Promoting Health and Well-being at Work

Policy and Practices

Policies to promote employee health and well-being not only protect from occupational risks, but also provide benefits for individuals and employers. Unhealthy lifestyles, characterised by high levels of stress, sedentary behaviour and poor eating habits, affect the health of employees and negatively impact workplace productivity. Governments play a key role in promoting health and well-being in the workplace. This report analyses policy levers used by governments to incentivise employers to promote health and well-being at work in ten countries, including G7 countries and OECD countries in the Asia/Pacific region. These include regulation, financial incentives, guidelines, and certification and award schemes. The report also explores how governments can facilitate Environmental, Social and Governance investment to encourage health promotion at work.

Published on November 22, 2022

In series:OECD Health Policy Studiesview more titles

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Foreword	Read PDF
Abbreviations and acronyms	Read PDF
Executive summary	Read PDF
Promoting health, healthy lifestyles, and well-being at work	Read PDF
Health and well-being of the workforce	Read PDF
Workplace‑based programmes to promote health and well-being	Read PDF
Government policies to promote health and well-being at work: An analysis of ten OECD countries	Read PDF
Special focus on steering investment in companies that promote employee health and well‑being	Read PDF

POLICY HIGHLIGHTS

Download the Policy Brief
Download the presentation for the launch of the report, at the WASS Conference in Tokyo

Determinants of health and well-being promotion through work

Governments have a range of policy levers they can use to support employers in promoting health and well-being in the workplace, as identified in an analysis of ten countries, including G7 countries and OECD countries in the Asia/Pacific region. These include:

Workplace regulations, covering areas such as working hours and smoking in the workplace
Financial incentives such as accident insurance premium variation, tax credits and subsidies
Dissemination of information and guidance developed together with other stakeholders
Certification and award schemes, such as Japan’s Health & Productivity Management Programme, providing reputational benefits and placing the spotlight on employers implementing best practices. Measures targeted at supporting small and medium-sized enterprises are particularly important as they employ a large proportion of workers in OECD countries

In addition to policy makers, stakeholders involved in health promotion at work include occupational health professionals, insurance institutions, employers, employees, trade unions and social partners.‌

Determinants-of-health-and-well-being-promotion-through-work

Health

Promoting Health and Well-being at Work

Policy and Practices

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