Organizational and Individual Outcomes of Health Promotion Strategies—A Review of Empirical Research

Abstract

The main purpose of the paper is to identify the outcomes for employers and employees indicated in research related to workplace health promotion interventions (WHPIs). We investigated what methods are used and what types of organization this type of research is most often carried out in. In addition, the authors attempted to assess to what extent the methods used in the previous research prove the effectiveness of the implemented WHPIs. A systematic review of English-language papers (2000–2020) focused on types of health-promoting interventions in the workplace, and outcomes for employers and employees were conducted using the SCOPUS database (n = 260). As a result, 29 texts qualified for a final qualitative synthesis of the results. The analyses were most frequently conducted in small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) based on both quantitative and qualitative methods. In order to draw conclusions, analyses were made by classifying the research presented in the texts according to the type of intervention implemented, classifying the outcomes identified, and indicating the type of evaluation made by the researcher. The analysis showed that most of the outcomes presented refer to changes in the strategy and organizational culture, as well as the behavior of employees. In 18 studies, the indication of outcomes resulted directly from the evaluation outcomes. In other cases, the outcomes were identified by an evaluation of the process or structure of WHPI. The conducted analysis showed significant diversity in terms of the outcomes measured and the research methods used. The quasi-experimental methods, randomly controlled cluster trials, or cross-sectorial studies used in the study to confirm the effectiveness of WHPI were used only in every third study. In these studies, measurements were usually performed twice: at baseline and after intervention. The majority of studies confirmed that WHPIs led to a positive change in the healthy behavior of employees and effected an organizational change, and more rarely led to savings or a reduction in costs resulting from sickness absenteeism, presentism, turnover, etc., and return on investment (ROI). The article shows the need to conduct further research towards the development of guidelines for the evaluation of the effectiveness of implemented programs.

Occupational burnout and chronic fatigue in the work of academic teachers–moderating role of selected health behaviours

“…Lack of studies that include health behaviours in the area of the JD-R, and the growing need for the implementation of effective health-promotion programs [ 62 ] point out that health-promoting behaviours can play an important role in the health and motivation process. Health promoting programs are very varied and may take the form of behaviours aimed at maintaining or restoring one’s health (health-promoting behaviours) or behaviors which cause damage to one’s health now or in the future (health-impairing behaviours) [ 24 ].…”

The study protocol for the randomized controlled trial of the effects of a theory-based intervention on resilience, social capital, psychological wellbeing, and health-promoting lifestyle in healthcare workers

“…Similarly, the intervention group will be trained with thinking traps and recognizing their thoughts to improve self-regulation skills, in order to control their emotions, as well as speed skills to monitor their emotions. Although there is some diversity in terms of education duration and topics [55] the available evidence suggests that empowering employees in the field of resilience skills is one of the important components of health promotion programs [56]. The effectiveness of an educational program is also dependent upon the application of educational theories, which can support the ability of the material to change the behavior of the target population [57].…”

Guest editorial

“…Besides the definitions, a growing enthusiasm for using PPPs to improve organizations and health service delivery has been identified (Torchia et al , 2015; Littlejohns and Wilson, 2019; Deng, 2021). This spreading is justified by the fact that all organizations (public and private) involved in health management are looking for strategies to balance the increase in health costs and the relative decrease in funding (Basińska-Zych and Springer, 2021; Joudyian, et al , 2021).…”