Occupational Health Management in New Work - a Protocol for a Mixed-Method Study: Project BGM4NewWork

BackgroundThe world of work is undergoing profound changes towards agile, flexible, democratic, and digital forms of work, so called New Work (NW). The COVID-19 pandemic accelerated these changes and confronted the working world with new challenges. Effects on employee health are ambivalent and remain unclear. Moreover, there is a lack of evidence as to whether existing occupational health management (OHM) measures meet the needs of employees working in new forms of work. Methods/DesignThis prospective mixed-method project will include four substudies to identify different NW forms, resulting health risk, benefits and protective factors in subgroups, and derive target group-specific OHM services. In the four substudies, the following methods will be used: (1) a scoping review, semi-standardized interviews, and an online survey, (2) a systematic review, an online survey, an expert workshop and qualitative interviews, (3) workplace observations, and (4) expert workshops. Recommendations for action will be derived from the findings of all substudies and summarized in a checklist for OHM in NW settings. ConclusionFindings will expand the state of knowledge about NW settings and associated health effects. The development of an evidence-based checklist for target group-specific identification of NW settings and associated health risks, benefits and protective factors can be used as a basis for action regarding OHM in companies. The findings can provide guidance on how future OHM services should be designed to meet the needs of employees.