Keynotes

1. Psychosocial consequences of globalization and their consequences for worker health
Prof. P.L. Schnall
Globalization is one of the drivers of, amongst others, occupational safety and health (OSH), and particularly the psychosocial factors at work as well as of work-related health. Globalization results in more competition, more restructuring and downsizing, more precarious work and increased job insecurity, increased intensifi¬cation and time pressure at work, and more self-employed workers without personnel and small enterprises with a weak compliance to OSH regulations. In addition, workers are the ‘bottom end’. What evidence is there that supports the linkage of globalization through psychosocial risks to health (and participation)? What are the trends, and what may e expected for the next decade?

2. Intensification of work: demanding jobs and the paradox of job quality in the affluent economy
Prof. F. Green
Due to redundancies, restructuring, budgetary constraints, as well as new forms of work organization and employment contracts, an increasing work intensification has been noticed in Europe and the USA since the 1990s. Also, work intensification is undoubtedly one of the most significant recent trends. The increasing demands workers are exposed to are quantitative (high speed, no time to finish work in regular working hours), qualitative (increased complexity), emotional (need of employees to be friendly in their contact to customers), and often physical as well (often associated with performing task at high speed). The aim of this keynote would be to (1) further make the audience understand what leads to this intensification of work, (2) shed some light on future developments, and (3) illustrate how these changes may be changed or intervened.

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3. Keeping workers vital and healthy until older age
Prof. A. Burdorf
In all western countries life expectancy increases by about 1.5 years every decade; this is also reflected in an ageing workforce. Moreover, there is growing pressure to increase labour participation until older age. This requires strategies to keep workers vital and healthy, to prevent workers from quitting work due to health problems, and programmes that facilitate vulnerable groups, such as those with a chronic disease, to maintain paid employment. This keynote will address (1) how we may sustain the mental vitality and health of workers, including vulnerable groups, (2) whether specific subgroups should be identified (by e.g.
socio-economic status; sector), and (3) what the consequences are for necessary preventive interventions.

4. Worksite health promotion and its effects on subjective health complaints, including work stress
Prof. H.R. Eriksen
Nowadays, several workplace-based integrated health programmes, offering different combinations of physical exercise, lifestyle physical activity, stress management training and/or health information, have been well evaluated. This keynote would aim to illustrate that subjective health complaints, including work stress and aspects of workers’ mental health, are highly prevalent, and how psychosocial factors at work are related to subjective health complaints. Furthermore, it aims to present the effects of integrated health programmes on subjective health complaints, including stress and other psychosocial aspects of workers’ health. Key topics of the conferences are work engagement, vitality and lifestyle. This keynote may pay attention to these topics and their relation with worksite health promotion.