Affiliations: [a]
Department of Sports, Physical Education and Outdoor Studies, University of South-Eastern Norway (USN), Borre, Norway
| [b]
Department of Sports Medicine, Norwegian School of Sport Sciences (NIH), Oslo, Norway
Correspondence:
[*]
Address for correspondence: Hilde Grønningsæter, Department of Sports, Physical Education and Outdoor Studies, University of South-Eastern Norway (USN), P.O. Box 4, 3199 Borre, Norway. E-mail: hilde.gronningsater@usn.no.
Note: [1] This article is based on a Master’s thesis by PG Støren, Department of Sports Medicine, Norwegian School of Sport Sciences (NIH) (2020).
Abstract: BACKGROUND:Worksite health promotion programs (WHPP) aiming to reduce presenteeism are rapidly increasing. However, program-efficacy seems impaired by lack of conceptual understanding and theoretical frameworks related to presenteeism. OBJECTIVES:To study (1) the concept of presenteeism, (2) the causes of the phenomenon and (3) which WHPP affect presenteeism. METHODS:We followed the PRISMA 2020 guidelines for mapping relevant literature in seven databases. The main search-terms were “worksite”, “WHPP”, “presenteeism”, “employee productivity” and “interventions”. Reviews and review of reviews were included and analysed according to research questions and ecological theory. RESULTS:Of 2196 studies identified, 14 reviews were included, comprising 1390 single studies. Conceptually, presenteeism was poorly defined, mostly related to productivity/performance limitations due to ill health. Factors causing presenteeism addressed individual health or lifestyle (78%), and, to a lesser extent work and organisational factors (management/job stress) (22%). Forty-five highly diverse WHPP were identified, about 90% focusing health outcomes. 22/45 WHPP affected presenteeism/productivity positively. Multi-component WHPP implemented at multi levels accounted for 55%. Single-component programs, implemented at individual level, were mostly targeting health-risk subgroups. No specific WHPP seems preferable. Methodological quality seems highly associated with worksite intervention-efficacy. CONCLUSION:Increased telework opportunities due to COVID-19 experiences has affected working conditions worldwide, for better and worse, requiring adaptions at employee, management, organisational and socio-cultural levels. Our results showed high program diversity, several adaptable to future needs (e.g., digital solutions), however hampered by narrow focus on individual health. Future research should focus on theory-based high quality multilevel WHPP comprising contextual, work, and organisational factors.
