Work stress imposes a high cost on individual health and well-being as well as on organisational productivity. As organisations and businesses today are facing challenges in their efforts to perform effectively, the high price of a poor fit between people and their work environments is increasingly recognized. In the area of human resource management, there is increasing agreement that in order to be successful, organisations need to focus on their human capital for unique competitive advantage. The shift toward positive psychology represents a framework to understand how to enhance work engagement, motivation and job performance, thus increasing employee health and well-being and ultimately building more effective organisations.

The course will prepare students to critically assess or advise on work organization and health-promotion programs that will protect the individual from stress and enhance organisational performance.