L’effet d’un programme de santé et de mieux-être en milieu de travail sur les invalidités de courte durée, les accidents du travail et le retour sur investissement
This thesis aims to study the effect of a health challenge focusing on weight loss, as part of a health and wellness program, in a Quebec organization, on short-term disability, workplace accidents and the resulting return on investment.  Quantitative analyses were conducted using an existing database of 1 981 employees in a large Canadian company employing more than 2 400 employees. Data was analysed over a period of 15 months: 6 months pre-intervention, 3 months during the challenge and 6 months post-intervention.  Results indicate that only the frequency of workplace accidents is significantly higher among non-participants when compared with participants in the post-intervention period. When comparing these two groups between pre and post-intervention period, we observed that the participants’ results remained stable over time, whereas non-participants deteriorated with regard to the frequency and duration of short-term disability and workplace accidents. Participants’ age had a moderating effect on workplace accidents because analyses showed that younger participants (18 to 44 years) experienced a lower frequency of workplace accidents compared to older (45 years and more) in the same group. Conversely, gender did not have moderating effect on short term disability and workplace accident.  The results obtained allow us to show employers that investing in a health challenge focused on weight loss with the framework of a Health and Wellness program has significant quantitative and qualitative positive effects on their workforce. This program helps to educate employees to eat well and be physically active, which helps to achieve a healthy weight and thus slows the annual increase absenteeism that we observe on the job market.
Health and wellness Health challenge Health program Workplace accident Short term disability Return on investment