The Relationship Between Workplace Environment and Employee Health Behaviors in a South African Workforce

Objective: To determine the relationship between the availability of wellness facilities at worksites and self-reported employee health behaviors (physical activity [PA] and nutrition [NUT]). Methods: Employers (n = 71) and employees (n = 11472) participated in the South African Healthy Company Index survey. The survey included self-reported clinical measures and lifestyle behaviors. A facility score was calculated, ranging from 0 to 100. Hierarchical linear models were used to calculate the relationship between facility scores and whether employees met PA and NUT guidelines. Results: The mean total facility score was 58.5 +/- 25.5. The number of facilities at each worksite accounted for 5.4% of the variance in PA among employees (r = 0.054; P = 0.036). Higher facility scores were associated with better NUT habits among employees. Conclusions: Employers providing wellness facilities are likely to have employees with better PA and NUT habits.