Optimizing Workplace Wellness Interventions in Small Businesses: A Scoping Review and Qualitative Interviews Exploring the Research-Practice Gap

Workplace health and wellness initiatives are increasingly used to promote mental and physical health. Yet, gaps remain in understanding how to implement these interventions, particularly in small businesses, which often lack the resources and scale of the larger organizations where such interventions are typically applied. The present research addresses that gap through a scoping review (Phase 1) as well as qualitative interviews with stakeholders (Phase 2). Phase 1 included a scoping review of studies reporting interventions to promote mental and physical health in small business settings. Our search identified 10 published intervention studies, and most interventions reported evidence signaling effectiveness at promoting health within their targeted domains. Existing studies nevertheless rarely reported on features about how the interventions were delivered that are required to examine the potential that they would be applied in real-world small business settings and would reach the most vital recipients. In Phase 2, I conducted semi-structured interviews with 9 small business leaders, employees, and practitioners who emphasized this lack of translation between research and practice and described the need for individualized (often ad hoc) strategies developed by leaders in organizations. Amidst such a backdrop, success depended upon leaders to be organizational champions and promote conducive organizational climates. These findings support several practical insights that extend both towards (a) how researchers design and report upon intervention delivery, and (b) how interventions can be designed to leverage the key assets that support implementation within small businesses.

Name thesis:degree_name

M Sc

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Psychology

Grantor dc:publisher

The University of Western Ontario

Year dc:date.issued

2025

Author dc:creator

• Lundale, Carly

Advisor dc:contributor.advisor

• Evans, M. Blair

• Workplace health promotion
• small business
• mixed methods
• RE-AIM framework

Statement dc:rights

• Attribution-NoDerivatives 4.0 International

Language dc:language.iso

en

Handle dc:identifier.uri

https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.14721/39368

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:uwo.scholaris.ca:20.500.14721/39368