Table 2 Evaluation of the intervention based on the RE-AIM framework[22]

Reach

to what extent were the occupational health care units (OHC) and employees willing to take part and how representative were they?

Number of OHC’s and employees responding and being willing to participate in the study

Process evaluation and baseline questionnaire

Effectiveness

What impact did the intervention have on participants walking and sitting?

Weekly minutes of walking at work, for transportation, in stairs, for leisure and of total walking; Daily minutes of sitting during a working and a non-working day

Baseline questionnaire and follow-up questionnaires at 2 and 6 months

Did the intervention cause negative outcomes (adverse effects)?

Incidence of adverse effects due to physical activity

Follow-up questionnaires at 2 and 6 months

Adoption

To what extent did the recruited agents and participants complete the study?

Number of occupational health care units, worksites and participants completing the study.

Process evaluation and follow-up questionnaires at 2 and 6 months

Implementation

Were the various intervention actions delivered as intended?

Setting level: Delivery of e-mail messages

Individual level: Attendance to the preliminary meeting; Use of pedometers and logbooks, receiving and reading e-mail messages

Notes kept by the researcher; follow-up questionnaires at 2 and 6 months; standardized records kept by the occupational health care

Maintenance

To what extent were the intervention actions maintained?

Setting level: The number of worksites where some of the intervention actions existed 6 months after the cessation of the study

Telephone-interview of the employer-representatives at 12 months

What were the long-term effects?

Individual level: Changes in walking, sitting and subjective work ability 6 months after the cessation of the study

Baseline questionnaire and follow-up questionnaire at 12 months