New approaches to improve the health of a changing workforce

Major changes in the world of work have led to increases in part-time working, short-term contracts and an increase in the number of career changes which people make during their working lives. These labour market changes have been accompanied and to some degree stimulated by increasing global competition, by changes in the technologies used in the workplace, changes in management practice and the emergence of new contractual relationships between employers and employees, all of which have led to a revolution in the ways in which people work. There have also been changes in the ways in which employee health is dealt with in the workplace. In the area of occupational health, the past decade has seen the implementation of the Framework Directive in the Member States, which has led to an increased focus on preventive activities and a relative reduction in the prevalence of traditional health and safety hazards. Other changes have seen the rise of the workplace health promotion movement, with its focus on the general health of the worker, rather than only on workplace threats to health and safety. A review to identify some of the major forces which are impacting on European workplaces.