Lloyd Nigel, Smeeton Nigel, Freethy Imogen, Jones Julia, Wills Wendy, Dennington-Price Abi, Jackson John, Brown Katherine
School of Life and Medical Sciences, University of Hertfordshire, Hatfield AL10 9AB, UK.
Centre for Research in Public Health and Community Care (CRIPACC), School of Health & Social Work, University of Hertfordshire, Hatfield AL10 9AB, UK.
Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2025 Jan 10;22(1):90. doi: 10.3390/ijerph22010090.
Today's challenging times highlight the need for workplaces to support employee wellbeing. Workplaces can offer a means to improve employee wellbeing and promote health initiatives. However, small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) are less likely than larger organizations to engage with workplace wellbeing initiatives or offer wellbeing provision. This study, conducted in an urban area in central England, explores SME engagement with local government workplace wellbeing provision, and barriers and facilitators to SME engagement, SME implementation of wellbeing provision, and employee uptake. A mixed-methods design was used. Quantitative data were collected via a survey of 103 SMEs and qualitative data from three focus groups with stakeholders involved in promoting SME engagement with wellbeing support (n = 9) and 16 in-depth interviews with SME representatives (n = 8) and employees (n = 8). Quantitative data were analyzed using the chi-squared, Fisher's exact and Mann-Whitney U tests, and multivariable logistic regression. Qualitative data were analyzed using framework analysis. Findings highlighted several interrelated factors acting as barriers and facilitators to SME engagement with wellbeing initiatives, SME-provided wellbeing provision, and employee uptake. The study provides valuable insights for policymakers, public health teams, and SME leaders on improving provision of and engagement with wellbeing programs. Trust, awareness, knowledge, and communication are highlighted as important prerequisites of optimal provision and engagement.
当今充满挑战的时代凸显了工作场所支持员工福祉的必要性。工作场所可以提供改善员工福祉和促进健康倡议的途径。然而，与大型组织相比，中小企业参与工作场所福祉倡议或提供福祉服务的可能性较小。这项在英格兰中部城市地区进行的研究，探讨了中小企业与地方政府工作场所福祉服务的参与情况，以及中小企业参与的障碍和促进因素、中小企业福祉服务的实施情况和员工的接受情况。采用了混合方法设计。通过对103家中小企业的调查收集定量数据，并从三个焦点小组收集定性数据，这些焦点小组的利益相关者参与促进中小企业参与福祉支持（n = 9），并对中小企业代表（n = 8）和员工（n = 8）进行了16次深入访谈。使用卡方检验、费舍尔精确检验和曼-惠特尼U检验以及多变量逻辑回归分析定量数据。使用框架分析定性数据。研究结果突出了几个相互关联的因素，这些因素对中小企业参与福祉倡议、中小企业提供的福祉服务以及员工接受度起到了障碍和促进作用。该研究为政策制定者、公共卫生团队和中小企业领导者在改善福祉计划的提供和参与方面提供了宝贵的见解。信任、意识、知识和沟通被强调为最佳提供和参与的重要先决条件。
