Cecilia Ljungblad

Workplace health promotion and working conditions as determinants of employee health

Purpose - The purpose of this paper is to investigate general psychosocial work conditions and specific workplace health promotion (WHP) measures in relation to employee health and sickness absence in Swedish municipal social care organizations. Design/methodology/approach - In a random sample of 60 out of the 290 municipalities in Sweden, 15,871 municipal social care employees working with elderly and disabled clients were sent a questionnaire concerning psychosocial work environment, WHP, and self-rated health. The responses (response rate 58.4 per cent) were complemented by register data on sickness absence (agt;14 days). All data were aggregated to employer level. Findings - A structural equation modelling analysis using employer-level data demonstrated that employers with more favourable employee ratings of the psychosocial work conditions, as well as of specific health-promoting measures, had better self-rated health and lower sickness absence level among employees. Practical implications - The results from this representative nationwide sample of employers within one sector indicate that employers can promote employee health both by offering various health-specific programmes and activities, such as work environment education, fitness activities, and lifestyle guidance, as well as by forming a high-quality work environment in general including developmental and supportive leadership styles, prevention of role conflicts, and a supportive and comfortable social climate. Originality/value - This study with a representative nationwide sample demonstrates: results in line with earlier studies and explanations to the challenges in comparing effects from specific and general WHP interventions on health.

Workplace health promotion and employee health in Swedish municipal social care organizations

AimThe aim of this explorative study was to investigate the employers’ management characteristics, their provision of workplace health promotion (WHP) measures, and employee satisfaction with WHP in relation to employee health in Swedish municipal social care organizations.Subjects and methodsA cross-sectional design was used, and questionnaires were sent to top managers (representing the employer) and employees in a nationwide random sample of 60 of the 290 municipal organizations for the social care of elderly and disabled people in Sweden. The questionnaire data from the 60 managers were linked to aggregated employee data concerning self-rated health and satisfaction with WHP from a representative sample of 8,082 employees in the same organizations. All analyses were performed at the organizational level using independent t-test, Spearman’s rank correlation and multiple linear regression analysis.ResultsIn the multivariate analysis, the organizational WHP index (i.e. local WHP projects and WHP coordinators), individual WHP index (i.e. health profile assessment, fitness activities and medical check-up), and the level of employees’ satisfied with WHP were associated with employee health (F = 9.64, p < 0.001, adjusted R2 = 0.48). General organizational and management characteristics were, however, not statistically related to employee health.ConclusionThe results suggest that the provision of individual-directed and organizational-directed health-specific measures were related to employee health in Swedish municipal social care organizations and, therefore, can be part of a comprehensive approach to address WHP.

Associations between workplace health promotion and employee health in 60 municipal social care organizations in Sweden 2008

Social differences in pre-pregnancy body mass index (BMI) and gestational weight gain : an opportunity to reduce long-lasting inequality in maternal and offspring health

Employers who combine organizational and individual-oriented health interventions have better health among their employees – a study of Swedish municipal social care organizations

Positive work experience factors relate to salutogenic health-a survey among Swedish hospital employeesLarge scale surveys show that perceived stress and stress-related complaints are common among young people. Perceived stress increase with age and are more common in girls than boys, resulting in l ...