EMPLOYEE PHYSICAL FITNESS PROGRAM

Reports in the literature link improved performance by individuals to improved levels of physical fitness. A research proposal to establish the impact on employee productivity than may be expected to derive from the conduct of an organizational physical fitness program is described and explained.

Cox, Shephard, and Corey (1981, pp. 795806) reported over a decade ago that organizationallysponsored physical fitness programs led to reduced personnel turnover and reduced absenteeism rates. Organizational productivity, however, largely was unaffected by physical fitness programs. Later in the decade of the 1980s, Rosenfeld, Tenenbaum, Ruskin, and Halfon (1989, pp. 10191028) reported that, while organizationallysponsored physical fitness programs led to perceptions by employees of increased output, actual productivity rates tended to remain constant.

Sutherland and Cooper (1990, pp. 202217) reported that employers were implementing physical fitness programs especially designed to help employees manage workrelated stress. These programs were predicated on an assumption that stress reduction would lead to improved levels of organizational productivity.

Stress has long been associated with the onset of significant physical and mental health problems. In the 1980s, stress began to be implicated in areas beyond the bounds of physical and mental health. In the

. . .
, routinization, and closeness of supervision. This same body of research classified the occupational stressors which stemmed from the three antecedent groups into seven categories (Schaubroeck, 1993, pp. 125). These seven stressor categories are entrant conflict, technical problems, efficiency problems, role frustration, staff shortages, short lead times, and excessive meetings. Through the study of stressor antecedents, and through the classification of occupationallyrelated stressors as described above, this body of research found that both the type and the magnitude of stressors varied according to organizational level. At upper management levels, the most significant stressors tended to be qualitative overload and time constraints, while at lower levels of an organization, the most significant stressors tended to be role frustration and technical problems. This body of research concluded that a large measure of homogeneity in the perceived work experiences of individuals exists within particular membership groups, but not between membership groups. Extensions of the basic research in this area found that both contextuallyrelated and rolerelated variables affect interpersonal communication, job attitude, job behavi
. . .

Some common words found in the essay are:
Sutherland Cooper, Sullivan Bhagat, Harris Heft, Southern California, Parker Napier, Shephard Corey, Abstract Reports, Ruskin Halfon, physical fitness, Cassety Davis, 1993 pp, physical fitness programs, organizational productivity, fitness programs, physical fitness program, organizationallysponsored physical, organizationallysponsored physical fitness, fitness program, productivity levels, organizational environment, occupational stressors, occupationallyrelated stressors, Panush Holtz, 1993 pp 125, schaubroeck 1993 pp,
Approximate Word count = 2615
Approximate Pages = 10 (250 words per page)

More Essays on EMPLOYEE PHYSICAL FITNESS PROGRAM