¹The National Research Center for Work Environment, København, Denmark
²University of Southern Denmark, Odense, Denmark
³Centre for Muscle and Joint Health, University of Southern Denmark, Odense, Denmark

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Introduction: The prevalence of musculoskeletal disorders (MSD) is high among the working population, causing sickness absence and early retirement. Many workplace interventions have been tested to prevent MSD, but often the long-term effects are uncertain, and the sustained effort beyond research projects is unclear. The study aimed to develop and test a sustainable intervention, GLAD@work, for preventing MSD in physically demanding jobs, based on existing clinical and workplace interventions.

Methods: We used the Exploration, Preparation, Implementation and Sustainment framework to develop the GLAD@work intervention. The development process consisted of:

1. A literature search,
2. Six stakeholder meetings and a co-creation workshop to identify effective interventions and implementation strategies,
3. An analysis of existing intervention material to identify the core elements; and
4. A qualitative case study at a construction worksite with fourteen participants over a five week period, pilot testing and evaluating the initial version of GLAD@work.

Semi-structured interviews about the acceptability of the intervention with the workers and a foreman and observational data were analyzed using thematic analysis.

Results: The development process led to the adaption of the clinical program (Good Life with Osteo-Arthritis in Denmark (GLA:D^®)) and identified three core elements of the GLAD@work intervention: providing education about MSD and pain to workers and managers; involving workers and managers in organizational action planning through participatory ergonomics; and using evidence-based physical exercises to reduce pain.

The case study identified three overall themes: knowledge of MSD and pain, intervention acceptability and intervention delivery. Workers’ understanding of MSD and pain is centered on biomedical beliefs. Acceptability was negatively affected by norms e.g. the workers found it challenging to talk about pain and their consequences; however, they thought the intervention was relevant. Physical exercises and small group discussions, including the participation of the foreman were positive strategies for intervention delivery.

Discussion: Education about MSD and pain for both workers and managers is crucial to change the existing biomedical beliefs. By improving knowledge, perspectives shift towards a more holistic and evidence-based view, leading to better management and prevention of MSD. Additionally, involving workers and managers in organizational action planning through participatory ergonomics ensures the intervention is contextually relevant and tailored to the specific needs of the workplace.

The case study showed a need for the GLAD@work intervention for workers in physically demanding work. When adapting an existing program, it is crucial to consider workplace context and culture, as well as effective delivery strategies, to enhance the acceptability of the intervention.

Conclusion: We have adapted an existing clinical program to a workplace context. At present, the developed GLAD@work intervention is the first standardized evidence-based workplace intervention for managing MSD. The next step is to evaluate the feasibility and effectiveness of the GLAD@work intervention.