The Value of Worker Well-Being

On average, employed US adults spend more than half of their waking lives working or engaging in work-related activities. The time spent at the workplace, the tasks performed there, and the work environment all affect overall health. We know many colleagues for whom their job is a great source of jo...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Published in:Public health reports (1974) 2019-11, Vol.134 (6), p.583-586
Main Author: Adams, Jerome M.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Adults
Employers
Employment
Errors
Hobbies
Humans
Job Satisfaction
Medical personnel
Mental Health
Occupational exposure
Occupational hazards
Occupational Health
Occupational safety
Occupational stress
Public health
Quality of life
Surgeon General’s
Surgeon General’s Perspective
Well being
Work
Work environment
Workers
Working conditions
Working hours
Workplaces
Citations: Items that this one cites
Items that cite this one
Online Access:Get full text
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
Description
Summary:On average, employed US adults spend more than half of their waking lives working or engaging in work-related activities. The time spent at the workplace, the tasks performed there, and the work environment all affect overall health. We know many colleagues for whom their job is a great source of joy and fulfillment. They are passionate about their work and derive from it a strong sense of purpose and connection to others. However, we have also seen people working long hours under stressful conditions, which makes it difficult for them to spend time with their families and friends, balance work and non-work commitments, and pursue hobbies and other interests. Many are fatigued and some are burned out, which, in the case of medical staff members, can lead to serious medical errors. In this article, we discuss how work can influence an individual’s well-being and describe strategies that employers can use to help improve employees’ happiness and wellness.Traditionally, the discipline of worker health or occupational safety and health has focused on worker exposures to various workplace hazards. The field’s scope has broadened with time to include the concept of worker well-being, or the ability of people to address normal stresses, work productively, and achieve their highest potential.
ISSN:0033-3549
1468-2877
DOI:10.1177/0033354919878434