Why do managers allocate resources to workplace health promotion programmes in countries with national health coverage?

Bibliographic Data

ID22945339
AuthorsAngela M Downey, Angela Downey (University of Lethbridge, corresponding author), David Sharp (0000-0002-6915-1283, Western University), David J Sharp
Year2007
Volume22
Issue2
Pages102-111
Publication date2007-06-01
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueHealth Promotion International (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 0957-4824 • E-ISSN: 1460-2245
PublisherOxford University Press (OUP) (PUBLISHER)
DOI10.1093/heapro/dam002
PMID17339297
OpenAlexW2156868609
LanguageEN
Citations received7
References cited21

There is extensive evidence that worksite health promotion (WHP) programmes reduce healthcare costs and improve employee productivity. In many countries, a large proportion of healthcare costs are borne by the state. While the full benefits of WHP are still created, they are shared between employers and the state, even though the employer bears the full (after-tax) cost. Employers therefore have a lower incentive to implement WHP activity. We know little about the beliefs of managers with decision responsibility for the approval and implementation of WHP programmes in this context. This article reports the results of a study of the attitudes of Canadian senior general managers (GMs) and human resource managers (HRMs) in the auto parts industry in Ontario, Canada towards the consequences of increasing discretionary spending on WHP, using Structural Equation Modelling and the Theory of Planned Behaviour. We identified factors that explain managers' intentions to increase discretionary spending on wellness programmes. While both senior GMs and HRMs are motivated primarily by their beliefs that WHP reduces indirect costs of health failure, GMs were also motivated by their moral responsibility towards employees (but surprisingly HRMs were not). Importantly, HRMs, who usually have responsibility for WHP, felt constrained by a lack of power to commit resources. Most importantly, we found no social expectation that organizations should provide WHP programmes. This has important implications in an environment where the adoption of WHP is very limited and cost containment within the healthcare system is paramount.

Business · Commit · Context (archaeology) · Economic growth · Economics · Health care · Health promotion · Incentive · Productivity · Public economics · Structural equation modeling · Workplace health promotion · Agriculture and Farm Safety · Marketing · Occupational Health and Safety Research · Workplace Health and Well-being