Reducing occupational sitting: Workers’ perspectives on participation in a multi-component intervention

BackgroundOffice workers spend much of their time sitting, which is now understood to be a risk factor for several chronic diseases. This qualitative study examined participants’ perspectives following their involvement in a cluster randomised controlled trial of a multi-component intervention targeting prolonged workplace sitting (Stand Up Victoria). The intervention incorporated a sit-stand workstation, individual health coaching and organisational support strategies. The aim of the study was to explore the acceptability of the intervention, barriers and facilitators to reducing workplace sitting, and perceived effects of the intervention on workplace culture, productivity and health-related outcomes.MethodsSemi-structured interviews (n = 21 participants) and two focus groups (n = 7) were conducted with intervention participants at the conclusion of the 12 month trial and thematic analysis was used to analyse the data. Questions covered intervention acceptability, overall impact, barriers and facilitators to reducing workplace sitting, and perceived impact on productivity and workplace culture.ResultsOverall, participants had positive intervention experiences, perceiving that reductions in workplace sitting were associated with improved health and well-being with limited negative impact on work performance. While sit-stand workstations appeared to be the primary drivers of change, workstation design and limited suitability of standing for some job tasks and situations were perceived as barriers to their use. Social support from team leaders and other participants was perceived to facilitate behavioural changes and a shift in norms towards increased acceptance of standing in the workplace.ConclusionsMulti-component interventions to reduce workplace sitting, incorporating sit-stand workstations, are acceptable and feasible; however, supportive social and environmental conditions are required to support participant engagement. Best practice approaches to reduce workplace sitting should address the multiple levels of influence on behaviour, including factors that may act as barriers to behavioural change.

[1]  D. Alter,et al.  Sedentary Time and Its Association With Risk for Disease Incidence, Mortality, and Hospitalization in Adults , 2015, Annals of Internal Medicine.

[2]  David W. Dunstan,et al.  Reducing prolonged sitting in the workplace: An evidence review: full report , 2012 .

[3]  H. P. van der Ploeg,et al.  Desk-based workers’ perspectives on using sit-stand workstations: a qualitative analysis of the Stand@Work study , 2014, BMC Public Health.

[4]  Nyssa T. Hadgraft,et al.  Feasibility and acceptability of reducing workplace sitting time: a qualitative study with Australian office workers , 2016, BMC Public Health.

[5]  Genevieve N Healy,et al.  Sit-stand workstations: a pilot intervention to reduce office sitting time. , 2012, American journal of preventive medicine.

[6]  K. Kukkonen-Harjula,et al.  Workplace interventions for reducing sitting at work. , 2015, The Cochrane database of systematic reviews.

[7]  Brianna S Fjeldsoe,et al.  Iterative development of Stand Up Australia: a multi-component intervention to reduce workplace sitting , 2014, International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity.

[8]  N. Owen,et al.  Reducing occupational sedentary time: a systematic review and meta‐analysis of evidence on activity‐permissive workstations , 2014, Obesity reviews : an official journal of the International Association for the Study of Obesity.

[9]  Sam O. Shepherd,et al.  Evaluation of sit-stand workstations in an office setting: a randomised controlled trial , 2015, BMC Public Health.

[10]  Jonine Jancey,et al.  Stand by Me: Qualitative Insights into the Ease of Use of Adjustable Workstations , 2016, AIMS public health.

[11]  J. Rey-Lopez,et al.  Sedentary Behavior and Health Outcomes: An Overview of Systematic Reviews , 2014, PloS one.

[12]  Ž. Pedišić,et al.  Workplace interventions for reducing sitting at work. , 2016, The Cochrane database of systematic reviews.

[13]  David W Dunstan,et al.  Breaking up workplace sitting time with intermittent standing bouts improves fatigue and musculoskeletal discomfort in overweight/obese office workers , 2014, Occupational and Environmental Medicine.

[14]  B. Fjeldsoe,et al.  A Cluster Randomized Controlled Trial to Reduce Office Workers' Sitting Time: Effect on Activity Outcomes. , 2016, Medicine and science in sports and exercise.

[15]  Genevieve N Healy,et al.  Workplace sitting and height-adjustable workstations: a randomized controlled trial. , 2014, American journal of preventive medicine.

[16]  Brianna S Fjeldsoe,et al.  Reducing sitting time in office workers: short-term efficacy of a multicomponent intervention. , 2013, Preventive medicine.

[17]  H. P. van der Ploeg,et al.  Daily Sitting Time and All-Cause Mortality: A Meta-Analysis , 2013, PloS one.

[18]  Brianna S Fjeldsoe,et al.  A Cluster RCT to Reduce Office Workers' Sitting Time: Impact on Activity Outcomes. , 2016, Medicine and science in sports and exercise.

[19]  F. Müller-Riemenschneider,et al.  A systematic review and meta‐analysis of workplace intervention strategies to reduce sedentary time in white‐collar workers , 2016, Obesity reviews : an official journal of the International Association for the Study of Obesity.

[20]  Takemi Sugiyama,et al.  Adults' sedentary behavior determinants and interventions. , 2011, American journal of preventive medicine.

[21]  A. Bauman,et al.  More standing and just as productive: Effects of a sit-stand desk intervention on call center workers’ sitting, standing, and productivity at work in the Opt to Stand pilot study , 2015, Preventive medicine reports.

[22]  J. Jancey,et al.  Uprising: An examination of sit-stand workstations, mental health and work ability in sedentary office workers, in Western Australia. , 2016, Work.

[23]  Brianna S Fjeldsoe,et al.  Reducing office workers’ sitting time: rationale and study design for the Stand Up Victoria cluster randomized trial , 2013, BMC Public Health.

[24]  Nirjhar Dutta,et al.  Experience of switching from a traditional sitting workstation to a sit-stand workstation in sedentary office workers. , 2015, Work.

[25]  Adrian Bauman,et al.  “Thinking on your feet”: A qualitative evaluation of sit-stand desks in an Australian workplace , 2013, BMC Public Health.

[26]  Gabriel A. Koepp,et al.  Using Sit-Stand Workstations to Decrease Sedentary Time in Office Workers: A Randomized Crossover Trial , 2014, International journal of environmental research and public health.

[27]  Nicholas D. Gilson,et al.  Does the use of standing 'hot' desks change sedentary work time in an open plan office? , 2012, Preventive medicine.

[28]  N. Pronk,et al.  Reducing Occupational Sitting Time and Improving Worker Health: The Take-a-Stand Project, 2011 , 2012, Preventing chronic disease.