title: The role of peer physical activity champions in the workplace: a qualitative study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Peer health champions have been suggested as an important component of multilevel workplace interventions to promote healthy behaviours such as physical activity (PA). There is accumulating quantitative evidence of their effectiveness but as yet little exploration of why and how champions influence peer behaviour. The current study explores the role of peer physical activity champions (PPACs) in influencing colleagues' PA behaviour from the perspectives of both champions and colleagues.
  
  
  METHODS
  Seven months after the introduction of a workplace PA programme in 17 small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), two focus groups were held with PPACs and four with programme participants. Data were analysed using inductive thematic analysis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Three overarching themes were developed: how PPACs encourage PA, valuable PPAC characteristics and sustaining motivation for the PPAC role. Both direct encouragement from PPACs and facilitation of wider PA supportive social networks within the workplace encouraged behaviour change. PA behaviour change is a delicate subject and it was important that PPACs provided enthusiastic and persistent encouragement without seeming judgemental. Being a PA role model was also a valuable characteristic. The PPACs found it satisfying to see positive changes in their colleagues who had become more active. However, colleagues often did not engage in suggested activities and PPACs required resilience to maintain personal motivation for the role despite this.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Incorporating PPACs into SME-based PA interventions is acceptable to employees. It is recommended that PPAC training includes suggestions for facilitating social connections between colleagues. Sensitivity is required when initiating and engaging in conversations with colleagues about increasing their PA. Programmes should ensure PPACs themselves are provided with social support, especially from others in the same role, to help sustain motivation for their role. These findings will be useful to health-promotion professionals developing workplace health programmes.
authors.affiliation: Department of Sport and Exercise Sciences, University of Chichester, College Lane, UK S.Edmunds@chi.ac.uk.
authors.forename: Sarah
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Edmunds
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, University of Westminster, London, UK.
authors.forename: Angela
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Clow
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D015444:Exercise; D005260:Female; D006293:Health Promotion; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009043:Motor Activity; D010379:Peer Group; D036301:Qualitative Research; D017132:Workplace
keywords: intervention; peer health champion; physical activity; social support; workplace