Employers’ views on the promotion of workplace health and wellbeing: a qualitative study

Abstract

BackgroundThe evidence surrounding the value of workplace health promotion in positively influencing employees’ health and wellbeing via changes to their health behaviours is growing. The aim of the study was to explore employers’ views on the promotion of workplace health and wellbeing and the factors affecting these views.MethodsUsing a qualitative phenomenological approach, 10 focus groups were conducted with employers selected from a range of industries and geographical locations within Western Australia. The total sample size was 79.ResultsThree factors were identified: employers’ conceptualization of workplace health and wellbeing; employers’ descriptions of (un)healthy workers and perceptions surrounding the importance of healthy workers; and employers’ beliefs around the role the workplace should play in influencing health.ConclusionsProgress may be viable in promoting health and wellbeing if a multifaceted approach is employed taking into account the complex factors influencing employers’ views. This could include an education campaign providing information about what constitutes health and wellbeing beyond the scope of occupational health and safety paradigms along with information on the benefits of workplace health and wellbeing aligned with perceptions relating to healthy and unhealthy workers.

Healthy lifestyle behavior of employees in small and medium-sized enterprises in Aydin, Turkey

“…In addition, health messages appropriate for special conditions of workplaces can be given 4. A healthy workplace and acquisition of a healthy lifestyle are the first prerequisite 8. At a workplace where a common policy for social support and healthy lifestyle has been adopted, employees with chronic diseases do not experience any difficulty 9.…”

Understanding the Challenges Facing Occupational Health Services in the Swedish Public Sector

“…Therefore, when HR defines, procures, and utilizes services from the OHS provider, there is a risk that the focus is on promoting the health of individuals. Even if this is not the intention, it is obvious that work place health promotion seems to be a separate health approach, that is, separate and not integrated with OHSM within the organization (Allender et al, 2006;Pescud et al, 2015;Leitão & Greiner, 2017). Instead of being a complement to OHSM, this workplace health promotion has broadly taken over the orientation of OHS providers.…”

Redefining Well-Being in Nations and Organizations

“…I'm dealing with a lot of people with mental health and stress issues at the moment.' Female manager quoted in Pescud et al (2015).…”

“…Healthy workers could also be recognized by their high productivity, their collegiality, their use of safe work practices, their healthy physical appearance, their ability to maintain a work-life balance, and their health consciousness (for example, maintaining a healthy diet and sleeping enough) ' Pescud et al (2015). Unhealthy workers were described as 'being stressed, having a negative attitude, lacking self-respect, and [being] visibly unhappy, experiencing significantly reduced productivity, lacking vitality and fitness, being unpleasant company, not having a supportive network, regularly making poor food choices, and being reliant on stimulants (for example, caffeine or cigarettes) and other drugs ' Pescud et al (2015).…”

“…Having been in a position of being an unwell boss, I've known how grumpy and glum and cranky and irritable I can be. (Female employer quoted by Pescud et al 2015) Employers were wary of interfering with their employees' personal lives (citing 'nanny state'), especially outside work, and cited examples of unused gyms or other facilities.…”