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OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH LEADERSHIP COMPETENCY FRAMEWORK
Green1, J. Yarker1, N. Palmer1, L. Ogunyemi2
1Affinity Health, London, UK
2TOPHS, Nottingham, UK
Occupational health (OH) professionals are central to creating healthier, safer, and more productive working lives. As work and health needs evolve, leadership capability has become just as important as clinical and technical expertise. To support this, the Society of Occupational Medicine (SOM) has developed the Occupational Health Leadership Competency Framework, an aspirational, practical guide designed to strengthen leadership across the profession.
The framework responds to the global need to enhance OH’s impact on workforce health, productivity, and the reduction of health inequalities. It aligns with the aims of the SOM Leadership Academy to build leadership and management capability, develop future leaders, and promote diversity and inclusion throughout the profession.
Developed through an evidence‑informed process, the framework draws on a literature review, interviews with OH leaders across sectors, and expert consultation via the SOM Leadership Academy, ensuring relevance from local to global OH contexts.
It comprises four leadership domains:
- Leading Self: self‑awareness, integrity, resilience, and continuous development.
- Leading Practice and People: clinical excellence, communication, team leadership, mentoring, and change management.
- Leading the Organisation: strategic vision, business acumen, organisational influence, and system leadership.
- Leading the Profession: external leadership, strategic partnerships, advocacy, and developing future leaders.
Each domain includes behavioural indicators to support reflection and development, complementing existing professional standards.
Overall, the SOM Leadership Competency Framework represents a significant step in OH workforce development. By embedding leadership capability across personal, organisational, and educational settings, it aims to strengthen service quality, sustainability, and OH’s influence on workforce health and productivity worldwide.
