Worksite Wellness Program

Abstract

Exercise has a number of benefits to both a person's physical and mental health. Research has shown an individual's physical health to be directly correlated with worker's compensation claims, absenteeism, and on the job productivity (Zamora, 2010). Similar to physical health, mental health has also been shown to have a direct correlation with both productivity and absenteeism (Paton, 2009). Physical health problems such as type II diabetes, hypertension, and cardiovascular disease have been shown to significantly decrease through consistent exercise (Zamora, 2010). Likewise, exercise also helps strengthen a person's mental health through increasing his or her self-efficacy, his or her ability to adequately manage stress, and his or her ability to focus (McAuley, 1991). Though exercise has been shown to have both a number of physical and mental health benefits, many people face a number of barriers when beginning and continuing to exercise on a regular basis.

Table of Contents

ABSTRACTI

CHAPTER I: INTRODUCTION1

Objective of the Study2

Research Questions2

Hypotheses3

Significance of the Thesis3

Delimitations of the Study4

Limitations of the Study4

CHAPTER II: LITERATURE REVIEW5

Worksite Wellness Programs8

Schools as Sites of Worksite- Wellness11

CHAPTER 3: METHODOLOGY16

Participants16

Methods16

Phase 1 Procedure16

Phase 3 Procedure18

Data Analysis19

Research Approach19

Data Collection Method21

Research Instrument24

Rationale for selection of sample26

Reliability/Dependability31

Ethical Consideration33

CHAPTER 4: RESULTS35

Creating a Worksite Wellness Plan35

CHAPTER 5: DISCUSSION44

Creating a Worksite- Wellness Plan45

Interview Data46

Conclusion47

REFERENCES49

Worksite Wellness Program

CHAPTER I: INTRODUCTION

Exercise has a number of benefits to both a person's physical and mental health. Research has shown an individual's physical health to be directly correlated with worker's compensation claims, absenteeism, and on the job productivity (Zamora, 2010). Similar to physical health, mental health has also been shown to have a direct correlation with both productivity and absenteeism (Paton, 2009). Physical health problems such as type II diabetes, hypertension, and cardiovascular disease have been shown to significantly decrease through consistent exercise (Zamora, 2010). Likewise, exercise also helps strengthen a person's mental health through increasing his or her self-efficacy, his or her ability to adequately manage stress, and his or her ability to focus (McAuley, 1991). Though exercise has been shown to have both a number of physical and mental health benefits, many people face a number of barriers when beginning and continuing to exercise on a regular basis.

Barriers such as low self-efficacy, a lack of social support, perceived amount of time, and a poor exercise attitude all affect a person's ability to begin and adhere to an exercise program or to engage in any type of exercise over time. Many people do not actively think about the reasons why they are not currently participating in exercise, and if they do, they are often unable to motivate themselves enough to begin exercising. Increased amounts of social support and greater amounts of self-efficacy are a few factors that have been identified as key incentives for motivating people to exercise (Orsega-Smith, Payne, Mowen, Ho, & Godbey, 2007). Identifying these barriers and incentives to exercise can be beneficial to helping people adhere to an exercise program over time, thereby having a positive effect on both their physical and mental health. There are many professions in which ...