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Abstract
This paper reviews worksite health promotion programs on remote locations within the oil and
gas industry. With employee health care costs at all-time highs, companies must find successful
health promotion that is cost effective. This is especially true for corporations in the oil and gas
industry, in part, because employees work on locations far distances from traditional
communities. As a result, issues of geographical separation, logistical difficulties, and limited
space cause remote locations to be underserved by worksite health promotion programs. To
ensure a successful implementation of health and wellness programs, oil and gas companies must
find ways to combat issues brought about by remote locations. Engagement from all levels of
leadership, streamlining existing programs, a multifaceted and dynamic approach to wellness,
employee accessibility to resources, and productive partnerships are ways that oil and gas
companies can support employees on remote locations with a health and wellness product that is
worthwhile to both the employee and employer.
Keywords: worksite health promotion, remote locations, oil and gas industry
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Setting the Platform
A Catalan proverb summed up the importance of one’s health by stating, “from the
bitterness of disease man learns the sweetness of health.” That bitterness can be felt beyond
one’s physical being and affect one’s pocketbook. With one’s health suffering, occupational
productivity can be slowed down causing absenteeism and/or presenteeism, thus affecting both
the employer’s and employee’s monetary bottom line. With soaring health care costs, diseases of
all kinds on the rise, and seemingly everyone with a pulse taken some form of medicine, many
employers are using worksite health promotion to improve their employee’s lifestyle behaviors
and better maintain their employee healthcare costs. (Williams & Day, 2011; Berry, Mirabito, &
Baun, 2010) With many variables affecting a company’s cash flow, the adventure of finding
successful, yet cost-effective lifestyle interventions can be an exhausting journey for even the
smallest of businesses. But, what does an employer do when an actual journey is needed to
service their business locations and employees?
The oil and gas industry deals with that concern on a daily basis. An oil and gas
company’s existence is built on the backs of hard working employees located on remote
worksites. According to Callais and Chapman (2010), “remote worksites are locations that do not
have immediate or reasonable access to conventional communities.” Geographical separation can
consist of miles of ocean and/or vast amounts of swamp that divide these locations from dry
land, making common travel useless. Helicopters and/or crew boats servicing remote locations
could take 2 to 10 hours to arrive at their destination. (Callais & Chapman, 2010) With
alternative travel required, the servicing of locations with regards to shipments of groceries,
service parts, and workers, present a set of unique obstacles. The same obstacles influence the
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overall health of employees on remote locations and the implementation of a health promotion
program.
The oil and gas industry is synonymous with dangerous, blue collar work, and rightfully
so. The general public sees images and stories on the news of events like the British Petroleum
Horizon accident, and, to no fault of their own, assumes the industry works in a careless manner.
Nothing could be farther from the truth. Pushed by injuries, fatalities, and government policies
and regulations, oil companies started employee safety programs decades ago. These programs
have helped decrease occupational injuries and deaths. Technological innovations have aided in
this trend as well, as most facilities have become more computer automated allowing for some of
the riskier work to be minimized. With all the advancements in occupational safety, companies
are now recognizing a strong correlation between an individual’s health habits and overall safety.
In general, employee behaviors on remote locations mirror that of the general public.
However, the industry is tied to higher than normal smoking rates and an extremely unhealthy
food culture. It is widely assumed that these two factors, among many others, have played an
important role in the health of the oilfield worker. (Callais & Chapman, 2010) Thibodaux et al.
(2014) summarized a study, between 2008 and 2012 about medical evacuations in the Gulf of
Mexico, that showed illnesses not occupational injuries contributed to over three-fourths of the
medical evacuations of 102 oil rigs and platforms. Many of the contributing lifestyle behaviors
have been promoted through the comparability of life on remote locations and life at home.
The similarities and differences between conventional and remote worksites are many,
and play a significant role in the health of employees. Remote locations, like conventional
worksites, have a hierarchy of management to oversee work and relay company programs and
policies to the employees. Like any manager or supervisor of a worksite, they help establish and
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cultivate the living culture on board their locations and control the usage of funds and the
purchasing of certain amenities. Generally, these locations contain the same conveniences of
everyday living such as satellite televisions, a general area or television room, computers, a
galley or kitchen, shared bedrooms and restrooms, and a designated smoking area. These
comforts are set up for one purpose: to shield the employees from the stresses of the daily grind
of working on these facilities. Unfortunately, many of these conveniences have been found to be
detrimental to one’s physical health. Employees deal with close living quarters that promote the
spread of sicknesses, such as the common cold and flu, involve working in extreme
environments and temperatures, and are isolated from loved ones for weeks at a time. (Bullen,
2012) Also, the operations of oil and gas facilities are a set of 24-hour chores, thus requiring shift
work for both day and night workers. (Waage et al., 2009) The combinations of these factors
lead to high levels of stress, mental health issues, and chronic diseases. Consequently, the
correlation between an individual’s well-being and a company’s longevity is closely tied to the
company’s ability to service its locations with a health promotion program. (Starling, 2010)
With regards to servicing remote locations, geographical separation brings up logistical
difficulties when shipping even the simplest of items. Unlike motor vehicle travel to a normal
worksite, remote location travel by helicopter or boat can be disturbed by even the smallest of
weather complications. Fog, rain, ice storms, and in some cases, hurricanes or snow storms, can
cause helicopter flights to be cancelled and boat travel to be delayed. Even in fair weather
conditions, the servicing of locations may only take place on certain days, depending on the
distance from the shore and the amount of service needed. In addition, the flight and boat
services to each location are commonly tied to the services of other remote locations within the
same geographical area. The fight for service resources between locations can play a role in
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personnel movement. Even if flying or boating to a facility is possible, the structures are only
designed to house a certain number of employees. Lack of bed space could hinder personnel
deemed non-essential to oil production from visiting, such could be the case with health
promotion professionals.
Oil and gas facilities vary in just about every imaginable design, being no different than a
house. Many were designed and commissioned for work at a time when employee health and
wellness was far from being a major issue for a company. Due to this, many oil and gas
structures lack space needed to house designated wellness areas, although, newly constructed
facilities are designed with health and wellness in mind. The traditional gym setting could be
very hard to replicate on many of the older remote sites. These structures were designed with
every available space designated for the production of oil. Also, the engineering of structures, in
some instances, would not allow for additional room outside the living quarters to add a health
and wellness area or the placement of a portable living area on any unused deck space.
Generally, adding a portable building would be very costly beyond just the purchasing or leasing
such an item. Furthermore, the addition of space becomes just as difficult as getting to the
location on which it would be placed.
With the unique barriers that servicing remote worksites bring about in regards to
geographical separation, logistical difficulties, and limited space on facilities, energy companies
have to become better equipped at implementing health and wellness programs on such
locations. Engagement from all levels of leadership, streamlining existing programs, a
multifaceted and dynamic approach to wellness, employee accessibility to resources, and
productive partnerships are ways in which oil and gas companies can ensure employees on
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remote locations get a quality health and wellness product that is sustainable, in terms of
employee health risk management and being cost effective for the employer.
Pushing the Right Buttons
Levels of Leadership
Leadership is critical when attempting to change or shape a worksite’s culture. Having
leaders who are willing to “walk the talk” can go a long way in encouraging program
engagement. When striving for better employee health, a good leader not only helps set health
goals, but should be a healthy example. Della et al. (2010) found that leadership support of
workplace health positively changed the employee’s perception of the company and their
feelings that the company valued healthy behaviors. Leaders of oil platforms are especially
important in maintaining the standards by which the workers act and relate. (Ely & Meyerson,
2010) Building a health culture on remote locations should be the work of all levels of
leadership.
In the oil and gas industry, levels of leadership are relatively similar to that of any other
industry. Unlike normal company structures, senior managers are positioned at a location away
from the middle management group and the core of employees overseen and their effectiveness
on a personal level can be buffered by this geographical separation. (Callais & Chapman, 2010)
Upper managers may not visit every location within the business unit, and can often be just a
name to the workers. With the benefits of individual health correlating with higher work
productivity, it is important that upper management finds ways to clearly communicate the health
goals to middle line managers on remote locations. (Callais & Chapman, 2010)
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Middle line management plays a significant role in implementing a worksite health
promotion program. Middle management supervisors are the voice of the corporation to their
crew and the voice of their crew to the corporation. (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention,
National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health [NIOSH], 2008) As stated before, the
leadership on remote locations plays a crucial role in forming the culture there. Oil platform
leaders who modeled the facilities culture made the employees feel secure in making decisions
that once was seen as unmanly, such as safety. (Ely & Meyerson, 2010) Although the company
sets the guidelines by which all work must be conducted, the onsite manager drives and supports
the efforts of employees during job tasks and personal time. Being on the facility during the day
to day implementation of the work related programs, middle manager support is essential to the
growth and steering of a program by relaying likes/dislikes, wants, needs, and expectations of the
crew to upper management and to health and wellness managers. Without the support of middle
management, the health and wellness program would get lost in the monotony of producing oil
and lose any chance of being effective. (Callais & Chapman) With the support of an onsite
supervisor, health and wellness managers are able to support employees in a more appropriate
manner.
Health and wellness managers are the brains of the worksite promotion program. It is the
job of the wellness manager to develop the wellness program based off education, past job
experiences, and science based practices. The health manager’s ability to collaborate with all
levels of management, as well as wellness specialists and wellness site champions, is important
in designing a program that parallels the organization’s culture and strategies. (Berry, Mirabito,
& Baun, 2010) This position should be filled by an individual with a bachelor’s/graduate’s
degree in the related fields of exercise science, health promotion, sports management, or nursing.
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Typically, this managerial job is placed in a similar office setting as that of the upper
management line or can be a subcontractor located at an entirely different office. Thus, the same
obstacles of geographical separation hinder communication and implementation of the health
program, again highlighting the need of constant and clear communication between upper
managers, middle management, and wellness specialists.
Wellness specialists are foot soldiers for the health promotion program on remote
locations. These individuals usually have a bachelor’s degree in the study of exercise science or
health promotion. Wellness specialists are the individuals who visit the platforms on a regular
basis. Their job descriptions usually involve updating the employees on upcoming events,
administering health screenings, developing exercise plans, and pushing corporate resources. It is
very important that these individuals practice healthy behaviors, as many employees look at
these individuals as symbols of health and wellness. (Callais & Chapman, 2010) Individuals
need to be able to handle the offshore lifestyle, as well as being outgoing, personable, and
approachable, as these traits can aid in attracting employees to participate. While visiting
locations, it is important that wellness specialist document their visit to relay information to their
wellness managers, thus allowing the program to be dynamic in nature. This position can be site
specific, but in many cases, the wellness specialists will move from location to location
throughout the business unit. With the limited time and logistical issues that a health specialist
could encounter, many locations could benefit from a wellness site champion.
Wellness site champions are important from many reasons. Typically, the wellness
champion is an employee who volunteers to push the goals and uphold the expectations of the
wellness program. (Berry, Mirabito, & Baun, 2010) This position is greatly important due to the
wellness champion being a part of the everyday crew, thus helping ensure trust is formed
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between the program and employees. Generally, wellness specialists pick these individuals, and
can find a worthy candidate for a site through an employee’s spoken desire to contribute to the
wellness program and displaying healthy habits, thus allowing for messages to be heard by
employees on a daily basis. This position can be used by all managerial positions to get a grass
root indication of how the program is being implemented and utilized at each site.
The support by all levels of leadership will define the success of the program. Without
the levels of leadership maintaining a constant and clear communication, displaying health habits
themselves, and educating the workers on the importance of worksite health promotion, the
program has little chance to take root on remote locations and blossoming into a successful
venture. Essentially, leaders who “practice what they preach” and clearly relay the company’s
messages tend to promote and inspire their employees. (Ely & Meyerson, 2010)
Streamlining Existing Programs
Presentation accounts for some when portraying a certain image or pushing an
agenda, but introducing an idea that shifts a culture is harder than it looks. In a corporate setting,
such as in the oil and gas industry, programs do not stand alone and in many ways can interrelate
with other programs. Linking existing programs through worksite health promotion allows for
the company to streamline its resources through one outlet, thus making the overall program
more effective. (NIOSH, 2008) Health insurance coverage, occupational safety programs, and
smoking cessation programs, to name a few, are independent of each other based on vendors but
should be incorporated within the company’s health program. The health manager should
educate wellness specialists about these resources, which in turn can promote the resources to the
employees. When program success is riding on workers on remote locations, aligning existing
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programs with the health and wellness program gives the company’s resources a face and contact
point.
Most corporations have programs to deal with different dimensions of health, such as
environmental, behavioral, mental, and physical health. This is no different within the oil
industry. What separates these programs within the industry from the typical corporate office
building is the inability to touch the employees at their work due to geographical separation. For
instance, mental health is an issue for offshore workers due to the factors of shirt work,
separation from their family, and working in a highly stressful environment. A mental health
specialist would not be deemed important enough to visit a remote location nor would any
consultation meet privacy standards. Usually, an employee would need to reach out to this
specialist to set up an appointment during the workers off time, given that the employee knows
mental health resources are available. By aligning the mental health resources with the wellness
program, the wellness specialist who already visits that facility can push the employee to the
resources and ease any worry associated with meeting a “shrink.” Generally, corporate programs
will have similar components that can be used in multiple programs. Examples are health screens
and health risk assessments. An individual can use health screening information and place it in
their Health Risk Assessment. These two components are interrelated but depending on the
company can often be products of different vendors. Also, workers may not work on the same
locations every hitch, for reasons of promotions, job positions, or subbing for a coworker.
Integrating the various services allows for the health program to be functioning the same on
every location.
The alignment of resources is very important to make the overall program run effectively,
but in the end the program has to complement the corporate goals. Without a true connection
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between a program and overall corporate goals, the chance of sustained program success is
limited. (Berry, Mirabito, & Baun, 2010) Combining health goals with corporate goals can be
completed by showing the relationship between individual health and safety. Thibodaux et al.
(2014) recommended oil and gas employers provide a health promotion program to employees
due to the high number of non-occupational injuries resulting in offshore medical evacuations.
Educating the employees on why an individual’s well-being is important to the company helps
alleviate any apprehensions on underlying motives. Workers tend to trust a program once they
understand that their health is values by the company. Also, with personnel movement between
locations happens often, thus integrating the health services with the corporate goals allows for a
health program to blanket the corporation as a whole. With the many services that a company
may provide to its employees, finding ways to merge the programs together can go a long way in
assuring these programs are utilized.
Multifaceted and Dynamic Approach
Health is defined in many ways, and can come in many forms. Health is as diverse and
ever changing as the individual it is being related to. A company’s workforce differs in age,
gender, race, cultural backgrounds, education, and job titles or work load. Thus, a company
needs to design a program that is multifaceted and dynamic in approach. This is especially true
in the oil and gas industry. Program design is incredibly important to ensure that the program can
cater to all employees, both in office buildings and remote locations. Providing multiple health
interventions within a worksite promotes higher adherence to the overall health promotion
program. (Crespo, Sallis, Conway, Saelens, & Frank, 2011) With a limited amount of health
interventions, early participation may be high but overall health risk management may not be
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positive. Health cannot be achieved within just diet and exercise. (Berry, Mirabito, & Baun,
2010)
The design of a multifaceted program is very important when catering to oilfield workers.
The job encompasses working under unique circumstance and environments that directly affect
the workers physical and mental health. Shift work, extreme temperatures and weather, extended
periods of time away from loved ones, and geographical separation from dry land or
conventional life play strong roles in the health of an oil and gas employee. Hence, programs
should involve components that deal with these unique issues. Programs that provide help with
sleep disorders, safety matters, mental health, and stress programs to deal with these common
health factors on a rig are essential. With these negative health factors stated, many of these
issues manifest themselves in other areas of life on remote locations. The oil rig is known
throughout the industry for having high smoking rates and high fat food intake. Due to many
negative health influences found on an oil rig, the culture has embraced “eating, socializing, and
tobacco breaks.” (Callais & Chapman, 2010) Consequently, the likely leading issue, in regards to
the health and safety of oil and gas workers, could be the development of cardiovascular disease.
(Thibodaux et al., 2014) With this trend in health and safety becoming more widely thought, it is
imperative that a health and wellness program reflect what is being found. Incentive programs,
pre-work and annual occupational screens, health risk assessments, health screenings,
cardiovascular programs, smoking cessation programs, weight management, onsite fitness
centers, and hiring a health specialist are valid components that could drive employee
participation and lower health risks. By having a multifaceted program, remote locations can
then pick and choose the components that best suit the location.
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It is important to design a program that is dynamic, meaning it can be changed to fit any
facility. Due to the remote location of oil platforms, cultures within an oil company’s locations
are very different. The crews nurture social rules and a hierarchy on each location. As a result,
some components within a program may or may not be worth implementing on a particular
worksite. Some facilities may value some components of the health promotion program more
than others. Here, the levels of leadership are instrumental in understanding the culture and
relaying what is being utilized more at each location. An issue that is highly likely with an oil
platform is the design of the structure. Structure design can play a role in putting into action
certain components like designated health areas. Living quarter’s additions are very difficult to
come by so some locations may lack the space for gym equipment. It is important to understand
what can be done on each facility so to better serve the employees.
With remote worksites facing unusual problems, program design that is both multifaceted
and dynamic in approach become crucial to the success of the program. By providing more than
just a cookie cutter program, you allow employees and facilities to pick from a buffet of health
interventions. Ultimately, employees who have the ability to choose the health issues they want
to tackle can lead to individual and program success.
Accessibility to Resources
Accessibility to resources is another key role in the success of a worksite health program.
An abundance of health intervention tools means nothing unless the resources can be easily
accessed. With oil facilities being remotely located, the accessibility of the program plays an
even bigger role. The variables of geographical separation, logistical difficulties, and limited
space on facilities can determine the path in which these services are accessible. In some cases,
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finding more than one way to deliver a certain resource may be required. Two ways to assure
convenience in accessing resources is to outfit existing locations with health tools when possible
and creating a mobile module of the program.
Outfitting remote locations with successful health interventions can create a pathway to
better health. Within the oil and gas industry, onsite catering and onsite fitness centers are two
areas where opportunities in health and wellness can be utilized to great effect. The one
advantage that remote locations have over conventional worksites is the ability to control what
employees eat 100% of the time. The majority of remote locations are catered in some form or
fashion. Some have chefs, while others have crew members who cook for themselves, but all rely
on ordering through vendors on land. This reliance on the outside world can be used to the
company’s advantage if done in a way that gives the employees’ healthy options as oppose to
restrictions of items. Budgets vary from location to location, dependent on the money made
through oil production. The difference in financial support will curve the ability to buy higher
quality food as well. Whether a location is catered or not, educating employees on healthy
options, cooking classes, chef training, portion control, and the effects that poor nutrition can
have on one’s overall health can be leveraged to curve negative nutrition habits. When presented,
partnering with a catering vendor is an opportunity that no company should turn down.
An onsite fitness center is another great way to improve the quality of life for employees
on worksites. (Clark et al., 2013) Onsite gyms can give employees another social area to mingle
and decompress from the workplace. These areas foster a healthier mindset and help employees
both physically and mentally. Crespo et al. (2011) found that companies that incorporated
policies and environmental strategies geared towards health and wellness encouraged the
adoption of physical activity both at work and at home. The structure’s design and budget will
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dictate the size and number of equipment allowed on a facility, so finding a well rounded amount
of exercise equipment is valuable. Educating employees on the benefits of physical activity,
proper lifting techniques, and setting up workout regiments for employees with the available
equipment can be ways around any space or financial constraints.
Program mobility and portability are a huge plus when servicing remote locations. Using
technology within the program can only help establish more contact points between the program
and participants. Besides, what better way to reach remote locations than by sidestepping any
barriers to physically getting to the facility? Williams & Day (2011) found worksite health
programs accompanied by web-based components lowered medical costs throughout a four-year
study. Telephone-based interventions have showed positive influences on employees who were
overweight or obese. (Terry, Seaverson, Grossmeier, & Anderson, 2011; Sherwood et al., 2010)
Web-based services such as health risk assessments and activity reports allow for employees to
create profiles and track success via computers, tablets, or mobile devices. Company wellness
websites have made resources easily accessible on mobile devices, with some even including
apps. For companies that have locations away from the company headquarters, web-based
services allow employees to have access to resources and be a part of the company’s health
program. (Berry, Mirabito, & Baun, 2010)
Worksite health programs in many ways should be static and dynamic in growth. It is
essential that companies invest in interventions known to work and keep up with new
technological advances to better serve their employees. By furnishing remote locations with
onsite fitness centers and healthier nutrition options, employers directly affect employees during
their time at work. By placing resources online, employees have health information right at their
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fingertips. Building health elements on individual locations and in ways that employees can
access them away from work allows for workers to receive health messages more often.
Productive Partnerships
The oil and gas industry as a whole is composed of a web of contract companies and
vendors. Normally, an oil platform’s crew consists of upwards of 75% contract workers, with the
rest of the workers consisting of the employees of the company owning oil rights. Major oil
producing corporations include Chevron, British Petroleum, and ExxonMobil. These
corporations hire contract companies and vendors in areas where staffing full time employees
would be impractical due to part time job tasks or out of any company employee’s expertise.
Health and wellness programs should utilize partnerships in that manner, allowing for
specialized vendors and experts to add to their health message.
The first partnership that should be considered is the health specialist. In many cases, this
individual will be the health and wellness advocate or face. Typically, the specialist will visit
remote locations throughout the year. Wellness specialists should have an educational
background in the fields of exercise science, health promotion, sports management, athletic
training, or a related field. Education background and skills are important in successfully
directing health interventions. (Bullen, 2012) Since serving remote locations is a fundamental
duty, individuals with remote location experience could aid in the retention of the employee,
though not a prerequisite. The oil field culture is not for everyone. Job risks such as geographical
separation and shift work would apply to the specialist just as it does the regular employees.
Within the role of the health specialist, working hand and hand with other partnerships in an
effort to promote the company’s health message is key.
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A business venture that could be leveraged for great health benefits is a partnership with
a catering service and grocery vendor. Food plays a huge role in the everyday life of offshore
workers, with the galley area being the main area to socialize. (Callais & Chapman, 2010) All
facilities rely on groceries from land to feed their crews, with some newer facilities needing no
goods from land but groceries. A partnership, driven by health goals, with a catering company
and grocery vendor would allow oil companies to assure healthy options are available. Finding a
catering company with the expertise to produce meals that are healthy or willing to have their
employees coached up, would bring a dynamic to a remote location that could curve bad eating
habits. Grocery vendors would allow for healthy items to be bought and kept available for
ordering. Healthy options brought about by policy or environmental changes can be instrumental
in steering the culture toward healthier norms.
With many companies adding health and wellness programs, companies that have a
program in place would do a favor to their workforce by partnering with contract companies that
hold their employees to the same health standards or have a similar health program in place. As
mentioned before, the majority of the workers on an oil facility are contract workers. Although
they are not paid workers of the major oil company, while working on a facility, they are
welcomed to all of the same amenities and are considered part of the crew. Thus, these
employees can partake in all that is available, both positive and negative. When safety and health
is involved, contractors have the ability to affect programs in a major way. Within safety, if a
contractor gets injured it casts a shadow on the major oil company. But unlike safety programs
where all employees must participate, worksite health program involvement is optional.
Contractors should be encouraged to participate in the health program and their involvement
should be reflected in reports or added to statistics when scoring the program for success. Since
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contractors account for the bulk of employees on a remote location, partnership with contract
companies should align with company health goals and contractors should be educated on why
their health is valuable to the overall project.
Partnerships within the oil and gas industry are the norm. Partnerships with specialized
vendors allow companies to bring in qualified individuals outside of the company’s capabilities.
With employee health becoming a bigger issue, partnering with like-minded companies in all
aspects of business seems appropriate. Productive partnerships in regards to a health specialist,
catering services, grocery vendors, and oil production service companies helps foster a culture
that values employee health as much as the oil produced.
Conclusion
As employee health continues to become a hot topic, employers are in search of ways to
provide their staff with a worksite health promotion program that is effective in health risk
management, yet makes business sense. Employers want to see that investing in their workforce
will increase work productivity through less absenteeism and presenteeism, and will decrease
expenditures in health care. Quite frankly, employers want to see a return on investment.
Oil companies are diving into health and wellness with the same aspirations and goals,
whether by necessity or by competition. Unlike other industries, the oil and gas sector encounters
a unique set of hurdles when delivering programs to their many remote locations. Geographical
separation from communities, logistical difficulties, and limited space on facilities affect the
implementation of health interventions. Engagement through all levels of leadership,
streamlining existing programs, designing a multifaceted and dynamic approach to wellness,
making resources accessible to all, and partnering with qualified vendors, create a plan for the
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successful health promotion on remote locations. Engaging all levels of leadership ensures that a
company’s health desires are interconnected with their business goals, their message is heard
throughout the company, and health interventions reach the furthest of locations. Streamlining
existing programs enables multiple messages to flow through one program, thus becoming a
push point for the resources. A multifaceted and dynamic approach to wellness creates a program
that can be easily molded to any location, with several components available for individuals to
choose from. Resources should be made accessible to all workers to guarantee all have the ability
to touch the program at work and at home. Also, partnerships with companies of like minds,
habits, and expertise that can be leveraged to further incorporate healthy behaviors into a
company’s culture. Although remote locations create distinct barriers, planning with the
destination in mind, will lead to a safe and healthy journey.
Limitations and Future Study
The most significant limitation was a lack of information available on health promotion
on remote locations specifically. Very little was found on actual studies done on health and
wellness interventions involving remote locations. It is likely that more refined objectives could
be present in regards to servicing remote locations. Another limitation was a lack of information
on oil and gas companies, as it relates to health and wellness. Journal entries were available, but
with limited consistency. The third limitation was the reviewed journal entries used were
predominately from the American Journal of Health Promotions. Perhaps more information
could have been found with more research on the topic outside of health promotion journals.
Further studies could be done on the objectives in this review. Further studies in the
employer/employee relationship could add perspective in finding appropriate ways to deliver
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health programs that suit the relationship. Finally, finding ways for companies to share more
information of health successes could help similar companies use the best practices from each
other. Future studies could be conducted on wellness site champions to deliver successful health
promotion on remote locations.
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References
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