Box 2 illustrates the potential impact of workplace health initiatives and Box 3 summarises a number of ways in which psychosocial working conditions can be improved for improved staff health.
Box 2: Evidence of effectiveness of workplace health initiatives 5
Listed below are the summary points from a review of scientific and grey literature to identify best practice and highlight the elements of effective initiatives from around the world.
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Box 3: How to improve psychosocial working conditions for improved staff health and wellbeing 6
Psychosocial working conditions can be improved through:
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The Health and Safety Executive provides a regulatory framework for workplace health and safety in Great Britain. Workplaces are advised to provide ‘welfare’ facilities (e.g. access to drinking water and toilets), promote a healthy working environment (e.g. good ventilation and temperature) and provide a safe workplace (e.g. maintain the premises and work equipment).B
The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) has produced evidence-based guidelines on workplace health, with a focus on organisational culture and the role of line managers (see Box 4 for a summary of the key recommendations).
Box 4: NICE guidance on workplace health and management practices 7
Organisational commitment – make health and wellbeing a core priority, value the strategic importance and benefits of a healthy workplace.
Physical work environment – statutory responsibilities for facilities and equipment. Mental wellbeing at work – creating a supportive environment that enables employees to protect and enhance their own health and wellbeing. Fairness and justice – ensuring unfair treatment of employees is addressed as a priority, treating each employee as an individual. Participation and trust – encourage employees to have a voice, actively seek their contribution in decision-making. Senior leadership – consistent leadership supporting employee health and wellbeing to act as role models and proactively challenge actions that may adversely affect employee health and wellbeing. Role of managers – recognise and support the key role that line managers have in protecting and improving employee health and wellbeing, regularly seek line managers’ views on staff morale and staffing. Leadership style of line managers – positive leadership style and avoidance of negative behaviour. Training – ensure line managers receive training on the importance of maintaining people’s health and wellbeing at work. Job design – including the importance of health and wellbeing in job descriptions. |
The London Healthy Workplace Charter provides an evidence-based framework for action to support employer investment in staff wellbeing. The Charter works by recognising good practice at three levels of assessment across eight broad standards, as outlined in Box 5.
Box 5: London Healthy Workplace Charter 8
The Charter consists of three levels of assessment – ‘commitment’, ‘achievement’ and ‘excellence’. At each level, employers are assessed across eight broad standards:
Each of these standards are assessed primarily around leadership, culture and communication. Practical tools and guidance are provided for employers to support implementation. |
Notes
- http://www.hse.gov.uk/simple-health-safety/workplace.htm
- http://www.hse.gov.uk/simple-health-safety/workplace.htm
References
- Collaborating for Health, “Workplace-health initiatives: evidence of effectiveness,” Collaborating for Health, 2011
- Public Health England, UCL Institute of Health Equity, “Local action on health inequalities: workplace interventions to improve health and wellbeing,” 2014
- National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE), “Workplace health: management practices (NG13),” Manchester, 2016
- Greater London Authority, “London Healthy Workplace Charter,” 2015. [Online]. Available: https://www.london.gov.uk/sites/default/files/self-assessment_framework.pdf (PDF document). [Accessed October 2016]
- Collaborating for Health, “Workplace-health initiatives: evidence of effectiveness,” Collaborating for Health, 2011
- Public Health England, UCL Institute of Health Equity, “Local action on health inequalities: workplace interventions to improve health and wellbeing,” 2014
- National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE), “Workplace health: management practices (NG13),” Manchester, 2016
- Greater London Authority, “London Healthy Workplace Charter,” 2015. [Online]. Available: https://www.london.gov.uk/sites/default/files/self-assessment_framework.pdf (PDF document). [Accessed October 2016]