United States: The heart health of an employee can improve if the ‘workplace environment’ is kinder and more thoughtful, a new study claims. The study specifically targeted the older population.
The conclusion was made by the researchers in a report which was published in the November 8 issue of the American Journal of Public Health. The research has concluded that the risk factors regarding the heart health of older workers have decreased when their office environments are designed to reduce work-family conflicts.
The research further explained that when people worked in more flexibility and had support at work, their heart risk factors looked like those of individuals 5 to 10 years younger.
The Director of the Harvard Center for Population and Development Studies – Lisa Berkman, who was also a co-lead researcher in the study in a Harvard news release, stated, “The study illustrates how working conditions are important social determinants of health,” according to the HealthDay News.
“When stressful workplace conditions and work-family conflict were mitigated, we saw a reduction in the risk of cardiovascular disease among more vulnerable employees, without any negative impact on their productivity,” Berkman further added.
In addition to this, she expressed, “These findings could be particularly consequential for low- and middle-wage workers who traditionally have less control over their schedules and job demands and are subject to greater health inequities.”
How was the study conducted?
To conduct the study, the researchers worked with two companies, including an IT company with 555 participating employees and a long-term care company with 973 participating employees.
Special strategic training sessions for supervisors of the companies were organized, which taught them about the ideas to support employees’ personal and family lives. Along with this, the teams of supervisors and employees attended that hands-on training to identify the new ways that can assist in increasing control of employees over their schedules and workflow.
The researchers have further explained that the change in the workplace didn’t have any significant effect on the heart health risk factors of an employee. However, the high heart risk scores were improved for the workers who participated in the study.
Conclusions for employees at IT and long-term care company
The researchers outlined that the employees working in the IT company witnessed a reduction in their heart risk scores equal to 5.5 years of age-related changes. Meanwhile, employees in long-term care companies saw a decrease of around 10.3 years.
According to the researchers, one of the significant roles was played by age factor. The study found that employees over 45 years old had higher heart risk scores and were more likely to see an improvement than young workers.
Additionally, the Director of the Sleep, Health and Society Collaboratory at Penn State University, Orfeu Buxton, who is one of the co-lead researchers, said, “The intervention was designed to change the culture of the workplace over time, with the intention of reducing conflict between employees’ work and personal lives and ultimately improving their health,” the HealthDay News quoted.
Buxton added, “Now we know such changes can improve employee health and should be more broadly implemented.”