The present study was designed to examine the effects of active rest by workplace units on not only workers’ individual vigor but also workplace vigor and presenteeism.
A total of 130 workers performed our active rest (short-time exercise) program for 10 minutes per day during their lunch breaks, three to four times per week for 8 weeks. Subjects from a workplace unit were randomly allocated to the intervention (n = 66) or control (n = 64) groups. The participants’ work engagement and Work Functioning Impairment Scale (WFun) were examined at the baseline and after the 8-week intervention period.
After 8 weeks, the intervention group showed improved “vigor” values in work engagement and WFun (P < 0.05).
These results suggest that the introduction of active rest program by workplace units provides a viable means for improving workplace vigor and presenteeism.
Department of Health Development, Institute of Industrial Ecological Sciences, University of Occupational and Environmental Health, Kitakyushu, Japan (Drs Michishita, Jiang, Yamato); The Seiko Electric Co., Ltd, Fukuoka, Japan (Ariyoshi); The Society of 10 Minutes Lunch Fitness, Fukuoka, Japan (Yoshida, Moriyama); Mysha., LLC., Kitakyushu, Japan (Dr Obata); Department of Occupational Health Practice and Management, Institute of Industrial Ecological Sciences, University of Occupational and Environmental Health, Kitakyushu, Japan (Drs Nagata, Nagata, Mori).
Address correspondence to: Ryoma Michishita, PhD, 1-1 Iseigaoka, Yahatanishi-ku, Kitakyushu 807-8555, Japan (rmichishita@med.uoeh-u.ac.jp).
This work was supported by Grants-in-Aid from the Ministry of Education, Science, Sports and Culture of Japan (No. 17K09175), a grant from the Meiji Yasuda Life Foundation of Health and Welfare, UOEH Research Grant for Promotion of Occupational Health, and a Health Labour Sciences Research Grant.
H. Moriyama and M. Yoshida, who were included as coauthors, are officials of the Society of 10 Minutes Lunch Fitness. Hideko Moriyama is the director of the Society of 10 Minutes Lunch Fitness and she created and offered this exercise program. Marie Yoshida is an official employee of the Society of 10 Minutes Lunch Fitness and she contributed to the recruitment of participants. The cost of the study was covered by funding for our research to clarify the effects of active rest on health-related work productivity loss among workers. The salary of the fitness instructors was paid by the Society of 10 Minutes Lunch Fitness. Neither H. Moriyama nor M. Yoshida had a role in the data collection, data management, or the analyses that were performed in the present study.
Authors Michishita, Jiang, Ariyoshi, Yoshida, Moriyama, Obata, M. Nagata, T. Nagata, Mori, and Yamato have no relationships/conditions/circumstances that present potential conflict of interest.
The JOEM editorial board and planners have no financial interest related to this research.
