The role of workplace health promotion in addressing job stress

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to address a missing link between top management and employees when it comes to understanding how to successfully implement and embed workplace health promotion (WHP) as a strategy within organizations: the role of the middle managers. Design/methodology/approach A conceptual framework based on review of theory is applied within an empirical multi-case study that is part of a health intervention research project on increased physical activity among office workers. The study involves six Danish organizations. Findings Middle managers play a key role in successful implementation of WHP, but feel uncertain about their role, especially when it comes to engaging with their employees. Uncertainty about their role appears to make middle managers reluctant to take action on WHP and leave further action to top management instead. Research limitations/implications Limitations included the middle managers’ low attendance at the half-day seminar on strategic health (50 percent attendance), the fact that they were all office workers and they were all from Denmark. Practical implications Middle managers ask for more knowledge and skills if they are to work with WHP in daily business. Social implications Implementing and embedding WHP as a health strategy raises ethical issues of interfering with employees’ health, is seen as the employee’s personal responsibility. Originality/value This study adds to knowledge of the difficulties of implementing and embedding WHP activities in the workplace and suggests an explicit and detailed research design.

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Role of Trade Unions in Workplace Health Promotion

International Journal of Health Services ◽

10.2190/5x81-4gkn-t905-4ett ◽

2002 ◽

Vol 32 (1) ◽

pp. 179-193 ◽

Cited By ~ 18

Author(s):

Mauri Johansson ◽

Timo Partanen

Keyword(s):

Health Promotion ◽

Trade Unions ◽

Workplace Health Promotion ◽

Workplace Health

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Truckies and the Australian transport industry: Managers’ perspectives about enablers and inhibitors to workplace health promotion

Work ◽

10.3233/wor-203365 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 1-9

Author(s):

Marguerite C. Sendall ◽

Alison Brodie ◽

Laura K. McCosker ◽

Phil Crane ◽

Marylou Fleming ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Health Promotion ◽

Action Research ◽

Participatory Action Research ◽

Workplace Health Promotion ◽

Road Transport ◽

Successful Implementation ◽

Workplace Health ◽

Participatory Action ◽

Transport Industry ◽

Health Promotion Interventions

BACKGROUND: There is little published research about managers’ views on implementing and embedding workplace health promotion interventions. OBJECTIVE: To shed light on research-to-practice challenges in implementing workplace health promotion interventions in the Australian road transport industry. METHODS: In this Participatory Action Research project, managers from small-to-midsized companies in the Australian road transport industry were asked their views about enablers and barriers to implementing nutrition and physical activity interventions in their workplace. RESULTS: Managers identified practical assistance with resources, ideas, and staffing as being key enablers to implementation. Barriers included time restraints, worker age and lack of interest, and workplace issues relating to costs and resources. CONCLUSION: Manager perspectives add new insights about successful implementation of workplace health promotion. A Participatory Action Research approach allows managers to develop their own ideas for adapting interventions to suit their workplace. These findings add to a small body of knowledge of managers’ views about implementing workplace health promotion in small-to-midsized road transport companies - a relatively unexplored group. Managers highlight the importance of time constraints and worker availability when designing interventions for the road transport industry. Managers require a good understanding of the workplaces’ socio-cultural context for successful health promotion and health behaviour change.

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