Objective This study aimed to estimate the consequences of changes in employee exercise habits (starting and quitting) on work engagement and presenteeism.

Methods Since January 2023, the Japan Institute for Labour Policy and Training has conducted the semi-annual JILLS-i longitudinal, web-based survey to represent Japan’s middle-aged population structure (512 strata defined by gender, age, employment status, region, education). Of the 11 148 regular employees in the first wave, we analyzed the four-wave data of 6576 individuals (N=26 304 person-waves). We utilized work engagement and productivity (presenteeism) as our analytical outcomes. Binary indicators for relative time from changes in exercise habits were included as explanatory variables to estimate temporal associations with job-related outcomes using an event-study analysis, a quasi-experimental approach.

Results Both starting and quitting exercise habits showed no significant association with presenteeism. However, starting exercise was positively associated with work engagement, whereas quitting was negatively associated with it. Starting exercise showed a significant association over longer follow-up waves than quitting exercise. Gender differences were observed in the association of quitting exercise with work engagement.

Conclusions The acquisition of exercise habits may lead to a sustained improvement in work engagement, a crucial psychological resource for employees. Our results potentially suggest a divergence in the dynamics of effect between organizational support for starting versus preventing quitting exercise. Although exercise promotion may not lead to substantial improvements in productivity as measured by presenteeism, it may still yield meaningful psychological benefits.

Key terms event-study analysis; exercise; fixed effect; Japan; longitudinal data; physical activity; presenteeism; quasi-experimental study; work engagement

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