| To improve employee well-being, reduce healthcare costs, and meet the desires of a younger workforce, this study used frameworks of holistic wellness to identify which well-being amenities, services, and programs (i.e. those aimed at encouraging healthy behaviors) are valued by urban campus employees and what influential factors encourage their utilization. To enhance employee well-being and reduce healthcare costs many companies have adopted wellness programs which incorporate a myriad of programs, services, and amenities for the purpose of improving health. Yet, according to the research organization, RAND (2014), participation rates are low (20% to 40%) while reasons for this remain unclear. Literature has identified obesity, lack of physical activity (PA) and stress management as the leading health concerns within the current workplace (Hallal, Andersen, Bull, Guthold & Hanskell, 2012; Makrides, Heath, Farquharson & Veinot, 2007). In order to align potential amenities aimed at improving such health conditions, the author studied amenity types and organized them accordingly based upon the International Facility Management Association's amenity categorization (2012). By cross-comparing these health concerns to IFMA's amenity categories, it was determined that Food & Refreshments, Fitness & Recreation, and Work-Life Balance appeared to have the highest potential to improve these health concerns. Thus, these three types of amenities were the focus of this study. At the same time, changing workforce demographics suggest a growing preference towards urban areas that offer access to public amenities, thus leading companies to rethink their office locations in hopes of attracting and retaining talent (Vogelmann, 2016). Yet, despite evidence suggesting the work environment plays an important role in achieving these goals, employers may forfeit desirable amenities when faced with acquiring real estate capable of supporting their staff within desirable, yet costly, urban locations. Consequently, urban campus employees are a demographic of growing importance, as their workplace environment typically offers close proximity to many amenities. As amenities have come to be viewed as a means to satisfy business objectives, understanding their role and effectiveness within the workplace may play an important role in improving employee wellness, and attracting and retaining talent. However, there is little empirical knowledge regarding which amenities employees' value or which factors may influence their utilization. Therefore, this research study sought to determine the well-being amenities valued by corporate urban campus employees, and what factors play a role in their utilization. |
