Flexibility Leads To Healthier Lifestyle

January 21 2008 - Research from Wake Forest University School of Medicine published in The Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine found that employees who believe they have flexibility in the workplace tend to sustain healthier lifestyle habits.

Lead author Joseph G. Grzywacz said:

"People who believe they have flexibility in their work lives have healthier lifestyles. Individuals who perceive an increase in their flexibility are more likely to start some positive lifestyle behaviours. This study is important because it reinforces the idea that workplace flexibility is important to workplace health."

The authors explain that there has been little previous research into the widespread belief that workplace flexibility is an essential element of effective worksite health promotion programs. The study analysed Health Risk Appraisals (HRAs) completed by employees of a large multinational pharmaceutical company. This employer is consistently recognized by Working Mother magazine as among the most family-friendly in the United States. A significant reason is its commitment to flexibility (such as compressed workweeks, flextime, job sharing and remote or telework). Employees with a variety of jobs and responsibilities completed the HRA, including executives, administrative support staff, and warehouse and production workers.

Joseph Grzywacz commented:

"These weren't all office workers - that's an important point. This isn't just about high-level office workers - these people perform a wide variety of tasks within the company."

Data was analyzed to determine if lifestyle behaviors varied between employees with different levels of perceived flexibility and whether changes in flexibility over a one-year period were predictive of changes in health behavior. The study focused on frequency of physical activity, engagement in stress management programs, participation in health education activities, healthful sleep habits, and self-appraised overall lifestyle.

Joseph Grzywacz concluded:

"Overall, the results showed that nearly all the health behaviors examined in this study were associated with perceived flexibility. Although further research is needed, these results suggest that flexibility programs that are situated within a broader organizational commitment to employee health may be useful for promoting positive lifestyle habits."

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