Category: Total Worker Health
Exploring the Future of Worker Health and Safety in the Post-Pandemic World
COVID-19 has had a profound effect on work. The short-term consequences of the pandemic, including new safety requirements at work, mandatory remote work arrangements, reduced working hours, and even unplanned furloughs or lost jobs, were unexpected and severe for many workers around the world [1-3]. Though the economy is now showing signs of recovery, experts Read More >
Posted on by 3 CommentsThe Role of Demographics in the Future of Work
The future of work continues to be shaped by ongoing changes in the workplace, work, and workforce. Shifting workforce demographics will present both opportunities and challenges for occupational safety and health (OSH). A central challenge will be ensuring the equitable distribution of work-related benefits and risks that accompany these transformations. To meet this challenge, Read More >
Posted on by 4 CommentsSupportive Leaders Drive Organizational Improvements and Employee Health and Well-Being
Job stress has significant impacts on the short and long-term health and well-being of the U.S. workforce. Interpersonal conflict, lack of supervisor support, low job control, task overload, and work-family imbalance are examples of job stressors that can have detrimental health effects and interfere with the ability of employees to function optimally both in Read More >
Posted on by 5 CommentsMission Possible: Measuring Worker Well-Being
How can we measure worker well-being? Worker well-being is an important occupational health concern, but our current understanding is limited by the lack of a standard way to define and measure this concept. The development of a new tool, the NIOSH Worker Well-Being Questionnaire – or NIOSH WellBQ, may help employers and workers overcome this Read More >
Posted on by 3 CommentsWork and Well-being: The Changing Face of Occupational Safety and Health
There is strong evidence that work, health and well-being are closely and powerfully linked and need to be addressed together. (Dame Carol Black) [1] The conjunctive phrase “…and well-being” is often used in the occupational safety and health (OSH) literature in the context of health and well-being. However, historically, well-being has not been defined, Read More >
Posted on by 70 CommentsThe Role of Artificial Intelligence in the Future of Work
As discussed in a previous NIOSH Science Blog, artificial intelligence (AI) is in the process of transforming almost all aspects of society. Whether using an application to determine the best route to drive, receiving recommendations from Netflix on what to watch, or using face detection to logon to a personal smartphone, the use of AI Read More >
Posted on by 6 CommentsThe Role of Organizational Design in the Future of Work
The COVID-19 pandemic has profoundly impacted our society and economy. Every day, employers and workers find themselves encountering unforeseen challenges, finding novel ways of working, and adapting to a “new normal.” In a time when much is unknown, one thing is clear: the future of work is already here. As it unfolds, the future of Read More >
Posted on by 6 CommentsRising to the Challenges and Opportunities Presented by the Future of Work: NIOSH Introduces its Future of Work Initiative
The future of work is influenced by many changes to workplace, work, and workforce factors such as organizational design, work arrangements, technological job displacement, artificial intelligence, robotics, technologies, demographics, economic security, and skills. Advances in the future of work offer many opportunities, but they also create challenges for the workplace and work, with consequences for the Read More >
Posted on by Leave a commentThe Role of Organizational Support and Healthy Work Design
The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has affected nearly every aspect of Americans’ lives and has had a significant effect on the well-being of workers (APA, 2020; Kaiser, 2020; Nigam et al., 2020). As the nation aims to “flatten the curve” of COVID-19 cases and protect public health, employers are working to keep their businesses Read More >
Posted on by 4 CommentsEconomic Security during the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Healthy Work Design and Well-being Perspective
The COVID-19 pandemic is adversely affecting worker well-being in many ways, including through decreased economic security. Economic aspects of overall health and well-being, along with physical, psychological, and social aspects, are a fundamental focus of the NIOSH Healthy Work Design and Well-being Program (HWD). The mission of HWD is to protect and advance worker safety, Read More >
Posted on by 4 CommentsCannabis and Work: Implications, Impairment, and the Need for Further Research
American workplaces are facing unprecedented challenges related to the rapidly evolving landscape of cannabis legalization and its increasing use among workers. Cannabis[1] is the most frequently used illicit drug (by Federal law) among Americans, with an estimated 43.5 million past-year users age 12 or older in 2018 (1). Nearly 18% of adults employed full-time, Read More >
Posted on by 21 CommentsCOVID-19 Stress Among Your Workers? Healthy Work Design and Well-Being Solutions Are Critical
Experiencing an infectious disease outbreak can cause fear, anxiety, and stress.1-5 Along with overwhelming uncertainty and new behavioral ‘norms’ (e.g., cloth face covering or mask wearing, physical distancing), the COVID-19 pandemic has changed how we meet our daily needs, how we socially interact, and whether, how, and where we work.1,3 Millions of workers have lost Read More >
Posted on by 4 CommentsNIOSH Encourages Worker Well-Being Research
NIOSH continues to seek new ways to promote worker well-being research through programs and new initiatives, including the Total Worker Health® and Healthy Work Design and Well-being cross-sector programs. Total Worker Health (TWH) is a holistic approach to worker well-being. By acknowledging work-related risk factors that can impact health, the TWH approach seeks to improve Read More >
Posted on by 2 CommentsU.S. Surgeon General Highlights the Value of Worker Well-Being and the NIOSH Total Worker Health® Approach
In a recent article in Public Health Reports, the U.S. Surgeon General, Vice Admiral (VADM) Jerome Adams, MD, MPH, recognizes the important relationship between employment and health. The article, “The Value of Worker Well-being,” also highlights the efforts of the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), the NIOSH Office of Total Worker Health®, Read More >
Posted on by 3 CommentsBathroom Breaks
Although workers may assume that they will have access to bathrooms at work, many workers in a wide range of industries and occupations say they cannot take the bathroom breaks they need while working.1-6 Insufficient bathroom breaks are an important health and safety consideration for many jobs, such as those involving patient care or specific Read More >
Posted on by 13 CommentsIt’s National Bosses Day. Who is your dream boss?
Having a “dream job” is an aspiration for many people, but without a good boss, a dream job can become a nightmare. Our front-line supervisor or manager plays an unparalleled role in creating and sustaining safe work environments, health supportive-policies, and psychosocial safety. The best bosses partner with workers to design healthy jobs that provide Read More >
Posted on by Leave a commentLabor Day 2019 Message: Future of Work and Total Worker Health
At NIOSH, we spend every day focused on improving the safety and health of the U.S. workforce who maintain and propel this country forward. This year’s 125th anniversary of Labor Day gives us the opportunity as a Nation to celebrate and appreciate all workers for their contribution to this country’s prosperity, strength and well-being. This Read More >
Posted on by 6 CommentsArtificial Intelligence: Implications for the Future of Work
What does Artificial Intelligence (AI) have to do with workplace safety and health? NIOSH has been at the forefront of workplace safety and robotics, creating the Center for Occupational Robotics Research (CORR) and posting blogs such as A Robot May Not Injure a Worker: Working safely with robots. However, much remains unknown regarding the related Read More >
Posted on by 65 CommentsPromoción del bienestar de las trabajadoras a través de la salud maternal e infantil: Adaptaciones para facilitar la lactancia materna en el lugar de trabajo
Las contribuciones de las madres que trabajan, uno de los segmentos de la fuerza laboral de los Estados Unidos con más rápido crecimiento, son vitales para que haya una economía sólida. Sin embargo, estas madres también pueden tener dificultad para equilibrar sus carreras y demandas de trabajo con sus planes de tener hijos y su Read More >
Posted on by 20 CommentsPromoting Worker Well-Being through Maternal and Child Health: Breastfeeding Accommodations in the Workplace
As one of the fastest-growing segments of the U.S. labor force, the contributions of working mothers are vital to a strong economy. Yet working mothers can also struggle to balance their career and work demands with reproductive plans and caregiving. As a holistic approach to worker well-being, Total Worker Health® encourages policies and practices that Read More >
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