A participatory physical and psychosocial intervention for balancing the demands and resources among industrial workers (PIPPI): study protocol of a cluster-randomized controlled trial.

Nidhi Gupta,Karina Nielsen,Louise Nøhr Henriksen,Andreas Holtermann,Christian Dyrlund Wåhlin-Jacobsen,Johan Simonsen Abildgaard

doi:10.1186/s12889-015-1621-9

Abstract

BackgroundNeed for recovery and work ability are strongly associated with high employee turnover, well-being and sickness absence. However, scientific knowledge on effective interventions to improve work ability and decrease need for recovery is scarce. Thus, the present study aims to describe the background, design and protocol of a cluster randomized controlled trial evaluating the effectiveness of an intervention to reduce need for recovery and improve work ability among industrial workers.Methods/DesignA two-year cluster randomized controlled design will be utilized, in which controls will also receive the intervention in year two. More than 400 workers from three companies in Denmark will be aimed to be cluster randomized into intervention and control groups with at least 200 workers (at least 9 work teams) in each group. An organizational resources audit and subsequent action planning workshop will be carried out to map the existing resources and act upon initiatives not functioning as intended. Workshops will be conducted to train leaders and health and safety representatives in supporting and facilitating the intervention activities. Group and individual level participatory visual mapping sessions will be carried out allowing team members to discuss current physical and psychosocial work demands and resources, and develop action plans to minimize strain and if possible, optimize the resources. At all levels, the intervention will be integrated into the existing organization of work schedules. An extensive process and effect evaluation on need for recovery and work ability will be carried out via questionnaires, observations, interviews and organizational data assessed at several time points throughout the intervention period.DiscussionThis study primarily aims to develop, implement and evaluate an intervention based on the abovementioned features which may improve the work environment, available resources and health of industrial workers, and hence their need for recovery and work ability.

Highlights

Need for recovery and work ability are strongly associated with high employee turnover, well-being and sickness absence
This study primarily aims to develop, implement and evaluate an intervention based on the abovementioned features which may improve the work environment, available resources and health of industrial workers, and their need for recovery and work ability
This paper has presented the design and protocol of a cluster randomized controlled trial aiming to reduce the need for recovery and improve the work ability of industrial workers via balancing their work demands and resources

Summary

Introduction

Need for recovery and work ability are strongly associated with high employee turnover, well-being and sickness absence. The present study aims to describe the background, design and protocol of a cluster randomized controlled trial evaluating the effectiveness of an intervention to reduce need for recovery and improve work ability among industrial workers. Empirical studies have shown that an elevated need for recovery is a predictor of high employee turnover [5], impaired well-being [6], sickness absence [5], psychosomatic [7], sleep and emotional complaints among workers [8]. A high need for recovery after work might be a useful indication for the need to initiate preventive interventions and aim to achieve a personal psycho-physiological homeostatic balance [9]

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