Abstract
PurposeWorkplace wellness schemes are emerging in NHS settings, including complementary and alternative therapy services aimed at improving employee wellbeing. The aim of this study is to explore the impact of one such therapy service on service users based at a large UK teaching hospital.Design/methodology/approachIn‐depth semi‐structured interviews were undertaken with seven staff members who participated in at least one workplace complementary or alternative therapy. An Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis approach was taken in the design of interviews and the analysis of interview data.FindingsThe following themes were elucidated: having positive but tentative expectations of therapies; enhancing health and wellbeing through therapy; appreciation for the “Q‐active” therapy service as part of a workplace wellness programme; and work influencing therapy use and vice versa.Originality/valueThe study adds to the limited research literature evaluating workplace health interventions by using an interview‐based qualitative approach to access employees' experiences of this type of workplace complementary and alternative therapies. Valuable insights were gained about the significance of this particular aspect of a larger workplace health programme. The emergent themes build on the existing literature on individuals' expectations and experiences of complementary and alternative therapies and also on the potential benefits of such a service for workplace health promotion.
Highlights
Workplace health promotion programmes are growing in popularity as a method for improving population health in a “settings” approach to health promotion
Through the use of semi-structured interviews and Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis, an insight was gained into staff experiences of using Q-active CAM therapies
An important aspect of participants’ experiences with the therapies was the mediating effect that work had on therapy use, and the impact that therapy use had on life at work
Summary
Workplace health promotion programmes are growing in popularity as a method for improving population health in a “settings” approach to health promotion. One local example is Q-active, a multi-faceted, award-winning workplace health initiative This theory-driven programme serving 11,000 employees over two sites of an NHS Trust aims to: promote organisational change in the health culture of the organisations; provide encouragement and empowerment for staff to lead healthy working lives; improve the perception of the organisation by staff and by the community; reduce costs relating to sickness absence and lost productivity; and increase staff psychological and physical well-being and job satisfaction. The components of this programme are based on an ecological model of health, and include physical activity interventions, complementary and alternative therapies, health screening, health promotion campaigns, environmental interventions to promote stair use and organisational and policy changes. The aim of this study, was to explore the impact of the Q-active CAM service on the daily lives of staff who use this service and to examine the meanings which staff members attribute to their experiences with these therapies
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