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"Moral injury is not only detrimental to the mental health of individuals but also has significant implications for organisations"

The majority of research into moral injury has been focused on high-risk sectors such as the military, emergency services and healthcare sectors, so we recently conducted...

The severity and longevity of long COVID that has also affected the working population, raises the important question, how organisations can support workers with long COVID to stay and thrive in the workplace. In the present study, we used Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis to explore the lived...

The 'cost-of-living crisis', defined as the fall in 'real' disposable income that the UK has been experiencing since late 2021 is having a profound impact on the nation. Inflation reached a 40 year high in October 2022 (ONS, 2022a) and the fiscal year 2022-23 saw the biggest one-year fall in living standards...

Line managers hold a primary role in preventing poor mental health within the workplace and, therefore, need to be equipped with the skills and knowledge to effectively carry out this role. The Managing Minds at Work (MMW) intervention aims to increase line managers' knowledge and confidence in preventing...

Given the colossal interest in creating 'coaching cultures', we update the 2014 literature review by Gormley and van Nieuwerburgh and extend this work by applying a Systematic Literature Review (SLR) methodology. In doing so, we detangle definitions and the conditions under which 'coaching cultures'...

Speaking out on mental health and 'leading by example' is often easier said than done. For those who consider share their experience, the worries round vulnerability, stigma and being judged have historically often been justified. This report examines the research evidence on the outcomes of senior leader...

The research on return to work for workers with common mental disorders has primarily focused on the pre-return journey. Relapses and recurrent sick leaves are prevalent and call for research on how we can support workers stay and thrive at work after long-term sickness absence due to common mental disorders....

During national lockdowns in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, previously office-based workers who transitioned to home-based teleworking faced additional demands (e.g., childcare, inadequate homeworking spaces) likely resulting in poor work privacy fit. Previous office research suggests poor work privacy...

The rapid increase in the number of wellbeing frameworks available has given rise to a bewildering choice for organisations. The Working Well Maturity Framework was developed in response to calls from Affinity's Research Consortium, to develop a clear picture on how frameworks differ and to develop a...

There is increasing focus on designing workspaces that promote less sitting, more movement and interaction to improve physical and mental health. This study evaluates a natural intervention of a new workplace with active design features and its relocation to a greener and open space.
An ecological model...

Learning from the Covid-19 pandemic – approaches to support employee health and wellbeing

Covid-19: are reports of its demise greatly exaggerated?

Business in the Community's (BITC) What If Your Job Was Good For You? report identifies actions employers can take to transform wellbeing at work. The report sets out how business leaders can create an environment in which employees feel supported to do their best work. It also outlines how to achieve...

Research shows that employees are more likely to return to work safely and productively following long-term sickness absence if they are well supported during their absence and on their return.

The key considerations for managing an effective return, including for those suffering from long COVID, are...

Working with a multi-disciplinary team, Affinity Health at Work contributed to this guide for the Society of Medicine to support people to return to work following Covid-19 infection

The COVID-19 pandemic has dramatically shifted the way we learn. Learning and development practitioners have been challenged to step outside of their comfort zone, be curious and embrace new ways of delivering learning with high impact for the digital age. This longitudinal focus group study investigated...

Developing a Covid secure health and wellbeing strategy

Coaching is often used to improve self-confidence however little is known about how self-confidence is measured. For practitioners looking to evaluate their work, being able to measure self-confidence is key. This systematic review presents findings from a conceptual and methodological review of measures...

This paper offers a model of self-confidence for use in executive coaching. Self-confidence is an important coaching topic, yet our understanding of what it is and how it can be developed is limited to narrower concepts of self-efficacy and self-esteem. Current approaches are static and focus on personal...

Drawing on research and practice, Affinity Health at Work contributed to this toolkit for Mental Health at Work. We share tips and strategies to support individuals struggling with the transition out of lockdown.

Drawing on research and practice, Affinity Health at Work contributed to this guide from the Society of Occupational Medicine. This guide shares recommendations for returning to the workplace after lockdown

Whether on or offshore, the work and lifestyle of a remote rotational worker is unique. While lucrative for some, it has long been associated with a high impact on mental health and wellbeing. To reveal the true extent of this, the International SOS Foundation commissioned a ground-breaking global study...

This research was conducted by Affinity Health at Work, co-sponsored by IOSH via its Research Consortium, to explore the impact the COVID-19 pandemic on employee's health and wellbeing and what can be learned from it.
Researchers conducted interviews and held focus groups with employees, managers and...

Despite international business travel being seen as essential for global business and indeed advantageous in term of career progression for employees; there is evidence that international business travel can be deleterious to health. The study not only uncovers the psychological implications of business...

This review set out to understand what leaders and organisational cultures can learn about supporting doctors who experience second victim phenomenon; the types, levels and availability of support offered; and the psychological symptoms experienced. A systematic review of keywords 'Medical Error' [MeSH],...

Sustainable return to work (SRTW) for workers with common mental disorders (CMDs) presents a major societal challenge in terms of scale and costs. Approximately 15% of the working population suffer from CMDs such as depression, anxiety and adjustment disorders (OECD, 2014) and for 50% their experience...

Growing demand for flexible working and an increasing recognition of its broad benefits have pointed to the need for practical, evidence-based guidance to help people professionals and their organisations to implement it.

This CIPD guide, produced in collaboration with Affinity Health, explores the effective...

This report provides an overview of the resources required to support people returning to work following mental health sickness absence Sustainable return to work is a challenge in the UK and beyond, with too many people existing the workplace following an initial return.

We conducted semi-structured...

No systematic review had previously been conducted examining the benefits mindfulness or meditation interventions for leaders and managers. However, the literature suggested that such interventions would have a positive impact on leaders' own well-being, their leadership capability, their 'post-conventional'...

This study provides analysis and insight into the views and experiences of 12 top executives of FTSE 350 companies about appointing women to their boards, against background growth in the number of female non-executive directors but the number of female executive director appointments showing no progress....