Motivating factors for small and midsized businesses to implement worksite health promotion.
OBJECTIVE
This study explores the decision-making process, including motivating factors, for small and midsized businesses in the Midwest to implement health promotion initiatives.


METHODS
This a replication of a study conducted in the Pacific Northwest. Semistructured qualitative interviews were conducted with key informants from 12 Midwestern metropolitan employers with fewer than 1,000 employees. Informants were interviewed regarding their companies' policies and practices around workplace health promotion programming adoption and valuation.


RESULTS
Workplace health promotion adoption at these small and midsized businesses was motivated by three goals: to lower health care costs, to address human relations objectives, and to improve productivity. Low upfront cost was the most frequently considered criterion in choosing which workplace health promotion program to offer. Barriers to implementation included lack of employee buy-in, prohibitive costs, and personnel or time constraints. Aids to implementation included employee buy-in and affordability.


CONCLUSIONS
This study suggests that cost considerations predominate in the workplace health promotion decision-making process at small to midsized businesses. Furthermore, employee buy-in cannot be underestimated as a factor in successful program implementation or longevity. Employees, along with executives and human resources management, must be appropriately targeted by health promotion practitioners in workplace health promotion efforts.
1Oregon Health and Science University, Portland, OR, USA.
Laurel B
LB
Witt
Delane
D
Olsen
Elizabeth
E
Ablah
D003365:Costs and Cost Analysis; D003657:Decision Making; D006293:Health Promotion / Q000191:economics / Q000458:organization & administration*; D006801:Humans; D009042:Motivation; D016272:Occupational Health; D017132:Workplace
business partnerships; health promotion; partnerships/coalitions; worksite safety and health