“The work just wears you down”: A feasibility and needs assessment of worksite health promotion programs for low-wage shift workers

Introduction: As most full-time employees spend over half of their waking hours at work, worksite health promotion programs (WHPPs) are an important piece to addressing many salient health issues. However, low-wage workers participate in WHPPs at lower rates than their high-wage counterparts despite a higher prevalence of chronic disease. The purpose of this study was to conduct interviews and focus groups to identify the needs, assets, and barriers to WHPP participation among low-wage shift workers at a large public university.

Methods: Key informant interviews and focus groups discussions (FGDs) were conducted with managers and low-wage frontline staff. Following data collection, a data analysis matrix was used to identify both topical and interpretative codes within the field notes gathered from interviews and FGDs.

Results: In sum, five directors or assistant directors and 50 frontline employees participated in either an interview or FGD. A number of individual, managerial, and organizational-level barriers were identified in both key informant interviews and FGDs, including the importance of manager support, the need to incorporate wellness activities into the work shift, and the inadequacy of communication about available programs and benefits. Additionally, themes of discrimination, worker morale, and incongruities between perceptions of managers and frontline staff were prominent.

Discussion: These formative research results suggest that there is both a need and desire for WHPPs among low-wage shift workers, and that some level of intervention is possible. Results of the formative research were used to inform a formative research report and an action plan with potential intervention strategies.