In:
PLOS Global Public Health, Public Library of Science (PLoS), Vol. 3, No. 7 ( 2023-7-6), p. e0001381-
Abstract:
We conducted an independent evaluation on the effectiveness of an organisational-level monetary incentive to encourage small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) to improve employees’ health and wellbeing. This was A mixed-methods cluster randomised trial with four arms: high monetary incentive, low monetary incentive, and two no monetary incentive controls (with or without baseline measurements to examine ‘reactivity’ The consequence of particpant awareness of being studied, and potential impact on participant behavior effects). SMEs with 10–250 staff based in West Midlands, England were eligible. We randomly selected up to 15 employees at baseline and 11 months post-intervention. We elicited employee perceptions of employers’ actions to improve health and wellbeing; and employees’ self-reported health behaviours and wellbeing. We also interviewed employers and obtained qualitative data. One hundred and fifty-two SMEs were recruited. Baseline assessments were conducted in 85 SMEs in three arms, and endline assessments in 100 SMEs across all four arms. The percentage of employees perceiving “positive action” by their employer increased after intervention (5 percentage points, pp [95% Credible Interval -3, 21] and 3pp [–9, 17] , in models for high and low incentive groups). Across six secondary questions about specific issues the results were strongly and consistently positive, especially for the high incentive. This was consistent with qualitative data and quantitative employer interviews. However, there was no evidence of any impact on employee health behaviour or wellbeing outcomes, nor evidence of ‘reactivity’. An organisational intervention (a monetary incentive) changed employee perceptions of employer behaviour but did not translate into changes in employees’ self-reports of their own health behaviours or wellbeing. Trial registration: AEARCTR-0003420 , registration date: 17.10.2018, retrospectively registered (delays in contracts and identfying a suitable trial registry). The authors confirm that there are no ongoing and related trials for this intervention.
Type of Medium:
Online Resource
ISSN:
2767-3375
DOI:
10.1371/journal.pgph.0001381
DOI:
10.1371/journal.pgph.0001381.g001
DOI:
10.1371/journal.pgph.0001381.g002
DOI:
10.1371/journal.pgph.0001381.t001
DOI:
10.1371/journal.pgph.0001381.t002
DOI:
10.1371/journal.pgph.0001381.t003
DOI:
10.1371/journal.pgph.0001381.t004
DOI:
10.1371/journal.pgph.0001381.s001
DOI:
10.1371/journal.pgph.0001381.s002
DOI:
10.1371/journal.pgph.0001381.s003
DOI:
10.1371/journal.pgph.0001381.s004
DOI:
10.1371/journal.pgph.0001381.s005
DOI:
10.1371/journal.pgph.0001381.r001
DOI:
10.1371/journal.pgph.0001381.r002
DOI:
10.1371/journal.pgph.0001381.r003
DOI:
10.1371/journal.pgph.0001381.r004
DOI:
10.1371/journal.pgph.0001381.r005
Language:
English
Publisher:
Public Library of Science (PLoS)
Publication Date:
2023
detail.hit.zdb_id:
3101394-6
Permalink