Does Job Rotation Lead to Changes in Physical Exposure and Health? A Systematic Review of Studies Reporting Objective
Jennie A Jackson1, Svend Erik Mathiassen1, Alexis Descatha2,3,4
1Department of Occupational Health, Psychology and Sports Sciences, University of Gävle, Gävle, Sweden.
IISE Transactions on Occupational Ergonomics and Human Factors
|December 12, 2025
Summary
Job rotation interventions are recommended for injury prevention, but evidence of their effectiveness is limited. Future research needs better study designs and metrics to assess job rotation
Area of Science:
- Occupational Health
- Ergonomics
- Workplace Safety
Background:
- Job rotation is a widely recommended intervention for preventing workplace injuries and promoting employee health.
- Current evidence on job rotation's effectiveness is insufficient due to limitations in study design and exposure assessment.
- There is a need for improved research methodologies to accurately evaluate job rotation's impact.
Purpose of the Study:
- To highlight the limitations in existing research on job rotation interventions.
- To propose recommendations for future study designs and exposure assessment metrics.
- To guide the generation of robust data for evidence synthesis on job rotation.
Main Methods:
- This study reviews existing literature on job rotation interventions.
- It identifies limitations in previous research methodologies, particularly in study design and physical exposure assessment.
- Recommendations are proposed for collaborative research between academia and industry.
Main Results:
- Existing studies on job rotation lack sufficient rigor to confirm its effectiveness.
- Current physical exposure assessment metrics are inadequate for evaluating job rotation's full impact.
- A significant gap exists in understanding the relationship between job rotation, exposure variation, and health outcomes.
Conclusions:
- Job rotation's effectiveness in injury prevention and health promotion requires further investigation with improved research methods.
- Future studies should focus on assessing the impact of job rotation across its entire cycle using relevant metrics.
- Collaboration and standardized assessment are crucial for generating reliable evidence on job rotation interventions.
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