How does a workplace design and implement a successful workplace physical activity program? Over the last few years, Alberta Centre for Active Living staff have been asked this question many times. A 1999 needs assessment of Alberta workplaces also identified the need for a resource to help companies start (and then evaluate) workplace physical activity programs (Poon, Zuck, Plotnikoff, & Horne, 2000).

Based on this demand, the Alberta Centre for Active Living decided to create this tool. This three-year initiative, which included ongoing input from stakeholders, ended in March 2003 with the development of the Workplace Physical Activity Framework. (Funding for the project came from the Alberta Sport, Recreation, Parks & Wildlife Foundation.)

An “Ecological Perspective”
After reviewing current literature in workplace physical activity programs, the project team chose to use an ecological perspective. Research showed that programs focused on individual employees were less successful than those considering the employee and the environment (McLeroy, Bibeau, Steckler, & Glanz, 1988; Sallis & Owen, 1997).

An ecological perspective takes into account several levels of intervention that may affect employee participation. This resource focused on five levels—the individual, social, organizational, community, and policy levels.

A program that considers all the various factors influencing the employee and his or her participation is more likely to succeed. For example, a company-sponsored active living event supported by management (as well as front-line employees) will attract more staff. On the other hand, a community-based event will have more staff participation than an event that only has buy-in from management.

These ecological levels can also interact with one another. For example, the combination of factors such as shift work, legislation affecting employees working alone, and the location of facilities for physical activity can affect employee participation.

The Program Standard
So where does a workplace program start? The first part of the framework, the Program Standard, outlines how to get started. For example, the “groundwork” for any program includes building support from employers, unions, owners, and employees, as well as a thorough needs assessment of workers and their interests. Also included in this stage is an assessment of the physical resources available at the worksite and in the surrounding area.

The next phase, “construction,” involves building capacity in the five ecological levels listed above.

This part of the process could include

• providing educational material for employees (individual level);

• developing company policies to support physical activity (organizational level);

• partnering with community members (community level); or

• encouraging company tournaments (social level).

“Detailing,” the third phase, addresses the need for efficient program administration (e.g., evaluation and record keeping) and the importance of good safety and risk management plans.

The Audit Tool
The second part of the framework, the Audit Tool, is an evaluation checklist that allows a company to assess whether it is meeting the actions recommended in the Program Standard. Workplaces can use the Audit Tool to monitor progress and identify areas for improvement.

The two parts allow a workplace to understand the elements of a good physical activity program and how to measure the program against a standard.

The Pilot Results
The final stage was to pilot the project in a variety of workplaces. Feedback from pilot sites was positive, although some participants suggested including examples of “best practices”—resources such as policies, needs assessments, and evaluation forms.

People who tested the tools in their workplaces generally appreciated the construction theme of the framework.

Several organizations also suggested that a large workplace might want to assess its different sections separately in the Audit Tool, rather than completing one form for the whole organization. Most of these suggestions were incorporated into the final version of the framework.

The Program Standard and Audit Tool were designed to set a high standard for successful programs and to be useful for various types and sizes of workplaces. It will be interesting to hear the feedback as the framework is put into use.

The framework is available at www.centre4activeliving.ca/research/reports.

Project team members:

• Ron Plotnikoff, PhD, Senior Research Associate, Alberta Centre for Active Living, and Associate Professor, University of Alberta;

• Allan Fein, MSc, PhD Cand., University of Toronto;

• Leah Milton, BN, Workplace Health Consultant;

• Tricia Prodaniuk, BPE, Master’s Cand., University of Alberta;

• Val Mayes, HBOR (Honours Bachelor of Outdoor Recreation), MEd.

For more information
If you would like to reprint an article from WellSpring in your publication or post it on your website, please contact: 
Kathy Garnsworthy, Communications & Marketing Coordinator
3rd Floor, 11759 Groat Road, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada   T5M 3K6
Phone: 780-427-6949 or 1-800-661-4551 (toll-free in Alberta only),  Fax: 780-427-2677
E-mail: active.living@ualberta.ca