Activities to develop the competency and capacity of workplaces to support health and work issues will contribute to developing healthy, supportive working environments in all workplaces.

This assumes that workplaces will invest in health and wellbeing instead of, or as well, as other competing priorities such as investing in core delivery skills, new technology etc.

Rationale

Policy Note

Sources

Rationale

Developing the competency and capacity of key stakeholders within workplaces will contribute to enabling workplaces to develop and implement effective and sustainable health, work and wellbeing policies and practices. Training and development for managers and workers will contribute to improved knowledge and awareness of, for instance, work-related health as well as occupational health and safety issues. The resulting reactions will contribute to changes in knowledge, beliefs, attitudes, skills, motivation and behavioural intentions, and ultimately result in increased early detection of health and work issues and a reduction in work-related ill health and injury. However, this is a complex process and assumes these activities will result in behaviour change.

Informed by reviews of effectiveness evidence, NICE public health guidance 06 Behaviour change at population, community and individual levels sets out a set of generic principles and recommended actions to guide the planning and delivery and evaluation of public health activities to change health related behaviour at the individual, community or population level.[1] This includes adopting organisation wide policies and approaches, and the role of line managers in supporting individuals and developing flexible working policies. NHS Health Scotland Commentary supported these recommendations subject, where appropriate to adaptation to fit Scottish organisational arrangements.[2]

Informed by reviews of effectiveness evidence, NICE public health guidance 19 Managing long-term sickness absence and incapacity for work sets out a set of generic principles and recommended actions to guide primary care services and employers.[3] This includes a recommendation that employers or case workers should have the skills and training to act as an impartial intermediary.

Based on reviews of evidence, the Boorman review made a series of recommendations that all NHS leaders and managers are developed and equipped to recognise the link between staff health and well-being and organisational performance and that their actions are judged in terms of whether they contribute to or undermine staff health and well-being, and that training in health and well-being should be an integral part of management training and leadership development at local, regional and national levels and should be built into annual performance assessment and personal development planning processes.[4]

Review level evidence suggests that low management commitment to training could diminish the effect of training.[5]

Development and support of proactive and integrated management systems and practices within the workplace can enable the provision of a safe and healthy working environment. There is review level evidence that the use of occupational health and safety (OHS) management systems influence the level of health and wellbeing at work.6 This might include systems developed and supported through policies, organisational goals, practices and structures within the workplace, resources, training and quality assurance and hazard control, and should integrate evaluation and organisational learning.[7] Review level evidence suggests that successful factors for the effectiveness of OHS management systems include a range of organisational factors including management commitment (strong senior management involvement, systems integral to performance appraisals, leading by example, provision of adequate resources); integration into management systems; employee involvement (employees encouraged and capable of participation, independent representation of employees encouraged and supported); and a stable workforce.[8]

Training for employees, including OHS, is widely acknowledged as an important component of occupational hazard control and risk management systems.[5] It is possible that training and education (with low, medium and high levels of employee engagement) could lead to changes in knowledge, attitudes and beliefs, behaviours, and ultimately health.[5] Informed by a systematic review of evidence Robson et al (2005) formed a set of evidence statements about the effectiveness of training interventions in OHS, and found some evidence that OHS training is effective in changing targeted OHS behaviours.[5] However, they also highlighted a lack of high quality randomised trial research on OHS effectiveness training.

Scottish policy note:

The Scottish Centre for Healthy Working Lives is working with the STUC to identify the scope for a programme to develop the wellbeing capabilities of trades union safety representatives.

The Centre promotes healthier and safer workplaces, by reviewing working environments and offering Scottish employers guidance and support in the implementation of successful health and safety and employment policies, and supporting training and capacity development within the workplace.

Sources

1. NICE (2007). NICE public health guidance 06 Behaviour change at population, community and individual levels. NICE: London.

2. NHS Health Scotland (2007). Health Scotland Commentary on NICE Public Health Guidance 06 Behaviour change at population, community and individual levels. NHS Health Scotland: Edinburgh..

3. NICE (2009). NICE public health guidance 19 Managing long-term sickness absence and incapacity for work. NICE: London.

4. Boorman S (2009). NHS Health and Well-being. Final Report. Department of Health: London.

5. Robson L, Stephenson C, Schulte P et al (2010). A systematic review of the effectiveness of training and education for the protection of workers, Institute of Work and Health: Toronto.

6. Hassan E, Austin C, Celia C et al (2009). Health and Wellbeing at Work in the United Kingdom. Report prepared by the Work Foundation for the Department of Health.

7. Robson L, Clarke J, Cullen K et al (2005). The Effectiveness of Occupational Health and Safety Management Systems: A Systematic Review. Institute for Work & Health: Toronto.  

8. Gallagher C, Underhill E and Rimmer M (2001). Occupational Health and Safety Management Systems: A Review of their Effectiveness in Securing Healthy and Safe Workplaces. National Occupational Health and Safety Commission: Sydney.

back to top