Improving health-promoting workplaces through interdisciplinary approaches. The example of WISEWORK-C, a cluster of five work and health projects within Horizon-Europe

Abstract

Digitalization, green transitions, and demographic change are transforming societies and economies across Europe. These shifts are giving rise to new forms of work (eg, hybrid work, gig economy jobs) and reshaping management and work organization practices (eg, through algorithmic decision-making or digital monitoring of worker performance). While such developments offer important opportunities to improve sustainability, flexibility, and efficiency, they also present challenges for ensuring healthy and equitable working conditions—especially if workplace policies and practices do not keep pace with these transformations (1). Work-related illnesses and injuries already place a substantial burden on employers and the broader economy, with costs estimated to exceed 3.3% of the European Union (EU) gross domestic product annually (2). It is well established that the work environment plays a crucial role in shaping both physical and mental health. Poorly designed or managed workplaces are associated with increased risks of musculoskeletal disorders (MSD), stress, burnout, and long-term sickness absence (3). In contrast, supportive work environments—characterized by ergonomic design, good environmental quality, and worker autonomy—have been shown to improve well-being, productivity, and job satisfaction (4). Rapid advances in digital technologies, particularly artificial intelligence (AI), further amplify both opportunities and risks in the modern workplace. AI can help enhance safety, reduce physical demands, and streamline tasks, but also raises concerns about autonomy, fairness, transparency, and mental well-being (5). Understanding how these technologies reshape power dynamics, management practices, and psychosocial work environments is essential to ensuring responsible, inclusive, and health-promoting digital transitions. Amid these transitions (6), MSD continue to be among the most common work-related health issues (7), while stress, depression, and anxiety are frequently cited by workers and managers as critical mental health concerns (8). The emergence of the COVID-19 pandemic has accelerated these changes, introducing additional mental health challenges and intensifying pre-existing physical risk factors (9). For instance, the increase in computer use, shift to non-traditional workspaces (eg, home offices), and reduced physical activity among office workers often result in prolonged static postures and repetitive movements, factors that elevate the risk of negative health outcomes (10). These post-pandemic trends are also linked to a rise in mental health issues such as stress, burnout, and social isolation (11). In response to these challenges, the EU has launched several strategic initiatives aimed at ensuring safe, healthy, and inclusive working conditions. The EU Strategic Framework on Health and Safety at Work 2021–2027 calls for adapting occupational safety and health (OSH) practices to the realities of digitalization, demographic shifts, and new forms of work (12). Complementing this, the European Commission’s 2023 Communication on a comprehensive approach to mental health (13) sets mental health on equal footing with physical health, announcing 20 flagship actions backed by over €1.2 billion in funding. Among these are initiatives that specifically target psychosocial risks at work, including the development of an EU-level initiative on managing psychosocial risks (14) and the organization of EU-wide workplace campaigns to raise awareness and promote preventive action (15). These efforts align with the European Pillar of Social Rights (16), reinforcing the EU’s commitment to fair working conditions, universal access to healthcare, and robust social protections. In this context, WISEWORK-C (Workplace Innovation for Sustainable Well-being Cluster) (www.wisework-c.eu) is a recently established cluster composed of five independent projects funded by the EU Framework Programme for Research and Innovation Horizon Europe un