The role of obesity and lifestyle behaviours in a productive workforce.

OBJECTIVES: This study aims to investigate the role of lifestyle factors in relation to the presence and degree of productivity loss at work and sick leave. METHODS: A cross-sectional study recruited 10,624 workers in 49 companies in the Netherlands in 2005-2009. Productivity loss at work was measured on a 10-point scale indicating how much work was actually performed on the previous workday. Sick leave was measured by asking how many days in the past 12 months workers were off work due to health problems. Logistic regression analyses were applied to study the association between obesity and lifestyle behaviours and both outcome measures. RESULTS: Obesity was associated with the presence of sick leave (OR 1.25) and prolonged duration (OR 1.55). Insufficient physical activity (OR 1.12) and smoking (OR 1.17) were also associated with the presence of sick leave. Smoking (OR 1.45), obesity (OR 1.29) and insufficient fruit and vegetable intake (OR 1.22) were associated with the degree of productivity loss at work. The combined population attributable fractions of lifestyle factors for sick leave and the higher levels of productivity loss at work were above 10%. CONCLUSIONS: Lifestyle-related factors, especially smoking and obesity, were associated with the presence and duration of sick leave and degree of productivity loss at work. More than 10% of sick leave and the higher levels of productivity loss at work may be attributed to lifestyle behaviours and obesity. Hence, primary interventions on lifestyle may have a noticeable contribution to maintaining a productive workforce.

The importance of job control for workers with decreased work ability to remain productive at work.

PURPOSE: Workers with decreased work ability are at greater risk of reduced productivity at work. We hypothesized that work-related characteristics play an important role in supporting workers to remain productive despite decreased work ability. METHODS: The study population consisted of 10,542 workers in 49 different companies in the Netherlands in 2005-2009. Productivity loss at work was defined on a 10-point scale by asking how much work was actually performed during regular hours on the last regular workday when compared with normal. Independent variables in the logistic regression analysis were individual characteristics, work-related factors, and the work ability index. Additive interactions between work-related factors and decreased work ability were evaluated by the relative excess risk due to interaction (RERI). RESULTS: The odds ratios and 95% confidence intervals (CI) for the likelihood of productivity loss at work were 2.03 (1.85-2.22), 3.50 (3.10-3.95), and 5.54 (4.37-7.03) for a good, moderate, and poor work ability, compared with an excellent work ability (reference group). Productivity loss at work was associated with lack of job control, poor skill discretion, and high work demands. There was a significant interaction between decreased work ability and lack of job control (RERI = 0.63 95% CI 0.11-1.16) with productivity loss at work. CONCLUSION: The negative effects on work performance of decreased work ability may be partly counterbalanced by increased job control. This suggests that interventions among workers with (chronic) disease that cause a decreased work ability should include enlargement of possibilities to plan and pace their own activities at work.