Evaluating financial effects of the work environment

Sammanfattning

Work-related ill-health poses a significant financial burden on individuals, organisations, andsociety. This thesis aims to enhance understanding of work environment economics byreviewing recent research and examining how selected Swedish organisations inmanufacturing, logistics, healthcare and higher education address the financial effects of thework environment. The literature review, covering studies from 2013 to 2024, showed that general business andhealth economic methods have taken precedence over targeted work environmenteconomics approaches in recent scientific literature. An interview study with fiveorganisations revealed high awareness but limited use of work environment economicstools. Participants expressed a need for simpler yet credible methods that can be adapted tolocal business contexts. Alternative approaches emphasised proactive strategies and theintegration of systematic work environment management into daily operations. Motives for taking work environment effects into account included occupational safety andhealth professionals raising awareness among management about the benefits of systematicwork environment management and occupational health interventions. The findings suggest that work environment economics calculations may be especially useful in organisations with a lower maturity in systematic work environment management, where financial arguments are more critical for justifying interventions. In contrast, organisations with a strong integration of systematic work environment economics into core operations rely less on formal economic arguments, as the value of a healthy work environment is already embedded in their culture and organisational goals. Based on the results of the interview study, it is concluded that future developers of workenvironment economics tools should prioritise participatory design and practical usability toensure relevance and effectiveness in real-world settings. In combination with proactiveapproaches and the integration of systematic work environment management into businessoperations, work environment economic tools can support strategic decision-making andethical, sustainable investments in employee health and well-being.