Actions Speak Louder Than Words: Workplace Social Relations and Worksite Health Promotion Use.

Abstract

To study whether workplace social relations explain use of worksite health promotion (WHP), by examining colleagues' and team managers' WHP encouragement of a healthy lifestyle, and colleague WHP uptake. Multilevel data came from the second wave of the European Sustainable Workforce Survey (4345 employees of 402 team in 9 countries). Linear probability models were used to test use of two types of WHP: healthy menus and sport facilities. Employees are more likely to use healthy menus and sport facilities when more colleagues do so too and when colleagues encourage a healthy lifestyle. Surprisingly, encouragement by one's manager plays no role. Social contact among colleagues can facilitate WHP use, and WHP initiatives should pay attention to the influential role of colleagues.