The health-promoting workplace: an integrative perspective

The workplace is an important setting, affecting the physical, mental, economic and social wellbeing of workers, and, in turn, their families. Health of workers has many determinants, and a multidisciplinary, integrated approach is important. An overview of trends in workplace health promotion shows that current thinking has changed from a narrowly based risk-factors approach aimed at individual behaviour changes, to an integrative approach aimed at creating health-promoting workplaces. The health-promoting workplace has 'an all-encompassing approach that empowers workers and employers to improve all facets of their health'. There are gaps in knowledge, at the state and national levels, relevant to the planning and assessment of workplace health. A national information network is needed to facilitate better links between public health practitioners and researchers in advancing the health of working Australians.