Perceived barriers and facilitators to workplace exercise participation

Abstract

Purpose Workplace exercise programmes have been shown to increase employee participation in physical activities and improve health and fitness in the short-term. However, the limited breadth of employee engagement across organisations combined with declining exercise adherence within individual studies indicates a need for better-informed programmes. The purpose of this paper is to investigate relationships between employee moderate-vigorous physical activity (exercise) participation and their perceived barriers and facilitators to engagement in onsite exercise, to inform the design and implementation of future workplace exercise interventions. Design/methodology/approach An online survey identified employee demographics, exercise (International Physical Activity Questionnaire), perceived barriers (Corporate Exercise Barriers Scale) and facilitators to exercise at an Australian university. Findings Of the 252 full-time employees who responded, most reported meeting (43.7 per cent) or exceeding (42.9 per cent) exercise guidelines over the previous week. A lack of time or reduced motivation (p<0.001), exercise attitude (p<0.05), internal (p<0.01) and external (p<0.01) barriers towards workplace exercise participation were all associated with failure to attain government-recommended volumes of weekly exercise. Personal training (particularly for insufficiently active employees) and group exercise classes were identified as potential exercise facilitators. Walking, gym (fitness centre), swimming and cycling were identified as the preferred modes of exercise training. Practical implications Employees not meeting recommended volumes of exercise might require additional support such as individualised gym and cycling programmes with personal supervision to overcome reported exercise barriers to improve exercise participation, health and fitness. Originality/value This study identifies specific barriers and facilitators to workplace exercise participation perceived by university employees. These findings can be used to inform the design and implementation of workplace exercise programmes aiming to achieve wider workplace engagement and greater exercise adherence, particularly of less active employees.

Physical capacity of New South Wales ambulance paramedics

“…While the reasons for non-participation were not investigated in this study, it is possible that paramedics with a stronger affinity towards exercise chose to participate (i.e. selection bias) [27] and/ or those with previous musculoskeletal injuries or medical conditions chose not to participate. Had a greater proportion of the overall paramedic population participated (including older paramedics), mean fitness outcomes may have been poorer than those observed in the current sample.…”

Does passion for physical activity spillover into performance at work? Examining the direct and indirect effects of passion and life satisfaction on organisational performance and innovativeness

“…For many workers, physical activity is their primary non-work-related interest. For example, in a recent study, most employees reported meeting (43.7%) or exceeding (42.9%) physical activity guidelines over the previous week (Hunter, Gordon, Bird, & Benson, 2018). However, we still have a limited understanding about if and how passion for non-work related activities, such as physical activity, may spillover into the workplace and influence life satisfaction, performance, and innovativeness.…”

“…For managers attempting to enhance performance and innovation among employees, the present research suggests that one way to accomplish this is to look beyond the formal work environment and instead toward extra-curricular physical activity. Many organizations already have such programs in place, through free or discounted gym memberships, or by integrating fitness tracking technologies (such as the Fitbit) into employee wellness programs (Hunter et al, 2018). However, there is an important caveat.…”

Why Exercise at Work: Development of the Office Exercise Behavior Determinants Scale

“…Yet little is known about which factors influence participation in workplace exercise behavior [ 15 , 32 , 33 ]. There are many barriers to physical exercise at the office, such as lack of time to perform physical activities [ 34 ], work burden and performance concerns [ 35 ], workplace policies and norms [ 36 ]. For instance, performing physical exercises in the workplace may be heavily influenced by colleagues’ and superiors’ behavior and attitude [ 34 ].…”

“…There are many barriers to physical exercise at the office, such as lack of time to perform physical activities [ 34 ], work burden and performance concerns [ 35 ], workplace policies and norms [ 36 ]. For instance, performing physical exercises in the workplace may be heavily influenced by colleagues’ and superiors’ behavior and attitude [ 34 ]. There are also several limitations in the office environment, such as lack of public space and public facilities [ 36 , 37 , 38 ].…”