TABLE 1—

Examples of Well-Being in Research, Guidance, and Regulation

References (Year)	Use	Conception or Definition of Well-Being	Focus or Methods	Metrics or Indicators
Research
Harter et al.38	Relationship to business outcomes	“We see well-being as a broad category that encompasses a number of workplace factors. Within the overall category of well-being we discuss a hypothesized model that employee engagement (a combination of cognitive and emotional antecedent variables in the workplace) generates higher frequency of positive affect (job satisfaction, commitment, joy, fulfillment, interest, caring). Positive affect then relates to the efficient application of work, employee retention, creativity, and ultimately business outcomes.”(p2-3)	Meta-analysis of 36 companies involving 198 514 respondents	Employee engagement linked business outcomes
Chida and Steptoe50	Relationship to mortality	“Positive psychological well-being encompasses positive affect and related trait-like constructs or dispositions, such as optimism. . . . Positive affect can be defined as a state of pleasurable engagement with the environment eliciting feelings, such as happiness, joy, excitement, enthusiasm, and contentment.”(p741)	Systematic review of prospective cohort studies to determine link between well-being and mortality	35 studies, hazard ratio = 0.82; 95% confidence interval = 0.76, 0.89
Huppert et al.121	European Social Survey	“Well-being is a complex construct.”(p303) It is “people’s perceived quality of life, which we refer to as their ‘well-being.’”(p302)	Well-being module and questionnaire	54 items, divided into 2 sections, corresponding to personal and interpersonal dimensions of well-being; each of these is further subdivided into feeling (being) and functioning (doing)
Guidance or practice
Delwart et al.122	Well-being in the workplace guide		Identify best practices related to well-being in the workplace	Key performance indicators
Schill and Choosewood123	Guidance for Total Worker Health	“Total Worker HealthTM is a strategy integrating occupational safety and health protection with health promotion to prevent worker injury and illness and to advance health and well-being.”(pS8) “Promoting optimal well-being is a multifaceted endeavor that includes employee engagement and support for the development of healthier behaviors, such as improved nutrition, tobacco use/cessation, increased physical activity, and improved work/life balance.”(pS9)	Guidance on how to integrate health protection and promotion	Various score cards
Canadian Standards Association124	Mental well-being guidelines	Psychological health and safety in the workplace	Developing an action plan for implementing the mental health and well-being strategy	Integrated approach
Burton125	WHO model for healthy workplace	“WHO’s definition of health is: ‘A state of complete physical, mental and social well-being, and not merely the absence of disease.’ In line with this, the definition of a healthy workplace . . . is as follows: A healthy workplace is one in which workers and managers collaborate to use a continual improvement process to protect and promote the health, safety, and well-being of all workers and the sustainability of the workplace.”(p90)	Framework for health protection and promotion	Continuous improvement method
Regulation or policy
Pot et al.116	WEBA (conditions of well-being at work policy)	Operational well-being in terms of organization of work and ergonomics	How to measure individual well-being	3 value levels for 7 questions
East Riding of Yorkshire Council126	Psychological well-being at work policy	The mental health as well as the physical health, safety, and welfare of employees	Stress assessment (relating to work pressures) tool to develop action plan	Likert-like scoring
				Risk scoring
Ministry of Social Affairs and Health127	Well-being at work policies	“Health, safety and well-being are important common values, which are put into practice in every workplace and for every employee. The activities of a workplace are guided by a common idea of good work and a good workplace. Good work means a fair treatment of employees, adoption of common values as well as mutual trust, genuine cooperation and equality in the workplace. A good workplace is productive and profitable.”(p4)	Policies to specify a ministerial strategy	Extend work 3 y
		“From the perspective of the work environment, a good workplace is a healthy, safe and pleasant place. Good management and leadership, meaningful and interesting tasks, and a successful reconciliation of work and private life are also characteristics of a good workplace.”(p4)		Reduce workplace accidents 25%
				Reduce psychic strain 20%
				Reduce physical strain 20%

Note. WEBA = conditions of well-being at work; WHO = World Health Organization.