Health Best Practices In The Workplace Are Not Always Effective

Best practices in health management at the workplace are not always that effective, according to research from StayWell Health Management.

The study, published in the Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, reveals that gender, age and health status matter when it comes to the effectiveness of the industry’s best practices, affecting the degree of outcomes or influence.

Among the findings of the research is the so-called “Herd Effect” which makes people act like their co-workers, said Paul Terry, chief science officer at StayWell and lead author of the study. For instance, if a workplace is male-dominated, then male workers are more likely to change their behaviour in line with their male peers. On the other hand, women may be less likely to adopt the same behaviours. If predominately male companies stick to best practices, women may be more likely to oppose the majority trend in order to overcome the herd effect.

The study also found that while companies using non-cash incentives saw lower enrolment in coaching projects, offering cash incentives did not always result in higher levels of active participation. Generally, older employees and female workers are more likely to enrol, but this is not the case for all businesses. Additionally, older individuals are more likely to take part in coaching projects when they are offered biometric screenings.

For employers, the research underlines the importance of customising employee health management strategies and best practices to the demographics and established cultural norms of a workplace, StayWell concluded.