Workplace intervention improves overall self-reported health and job satisfaction

A report by Bangor University highlights that providing employees with paid time to engage in physical activity is a viable method, viewed positively by employees, which leads to positive health outcome changes.

Moreover, if more support was invested into the initiative, it could potentially lead to wider benefits and sustainable behaviour change across a greater proportion of employees.

Adults spend a significant proportion of their lives being sedentary while working, be that in an office or at home. Being physically inactive can have large negative impacts on health, in the short- and long-term. Consequently, identifying ways of promoting physical activity and increasing employee activity levels is important. This can be achieved through introducing work time initiatives that provide opportunities and facilities for more active behaviour.

Public Health Wales, the national public health agency for Wales, opted to lead by example and introduce a new physical activity initiative called Time to Move (TTM), which aimed to improve the health and well-being of its employees. The 12-month initiative provided all employees with the opportunity to use one hour a week (pro-rata) of paid work time to engage in a physical activity of their choice (e.g. walking, running, yoga).

The initiative was evaluated over a 12-month period by the Public Health Collaborating Unit, School of Health Sciences, and involved questionnaires, collection of physical measures such as height, weight, blood pressure, and focus groups.

The new report ‘Evaluation of a pilot workplace physical activity initiative: Time to Move’’ shows TTM participants improved their overall health and well-being, and job satisfaction following 12-months of the initiative. Participants who were categorised in the low physical activity category, low self-reported health, low mental well-being and had low job satisfaction at baseline reported the greatest increases at post-initiative (12-months). This  means they engaged in more physical activity, felt healthier and happier, and were more satisfied with their job. No evidence was found for improvements in the body mass index, body fat percentage or blood pressure over the 12 months.

Catherine Sharp, who lead the research from the University’s School of Health Sciences explained:

“TTM was described by the focus group participants as a “brilliant idea” and provided “really good benefits for staff and their well-being”. The most prominent outcome attributed to TTM participation was improvement to their mental health and well-being with TTM providing them with an opportunity to de-stress. The main barriers were availability of facilities and in some services and roles, difficulties in taking the allowed time. Some focus group participants reflected that the initiate had increased workplace conversations about mental well-being which they perceived as beneficial to the working environment.”

(See Homepage story for link to report)

Publication date: 18 December 2020