Understanding occupational therapy in the workplace

What is an 'occupation'?

According to RCOT (2021), an occupation is any activity we need, want, or enjoy doing to support our physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual wellbeing. Occupations include:

• Self-care: washing, eating, sleeping
• Productive activities: work, study, caring for others, domestic tasks
• Leisure: sports, hobbies, socialising

Occupations are personal and vary by environment, interests, values, skills, and life stage. They change throughout our lives.

The role of the occupational therapist

Occupational therapists consider engagement in occupations as essential to people's lives, bringing meaning, purpose and structure.

They view people as occupational beings - intrinsically active and creative, with a desire to engage in a balanced range of meaningful occupations that support their health and wellbeing. These may include personal care, leisure pursuits and vocations.

Their goal is to support people to fulfil, or work towards fulfilling, their potential as occupational beings. They support individuals of all ages to overcome any barriers to their meaningful occupations.

Who occupational therapy supports

Occupational therapists commonly help people who are living with: 

• Injury
• Disability
• Physical or mental ill health
• Neurodivergence
• Learning disabilities

Where occupational therapists work

Occupational therapists work across a variety of settings, including: 

• Health organisations
• Social care services
• Housing
• Education
• Voluntary organisations
• Industry
• Prisons
• Private practice

This video by the College of Occupational Therapists at the University of Brighton offers further insight into the role of occupational therapists: How occupational therapy can help people. 

Occupational therapy in the workplace

'Occupational therapy was founded upon principles related to the benefits of work and supporting people with health conditions to gain or return to paid employment.' (RCOT 2019).

Work can be an essential occupation for many people, safeguarding their health and wellbeing. Therefore, occupational therapists support people to remain in, return to, or obtain work. Each person is different, so occupational therapists work in a client-centred way.

Occupational therapists have the expertise to enable people to work by:

• Providing detailed assessments of individual capacity and workplace requirements.
• Teaching strategies to manage ongoing conditions and related symptoms such as pain and fatigue.
• Delivering rehabilitation based on agreed goals with both the employee and employer.
• Advising on reasonable adjustments.

This may involve:

• Undertaking a detailed assessment of the person’s abilities and limitations and listening to their employment aspirations and challenges.
• Undertaking detailed analysis of the work requirements and work environment, including an ergonomic assessment.
• Agreeing work goals with the person.
• Educating and liaising with employers and colleagues as appropriate.
• Supporting the person to manage any ongoing condition(s) and related symptoms, including teaching adaptative techniques and strategies to overcome challenges that impact on work.
• Providing rehabilitation themselves, or referring to another healthcare professional, to address agreed goals and support the individual's ability to work.
• Advising on any recommended reasonable workplace adjustments.

Reasonable adjustments and occupational therapy 

Part of an occupational therapist’s role is to explore any reasonable adjustments that can be made to occupations, ensuring they are achievable for a person with limitations.  

This may involve supporting people to manage their health conditions and disabilities within the context of their living, work and social environments.  

Examples of how an occupational therapist can support reasonable work adjustments include:  

• Environmental adaptations - installing rails, ramps or adjustable workstations for employees with musculoskeletal limitations.
• Work‑pattern adjustments - pacing activities across the day and scheduling rest periods for individuals with fatigue who need to conserve energy.
• Education on ergonomics and task pacing - correct positioning, regular breaks and varied duties for individuals living with chronic pain.
• Self‑management strategies for ADHD - using assistive technology, structured routines, environmental modifications and guidance on seeking support from colleagues and employers.
• Empowerment to request changes - helping employees discuss their individual needs with an employer when managing conditions like endometriosis, such as regular breaks or modified workloads.
• Guidance for employers on legal responsibilities - assisting employers to implement reasonable adjustments in line with the Equality Act (2010) and the Disability Discrimination Act (Northern Ireland).
• Supporting occupational balance - helping individuals experiencing stress, anxiety or depression re-establish a healthy balance between work, rest and leisure.  

Good work for good health

The Royal College of Occupational Therapists' report, Good work for good health: the difference occupational therapy makes (RCOT 2019), is a useful starting point for both employees and employers. It offers guidance on how occupational therapists can help someone with a health condition who are struggling at work or are on sick leave and unsure about returning.

About the author

The pages in this section were written by occupational therapy expert Professor Nicola Spalding - view Nicola's biography.