Health as a factor for success in business
Health as the basis for productivity and innovation: Students enrolled in the Master's programme in Health Sciences and Management at the Faculty of Life Sciences at Rhine-Waal University of Applied Sciences gained comprehensive insights into current trends and innovations in occupational safety, health promotion and occupational health management (OHM) at the A+A trade fair in Düsseldorf.
A systematically structured occupational health management system is considered a key success factor for companies. Healthy, motivated and productive employees are crucial for satisfaction, creativity and long-term corporate success. As future designers of such structures, the students visited the trade fair – the world's largest trade fair for occupational health and safety and occupational health management.
In specialist presentations, they gained exciting insights into current topics such as lack of exercise, poor posture and digital stress at computer workstations. Experts presented strategies on how companies can sustainably reduce stress on their employees through targeted exercise promotion, ergonomic workplace design and preventive measures.
A particular highlight was the visit to Exopark, where students were able to test various exoskeletons from research and industry. These body-worn assistance systems provide support during physically demanding activities and help prevent musculoskeletal disorders – one of the most common causes of absenteeism in Germany.
‘Visiting the trade fair gave our students a valuable opportunity to combine theoretical knowledge from their studies with practical experience and to experience current developments in the world of work at first hand,’ emphasised Prof. Dr. Robert Renner, Professor of Health Promotion and Nutrition and Director of the Master's programme. The excursion was accompanied by Heike Holtappel, research assistant at the Faculty of Life Sciences.