FACTS & FIGURES
ENWHP Toolbox: A European collection of methods and practices
for promoting health at the workplace
FACTS & FIGURES
EUROPEAN NETWORK FOR WORKPLACE HEALTH PROMOTION (ENWHP)
http://www.enwhp.org
Why a toolbox
Operating in a highly competitive business environment and
at a time of increasing pressure on the labour market, many
employers in Europe are aware of the need to implement
measures to improve productivity and efficiency and at the
same time enhance the working environment and culture.
Workplace health promotion (WHP) has been shown to make
a major contribution to the achievement of these outcomes.
The need for methods and instruments for WHP and the wish
to have easily access to these tools has grown over the years.
This toolbox gives an answer to this need: it provides for the
first time a comprehensive overview of selected methods and
practices for WHP in Europe.
What is the ENWHP Toolbox?
The ENWHP Toolbox consists of programs, projects and
Models of Good Practice (MOGP) as well as instruments of
WHP such as questionnaires, guidelines and information
materials. The inventory identifies and describes useful WHP
methods and instruments in all European countries, thus
creating a true European ‘exchange pool’ for WHP practitio-
ners and decision makers in the fields of human resource
management, occupational health & safety and public health.
22 members of the Network have delivered descriptions of
the most effective tools for WHP in their countries. The infor-
mation was provided by using a fixed format. The Toolbox is
part of the 4th Initiative of the Network (see figure 1) and
resulted in a report and a database.
Workplace health promotion (WHP) is about healthy employees in healthy
companies. To achieve WHP the European Network for Workplace Health
Promotion (ENWHP) initiates projects on developing and promoting good
practice in workplace health.
Figure 1. Initiatives of the Network
1st Initiative 1997-1999:
Quality criteria and success factors of WHP
2nd Initiative 1999-2001:
WHP in small and medium-sized enterprises
3rd Initiative 2001-2002
WHP in the public administration sector
4th Initiative 2002-2004
The implementation of infrastructures for
promoting workplace health
Identified (mainly larger) companies in
participating countries which clearly
demonstrated good practice in WHP.
Captured the experiences of Small and
Medium Sized Enterprises (SMEs) in
implementing WHP activities and make this
information available to a wider audience.
Analysed and documented the level of
WHP in the public administration sector.
Consisted of three parts:
1. Making the Case for WHP: Analysis and
documentation of the benefits and
effectiveness of WHP.
2. The ENWHP Toolbox: A basic inventory
of methods for WHP to support its
implementation.
3. National “Forums”: Setting up national
networks to strengthen the exchange of
experiences and raise awareness among
stakeholders in the Member States.
Nutrition
Lifestyle Issues
Type of Tool
Settings
Concept of the ENWHP Toolbox
Figure 2. Searching options in the ENWHP Toolbox
Exercise
Smoking
Alcohol
Mental Health
Stress
Ageing
Corporate Health
Policy Issues
Worklife Balance
Diversity
Gender Equality
Leadership
Training
Disability
Management
Work
satisfaction
Networking
Projects
Instruments
Models of Good Practice
Questionnaires
Guidelines
Information
Materials
SME
School
Public
Administration
Health Care
Sector
Larger Sized
Companies
Programmes
Page 2 |
http://www.enwhp.org
EUROPEAN NETWORK FOR WORKPLACE HEALTH PROMOTION (ENWHP)
What makes a tool a WHP Tool?
A WHP tool is a programme, project (Model of Good
Practice) or an instrument suitable for improving or
promoting health at the workplace, particularly for giving
solutions tackling health related problems at the workplace
such as: ageing workforce, disability management, alcohol
abuse, smoking, unhealthy eating habits, mental health and
stress.
In order to be called a tool it needs to be used for a clear
purpose by a third party in a practical context. At
organisational level a tool can be participatory, process-
oriented, integrated in company management and the daily
routines and structures of the organisation, induce
organisation change, have special attention for continuity
etc.
The tools in this toolbox are:
■ used on a company level;
■ used more than once (multi-use);
■ transferable to different working situations and
companies; and
■ accessible to different kind of users.
What is the added value of the ENWHP Toolbox?
■ It provides a unique overview of effective tools for WHP.
■ It gives complete information on tools for WHP, including
contact details and, in many cases, links to websites for
downloading the tools directly.
■ It gives easily access to tools for WHP from 22 European
countries.
■ It provides instruments and methods for WHP covering a
wide range of topics and fields of action (e.g. needs
analysis, intervention and marketing tools), targeting a
broad scope of users in companies, administrations,
research institutes, public health bodies, etc.
■ It allows a tailored search by applying multiple search
options (see figure 2).
■ Models of Good Practice are part of the toolbox.
■ Users can learn from experiences with WHP made in
other countries.
■ It is continuously updated by means of a web-based
toolbox database.
How to obtain the toolbox?
The toolbox is available as a printed report and on CD-ROM:
ENWHP Toolbox: A European collection of methods and
practices for promoting health at the workplace assembled
by NIGZ Division Work & Health and the members of the
European Network for Workplace Health Promotion
(ENWHP).
These materials and additional information are available at:
Secretariat of the ENWHP
BKK Federal Association
Kronprinzenstr. 6
D-45128 Essen
Tel: +49 201 179 1298
Fax: +49 201 179 1032
E-mail: enwhp@bkk-bv.de
The web-based database provides the latest update of
available WHP tools: www.enwhp.org. The full report can
also be downloaded at this website.
Examples of tools available in the ENWHP Toolbox
per country
Austria: Health Report: a statement for management and employees
describing the structural analysis of the health situation within a
company.
Belgium: Participatory Risk Assessment: together with employees
concerned possible problems are traced and suggestions for
improvement are proposed.
Czech Republic: WHP screening and intervention system: screening
of risk factors and a needs assessment.
Denmark: Thermometer for wellbeing at work: a guideline for
starting a dialogue and a process to maintain and improve the
existing well-being at work at group level.
Finland: Team Bees: guideline for increasing cohesiveness of work
community.
France: PLATO operation: a guideline to be used by SMEs to
evaluate risks and implement WHP.
Germany: Health Circles at the workplace: problem-solving groups
whose working methods are based on the quality circles.
Greece: Quality of life questionnaire in a hospital: a questionnaire to
assess the needs for future health promotion initiatives for hospital
staff.
Hungary: Consciousness of health: a television programme about the
necessity of WHP.
Iceland: Key factors of job satisfaction: a tool to identify the impact
of supported employment on the quality of life of people with
intellectual disabilities.
Ireland: Creating a healthy teaching environment: a guideline to
support teachers in undertaking stress prevention projects in their
own schools.
Italy: Healthy workers in healthy organisations: a guide for
implementing WHP.
Liechtenstein: SALSA Salutogenetic subjective work analysis: an
instrument to identify work situations affecting health.
Luxembourg: Risks in prevention in the finance sector, in the
construction sector and in SMEs: a methodology for the practical
implementation of the legal framework for safety and health
requirements.
Netherlands: Integrated Health Management: a method for
companies to perform a self-evaluation on how health is integrated
in their company policy.
Norway: The wheel of life phases – a pedagogical tool for planning
and priorities for an ageing workforce.
Poland: How to promote health in the workplace - a series of
guidelines, WHP information for employers and managers.
Romania: Needs assessment questionnaire for training/information
in WHP.
Spain: Employee Assistant Programme (EAP): a tool to prevent,
identify and control the cause associated with sick leave and
absenteeism.
Sweden: Health Certification: a model to organise and ensure the
quality of health promotion programmes in the workplace.
Switzerland: Quint Essenz: Quality Management tool for health
promotion.
United Kingdom / Scotland: A training and resource pack on
workplace alcohol and drug policies.
ENWHP: Questionnaire for self-assessment: a tool to help
organisations to record the quality of their WHP-measures and
continually improve them.
Joint programme: Framework guidelines for addressing workplace
violence in the health sector.