The occupational therapy process in workplace wellness: A qualitative study of client experience

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Occupational therapy presently has a limited presence within the workplace wellness industry and the profession’s contribution within this area of practice is not fully understood. Occupational therapy’s holistic, occupation-based, and client-centered approach has the potential to provide a valuable contribution to the field of workplace wellness. OBJECTIVE: To explore the experience of organizational employees participating in a workplace wellness program centered in the occupational therapy domain and process. METHODS: Six occupational therapy workplace wellness program participants completed in-depth semi-structured interviews one month after program completion followed by deductive thematic analysis of transcripts. RESULTS: Three themes emerged (sustainable change across context, process matters, and therapeutic relationship supporting wellness), along with subthemes, describing the participant experience. CONCLUSIONS: The structured and individualized process of occupational therapy delivered within a workplace wellness program was appreciated by participants as a means of addressing workplace wellness and providing sustainable wellness results.