Employee Wellness Programme Research Articles

Satisfied or dissatisfied: Teachers' perceptions on the efficiency of employee health and wellness in overcoming family issues and work-related stress.

This paper reports on the perceptions of teachers as employees regarding the efficiency of employee health wellness in overcoming work and family issues. Employee Wellness Programme plays a pivotal role in the lives of employees to ensure balance and stability, mitigate life challenges and promote “Work-Life Balance”. This study used a qualitative approach to explore the perceptions of the teacher as an employee on the efficiency of Employee Wellness Programmes in overcoming family issues. The “face-to-face semi-structured” interviews were conducted with eighteen teachers who were sampled using non-probability sampling and participants were selected purposefully. The interpretivism phenomenological research design aided the study in exploring the phenomenon. The data was analyzed thematically, and ethical principles were adhered to to ensure the quality and rigor of the study. The findings of the study revealed that for employee health wellness to be inclusive and easily accessible to employees, there must be a deliberate effort to decentralize wellness services. Moreover, management support and clearer intentional policies that extend to the significant others of employees such as children and partners may improve the functioning of EWP.

An Exploration into The Factors Affecting the Implementation of Employee Wellness Programmes in The Public Service of Namibia

This study aims to address the factors that influence the implementation of wellness programmes in the public service of Namibia, as well as to make recommendations on how to ensure the successful implementation of wellness programmes throughout the public service in Namibia. Qualitative research methodology was applied to collect the relevant data. A qualitative approach was considered the best choice for the study as the intention of the study was exploratory as it sought to gain an understanding of the factors that affect the implementation of wellness activities under the employee wellness programme, how the wellness programme was evaluated, as well as their outcome’s perception amongst the staff. The results of this study indicated that organisational support for employee wellness is minimal, taking into account the very low management involvement in decision-making around employee wellness and the underutilisation of funds for wellness activities in the Office of the Auditor-General. The activities in place under the office wellness programme are more physical wellness-based and do not cover other aspects of wellness adequately. The study also revealed that there is a lack of support for employee wellness at senior and management levels despite the overwhelming interest of general employees. Finally, the wellness programme was rated as mostly ineffective based on the evaluation that was done. The findings of this study revealed that uniformed employees in the Public Service of Namibia need wellness programmes. However, the staff rules and policies that are currently in place could drive the public service to successful wellness programmes. Therefore, the Office of the Prime Minister must ensure that all the employee wellness programmes destined for the public service of Namibia are implemented successfully.

Covid-19 Pandemic: Perspectives on Employee Engagement, Work From Home and an Employee Wellness Programme in a Debt Collection Organisation in Gauteng, South Africa

The Covid-19 pandemic rapidly changed and is still changing the way people live and work on a global scale. During the pandemic, most organisations are forced to implement a work-from-home solution, irrespective of employees’ preferences, abilities, and the nature and extent of jobs. In this research, we aimed to explore perspectives on employee engagement, work from home and an employee wellness programme in the context of the Covid-19 pandemic among employees of an organisation that focuses on outsourced debt collections. The study was conducted within a positivistic research paradigm. A quantitative cross-sectional, survey design was employed. Total population sampling was used. Data were collected from 95 respondents through a web-based survey using a coded questionnaire. From the results of study, it became evident that the proactive approach taken by the leadership of the organisation early in 2020, in anticipation of the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic, resulted in positive outcomes for the organisation. The results indicated that the employees were, to a great extent, engaged in the workplace, mainly owing to organisational and leadership support, the flexibility allowed in the work-from-home model and organisational concern for the health and wellness of employees. However, the employees were subjected to challenges generally experienced by homeworkers during the Covid-19 pandemic, such as increased workloads and working hours, loneliness due to isolation, and inadequate office infrastructure. The results of the study are important to inform business decisions regarding the work-from-home model as a temporary or alternative working arrangement in the organisation under investigation and may benefit organisations operating in similar contexts.

Knowledge, attitudes and practices of hospital-based staff regarding physical activity at a private hospital in Johannesburg.

BackgroundPhysical activity has been established as an important component to incorporate into a healthy lifestyle. Hospital-based staff are also threatened by the risks of sedentary lifestyles, despite their association with a healthcare environment. The aim of this study was to determine the knowledge, attitudes and practices of private hospital-based staff regarding physical activity in Johannesburg.MethodsA cross-sectional study was conducted. Data were collected using a self-administered questionnaire. Data were analysed with a combination of descriptive and inferential statistics. A p-value less than 0.05 was deemed statistically significant.ResultsA total number of 217 participants responded to the questionnaire. The majority of participants (n = 179; 82.49%) displayed excellent knowledge of physical activity, had a good attitude towards physical activity (n = 157; 72.35%) and displayed satisfactory practices (n = 137; 63.13%). Participants with the highest level of education had better mean knowledge, attitude and practice scores as opposed to those with lower levels of education. There was a statistically significant difference amongst staff categories in terms of knowledge (p = 0.004) and practice scores (p = 0.031). In addition, there was a statistically significant difference amongst different levels of education in terms of knowledge (p = 0.000), attitude (p = 0.02) and practice scores (p = 0.004).ConclusionStaff members who participated in the study displayed only satisfactory physical activity practices. The hospital’s employee wellness programme should establish appropriate strategies to improve staff practices of physical activity in order to promote health.

Knowledge, attitudes and practices of hospital-based staff regarding physical activity at a private hospital in Johannesburg

healthcare environment. The aim of this study was to determine the knowledge, attitudes and practices of private hospital-based staff regarding physical activity in Johannesburg. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted. Data were collected using a self-administered questionnaire. Data were analysed with a combination of descriptive and inferential statistics. A p -value less than 0.05 was deemed statistically significant. Results: A total number of 217 participants responded to the questionnaire. The majority of participants ( n = 179; 82.49%) displayed excellent knowledge of physical activity, had a good attitude towards physical activity ( n = 157; 72.35%) and displayed satisfactory practices ( n = 137; 63.13%). Participants with the highest level of education had better mean knowledge, attitude and practice scores as opposed to those with lower levels of education. There was a statistically significant difference amongst staff categories in terms of knowledge ( p = 0.004) and practice scores ( p = 0.031). In addition, there was a statistically significant difference amongst different levels of education in terms of knowledge ( p = 0.000), attitude ( p = 0.02) and practice scores ( p = 0.004). Conclusion: Staff members who participated in the study displayed only satisfactory physical activity practices. The hospital’s employee wellness programme should establish appropriate strategies to improve staff practices of physical activity in order to promote health.

Work Life Balance among Women Police in Salem City, Tamil Nadu

A main societal norm is work. At times it may be challenging and it tries to prioritize over your welfare. The impact that work life balance has on many social harms has been increasing nowadays, some are reflected in certain forms like tardiness, lessening fertility rates, aged populations and declining supply of quality labour. Certainly, a work culture that demands round the clock, i.e. 24/7 availability becomes a very big victimization to the above said social issues. It is known that Police personnel’s service and its effects on the family is a complex phenomenon. The function of women police is vague and workplace pressure is viewed as an unsuccessful factor, but a predictable part of police work. Police stress is influenced by a various workplace troubles like ethnic and gender partiality and lack of authority, work-load activities. Issues like family size, children’s age, and uncertain working hours has caused dissatisfaction and are more expected to wield negative impacts in their family and in work, that has led to low level of satisfaction, and greater family-work conflict. This research study is an attempt to spot out the effects of work-life balance and to explore the main factors which cause work-family challenges among different categories of women personnel in police department. By using convenient sampling technique, a sample of 50 respondents was collected. Structured questionnaire were used to collect primary data from the Police women. The secondary data was collected from various existing sources like website and reports. For statistical analysis, researcher used SPSS and Statistical tools like (i.e.) percentage analysis, ANOVA, Chi-square. The inferences of this study reveal that the age of respondents and their family factors have significant effects in ensuring work-life balance. Hence, the results suggest that supportive working conditions, employee wellness programme, and timely promotion and transfer policies can ensure work – life balance among the respondents.

Nurses’ lifestyle behaviours, health priorities and barriers to living a healthy lifestyle

Introduction: The workplace is a setting with the potential for reaching large numbers of people, with positive impacts on health status. Previous research suggests that nurses have an increased risk for non-communicable diseases (NCDs). Therefore the aim of this study was to determine the health concerns, priorities and barriers to living a healthy lifestyle among nurses and hospital management staff working in public hospitals in theWestern Cape, South Africa. Methods: All the nurses employed at the five participating hospitals were eligible to participate in the research study. Five focus groups were conducted with the day shift (n=36), and seven focus groupswere conductedwith the night shift (n=57) nurses. In addition, 7 key informant interviews were conducted with the Nursing Managers from the hospitals. Guiding questions were used to gain insight into nurses’ health concerns, lifestyle behaviours and current worksite health promotion programmes (WHPPs). Data were analysed using thematic analysis with the Atlas.ti Qualitative Data Analysis Software. Results: Weight gain and living with NCDs such as hypertension were the main health concerns identified by the nurses. The nurses suggested that being overweight had a negative impact on their occupational tasks and requirements. In addition, both management and nurses perceived the hospital as a stressful working environment. Lack of time was the main barrier to healthy eating and regular physical activity. Another barrier that nurses identifiedwas the hospital environment, where for example, the canteen did not offer healthy food options. The most commonly delivered WHPPs includedopportunities for telephone-based counseling and advisory services, and an online employee wellness programme. Wellness days, which included blood glucose, cholesterol, blood pressure and Body Mass Index measures, were also frequently reported. Both day and night shift nurses were interested inWHPP that provided opportunities for physical activity in addition to stress management programmes and support groups. The managerswere interested in interventions thatpromoted teambuilding and addressing cultural diversity. Discussion: Both the risk of NCDs and exposure to infectious disease remains a concern in this working population. Our findings highlight the need for WHPPs in hospitals that support nurses in managing stress and controlling their weight, as well as transforming the work environment to facilitate healthy lifestyles.

Employee Wellness Management Programme as a Strategy for Transforming the Public Service – A Case of the Department of Agriculture in Limpopo Province of South Africa

Public service transformation has been at the heart of government since 1994. Therefore, to ensure that transformation takes place at different government departments, a number of programmes were introduced. One of such programmes is Employee Health and Wellness programme. The main focus of this programme is to bring about changes in the wellbeing and the working environment in the departments so that service delivery, employees’ health and productivity can be accelerated and improved. Thus, the Limpopo Department of Agriculture started the implementation of an Employee Health and Wellness program in 2001 in response to the government mandate which was brought about by the birth of new democracy. Since every important programme has to be evaluated, therefore this article reports on the evaluation that was conducted on the success of wellness programmes in combating absenteeism in the Limpopo Department of Agriculture. Absenteeism in most government departments is a serious problem that negatively affects the delivery of services. There are many cases of absenteeism which have varied causes. However, the focus of this article is on the effectiveness of wellness management programme on combating absenteeism, and addressing the challenges of absenteeism due to substance abuse in the public service. The findings indicated that absenteeism negatively affects service delivery in the public sector and that participants on these programmes are offered limited support by their supervisors. Supervisors tend to show negative tendencies towards the wellness management participants who show little progress in recovery. This article therefore recommends that wellness programmes have to be fully supported by the management of various organizations so that they can be successful. Departments should also develop strategies that can curb substance abuse amongst the employees. DOI: 10.5901/mjss.2014.v5n27p1286

Nurses' lifestyle behaviours, health priorities and barriers to living a healthy lifestyle: a qualitative descriptive study.

BackgroundNurses have an increased risk for non-communicable diseases (NCDs), along with a high prevalence of obesity, poor eating habits and insufficient physical activity. The aim of this study was to determine the health concerns, health priorities and barriers to living a healthy lifestyle among nurses and hospital management staff from public hospitals in the Western Cape Metropole, South Africa.MethodsParticipants were purposively sampled (n = 103), and included management personnel (n = 9), night shift (n = 57) and day-shift nurses (n = 36). Twelve focus groups (FGDs) were conducted with nursing staff to obtain insight into nurses’ health concerns, lifestyle behaviours and worksite health promotion programmes (WHPPs). Seven key informant interviews (KII) were conducted with management personnel, to gain their perspective on health promotion in the worksite. Thematic analysis was used to analyse the data with the assistance of Atlas.ti Qualitative Data Analysis Software.ResultsNight shift nurses frequently identified weight gain and living with NCDs such as hypertension as their main health concerns. Being overweight was perceived to have a negative impact on work performance. All nurses identified backache and exposure to tuberculosis (TB) as occupation-related health concerns, and both management and nurses frequently reported a stressful working environment. Nurses frequently mentioned lack of time to prepare healthy meals due to long working hours and being overtired from work. The hospital environment was perceived to have a negative influence on the nurses’ lifestyle behaviours, including food service that offered predominantly unhealthy foods. The most commonly delivered WHPPs included independent counselling services, an online employee wellness programme offered by the Department of Health and wellness days in which clinical measures, such as blood glucose were measured. Nurses identified a preference for WHPPs that provided access to fitness facilities or support groups.ConclusionsPublic hospitals are a stressful work environment and shift work places an additional strain on nurses. The risk of NCDs and exposure to infectious disease remains a concern in this working population. Our findings highlight the need for WHPPs that support nurses in managing stress and transforming the work environment to facilitate healthy lifestyles.

Incidental right Bochdalek hernia with interruption of the inferior vena cava and hepatic venous collateral continuation: A case report

A 36-year-old asymptomatic female had a routine chest radiograph to exclude pulmonary tuberculosis, as part of an employee wellness programme. There was opacification of the right lower thorax. Computed tomography and venography demonstrated an incidental right Bochdalek hernia with interruption of the inferior vena cava (IVC) and hepatic venous collateral continuation. The association of a Bochdalek hernia with an anomaly of the IVC is rare, with only one case described in the literature.

The role of employee wellness programme in the hospitality industry: a review of concepts, research, and practice

In the hospitality industry, employees are critical to firm success, through their intimate interactions with customers to create memorable experiences and relationships. A nascent strategy adopted by many hospitality firms seeks to increase employee engagement and commitment through employee wellness programmes. Despite growing recognition of the concept of wellness in the workplace, limited studies discuss the topic systematically. This nascent research stream requires a better understanding of the role of wellness programmes and their influences on employees, customers, firms, and society. Therefore, this study offers a detailed review and synthesis of key concepts and existing knowledge in the industry, which produces a framework for further research, as well as managerial implications.

Five-year workplace wellness intervention in the NHS

Poor health and well-being has been observed among NHS staff and has become a key focus in current public health policy. The objective of this study was to deliver and evaluate a five-year employee wellness programme aimed at improving the health and well-being of employees in a large NHS workplace. A theory-driven multi-level ecological workplace wellness intervention was delivered including health campaigns, provision of facilities and health-promotion activities to encourage employees to make healthy lifestyle choices and sustained behaviour changes. An employee questionnaire survey was distributed at baseline (n = 1,452) and at five years (n = 1,134), including measures of physical activity, BMI, diet, self-efficacy, social support, perceived general health and mood, smoking behaviours, self-reported sickness absence, perceived work performance and job satisfaction. Samples were comparable at baseline and follow-up. At five years, significantly more respondents actively travelled (by walking or cycling both to work and for non-work trips) and more were active while at work. Significantly more respondents met current recommendations for physical activity at five years than at baseline. Fewer employers reported 'lack of time' as a barrier to being physically active following the intervention. Significantly lower sickness absence, greater job satisfaction and greater organisational commitment was reported at five years than at baseline. Improvements in health behaviours, reductions in sickness absence and improvements in job satisfaction and organisational commitment were observed following five years of a workplace wellness intervention for NHS employees. These findings suggest that health-promoting programmes should be embedded within NHS infrastructure.

The impact of an employee wellness programme in clothing/textile manufacturing companies: a randomised controlled trial

BackgroundThe prevalence of health risk behaviours is growing amongst South African employees. Health risk behaviours have been identified as a major contributor to reduced health related quality of life (HRQoL) and the increased prevalence of non-communicable diseases. Worksite wellness programmes promise to promote behaviour changes amongst employees and to improve their HRQoL. The aim of this study was to evaluate the short-term effects of an employee wellness programme on HRQoL, health behaviour change, body mass index (BMI) and absenteeism amongst clothing and textile manufacturing employees.MethodsThe study used a randomised control trial design. The sample consisted of 80 subjects from three clothing manufacturing companies in Cape Town, South Africa. The experimental group was subjected to a wellness programme based on the principles of cognitive behaviour therapy (CBT) as well as weekly supervised exercise classes over six weeks. The control group received a once-off health promotion talk and various educational pamphlets, with no further intervention. Measurements were recorded at baseline and at six weeks post-intervention. Outcome measures included the EQ-5D, Stanford Exercise Behaviours Scale, body mass index and absenteeism.Data was analysed with the Statistica-8 software program. Non-parametric tests were used to evaluate the differences in the medians between the two groups and to determine the level of significance. The Sign test was used to determine the within group changes. The Mann–Whitney U test was used to determine the difference between the two groups.ResultsAt six weeks post intervention the experimental group (39 subjects) demonstrated improvement in almost every parameter. In contrast, apart from an overall decrease in time off work and a reduction in BMI for all study participants, there was no significant change noted in the behaviour of the control group (41 subjects). Seventy percent of the experimental group had improved HRQoL EQ-5D VAS scores post intervention, indicating improved perceived HRQoL. In comparison, only 58% of the control group had improved HRQoL EQ-5D VAS scores post intervention. There was no significant difference between the two groups at baseline or at six weeks post intervention.ConclusionAn employee wellness programme based on the principles of CBT combined with weekly aerobic exercise class was beneficial in improving the perceived HRQoL and changing health-related behaviours of clothing manufacturing employees. However, it cannot be concluded that the EWP was more effective than the once off health promotion talk as no significant changes were noted between the two groups at 6-weeks post intervention.This trial has been registered with ClinicalTrials.gov (trial registration number NCT01625039).

Health of community nurses: a case for workplace wellness schemes

Community nursing is associated with stress and burnout, which can impact heavily on the individual and the NHS both economically and on the quality of patient care. Recent Government publications have called for an increase in workplace health schemes, with the public sector 'leading by example'. As the largest employer in Europe, the NHS is well placed to develop workplace wellness schemes to address the health needs of staff and to indirectly influence primary prevention among patients. Lessons from an innovative employee wellness programme in an NHS hospital setting demonstrates that such schemes may positively alter individual health and attitudes towards the employer. There is scope for development of such schemes to improve health and well-being in community nurses.