Healthy eating initiatives in the workplace: a configurational approach

Purpose: Organizations are increasingly investing in corporate wellness programs to improve the overall health of their workforce. Among these, workplace diet-related interventions may play a key role in promoting employees’ well-being and positively influencing organizational performance, such as by increasing productivity and reducing absenteeism. However, little is known about the specific diet-related interventions implemented by HR managers as part of their corporate wellness programs and how they combine with employees’ well-being and organizational performance. Design/methodology/approach: This study addresses this research gap through a mixed-method approach. It involves interviews with a sustainable food provider and the HR managers of one of its client firms, followed by a fuzzy-set qualitative comparative analysis of 20 questionnaires completed by the firm’s employees. The study aims to identify the potential configurational initial variables that can generate the best outcomes for employees’ well-being and organizational performance. Findings: The analysis reveals that the successful pathway to achieving both outcomes includes a balanced diet, service quality and reduced time needed for lunch breaks, while the reduction of lunch management stress scores low. Some empirical evidence suggests the positive evaluation of diet-related interventions from employees’ perspectives, especially in terms of increased productivity. These findings theoretically contribute to organizational support theory and offer practical insights for management. Originality/value: This article investigates diet-related interventions in the workplace that are so far under-investigated in the managerial and organizational discussion by offering a twofold perspective of HR managers on the one hand and employees on the other.