A qualitative study of facilitators and barriers to implementing worksite policies that support physical activity

Abstract

BackgroundPhysical inactivity is associated with several chronic diseases that are costly to society, employers, and individuals. Workplaces are a common location for physical activity (PA) initiatives because of the amount of time individuals who are employed full time spend at work. This research examined a statewide worksite wellness program, the Healthiest Maryland Businesses (HMB) program, to fill an important gap regarding the facilitators for and barriers to implementing workplace policies that support PA.MethodsIndividual telephone interviews were conducted in December 2015 with six HMB Coordinators and their supervisor, and from August through October 2016 with a purposeful sample of 15 businesses of various sizes from across Maryland, to learn about the role of leadership, and successes and challenges of implementing PA programs and policies. The sample of businesses was intentionally selected to capture perspectives from a range of businesses. Interviews were recorded and professionally transcribed. Descriptive coding was used to identify dominant themes that addressed the study aims and research questions.ResultsPA was not described as a priority for several large and small businesses. To garner more support for PA, interviewees emphasized associating PA initiatives with measures the businesses care about, such as health care costs from claims data. Small businesses also described having a need for PA programming yet reported having significant resource constraints. There was a strong interest in developing guidance for implementing PA break policies, which was mentioned as a critical support for workplace PA promotion. More commitment and investment of resources from leadership, and an engaged wellness committee with company representation at all levels and roles, were identified as vital for impactful programs.ConclusionsMost businesses are implementing PA programs with limited policy supports, which was mentioned as a barrier. Successful implementation of workplace wellness programs broadly, and PA initiatives specifically, are achievable through leadership buy-in, employee input, and policy supports, along with highlighting the economic benefits for businesses.

Implementation strategies, and barriers and facilitators for implementation of physical activity at work: a scoping review

“…Further, in concordance with other workplace-based health programs, which have shown that various incentives (e.g., gifts and gift vouchers) improve participation and intervention adherence [16], we found that offering financial incentives increases uptake. Also in line with our results, several other studies stress the importance of leadership support, a collective sense of ownership, allowing employees to take part in the development, a supportive workplace culture, and focus on economic advantages, when implementing health promoting interventions [16, 20, 50, 54]. Identifying which engagement and recruitment strategies are most effective for different groups of workers would be beneficial.…”

“…Nearly all the included studies exclusively examined company employees’ perspectives on barriers and facilitators for implementation of workplace-based PA. Since successful implementation processes of health promoting interventions seem to rely on leadership support and a collective contribution [16, 20, 54], research of factors influencing other stakeholders, e.g., management or intervention deliverers could add to the understanding of success or failure of implementation efforts.…”

“…As an example, the mean level of regular adherence was 61% across nine RCTs conducted in Denmark, ranging from 31% to 86% [17]. Baily et al systematically reviewed barriers and facilitators for implementation of workplace physical activity policies and found that not having a clear company policy on workplace PA is a vital barrier for implementation [20]. Other researchers have suggested that the suboptimal results of implementation of general health enhancing interventions could be due to limited use of a theoretical foundation to underpin such interventions [21, 22].…”

Promoting Staff and Physician Well-Being With a Single-Day Event: Event Satisfaction and Perceived Well-Being Benefits of an Addiction and Mental Health Sports Day

“…Investing in ABEs, such as a Sports Day, can provide a means to promote a more positive workplace culture that values improving mental, physical, and social well-being for staff. There are of course challenges with implementing ABEs, which can include resource constraints, low implementation priority, and a lack of policy or leadership in promoting physical activity (Bailey, Coller, & Porter, 2018). As such, organizational leadership will need to overcome these barriers to successfully create organizational change toward wellness in the workplace.…”

Physical activity programmes in the workplace and the role of organisational culture: A systematic review of current evidence

“…According to five studies (Bailey et al, 2018;Gutermuth et al, 2018;Pronk, 2009;Pronk & Kottke, 2009;Veitch et al, 1999) and one grey literature report (British Safety Council, 2018), employers were more likely to commit to programmes if there was an evidence-base that supported the concept and linked PA engagement to employee health, productivity, reduced absenteeism and company ROI. This implies that said employers are located in workplaces that do not have an OC that actively prioritises or buys into employee health and PA, and thus will not organically engage in cultural change towards it unless presented with supportive evidence that demonstrates the benefits.…”