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From ENWHP

Together with TNO (NCO Netherlands), the University of Nottingham, the Work Research Centre (Operational Unit NCO Ireland) and the London School of Economics, Prevent (NCO Belgium) finalized a study on mental health in the European workplace. The study was commanded by the European Commission (DG Employment) and resulted in three publications: 1) Final report: an overview of the existing regulatory initiatives in Europe protecting the mental health of employees, followed by a number of scenarios with policy options for the European Commission, as well as an analysis of the strengths and weaknesses of these scenarios; 2) an interpretative document concerning Framework Directive 89/391, the legal basis for mental health at work; and 3) a guidance for employers and employees to implement a comprehensive approach to mental health in the workplace - including prevention, health promotion and re-integration.

ENWHP has contributed to a bilingual (English-French) publication by the think tank Sport and Citizenship / Sport et Citoyenneté, with an article about the 7th ENWHP initiative called "Move Europe", which - apart from healthy dieting, smoking cessation and mental health - also covers the promotion of physical activity in the workplace. The publication is called "Sport and Health in Europe: Physical activity as a mean to well-being and well living together" and can be accessed in full by clicking here. Additional information is available at www.sportetcitoyennete.com

The survey respondents of the 2014 Global Survey on Health Promotion, Workplace Wellness and Productivity Strategies by Buck Consultants identified the following as top objectives driving wellness strategies:

1. Improving workforce morale / engagement
2. Reducing sick leave and disability
3. Improving workplace safety
4. Reducing presenteeism / improving employee productivity

One of the most alarming findings from the Global Survey is that only 52 percent of empoyers worldwide are measuring specific outcomes from their wellness programmes. Buck's sixth global wellness survey analysed reponses from more than 1.000 organisations in 37 countries. For more information, click here. 

On Sunday, 24 August 2014 the European Network for Workplace Health Promotion (ENWHP) hosted a side event at the XX World Congress on Safety and Health at Work 2014 "Global Forum for Prevention" in Frankfurt. The ENWHP side event consisted of an interactive workshop on job retention and return-to-work of employees with chronic illness. The workshop presented the results of the campaign "Promoting healthy work for people with chronic illness (PH Work)", which identified successful strategies, programmes and good practices on company level preventing employees of moving into disability or early retirement.

Prof. dr. Karl Kuhn (ENWHP co-chair) kicked off the workshop with a small introduction to PH Work. Rob Gründemann (ENWHP member) provided the audience with a state of the art on the national return-to-work policies in Europe. He was followed by Nettie Van der Auwera (ENWHP secretariat), who presented the tools developed under PH Work: a guide to good practice & recommendations on job retention and return-to-work. Isabelle Burens (ENWHP member) showcased three good practices in companies, and Prof. Stephen Bevan (the Work Foundation) discussed research on working with three specific chronic diseases: multiple sclerosis, schizophrenia and musculoskeletal disorders (Fit for Work). The workshop was concluded with half an hour of remarks and questions by the audience.  

The Council recommendation states that physical activity is a prerequisite for a healthy lifestyle and a healthy workforce, in a rapidly ageing European society. It also links the benefits of physical activity with lowered risks for a number of chronic diseases (cardiovascular, some types of cancer). The EU Council recommends that "the Member States work towards effective HEPA (Health Enhancing Physical Activity) policies by developing a cross-sectoral approach involving policy areas including sport, health, education, environment and transport, as well as other relevant sectors." Full text...

• PH_Work_conference_22-23_Oct.pdf

Investment in safety and health in enterprises has a direct and measurable cost-benefit potential, the results of a joint study have found. The study compared data on interventions and analysed practices in over 300 companies from 19 countries. The results indicate that the cost-benefit potential for investments in prevention may be as strong as 1:2.2, and even higher for direct interventions, for example investments in preventive medical check-ups and safety training.
This report is the the result of a common project by the the German Social Accident Insurance (DGUV), the German Social Accident Insurance Institution for the Energy, Textile, Electrical and Media Products Sector (BG ETEM) and the International Social Security Association (ISSA). Download the report here.

A new research based book which examines the psychological resources of transformational leaders that help them to cope with business world uncertainty more effectively than other styles of less efficient leaders. The book discloses and advises practical principles to assist in the development of leadership cultivation programs. It also synthesizes a modified version of the Salutogenesis self assessment test that is applicable to measure coping in business contexts. More...

Corporations and academics have teamed up to back a blueprint to improve health literacy in the workplace, saying healthier lifestyles help employees and boost their productivity. The Blueprint for Business Action on Health Literacy is a free toolbox accessible to all companies and organisations aiming to make employees more health literate. More...