Date on Master's Thesis/Doctoral Dissertation

8-2025

Document Type

Doctoral Dissertation

Degree Name

Ph. D.

Department

Health and Sport Sciences

Degree Program

Educational Leadership and Organizational Development, PhD

Committee Chair

Hums, Mary A.

Committee Co-Chair (if applicable)

Shuck, Brad

Committee Member

Brydon-Miller, Mary

Committee Member

King, Kristi M.

Committee Member

Hambrick, Marion E.

Author's Keywords

Human resource development; workplace wellness; employee well-being; leisure constraints; physical activity intervention; occupational health

Abstract

High levels of employee engagement provide organizations competitive advantages such as increased customer satisfaction, profits, and employee productivity. Despite potential benefits, the number of engaged employees is declining and organizations need to find innovative ways to enhance engagement. Emerging evidence suggests workplace physical activity may generate organizational benefits extending beyond health improvement. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to investigate perceptions of engagement among employees participating in a physical activity intervention at work. A qualitative design, guided by phenomenology, examined perceptions of workplace physical activity and perceived levels of engagement, as well as constraints related to involvement among university employees at a public institution in southeastern United States. Adopting Kahn’s (1990) Theory of Personal Engagement, the researcher explored the psychological conditions of engagement—meaningfulness, safety, and availability—to understand how participating in physical activity in the workplace may influence the development of engagement. Two overall themes specific to engagement emerged (a) presentation of self and personal identity, and (b) enriched morale. Psychological meaningfulness themes included (a) personal autonomy and (b) employee fulfillment. Psychological safety themes consisted of (a) strengthened social bonds and (b) subculture of equality. Psychological availability themes included (a) psychological energy release and (b) workload management resource. To promote physical activity, organizations must understand occupational, lifestyle, and activity-based barriers. The secondary aim of the study explored constraints which may influence employee participation in workplace based physical activity. Crawford and Godbey’s (1987) Theory of Leisure Constraints, which focused on intrapersonal, interpersonal, and structural constraints, guided this secondary aim of the study and produced the following themes. Overarching leisure constraints themes were (a) workplace social and cultural perceptions, and (b) competing demands which consisted of two subthemes: (i) personal and family obligations, and (ii) institutional barriers. Intrapersonal constraints themes consisted of (a) internal work-related pressures and (b) competence and physical ability. Interpersonal constraints themes included (a) perceived judgment by others, and (b) group dynamics and peer influence. Structural constraints themes consisted of (a) level of institutional support, with two subthemes: (i) ease of access and (ii) communication and awareness.

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