Effects of Sedentary Behavior Interventions on Mental Well-Being and Work Performance While Working from Home during the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial

Grace E. Falk, Emily L. Mailey, Hayrettin Okut, Sara K. Rosenkranz, Richard R. Rosenkranz, Justin L. Montney and Elizabeth Ablah
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Grace E. Falk: School of Medicine, University of Kansas School of Medicine, Wichita, KS 67214, USA
Emily L. Mailey: Department of Kinesiology, College of Health and Human Sciences, Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS 66506, USA
Hayrettin Okut: Department of Population Health, University of Kansas School of Medicine, Wichita, KS 67214, USA
Sara K. Rosenkranz: Department of Food, Nutrition, Dietetics and Health, College of Health and Human Sciences, Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS 66506, USA
Richard R. Rosenkranz: Department of Food, Nutrition, Dietetics and Health, College of Health and Human Sciences, Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS 66506, USA
Justin L. Montney: Department of Kinesiology, College of Health and Human Sciences, Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS 66506, USA
Elizabeth Ablah: Department of Population Health, University of Kansas School of Medicine, Wichita, KS 67214, USA

IJERPH, 2022, vol. 19, issue 11, 1-14

Abstract: Sedentary behavior negatively impacts mental health, which can decrease employee productivity. Employee mental well-being and work performance may improve with sedentary reduction interventions, especially strategies that include environmental workplace modifications and behavior-changing strategies. However, such interventions have not been examined among employees working remotely during the COVID-19 pandemic. As part of the Stand Up Kansas program, 95 sedentary university employees working from home were randomized into one of four intervention arms: height-adjustable desk provision (Desk Only), online sedentary behavior modification program (Program Only), Desk + Program, or Control. The outcomes were measured at a baseline (November 2020) and following the 12-week intervention (February 2021). Employees reported mood (positive and negative affect), stress, fatigue (duration, interference with activities and severity) and work performance (irritability, focus, work satisfaction, non-work satisfaction and productivity) were measured using established self-report instruments. The effect sizes, by comparing the Control arm to the Desk + Program arm, revealed large improvements in mood (positive affect, d = 1.106). Moderate improvements were also seen in fatigue (duration, d = −0.533, and interference with activities, d = −0.648) and several aspects of work performance (focus, d = 0.702, work satisfaction, d = 0.751, and productivity, d = 0.572). Moderate effect sizes were also seen for positive affect ( d = 0.566) and fatigue severity ( d = 0.577) among the Program Only arm, whereas no noteworthy effect sizes were observed among the Desk Only arm. Combining an online sedentary behavior modification program with height-adjustable desk provisions appeared to positively affect mental well-being and work performance among remote employees.

Keywords: mental well-being; work performance; sedentary behavior; mood; energy (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (2)

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