The Healthy Working Lives Group conducts applied occupational health research focused on improving working lives, strengthening occupational health practice, and supporting healthier, safer and more sustainable workplaces.
Our work spans clinical occupational health, workplace prevention, sickness absence, return to work, workforce inequalities, ageing, Long COVID, professional standards and suicide prevention. Across these areas, we combine academic research with practical occupational health expertise to generate evidence that can inform policy, professional practice and real-world workplace decision-making.
A central aim of our research is to understand how work affects health, how health affects work, and how occupational health services can better support workers, employers and organisations.
Our research focus
The group has a strong record of clinically focused and policy-relevant occupational health research. Our studies have contributed to national and international understanding of occupational health competencies, quality improvement, sickness absence management, workforce retention, research priorities and the value of occupational health research.
We have also undertaken research with specific occupational groups, including teachers, NHS staff, dental practitioners, doctors, dentists, equine veterinary surgeons, Sherpas, information technology workers and nurses.
Our more recent work includes major programmes on Long COVID and work, older worker retention, equality, diversity and inclusion in occupational health, and suicide prevention among nurses.
Why this research matters
Work is one of the most important determinants of health. Good work can support identity, income, social connection, wellbeing and recovery. Poorly managed work can contribute to illness, exclusion, sickness absence, distress and avoidable loss of employment.
Occupational health research helps identify what supports people to enter, remain in and return to work. It also helps employers, clinicians and policymakers understand how to prevent harm, improve services and create better working conditions.
This evidence is especially important at a time when the UK faces major challenges around workforce ageing, long-term illness, mental health, staff retention, economic inactivity and unequal access to occupational health support.
Our research responds to these challenges by developing practical, evidence-informed approaches that can improve occupational health practice and support healthier working lives.
Areas of research
Clinical competencies in occupational health
We have played a leading international role in defining the clinical competencies required for high-quality occupational health practice. This includes work on European and international competency priorities for occupational physicians, competency frameworks for UK occupational health nurses, comparisons between occupational physicians and nurses, and research into the competencies expected by occupational health customers.
Quality improvement in occupational health practice
Our clinically focused research has examined how occupational health practice can be improved through clinical algorithms, peer review audit, report quality assessment, clinical governance and a better understanding of case complexity in occupational health.
Research priorities and academic activity in occupational health
We have undertaken national research to identify current occupational health research priorities and to understand research and teaching activity among UK occupational physicians. This work supports the development of academic capacity and evidence-informed practice within the specialty.
Sickness absence and return to work
Our research has examined early sickness absence support, return-to-work interventions, absence duration, job loss prediction and the prevention of long-term work loss. This includes the EASY: Early Access to Support for You sickness absence service, which demonstrated the value of early occupational health support.
Specific occupational group studies
We have conducted studies across a wide range of occupational groups, including teachers, NHS staff, dental practitioners, doctors, dentists, equine veterinary surgeons, high-altitude mountain guides and information technology workers. These studies show how occupational risks, health outcomes and support needs vary across different forms of work.
The ageing worker
Our research on ageing and work includes the SOPIE study: Supporting Older People Into Employment. This work explores the factors that influence return to work among people aged over 50, alongside wider research on ageing, health inequalities and later working life.
COVID-19, Long COVID and work
During and after the COVID-19 pandemic, we contributed to research and guidance on safe return to work, clinically vulnerable workers, Long COVID, workplace risk assessment and sustainable employment. This work has supported workers, employers, managers and occupational health professionals in responding to the changing impact of COVID-19 on working life.
Equality, diversity and inclusion in occupational health: the EDIOH Study
The EDIOH Study investigated personal characteristics, career experiences and progression among UK occupational health practitioners. The study provides an important benchmark for understanding equality, diversity and inclusion within the occupational health workforce.
Crisis Narrative and RESUME
Our work on nurse suicide and suicidal distress brings together the Crisis Narrative and RESUME programmes. This research examines how suicidal crises are experienced, narrated and understood among nurses, and how occupational health can contribute to earlier, more compassionate and evidence-informed prevention.
The value of occupational health research
We led the major Society of Occupational Medicine review, The Value of Occupational Health Research, which examined the history, evolution and future direction of occupational health research. This work helped strengthen the case for occupational health research as a public health, workforce and economic priority.
Research impact
Our research has informed occupational health practice, professional standards, workplace policy, service development and national debate.
It has contributed to:
- occupational health competency frameworks;
- clinical quality improvement;
- return-to-work services;
- sickness absence management;
- Long COVID workplace guidance;
- understanding of workforce inequalities;
- support for ageing workers;
- evidence on specific occupational groups;
- suicide prevention research among nurses;
- national strategy for occupational health research.
Together, this programme of work demonstrates the importance of occupational health research in protecting workers, supporting employers and improving the systems that shape working life.
Explore our research
Use the links above to learn more about each area of our work.
Healthy Working Lives Group 