource management.

The contributions in Creating Healthy Workplaces include a number of interventions that relate the efforts undertaken by researchers and organizations together, to reduce stress and improve the mental and physical health of employees through positive change initiatives. Those working in the field of occupational stress have received criticism that too much emphasis has been placed on negative issues and that positive initiatives have been largely ignored. With the growing influence of the positive movement, this book explores the implications of using a positive approach as opposed to a stress management one and compares the types of interventions they each require. From a positive perspective, there is a need to understand the characteristics of healthy, thriving, and flourishing people and organizations. This book explores the implications of using a positive approach as opposed to a stress management one. Some of the interventions described in Creating Healthy Workplaces target individuals and their attitudes and behaviours, others target workplace relationships, work units and the wider organization. Outcomes such as reduced occurrences of smoking, obesity, depression, elevated blood pressure, accidents and workplace injuries, presenteeism, absence and staff turnover are reported. The factors associated with the success of these interventions are identified and advice is given as to how interested individuals and organizations might proceed to develop worksite interventions on their own.

Workplace Wellbeing is a complete guide to understanding and implementing the principles of a psychologically healthy workplace for psychologists and other practitioners. Grounded in the latest theory and research yet filled with plenty of case studies and proven techniques Introduces the core components of psychologically healthy workplaces, including health and safety, leadership, employee involvement, development, recognition, work-life balance, culture and communication Addresses important issues such as the role of unions, the importance of leadership, healthy workplaces in small businesses, respectful workplace cultures, and corporate social responsibility Discusses factors that influence the physical safety of employees, as well as their physical and psychological health Brings together stellar scholars from around the world, including the US, Canada, Europe, Israel, and Australia

Discover how healthy buildings, culture, and people lead to high profits Organizations and employees now spend an average of $18,000 per year per employee for health costs, a 61% increase in 10 years. Every indicator projects these costs will double before 2030. This is an unsustainable path. These costs are the tip to an even bigger iceberg, the hidden costs of time out of the office, distraction, disengagement, and turnover. The Healthy Workplace Nudge explains the findings of research on 100 large organizations that have tackled the problems of employee health costs and disengagement in five fresh ways: Well-being leads to health and high performance Wake up to the fact that 95% of traditional wellness programs fail to improve health or lower costs Behavioral economics has become a new powerful tool to nudge healthy behavior Healthy buildings are now cost effective and produce your strongest ROI to improving health Leaders who develop healthy cultures achieve sustainable high performance and employee wellbeing In addition to proving highly effective, these approaches represent a fraction of the cost sunk into traditional wellness and engagement programs. The book explains how to create a workplace that is good for people, releases them to what they do best and enjoy most, and produces great and profitable work. • Find actionable strategies and tactics you can put into use today • Retain happy, productive talent • Cut unnecessary spending and boost your bottom line • Benefit from real-world research and proven practice If you’re a leader who cares about the health and happiness of your employees, a human resource professional, or a professional who develops, designs, builds, or outfits workplace environments to improve employee health and wellbeing, this is one book you’ll want to have on hand.