Turning Workplace Research Into Action 

The Institute for Work & Health has been at the forefront of using research and evidence to improve workplace health and safety in Canada. What role does IWH play in translating research into practical solutions for employers, workers and policymakers—and what impact are you seeing from that work? 

Translating and mobilizing research is embedded in the IWH mission and central to all the research we conduct. IWH was an early adopter of knowledge, transfer and exchange (KTE) in the early 2000s. We define KTE as a process of exchange between researchers and stakeholders (or knowledge-users). It’s designed both to make relevant research information available and accessible for use in practice, planning and policy-making, and to integrate stakeholders’ needs for evidence into the research we undertake. 

We work hard to ensure that our stakeholders or knowledge-users are engaged throughout our entire research process. Doing this improves the questions we ask, helps these groups understand the research processes we use and thereby gain confidence in the findings, and helps in disseminating the findings and implications to a wide audience. IWH tracks the impact of our research as a key metric. Drawing on an impact model that we’ve developed, (https://www.iwh.on.ca/research-impact), we document impact case studies to provide examples where our work has influenced changes in policy and practice, at either a workplace or system level. 

As the nature of work continues to change—with emerging technologies, changing workforces, psychological health concerns and new forms of workplace risk—what do you believe Canada needs to prioritize today to build healthier and safer workplaces for the future, and how is IWH helping lead that change? 

While it is true that the nature of work continues to change, the key principles that workplaces should use to navigate these changes are relatively consistent. These are a commitment from senior leadership to protect workers and make work healthy and safe, having processes in place in the workplace to enable effective communication with workers, and engaging them in the process of implementation, or co-designing solutions to address workplace hazards. When workers feel that their employer prioritizes their health, this is associated with better health (physical and psychological) and productivity outcomes.