TOTAL WORKER HEALTH™
Employer and Employee Resources
The following list of resources is provided to assist employers, employees, and practitioners with their efforts to implement and develop programs in their organizations that integrate employee health activities. In compiling this list, we confirmed a gap in "off-the-shelf" resources for creating programs that integrate occupational safety and health protection with health promotion and wellness activities. Most of the resources listed here are either for health promotion and wellness program or occupational safety and health program development. As resources that support the Total Worker Health™ program approach become available, we will add them to this list.
Reports and Guidance on Integrative Approaches
Key Total Worker Health™ Reports
The NIOSH Total Worker Health™ Program: Seminal Research Papers 2012 The papers establish a scientific rationale for integrating health promotion and health protection programs to prevent worker injury and illness and to advance health and well-being.
STEPS to a Healthier Workforce A set of three white papers from the 2004 NIOSH sponsored Steps to a Healthier US Workforce Symposium. Papers discuss current knowledge and experience of health protection and health promotion and stimulating commitments of action to further the Initiative.
ACEOM Guidance on Workplace Health Protection and Promotion
This article discusses the current state of workplace health, safety, and environmental programs; reviews the literature on the impact of these programs; and discusses how the integration of health protection and promotion activities can improve safety and decrease workplace injuries and illness.
Worksite Wellness Programs for Cardiovascular Disease Prevention: A Policy Statement From the American Heart Association
(Journal of the American Heart Association) published online September 30, 2009 This new policy statement by the American Heart Association reflects a comprehensive integrated approach and incorporates the importance of work and the work environment as components of a Work-Site Wellness Program for Cardiovascular Disease Prevention.
NIOSHTIC-2 search results on Total Worker Health
a searchable bibliographic database of occupational safety and health publications, documents, grant reports, and journal articles supported in whole or in part by NIOSH.
Guidance toward Integrative Approaches for Total Worker Health™
Essential Elements of Effective Workplace Programs and Policies for Improving Worker Health and Well-Being NIOSH resource guide for employers and employer-employee partnerships that wanting to establish effective workplace programs that sustain and improve worker health.
SafeWell Practice Guidelines: An Integrated Approach to Worker Health Version 1.0 [PDF - 1.35MB]
A model and resources for comprehensive approaches to worker health that integrate and coordinate efforts to promote healthy behaviors, ensure a safe and healthy work environment, and provide resources for balancing work and life.
The Whole Worker: Guidelines for Integrating Occupational health and Safety with Workplace Wellness Programs Developed by the Commission on Health and Safety and Workers' Compensation.
Integrating Employee Health: A Model Program for NASA Institute of Medicine report on the review NASA's occupational health programs, employees' awareness of and attitudes toward those programs, and recommend specific options for future worksite preventive health programs.
CDC National Healthy Worksite Program assists employers in implementing science and practice-based prevention and wellness strategies that will lead to specific, measureable health outcomes to reduce chronic disease rates.
VHA Employee Health Promotion Disease Prevention Guidebook
A functional guidebook to provide healthcare professionals with information and references appropriate for establishing and expanding employee health promotion disease prevention programs at individual VHA facilities.
Case Studies
Promising Practices for Total Worker Health real stories of how employers are approaching the integration of health protection and health promotion in their workplace
National Business Group on Health (NBGH) employer case-studies of effective workplace health programs in a wide range of topic areas.
Tools and Toolkits
Score Cards and Measurement Tools
CDC Worksite Health ScoreCard A tool to assist employers in identifying gaps in health promotion programs, and to prioritize high-impact strategies for health promotion at worksites on a range of health topics such as organizational supports, stress management, depression, and physical activity.
NIOSH Organization of Work Measurement Tools for Research and Practice
provides a means for researchers to quickly and easily identify available instruments for measuring organizational characteristics that may be useful for advancing research on the associations between work organization and worker safety, health, and well-being
NIOSH Quality of Worklife Questionnaire provides tools for measuring the relationship between job/organizational characteristics and worker health and safety and identifying targets for health and safety preventive interventions
Workplace Wellness and Health Promotion
CDC Workplace Health Promotion provides information, tools, resources, and guidance to practitioners interested in establishing or enhancing workplace health and safety programs.
National Healthy Worksite Program designed to assist employers in implementing science and practice-based prevention and wellness strategies that will lead to specific, measureable health outcomes to reduce chronic disease rates
Federal Wellness Resource Guide Essential Federal Resources for Employee Wellness and Health Promotion
CDC general website for the Healthier Worksite Initiative, a resource for WHP program planners in state and federal government. Planners at non-government workplaces may also find this Web site useful in generating ideas for WHP in your organization. Here you will find information, resources, and step-by-step toolkits to help you improve the health of your employees
Brief guidelines for establishing an "employee wellness committee", including who should be on the committee and the roles and responsibilities of the committee.
From the Wisconsin Department of Health Services, provides a Worksite Wellness Resource Toolkit to assist worksites in implementing strategies that have been proven effective.
Provides a short guide to organizing a health fair at the workplace [PDF - 56.03 KB]. Also includes a sample vendor information form to be used when organizing the health fair.
Provides a self-assessment and planning guide for organizations to identify strengths and weaknesses of their employee wellness programs. [PDF - 176.18 KB] Also includes a multifaceted guide to develop an action plan to implement a wellness program or change an existing program.
Healthy Workforce 2010: An Essential Health Promotion Sourcebook for Employers, Large and Small. [PDF - 853.51 KB] Includes information for employers about planning a worksite health promotion program, contacts, and surveys to gauge interest in employees for starting a program.
From the North Carolina State Health Plan, provides a comprehensive collection of guidelines and ready to use materials to organize a worksite wellness committee and implement worksite wellness programs. Also includes four resource books that address healthy eating, physical activity, tobacco cessation and stress management.
Workplace Health Policy
General CDC website that contains specific policies that impact health promotion at federal workplaces. These resources can also be used by non-federal workplaces to examine how health promotion policies can impact organizations. Example policies listed include alternative work schedules (to include time for exercise and carpool), choosing foods and beverages for healthy meetings, public transportation subsidies, purchase and use of kitchen appliances, lactation support programs, establishing wellness programs, work site environment and tobacco-free campus policies.
NIOSH Total Worker Health™ Topics
Aging Workforce
National Academies of Sciences Report on Older Workers: Health and Safety Needs of Older Workers
A comprehensive report on the aging workforce funded by NIOSH, NIA, and EPA--and conducted in 2004 by the National Research Council. Examines physical, psychological and social factors in aging workers and current knowledge about their health and safety needs.
Healthy Aging for a Sustainable Workforce
A 2009 conference report focusing on developments and progress since the 2004 National Research Council report on health and safety needs of older workers. This follow-up meeting was funded/supported by: SOEH, AOEC, CPWR, VA, and NIOSH.
NIOSH Age Awareness Training for Miners
A comprehensive approach to health and safety training developed by NIOSH researchers for both employees and supervisors in the mining industry. Many of the training materials and prevention ideas are relevant to other industries, as well.
Older Drivers in the Workplace: Crash Prevention for Employers and Workers
A two-page NIOSH fact sheet on older drivers with suggestions for prevention and an analysis of work-related crashes.
Safety and Health: A Guide to Managing an Aging Workforce
A practical guide developed by WORKSAFE Alberta that outlines how employers, managers, and supervisors can adapt workplaces, tools and procedures to deal with age-related changes.
Health and Safety Issues in an Aging Workforce
A research-based report from AARP that addresses work limitations, absence, and ways to boost worker well-being.
Growing Older in America: The Health and Retirement Study
A publication by the National Institute on Aging presenting a wide range of information on the health, safety, and employment activities of older Americans. Report is based on data from the Health and Retirement Study, a nationally representative survey of over 20,000 older adults.
Designing the Age-Friendly Workplace, University of Washington
A website that describes an innovative training program for both managers and employees on designing an “age-friendly” workplace, developed by the University of Washington, with support from the Washington State Department of Labor & Industries.
The Sloan Center on Aging & Work at Boston College
A website on aging and work that promotes quality of employment and workplace flexibility as an imperative for the 21st century multi-generational workforce.
Breast Feeding
Diabetes
Link to manual titled: "Making a Difference: The Business Community takes on Diabetes" [PDF - 1.32 MB]. This publication discusses the human and economic consequences of diabetes and suggests ways that companies can assist those suffering from diabetes and help in preventing their workers from getting diabetes.
Provides resources for businesses looking into worksite wellness programs focusing on diabetes. Includes access to a diabetes cost calculator, information encouraging businesses to invest in these programs and steps to take to begin a diabetes wellness program. Also includes success stories of businesses and government offices that have implemented diabetes wellness programs.
Information from the American Diabetes Association about ways to increase diabetes awareness in the workplace, as well as a link to a guide about how to implement a multi-pronged workplace diabetes program.
This resource kit [PDF - 3.11 MB] was developed by the National Diabetes Education Program, a joint initiative of the CDC and the National Institutes of Health. Provides information to help businesses and managed care companies assess the impact of diabetes in the workplace and help employees manage their diabetes.
Emergency Preparedness
eTool to help small, low-hazard service or retail businesses implement an emergency action plan, and comply with OSHA’s emergency standards.
Disaster planning toolkit [PDF - 14.31 MB] that enables small businesses to identify hazards, as well as plan for and reduce the impact of disasters. Also provides advice on insurance, disaster supplies and other things that make a small business more disaster resistant.
Ergonomics
General Guidance on Establishing an Ergonomics Program
NIOSH Ergonomics Guidance and Research Products
Healthy Eating
Toolkit with information on how to establish a garden market in a federal agency or other organization (based on CDC initiative).
Includes more specific information about the CDC Garden Market worksite healthy eating initiative.
Healthy Women Build Healthy Communities Toolkit (for physical activity and healthy eating).
Influenza Preparedness and Response
Provides tools and information to prepare businesses for influenza pandemic and upcoming flu season.
Provides information and communication resources to help businesses and employers implement recommendations from CDC's Guidance for Businesses and Employers to Plan and Respond to the 2009-2010 Influenza Season. [PDF - 2.08]
Mental Health
Obesity
Obesity/Overweight and the Role of Working Conditions: A qualitative, participatory investigation. Qualitative study exploring how working conditions faced by lower-income workers affect weight status. Findings indicate several factors that low-wage workers perceive to have an impact on body weight. Included are recommendations for policymakers, stakeholders, and employers
List of resources to help in planning an obesity prevention and control program. Includes a PowerPoint about the business case for obesity control that can be presented to senior management and updated with specific information about your wellness program.
Parents
Parental responsibility toolkit for parents of teenage drivers. Aims to prevent motor vehicle related injury and death among teenage drivers by encouraging parents to take an active role in this area.
A website designed for children and adolescents focused on health topics such as disease prevention, food and nutrition, physical activity, safety and relationships with peers. Also includes many interactive features and games.
Provides information on how to obtain birth, death, marriage or divorce certificates.
A website designed for children and adolescents focused on health topics such as disease prevention, food and nutrition, physical activity, safety and relationships with peers. Also includes many interactive features and games.
Health and Human Services website for adolescent girls focused on maintaining strong bones and increasing calcium intake. Also includes interactive features, calculators and quizzes.
Physical Activity
Discount Fitness Club Network Toolkit by CDC Healthier Worksite Initiative provides guidance on identifying and establishing a relationship with a nationwide discount fitness club network for employees of multi-site organizations.
StairWELL to Better Health Tips for encouraging workers to use the stairs instead of the elevator. Based on a CDC intervention that implemented physical changes to a stairwell, motivational signs and music over 3.5 years.
Includes link to "walkability audit" tool that can be used by worksites to assess the walkability of their specific workplace. Also provides suggestions for how to make worksites more conducive to walking.
President's Council on Physical Health and Fitness toolkit provided as a resource to provide basic information to help start a worksite physical activity and fitness program.
2008 Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans Toolkit provides resources to complement what an organization is doing now to encourage people in the community to get the amount of physical activity they need, based on the Guidelines and their own goals.
American Heart Association Start! Worksite Wellness Walking Program website where companies can sign up to participate and receive free program resources.
Substance Abuse
Department of Labor "Working Partners" website offers a variety of resources, such as brochures, presentation materials, articles and fact sheets, and posters, to help employers provide drug and alcohol education in the workplace.
A guide for employers that offers practical solutions for addressing substance abuse in the workplace. [PDF - 522.96 MB] Includes information about policy change, insurance plans, and education in the workplace.
Tobacco
Provides guidance for implementing a tobacco-free campus initiative that includes both policy and comprehensive smoking cessation services employees. Information is based on the CDC’s experience creating the Tobacco Free Health and Human Services initiative.
A manual published by CDC that provides a "how to" guide for making a workplace smoke-free [PDF - 2.08 MB]. Also includes practical strategies for changing policy in a variety of work settings.
CDC Office on Smoking and Health resources for people interesting in quitting smoking.
A good resource from CDC for pregnant women who smoke
The National Business Group on Health website entitled "Tobacco: The Business of Quitting". Provides information about tobacco and helps employers establish quit policies and practices at the worksite.
A manual [PDF - 406.17 KB] developed by Professional Assisted Cessation Therapy to encourage professionals in all disciplinary areas to promote smoking cessation. Provides information about implementing policies, working with health insurance companies, and deciding on an overall approach to smoking cessation.
Get email updates
To sign up to receive the NIOSH Total Worker Health newsletter, enter your email address:
Contact Us:
- National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
- 800-CDC-INFO
(800-232-4636)
TTY: (888) 232-6348 - New Hours of Operation
8am-8pm ET/Monday-Friday
Closed Holidays - Contact CDC-INFO
