Darbuotojo gerovė ir pozityvi darbo aplinka : integruotas teorinis modelis

Abstract

Business sector in developed countries faces financial losses related to health problems of their employees. These expenses are related to economic as well as to human losses. Therefore it is important to enhance employee well-being in order to prevent these problems. Traditional understanding of health mostly stresses the problem solving strategy, thus neglecting the search of factors, strengthening both the individual and the organization well-being. Compared to other EU countries, a subjective happiness level in Lithuania is rather low, therefore, a thorough study of positive psychological and social factors, encouraging personality development applicable to an organizational setting, creates a new impulse for the search of a harmonious combination of the person and the organization. Having this in mind the project aiming at developing a comprehensive model of the employee and the workplace well-being, based on biopsychosocial understanding of health and promoting positive healthrelated factors in an organization, was initiated. The object of the study is positive psychosocial factors affecting the employee and the workplace well-being. The present article presents a generalised view on the benefits of the employee and his workplace well-being interventions based on a thorough analysis of research literature of foreign and Lithuanian scientists. The authors introduce an Integrated Theoretical Model of Employee Well-being and Positive Work Environment. The model was formed based on the literature analysis. Publications for the analysis were collected from databases using keywords such as ‘organization’, ‘well-being’, ‘wellness’. The model is based on the biopsychosocial understanding of health including the interplay of healthrelated biological, social and psychological factors, as well as emphasizing promotion of the health-affecting positive psychosocial factors. The methods of the study were analysis of scientific literature, expert survey, comparison and generalisation. Effectiveness of employee health, well-being and positive work environment interventions . Most research findings on the benefits of health and wellbeing programmes in organizations confirm positive impact of the programmes upon the employee health and wellbeing: employees become more healthy, health costs are reduced, employee morale increased, productivity enhanced, decreased turnover, sick-leaves, increased employee endurance, self-esteem, sharpness of mind, new social bonds are created (Ginn, Henri, 2003). Therefore attention should be drawn on promotion not only of biological, but also of psychological and social wellbeing which is beneficial not only for employees, but for organizations as well. Separation of positive psychosocial factors affecting employee and workplace well-being. The literature analysis was performed in two phases: a) well-being models were analysed, b) analysis was focused on expanding the existing models by separate health and well-being related factors. Such an organization of the systematic literature analysis allowed to make a thorough list of well-being-related factors. These factors were grouped into several groups: a) individual characteristics of an employee determining employee well-being in general (sense of coherence, purpose and meaning in life, orientation towards personality growth, positive attitude towards life, positive affectivity, emotional intellect, playfulness, spirituality and values, general health and wilful personal responsibility for it; b) specific psychological personality characteristics related to a specific job (subjective satisfaction with one’s job and career, finding meaning in one’s job, job involvement, organizational commitment, psychological empowerment); c) interaction between the employee and the organization (a balance between professional and personal life having leisure time); d) organizational factors having impact on the employee well-being (sense of control and job demands, work conditions, work schedule, safety, organizational resources); e) quality of social relationships in the organization (positive organizational climate, organizational culture and healthpromoting organizational values, social support, characteristics of the leader); f) context of personality life (political and social formation, quality of personal relationships, positive interpersonal relationships, social network). Elaboration of the Integrated Theoretical Employee Well-being and Positive Workplace Model. The above-mentioned factors were combined into a model consisting of three basic groups of factors: individual psychological as well as organizational factors, mediated by home-work balance, within the context of broader social circumstances. The Integrated Theoretical Model of Employee Well-being and Positive Work Environment creates theoretical basis for practical intervention programmes in organizations. The Model needs to be empirically verified in order to assess the significance of its components on the employee well-being and positive work environment. This research was funded by a grant (No.MIP- 145/2010) from the Research Council of Lithuania.