Belonging

“A deep sense of love and belonging is an irreducible need of all people. We are biologically, cognitively, physically, and spiritually wired to love, to be loved, and to belong”. Brené Brown

In 2019, Boston University’s Dean Kenn Elmore arranged for all students participating in the 2019 orientation sessions to receive the book Belong (Workman Publishing Co., Inc., 2018). Radha Agrawal, the author of the book, defines belonging as “a feeling of deep relatedness and acceptance; a feeling of ‘I would rather be here than anywhere else”’ (p. 17). Agrawal’s goal with writing this book was “ ...  to give [us] ...  the blueprint to build and nurture [our] own community from scratch, so [we] find happiness, fulfillment, and success” (p. 15). I highly recommend reading this book which is “ ...  split into two parts: Going IN, which focuses on the development of your inner self through a discussion of self-awareness, intention, and energy, and Going OUT, which focuses on finding the right community for you” (https://www.bu.edu/dos/2019/06/25/belong-orientation-2019-book/). Through the chapters, the reader learns how “ ...  to create a world ...  in which you feel a deep sense of belonging”.

It is 33 years since WORK began. Over this time, our team with the support of IOS Press, the publisher of the journal, has intentionally tried to create a space where authors, reviewers, and the Editorial Board feel a sense of belonging. I thought you would enjoy seeing a photo of our team, which was taken when Axana was visiting Boston.

Left to right: Axana, Karen & Lindsey

This issue of WORK contains 30 papers including five that are related to COVID-19. The Editor’s Choice paper is Impact of climate change on occupational health and safety: A review of methodological approaches authored by Ferrari, Leal, de Souza, and Galdamez. I suggest that most of you would agree that climate change is having an impact globally on occupational health and safety among other aspects of daily life. I challenge you to become more knowledgeable about this topic by reading this review paper.

We have four Learn at WORK webinars scheduled for 2023 and more are being planned. I hope you will join us for these interesting webinars of papers published in WORK. Here is the schedule:

Monday, January 30, 2023 from 1pm-2pm EST will be the Learn at WORK webinar on Mindfulness as a tool for reducing stress in healthcare profession: An umbrella review. This is the Editor’s Choice paper published in WORK authored by WORK Editorial Board member Dr. Prof. Giuseppe La Torre. Registration: https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/4302229996494667536

Wednesday, February 15, 2023, from 1pm-2pm EST will be the Learn at WORK webinar on Further psychometric evaluation of the Structured Multidisciplinary Work Evaluation Tool (SMET) questionnaire: Practical implications in healthcare settings. Drs. Haraldsson, Rolander, Jonker, Strengbom and Josefsson will present their paper. Registration: https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/8889339731234872589

Wednesday, March 22, 2023 from 1pm-2pm EST will be the Learn at WORK webinar presented by Kimberly Wickert on A “win win” perspective on workplace accommodations: RETAIN Kentucky’s self-advocacy guide to promote successful return to work and stay at work outcomes for workers with disabilities. Registration: https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/6782315912236171534

Tuesday, April 25, 2023 from 1pm-2pm EST will be the Learn at WORK webinar on Emerging vocational rehabilitation strategies for people with diabetes mellitus which is part of the Return to Work Corner series. The paper was authored by Rumrill, Jr., Lee, Minton, Bishop, Koch and Pittman.

Registration: https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/1365909428917483872

As always, I welcome hearing from you.

All my best,

Founding Editor, WORK

Occupational therapist & ergonomist

workjournal.org

blogs.bu.edu/kjacobs/