Occupational Safety and Health

commentary

Elevating the Well-Being of Home Care Workers

More than 2.3 million home care workers are responsible for caring for millions of Americans who are unable to fully care for themselves. It's worth considering policy options to provide them with better access to PPE, improved compensation, and formal recognition that their work is essential.

Julia Rollison @Julia_Rollison, Jason Michel Etchegaray @JasonEtchegaray

commentary

It May Be Time to Rethink the Design of Jobs to Deliver Good Health for Workers

Even before the COVID-19 crisis, the impact of poorly designed jobs on the health of workers was drawing attention. Now may be the time to fundamentally rethink the design of jobs so that they promote good health and lessen poor health and its costs.

Chris Warhurst, Christian Van Stolk

blog

Wildfires, America's Wealth Gap, Screening for COVID-19 at Work: RAND Weekly Recap

This weekly recap focuses on the growing risk of wildfires, how Americans' incomes have grown (or not), workplace screenings for COVID-19 symptoms, and more.

commentary

Should COVID-19 Be Covered By Workers' Compensation? Some Considerations

Expanding workers' compensation coverage for COVID-19 could be part of a broader response to ensuring an efficient economic recovery from the pandemic. What are the potential benefits and drawbacks?

Michael Dworsky, Bethany Saunders-Medina

essay

Civilians Returning from War Zones Need More Support

Deployed civilians often work alongside the military in combat zones or other high-stress, high-risk areas. But when they return, their experience is much different. They come home to support that is often incomplete and insufficient, and sometimes entirely nonexistent.

blog

Global Challenges to Maintaining a Healthy Workforce During a Pandemic: Views from RAND Experts

As nations across the globe remain in lockdown to curb the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic, questions about the future of employment and workforce productivity emerge. During a recent webinar, RAND experts discussed how to get people back to work and improve productivity post COVID-19.

commentary

Non-Emergency Medical Transportation in the Time of COVID-19

More widespread availability of rideshare for non-emergency medical transport may save lives, reserve emergency resources for those who need them, and provide safe pathways to primary care for the chronically ill. It could also save livelihoods, providing employment in a time of economic hardship.

Laura Fraade-Blanar, Christopher M. Whaley @cm_whaley

commentary

Looking After Those Who Look After Us—How COVID-19 May Affect NHS Staff

COVID-19 may leave a long legacy of poor health and well-being in the National Health Service workforce. This could affect quality of care and the financial performance of the system. We need to ensure that NHS organizations provide significant support for health care workers.

Christian Van Stolk

blog

Hospitals' Critical Care Capacity, Unemployment Insurance, Farmworkers: RAND Weekly Recap

This weekly recap focuses on how hospitals can increase critical care capacity, reforming the U.S. unemployment system, supporting farmworkers, and more.

commentary

It Is More Important Than Ever for Employers to Look After Staff Health and Wellbeing

COVID-19 will likely have a direct effect on the health and wellbeing of employees. While many employers responding to the COVID-19 crisis have understandably been concerned with business resilience, processes, and performance, it is important that they also continue to focus on the health and wellbeing of staff.

Christian Van Stolk

commentary

Forgotten on the Frontlines of the Food Supply Chain

The working and living conditions of farmworkers make practicing social distancing, self-isolation, or quarantine impossible. In the food supply, farmworkers are the first responders who keep the supply chains going. FEMA, the CDC, and state governments should include farmworkers and agricultural communities in their emergency response plans.

Susan L. Marquis

commentary

Amidst a Pandemic, a Mental Health Crisis May Be Looming

The effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on health care workers' mental health could be significant and may weaken the health care system's ability to resolve the crisis and survive over the long term. Interventions to promote psychological well-being should be implemented now.

Sangeeta C. Ahluwalia @AhluwaliaPhD, Carrie M. Farmer @carriefarmer, et al.

q&a

Sexual Harassment in Today's Rapidly Changing Workplace

Carra Sims, a senior behavioral and social scientist, has studied sexual harassment in the workplace for over a decade. In this Q&A, she discusses the changes that have taken place in recent years and the issue of accountability in matrixed organizations and in the gig economy.

commentary

Is Training for NHS Staff to Manage Workplace Violence Effective?

Going to work should not mean being subjected to physical or verbal assault, but this is the reality faced by thousands of frontline NHS staff. De-escalation training may help staff manage patient violence and aggression, but there is not enough research about what works in specific healthcare contexts.

Brandi Leach, Michael Whitmore

commentary

The Case for Investing in a More Healthy and Engaged Health Workforce

Improving staff engagement leads to a variety of positive benefits. But defining and measuring engagement is not straightforward, and different demographic factors are associated with different levels of engagement. The National Health Service in England is looking at ways to increase engagement in its staff.

Christian Van Stolk, Marco Hafner