The Role of Managers in Employee Wellness Programs: A Mixed-Methods Study:

Purpose:The purpose of this study is to evaluate managers’ barriers and facilitators to supporting employee participation in the Washington State Wellness program.Design:Exploratory sequential mixed methods.Setting:Four Washington State agencies located in Olympia and Tumwater, Washington.Participants:State employees in management positions (executive, middle, and line), whose job includes supervision of subordinates and responsibility for the performance and conduct of a subunit or group.Methods:We interviewed 23 managers and then used the results to create a survey that was fielded to all managers at the 4 agencies. The survey response rate was 65% (n = 607/935).Analysis:We used qualitative coding techniques to analyze interview transcripts and descriptive statistics to summarize survey data. We used the Total Worker Health framework to organize our findings and conclusions.Results:Managers support the wellness program, but they also face challenges with accommodating employees’ participation due to wor...