Definition of Workplace Wellness
Workplace Wellness: Any workplace health promotion activity or organizational policy designed to support healthy behavior among employees and to improve health outcomes. Known as ‘corporate wellbeing’ outside the US, it can consist of diverse activities such as on-site health education/fairs; free medical screenings; health coaching; weight loss, stress management…Read more
Explore Workplace Wellness research in the following databases:
PubMed Trip Cochrane*
*The Cochrane database requires users to enter the search term manually. Enter “workplace wellness”
Research Spotlight
The databases often return hundreds of medical studies for a single wellness approach. This section summarizes a sampling of five studies – providing just a taste of the available research.
- Work Stress Linked to 97% Increased Risk of Irregular Heart Rhythm (AFib)
A 2024 study published in the Journal of the American Heart Association found that adults in white-collar jobs with high job strain and for whom significant efforts are met with low rewards (such as low salary or recognition) may face a 97% increased risk for developing the irregular heart rhythm condition known as atrial fibrillation (AFib) compared to workers not exposed to these work stressors. High job strain alone was associated with an 83% higher risk of developing AFib, and effort-reward imbalance alone was associated with a 44% greater risk. AFib can lead to stroke, heart failure and other cardiovascular complications. The researchers studied medical database records for 6,000 adults in white-collar jobs in Canada, with 18 years of follow-up data.
Access this study on workplace wellness - Women Working Long Hours Have Increased Risk for Diabetes
Women who work long hours appear to be at increased risk for diabetes. In a 2018 study by the Institute for Work & Health (Toronto) analyzing 7,065 workers over 12 years, they found that compared to women who worked 35-40 hours a week, those who worked 45 hours or more had a 51 percent increased risk of diabetes. But there was no effect of working hours on diabetes for men. The lead author noted that women probably work significantly more hours than men than officially reported, if household and family responsibilities are taken into account.
Access this study on workplace wellness - Long Workdays Bad for the Heart
A study (2017) from European researchers, tracking more than 85,000 men and women from Britain, Denmark, Sweden and Finland over ten years, suggested that people that put in long work hours increase their risk for atrial fibrillation, that can lead to serious cardiovascular problems. Compared with people who worked 35-40 hours a week, those working more than 55 hours had a 40 percent increased risk of atrial fibrillation.
Access this study on workplace wellness - The More Hours Worked, the Greater the Risk of Cardiovascular Disease
Previous studies have indicated a link between long work hours and heightened risk of cardiovascular disease. This retrospective analysis, tracking 1,900+ American workers from 1986 to 2011, found that it’s a dose-response situation: the more hours worked, the higher the risk of cardiovascular disease – finding that for every extra hour of work put in weekly (over a decade), a person’s risk goes up 1%. Those that worked 55/hours a week, saw risk jump 16% – those who worked 65 hours, saw risk rise 52% – and people who worked 75 hours/week doubled their likelihood for heart disease, stroke, heart attack, etc.
Access this study on workplace wellness - Some Workplace Wellness Programs Return Demonstrable Per-Employee Savings
A meta-analysis of the literature on workplace wellness programs’ costs/savings (conducted Harvard University economics professors) found that medical costs fall about $3.27 – and absentee day costs fall $2.73 – for every dollar spent on wellness programs.
Access this Workplace Wellness study - Mayo Review: Well-crafted Worksite Wellness Programs Impact CVD
A Mayo Clinic review (2013) of the body of evidence on worksite wellness programs – summarizing average ROI and the role of health (e.g. screenings, exercise, smoking cessation, stress and weight management) argues that a well-designed worksite wellness program can reduce the incidence of cardiovascular diseases.
Access this Workplace Wellness study
Studies-in-Progress/Clinical Trials Underway
A clinical trial is any research study that assigns people to health-related interventions to evaluate the outcomes. “Interventions” include drugs, surgical procedures, devices, behavioral treatments, preventive care, etc.
- ClinicalTrials.gov: explore trials underway in the U.S.
- World Health Organization: explore trials happening across the globe. When you reach WHO’s search page, please type in “workplace wellness.”
Access all studies currently available for Workplace Wellness in these databases:
PubMed Trip Cochrane*
*The Cochrane database requires users to enter the search term manually. Enter “workplace wellness”
