Overview

There are numerous theoretical and practical reasons for delivering health promotion programmes in work places. First, the worksite is an environment in which many adults spend a large percentage of their waking hours. Secondly, interventions conducted in a person's relevant physical and social environment – rather than in clinical settings that are not frequented by most individuals – have fewer problems with generalization. Thirdly, worksites offer the opportunity to combine policy, organizational and individual behaviour change strategies: conceptually the combination of such strategies should be more powerful than any one in isolation (Glasgow et al., 1990; Sorensen et al., 2000). Fourthly, the common and consistent interactions among employees within worksites offers the potential for various social support intervention components such as group rewards, participatory employee steering committees, co-worker support and incentive programmes. Fifthly, worksite programmes can increase the reach of health promotion by getting many persons to take advantage of health promotion offerings who may not otherwise participate (Glasgow et al., 1993). Finally, there are also good reasons for employers to offer such programmes. Worksite interventions can potentially increase employee recruitment and retention, reduce health care costs and absenteeism and enhance employee morale and productivity (Pelletier, 2001; Riedel et al., 2001).

There are also complexities and potential downsides to worksite interventions. Some employees may feel that such programmes are coercive, especially in cases in which there are workplace exposures or safety hazards that are not concurrently addressed.