Creating Healthy Workplaces

Creating Healthy Workplaces includes interventions that relate the efforts undertaken by researchers and organizations to reduce stress and improve the mental and physical health of employees through positive change initiatives. Those working in the field of occupational stress have received criticism that too much emphasis has been placed on negative issues and that positive initiatives have been largely ignored. This book delves into both the positive and the stress fields and compares the types of interventions each entail. Some of the interventions described target individuals and their attitudes and behaviours, others target workplace relationships, work units and the wider organization. Outcomes such as reduced occurrences of smoking, obesity, depression, elevated blood pressure, accidents and workplace injuries, absence and staff turnover are reported. The factors associated with the success of these interventions are identified and advice is given as to how you might proceed to develop worksite interventions of your own.