Approaches to changing behaviours: Designing an intervention to reduce sedentary behaviour in the workplace using behaviour change theory.

As a part of a wider National Health Service Clinical Commissioning Group initiative to improve the overall health and wellbeing of the county’s workforce, the local County Sports Partnership were commissioned to design and implement an intervention to increase the physical activity levels of employees within the workplace. This presentation will look at the design and implementation of this intervention.
The intervention was designed using a behaviour change approach, drawing upon the COM-B (Capability, Opportunity and Motivation equals’ behaviour) model. Workplace needs were analysed, focusing on the three areas of business need, workplace environment and employee need. These needs were then analysed, and using a policy approach, workplaces designed long-term action plans to shift the sedentary behaviours identified via the needs analysis, through a range of bespoke measures.
The approach targeted the employees’ capability, opportunity and motivation, this approach sought to offer a holistic approach to shifting behaviours. Capability was targeted through the education of employees, showing them that they could increase their physical activity levels at work by doing simple and achievable activities that were both modelled. Activities were also drawn from the participants themselves during the training. By providing staff with simple and achievable activities to do and by providing them with the option stand up whilst they worked by installing sit-down/stand-up desks, staff were given the opportunity to increase their physical activity levels, whilst not taking up their valuable time. The employees’ motivation was targeted by educating them on the impact on their work performance, physical health, and mental wellbeing.
Initial evaluation of the project identified that staff behaviour has begun to shift, however, ongoing data collection and analysis is required to assess any long-term shifts in behaviour.