Employee Wellness Programs Research Articles

Abstract 10560: Reducing Cardiovascular Risk Among Participants in a Community Supported Agriculture Program

Introduction: Eating a diet high in vegetables translates to lower risk for cardiovascular disease. Only 10% of Americans consume the recommended servings of vegetables per day. Community supported agriculture (CSA) programs support local farmers while promoting increased consumption of vegetables. At the University of Kentucky (UK), employees receive vouchers to encourage CSA program participation while giving financial support to local farms that allow them to operate in an economically sustainable manner. Our objective was to examine the effect of participation in a CSA voucher program on CVD risk factors as a new approach to CVD risk management. Methods: Participants self-selected in the UK employee Health and Wellness CSA voucher program. Biometric measurements (blood pressure, lipid levels, and noninvasive dermal carotenoid levels via Veggie Meter) and vegetable intake via six-question BRFSS were collected pre- and post- CSA program participation. Descriptive statistics, independent t-tests, paired t-tests and cluster analysis were used to analyze the data. Results: Among 204 eligible individuals, 85 enrolled pre-program and 52 completed post program for a 61.2% retention rate. Average participant age was 42 + 10 years, predominantly Caucasian females. Systolic blood pressure was significantly reduced from pre- to post program (125.8 compared to 120.6 mmHg, p = 0.012). Carotenoid levels significantly increased from pre- to post program (286.3 ± 110 to 295.9 ± 124,) while controlling for age and sex (p = <0.001). Frequency of total vegetable, red/orange vegetables, dark green vegetables and other vegetable intake also increased from pre- to post- program while controlling for age and sex (p = 0.003, 0.004, 0.013, < 0.001 and 0.011 respectively). Conclusion: Our data identifies participation in a CSA employer incentivized program can effectively reduce blood pressure and increase vegetable intake (dermal carotenoids) and self-reported quantity and variety of vegetable consumption thereby reducing CVD risk.

IoT based Employee Wellness Program

Abstract: Owing to globalization, employees spend 60-70% of their time in their offices hence they offer an important venue for influencing dietary behaviour of employees [1, 3]. With the increased technology and usage of sensors, the application of Internet based smart health monitoring has emerged at a greater pace. Internet of Things (IoT) is the new revolution which is the growing research area especially in the health care domain [7]. The current work presents a methodology that links the employee health to risk factors such as diet and physical activity and provides an exclusive diet plan to each employee through IoT enabled devices and network. A portable IoT enabled weighing scale setup was constructed using a Bench scale RSL 601AC Load Cell, Load Cell Amplifier HX711, Node MCU, RF ID and card reader to record the employee data & upload it to cloud. A .NET application was developed to download the data from the cloud and determine the BMI of an employee and the corresponding calories to be consumed and expended in a day. Taking into account the calories to be consumed and the diet preferences, the application then constructs a diet plan and sends it across to the employees and generates weekly statistical data of BMI to guide and monitor the overall fitness of the employees. Keywords: Dietary behaviour, BMI, Internet of Things (IoT), Diet plan, Fitness

Employee perceptions of wellness programs in the hospitality industry

PurposeThis study aims to examine the impacts of employee wellness programs on employee and organizational outcomes in the hospitality industry.Design/methodology/approachA survey was distributed on Amazon Mechanical Turk, targeting hospitality employees who have access to employee wellness programs. Descriptive statistics, confirmatory factor analysis and structural equation modeling techniques were used.FindingsEmployee perceptions of wellness programs significantly impacted turnover intention, job stress (JS) and perceived organizational support (POS). POS had a significant mediating effect between employee perceptions of wellness programs and JS. Employee perceptions of wellness programs did not have a significant effect on emotional labor.Originality/valueEmployee wellness programs are often recommended to human resource managers, but there is little empirical evidence of their effects, particularly for hospitality industry employees. This study investigates the actual employee outcomes of employer-sponsored wellness programs.

Work Redesign for the 21st Century: Promising Strategies for Enhancing Worker Well-Being.

Work is a key social determinant of population health and well-being. Yet, efforts to improve worker well-being in the United States are often focused on changing individual health behaviors via employer wellness programs. The COVID-19 health crisis has brought into sharp relief some of the limitations of current approaches, revealing structural conditions that heighten the vulnerability of workers and their families to physical and psychosocial stressors. To address these gaps, we build on existing frameworks and work redesign research to propose a model of work redesign updated for the 21st century that identifies strategies to reshape work conditions that are a root cause of stress-related health problems. These strategies include increasing worker schedule control and voice, moderating job demands, and providing training and employer support aimed at enhancing social relations at work. We conclude that work redesign offers new and viable directions for improving worker well-being and that guidance from federal and state governments could encourage the adoption and effective implementation of such initiatives. (Am J Public Health. 2021;111(10):1787-1795. https://doi.org/10.2105/AJPH.2021.306283).

Infection prevention and control practice among home‐care nursing agencies in Japan: Secondary analysis of a nationwide cross‐sectional survey

AimWe describe the nationwide situation of infection prevention and control (IPC) practices among home‐visit nursing agencies and compare them by agency size to explore whether these practices are associated with the occurrence of infection.MethodsWe conducted a secondary analysis using data from a cross‐sectional nationwide survey inspecting patient safety and IPC practices among nationwide home‐visit nursing agencies, from March to April 2020. Among 9978 agencies, 580 responded and 370 were incorporated in the analysis. The self‐administered questionnaire inquired about the IPC policy and administrative structure, education and training, adherence to standard precautions, and employee health programs. We described the adherence to IPC practice at the agency level and compared them by agency size using chi‐squared tests. Logistic regression analysis was performed to explore the associations between IPC practices and incidence of infection.ResultsAdherence to IPC practices ranged from 19.2% to 92.4% and varied according to agency size. Less than 20% of agencies had instituted a committee for IPC and strictly used disposable aprons when changing patients' diapers. Instituting a committee for IPC (odds ratio 2.19, 95% confidence interval 1.11–4.34, P < 0.05) and training staff for infection prevention (odds ratio 1.67, 95% confidence interval 1.02–2.72, P < 0.01) were significantly associated with the incidence of infection, after adjusting for covariates.ConclusionsThere are challenges in establishing IPC policies and administrative structures and adhering to standard precautions. Well‐organized agencies were found to be more likely to detect infections occurring over the past 3 months. Geriatr Gerontol Int 2021; 21: 913–918.

Depression and Diabetes in Workers Across the Life Span: Addressing the Health of America's Workforce-Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System, 2014-2018.

Diabetes affects nearly 12.2% of U.S. adults. Comorbid depressive symptoms among U.S. workers with diabetes are associated with increased unemployment and reduced work performance. This study examined the age-group-specific prevalence of depression among U.S. workers with self-reported diabetes and identified factors associated with depression. Data from the 2014-2018 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System were used to examine the prevalence of depression among adult workers with diabetes in the United States. Relationships between depression prevalence and diabetes and demographic, physical, and behavioral risk factors were examined through bivariate and multivariable analyses. Age was categorized into four groups: 18-34, 35-54, 55-64, and ≥65 years. The overall prevalence of self-reported depression among U.S. workers with diabetes was 17.4-30% higher than among those without diabetes. Workers with diabetes aged 18-34 years had the highest depression prevalence (28.7%) compared with other age-groups. Female workers with diabetes were significantly more likely than male workers to report depression in all age-groups. Young adult workers with diabetes who had another chronic disease were nearly three times more likely to report depression than those without another chronic condition. There were no overlapping patterns of prevalence of diabetes and depression by state. Workers with diabetes are at an increased risk of depression, which can affect their overall health and productivity. These findings indicate that, among those with diabetes, young adult workers and women are most likely to have depression. Employee wellness programs may address the specific needs of individuals with diabetes and depression.

An Ecological Study of a Universal Employee Depression Awareness and Stigma Reduction Intervention: "Right Direction".

Objective: Right Direction (RD) was a component of a universal employee wellness program implemented in 2014 at Kent State University (KSU) to increase employees' awareness of depression, reduce mental health stigma, and encourage help-seeking behaviors to promote mental health. We explored changes in mental health care utilization before and after implementation of RD.Methods: KSU Human Resources census and service use data were used to identify the study cohort and examine the study objectives. A pre-post design was used to explore changes in mental health utilization among KSU employees before and after RD. Three post-intervention periods were examined. A generalized linear mixed model approach was used for logistic regression analysis between each outcome of interest and intervention period, adjusted by age and sex. Logit differences were calculated for post-intervention periods compared to the pre-intervention period.Results: Compared to the pre-intervention period, the predicted proportion of employees seeking treatment for depression and anxiety increased in the first post-intervention period (OR = 2.14, 95% Confidence Interval [CI] = 1.37–3.34), then declined. Outpatient psychiatric treatment utilization increased significantly in the first two post-intervention periods (OR =1.89, 95% CI = 1.23–2.89; OR = 1.75, 95% CI = 1.11–2.76). No difference was noted in inpatient psychiatric treatment utilization across post-intervention periods. Unlike prescription for anxiolytic prescriptions, receipt of antidepressant prescriptions increased in the second (OR = 2.25, 95% CI = 1.56–3.27) and third (OR = 2.16, 95% CI = 1.46–3.20) post-intervention periods.Conclusions: Effects of RD may be realized over the long-term with follow-up enhancements such as workshops/informational sessions on mindfulness, stress management, resiliency training, and self-acceptance.

Challenges of Security Guards in Selangor State Government Hospital

The process of strengthening defense and security has indeed begun since 1957, either from the aspect of physical or non -physical development. Generally, by the 1990s, it has become a starting point for Malaysia to accelerate and strengthen the strength of the defense and security system with the principle of forward defense. Several public security sectors have managed to strengthen good and mutually beneficial relations such as the Royal Malaysian Police (PDRM) and the Malaysian Armed Forces (ATM). This job has a well-being structure as Employee Wellness Programs and Assistance Employee Programs such as the Auxiliary Police, Territorial Soldiers, Navy Reserve Force and others that have been provided to help address the needs and challenges in their work. In Malaysia, on the other hand, the private security sector does not have a mutually beneficial relationship, with no structure specifically designed to address the needs and challenges of employees.

310 Outcomes of a Sleep and Stress-Focused Employee Wellness Program

Abstract Introduction The Sleep More, Stress Less Program (SMSL) is a University of Alabama (UA) employee wellness program designed to help participants implement health behavior changes to improve sleep quality and stress management. Workplace wellness programs offer a win-win for the employee and employer through improved health and reduced absenteeism. However, many programs fail to show effectiveness on health and workplace metrics, even with an increase in targeted health behaviors. This may be due—at least in part—to employee self-selection and data collection limitations. The SMSL program addresses these challenges by recruiting employees experiencing sleep and stress issues and using a rigorous assessment approach that records data on behavior changes, process goals, intermediate mechanisms, and health outcomes. We present findings from the SMSL program evaluation conducted Fall 2020. Methods The SMSL program is delivered online with both synchronous and asynchronous content (videos and exercises). The content combines evidence-based interventions for sleep and stress with the science of behavioral motivation. All adult (19–99 years) UA employees were eligible and recruitment occurred through the WellBama website and employee emails. Employees are encouraged to select programs that match their health issues. Participants complete an online pre-program assessment and track their sleep and stress for one week. Next, participants complete the SMSL educational program over the next three weeks. In the fifth week, participants track their sleep and stress and complete the online post-program assessment. Results 60 of the initial 85 participants completed all assessments (70.5%). Participants were primarily Female (79%) and Caucasian (77%) or Black (15%), and aged 24–68 (m=44) years. Moderate improvements were reported in total sleep time, sleep maintenance, and time to return to sleep after awakening. Similar improvements were observed in stress scores. Qualitative evaluation of participant behavior goals revealed a focus on sleep scheduling, stimulus reduction, and relaxation. Conclusion Employee wellness program evaluation is often affected by selection and measurement bias. The SMSL program targeted individuals experiencing stress and/or sleep problems and measured multiple outcomes to identify benefits over the 5-week program. Other wellness programs would benefit from this approach in order to capture true program outcomes. Support (if any) N/A

Prevalence and characteristics of campus-based employee wellness programs among United States accredited colleges and universities.

Employee wellness programs (EWPs) aim to support positive changes in employees' modifiable behavioral health risk factors for disease prevention and management. This study described the prevalence and characteristics of EWPs in US accredited college and university campuses. Identification of the prevalence of EWPs and programming activities offered in 3039 accredited higher education institutions/campuses, and characteristics of these institutions/campuses were conducted, mainly through searching the institution's web page. Overall, 36%of the institutions/campuses offered EWPs, with a significantly larger percentage of 4-year public colleges/universities providing EWPs and wellness programming activities than the 4-year private colleges/universities and community colleges. When limiting the institutions/campuses to 4-year colleges and universities with at least 500 employees, the percentage of these institutions/campuses offering EWPs increased to 57.7%, which was comparable to the findings in the literature. The percentage of the institutions/campuses offering wellness programming activities ranged from 18.1%for injury prevention and ergonomics to 30.2%for stress management. The percentage of institutions/campuses offering injury prevention and ergonomics was significantly lower than the percentage of institutions/campuses offering other typical wellness activities. The prevalence of EWPs offered in accredited college and university campuses do not meet the national goal of 75%, which was set by Healthy People 2010.

A systematic review of randomized controlled trials examining workplace wellness interventions.

One of the influencing factors associated with weight gain is overeating as a maladaptive coping strategy to process or avoid the emotional impact of psychological stress. Psychological stress is chronically and pervasively associated with stress stemming from the workplace environment. Workplace wellness interventions have a unique opportunity to change environmental factors impacting psychological stress, which can improve individual food choice and weight management efforts. To synthesize evidence from randomized controlled trials on workplace wellness interventions that impact employee psychological stress and food choice or weight management. A systematic review was completed according to Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. Selected studies were limited to English-language articles exploring randomized interventions at workplaces among adult employees and included measurements of psychometric stress and food choice (qualitative or quantitative) or biometric weight management. From the search, 10 studies were included in the final review. Results were inconsistent across studies. There was no observable association between psychological stress reduction and food choice or weight management. Mid-length interventions (ranging from 6 to 9 months) had more consistent associations between intervention program implementation, reduced psychological stress, and improved food choice or weight management. The studies examining employee food choices and weight management efforts remained very heterogeneous, indicating that more research is needed in this specific area of employee wellness program planning and measurement. Consistent research methodology and assessment tools are needed to measure dietary intake.

Pilot Feasibility Study of Incorporating Whole Person Care Health Coaching Into an Employee Wellness Program

Prior research supports positive health coaching outcomes, but there is limited literature on the integration of employer-sponsored health coaching into employee wellness strategy. The aim of our mixed methods study was to assess feasibility, acceptability, and preliminary efficacy of incorporating a whole-person care model of health coaching into an employee wellness program (i.e., weight loss, smoking cessation) that is made available by an employer-sponsored health plan. For the quantitative study, eligible employees and covered spouses (n = 39) from Loma Linda University Health were recruited into a novel, 12-week, whole person care intervention that combined health coaching and health education and examined outcomes from surveys detailing the participants' experience and biometric data from the intervention and maintenance periods. For the qualitative study, data were collected through key informant interviews from three health coaches and six intervention participants who were recruited via random sampling. Health coaching was well-received by the participants, and led to a slight albeit positive behavioral change for obesity. A significant decrease in body mass index occurred over 12 weeks of intervention (−0.36 kg/m2, p = 0.016), that did not continue during the maintenance phase (−0.17 kg/m2, p = 0.218). Qualitative findings indicated improved personal health awareness, accountability, motivation, and self-efficacy along with goal setting and barrier overcoming skills among the key themes. Our pilot study findings identify positive behavior change effects of an employee health intervention based on a whole person care model of health coaching with integrated health education, and also identify the need for methods to maintain behavior change (i.e., mHealth, peer-support) post-intervention. Further investigation in randomized controlled trials is the next step in this research.

The Moderating Role of Workers’ Union Activities on the Relationship between Employee Wellness Programs and Medical Employee Output at Kenyatta National Hospital (KNH), Kenya

The Moderating Role of Workers’ Union Activities on the Relationship between Employee Wellness Programs and Medical Employee Output at Kenyatta National Hospital (KNH), Kenya

Employee Wellness Program: Its Benefits Surpass its Cost

Employee Wellness Program: Its Benefits Surpass its Cost

Bringing a Taste of Wellness to Workstations

Companies providing employees with nutritious and wholesome meals strike the right balance in achieving a productive, creative and well-bonded team. Compass India’s study on ‘Eating at Work’ (EAW) suggests that energy and productivity levels peak between 9 am to 12 pm. Post-lunch these levels registered a sharp drop due to food intake with a high glycaemic index. Even as we peg it on natural human behaviour, with the right diet, one can boost those afternoon levels. Human resource teams plan for initiatives like sleeping pods, massage stations and yet the outcome continues to be a challenge. EAW research shows that these perks start great, but soon decline, that is, the usage of gyms was less than 2 per cent or 3 per cent. Also, ‘73% chose café meals as their preferred non-monetary perk, ranking ahead of flexible work hours and employee wellness programs’. Good food goes a long way in contributing to productivity. For many organisations, while wellness is a big part of their agenda, the role of food is still at its nascent stage. There is opportunity to elevate that. Hence, companies are taking constant intelligent decisions about workplace food.

Employee Wellness Pilot Program.

Mental health professionals caring for the veteran population are at increased risk for compassion fatigue, burnout, and secondary traumatic stress based on the nature of their work. While mental health professionals may experience positive outcomes from providing compassionate care to veterans, compassion fatigue can lead to instability of the workforce. A pilot employee wellness program was implemented over a 9-week period, offering a different wellness module weekly during the employee lunch hour. Demographic data were collected pre-program, and mental health employees were surveyed pre- and post-program using an intent to stay scale and the Professional Quality of Life Scale version 5 (ProQOL-5) to measure compassion satisfaction, burn out, and secondary traumatic stress. Pre-program participants (N = 42) reported significant differences in intent to stay in their current position for the next year compared to the post-program group (N = 15). Pre-program participants reported no intent to leave their current position, apply for internal or external positions, or retire in the following year. However, post-program participants reported intent to leave their current positions, apply to internal or external positions, or retire. Pre- and post-program compassion satisfaction scores increased and burnout and secondary traumatic stress scores decreased; these scores were not significantly different between groups. While no significant differences were found between ProQOL-5 subscale scores, the change in participants' scores may indicate some change, potentially as a result of the intervention. This pilot program offered a creative solution to organizations with limited resources to combat occupation-related compassion fatigue.

Resilience and Burnout Resources in Respiratory Care Departments.

Burnout is a major problem in health care, with rates of approximately 33% and 50% in nurses and physicians, respectively, prior to the COVID-19 pandemic. Respiratory therapist (RT) burnout rates and drivers have not been specifically examined. The purpose of this project was to determine resilience and burnout resources available within respiratory care departments and to provide an estimate of pre- and post-COVID-19 RT burnout rates. A survey was developed to evaluate resilience and burnout resources in respiratory care departments. The survey was posted online to the AARConnect management, education, adult acute care, neonatal/pediatrics, COVID-19, and help line communities. Data analysis was descriptive. Key drivers of burnout among RTs were identified from qualitative answers. There were 221 responses, and 72% reported experiencing burnout. Ten percent of the departments that responded measured burnout; 36% utilized resilience tools, and 83% offered free employee assistance for those struggling with burnout. In January 2020, 30% of departments reported an estimated burnout rate > 40%, which increased to 44% of departments (P = .007) in the COVID-19 pandemic period. The most common drivers reported were poor leadership (32%), high work load (31%), and staffing (29%); 93% of respondents agreed that burnout is a major problem in health care, 33% agreed that burnout is primarily driven by external factors, 92% agreed that RTs have a similar risk of burnout as other health care professionals, 73% agreed that they were comfortable discussing challenging situations with colleagues, 32% agreed that their leadership provided adequate support for those suffering from burnout, and 79% agreed that they would be open to utilizing resilience tools from the AARC or other professional organizations. Most respondents experienced burnout and few respiratory care departments measured burnout. Resilience resources were not commonly used but employee assistance and wellness programs were common. Key drivers of burnout identified were poor leadership, staffing, and high workloads.

The impact of wearable devices on employee wellness programs: A study of hotel industry workers

Hospitality workplaces are particularly challenging contexts in which to implement wellness initiatives. The present study implemented a technology-based wellness intervention to improve various aspects of employee wellness in contemporary hotel workplaces. The participants were given a wearable device (Fitbit, used here as an innovative tool) in order to monitor their activity levels and sleep patterns over a 14-day period. Additionally, the participants provided researchers with food diaries in separate electronic form. Information regarding job satisfaction, job engagement, organizational citizenship behaviors, and intention to leave was obtained before and after the observation period. The results demonstrate an increase in physical activity, an increase in healthy food consumption, and a reduction in overall caloric intake. Furthermore, positive changes in employee engagement, job satisfaction, and organizational commitment were noted. Care should be exercised when implementing such interventions in order to ensure data privacy and positive employee relations.

Cardiovascular Disease Risk Factors among Group C Employees in a Tertiary Health Care Centre in Puducherry: A Cross-sectional Study

International Journal of Medicine and Public Health,2020,10,4,147-151.DOI:10.5530/ijmedph.2020.4.32Published:November 2020Type:Original ArticleCardiovascular Disease Risk Factors among Group C Employees in a Tertiary Health Care Centre in Puducherry: A Cross-sectional StudySantosh Kumar, and Sitanshu Sekhar Kar Santosh Kumar1, Sitanshu Sekhar Kar2,* 1Master of Public Health, Department of Preventive and Social Medicine, JIPMER, Puducherry, INDIA. 2Department of Preventive and Social Medicine, Jawaharlal Institute of Postgraduate Medical Education and Research, Puducherry, INDIA. Abstract:Background: Settings based approach for health promotion at workplaces is surveillance of employees for CVD risk factors, which will help to estimate the prevalence of CVD risk factors and monitor CVD risks among the employees. It was planned to calculate the prevalence of CVD risk factors among group C employees of tertiary care hospital in south India. Materials and Methods: A hospital based cross-sectional survey was conducted among 324 group C employees aged ≥18 years as per the WHO “STEP wise approach to surveillance of non-communicable diseases” (STEPS) methodology. Standardized international protocols were used to measure behavioural risk characteristics (smoking, alcohol consumption, fruit and vegetable consumption, physical activity) and physical characteristics (weight, waist circumference, height and blood pressure). Multivariate analysis was done to know the factors, which carry independent risk of hypertension. Risk factor profiling of the employees was done using WHO/ISH risk prediction chart to estimate the 10 year risk of a fatal or nonfatal major cardiovascular events (myocardial infarction or stroke), according to age, gender, blood pressure, smoking status and presence or absence of self-reported status of diabetes mellitus. Data entry was done using Epi-data version 4.4.2.1. Data cleaning and analysis was done using Statistical Package of Social Sciences (SPSS) version 20. Results: Mean age in years was 34.3 (±8.26) and men contributed 79.3% of study participants. Prevalence of major cardiovascular risk factors was as follows: Current smokers 25.3% men, regular alcohol intake 29.01% between men, overweight (≥23 kg/m2) 26.4%, central obesity 16%, hypertension 13.7% and a past history of diabetes mellitus 15.6%. Almost 3/4th of the participants were following unhealthy diet and living sedentary life style. The relationship between sociodemographic factors and selected risk factors of CVD (tobacco use, alcohol use, unhealthy diet and physical activity) was found significant associated with gender, age, educational status and years of work experience. Around four percent participants had a >10% risk of developing CVD in next 10 years. Conclusion: The prevalence of CVD risk factors is high in the sample population. Employee health and wellness program must be regulated and implemented in the institute, to overcome the burden of cardiovascular diseases. Keywords:cardiovascular disease, Employee, Prevalence, Risk factor profile, Tertiary Health CareView:PDF (153.55 KB)

Website Survey Method for Assessing Higher Education Employee Health and Safety Programs.

Objective:The higher education industry in the United States is large (almost four million employees and 19 million students) with diverse hazards.Methods:We apply a novel health services research approach to systematically assess a sample of 55 institutional websites. The accessibility, content, and coverage of occupational health/safety program information were systematically coded for several domains (eg, Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA)-related, specific hazards, clinical, person-oriented, COVID-19, and coverage).Results:Information was more available for programs related to OSHA mandates (eg, chemical hygiene) and specific hazards than for person-oriented programs (eg, counseling). Larger institutions provide better information and more comprehensive programs than smaller institutions.Conclusions:Higher education institutions warrant increasing attention to occupational health and safety, particularly as COVID-19 increased attention to workplace health issues.