The most recent step in the development of health promotion links it to organisational development and management. Particular attention has been given to linking health promotion to quality systems. A similar approach can be reported in the field of occupational safety and health.

SUCCESS FACTORS OF CORPORATE HEALTH PROMOTION

Practical experience and scientific evaluation reveal that successful health promotio programmes depend on the following factors:¹⁵

* Participation: All parties involved, especially employees, must be actively included in all phases of corporate health promotion.

* Integration: Corporate health promotion must be taken into account in all major decision-making areas. This includes integrating it into existing management systems.

* Holism: Corporate health promotion encompasses both psychosocial and environmental issues. Risk reduction should be linked with the expansion of policies and programmes which include all aspects of occupational health and safety.

* Project management: Corporate health promotion measures must be implemented systematically. Ideally, they should be integrated into a process of continuous improvement, be data-supported, and communicated appropriately internally and externally.

CORPORATE HEALTH PROMOTION AND WORKPLACE STRESS PREVENTION

Preventing stress in the workplace can be addressed through:

* Stress reduction programs;

* Individual advice and team supervision;

*Measures relating to health-appropriate work design and organisational development.

 

* Stress reduction programmes

In Germany, many types of relaxation training procedures have been developed for the workplace. They are targeted at stressed employees in general and human resource managers in particular. Stress reduction programs have been designed which include relaxation procedures, role playing, and behavioural training to increase self-confidence and improve interpersonal skills.

Until the responsibilities of the statutory health insurance schemes changed in 1997, stress reduction was one of their main prevention activities. In Germany, stress reduction programmes have been delivered mainly through evening institutes and independent providers of adult education. For management personnel, providers include management consultancy companies, freelance consultants, and personnel developers. Though there is no empirical data available on the spread and acceptance of these procedures, it can be assumed that they are very much in demand despite changes on the provider side.

* Individual advice and team supervision. Though we cannot give a full description of the models on which these are based, they include all the methods and concepts applied in psychotherapy. It is not possible to identify any empirical details on the spread of these procedures.

*Health-appropriate work design and organisational development. There is a specific concept in Germany called the "health circle". It