Current State of Workplace Health Promotion in Switzerland. Prioritization of Measures and Appraisal of Requirements

Abstract

Background: This study aggregates insights of three studies evaluating manager’s and employee’s view on workplace health promotion (WHP) in Switzerland. The studies' objectives were to analyze requirements and measures taken by companies and their appraisal from involved parties. Methods: Based on the findings of a quantitative study, inquiring 190 HR managers, two qualitative studies were conducted to evolve the manager’s role and the employee’s needs. Findings: Data show that managers are highly responsive to WHP issues. A wide range of activities are reported, however, activities are not embedded in a holistic concept. The employee’s interest in WHP activities is moderate. Employee’s participation in activities is low, ranging between 12 and 16 percent. Both, employees and managers rate infrastructure and workplace organization as their first priorities. Psychological dimensions, such as decision-making, responsibility, task fulfillment, are not perceived as important. Discussion: It is argued that WHP has become a growing issue among Swiss managers and employees. However, WHP is much linked to an understanding of health in a core sense, disregarding psychological dimensions.