Exploring the Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Employees’ Workplace Health Promotion Preferences

Purpose

There are 164 million employed Americans. ¹ The workplace is a uniquely effective place to reach adults “where they are” with evidence-based health promotion interventions.

Concerns about health, and mental health in particular, have increased among employees since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic and its consequences for society (hereafter “pandemic”).^2-4 Employees earning lower than average wages were particularly susceptible to declines in both physical and mental health during the pandemic.^5,6

While prior research suggests that employees prioritize healthy eating and physical activity in workplace health promotion (WHP),^7,8 we were unable to find any studies that address employees’ health concerns since the pandemic began affecting workplaces in March 2020, including what role WHP might play in addressing them. As little is currently known, this study is intended as a first-look at whether and how preferences may have shifted, and whether there were meaningful differences based on income or other demographic variables.

This applied research brief explores employees’ current health priorities, how the pandemic has impacted those priorities, and how open they are to receiving WHP that addresses their priorities. Future research will be needed to go deeper into how and why shifts have occurred and how best to meet changing needs.

Methods

The University of Washington Institutional Review Board determined that this study was exempt from formal review.

Results

The survey was completed by 2053 employed Americans. An abbreviated set of demographics are listed below. Full demographics available upon request of author:

Age

46% 18-41

54% 42+

21% 58+

Gender Identification

53% Female

47% Male

< .5% non-binary or other identification

Race*

4% Asian

13% Black

10% LatinX

<1% Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander

76% White

1% Other Racial Identity

* Percentages for Race >100% because respondents could select more than one category.

Household Income

45% <$75k

55% $75k+

When asked about health topics they consider to be most important to them, employees were most likely to cite work/life balance and stress (each cited by 55%), followed by increasing physical activity (45%), better nutrition (44%), improving sleep (43%), and reducing anxiety (43%). Topics were similar across household income and age.

Among the subgroup of employees (46%) who reported that their health and well-being were directly affected by the pandemic, the two most cited concerns were stress (66%) and anxiety (61%), followed by sleep (49%) and depression (48%). Physical activity and work/life balance were each mentioned by 36% of these employees. The younger the respondent, the more likely they were to say their health was affected by the pandemic (55% among Millennials/Gen Z, 43% among Gen X, 31% among Silent Gen/Baby Boomers), but the concerns cited were similar across age groups. While there were differences by income, none were large (>10%). Ninety-four percent of employees directly affected by the pandemic said they would be open to receiving WHP related to the topics they selected.

Figure 1 presents a fuller set of findings from these two groups.OPEN IN VIEWER

Discussion

Most of what we know about WHP, including what employees need and want WHP to address, is based on data gathered before March 2020. Previous research suggests that physical activity and nutrition were top priorities.^7,8 Given the dramatic changes to both the working situations of many Americans and priorities around health unique to the pandemic era, it is vital for public health researchers and practitioners to figure out whether and how existing WHP needs to adapt.

Over half of all employees indicated that stress and work/life balance were among their top health priorities, regardless of income, and these topics were the top concerns among the subset who reported that the pandemic directly affected their health. These results are consistent with health concerns reported by the broader American population during the pandemic.^9,10

We are struck by the relative lack of differences between household income groups. Respondents across income groups generally selected the same health priorities. Consistent with other findings, younger employees were more likely to report a direct impact of the pandemic on their health and well-being. ⁹ Almost all employees whose health was impacted by the pandemic were open to receiving WHP related to their priorities; this did not differ by household income or age. Future research should explore employee WHP needs and preferences in more depth, and employers’ capacity to address stress and work/life balance, especially in smaller or low-wage worksites that generally have less capacity for WHP.^11,12

Summary

Our findings reveal that the primary health concerns of American employees include both physical and mental health, with work/life balance and stress of particular concern. For those whose health was directly impacted by the pandemic, priorities focused primarily on mental health issues, including stress, anxiety, sleep (which often negatively reflects increased levels of stress, anxiety and depression that people experience^13,14) and depression. Most employees whose health declined during the pandemic are open to receiving support from their employers with their health concerns.

Limitations

This study was conducted via online survey, which does not allow probing on questions that might have benefited from it. There may be differences between individuals who agree to participate in market research panel surveys and those who do not. Questions addressing openness to workplace health promotion did not include the 54% of employees who indicated their health was not directly affected by the pandemic.

Significance

Since the onset of the pandemic, there has been little information on the WHP needs and wants of American employees. This research is a first step toward identifying what employees care about, how likely they would be to accept WHP on those topics from their employers, and how existing WHP might need to evolve to meet the challenges experienced by employees since March 2020.

So What?