Introduction The CDC Worksite Health ScoreCard (ScoreCard) is a free, publicly available survey tool designed to help employers assess the extent to which they have implemented evidence-based ...interventions or strategies at their worksites to improve the health and well-being of employees. We examined how, how broadly, and to what effect the ScoreCard has been applied. Methods We analyzed peer-reviewed and grey literature along with the ScoreCard database of online submissions from January 2012 through January 2021. Our inclusion criteria were workplace settings, adult working populations, and explicit use of the ScoreCard. Results We found that the ScoreCard had been used in 1) surveillance efforts by states, 2) health promotion training and technical assistance, 3) research on workplace health promotion program effectiveness, and 4) employer efforts to improve program design, implementation, and evaluation. Conclusion The ScoreCard has been used as intended to support the development, planning, monitoring, and continuous improvement of workplace health promotion programs. Our review revealed gaps in the tool and opportunities to improve it by 1) enhancing surveillance efforts, 2) engaging employers in low-wage industries, 3) adding new questions or topic areas, and 4) conducting quantitative studies on the relationship between improvements in the ScoreCard and employee health and well-being outcomes.
Objective: This paper presents the formative research phase of a large multi‐site intervention study conducted to inform the feasibility of introducing environmental and ecological interventions.
...Research Methods and Procedures: Using mixed methods that included an environmental assessment, climate survey, leadership focus groups and interviews, and archival data, information was collected on employee health and job factors, the physical environment, social‐organizational environment, and current health programs.
Results: Results show that 83% of employees at the study sites were overweight or obese. Leadership was very supportive of health initiatives and felt integrating the strategies into organizational operations would increase their likelihood of success. Environmental assessment scores ranged from 47 to 19 on a 100‐point scale. Health services personnel tended to view the organizational climate for health more positively than site leadership (mean of 3.6 vs. 3.0, respectively).
Discussion: Intervention strategies chosen included increasing healthy food choices in vending, cafeterias, and company meetings, providing a walking path, targeting messages, developing site goals, training leaders, and establishing leaders at the work group level.
OBJECTIVE:To develop, evaluate, and improve the reliability and validity of the CDC Worksite Health ScoreCard (HSC).
METHODS:We tested interrater reliability by piloting the HSC at 93 worksites, ...examining question response concurrence between two representatives from each worksite. We conducted cognitive interviews and site visits to evaluate face validity of items and refined the instrument for general distribution.
RESULTS:The mean question concurrence rate was 77%. Respondents reported the tool to be useful, and on average 49% of all possible interventions were in place at the surveyed worksites. The interviews highlighted issues undermining reliability and validity, which were addressed in the final version of the instrument.
CONCLUSIONS:The revised HSC is a reasonably valid and reliable tool for assessing worksite health promotion programs, policies, and environmental supports directed at preventing cardiovascular disease.
To provide a narrative review of best and promising practices for achieving exemplary mental health in the workplace as the foundation for the inaugural Carolyn C. Mattingly Award for Mental Health ...in the Workplace.
Research was drawn from peer-reviewed articles using the search terms associated with workplace mental health.
Eight categories of best practices were identified: (1) culture, (2) robust mental health benefits, (3) mental health resources, (4) workplace policies and practices, (5) healthy work environment, (6) leadership support, (7) outcomes measurement, and (8) innovation.
The review provided the scientific backing to support criteria developed for the Carolyn C. Mattingly Award for Mental Health in the Workplace. By recognizing organizations that apply evidence-based practices in their health and well-being programs, the Mattingly Award may inspire employers to adopt best practices.
This study aimed to identify stressors faced by essential workers amid the coronavirus disease pandemic and effective interventions mitigating these stressors.
We reviewed literature on psychosocial, ...organizational, and environmental stressors faced by essential workers during the pandemic, the consequences of those stressors, and interventions to improve worker health and well-being.
Stressors included elevated risk of coronavirus disease 2019 exposure, fear of spreading the virus, lack of social and organizational supports, and financial insecurity. Negative outcomes included burnout, depression, and high turnover. Promising interventions included robust safety protocols, increased wages, childcare benefits, enhanced access to mental health services, and frequent leadership communications.
Stress has taken a heavy toll on essential workers' physical and emotional health, productivity, and job satisfaction. To effectively protect Total Worker Health, employers should adopt evidence-based interventions promoting psychosocial, organizational, and environmental health and safety.
Objective: To describe a public-pnvate collaborative and present results from the administration of a baseline health risk assessment (HRA). Methods: A custom-designed HRA was made available to ...31,535 New York workers, and 5539 (17.6%) completed the survey. Data from the HRA were used to present a business case to employers urging them to support health promotion efforts at their worksites. Results: Of these, 78.5% of workers in the sample reported poor eatin habits, 39.9% were sedentary, and 62.2% were overweight, obese, o extremely obese; 30.4% had high or borderline-high total choleste levels, 24.9% reported high or borderline high blood pressure, and 16.8% reported high or borderline high blood glucose levels; tobacco rates were relatively low (14.0%). Conclusion: Results represent a baseline against which future data for the study cohort will be compare to evaluate the health and financial impacts of engaging employees in workplace health promotion programs.
OBJECTIVE:The aim of the study was to declare a call to action to improve mental health in the workplace.
METHODS:We convened a public health summit and assembled an Advisory Council consisting of ...experts in the field of occupational health and safety, workplace wellness, and public policy to offer recommendations for action steps to improve health and well-being of workers.
RESULTS:The Advisory Council narrowed the list of ideas to four priority projects.
CONCLUSIONS:The recommendations for action include developing a mental health in the workplace (1) “how to” guide, (2) scorecard, (3) recognition program, and (4) executive training.
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