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Worksite and occupational health

Studying worksite factors in employee safety, health and well-being

Multiple factors within worksites interact to affect the safety, health and well-being of employees. We study worksite health using Total Worker Health® (TWH) principles. These principles acknowledge that organizational, physical and psychosocial work conditions can affect individuals’ health and workforce productivity.

We address policies, programs and practices that provide protection from work-related safety and health hazards, while also promoting prevention of injury and illness, to improve worker well-being. Studies address:

  • Health behaviors and employee productivity
  • Physical and emotional health benefits of reducing prolonged sitting at work
  • The use of measurement tools aimed at integrating employee safety and health
  • Changing the work environment (physical, social, economic) to improve worker well-being outcomes as well as organizational performance indicators

Investigators

Key projects and partners

NIOSH Total Worker Health® Affiliate Program

The National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) accepted HealthPartners Institute as a NIOSH Total Worker Health Affiliate Program in 2018. Our strong track record of research and education supports the Total Worker Health concept, making this affiliate status a great fit. This program fosters an integrated approach to protecting and promoting worker well-being through collaborations with academic, labor, nonprofit and government organizations.

Integrated practice guidelines

We worked with the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health’s Center for Work, Health and Well-Being in the research, evaluation and implementation of integrated solutions for safety health and well-being. The center works to protect and promote workers’ well-being through integrated worksite policies, programs and practices. All are designed to foster a safe, healthy workplace environment.

Through multiple studies, we implemented the practice guidelines to address total worker health. The approach generates physical (safety hazards) and psychosocial (health and safety culture) recommendations. Our collaboration with Harvard includes dissemination and implementation studies in partnership with the HealthPartners health plan and its employer customers.

Ongoing exploration of factors associated with employee health and safety using the HealthPartners Health Assessment Database

We are using self-reported data from employee health assessments to examine factors affecting employee health, safety and productivity. Our studies are evaluating worksite health and well-being programs and linking health behaviors to worksite indicators of interest such as absenteeism, presenteeism and overall productivity loss.

Looking into the myth of the obese firefighter

After a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention study suggested the majority of firefighters were obese, it called into question whether many first responders were fit for their jobs. But several Institute investigators, along with other colleagues, believed the study’s analysis using body mass index (BMI) wasn’t the most accurate way to judge firefighters’ physical fitness. They recruited 52 firefighters for a study that included additional tests and a high-tech body scan that analyzed fat, muscle and bone densities for more insights. The data showed that BMI was not well correlated to firefighters’ fitness, and that fat mass percentage was a better predictor of their fitness.

Profile by Sanford weight management program shows positive outcomes for employees

Institute researchers recently evaluated a weight management program – Profile by Sanford – offered to HealthPartners employees as part of a well-being program. The results showed that, on average, employees’ weight loss was approximately 17 lbs. after three months and was maintained up to one year. These are comparatively strong outcomes given that average commercial programs generate about 8 lbs. of weight loss at one year. And most participants said they enjoyed the experience.

Key publications

Learn more about our Worksite and Occupational Health investigators and their publications by visiting Knowledge Exchange.