Health promotion at the worksite. I. A process for establishing programs

Area of Science:

• Occupational Health
• Health Promotion
• Program Implementation

Background:

• Worksite health promotion programs are crucial for employee well-being.
• Small industries often face unique challenges in implementing such programs.
• A structured, adaptable process is needed for successful program establishment.

Purpose of the Study:

• To describe and evaluate a 14-step process for establishing health promotion programs in small worksites.
• To assess the feasibility and challenges of implementing this process in a rural industrial setting.

Main Methods:

• A 14-step implementation process was applied over three years.
• The process was utilized in 12 small industries employing 4,200 individuals.
• Data collection focused on program establishment, encountered problems, and program costs.

Main Results:

• 58 health promotion programs were successfully established across 12 small industries.
• The most significant challenge encountered was the limited record-keeping systems within the industries.
• The process demonstrated flexibility and generalizability to different worksite settings.

Conclusions:

• The 14-step process is a viable and effective method for establishing worksite health promotion programs.
• Key strengths include fostering employee ownership and maintaining modest program costs.
• The process is adaptable and can be successfully implemented in diverse industrial environments.