Forthcoming research
The Working for Health strategy will continue to initiate questionnaires or incorporate workplace health -related questions for inclusion within other workplace surveys, where possible, to improve statistical accuracy.As part of this ongoing process, Market Research is due to be carried out in Winter 2008 among selected local companies (of different sizes and sectors). The aim of this work is to produce a report detailing current awareness of workplace health issues within local companies. It will also highlight the main concerns faced by these workplaces at the present moment in time.
This work will allow Working for Health to determine whether the main perceived issues in GB, such as Musculoskeletal Disorders and Stress actually affect local businesses to the same extent. Anecdotal evidence from Health and Safety Works NI, as well as an earlier workplace health service pilot in Armagh and Dungannon suggests that many local companies still perceive health as an integral part of safety and that, by looking after safety, the health of the workforce will look after itself. This is not necessarily the case.
This survey will also allow us to check (in a limited capacity) if there are any significant differences between those companies questioned within the private and public sectors, or, if there are knowledge variations depending on company size
Surveys of partner organisations are also being planned as part of the initial work of the Stakeholder Engagement Programme Team.
Updates will be provided here, as they become available.
