Workplace Health

Healthy workplaces are physical and social environments that support individual and organizational health.

When health is promoted in the workplace:

• Employers can look forward to less absenteeism, lower turnover rates, and increased productivity and job satisfaction
• Employees will experience improved health, reduced work related stress and illness and an improved balance between their work and family obligations.

Research suggests that three basic factors impact workplace health:

Environmental factors include

• Physical conditions of the workplace (noise, indoor air quality, ergonomics,)
• Work schedules (shift work, overtime); and,
• Distribution of responsibilities and relationships between co-workers and supervisors.

Personal resources include

• Employees' sense of control over their health;
• Employees having a say in decisions that impact them in the workplace; and,
• Social support from co-workers, family and friends.

Health practices are lifestyle choices that include, among others,

• Physical activity;
• Eating habits; and,
• Amount of sleep.

Find out more about how workplace health relates to you as a worker, employer or workplace health partner.

Read more about workplace health research including best practices, work-life balance, employee productivity and employer incentives.