Truckies and the Australian transport industry: Managers’ perspectives about enablers and inhibitors to workplace health promotion

Abstract

BACKGROUND:

There is little published research about managers’ views about implementing and embedding workplace health promotion interventions.

OBJECTIVE:

To shed light on research-to-practice challenges in implementing workplace health promotion interventions in the Australian road transport industry.

METHODS:

In this Participatory Action Research project, managers from small-to-midsized companies in the Australian road transport industry were asked their views about enablers and barriers to implementing nutrition and physical activity interventions in their workplace.

RESULTS:

Managers identified practical assistance with resources, ideas, and staffing as being key enablers to implementation. Barriers included time restraints, worker age and lack of interest, and workplace issues relating to costs and resources.

CONCLUSION:

Manager perspectives add new insights about successful implementation of workplace health promotion. A Participatory Action Research approach allows managers to develop their own ideas for adapting interventions to suit their workplace. These findings add to a small body of knowledge about managers’ views regarding implementing workplace health promotion in small-to-midsized road transport companies – a relatively unexplored group. Managers highlight the importance of time constraints and worker availability when designing interventions for the road transport industry. Managers require a good understanding of the workplaces’ socio-cultural context for successful health promotion and health behaviour change.