Evaluating the effectiveness of green exercise as a workplace mental health and wellbeing intervention: a systematic review and randomised controlled trial

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Mental health difficulties and poor wellbeing in the workplace are of concern to both organisations and societies. The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted this problem even further and employers are looking to policy drivers and researchers to support them to identify what is likely to benefit the mental health and wellbeing of the workforce. Healthcare workers have been at a particular disadvantage both prior to and following the pandemic. Green exercise interventions are low cost and easy to implement within workplaces and the evidence to support their efficacy in improving employee outcomes is growing.

METHODS: Chapter one is a systemic review which synthesised the available evidence into green exercise interventions for employee mental health and wellbeing. Eight databases were searched using a rigorous search process and the quality of 5 identified studies was assessed.

Chapter two is an original research project which investigated the effects of a green exercise intervention on healthcare worker’s psychological distress, burnout, and sleep quality. Sixty – five participants were randomised into either a nature walking group or urban walking group. They were given route maps with walk descriptions and asked to complete 2 10-minute walks a week, for 4 weeks. Baseline data and post intervention data were collected.

RESULTS: Searches identified 5 studies that met the inclusion criteria for the systematic review. Evidence into the benefits of green exercise interventions for employee mental health and wellbeing was limited due to the small number of studies and limited methodological quality of the research.

The randomised controlled trial did not find any evidence to support that walking in nature has additional benefits to walking in urban settings for healthcare workers. Findings showed that participants showed significant improvements in anxiety, stress, and sleep quality when they completed the walking intervention, regardless of what environment they were allocated too. Depression levels also reduced for each group, but this result was not statistically significant. Unexpected results for burnout were found where participants who walked in the urban environment showed greater apparent improvements than those who walked in the natural environment.

CONCLUSION: Taken together, the results from both chapters of this thesis conclude that brief outdoor exercise interventions in the workplace can be beneficial for employee psychological health. However, the evidence for additional benefits for nature – based activity is limited.