Abstract

Objective The EU-CoWork project aims to design and assess the impact of Compassionate Workplace Programmes (CWPs). These programmes aim to cultivate work environments where structured policies and intentional actions support employees dealing with serious illness, caregiving responsibilities, and bereavement. A compassionate workplace is one where colleagues collectively recognize, empathize with, and respond to one another’s distress. It is a space where individuals, teams, and management collaborate to enhance the working conditions, health, and wellbeing of those undergoing such profound experiences.

Materials and methods The project consists of (a) an international co-creative and developmental evaluation of tailored CWPs, and (b) a mixed-methods international process and impact evaluation. Through asset and needs mapping, facilitated co-creation, knowledge exchange workshops, communities of practice, and inspiration materials tailored CWPs will be developed and implemented across 12 workplaces located in Belgium, Sweden, Austria, and Greece. This may include policy development, social and physical environment adaptation, reorientation of wellbeing services, and skills enhancement. The second component integrates cross-sectional panel surveys, qualitative interviews and field research, as well as analysis of relevant policy documents.

Results Data collection is currently ongoing. Workplace policy documents have been obtained, and baseline quantitative indicators have been collected through surveys in the recruited workplaces. Additionally, focus groups and expert interviews have been conducted to explore the contextual characteristics of the workplace settings. The development of the Compassionate Workplace Programs has commenced, with initial implementation activities, including kick-off events, initiated in the majority of participating workplaces.

Conclusion EU-CoWork’s outcomes include the development of evidence-based tools to assist organizations in creating work environments that adequately support employees, leading to enhanced wellbeing and productivity. The framework, grounded in participatory approaches and contextual adaptation, will help design policies and interventions to address the challenges of Europe’s evolving workplace dynamics, fostering more compassionate and sustainable work environments across diverse organizational contexts.

Abstract

The overall aim of PROSPERH is to expand current knowledge about health in changing work environments and to develop and evaluate an integrative intervention targeting mental and physical health that yields sustainable benefits in terms of workplace mental and physical health indicators and economic outcomes.

The intervention will target multiple levels, including organisational (work), peer level and individual (worker) aspects, with three components focusing on health promotion, online self-monitoring and self-management and clinical care or coaching referral pathways. Development will focus on tailoring content for three sectors experiencing significant change, telework and ICT-based mobile work (TICTM), healthcare and construction. The intervention will be implemented within 11 countries (Albania, Australia, Denmark, Germany, Hungary, Ireland, Kosovo, Netherlands, Portugal, Spain, Turkey) in a feasibility study ahead of larger scale testing.

A four-phased approach to the overall project will include: i) evidence building and intervention development phase, ii) intervention feasibility phase, iii) (optimised) intervention implementation and evaluation phase (cRCT), and iv) preparation phase for sustainability (post cRCT). The project currently addresses the first two phases. Expected results will shape the intervention to be tested within a feasibility study in the upcoming second phase of the project.

Overall, PROSPERH will contribute to living and working in a health promoting environment by providing robust evidence for enabling activities, resources and policies to promote mental and physical health in changing workplaces and preparedness during future public health emergencies.

Sources of funding: This work is supported by the European Union’s Horizon Europe Research and Innovation programme under grant agreement No.101137256. UK participants in Horizon Europe Project PROSPERH are supported by UKRI grant numbers 1010118 for St Mary’s University and 10109311 for University of Stirling. Australian participant Griffith University is supported by the National Health and Medical Research Council. 

Abstract

Objective The WAge project aims to advance sustainable, health-promoting workplaces by developing the WAge Index—an evidence-based, participatory tool to assess and improve working conditions across different age groups. In response to the challenges of an ageing workforce, longer working lives, and changing job demands, WAge promotes a comprehensive understanding of how physical load, physical ability, and psychosocial wellbeing interact and influence health and performance at work.

Material and Methods WAge uses a mixed-methods, cross-national approach combining quantitative and qualitative data from manufacturing and service sectors in Spain, Portugal, and Poland. Physical workload is assessed through observational methods (e.g. RULA, REBA), sensor-based motion capture, and self-reports. Psychosocial wellbeing is evaluated through self-reported data grounded in healthy and resilient organizations models. Participatory research methods engage workers, unions, employers, and occupational health stakeholders to guide data collection, interpretation, and relevance. The project also adopts a data sovereignty approach, implementing secure and privacy-preserving infrastructures for compliant and transparent data sharing. A key focus is translating findings into actionable guidance for policy and intervention design through structured evidence provision processes.

Results While data collection is ongoing, WAge has successfully deployed field studies in all three countries, engaging over 400 workers to date. Workshops and forums with workplace stakeholders have contributed to shaping project priorities and informed early modelling discussions. Cross-country analysis and integrated modelling of physical and psychosocial data will inform the development of the WAge Index and the generation of targeted, age-sensitive recommendations.

Conclusion WAge contributes to a deeper understanding of age-inclusive wellbeing at work and supports organisations in designing interventions that foster health, safety, and sustainability. Through participatory design, robust data practices, and cross-sector engagement, WAge aims to deliver practical tools for healthier, more inclusive European workplaces.