Course Description

Half of all Americans and more than two-thirds of all Canadians work in small businesses (<500 employees), many of which have yet to be reached by occupational health and safety interventions, let alone a Total Worker Health® (TWH) intervention. TWH is defined by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health as policies, programs, and practices that integrate protection from work-related safety and health hazards with promotion of injury and illness prevention efforts to advance worker well-being. The Small+Safe+Well (SSWell) Study is a TWH Intervention study that aims to understand what small organizations are doing to support the health, safety, and well-being of their workforce, how employees perceive their workplace culture (climate), and ultimately the impact on health outcomes. 


You will learn:

  • Learn what Total Worker Health® is and why it is important
  • Learn about the theoretical framework behind the Small+Safe+Well Study
  • Learn what the specific aims of the Small+Safe+Well study are and what we hope to learn from it
  • Learn about the study’s intervention components
  • Learn about the study’s assessment tools


Take home messages:

  • Small businesses should apply the Total Worker Health framework to facilitate workforce health, safety, and well-being
  • Most businesses are small and lack resources to build a culture of safety and health
  • Facilitating organizational change amongst small businesses requires attention to both transactional and transformational change work
  • Small businesses need personalized assessments, advising, and training to develop a culture of safety and health
  • Capture a comprehensive picture of small business Total Worker Health efforts through business and employee assessments



Members

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If you are having any issues, please contact [email protected]


Assistant Professor, Center for Health, Work & Environment, Colorado School of Public Health, University of Colorado

Natalie Schwatka, PhD

Dr. Natalie Schwatka is an Assistant Professor in the Center for Health, Work & Environment at the University of Colorado. She is also involved with several Total Worker Health initiatives, including the development of Total Worker Health leadership training for small business leaders, evaluation of a Total Worker Health intervention for small businesses, and the evaluation of the value on investment of a workers’ compensation insurer-driven worksite wellness program. At the Center for Health, Work & Environment, Dr. Schwatka continues her work in the field of safety leadership as a co-investigator on a Center for Construction Research and Training grant to develop and evaluate an OSHA 30-hour safety leadership module. She is also the associate director of the Mountain & Plains Education and Research Center occupational ergonomics and safety program.

Professional Research Assistant, Center for Health, Work & Environment, Colorado School of Public Health, University of Colorado

Erin Shore, MPH

Erin Shore is a Professional Research Assistant for the Center for Health, Work & Environment. She conducts research for projects including program evaluation and occupational health and safety. Erin earned her MPH with a concentration in Epidemiology from Emory University. She also has a BS in Health and Exercise Science from the University of Oklahoma.

Course curriculum

  • 1

    Small Business and Employee Health: The Small+Safe+Well Study

    • Pre-Survey

    • Small Business and Employee Health: The Small+Safe+Well Study

    • Small Business and Employee Health: The Small+Safe+Well Study - Presentation Slides

    • Evaluation Survey