Trusted research, with reach and impact
The Institute for Work & Health (IWH) is an independent, multidisciplinary, not-for-profit research organization located in Ontario, Canada. IWH conducts and mobilizes research that supports policy-makers, employers and workers in creating healthy, safe and inclusive work environments.
Latest news & findings
How job quality matters to workers’ health outcomes
Not all jobs are created equal. Some forms of employment are insecure and unrewarding. They leave
people vulnerable to stress, economic hardship and poor health. A new infographic pulls together findings from research at the Institute for Work & Health showing death rates increasing as job quality decreases. That's across different types of causes, from cancer, cardiovascular disease and unintended injuries, to drug poisoning, alcohol and suicide.
Announcing the 2026/2027 Syme award recipients
At the Institute for Work & Health, supporting the next generation of work and health researchers is a key part of its commitment to strengthen Ontario’s and Canada’s work and health research ecosystem. That’s why every year, the Institute is pleased to announce a new group of S. Leonard Syme Research Training Award recipients. The 2026/2027 Syme award recipients are: Kara Polson, Abbey Davis, Arka Roy and Liane Steiner.
How to make AI healthier and safer for workers
With organizations increasingly using artificial intelligence (AI) for work tasks, how can we make sure they don't pose safety risks to workers? IWH researchers provide guidance on how to ensure AI systems are healthy and safe for workers at seven points along an AI system's lifecycle.
Dorcas Beaton: How a passion for MSD outcome measures made a difference in the world of work and beyond
Sometimes, an IWH scientist’s work impacts go beyond the work and health field. That is the case for Dr. Dorcas Beaton, retired IWH senior scientist whose expertise developed through work and health research spread to the broader field of clinical health outcomes. Her career focused on the measurement of upper extremity musculoskeletal disorders (MDSs)—notably, the widely used DASH Outcome Measure—and the adoption of common outcomes in rheumatology treatment and research.
IWH Speaker Series
Learn directly from IWH researchers themselves about their latest findings in health, safety and disability prevention. Coming up next:
On mental health, remote work and shared accountability: Complex and evolving perspectives on workplace support and accommodation
Presented by Monique Gignac.
Date: Tuesday, September 29, 2026, 11:00AM EST
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Tools and guides
Integrate evidence-based policies and practices into your occupational health and safety, return-to-work and rehabilitation programs. IWH has created a number of tools and guides based on our research findings that can help improve program outcomes.
Impact case studies
Find out how IWH research is making a difference. Read our impact case studies, in which policy-makers, workplaces and other stakeholders in health, safety and disability prevention tell how IWH research helped improve their policies, programs and practices.
Research summaries
Whether it’s a policy briefing, a systematic review summary or the highlights of a specific research project, we’ve compiled a number of plain-language summaries to help you understand the research we’re doing, what we have found, and how we found it.