The Optimising workers’ health group focuses on optimising human performance in the workplace; understanding the behavioural, physiological, physical and psychological factors that contribute to workers’ physical and mental health and wellbeing, both within and beyond their job.
For many people, a particular challenge to their health is the impact of work behaviours and practice on the short and long-term health outcomes. For these reasons, our research also focusses on quantifying the workers’ physical activity and sedentary behaviour (including incidental activity), physically demanding tasks, formal exercise training, and engagement with leisure time activity including sport.
This group covers:
- Quantification of the work demands (e.g. energy expenditure, intensity of work, sedentary time, sleep opportunities)
- Understanding the cumulative impact of workload on cognitive function and task performance
- Understanding the impact of the environment on workers’ health and wellbeing
- Identifying suitable measures for serial monitoring of workers to help them stay safe, and physically and mentally well, to be able to perform at their best
- Helping workers stay safe, and physically and mentally well to be able to perform at their best
- Modifying sleep, work-rest schedules or training programs to benefit shift workers’ wellbeing.