Evaluation of a policy intervention to promote the health and wellbeing of workers in small and medium sized enterprises \u2013 a cluster randomised controlled trial

doi:10.1186/s12889-019-6582-y

Abstract

BackgroundGood employee health and wellbeing is of key importance to employers and the economy. The workplace can serve as a setting for health and wellbeing promotion. Financial incentives may encourage employers to invest in employee health and wellbeing. The aim is to evaluate the effectiveness of health and wellbeing financial incentives offered to small medium enterprises in the West Midlands, UK.MethodsA cluster randomised controlled trial was designed to evaluate the effectiveness of a workplace health and wellbeing initiative with or without monetary incentives. We will evaluate the effectiveness of the financial incentive using a mixed methods evaluation approach.DiscussionThe trial will help establish whether small-medium enterprises will improve their health and wellbeing offer and achieve higher employee awareness and participation in the offer in response to a monetary wellbeing incentive.Trial registrationAEARCTR-0003420, registration date: 17.10.2018, retrospectively registered.

Highlights

Good employee health and wellbeing is of key importance to employers and the economy
This study provides a unique opportunity to build the evidence for incentives to improve employee health and might help in identifying the financial ‘tipping point’ for employers to engage in improving the health and wellbeing of their employees
Eligibility criteria small and medium size enterprises (SMEs) (10–250 employees) that are located in the West Midlands Combined Authority footprint; receptive to implementing health and wellbeing behavior changes within workplaces; willing and able to provide organizational level data; willing and able to allow employees time to complete questionnaires and to allow senior executives to be interviewed

Summary

Introduction

Good employee health and wellbeing is of key importance to employers and the economy. Financial incentives may encourage employers to invest in employee health and wellbeing. The aim is to evaluate the effectiveness of health and wellbeing financial incentives offered to small medium enterprises in the West Midlands, UK. Methods: A cluster randomised controlled trial was designed to evaluate the effectiveness of a workplace health and wellbeing initiative with or without monetary incentives. Discussion: The trial will help establish whether small-medium enterprises will improve their health and wellbeing offer and achieve higher employee awareness and participation in the offer in response to a monetary wellbeing incentive. Employment costs as a result of mental ill health represent 31.5% of this total at £3.9bn. These costs include absence and presenteeism, as well as the cost of worklessness [2]

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