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- Title
Physical activity and sedentary behaviour in a flexible office-based workplace: Employee perceptions and priorities for change.
- Authors
Olsen, Heidi M.; Brown, Wendy J.; Kolbe‐Alexander, Tracy; Burton, Nicola W.; Kolbe-Alexander, Tracy
- Abstract
<bold>Issue Addressed: </bold>Many Australian employees now regularly work from home in some capacity. This new way of working has not been widely studied in relation to the potential implications for employees' health-related behaviour or workplace health promotion. The aim of this study was to explore office-based employees' perceptions of the impact of flexible work on physical activity and sedentary behaviour; and preferences for associated interventions.<bold>Methods: </bold>Three focus groups were conducted with office-based employees (n = 28) 6 months after the introduction of a flexible work policy. A semi-structured interview format with open-ended questions was used with summary statements to check understanding. Sessions were audiotaped, and dominant themes were identified. Findings on intervention preferences were interpreted using a social cognitive framework. An overview of results was provided to a group of managers (n = 9) for comment.<bold>Results: </bold>Employees reported that physical activity was not impacted, but sedentary behaviour had increased, with flexible work. Intervention preferences focussed on occupational sedentary behaviour, self-regulation, prompts and social connections, and not the physical work environment. Managers agreed with employees' preferences and also wanted interventions to be sustainable.<bold>Conclusion: </bold>Self-directed interventions with social components and targeting occupational sedentary behaviour were more acceptable than physical activity interventions in this flexible workplace. SO WHAT?: Health promotion for workplaces with flexible work practices may benefit from prioritising strategies that promote self-regulation and social connections rather than being linked to the physical worksite.
- Subjects
PHYSICAL activity; WORK environment; SEDENTARY behavior; EMPLOYEE health promotion; HEALTH promotion
- Publication
Health Promotion Journal of Australia, 2018, Vol 29, Issue 3, p344
- ISSN
1036-1073
- Publication type
journal article
- DOI
10.1002/hpja.164