Psychosocial Occupational Health

Today’s evolving world of work makes it imperative for employers to manage psychosocial hazards (PSH) and risks leading to work-related stress. This book contains essential, general, and country-specific information and templates for the successful management of hazards to prevent psychological harm in the workplace. Acknowledged as global issues affecting all workers and industries, PSH are work factors that have the potential to lead to physical or psychological injury and stress, relating to how work is designed, organized, and managed, and to work relationships and interactions. This book advances the idea that management of PSH, and psychological health and safety, is part of the duty of care of today’s responsible and ethical employers to employees, and that U.S. employers should recognize this responsibility. Clear and easy to follow, this guide presents comprehensive information on addressing PSH, discussing measures taken internationally (laws, guidance, and resources from Europe, Canada, Mexico, Australia, and Japan), and a new global standard on psychological health and safety at work. (Note: At times within this book, and Part II in particular, punctuation may be added to quoted provisions for ease of reading and for consistency.) Practitioners and students in the fields of management, occupational health and safety, human resource management, ethics and compliance, occupational health psychology, and organizational psychology will come away with a deeper understanding of the importance of PSH and their management.

This ground-breaking textbook is the first to cover the new and rapidly developing field of occupational health psychology. Provides a thorough introduction to occupational health psychology and an accessible overview of the key themes in research and practice Each chapter relates to an aspect of the core education curriculum delineated by the European Academy of Occupational Health Psychology Written by internationally recognized experts in the field Examines a host of contemporary workplace health issues, including work-related stress; the psychosocial work environment; positive psychology and employee well-being; psychosocial risk management; workspace design; organizational research methods; and corporate culture and health

Work and employment are central to people's lives, health, and wellbeing. Through participation in the labour market, income and related life chances are improved, social protection and security are strengthened, and important psychological and social needs are met, such as striving for skill development, autonomy, social recognition, and social belonging. Yet, globally, only a minority of working people experience these favourable conditions. In developing countries, substantial parts of the population are excluded from paid work, or are confined to informal, poor, and dangerous work. In developed countries, adverse working and employment conditions contribute to a burden of disease. With the advent of economic globalisation and ground-breaking technological innovations, new occupational health risks have emerged, such as stressful high psycho-mental work pressures, increased job insecurity and flexibility, and widely prevalent social tensions and conflicts. These risks are aggravated by two global challenges, the COVID-19 pandemic and climate change. How can professionals who are committed to occupational health cope with these challenges? This book provides a comprehensive review of scientific evidence dealing with the far-reaching changes and challenges of modern work and its impact on health. It extends conventional occupational medicine by introducing essential knowledge on the psychosocial dimensions of work and health, bridging social and behavioural sciences with biomedical research. Opening chapters cover the conceptual and historical background of the field, followed by a section on the theoretical and methodological bases of knowledge. The next part looks at empirical evidence on psychosocial work-related health effects derived from epidemiologic investigations and studies, with a focus on cardiovascular and metabolic diseases and mental disorders. The fourth part addresses the effects of disease and disability on work and employment opportunities and related coping efforts. Finally, options of prevention and health promotion at the level of organisation and of national labour and social policies are discussed. Written for future and current occupational health professionals, students and researchers with an interest or specialisation in occupational health, and practitioners and diverse stakeholders dealing with these topics, this book serves as a source of scholarly evidence, shaping knowledge and skills to address new challenges and promote a future economy of decent, sustainable, and healthy work.

Over the last three decades a large body of research has showed that psychosocial job dimensions such as time pressure, decision authority and social support, could have significant implications for psychological distress and well-being. Theoretical models, such as the job demand-control-social support model (JDCS model), the effort-reward imbalance model (ERI model), the job demands-resources model (JDR model) and the vitamin model suggest that distress and positive dimensions at work (well being and motivation) can be considered as two sides of the same coin. If the job is designed to provide the right mix of psychosocial job dimensions (e.g., optimal time pressure, decision authority and social support), work can boost job engagement and well-being as well as productive behaviors at work. When the job is not designed in an optimal way (e.g., too much time pressure and too little decision authority) work can trigger stress reactions and burnout. Although some insight has been gained on how job dimensions could predict distress and well-being, and also into the dimensions that might moderate and mediate these associations; research still faces several challenges. Firstly, most of this research has been cross-sectional in nature, thus making it difficult to conclude on the long-term effects of psychosocial job dimensions. Another challenge concerns how the contextual dimensions can be incorporated into micro-levels models on employee stress and well-being. Nowadays, work is carried out in the context of a wider environment that includes organizational variables. So far the role of the organizational variables in the theoretical frameworks for explaining the relationships between psychosocial job dimensions, employee distress and well-being, has often been underplayed. The main aim of this research topic is to bring together international research from different theoretical and methodological perspectives in order to advance knowledge and practice in the field of work stress.

This book presents research and best practice examples from the Asia Pacific region to address the gap in global expertise on psychosocial factors at work. It explores practices in the region that promote healthy workplaces and workers by presenting research from around the globe on issues such as telework, small and medium-sized enterprises, disaster-struck areas, suicide prevention, and workplace client violence. It discusses practical, multidisciplinary efforts to address worker occupational health. Further, it explores psychosocial risk and prevention, as well as the significant role of cultural variations and practices in the diverse range of countries covered.

Work-related stress is the second most common occupational health problem after back pain, affecting 28 per cent of workers in the EU. Given that this is often indicative of problems with the psychosocial work environment, the promotion of a preventive culture against psychosocial hazards needs to be given a high priority. This report presents 15 case studies of programmes, practices and experiences on tackling work-related stress, produced by the European Agency for Safety and Health at Work in order to raise awareness of these topics in EU member states.

Develop the psychosocial skills you need to treat clients with any diagnosis in any setting! Psychosocial Occupational Therapy uses evidence-based models to help you provide effective Occupational Therapy for people diagnosed with mental health conditions. With a clear and logical organization, the book begins with theories and concepts and follows with in-depth coverage of OT interventions in both individual and group contexts. Case studies and models show how to apply the newest Occupational Therapy Practice Framework (OTPF) in selecting treatment strategies. Written by OT educator Nancy Carson, Psychosocial Occupational Therapy helps you understand and treat clients with mental health issues. UNIQUE! At least two cases studies in each clinical chapter show how to apply the Occupational Therapy Practice Framework (OTPF) in determining treatment options, and one or more conceptual models address the psychosocial needs of clients. Using the Occupational Therapy Practice Framework chapter describes how to apply the latest version of the OTPF to the practice of occupational therapy. Balanced approach to psychosocial occupational therapy includes thorough coverage of primary diagnoses, as well as occupational and psychosocial theories, models, and approaches. Emphasis on clinical reasoning skills provides insights on how to select treatment strategies based on the conceptual theories and models presented in the earlier chapters; the information on diagnoses also references the DSM-5. A focus on psychosocial skills makes it easier to adjust your way of approaching a client, the nature of the therapeutic relationship, and the direction and eventual outcomes of intervention — regardless of the setting or the primary diagnosis. Coverage of therapeutic interaction skills and group process skills shows how to provide treatment in both individual and group settings.