WorkCare’s Holistic Approach to Occupational Health, Safety, and Employee Wellness Breaks Down Silos 

Employers are rethinking the way they approach workplace safety and health — and with good reason. A holistic model for occupational health doesn’t just prevent injuries; it connects the dots between employee wellness, holistic workplace safety, and overall organizational performance.  

As the lines between work and personal well-being continue to blur, forward-thinking companies are moving beyond compliance checklists. They’re investing in integrated strategies that protect employees, promote resilience, and strengthen business continuity. In this blog we recap a recent webinar where WorkCare’s subject matter experts explained how employers can embrace a more human-centered, data-informed approach to employee health and safety. 

A sense of safety is a fundamental human need. In the workplace, the concept of safety continues to evolve. As employees’ attitudes toward safety shift, so do their overall expectations about the meaning and nature of work.  

Employers can make strides in the right direction by adopting a holistic approach to occupational health, workplace safety, and employee wellness that helps break down organizational silos. 

“Traditional safety programs have certainly saved lives, but today’s workforce faces new challenges, including stress, burnout, chronic illness, and fatigue,” said Kathleen Wilhelmsen, a webinar panelist and vice president, On-Site Clinical Services, at WorkCare. “Employees want more than protection. They want purpose, support, and balance in their work-life.”  

An Evolution in Attitudes 

It makes sense to treat each employee as a “whole person” whose overall quality of life depends on their livelihood and other contributing factors. However, U.S. employers historically have been hesitant to invest in wellness interventions and integrate them with occupational health and safety programs. 

Now, a growing body of evidence on the positive impacts of Incident Prevention + Wellness programs on employee health outcomes and the bottom line is helping pave the way for change.  Studies show that total employee health programs provide a foundation for employees to thrive and for employers to: 

• Decrease work-related accident and injury rates 
• Lower overall healthcare and insurance costs 
• Boost performance and reduce absence 
• Leverage leading and lagging safety indicators  

“We’ve seen a steady shift from reactive compliance to proactive prevention,” Wilhelmsen said. “What we want to see now is continued progress with the implementation of Total Worker Health, which was introduced by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health in 2011, and the subsequent rise of holistic wellness programs.”  

Eight Dimensions of Wellness 

Similar to concepts of safety, perceptions of wellness in the workplace are shifting with the times. “While some people may still think of wellness primarily in terms of mental health, that’s just one important aspect,” said webinar panelist Lynette Helmer, director, Wellness + Prevention Products and Services at WorkCare. “Our wellness model has eight dimensions, with each dimension playing a vital role in overall well-being. When one area is out of balance, it affects the other seven dimensions.” 

Occupational wellness involves finding purpose and satisfaction in work while maintaining a healthy balance between one’s work life and home life. “In the workplace, it means looking at an employee as a whole person, not just as a worker,” Helmer said. 

The eight wellness dimensions are: 

1. Occupational: Job satisfaction and work-life balance help reduce levels of dissatisfaction that contribute to chronic fatigue.  
2. Social: Isolation can increase stress and reduce morale. Strong social connections combat fatigue, anxiety, and depression.  
3. Physical: Good nutrition, regular exercise, and adequate sleep help restore energy, improve reaction times, and make people more resistant to illness and injury. 
4. Environmental: A clean, quiet, and well-ventilated workspace reduces sensory overload, improves sleep, and supports recovery.  
5. Spiritual: A sense of purpose and alignment with values can energize employees and help prevent emotional exhaustion. 
6. Emotional: Activities that target causes of chronic stress improve overall quality of life and decrease the likelihood of burnout. 
7. Financial: Money management skills help reduce anxiety and related sleep disruptions.  
8. Intellectual: Mental stimulation and learning new things contributes to feelings of engagement and helps boost alertness.  
   

Explore our in-depth white paper on the topic - From Safety to Wellness: 
A Strategic Shift for Workplace Health and Organizational Resilience. 

Breaking Down Silos 

The COVID-19 pandemic stimulated collaboration among environment, occupational health, safety, and wellness professionals, along with human resources and benefits, risk and fiscal management, executive leadership, and other critical roles that tend to operate in organizational silos.  

“Everyone came together to solve problems for everyone’s benefit,” said webinar panelist Bryan Reich, vice president, Programs and Operations, Prevention Services at WorkCare. “Post-COVID, people drifted back into their silos – those highly polished cylinders of excellence – to continue their work while keeping their heads down.”  

Lack of collaboration in an organization is associated with thought fragmentation, low employee engagement scores, and higher costs. In some cases, it may increase the risk for work-related accidents and injuries, delay care for injured or ill employees, or fail to effectively address underlying chronic conditions linked to work absence and productivity loss.  

A holistic, collaborative delivery model helps employers identify and resolve these challenges, said Reich, who views the integration of wellness with occupational health and safety as a best clinical practice and a critical business imperative. The model may include strategies such as: 

• Deploying cross-functional, multi-disciplinary teams 
• Integrating wellness activities with safety interventions 
• Providing training and education on occupational health, safety, and wellness  
• Using data to guide planning and resource allocation decisions 
• Allowing employees to advocate for holistic departmental programs 

“The holistic approach is about driving employee engagement in work by showing that their employer cares about them,” Reich said. “When we refer to making the transition from to Safety Wellness, we are talking about more than making a cultural shift. We are encouraging employers to make strategic investment in their people,” from the top down and the bottom up, giving a voice to everyone in the organization. 

Get Started with WorkCare 

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