Organizational Culture and Implications for Workplace Interventions to Reduce Sitting Time Among Office-Based Workers: A Systematic Review

Abstract

Background: Time spent in sedentary behaviors is an independent risk factor for several chronic diseases (e.g., cardiometabolic diseases, obesity, type 2 diabetes, and hypertension). Recently, interventions to reduce sitting time at work (a prominent sedentary behavior) have been developed and tested. Organizational culture plays a critical role in the success of workplace interventions. However, there are a limited number of studies that have examined the role of organizational culture in reducing sitting time in the workplace.Objectives: Therefore, in this systematic review, we summarized the empirical literature investigating organizational culture and sedentary behavior in the workplace and identify gaps in the knowledge base.Methods: We described the procedures of our systematic review and included two study flow diagrams that detailed the step by step process. Combinations of several search terms were used; the databases searched were PubMed, Medline, Academic Search Complete, and Google Scholar. We started with thousands of citations. After applying the inclusion and exclusion criteria, eight relevant articles were identified.Results: For each identified article, the data extracted included citation, sample, objective, intervention, assessment of organizational culture and workplace sitting, findings, and implications. Each article was rated for risk of bias by population, intervention, comparator, outcomes, and study design (PICOS) analysis. The classification for each study was either: high-, moderate-, or low-quality evidence. Given the paucity of data, no definitive conclusions were presented; however, positive trends were highlighted.Conclusions: Work place interventions to reduce sitting time at work may benefit from considering elements of organizational culture; however, the evidence to date is sparse and more high-quality studies in this area are needed. To advance the field of workplace health promotion, organizational culture, and interventions to reduce sitting at work, we present 11 recommendations.

Ping pong for health: the meaning of space in a sport based health intervention at the workplace

“…For the organization, the workplace as a lived space for sport may be a way to improve the social work environment, wellbeing, recruitment, and productivity. The intervention generated improvements in the culture of health in the organization through physical activity, more open social relations and on work-related learning, which is in line with previous research (Meacham Webb & Krick, 2017;Taylor et al, 2018).…”

“…The organizational culture can comprise/constitute a strong or weak culture of health (Taylor, Suminski, Das, Paxton, & Craig, 2018), which in turn affects the experience of the lived space (van Manen, 1997). Meacham Webb and Krick (2017) defined over twenty elements of a healthy culture that influence employee health and wellbeing.…”

Impact of Activity-Based Working and Height-Adjustable Desks on Physical Activity, Sedentary Behavior, and Space Utilization among Office Workers: A Natural Experiment

“…Although the ABW office with HAD might have potential to further reduce SB, the effect was smaller than the effect with only installation of HAD. To reduce SB greatly in an ABW office, combining organizational, educational, or behavioral approaches [27,28] should be considered. A previous study [7] has also confirmed an improvement in prolonged SB lasting for more than 30 min owing to the introduction of HAD.…”

Workshop Gesundheitsgefährdung durch langes Sitzen am Arbeitsplatz – Teil I wissenschaftliche Perspektiven

“…Generell fehlt bisher hochwertige Evidenz für die Wirksamkeit von betrieblichen Interventionen bezogen auf die Reduktion des sedentären Verhaltens und auf positive gesundheitsförderliche Effekte [34,36]. Obwohl Multikomponenten-Interventionsstrategien beschrieben sind, die auf verschiedenen Ebenen der Verhältnisund Verhaltensprävention ansetzen sind dabei Veränderung der Arbeits-und Organisationskultur nur selten beschrieben [37]. Eine ganzheitliche Verknüpfung von Maßnahmen zur Reduktion von sedentärem Verhalten am Arbeitsplatz mit Maßnahmen der Präven- ▶Abb.…”