Focus of Study: Work Conditions
Conditions
Keywords
work to family conflict, supervisor support, long work hours, cardiometabolic risk, sleep duration, insomnia symptoms
Brief summary
Although the prevalence of family-friendly policies in US workplaces has increased dramatically, few have been studied using scientifically sound designs. To address this, the NIH and CDC formed the Work, Family, and Health Network (WFHN). During Phase 1, the WFHN designed and conducted multiple pilot and feasibility studies. For Phase 2, the WFHN implemented an innovative intervention based on Phase I pilot studies that is designed to increase family-supportive supervisor behaviors and employee control over work, and to evaluate the intervention using a group randomized experimental design. Customized interventions were performed separately in workplaces of two separate corporate partners.
Detailed description
Although the prevalence of family-friendly policies in US workplaces has increased dramatically in recent years, few have been studied using scientifically sound designs. To address this critical gap, the NIH and CDC formed the Work, Family, and Health Network (WFHN). During Phase 1, the WFHN designed and conducted multiple pilot and feasibility studies. For Phase 2, the WFHN implemented an innovative intervention based on Phase 1 pilot studies that is designed to increase family-supportive supervisor behaviors and employee control over work, and to evaluate the intervention using a group randomized experimental design. The goal of the study is to assess the effects of a workplace intervention designed to reduce work-family conflict, and thereby improve the health and well being of employees. The study intervention is grounded in theory from multiple disciplines and supported by findings from pilot/feasibility studies. The study seeks to inform the implementation of evidence-based, family-friendly policies, and thereby improving the health and well-being of employees and their families nationwide. The investigators assess the efficacy of the intervention via two independent, group-randomized field experiments, one at each of two employers representing different industries, referred to by alias as LEEF and TOMO. LEEF is an extended care (nursing home) company and facilities were excluded if they were in very isolated settings, if there were fewer than 30 direct patient-care employees, or if facilities were recently acquired. TOMO is an Information Technology company. Within each industry partner, worksites of 50-120 employees each were randomly assigned to intervention or usual practice conditions. All employee and supervisor participants were assessed at baseline and at 6-, 12-, and 18-months post baseline, including survey interviews and health assessments. Primary health outcomes were comprised of a cardiometabolic risk score using selected biomarkers and sleep duration and quality objectively measured using wrist actigraphy. These primary health outcomes were independently assessed as change from baseline to the 12-month wave, and separately in the two industries.
Interventions
BEHAVIORALIntervention
The intervention was a 3-month structural and social change process designed to increase employee control over work time and family supportive supervisory behaviors (Kossek et al., in press). The change process was an integration of two previously evaluated interventions (Hammer et al., 2011; Kelly et al., 2011). A facilitator led 8 hrs of participatory sessions to transition employees from a time-based to a results-based work culture. Supervisors participated in all change activities plus 4hrs of training in supportive supervision. Training in family supportive supervision was implemented with behavioral computer-based training (cTRAIN, NWeta, Lake Oswego, OR) followed by 2 rounds of goal-setting and behavioral self-monitoring using an iPod Touch (Habitrack, OHSU, Portland, OR).
Sponsors
National Institute on Aging (NIA)
Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD)
National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI)
Office of Behavioral and Social Sciences Research (OBSSR)
National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH/CDC)
Harvard School of Public Health (HSPH)
Study design
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Intervention model
PARALLEL
Primary purpose
OTHER
Masking
SINGLE (Investigator)
Eligibility
Sex/Gender
ALL
Healthy volunteers
Yes
Inclusion criteria
* LEEF: employees and supervisors with at least 22 weekly hours of direct patient care work in selected facilities * TOMO: employees and supervisors located in the two data collection cities
Exclusion criteria
* LEEF: nightwork schedule * TOMO: independent contractor classification
Design outcomes
Primary
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Change in total sleep time | baseline to one year later | Average 24 hour total sleep time as assessed by \ 1 week of actigraphy |
| change in wake after sleep onset | baseline to one year later | Amount of nightime wake after sleep onset as assessed by \ 1 week of actigraphy |
| change in cardiometabolic risk score | baseline to one year later | The cardiometabolic risk score was created based on modifiable risk factors using an independently validated CVD risk score developed from the Framingham offspring study; including BMI, blood pressure, HbA1C, cholesterol, and tobacco consumption. |
Secondary
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| change in sleep insufficiency | baseline to one year later | Sleep insufficiency was assessed by the following question: How often during the past 4 weeks did you get enough sleep to feel rested upon waking up? Would you say never, rarely, sometimes, often, or very often? YES - NEVER/RARELY NO - SOMETIMES OFTEN VERY OFTEN |
| change in insomnia symptoms | baseline to one year later | Insomnia symptoms were assessed by the following question: During the past 4 weeks, how often did you wake up in the middle of the night or early morning? (Would you say never, less than once a week, once or twice a week, or three or more times a week?) YES - THREE OR MORE TIMES A WEEK NO - NEVER/LESS THAN ONCE A WEEK/ONCE OR TWICE A WEEK |
Countries
United States
Outcome results
None listed