150 Workplace physical activity practices for small-and medium-sized enterprises: identification of features that work in real life

TL;DR

This study identifies physical activity initiatives that could work for small and medium-sized workplaces in Europe.

Contribution

The study evaluates and identifies feasible physical activity initiatives for SMEs based on expert ratings and Delphi panels.

Findings

43 initiatives were rated as feasible for SMEs based on expert scores and attributes like effectiveness and cost-benefit.

Experts found the initiatives inspiring but noted they may not work in all contexts.

No consensus was reached on which specific initiatives are most feasible after Delphi panel discussions.

Abstract

In the current landscape of workplace well-being policies, the promotion of adequate physical activity (PA) has gained prominence. Extensive peer-reviewed literature outlines essential components for effective PA initiatives. Building upon Väänänen et al.’s (2022) scoping review of grey literature, this study aims to assess which of the identified initiatives are most feasible for inclusion in Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs) in the European Region of the World Health Organization.

A questionnaire to evaluate the feasibility was administrated to 82 experts from 26 countries, including the Worksite HEPA promotion working group and experts contacted by the WHO Regional Office for Europe (HEPA focal points). These experts rated the initiatives on positive attributes for practice transfer (effectiveness, practicality, adaptability, generalizability, and cost-benefit) using a 5-point Likert scale. Ratings were categorized by company size, and experts provided recommendations for their countries or regions on a scale of 1-10. Subsequently, an online Delphi panel of experts gathered qualitative feedback on the initiatives with the highest scores, facilitating consensus for their inclusion in a European PA Toolkit tailored for SMEs.

Through three waves, 28 experts assessed a total of 390 initiatives. Forty-three initiatives were considered most feasible for SMEs because they reached a minimum score of 20/25 on positive attributes for practice transfer plus any attributed scored below 4. These initiatives were appraised feasible for SMEs, obtaining a recommendation score of at least 7. After two rounds of Delphi panels involving six experts, no consensus was reached on which of the 43 initiatives were most feasible for SMEs.

The 43 initiatives that were considered feasible through the questionnaire-based assessment, covered all Workplace PA initiative categories identified by Väänänen et al. 2022 (Active work and living; Exercise and fitness programs; Management and leadership; Communication and dissemination; and Facilities). The experts found the underlying concept of these initiatives inspiring for European SMEs. However, they are not transferable to every context. Further research is needed to determine the conditions that must be met to make these concepts feasible across various contexts.

World Health Organization Regional Office for Europe