More positive fallout from Home Depot: wellness programs benefit from management support

Workplace wellness programs that incorporate goal-setting and receive management support are twice as likely to improve employee activity levels as merely providing information to employees on the health benefits of exercise, a study has found.

The study compared the activity levels of 1,442 Home Depot Inc.'s employees who participated in the retailers 12-week "Move to Improve" program with a control group.

The control group took health risk appraisals designed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and received monthly newsletters describing the health benefits of physical activity.

The study group was divided into teams and was asked to set both personal and team goals that included weekly increases in the frequency of 10-minute exercise breaks and in the number of pedometer steps. Senior managers endorsed the program and encouraged middle managers to support employee participation, and participants received small incentives for meeting goals. The program also incorporated environmental prompts, such as signs posted in high-traffic areas throughout the worksites that encouraged physical activity. More from BusinessInsurance.com