Effectiveness and cost effectiveness of a stress management training for leaders of small and medium sized enterprises – study protocol for a randomized controlled-trial

Abstract

Background Leaders in small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) are exposed to increased stress as a result of a range of challenges. Moreover, they rarely have the opportunity to participate in stress management trainings. Therefore, KMU-GO (ger: Kleine und mittlere Unternehmen – Gesundheitsoffensive; en: small and medium-sized enterprises – health campaign) aims at conducting and evaluating such a stress management training. The focus of evaluation does not only lie on the effects on leaders participating but also on their employees. Methods The study is planned as a 2 × 3 mixed design with two groups (intervention and waiting control group) as a between factor and point in time (at baseline, 6 and 12 months later) as a within factor. We aim at collecting data from N = 200 leaders. Based on the results of a preceding assessment, an already successfully implemented stress management training was adapted to SME needs and now serves as the framework of this intervention. The stress management training comprises one and a half days and is followed by two booster sessions (each 180 min) about 3 and 6 months after the training. The main focus of this intervention lies on specifying leaders stress reactivity while at the same time investigating its effects on employees’ mental health. Further dependent variables are leaders´ depression and anxiety scores, effort-reward imbalance, sick days and psychophysiological measures of heart rate variability, hair cortisol, and salivary alpha-amylase. Cost-effectiveness analyses will be conducted from a societal and employers’ point of view. Discussion Stress management is a highly relevant issue for leaders in SMEs. By providing an adequate occupational stress management training, we expect to improve leaders´ and also employees` mental health, thereby preventing economic losses for SMEs and the national economy. However, collecting data from employees about the success of a stress management training of their leader is a highly sensitive topic. It requires a carefully planned proceeding ensuring for example a high degree of transparency, anonymity, and providing team incentives. Trial registration The KMU-GO trial is registered at the German Clinical Trial Register (DRKS): DRKS00023457 (05.11.2020)

Student's Gender Differences in Stress Management Through Communication

“…The In general, we agree with the opinion about the effectiveness of training programmes based on active communication of participants as an effective stress management tool (Lehmann et al, 2021). It is appropriate to carry out additional educational work to overcome primitive, stereotypical ideas about stress (Slavich, 2019).…”

“…Various means of managing stress involve certain physical or psychological actions (Worthen and Cash, 2023). An effective stress management tool is training programmes based on active participant communication (Lehmann et al, 2021).…”

Stress Management Intervention for Leaders Increases Nighttime SDANN: Results from a Randomized Controlled Trial

“…An ongoing study of N = 200 leaders in small and medium-sized enterprises is replicating the present SMI by investigating psychophysiological parameters, such as HRV and cortisol, and also cost-effectiveness [ 72 ]. This study was funded by the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research (Bundesministerium für Bildung und Forschung, BMBF) under the funding references 01EL2003A, 01EL2003B, and 01EL2003C (German Clinical Trial Register: DRKS00023457).…”

The association of perceived leadership style and subjective well-being of employees in a tertiary hospital in Germany

“…The project KMU-GO! (see [ 86 ]) evaluates a stress management programme for leaders, which includes units for individual stress reduction as well as a training part for stress-preventive leadership. Examples of such projects (e.g.…”