Physical activity promotion in call centres: employers’ perspectives

This study followed a predominantly qualitative approach to explore the perspectives of employers in Sudbury, Ontario, Canada, call centres (CCs) regarding physical activity (PA) promotion in workplaces, by identifying current practices and employers ’ motivation to promote PA, as well as perceived facilitators and barriers. In-depth inter-views were conducted with 15 managers in 10 of 12 local CCs and questionnaires were used to col-lect quantitative information about participants and their workplaces. Thematic analysis revealed that participants ’ responses to recommendations for PA promotion were generally positive and some CCs were engaged in some PA initiatives. Employers ’ motivations to promote PA included direct benefits to the employer, concern for em-ployee well-being and the greater good. Barriers to PA promotion within CCs included the nature of CC work, managers ’ concerns regarding par-ticipation, fairness and cost and special limitations of the workspace. Results indicate additional actions and supports are required to facilitate implementation of PA in CCs according to gov-ernmental recommendations. Efforts are required to increase awareness and use of existing resour-ces. Smaller organizations may require more as-sistance to promote PA than those with a larger number of employees and may benefit from enhanced interaction with existing networks and public health programs and resources