Rural Small Business Owners and Employees Working Well

Workplace health and safety programs and policies typically exclude tiny (<20) workplaces. These “microbusinesses” lack capacity and resources. Yet policies and programs that bypass small employers ignore the majority of workers: 90% of all Maine private sector businesses (1/3 of all workers) had <20 workers, more than half worked at sites with <50.

Little is known about whether microbusinesses will participate in health and safety initiatives.  Healthy Maine Streets convened local downtown development organizations and public health coalitions to work collectively to improve health of downtown employees and the community. Small (<20) downtown employers in 19 small towns formed wellness committees. A suite of worksite wellness tools used by the State’s health department to inventory, assess and plan wellness strategies was adapted for small businesses.  

Baseline survey results (used to create both firm-specific and town-level wellness work plans) provide unique insight into small downtown businesses’ interest and activity in employee wellness.  64% of the 200 participating businesses -- predominately retail and service-- employ fewer than 10 employees.  Employees reported workplace support for behavioral change at rates of  65% to 80%.  86% of employees said no smoking was allowed at work.73% of workplace inventories reported healthy eating promotion, and a majority supported increased physical activity through programs (21%), policies and incentives (51%) environmental changes (63%) or education (40%).

Micro-businesses and their employees are interested in employee health and safety. Contiguous tiny enterprises can engage in collective wellness activities.  Presented as economic development, wellness is understood and championed enthusiastically by small employers.