PHYSICAL ACTIVITY AND QUALITY OF WORK LIFE AMONG PUBLIC SERVANTS: A LITERATURE REVIEW

Abstract

Physical activity is recognized for its biopsychosocial benefits and is increasingly present in Quality of Work Life (QWL) programs and initiatives for public servants. This study aims to analyze scientific publications published between 2015 and 2025 on the relationship between physical activity and quality of work life among public servants, identifying the main evidence, methodological approaches, and knowledge gaps. A state-of-the-art review was conducted using the descriptors “physical activity,” “quality of life,” and “public servants,” combined with the Boolean operator “AND.” After applying the inclusion and exclusion criteria, ten studies published between 2015 and 2025 were selected. The results showed that regular physical activity is associated with improvements in quality of life, physical and psychological health, job satisfaction, and interpersonal relationships. However, the studies also indicated a high prevalence of physical inactivity among public servants, related, among other factors, to work demands and working conditions. It was also found that institutional programs promoting physical activity present more consistent results when developed continuously, systematically, and in coordination with QWL policies. It is concluded that physical activity constitutes an important strategy for promoting quality of work life, provided that it is incorporated into permanent, preventive, and participatory institutional policies capable of addressing organizational determinants that affect workers’ health. The results highlight the relevance of physical activity within institutional Quality of Work Life policies.