Impact of sedentary behaviour reduction on desk-worker workplace satisfaction, productivity, mood and health-related quality of life: a randomised trial

Objectives Sedentary behaviour (SB) is related to lower worker health-related quality of life (HRQOL), mental health and productivity. However, it is unknown whether reducing SB improves these outcomes. This study assessed whether a 3-month SB reduction intervention improved or was associated with dose-response changes in workplace satisfaction, productivity, mood and HRQOL.Methods Inactive desk workers with elevated blood pressure were randomised to a 3-month SB reduction intervention (n=135) or control (n=136). The intervention used a sit-stand desk, wrist-worn activity prompter and bi-monthly individual coaching to primarily replace work SB with standing and stepping. SB measured via a thigh-mounted activPAL3 micro, workplace satisfaction, productivity, mood and HRQOL were assessed at baseline and 3 months. Analyses of covariance compared changes in outcomes between groups with adjustment for baseline values. In both groups, associations between changes in work and non-work SB and outcomes were examined using linear regression.Results Compared with control, reducing SB did not significantly change workplace satisfaction, productivity or HRQOL. Among mood measures, only vigour improved (1.01 vs 0.1 points, p=0.0302). Among all participants, reductions in non-work SB were associated with improvements in workplace satisfaction (+0.15 and +0.27 points/hour of non-work standing and stepping, respectively) and productivity (+0.47 points/hour of non-work stepping), while changes in SB during work were not related.Conclusions Interventions reducing non-work rather than work SB may be more impactful for improving workplace satisfaction and HRQOL outcomes. Future studies should explore workplace-based SB reduction interventions that are longer and target non-work time to improve similar outcomes.Trial registration number NCT03307343.