Research Projects on Wellbeing at Work

Understanding the evidence on the impacts of COVID-19 on work-related musculoskeletal disorders
17 May 2022

Changes to working practices and environments due to the COVID-19 pandemic may have affected exposure to known work-related musculoskeletal disorder (WRMSD) risk factors. Researchers aim to understand this changing world of work, the effect on WRMSDs and post-pandemic considerations for WRMSDs.
Reviewing the work and health research landscape
29 Oct 2021

Researchers mapped the funding landscape for work and health research in the UK for the first time. They examined how much has been spent in the area since 2015, what types of research topic are funded and what the priorities for future work and health research should be.
Improving working conditions using artificial intelligence
08 Jun 2021

Increasing investment in technology and computer literacy, and updating existing labour market and employment rules and regulations, could enable AI to reduce human exposure to harmful and hazardous workplace conditions and create more quality and decent jobs.
Insights into the health and wellbeing of Canadian workers
04 Jun 2021

RAND Europe researchers analysed data from 70 Canadian organisations and 7,251 employees that participated in Wellness Report surveys on employee lifestyle, mental health and other areas of concern. The reports assess the associated impact these areas have on health and productivity.
Can workplace financial interventions support the mental health of young adults?
08 Mar 2021

Participation in workplace financial wellbeing interventions is associated with better mental health, particularly amongst certain subgroups of workers, according to survey data from healthiest workplace competitions.
Supporting the Asia's Healthiest Workplace Competition
02 Dec 2019

For three years, RAND Europe has supported AIA Vitality's contest. Doing so enables researchers to explore the health trends—employee lifestyle, clinical indicators, mental health and other areas of concern—among participating Asia-Pacific workplaces.
Britain's Healthiest Workplace survey findings
25 Nov 2019

Absence and presenteeism accounts for an average of 38 days' lost productivity per employee per year, marking an upward trend in lost productivity since 2014, when the number was only 23 days.
Evaluating the Wellbeing Premium Programme
29 Oct 2019

Small and medium enterprises (SMEs) often find it hard to invest in the health and wellbeing of their employees, or do not invest at all. Researchers are evaluating a randomised controlled trial of a financial incentive programme to improve employee health and wellbeing in SMEs in the West Midlands.
Practices and combinations of practices for health and wellbeing at work
29 Aug 2019

Researchers are examining the factors that enable or hinder the implementation of workplace health and wellbeing practices. The research will consider whether certain combinations of practices are more effective than other combinations, or effective for some types of organisations and not others.
Does de-escalation training reduce violence in the healthcare environment?
07 Aug 2019

De-escalation training for NHS staff may not in itself reduce the number of violent or aggressive incidents, but it can contribute to improved workplace wellbeing. Using comprehensive approaches to managing violence in NHS settings may be more effective than de-escalation training alone.
Benchmarking deployment of eHealth among European GPs
30 May 2019

RAND Europe and partners measured the use of ICT and eHealth applications by primary care physicians in the EU 28 Member States and Norway, compared the results with a 2013 study, and analysed the main drivers of change and factors that can enhance or inhibit the role and use of technologies within health care.
How nightly bathroom trips affect health and productivity
12 Mar 2019

Nocturia —waking two or more times per night to void — is a common condition associated with lower life satisfaction, work engagement and productivity. An economic analysis also finds it costs up to $79 billion lost economic output per year across six countries.
Requiring repayment of incentives encourages greater wellness
27 Nov 2018

Wellness incentives are more successful when they provide a benefit up front and require repayment if recipients do not maintain a required level of activity, according to a longitudinal study of nearly 500,000 programme participants.
Research identifies promising practices in health and wellbeing at work
25 Jul 2018

Many health and wellbeing interventions are available to UK employers. Researchers graded them against Nesta standards and developed case studies of the most promising practices that support policy and organisational decision making.
Connected Society Thought Leadership Programme
12 Oct 2017

RAND Europe worked partnership with the Corsham Institute to design and deliver the 2016 and 2017 Thought Leadership Programmes. The consultations explored the opportunities and challenges that digital technologies are creating within society.
Understanding Mental Health in the Research Environment
22 Aug 2017

Burnout and stress can be a challenge for university research staff and postgraduates. An exploration of the strengths and limitations of the existing evidence base on mental health in the research environment found that more work is needed to understand both the needs of researchers and how they can be addressed.
Evaluation of the Innovation Fund Health-led Trials
10 Jul 2017

Innovation Fund Health-led Trials test new ways to address sickness absence and the disability employment gap due to two main conditions: mental health and musculoskeletal disorders. RAND Europe, together with partners, is evaluating the effectiveness of these innovative interventions.
Companies Should Measure the ROI for Preventive Healthcare Programmes
30 May 2017

Only a small amount of pharmaceutical companies measure the return on investment of their workplace health promotion programmes in a systematic manner, but data from GSK clearly demonstrates the potential business case for companies to invest in the health and wellbeing of its workforce.
Analysing the Impact of the Workplace Wellbeing Charter
18 Apr 2017

Public Health England commissioned an analysis of the take-up and impact of the Workplace Wellbeing Charter; the end product includes a set of case studies to help strengthen and expand the evidence base that underpins the Charter.
The Costs of Insufficient Sleep
30 Nov 2016

Sleep deprivation is associated with economic losses to five of the world’s largest economies, due to higher mortality risk and productivity losses at work. Economic modelling showed nations can lose up to 3 per cent of their GDP from insufficient sleep.