Workplace wellness programs as a basis for protection workforce and prolongation of work life expectancy (literature review)

Development of the labour potential is a most important component of the economic growth in the Russian Federation. Structural modernization of the country economy in the existing critical demographical situation has made issues related to workforce protection especially acute. Studies with their focus on etiological factors that cause incidence and mortality of working age people give evidence of a close correlation between chronic non-communicable diseases and occupational activities. Employers’ losses caused by temporary disability to work, lower labour productivity, occupational injuries, and persistent disability of workers can reach 28–35%. Implementation of workplace wellness programs seems a promising trend in mitigating adverse effects produced by occupational factors on workers’ health. Workplace wellness programs are reliable investments into labour resources as well as creating a company’s positive image and increasing its competitiveness. Implementation of corporate initiatives into business activities helps to reduce overall incidence among workers; it ensures shorter period of temporary disability and decreases incidence and costs of healthcare services provided for workers by 16–48%. The review analyzes experience gained by foreign and Russian companies in developing and implementing workplace wellness programs and describes relevant principles of creating the best of them. Special attention is paid to drawbacks of workplace wellness programs and outlining future prospects in their development. Among the latter, a significant place belongs to an information-intellectual risk-based system for analysis, prediction, and prevention of occupational and work-related diseases as a solid basis for developing target activities that ensure workforce protection and prolong work life expectancy. Literature sources were searched for in relevant databases including Scopus, Web of Science, CyberLeninka, RSCI and statistical data collections over 2019–2024.