Examining Exercise, Health Coaching and Meditation for University Employees

There is evidently great potential in implementing workplace health promotion programs, but more randomized trials are needed to determine which interventions are worksite-effective in helping to decrease inactive behaviors and increase engagement in healthy lifestyle activities. For employers, it could mean improving the health and productivity of employees. For workers, especially those in physically and/or psychologically demanding positions, it could mean developing strength, muscular endurance and agility to reduce musculoskeletal pain while developing the stress reduction skills that reduce long-term sickness and absenteeism risks. While changing behavior in a complex workplace is, as seen in multiple studies, difficult due to the need to change workplace and organizational culture between employers and employees, this study aims to identify the effectiveness of workplace interventions in relation to counseling for university employees to increase overall work fitness without affecting any hierarchal interactions at the work site. Simply put, the investigators will examine the benefits of a workplace exercise and mindfulness (two-prong) intervention (in combination) vs. a group who just receive a workplace exercise intervention. Both interventions will be guided by health coaches. Given the limited research with health coaching and workplace interventions for university workers, the aim is to contribute to a developing research literature. This study is geared to engage university employees at their workplace over a 3 month period. Participants will be assessed through pre and post physical and psychological measures and will also undergo semi-structured interviews (SSI).

There is evidently great potential in implementing workplace health promotion programs, but more randomized trials are needed to determine which interventions are worksite-effective in helping to decrease inactive behaviors and increase engagement in healthy lifestyle activities. For employers, it could mean improving the health and productivity of employees. For workers, especially those in physically and/or psychologically demanding positions, it could mean developing strength, muscular endurance and agility to reduce musculoskeletal pain while developing the stress reduction skills that reduce long-term sickness and absenteeism risks. While changing behavior in a complex workplace is, as seen in multiple studies, difficult due to the need to change workplace and organizational culture between employers and employees, this study aims to identify the effectiveness of workplace interventions in relation to counseling for university employees to increase overall work fitness without affecting any hierarchal interactions at the work site. Simply put, the investigators will examine the benefits of a workplace exercise and mindfulness (two-prong) intervention (in combination) vs. a group who just receive a workplace exercise intervention. Both interventions will be guided by health coaches. Given the limited research with health coaching and workplace interventions for university workers, the aim is to contribute to a developing research literature. This study is geared to engage university employees at their workplace over a 3 month period. Participants will be assessed through pre and post physical and psychological measures and will also undergo semi-structured interviews (SSI). The investigators hypothesize that making available these various fitness and well-being programs for university employees will effectively improve their overall fitness (peak VO2) and psychological health (stress, depression, anxiety, work satisfaction), making them more efficient, positive and work-productive. Specifically, the investigators hypothesize that the exercise and mindfulness meditation group will demonstrate significant improvements when compared to the group solely receiving exercise-oriented health coaching. Improvements will be seen across all measures of physical (such as VO2 peak and BMI) and psychological (such as depression, stress, anxiety, work-life balance) function and will be sustained at 3 month follow-up, indicating a more effective means of initiating fitness at the workplace

Eligibility Criteria:
Inclusion Criteria:

* Employees at York University;
* fluency in English;
* provision of informed consent

Exclusion Criteria:

* currently engaged in regular exercise programs or routines which meet or exceed the Canadian Physical Activity Guidelines
* neurological or musculoskeletal co-morbidities inhibiting participation in exercise program
* \> 65 years old;
* medical history of cardiovascular diseases such as CAD and CHF, uncontrolled hypertension
* currently engaged in a mindfulness meditation program or meditative practice at advanced levels;
* not in possession of a smartphone (android/i-phone)