Empirical Work on Workforce Participation in Workplace Health Promotion Programs in Indian Corporate Sector

The present study tries to investigate and analyze the key determinants that influence an employee’s intention regarding participation in Worksite Health Promotion programs in Indian Corporate Sector. The study also tries to find out the applicability and validity of theory of planned behavior (Ajzen, 1991) in explaining the behavior of employees in terms of participation in Worksite health promotion programs in the Indian Corporate Sector. The study adopts the primary survey to collect the responses of 256 sample respondents collected through online questionnaire survey from Indian industries. After assessing the reliability of the variables followed by variable extraction using principle component analysis, the responses are analyzed using ordinary least square method. The findings of the study suggest that three factors such as environment at workplace, influence of peers and personal beliefs play a significant role in affecting the employee’s participation in workplace health programs.

Adjudicating Traditional Wellness

There is no consensus definition for “traditional wellness” but in worksite health promotion, it usually means the wellness program is a health assessment and/or health screening offering followed by some educational programs, usually in the physical health domain. Using the term traditional wellness may belie an unawareness about or lack of appreciation for the quality improvement principles that are as applicable to the health of a profession as they are to the growth of an organization. This editorial examines how the use of the term traditional wellness is a reflection on our professional zeitgeist. Five ideas that attempt to explain misunderstandings about differing approaches to worksite health promotion are offered along with 5 ways we may be able to make peace with traditional wellness.

Prevalence of Workplace Health Practices and Policies in Hospitals: Results From the Workplace Health in America Study

Purpose: To provide a nationally representative description on the prevalences of policies, practices, programs, and supports relating to worksite wellness in US hospitals. Design: Cross-sectional, self-report of hospitals participating in Workplace Health in America (WHA) survey from November 2016 through September 2017. Setting: Hospitals across the United States. Participants: Random sample of 338 eligible hospitals participating in the WHA survey. Measures: We used previous items from the 2004 National Worksite Health Promotion survey. Key measures included presence of Worksite Health Promotion programs, evidence-based strategies, health screenings, disease management programs, incentives, work-life policies, barriers to health promotion program implementation, and occupational safety and health. Analysis: Independent variables included hospital characteristics (eg, size). Dependent characteristics included worksite health promotion components. Descriptive statistics and χ2 analyses were used. Results: Eighty-two percent of hospitals offered a wellness programs during the previous year with larger hospitals more likely than smaller hospitals to offer programs ( P < .01). Among hospitals with wellness programs, 69% offered nutrition programs, 74% offered physical activity (PA) programs, and 84% had a policy to restrict all tobacco use. Among those with cafeterias or vending machines, 40% had a policy for healthier foods. Only 47% and 25% of hospitals offered lactation support or healthy sleep programs, respectively. Conclusion: Most hospitals offer wellness programs. However, there remain hospitals that do not offer wellness programs. Among those that have wellness programs, most offer supports for nutrition, PA, and tobacco control. Few hospitals offered programs on healthy sleep or lactation support.