Can worksite nutritional interventions improve productivity and firm profitability? A literature review

Abstract

Aims: This paper investigates whether and how worksite nutrition policies can improve employee productivity. Methods: The questions are pursued through a literature review, including a systematic search of literature – combined with literature identified from backward references – on randomized controlled or quasi-experimental worksite intervention trials and observational cross-sectional studies. Studies were selected on the basis of topic relevance, according to publication title and subsequently according to abstract content. A quality appraisal of the studies was based on study design and clarity in definition of interventions, as well as environmental and outcome variables. Results: The search identified 2,358 publications, 30 of which were found suitable for the review. Several of the reviewed studies suggest that diet-related worksite interventions have positive impacts on employees’ nutritional knowledge, food intake and health and on the firm’s profitability, mainly in terms of reduced absenteeism and presenteeism. Conclusions: Well-targeted and efficiently implemented diet-related worksite health promotion interventions may improve labour productivity by 1%–2%. On larger worksites, such productivity gains are likely to more than offset the costs of implementing such interventions. These conclusions are subject to some uncertainty due to the relatively limited amount of literature in the field.