Promotion of a healthy workplace in the health sector

Abstract

The WHO has defined a healthy workplace as one in which workers and managers collaborate to use a continual improvement process to protect and promote the health, safety and well-being of all workers and the sustainability of the workplace by considering the following, based on identified needs: health and safety concerns in the physical work environment; health, safety and well-being concerns in the psychosocial work environment including organization of work and workplace culture; personal health resources in the workplace; and ways of participating in the community to improve the health of workers, their families and other members of the community.1

This definition is intended chiefly to address primary prevention, which entails, the prevention of injuries or illnesses from happening in the first place. However, secondary and tertiary prevention may also be included by employer-provided occupational health services.1 Also, this definition, is intended to create a workplace environment that does not cause re-injury or reoccurrence of an illness when someone returns to work after being away with an injury or illness, whether work-related or not.1 In addition, it is intended to mean a workplace that is supportive and accommodating of older workers, or those with chronic diseases or disabilities.1 A healthy workplace is particularly important in the health sector.

Hospitals and health services are generally considered as relatively unhealthy workplaces for health workers, who may experience various physical and psycho-social burdens during work hours.2 As a result, the workplace can aggravate the health of health workers and therefore it is a necessity to have a healthy workplace for the health workers.

Promotion of healthy workplaces includes three main components, which generally is within the responsibility of management. These three main components, include : a healthy and safe workplace; staff training in health promotion skills aiming at better health gain for patients and community; and health promotion activities for staff. 2