Introduction/framework/objectives

The concept itself is not exotic to Occupational Health and Safety professionals, nor does include very complex considerations that are not partially assimilated; however, not all of them will have delved into the subject, so the need arose to prepare a review that would address this.

Methodology

This is a Bibliographic Review, initiated through a survey carried out in January 2022, in the RCAAP database.

Contents

The concept of Ability to Work becomes increasingly relevant with the aging of the general population and the active population, due to the fact that retirement tends to be later, in most countries. The concept is broad, complex and multidimensional.

Work Capacity is a product of resources versus the physical, mental and social demands of work. It reflects how well an employee is doing now and in the near future; it is the perception that they have of their current productive capacity, comparing it with the best that ever existed.

Greater Work Capacity is associated with well-being, greater productivity and more quality of performance.

To quantify, there is the Work Capacity Index, translated and validated for Portugal.

Discussion and Conclusions

Once in possession of concrete data that modulate Work Capacity, the professionals of the Occupational Health and Safety Teams are more likely to enhance their actions, in order to obtain healthier and safer work environments, making employees more satisfied and productive, generating better performance and higher profits for the employer.

It would be interesting for some teams with ongoing projects on the subject to disclose the steps they have taken, so that the evidence produced helps professionals in this area.

        · abstract in Portuguese     · text in Portuguese     · Portuguese ( pdf )