The relationship between participation in an employee fitness program and reduced absenteeism due to illness | De relatie tussen deelname aan bedrijfsfitness en verminderd ziekteverzuim

The effects of participation in an employee fitness program on reduced absenteeism due to illness on three different worksites (police force, chemical industry, banking) were studied. The study used a longitudinal pretest posttest design. From 884 subjects (response 98%) data were collected on absenteeism in the pre-intervention year and on absenteeism in the first year of the fitness program. The subjects were divided in three groups: high participation, low participation and no participation in the employee fitness program. Results of ANCOVA analyses show that the high participation group had a significant decline in sick days (4.8 days), while the low and no participation groups showed no change in sick days. Even when self-selection in the participation to an employee fitness program seems present, there is potentially a lot to be gained from participation of this self-selected group in terms of changed sick days.