Workplace wellness initiatives don't work: Study
LifeStyle
That employee meditation programme probably is not making you healthier
(Web Desk) - Whether it is meditation practices, time management lessons or sleep apps, employers have been investing more and more resources into employee wellness programmes.
But that may be for naught, a new study suggests.
A study published in the journal Industrial Relations claims that workplace wellness initiatives may have little to no impact on employees’ actual wellbeing.
Researchers at the University of Oxford studied survey data from 2017 and 2018 to determine whether individuals taking part in mental wellbeing initiatives reaped any benefits.
More than 46,000 British workers took part in the survey, but only about 5,000 of them said they had participated in at least one workplace wellness initiative over the past year.
Across several wellness categories — be it mental health, sleep or productivity — the research found “no reliable difference” in reported mental well-being between people who participated in the initiatives and those who did not.
The one area that did correlate with an increase in wellbeing was work-sponsored volunteer hours.
U.S. officials and public health experts have been scrambling to combat what’s deemed a “loneliness epidemic.” The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) say rising rates of loneliness are linked to an increased risk of psychological, emotional and physical health conditions.
Joining together with others while doing something good for others is a proven way to combat that loneliness, according to studies and leading health organizations.
Researchers have found that social and community engagement can decrease the likelihood of dementia and stroke. Social connection can also help prevent heart disease, improve sleep and reduce risk of violent and suicidal behaviors, according to the CDC.
Some experts might caution that using survey data on this topic from seven years ago is outdated, given how lifestyles have dramatically changed in recent years.
The concept of remote work, for example, is an issue that should be considered, one expert argues.
“It's a completely different world pre- and post-COVID,” psychiatrist Gauri Khurana, M.D., tells The Messenger. She argues that the world of working from home, which exploded in 2020, has completely redefined what makes employees “well.”
Dr. Khurana suggests further research comparing the impact of wellbeing on in-person, hybrid and remote workers. She highlights the rise of telehealth therapy sessions, which were not the norm when the survey was conducted.
“That has radically changed people's comfort level and ability to access such treatments from the privacy of their own homes as they work remotely,” Dr. Khurana says.
“I have people schedule sessions during their lunch breaks and they don't have to take time off of work or commute to see me — it's a win-win all around.”
The study did not mention remote work. Author William J. Fleming highlighted a need for further, more widespread research on workplace wellness initiatives.
Still, this research corroborates some past research that procured less-than-desired results.
When it comes to physical health, one 2016 trial found that while people partaking in office wellness programs may show higher rates of some healthy behaviors, they don’t actually exhibit improved clinical measures of health, such as BMI, blood pressure or cholesterol.
They also didn’t call out of work any less, perform better at their jobs or spend less on healthcare.
The people who participate in these programs are usually more health-minded to begin with, a 2018 study showed.
And those who don’t participate in wellness-based activities outside of work aren’t likely to do so just because their employer suggests it.
