posted on 2018-03-06, 17:26authored byAndrew J. Brinkley
Working age adults are at a high risk of inactivity, a modifiable behaviour associated with non-communicable illnesses, premature mortality, and diminished organisational health. Limited evidence has investigated the promotion of workplace team sport. This research utilised mixed methods to investigate the efficacy and feasibility of providing workplace team sport.
Study one synthesised the evidence examining the efficacy of workplace team sport. Study two used interviews to understand the facilitators and obstacles influencing participation. In study three, a 12-week team sport intervention programme for the workplace, was implemented, using a quasi-experimental design, and evaluated for its impact on individual (e.g., fitness), social-group (e.g., relationships) and organisational (e.g., productivity) outcomes. The intervention was underpinned by self-determination theory. A RE-AIM process-evaluation (Study four) was conducted to assess delivery and impact.
Workplace team sport participation is influenced by intrapersonal, interpersonal, organisational, environmental and societal factors. A participatory approach and needs-supportive environment may alleviate these challenges. Findings indicate participation in workplace team sport has benefits for individual, social group and organisational health. VO2 Max (+4.5 5.80 ml/kg/min), PA duration (+154.74 minutes) and communication (+3%) significantly improved over 12-weeks in the intervention group. Qualitative evidence indicates workplace team sport has benefits for employees and the organisation (e.g., behaviour change, wellbeing, relationships and productivity). Efficacy and implementation of the programme were highly successful. The adoption and maintenance of the programme were moderately successful. The reach of the programme was less successful.
In conclusion, team sport is a mode of workplace PA, with a high degree of efficacy, and should be considered by employers and external stakeholders promoting health within the workplace. Future research should continue to examine the promotion of workplace team sport over the long-term.
This work is made available according to the conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International (CC BY-NC-ND 4.0) licence. Full details of this licence are available at: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/
Publication date
2017
Notes
A Doctoral Thesis. Submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the award of Doctor of Philosophy of Loughborough University.