Organizational Culture and Implications for Workplace Interventions to Reduce Sitting Time Among Office-Based Workers: A Systematic Review

Background: Time spent in sedentary behaviors is an independent risk factor for several chronic diseases (e.g., cardiometabolic diseases, obesity, type 2 diabetes, and hypertension). Recently, interventions to reduce sitting time at work (a prominent sedentary behavior) have been developed and tested. Organizational culture plays a critical role in the success of workplace interventions. However, there are a limited number of studies that have examined the role of organizational culture in reducing sitting time in the workplace. Objectives: Therefore, in this systematic review, we summarized the empirical literature investigating organizational culture and sedentary behavior in the workplace and identify gaps in the knowledge base. Methods: We described the procedures of our systematic review and included two study flow diagrams that detailed the step by step process. Combinations of several search terms were used; the databases searched were PubMed, Medline, Academic Search Complete, and Google Scholar. We started with thousands of citations. After applying the inclusion and exclusion criteria, eight relevant articles were identified. Results: For each identified article, the data extracted included citation, sample, objective, intervention, assessment of organizational culture and workplace sitting, findings, and implications. Each article was rated for risk of bias by population, intervention, comparator, outcomes, and study design (PICOS) analysis. The classification for each study was either: high-, moderate-, or low-quality evidence. Given the paucity of data, no definitive conclusions were presented; however, positive trends were highlighted. Conclusions: Work place interventions to reduce sitting time at work may benefit from considering elements of organizational culture; however, the evidence to date is sparse and more high-quality studies in this area are needed. To advance the field of workplace health promotion, organizational culture, and interventions to reduce sitting at work, we present 11 recommendations.