Occupational Health

• Credit value: 15 credits at Level 5
• Convenor: to be confirmed
• Assessment: coursework of 2000 words (100%)

In this module we adopt an occupational health psychology (OHP) perspective in examining issues relating to occupational health. OHP is primarily concerned with the role and respective interplay between psychological, social and organisational aspects of working, and seeks to understand how these various domains impact upon both individual and organisational health. This field draws from, and brings together, several key psychological areas including:

• cognitive and biological psychology
• social psychology
• work and organisational psychology
• health psychology
• environmental psychology.

We will adopt a psychosocial approach to understanding workplace health and safety at both a micro and macro level. Our focus is on how work can contribute to the impairment of workers' health, safety and wellbeing; and, in turn, how this knowledge can be used to prevent employee ill health and, moreover, promote optimal employee health, engagement, resiliency and productivity.

We then demonstrate and discuss the translation and application of psychological theories and principles into development of healthy workplace policies, organisational systems and management practices.

Indicative syllabus

• Introduction to workplace health and wellbeing
• Work-related stress
• Workplace health promotion and interventions
• Work-life balance
• Case studies in workplace wealth
• Positive occupational health psychology
• Critical perspectives on work and wellbeing
• Human error and system design
• Environmental psychology

By the end of this module, you will:

• understand the biopsychosocial model of health, and its conceptual and practical implications for workplace health and safety
• be aware of the history of occupational health psychology
• be able to describe the key theories of work-related stress and explain how stress is associated with employee health
• be able to describe and explain the key relationships among work/organisational factors and workers' health and wellbeing outcomes
• understand the contribution of contemporary theories of environmental psychology to issues of workplace health and wellbeing
• understand how psychological theories can assist in developing a safer working environment through organisational culture and employees' behaviours
• be able to describe key theories of workplace aggression and bullying and understand how these theories inform its respective management and prevention
• understand how positive psychological principles and theories can be used to inform the development of workplace health
• be able to describe and explain the various levels of workplace interventions and understand their contribution to the management of workplace health and safety
• demonstrate synthesis and critical-analytical skills in examining the biopsychosocial basis of workplace health and safety.