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Objective: This study examines the association between irritation and demands of long-term care managers during the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as the role of workplace health promotion (WHP)., Methods: Findings were derived from an online survey investigating long-term care managers as part of the employees in the COVID-19 pandemic (N = 207). Data analyses were performed with linear regression and interaction analyses., Results: For managers in long-term care, there was found a significant positive association between pandemic-related and general demands and irritation. The irritation level was significantly lower among managers in facilities where WHP was offered whereas the association between irritation and demands did not significantly vary by WHP., Conclusions: The presence of WHP was associated with lower average irritation levels among managers during the COVID-19 pandemic. Thus, the implementation of WHP can contribute to maintain the well-being of long-term care managers., Competing Interests: Conflict of interest: None declared., (Copyright © 2023 American College of Occupational and Environmental Medicine.)

Aims: The aim of the present study was to examine whether the prevalence of the operational integration management programme in Germany (BEM) is associated with selected structural characteristics of companies and variables from the field of social resources., Methods: The study was based on the representative 2018 BIBB/BAuA employment survey. An assumption was made of the existence of an association between BEM and characteristics of companies, indicating a prioritisation of health and social resources. Furthermore, the same variables were considered with the acceptance of BEM, complemented by person-related characteristics., Results: About forty percent of employees on long-term sick leave were offered BEM, of which about seventy percent accepted the offer. BEM was more likely to be offered in companies where employees were aware of workplace health promotion (WHP) measures, where supervisors often gave praise and recognition, where there was often a sense of community in the workplace, and where there was a works or staff council. In smaller companies, in service and craft enterprises, the BEM offer was accepted more frequently than in larger companies, the public sector, and in companies in the industry. Of the personal characteristics, only a longer incapacity to work was associated with the acceptance of BEM., Conclusions: The association with WHP and appreciative supervisor behaviour suggest that companies in which good and health-promoting work is given higher priority are more likely to implement the legal requirements for BEM. At the same time, it is also conceivable that the opposite effect exists and that companies have taken the introduction of BEM as an opportunity to review their other commitment to the health of their employees because of the cases that have occurred., Competing Interests: Die Autorinnen/Autoren geben an, dass kein Interessenkonflikt besteht., (The Author(s). This is an open access article published by Thieme under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonDerivative-NonCommercial-License, permitting copying and reproduction so long as the original work is given appropriate credit. Contents may not be used for commercial purposes, or adapted, remixed, transformed or built upon. (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/).)

Aim of the Study: This secondary analysis aims to investigate the prevalence and uptake of workplace health promotion (WHP) in Germany., Methods: Our data base was the 2018 BIBB-/BAuA Survey in Germany, which is a randomized representative CATI survey of 20,012 employed persons aged 15 and older. Proportions were compared among different groups and a binary logistic regression model was estimated., Results: 47% of the employees reported that WHP interventions had been implemented in their company in the last two years. 25% of the employees had taken up the offer of WHP. The proportion of employees who confirmed that WHP was offered in their company increased sharply with the company size, but the take-up rates decreased. Employees in companies with a works/staff council stated a disproportionately high rate of implementation of WHP. However, employees with a low socioeconomic status reported WHP offer to a relatively small extent. In particular, employees without a vocational qualification, in a fixed-term employment, at risk of dismissal and temporary agency workers reported a relatively low implementation of WHP in their company. Logistic regression analyses aimed to identify predictors for the WHP offer. Compared to small companies, workers in medium-sized companies were more than twice as likely (OR=2.17) to have a WHP offer in their company and more than five times as likely (OR=5.64) in large companies. In the public sector, the chances of employees having WHP in their company were significantly better than in industry, crafts, trade or other sectors. Compared to German employees, employees with a foreign citizenship had a significantly lower chance of WHP being offered in their company (OR=0.78). A very good or excellent health status was associated with a slightly increased OR of 1.15 for WHP in the company. In companies in which employees were very satisfied with their work overall, the probability of a WHP offer was significantly increased (OR=1.70)., Conclusion: The analysis reveals large disparities in the WHP. There is a need for WHP strategies for targeting the small companies and the employees with a low socioeconomic status within the companies., Competing Interests: Die Autorinnen/Autoren geben an, dass kein Interessenkonflikt besteht, (The Author(s). This is an open access article published by Thieme under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonDerivative-NonCommercial-License, permitting copying and reproduction so long as the original work is given appropriate credit. Contents may not be used for commercial purposes, or adapted, remixed, transformed or built upon. (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/).)

Health is an increasingly important issue in the workplace, but the dissemination of health-promoting interventions in companies, especially in small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), remains limited. Inter-organizational networks seem to be a promising approach to promote and implement workplace health management (WHM) in SMEs. This study analyses the establishment and coordination of the network 'ERZgesund-Healthy Companies in the Ore Mountains' for WHM in SMEs in a rural area of Germany. The case study, which builds on a mixed method approach (expert interviews, participant observations and document analysis), finds that ERZgesund evolved from a top-down approach (politically initiated, regionally anchored and financed from promotional funds). The network's hierarchy is disproportionately vertical, and the project group has limited decision-taking power and limited opportunities to act, which has reduced their overall engagement in the network. We conclude that although long and stable relationships are important for successful networks, change-especially at the leadership level-can lead to increased engagement of network participants if the hierarchy within the network is horizontally aligned. The findings of this explorative case study contribute to the planning process, the development and implementation of network structures, and successful WHM interventions., (© The Author(s) 2022. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.)

Workers' health surveillance is considered essential for employees' health and protection against hazardous working conditions. It is one part of occupational health care and thus one of four pillars of holistic workplace health management. In Germany, employers are obliged to provide mandatory and voluntary occupational health care (OHC) to employees, dependent on the defined occupational hazards. However, employees are not obliged to make use of voluntary OHC. No empirical information is available about the uptake of voluntary OHC by employees and the influencing factors in Germany. Thus, we carried out an explorative multi-perspective study with qualitative and quantitative elements to get insights from the view of occupational health physicians (OHPs) and employees. We conducted a survey among OHPs based on prior statements from two focus group discussions. A multivariate logistic regression analysis was performed to detect enablers and barriers regarding employee uptake of the offered voluntary OHC. We used extended qualitative methods among employees instead of an analogous survey. In total, 460 OHPs participated in the survey (response rate 29.1%), and 25 employees took part in interviews. Most of the employees had not heard the term voluntary OHC before, and only a few remembered respective occupational health care after explanatory request. In total, 78% of the OHPs assessed that employees always/mostly take up voluntary OHC. The most important attributed reason for non-uptake was that employees see no need for occupational health care when they feel healthy. The most important enabler for the perceived high uptake of voluntary OHC in the regression analysis was a positive attitude of the OHP toward voluntary OHC. While OHPs perceived that voluntary OHC was accepted by a majority of employees, this was not confirmed by the interviews with selected employees. This could indicate that the OHP respondents overestimated the amount of uptake. Since it became clear that employees are often unfamiliar with the terminology itself, we see a need for more and better information regarding the objectives and content of occupational health care to improve this important pillar of workplace health management.

Background: Rural and urban areas hold different health challenges and resources for resident small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and their employees. Additionally, residents of urban and rural areas differ in individual characteristics. This study aims at investigating potential rural-urban differences (1) in the participation rate in workplace health promotion (WHP) and (2) in the relationship of WHP and health relevant outcomes in residents living in rural or urban German areas and working in SMEs., Methods: Data of a large German Employee Survey in 2018 were used and analyzed by chi-square and t-tests and regression analyses regarding job satisfaction, sick days, and psychosomatic complaints. A total of 10,763 SME employees was included in analyses (23.9% living in rural, 76.1% living in urban areas)., Results: Analyses revealed higher participation rates for SME employees living in rural areas. SME employees living in urban areas reported more often the existence of WHP. Results showed (a) significance of existence of WHP for psychosomatic complaints and (b) significance of participation in WHP for job satisfaction in SME employees living in urban but not for those living in rural areas., Conclusion: The revealed disparities of (1) higher participation rates in SME employees living in rural areas and in (2) the relationship of WHP aspects with health relevant outcomes are of special interest for practitioners (, e.g. human resource managers), politicians, and researchers by providing new indications for planning and evaluating WHP measures., (© 2022. The Author(s).)

Hazardous substances are ubiquitous in the world of work. Employees from all sectors are exposed to different risks when working with hazardous substances. This also applies to people who do not directly handle hazardous substances (bystanders). Risk communication in occupational safety and health takes place at different levels. The spectrum ranges from large to small companies, safety experts, company physicians, works and staff council representatives to employees and the general public. Risk communication in occupational safety and health along the supply chain aims to create risk awareness among manufacturers, employers and employees to reduce risky behaviour and to encourage risk-reducing behaviour.Instruments of risk communication are explained in this article and considered with regard to their effectiveness. This affects binding instruments in the European internal market such as the hazard label or the safety data sheet (SDS). At the level of the Hazardous Substances Ordinance, they are the Technical Rules for Hazardous Substances (TRGS), limit values, the Easy-to-use Workplace Control Scheme for Hazardous Substances (EMKG) and, as a creative instrument, objects of the "DASA Working World Exhibition" in Dortmund, Germany. The results of the paper show that an adaptation of the instruments is necessary, especially for small and micro-enterprises, in order to find the appropriate entry point into risk assessment. Often, the existing instruments are not known, too extensive or difficult to understand. Recommendations for action are necessary that make it easy to get started with risk assessment. Existing scientific studies tend to focus on the deficits in risk assessment rather than on the development of efficient ways to communicate risks. Further analyses of the needs of the different target groups are necessary for appropriate risk communication., (© 2022. The Author(s).)

Background: Micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) represent the majority of businesses in the EU. Little is known about psychosocial demands faced by company owners, managers, and employees in SMEs, especially in the health and service sector. The current study aimed to identify which psychosocial demands related to work organization are reported by managers and employees in the health and service sector, and if managers and employees differ in their perspective on these psychosocial demands., Methods: We conducted nine single interviews and two focus group discussions with seven company owners and managers as well as eleven employees from six different German companies between January and February 2020. The psychosocial factors of the psychosocial risk assessment of the Joint German Occupational Safety and Health Strategy (GDA) served as a framework for data collection and analysis. The interview material was analysed using Mayring's method of qualitative content analysis., Results: We identified four prevailing work-related psychosocial demands related to work organization among managers and employees: (1) possibilities and time for recovery after work, (2) communication and cooperation, (3) work intensity, and (4) interruptions, and prioritization. According to the managers, they were confronted with a lack of possibilities and time for recovery after work. They report issues related to inadequate communication and cooperation affecting the entire company team, and also face high work intensity and frequent interruptions and prioritization. Employees reported a clearer division between work and private life. However, they also face periods of high work intensity, frequent interruptions and the need for prioritization., Conclusion: Managers and employees in SMEs in the health and service sector would benefit from evidence-based and evaluated tailored interventions and approaches for improved work organization. Further studies are needed to support managers and employees in SMEs in the health and service sector in facing and handling work-related psychosocial demands like lack of possibilities and time for recovery after work, high work intensity or frequent interruptions., (© 2022. The Author(s).)

On the general labor market, social firms provide 30-50% of people with different types of disabilities the opportunity to gain employment. However, the topic of workplace health promotion (WHP), needs for improvement and accompanied challenges are neglected in the current research and were the focus of the present study. Therefore, data triangulation was used between July and December 2020 by combining three focus groups with employees ( n = 14 employees) with 16 interviews with supervisors from several social firms in Northern Germany (e.g., from catering, cleaning or bicycle repair sectors). 17 semi-structured telephone interviews with experts in the field of WHP or social firms were added. All approaches were audio-taped, transcribed and anonymized. To analyze the data, Mayring's qualitative content analysis was used. The results indicated that several offers for WHP, including sport, nutrition and relaxation, were offered, as well as those on smoking cessation, cooperation with external organizations or training and education offers. Needs for improvement were stated referring to additional sport offers, support for implementing a healthy diet, offers for relaxation, financial incentives or collaborations with external organizations. A low take-up of offers; a lack of resources, structures or management support; compatibility of offers with work time and organization; challenges with available trainings or the consideration of individual needs and capacities were highlighted as challenges. Overall, there is a need for further interventional and longitudinal research on WHP in social firms.

Aim: The aim of the study was to investigate compliance with occupational health and safety (OHS) among pregnant surgeons., Methods: All female surgeons in Saxony up to 45 years of age received a written questionnaire about their work environment during pregnancy. Predefined and expert-based criteria of OHS were analyzed descriptively. Poor compliance with OSH was defined as meeting a maximum of half of the criteria. Using logistic regression, professional factors (i. e. "operating due to lack of staff") and personal factors (i. e. "operating due to residency") were investigated for poor compliance with OSH., Results: Of the participating female specialists, 55% (response=39%) had performed surgery during pregnancy. On average, 7.4 of the 16 occupational health and safety measures were fulfilled (median=8; range 1-13). In none of the cases were all predefined OSH criteria fulfilled. Two-thirds of the women who worked in non-operative areas took on invasive activities. When the women were working outside the operating theatre, an average of 4.1 of 13 predefined OSH criteria was fulfilled (median=4; range 0-8). "Lack of staff" was related to poor OSH compliance in the multivariate analysis (OR=5.9 (95% CI 1.7-20.0))., Conclusion: The results of the study show a great need for improvement in the occupational safety of pregnant surgeons., Competing Interests: Die Autorinnen/Autoren geben an, dass kein Interessenkonflikt besteht., (Thieme. All rights reserved.)

Working conditions in the care sector, especially under the increased strain during COVID-19, make it difficult for outpatient caregivers to adhere to health-promoting behaviours. Research on workplace health promotion (WHP) and COVID-19 support measures in outpatient care services is limited. The aim of this pilot study was to characterise the current situation of WHP and COVID-19 support measures in outpatient care services and to explore how to offer WHP support measures targeted for a specific group. A web-based cross-sectional survey was conducted with outpatient caregivers ( N = 171) in northern Germany. The results showed that 60.2% of the study participants were offered WHP support measures, with significantly higher work engagement when WHP support measures were available ( Z = 4279.50, p < 0.01) and that 77.2% received specific support from their employer during the COVID-19 pandemic. Although spending a break in a break room was significantly associated with longer breaks as compared with being in a car ( Z = 39.10, p adj. = 0.01), a break room was neither available in all outpatient care services, nor did it appear to be feasible. Overall, WHP in outpatient care services is insufficiently covered. In order to be able to offer WHP support measures that are targeted to outpatient caregivers, cooperation among local care services, feasibility, and digital measures should be examined.

Workplace health management (WHM) in Germany aims at maintaining and increasing the health and well-being of employees. Little is known about company executives' attitudes toward WHM. To gain more insight, we conducted a large-scale survey in companies in the German county of Reutlingen in 2017. We sent a standardized questionnaire to 906 companies, containing inter alia 26 self-constructed declarative statements depicting company executives' opinions on various WHM aspects; 222 questionnaires could be evaluated. By exploratory factor analysis we assigned the 26 items to six factors reflecting different attitudes toward WHM. Factor values were standardized to a scale from 0 to 10. The attitude 'positive view of general health services in the company', for example, achieved by far the lowest mean agreement (3.3 points). For the attitude 'general skepticism toward WHM', agreement and disagreement were balanced (5.0 points). Using multiple regression analyses, we searched for variables that could partially explain respondents' agreement with attitudes. In conclusion, a general WHM skepticism was widespread, but not dominant. The idea that general health services should be offered in companies was predominantly rejected. Older respondents and respondents from smaller companies and craft enterprises were more skeptical than average about WHM and its possible extensions.

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Background: Psychotherapeutic consultation at work (PT-A) provides employees with mental illnesses or subclinical symptoms a short-term and low-threshold access to psychotherapeutic care. However, practical experience shows that the utilisation rate seems low compared to expected demand. Therefore, this study aimed to identify determinants of utilisation by exploring associations between sociodemographic characteristics, psychological well-being, stigma-related barriers and psychosocial safety climate and the intention to seek PT-A. Methods: Within a cross-sectional study, 658 participants were recruited via various social media channels in Germany. Participants answered an online questionnaire on potential determinants of (1) intention to seek PT-A in general and of intention to seek PT-A to specifically discuss (2) occupational burden and (3) private burden. Multiple ordinal regression analyses were conducted for the whole study sample and for the subgroups of participants screened positive and negative for current depression. Results: Lower stigma-related barriers were associated with higher general intention to seek PT-A among all study groups. Lower psychological well-being was associated with higher general intention to seek PT-A and with higher intention to seek PT-A to discuss occupational and private burden, but only so in the subgroup of employees who were screened negative for current depression. Treatment experience was associated with higher intention to seek PT-A for occupational burden among participants screened negative but not among participants screened positive for current depression. No associations were found between age, gender, education or psychosocial safety climate and any variable of intention to seek PT-A. Conclusion: Those results give an overview on potential determinants for the intention to seek PT-A, but future research with longitudinal designs is needed to confirm that those factors also determine actual utilisation of PT-A. Based on the results, practical implications might include antistigma campaigns and promotion of PT-A adapted to the aims of the consultation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Common mental disorders affect a significant proportion of the population worldwide at any given time. Psychotherapeutic consultation at work offers employees with mental distress short-term and low-threshold access to psychotherapeutic treatment. However, this offer is only accepted by one to two percent of the employees to whom it is offered. Taking into account employees ' preferences regarding organisational aspects might increase the use of psychotherapeutic consultation at work. This study therefore aimed to identify preferences on organisational aspects of psychotherapeutic consultation at work among employees of diverse occupational areas, company sizes, supervisor functions and job requirement levels. Methods: A total of 755 employees were recruited via advertisements on social media (Instagram, Facebook and LinkedIn). Participants rated on a 5-point Likert scale their agreement to different implementation options of psychotherapeutic consultation at work: type (in-person/video/telephone), location (on/outside company premises), time (within/outside working hours), scope (diagnostic/diagnostic + treatment) and purpose (private/occupational). Additionally, the maximum accepted distance to the location of consultation was assessed. Various analyses of variances (ANOVA) were conducted to determine differences in agreement to implementation options within each organisational aspect and to analyse differences between occupational areas, company sizes, requirement levels and between employees with and without supervisor function. Results: Participants indicated a preference for in-person psychotherapeutic consultation that takes places outside company premises and outside working hours. Furthermore, they preferred offers including diagnostic and treatment sessions compared to offers including diagnostic sessions only. Even though participants agreed that consultation should be offered for all purposes, agreement for occupational issues was stronger than for private issues. For some implementation options, the level of agreement varied according to occupational field, company size, supervisor function and level of requirement. However, these differences did not affect the key findings mentioned above. Conclusion: Those findings give practical indications on the organisational design of psychotherapeutic consultation at work. The results suggest that in-person consultation outside company premises and working hours combining diagnostic and treatment sessions will be accepted by employees regardless of their occupational area, company size, supervisor function and requirement level. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]