VitaLab Project
How and using what instruments can small enterprises be reached, sensitized, and motivated for measures for workplace health promotion?
Background
Workplace health promotion (WHP) is still not common in small enterprises (SE), even though about 1.63 million employees in Switzerland work at companies having a maximum of 50 employees. The VitaLab research project, completed in December 2012, was conducted as a CTI project with the following partners: Health Promotion Switzerland (GFCH), University of Applied Sciences and Arts Northwestern Switzerland (FHNW), and IDEE SEETAL AG in the Seetal region of Lucerne.
In a second phase, the pilot project is being conducted in the Canton of Vaud, Canton of Valais, and Canton of Bern. GFCH is responsible for overall project management, and Ligues de la Santé (Canton of Vaud), Promotion Santé Valais, and bizfit (Canton of Bern) came on board as implementation partners. ZHAW has been commissioned to conduct an evaluation of VitaLab in the Cantons of Vaud and Valais.
Aim
The aim is to identify models for regional expansion of workplace health promotion in SE. Further objectives are inclusion of WHP in the cantons’ agendas, checking of the contents and instruments, and implementation of WHP measures by SE.
Evaluation aim
The focus on the evaluation is on the course of the process. The aim is to try to gain new knowledge on how and with what instruments small enterprises can be reached, sensitized, and motivated for WHP measures. In addition, the evaluation serves quality control and legitimation of the project. This will be monitored and assessed formatively during the entire project duration, so that adjustments can be made as rapidly as possible. The evaluation will be conducted using quantitative and qualitative instruments (seven different instruments) and will include all parties involved.