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AIHA's content priorities are concepts or themes that impact the relevance and value of AIHA's content and the association in general. Identifying content priorities benefits occupational and environmental health and safety (OEHS) professionals because they are derived from trends and issues that are vital for the profession. They inform strategies for career success and lead to the development of content that helps OEHS professionals be more successful in their work.

AIHA's Content Portfolio Advisory Group (CPAG) and Foresight Alliance, an outside consultant, recently conducted an environmental scan on behalf of AIHA. An environmental scan collects information on an organization's internal and external environments with the purpose of identifying potential opportunities, threats, trends, and weaknesses. This environmental scan served as a "pulse check" to ensure the continued relevance of AIHA's four existing content priorities—big data and sensor technology, serving the changing workforce, communicating OEHS concepts, and Total Worker Health.

Foresight Alliance began by interviewing eight OEHS experts who represented the private sector, academia, and relevant associations. After the interviews, Foresight Alliance conducted the environmental scan. Through their research, they identified 76 trends related to the future of OEHS and clustered related trends into six broad areas:

1. evolving science
2. information flows
3. 21st century health
4. IH in an AI world
5. politics and society
6. workforce shifts

After evaluating the full trend inventory, Foresight Alliance and CPAG rated each trend by growth scale and relevance to the OEHS profession, respectively. The combined Foresight Alliance and CPAG member ratings helped determine the most significant trends and recommendations for future strategies and content priorities. CPAG and Foresight Alliance noted that artificial intelligence (AI) was the most pressing issue across several of the broad trend categories but was not fully contained by any of the existing content priorities. Aside from AI, however, Foresight Alliance and CPAG found that most of the identified trends were compatible with the existing content priorities.

Based on the results of the environmental scan, CPAG recommends that AIHA make changes to the titles and mission and vision statements of the existing content priorities.

For big data, AI, and sensor technologies, formerly known as big data and sensor technology, the mission statement shall be:

This priority focuses on helping OEHS professionals leverage cutting-edge technologies to collect and integrate data to inform risk assessment and management decisions and stay relevant in the face of transformative change.

The vision statements for this content priority shall be:

1. OEHS professionals are leveraging cutting-edge sensor technologies, AI tools, and data management functions to inform risk assessment and management decisions.
2. OEHS professionals understand and possess competencies in applying sensor technologies and big data analytics to provide integrated profiles of hazards and exposures.
3. OEHS professionals use software platforms that apply standardized data criteria and software tools to facilitate the transfer, analysis, and aggregation of data.
4. OEHS professionals adhere to the responsible and ethical use of sensor technologies, AI tools, and data software to protect data privacy and avoid negative outcomes, such as bias, discrimination, plagiarism, and false or misleading results.

For enhancing OEHS communication skills, formerly known as communicating OEHS concepts, the mission statement shall be:

This priority focuses on developing the interpersonal skills of OEHS professionals to effectively listen to, relate to, communicate with, educate, and collaborate with a diverse range of stakeholders to enhance the influence and value of the OEHS profession in a dynamic social-technological landscape.

The vision statements for this content priority shall be:

1. AIHA is a champion for generating awareness of and promoting the OEHS profession's value to the U.S. business sector, the general public, and prospective OEHS students.
2. AIHA equips OEHS professionals with the interpersonal skills needed to communicate effectively with stakeholders who have varying levels of understanding and perspectives.
3. AIHA develops guidance and tools to support OEHS professionals in communicating OEHS concepts to diverse audiences and communities with varying levels of understanding and perspectives.

For changing work dynamics, formerly known as serving the changing workforce, the mission statement shall be:

This priority focuses on educating OEHS professionals on the implications of changing work dynamics (that is, between workers, workplaces, working relationships, and new technologies or new work processes) and how the OEHS community can respond in ways that protect human health in the workplace and community.

The vision statements for this content priority shall be:

1. OEHS professionals have the skills and tools to identify and address the implications of a changing workforce, such as the wider age span, increased prevalence of chronic diseases, and increased diversity of workers, that can impact the implementation and effectiveness of OEHS programs and training.
2. OEHS professionals have the skills and tools to identify and address new and emerging challenges and risks arising from new and diverse workplaces, such as working from home or co-working spaces and flexible arrangements.
3. OEHS professionals have the skills and tools to identify and address the implications of exposure profiles driven by new trends in the relationships between workers and their work, such as multiple employers or contractors, gig work, and telecommuting.
4. OEHS professionals have the skills and tools to identify and address new technologies and industrial processes, such as nanotechnology, robotics, synthetic biology, and AI, that introduce hazards to the workplace, as well as external hazards that have impacts on the workplace, such as climate change and pandemics.

For Total Worker Health (TWH), the mission statement shall be:

This priority focuses on ensuring OEHS professionals are positioned to be leaders and valued participants in preventing harm and protecting and promoting worker well-being, including mental health. This priority also aims to ensure that OEHS professionals are recognized as preeminent experts in anticipating, recognizing, evaluating, controlling, and confirming control of exposures to environmental and physical agents and psychological stressors in the workplace, home, and community.

The vision statements for this content priority shall be:

1. OEHS professionals understand how occupational and non-occupational exposures combine or interact to affect worker well-being.
2. OEHS professionals use their skills and resources to identify and address stressors impacting worker well-being, including health and psychosocial hazards.
3. OEHS professionals are seen as leaders and valued partners who collaborate with other professionals, such as occupational nurses, doctors, and human resources professionals, on TWH initiatives.

Going forward, CPAG will assess new content proposals to ensure comprehensive coverage of emerging priority areas. This will ensure that AIHA members will have access to state-of-the-art products and services, positioning them to meet future changes and demands in their professions. A report detailing the environmental scan process will be featured in the September issue of The Synergist and on the CPAG webpage.