NIOSH Program Portfolio

WorkLife Initiative

Input: Economic Factors

Market forces, structural changes, and emerging threats may affect levels of resources available for occupational safety and health initiatives within the NIOSH Healthy WorkLife Initiative program.

Changes in business practices have increased performance demands on businesses:

• If businesses are to remain competitive, today's global economy requires them to be flexible in their responses to demands of consumers and producers, and to be prepared to respond 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
• For workers, the “just-in-time” business model can mean increased stress, more shift work, and intense production demands that can compromise worker safety and health.

As the nature of work in the U.S. changes, the limitations of a focus on occupational risks alone have become increasingly apparent. Clearly, the overall health of workers is influenced by factors both inside and outside the workplace: stress at work and home; unhealthful diet and limited exercise; smoking; chronic conditions such as hypertension, asthma, and diabetes, to name a few. The effects of these various factors cannot be artificially divided between “at work” and “non-work.” Just as workplace conditions can affect health and well-being at home and in the community, exposures and activities outside of working hours can substantially determine health, productivity, and well-being during work.

Resources

NIOSH Economics Portfolio Program

NIOSH Program Portfolio:

WorkLife Initiative

Program Description
Inputs
• Economic Factors
• Occupational Risks
• National Research Agenda (NORA)
• NIOSH Strategic Goals
• Partners
• NIOSH Contacts
Activities
• NIOSH Funded Research Grants
Outputs
• Publications
• Topic Pages
• Research to Practice
• Conferences
Outcomes
Review & Evaluation
• Program Review