Fostering workplace health and well-being

On March 27, 2025, PATH, in collaboration with the National Institute of Occupational and Environmental Health (NIOEH), reflected on key achievements, shared best practices, and discussed sustainable strategies to advance safety and health promotion in workplaces in Vietnam at the dissemination workshop of the Wellness4All Project funded by Amazon.

The event brought together representatives from Ministry of Health, NIOEH, Amazon, PATH and three participating garment factories: Dap Cau Garment Corporation Joint Stock Company (Bac Ninh Province), Bac Giang LNG Garment Corporation Joint Stock Company (Bac Giang Province), and Great Global International Company Limited (Ninh Binh Province).

The project aims to enhance physical and mental health care for workers while improving occupational safety and health compliance and working conditions in factories.

In collaboration with NIOEH, PATH strengthened the capacity of factory managers and health workers to provide better support on workplace health issues. The project also raised workers' awareness of occupational safety and diseases, mental health, and common illnesses, ultimately contributing to a safer work environment, improved well-being, and increased productivity.

After over a year of implementation, the project has delivered encouraging results. In addition to direct interventions, significant progress has been made in developing resources and platforms to sustain impact:

• 2 training packages have been developed to support ongoing capacity-building activities for health workers and factory managers.
• A landing page with 6 e-learning topics for workers has been completed. The website is now more user-friendly, with expanded content to improve access to health information and ensure long-term usability beyond the project's initial phase.

These efforts complement the project’s direct impact:

• 4,529 employees completed e-learning sessions via the project website or through in-factory radio broadcasts. 62% of workers felt confident in applying their knowledge to improve personal and family health care.
• 42 health workers and managers received training in “Health counseling” and “Mental health support & Motivational counseling”. Participants reported actively applying their newly acquired knowledge and skills to support workers more effectively.
• 20 managers attended the occupational safety and health (OSH) refresher workshop to stay updated on the latest OSH regulations and policies.
• 2,265 employees underwent occupational disease screenings, with 80% expressing satisfaction or high satisfaction.

"I've observed that the labor shortage issue in early 2025 has been somewhat alleviated. This is partly thanks to management’s improved support for mental health, responsiveness to employee concerns and aspirations, and better working conditions. These changes have helped workers feel more secure and engaged in their roles," said a Foreman at Dap Cau Garment Company.

"We have seen significant positive changes at the factories, including shifts in the awareness and attitudes of both workers and management towards OSH, as well as improvements in the working environment, all of which have contributed to higher productivity” shared Dr. Le Thi Thu Hien, PATH's Director of Primary Health Care in Vietnam. “This initiative not only strengthens workplace safety, health and well-being but also reaffirms our unwavering commitment to building healthier, more resilient workplaces where every worker can thrive."

Confident in the results achieved and the initiative’s potential for sustainable growth, Dr. Nguyen Dinh Trung, Head of the Occupational Health Department at the National Institute of Occupational and Environmental Health (NIOEH), shared: "From the very beginning of the project, NIOEH has been committed to working alongside PATH to ensure successful implementation and sustain best practices. Looking ahead, we aim to expand these initiatives to more factories across Vietnam, improving workplace health and safety systems and driving positive changes for both the physical and mental well-being of workers.”