Abstract
This health-promoting, case-based longitudinal study is conducted over a three-year period and investigates how low-income elite athletes can be used both online training instructors for remote workers and on-site instructors in organisations to possibly create organisational and individual employee benefits. A qualitative pre-study, consisting of two focus groups and three in-depth interviews, was completed to identify the financial situation of Norwegian elite athletes. The main study, comprising three phases involving employees from four companies, addressed employee experiences of both physical training sessions and the elite athletes as instructors. The training sessions were organised as online videos, produced and made accessible for remote workers during the COVID-19 period. The on-site sessions took place in the companies in the following two years. In-depth interviews were undertaken to assess employees’ experiences during the online and on-site training sessions, which consisted of aerobic, yoga, dance, and kickboxing sessions. The pre-study reveals lack of sufficient income and weak support systems forcing athletes to rely on part-time jobs, family support, and student loans to finance their athletic careers. The main study, when using elite athletes as training instructors, discloses individual health benefits, positive emotions, and improved mental health among employees. Organisational outcomes of joint on-site training sessions were e.g. enhanced socialisation, employee relations, and work happiness. Elite athletes can potentially be valuable training instructors for employees in organisations in exchange for paid work. A conceptual framework, comprising employee perceptions of the elite athletes as instructors, positive emotions, health benefits and organisational outcomes, is proposed.
Presenters
Rune BjerkeProfessor, Leadership and Organization, Kristiania University College, Oslo, Norway
Details
Presentation Type
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session
Theme
KEYWORDS
ELITE ATHLETES, MENTAL AND PHYSICAL HEALTH, EMPLOYEE HEALTH PRMOTION
