Workplace health promotion of large and medium-sized businesses: The relationship between and predictors of activities in two German states

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the relationship between different areas of workplace health promotion (WHP) activities and predictors of the number of areas in which WHP activities are offered.

Design/methodology/approach

A questionnaire with ten questions on WHP was mailed to the 478 largest businesses in Berlin and Brandenburg, Germany. The cross-sectional data from this survey are presented and explored using correlation and linear regression analyses.

Findings

In total, 30 businesses, of which 90 percent offered WHP activities, participated in the survey. Businesses with WHP were, on average, active in 5.59 (SD=2.24) areas of health promotion. Offering an activity was positively correlated with offering an activity in at least one other area for all WHP areas except ergonomic workplace design (p < 0.05). Among businesses offering WHP, reporting that WHP would be strengthened with more support (−2.02, 95 percent CI: −4.04 to −0.01) and being a medium-sized business with an information need (−3.63, 95 percent CI: −5.70 to −1.57) or an opinion that health insurance companies should offer WHP (−1.96, 95 percent CI: −3.86 to −0.05) were all associated with offering activities in fewer WHP areas. In a multiple regression analysis, the information need of mid-size businesses was the only significant predictor (−5.25, 95 percent CI: −9.41 to −1.08).

Practical implications

Addressing the information needs of medium-sized businesses concerning WHP could be an effective strategy for increasing the spectrum of WHP activities offered.

Originality/value

This study complements existing studies by assessing associations between WHP activities and predictors of WHP activity emphasizing business size.

Citation

Kohler, S. (2016), "Workplace health promotion of large and medium-sized businesses: The relationship between and predictors of activities in two German states", International Journal of Workplace Health Management, Vol. 9 No. 2, pp. 184-201. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJWHM-11-2015-0066