Evaluation of a training for managers in using active and personal communication to stimulate employee participation in a workplace smoking cessation program.

Introduction: Workplace smoking cessation programs are effective in reducing smoking prevalence among employees with a lower socioeconomic position (SEP). However, effective participation of these employees remains challenging. This study evaluates a communication training program designed to equip managers with the skills to personally and actively engage employees in workplace smoking cessation initiatives.

Methods: This study, conducted in the Netherlands (September 2021-March 2023), used Intervention Mapping to develop a 90-minute interactive webinar to improve managers' knowledge, attitudes, self-efficacy, and communication skills related to talking with employees about smoking cessation. A total of 107 managers participated. A mixed-methods approach was used for evaluation, including pre- and post-webinar questionnaires (completed by 50 participants) and two rounds of semi-structured interviews with 18 managers, around 3 and 12 months post-training.

Results: The training led to a small increase in self-efficacy regarding smoking cessation conversations from 3.2 to 3.5 on a scale of 1 to 5 (p=0.015). In the first round of interviews, 5 of the 18 managers had engaged in personal conversations with employees about smoking cessation. Facilitators were a strong belief in one's own ability to succeed; opportunities to practice communication skills; positive past experiences addressing smoking behavior; supportive company regulations and national smoke-free policies and assistance provided by colleagues. Barriers included low confidence in communication skills; perceived time burden; limited motivation or perceived role responsibility; the social sensitivity of the topic and fear of negative reactions; the absence of an in-house cessation program and insufficient organizational support. One year post-training, only one manager had consistently implemented personal communication strategies, while most others cited unchanged barriers and a lack of organizational support as reasons for inaction.

Conclusions: While managers recognized the importance of personal communication for smoking cessation, implementation and maintenance were limited due to personal and organizational barriers. Future training programs should be more extensive and ensure structural organizational support for workplace smoking cessation initiatives.