Emerging Trends and Tech That Will Shape Your Occupational Health and Safety Career

During the pandemic we became keenly aware of the essential nature of well-being and safety in the workplace, and dynamic businesses have answered the call to adapt, solve issues, evolve, and implement effective strategies to support employees. Occupational health and safety (OHS) professionals have led the charge for change.

The transformation of the last few years shows no signs of slowing. Monitoring rapidly evolving industry trends is essential to ensure you are offering the best to those you serve.

If you’re enrolled in a workplace health and safety course/ online safety training courses or are looking to study occupational health and safety in a program approved by the board of Canadian registered safety professionals, you need have a keen understanding of the industry. And it will continue to be forged by the trends and tech advancements of the day.

Emerging Trends and Tech That Will Shape Your OHS Career

• Consistent Mental Health Support – We learned during the pandemic how important mental health is to the overall well-being of a person, an employee. Continuing to navigate the effects of prolonged isolation and disconnection of colleagues, as well as stepping up to provide the support, counselling, and employee connection opportunities, are essential to the health of a team member, team, and the success of an organization.
• Purposeful, Preventative Care – No longer is it okay to wait until there is a problem; we want to monitor potential concerns and head them off at the pass. Regular health screenings, immunizations, and health assessments allow OHS professionals to identify risk factors and provide employee support and management guidance, efficiently.
• Access to Telemedicine – Being able to access healthcare services digitally, consult with medical professionals quickly and receive diagnoses, support, and solutions remotely, is revolutionizing healthcare. This expediates the process of care, cuts costs, and allows people’s concerns to be considered, even rectified, efficiently. An organization’s investment in telehealth technology, has the potential to significantly increase employee well-being, performance, productivity, and ultimately a company’s bottom line.
• Wellness Integration into Corporate Culture – Benefiting both the employee and the employer, there is a fantastic trend focused on emphasizing prevention. Proactive solutions, encouraging employees to take an active role in their health, include offering health education, lifestyle coaching and exercise programs. These initiatives encourage employees to value self-care and make personal wellness a priority.
• Workplace Design and Ergonomics – With a growing insight into the impact of sedentary work, repetitive stress and poor posture, employers are needing to invest in preventing such health issues. From stand-up desks to ergonomic furniture and workplace design, employees are receiving the support required to avoid work-related, physical injuries and are turning their workstations into areas that can sustain them during office hours.
• Analytics and Personalized Healthcare – Big data and artificial intelligence are empowering OHS professionals with the means to examine and understand workplace hazards better, enabling better informed decision making. Recognizing trends and patterns, can influence preventative measures they can recommend and implement in the workplace.
• Wearable Tech Integration and Protection – From fitness trackers to smartwatches, this tech is revolutionizing how we monitor our health and wellness, and this carries over to the workplace. While OHS professionals can leverage these tools to better monitor and understand risks and concerns, they must also be keenly aware of the responsibility they will have to protect an employee’s privacy that will come along with this convenience.

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In addition to what you’ve learned within your occupational health and safety course, you’ll need to perpetually keep your finger on the pulse of industry trends and tech developments, to keep relevant and thrive in a career that’s ever evolving.

If you’re exploring your career options, you can always take our “Medical Professional Career Discovery Quiz”. But if you’re ready to launch into occupational health and safety training courses, led by industry experts dedicated to ensuring that you’re skilled and in demand upon graduation, do we have a program for you.

To kickstart your Occupation Health & Safety career, simply book a virtual appointment with one of our Admissions Advisors today!

Quick Links to Fuel Your Success!

We want to make sure you have what you need to succeed! Check out these reference links:

• Occupation Health & Safety program – Anderson College
• Top Skills for Success as an Occupational Health and Safety Professional – Anderson Blog
• Highlighting Occupational Health & Safety – Anderson Blog