Get Started: Plan & Implement a Work-Design-for-Health Approach

The first four modules of this toolkit introduced the features of our Work Design for Health approach, and described promising practices for workplace change that can help employers create an overall culture of health in their organizations. If you are interested in taking the next step in your organization, this module offers evidence-based guidelines for effectively implementing these kinds of organizational changes.

This guide presents a five-step participatory approach to improving worker health and well-being using a Work Design for Health framework. A participatory approach involves seeking input from employees and managers at all levels of the organization as part of the process of organizational change for worker well-being. In this guide, you will learn how to launch an effective change initiative for improving worker well-being and organizational health, with tips on how to keep the initiative sustainable and relatively low-cost.

The Five Steps in this guide to help create positive change are: Step 1. Start the Conversation; Step 2. Identify the Problem; Step 3. Make a Plan; Step 4. Take Action; and Step 5. Review your Results (see Figure 1 below).

Rooted in the latest research from organizational and implementation science, this toolkit’s strategies are derived from a comprehensive review of evidence-based practices for the design and implementation of participatory workplace interventions. Studies have consistently shown that employee participation, leadership commitment, strong communication, and interventions that are integrated into the environment and tailored for fit support the effective implementation of organizational change for worker well-being (see Figure 2 below). Our guidance integrates these insights, offering a structured yet adaptable framework for initiating meaningful changes in your workplace.