scholarly journals Assessment of organizational readiness for participatory occupational safety, health and well-being programs

Work ◽  
2021 ◽  
pp. 1-26
Author(s):  
Michelle M. Robertson ◽  
Diana Tubbs ◽  
Robert A. Henning ◽  
Suzanne Nobrega ◽  
Alec Calvo ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Conceptual Framework ◽  
Occupational Safety ◽  
Assessment Tool ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Readiness For Change ◽  
Organizational Readiness ◽  
Cognitive Interviews ◽  
Organizational Readiness For Change ◽  
Worker Health ◽  
Total Worker Health

BACKGROUND: Organizational readiness for change measures were reviewed to develop an assessment tool for guiding implementation of an occupational safety and health program based on Total Worker Health (TWH) principles. Considerable conceptual ambiguity in the theoretical and empirical peer-reviewed literature was revealed. OBJECTIVE: Develop and validate an assessment tool that organizations can use to prepare for implementation of a participatory TWH program. METHODS: Inclusion criteria identified 29 relevant publications. Analysis revealed eight key organizational characteristics and predictors of successful organizational change. A conceptual framework was created that subject matter experts used to generate prospective survey items. Items were revised after pretesting with 10 cognitive interviews with upper-level management and pilot-tested in five healthcare organizations. Reliability of the domain subscales were tested based on Cronbach’s α. RESULTS: The Organizational Readiness Tool (ORT) showed adequate psychometric properties and specificity in these eight domains: 1) Current safety/health/well-being programs 2) Current organizational approaches to safety/health/well-being; 3) Resources available for safety/health/well-being; 4) Resources and readiness for change initiatives to improve safety/health/well-being; 5) Resources and readiness for use of teams in programmatic initiatives; 6) Teamwork; 7) Resources and readiness for employee participation; and 8) Management communication about safety/health/well-being Acceptable ranges of internal consistency statistics for the domain subscales were observed. CONCLUSIONS: Development of a conceptual framework for organizational readiness for change guided item generation for an assessment tool. Items were then refined based on cognitive interviews with specified end users. Initial internal consistency was demonstrated following administration at multiple organizations prior to implementation of a participatory Total Worker Health ® program.

scholarly journals Using a Mixed Method Approach to Tailor the Implementation of a Participatory Total Worker Health® Program in Public Healthcare Facilities

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Suzanne M Nobrega ◽  
Cesar Morocho ◽  
Michelle M. Robertson ◽  
Alicia Kurowski ◽  
Serena Rice ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Occupational Safety ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Organizational Readiness ◽  
Occupational Safety And Health ◽  
Public Healthcare ◽  
Healthcare Facilities ◽  
Worker Health ◽  
Safety And Health ◽  
Facilitators And Barriers ◽  
Total Worker Health

Abstract Background: Total Worker Health® programs represent a holistic approach for advancing worker safety, health, and well-being that combines occupational safety and health practices with other well-being policies and programs that are not traditionally linked. Total Worker Health requires new practices of interdisciplinary collaboration and programmatic coordination, accompanied with employee involvement and shared decision-making in the design and delivery of health-focused interventions. Pre-implementation assessment regarding organizational readiness is important to plan proactively for organizational “fit” when the program is introduced. This study examined potential implementation facilitators and barriers among five public healthcare facilities that had already agreed to participate in a study to implement and evaluate a participatory Total Worker Health program.Methods: A mixed-methods baseline assessment comprised an online organizational readiness survey and follow-up interviews. Key organizational and labor leaders were asked to identify resources and skills available for program implementation, potential barriers inside or outside the organization, and specific performance indicators. Findings at each facility were presented to implementation stakeholders and used to plan how to tailor implementation to the organizational context and provide resources necessary for success. Results: Implementation facilitators included leaders’ willingness and commitment to develop interventions addressing a broad range of occupational safety and well-being health priorities; existing staff expertise in occupational safety and health; favorable attitudes regarding expected program outcomes; and positive alignment between the program and organizational mission and values. Implementation barriers included limited staff time to attend meetings, limited resources to support locally designed interventions, and poor management communication systems. Examples of proactive tailoring strategies included extending the recruitment time and effort to gain the trust of leaders and workers while also allowing more time to secure needed program resources; developing sample program communication templates to strengthen communication on safety and health; and detailed training around health and safety issue identification and prioritization procedures, program communication, intervention planning and development, and change management. Conclusions: Prospective identification of potential program facilitators and barriers represents a useful strategy for tailoring implementation of a participatory Total Worker Health program. Trial Registration: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT 04251429. Registered January 31, 2020 – Retrospectively registered. https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/record/NCT04251429.

scholarly journals Toward an Expanded Focus for Occupational Safety and Health: A Commentary

2019 ◽  
Vol 16 (24) ◽  
pp. 4946 ◽  
Author(s):  
Paul A. Schulte ◽  
George Delclos ◽  
Sarah A. Felknor ◽  
L. Casey Chosewood
Keyword(s):  
Occupational Safety ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Occupational Safety And Health ◽  
New Professionals ◽  
Holistic View ◽  
Worker Health ◽  
Safety And Health ◽  
The World ◽  
Health Concept ◽  
Total Worker Health

Powerful and ongoing changes in how people work, the workforce, and the workplace require a more holistic view of each of these. We argue that an expanded focus for occupational safety and health (OSH) is necessary to prepare for and respond rapidly to future changes in the world of work that will certainly challenge traditional OSH systems. The WHO Model for Action, various European efforts at well-being, and the Total Worker Health concept provide a foundation for addressing changes in the world of work. However, a paradigm expansion to include the recognition of worker and workforce well-being as an important outcome of OSH will be needed. It will also be vital to stimulate transdisciplinary efforts and find innovative ways to attract and train students into OSH professions as the paradigm expands. This will require active marketing of the OSH field as vibrant career choice, as a profession filled with meaningful, engaging responsibilities, and as a well-placed investment for industry and society. An expanded paradigm will result in the need for new disciplines and specialties in OSH, which may be useful in new market efforts to attract new professionals. Ultimately, to achieve worker and workforce well-being we must consider how to implement this expanded focus.

A mixed-method approach to tailor the implementation of a participatory Total Worker Health® program

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Suzanne Nobrega ◽  
Cesar Morocho ◽  
Michelle M. Robertson ◽  
Alicia Kurowski ◽  
Serena Rice ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mixed Method ◽  
Research Team ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Organizational Readiness ◽  
Worker Safety ◽  
Feedback Report ◽  
Readiness Assessment ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Worker Health ◽  
Total Worker Health

PurposeTotal Worker Health® (TWH) programs, which represent a holistic approach for advancing worker safety, health and well-being, require an employer to adapt programmatic coordination and employee involvement in program design and delivery. Organizational readiness for such measures requires competencies in leadership, communication, subject expertise and worker participation. In the absence of documented methods for TWH readiness assessment, the authors developed a process to prospectively identify implementation facilitators and barriers that may be used to strengthen organizational competencies and optimize the organizational “fit” in advance.Design/methodology/approachThe mixed-method baseline assessment instruments comprised an online organizational readiness survey and a key leader interview; these were administered with key organizational and labor leaders in five US healthcare facilities. Findings about organizational resources, skills available and potential implementation barriers were summarized in a stakeholder feedback report and used to strengthen readiness and tailor implementation to the organizational context.FindingsThe research team was able to leverage organizational strengths such as leaders' commitment and willingness to address nontraditional safety topics to establish new worker-led design teams. Information about program barriers (staff time and communication) enabled the research team to respond with proactive tailoring strategies such as training on participant roles, extending team recruitment time and providing program communication tools and coaching.Originality/valueA new method has been developed for prospective organizational readiness assessment to implement a participatory TWH program. The authors illustrate its ability to identify relevant organizational features to guide institutional preparation and tailor program implementation.

Building Capacity for Integrated Occupational Safety, Health, and Well-Being Initiatives Using Guidelines for Total Worker Health® Approaches

2021 ◽  
Vol Publish Ahead of Print ◽  
Author(s):  
Nicolaas P. Pronk ◽  
Deborah L. McLellan ◽  
Jack T. Dennerlein ◽  
Paul Anderson ◽  
Melissa Karapanos ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Occupational Safety ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Building Capacity ◽  
Worker Health ◽  
Health And Well Being ◽  
Total Worker Health

scholarly journals Defining ‘Integration’ for Total Worker Health®: A New Proposal

2020 ◽  
Vol 64 (3) ◽  
pp. 223-235 ◽  
Author(s):  
Laura Punnett ◽  
Jennifer M Cavallari ◽  
Robert A Henning ◽  
Suzanne Nobrega ◽  
Alicia G Dugan ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Health Promotion ◽  
Occupational Safety ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Occupational Safety And Health ◽  
Worker Safety ◽  
Workplace Health ◽  
Worker Health ◽  
Safety And Health ◽  
Building Program ◽  
Total Worker Health

Abstract The effects of work and the conditions of employment on health behaviors and intermediate health conditions have been demonstrated, to the extent that these relationships should be addressed in efforts to prevent chronic disease. However, conventional health promotion practice generally focuses on personal risk factors and individual behavior change. In an effort to find solutions to the myriad of health challenges faced by the American workforce, the U.S. National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) established the Total Worker Health® (TWH) program. Originally organized around the paradigm of integrating traditional occupational safety and health protections with workplace health promotion, TWH has evolved to a broader emphasis on workplace programs for enhancing worker safety, health, and well-being. Among the research programs and approaches developed by investigators at NIOSH Centers of Excellence for TWH and elsewhere, definitions of ‘integration’ in workplace interventions vary widely. There is no consensus about which organizational or individual outcomes are the most salient, how much to emphasize organizational contexts of work, or which program elements are necessary in order to qualify as ‘Total Worker Health’. Agreement about the dimensions of integration would facilitate comparison of programs and interventions which are self-defined as TWH, although diverse in content. The specific criteria needed to define integration should be unique to that concept—i.e. distinct from and additive to conventional criteria for predicting or evaluating the success of a workplace health program. We propose a set of four TWH-specific metrics for integrated interventions that address both program content and process: (i) coordination and interaction of workplace programs across domains; (ii) assessment of both work and non-work exposures; (iii) emphasis on interventions to make the workplace more health-promoting; and (iv) participatory engagement of workers in pivotal ways during intervention prioritization and planning to develop self-efficacy in addressing root causes, skill transfer, building program ownership, empowerment, and continuous improvement. Thus we find that integration requires organizational change, both to engage two managerial functions with different goals, legal responsibilities, and (often) internal incentives & resources, and also to orient the organization toward salutogenesis. Examples from research activity within the Center for the Promotion of Health in the New England Workplace illustrate how these criteria have been applied in practice.

scholarly journals What Could Total Worker Health® Look Like in Small Enterprises?

2018 ◽  
Vol 62 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. S34-S41 ◽  
Author(s):  
Diane S Rohlman ◽  
Shelly Campo ◽  
Jennifer Hall ◽  
Erin L Robinson ◽  
Kevin M Kelly
Keyword(s):  
Occupational Safety ◽  
Low Cost ◽  
Health And Safety ◽  
Organizational Factors ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Essential Elements ◽  
Small Enterprises ◽  
Worker Health ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Total Worker Health

Abstract Small enterprises have fewer resources, are more financially precarious, and have higher rates of occupational injury and illness compared with larger enterprises. Interventions that address the promotion of health and well-being in addition to traditional occupational safety and health hazards, a Total Worker Health® (TWH) approach, may be effective in reducing injuries and preventing illness. However, little research has examined the impact of TWH interventions in small enterprises. The aim of this research was to explore and characterize health and safety practices, policies, and programs in small Midwestern enterprises from a TWH perspective. Utilizing a case studies approach, site visits were conducted with small business, between 10 and 250 employees, from 2014 through 2016 and included workplace audits and interviews with multiple employees in varying roles within each organization. Both open and closed coding were used to identify specific themes. Eight themes emerged from the site visits: value and return on investment, organizational factors, program design, engaging employees, low-cost strategies, evaluation, and integration. These themes overlapped with both the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health’s (NIOSH) Essential Elements of TWH and the NIOSH Fundamentals. Industry sector and enterprise size also affect resources and integration of these resources. As TWH expands to organizations of all sizes, it is necessary to address the unique needs of smaller enterprises.

scholarly journals Using a Mixed Method Approach to Tailor the Implementation of a Participatory Total Worker Health® Program in Public Healthcare Facilities

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Suzanne Nobrega ◽  
Cesar Morocho ◽  
Michelle M. Robertson ◽  
Alicia Kurowski ◽  
Serena Rice ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Health Program ◽  
Occupational Safety ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Occupational Safety And Health ◽  
Public Healthcare ◽  
Healthcare Facilities ◽  
Worker Health ◽  
Safety And Health ◽  
Facilitators And Barriers ◽  
Total Worker Health

Abstract Background: The Total Worker Health program represents a holistic approach to advancing worker well-being that combines occupational safety and health practices with other workplace policies and programs that are not traditionally linked. Total Worker Health requires new types of interdisciplinary collaboration and programmatic coordination. Pre-implementation assessment is thus important to plan for successful organizational “fit” when the program is introduced. This study prospectively identified potential implementation facilitators and barriers among five public healthcare facilities that had already agreed to participate in a study to implement and evaluate the Healthy Workplace Participatory Program.Methods: A mixed methods baseline assessment comprised an online survey and follow-up interviews. Key organizational and labor leaders were asked to identify resources and skills available for successful program implementation; potential barriers inside or outside the organization; and key performance indicators. Findings were presented to implementation stakeholders in study sites and used for planning how to tailor implementation to fit the organizational context and to provide the resources needed for success. Results: Potential facilitators included leaders’ willingness and commitment to develop interventions addressing a broad range of occupational safety and well-being health priorities (consistent with Total Worker Health); existing staff expertise in occupational safety and health; favorable attitudes regarding expected program outcomes; and positive alignment between the program and organizational mission and values. Potential implementation barriers included limited staff time to attend meetings, limited resources to support locally designed interventions, and poor management communication systems. Examples of tailoring strategies included extending time and effort to recruit leaders and workers while gaining their trust and securing program resources; developing sample program communication templates to strength health and safety communication efforts; and providing detailed training around issue selection procedures, communication, local intervention development, and change management. Conclusions: The prospective identification of potential facilitators and barriers represents a useful strategy for tailoring the implementation of a participatory, Total Worker Health program. Trial Registration: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT 04251429. Registered January 31, 2020 – Retrospectively registered. https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/record/NCT04251429.

scholarly journals Total worker health® is the future of worker safety, health, and well-being

2020 ◽  
Vol 30 (Supplement_5) ◽  
Author(s):  
S Tamers
Keyword(s):  
Occupational Safety ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Occupational Safety And Health ◽  
Worker Safety ◽  
Future Of Work ◽  
Worker Health ◽  
Safety And Health ◽  
The Future ◽  
Health And Well Being ◽  
Total Worker Health

Abstract The future of work is being shaped by rapid changes in the workplace, work, and workforce. Driven by advances in industry, this movement is marked by the accelerated pace of developments connecting people, places, and things. All these advances and developments have implications for worker safety, health, and well-being and require innovative occupational safety and health strategies. Because of these new realities, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's (CDC) National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) recently launched the Future of Work (FOW) Initiative. This Initiative is a collaborative effort of multidisciplinary research, communication, and partnerships throughout NIOSH, other agencies, and organizations that aims to identify novel research solutions, practical approaches, and partnership opportunities to address the future of work. To more broadly address worker safety, health, and well-being, the FOW Initiative applies the Total Worker Health® (TWH) framework. TWH is defined as policies, programs, and practices that integrate protection from work-related safety and health hazards with promotion of injury and illness prevention efforts to advance worker well-being. The TWH approach prioritizes changes to improve physical, organizational, and psychosocial factors that present possible risks in the work environment for today's and tomorrow's workforce. This presentation will first introduce CDC/NIOSH's FOW Initiative. Next, the TWH integrated approach will be defined and described. Centering on CDC/NIOSH's future of work priority topics in the areas of workplace (organizational design, technological displacement, work arrangements), work (artificial intelligence, robotics, technologies), and workforce (demographics, economic security, skills), the presenter will then provide evidence-based solutions to address future of work issues and related outcomes, using the TWH approach. Key messages The future of work has world-wide implications for the workplace, work, workforce. The Total Worker Health framework is a transdisciplinary approach by which to view and address the future of work. Public health professionals and other stakeholders must take a proactive approach to address worker safety, health, and well-being issues impacted by the future of work.

scholarly journals Dissemination and Implementation Science Approaches for Occupational Safety and Health Research: Implications for Advancing Total Worker Health

2021 ◽  
Vol 18 (21) ◽  
pp. 11050
Author(s):  
Rebecca J. Guerin ◽  
Samantha M. Harden ◽  
Borsika A. Rabin ◽  
Diane S. Rohlman ◽  
Thomas R. Cunningham ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Health Research ◽  
Occupational Safety ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Occupational Safety And Health ◽  
Dissemination And Implementation ◽  
Science Literature ◽  
Plain Language ◽  
Worker Health ◽  
Safety And Health ◽  
Total Worker Health

Total Worker Health® (TWH), an initiative of the U.S. National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, is defined as policies, programs, and practices that integrate protection from work-related health and safety hazards by promoting efforts that advance worker well-being. Interventions that apply the TWH paradigm improve workplace health more rapidly than wellness programs alone. Evidence of the barriers and facilitators to the adoption, implementation, and long-term maintenance of TWH programs is limited. Dissemination and implementation (D&I) science, the study of methods and strategies for bridging the gap between public health research and practice, can help address these system-, setting-, and worker-level factors to increase the uptake, impact, and sustainment of TWH activities. The purpose of this paper is to draw upon a synthesis of existing D&I science literature to provide TWH researchers and practitioners with: (1) an overview of D&I science; (2) a plain language explanation of key concepts in D&I science; (3) a case study example of moving a TWH intervention down the research-to-practice pipeline; and (4) a discussion of future opportunities for conducting D&I science in complex and dynamic workplace settings to increase worker safety, health, and well-being.

scholarly journals Total Worker Health® 2014–2018: The Novel Approach to Worker Safety, Health, and Well-Being Evolves

2019 ◽  
Vol 16 (3) ◽  
pp. 321 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sara Tamers ◽  
L. Chosewood ◽  
Adele Childress ◽  
Heidi Hudson ◽  
Jeannie Nigam ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Occupational Safety ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Worker Safety ◽  
Work Related ◽  
Worker Health ◽  
Novel Approach ◽  
Safety And Health ◽  
Building Information ◽  
Health And Well Being ◽  
Total Worker Health

Background: The objective of this article is to provide an overview of and update on the Office for Total Worker Health® (TWH) program of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (CDC/NIOSH). Methods: This article describes the evolution of the TWH program from 2014 to 2018 and future steps and directions. Results: The TWH framework is defined as policies, programs, and practices that integrate protection from work-related safety and health hazards with promotion of injury and illness prevention efforts to advance worker well-being. Conclusions: The CDC/NIOSH TWH program continues to evolve in order to respond to demands for research, practice, policy, and capacity building information and solutions to the safety, health, and well-being challenges that workers and their employers face.

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