title: Fitness program participation: its effect on worker performance.
abstract: The effects of an employee fitness program upon absenteeism and productivity were investigated in a controlled trial involving two large offices. During the six-month experimental program, the test company developed substantial gains of fitness. However self-reports and supervisor evaluations showed small and relatively similar gains of productivity, with reduction of absenteeism at both test and control companies. Further studies on a large scale are warranted. The presently observed changes probably reflect (1) sample attenuation, (2) seasonal trends, and (3) a "Hawthorne" effect. If the last factor is substantiated, employee fitness programs may be of economic interest, despite the nonspecific nature of the resultant gains in productivity.
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001519:Behavior; D004650:Employee Performance Appraisal; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009786:Occupational Health Services; D010806:Physical Education and Training; D010809:Physical Fitness; D011446:Prospective Studies