A qualitative analysis of workers perceptions on the role of management in promoting health behaviour

Background: The workplace can have a significant impact on employee health, both positively and negatively, through various factors. Workplaces have a responsibility to promote employee health for ethical reasons and because healthier employees tend to be more productive and have lower rates of absenteeism and healthcare costs. The primary objective of this study was to gain a comprehensive understanding of the viewpoints held by employees at a pharmaceutical manufacturing workplace in South Africa regarding management’s role in promoting health behaviours in the workplace.
Methods: This study used a qualitative study design, where a cohort of 27 participants (aged over 18 years) who were employed full time at a pharmaceutical manufacturing company participated in semi-structured focus groups. Data were thematically analysed and mapped on to the capability, opportunity, and motivation of behaviour (COM-B) model.
Results: Three major themes were constructed, including concerns around access to healthcare at work and occupational health and safety, lack of information relating to health promotion, and workers viewpoints on the role that management has on their health. The participants emphasized the importance of affordable health insurance, with the workplace playing a role in facilitating access through reasonable contributions. Participants were interested in, or expressed a desire for, receiving health education. The participants recommended the employment of a healthcare professional for preventative care, early intervention and education for employees, and mostly attributed unhealthy behaviours to the lack of health information. Finally, participants expressed a desire for workplace incentives to engage in positive health behaviours and suggested initiatives target reducing prolonged sitting time.
Conclusions: This study demonstrates that workers perceive management as holding a pivotal position in spearheading health promotion endeavours within the workplace, acknowledging that workers themselves possess the agency to collaboratively devise and shape these initiatives, thus potentially optimising their appropriateness and efficacy.