Well-being Programs Research Articles

Healing and wellbeing outcomes of services for Aboriginal people based on cultural therapeutic ways: A systematic scoping review.

Aboriginal Australians experience disproportionately high rates of mental health problems as the result of European colonisation, and Western evidence-based treatment has been strikingly ineffective in improving the situation. Cultural Therapeutic Ways is a culturally specific healing and wellbeing practice framework developed by the Victorian Aboriginal Child and Community Agency that focuses on culturally based practices, trauma awareness, and self-determination. Despite wide recognition of the importance of these elements in Indigenous healing and wellbeing programs, its measurable empirical impact is currently unclear. This paper summarises findings from a systematic scoping review to ascertain the published knowledge base for Cultural Therapeutic Ways and the gaps in knowledge that can inform future evaluation. Forty-two studies of programs that applied Cultural Therapeutic Ways with Indigenous participants from Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and the United States of America were identified from the literature search. Services based on Cultural Therapeutic Ways contributed to healing and wellbeing because they create safety, strengthen cultural connections, develop empowerment and provide opportunities to release emotion, and increase social and spiritual support. As the review set out to determine the published evidence base for Cultural Therapeutic Ways, other effective approaches may have been overlooked. To develop the evidence base for Cultural Therapeutic Ways, service design must clearly describe target groups, whether the program is delivered by Aboriginal people, the processes of Cultural Therapeutic Ways utilised in service delivery, and how they are blended with Western approaches. Research efforts could also productively be focused on identifying or constructing culturally appropriate outcome measures.

The mediating effect of employee engagement and well-being on turnover intention in Indonesia

Employee turnover is challenging for firms, and it is usually fueled by employee stress due to their heavy workload. To minimize turnover, firms can implement various initiatives, such as employee well-being and employee engagement programs. Previous studies have examined the influence of work stress, employee engagement, or employee well-being separately on turnover intention. By exploring these factors simultaneously, this study aims to explain the roles of employee well-being and engagement as mediators in alleviating the impact of work stress on turnover. Data were collected from 425 employees working in various economic sectors (e.g., finance, education, research and development, retail, and business) in Indonesia and analyzed using the structural equation modeling (SEM) with the Lisrel 8.8 software. The results confirmed that work stress and employee engagement are factors that can directly influence turnover intention. Nevertheless, employee well-being does not have a direct impact on reducing turnover. The role of employee engagement in mediating the impact of work stress and employee well-being on turnover intention has been proven to be significant. This indicates that the company can withstand the stress that leads to employee turnover by creating jobs that make employees enthusiastically enjoy their work. Furthermore, company initiatives to create employee well-being will only be effective if those initiatives encourage employee engagement. Based on these findings, companies can develop strategies to reduce employee turnover. This can be achieved by prioritizing work stress management and improving employee well-being and engagement.

Tripartite relationships between frontline managers’ competencies, wellbeing initiatives, and perceived job engagement in a developing economy

The main objective of this study is to investigate the tripartite relationships between frontline managers' competencies, wellbeing initiatives, and perceived job engagement in some selected manufacturing firms in Nigeria. Based on a sample size of four hundred and ninety-nine (499) frontline managers drawn from selected manufacturing firms, smart partial least squares (SMART PLS) 3.0 was adopted to show the relationships among frontline managers' competencies, wellbeing initiatives, and perceived job engagement in the world of work. The statistical results show that the dimensions of front-line managers' competencies, significant change-management skills, employee relations, business savvy, and problem-solving skills, greatly influenced job engagement, while components of talent wellbeing initiatives mediate the relationship between front-line managers' competencies and job engagement. The study recommends that frontline managers adopt a continuous competency evaluation approach, focusing on frequent evaluations to identify areas of improvement and potential for development. As a means of developing a resilient and competent managerial workforce, it emphasises the significance of specifically designed wellbeing programmes that address the difficulties associated with their jobs. Organisations may foster a good work environment that improves wellbeing in general and supports long-term, productive engagement. Existing literature that focused on the frontline managers' competency theme in the manufacturing industry scarcely examined the processes critical to wellbeing initiatives and perceived job engagement in the manufacturing industry. As a result, the present study uses a moderating variable of employee wellbeing initiatives to explain how frontline managers’ competencies foster job engagement.

Cultivating Resilience: Multiple Case Study of School Heads’ Leadership in Integrated Senior High Schools

School leaders must be resilient in order to navigate the always shifting challenges in the field of education. This study employed a qualitative multiple case study, having three (3) distinct cases aimed to explore the perspectives of the school heads on resilient leadership in integrated senior high schools of Division of Davao de Oro. There were three (3) participants and six (6) informants underwent in-depth interviews. Participants were chosen through a purposive sampling technique. Each data was analyzed through thematic analysis and cross-case analysis. Case 1’s unique characteristics were resource management and optimization, hierarchical communication and strategic delegation, and crisis management and contingency planning. Participant experiences were complex stakeholder management, innovative problem-solving, and resilience amidst bureaucratic challenges. In times of challenges, the coping mechanism was structured decision-making processes delegation and team empowerment professional support networks. The policy recommendations were promotion of interpersonal communication skills, development of community engagement strategies, and investment in staff well-being programs. Further, Case 3’s unique characteristics were the following: strategic financial management and sustainability, stakeholder engagement and partnerships, brand differentiation and market positioning. The experiences were cultivating philanthropic relationships, navigating parental expectations, and ensuring financial sustainability. The coping mechanisms were strategic partnerships and fundraising initiatives, ethical leadership and values integration, and self-care and well-being practices while the policy recommendations were introduction of ethics and values integration policies, creation of leadership succession plans, and investment in infrastructure and technology. Moreover, cross-case analysis shows each case about distinct characteristics and commonalities such as strategic vision and planning, effective communication and collaboration, and resource management and optimization. Each case has distinct experiences, the common themes were resourcefulness and creativity, and community engagement and collaboration. Their coping mechanisms were effective leadership practices and ethical leadership and well-being. Their policy recommendations were leadership development policies and data-informed policies. This suggests that resilient leadership was crucial for school heads in managing and leading integrated senior high schools, despite the challenges and circumstances they faced in their workplace. Both teachers and learners benefit from the leadership styles promoted by the school heads.

Professional reliability of personnel and corporate wellness programs

To consider the key aspects of providing professional reliability of the personnel and their connection with the health preservation programs and transformation into corporate wellness programs. The importance of a healthy lifestyle is generally recognized. At the same time motivating employees to a healthy lifestyle is generally considered to be a complex task as well. The need to shift towards a comprehensive approach is noted, the development of corporate well-being programs aimed at supporting and improving the physical and psychological health of employees in particular, as well as enhancing their professional skills and qualities. This becomes a strategic move for the company, aimed at creating a healthy and supportive environment. Moreover, the development of such programs may not only be a business initiative but also align with the trends of the state policy of the Russian Federation. It can be confidently stated that the issue requires further discussion and exploration. A balanced approach to professional training, motivation, psychological support, and health programs is a key to creating a productive and steady labor potential for the enterprise.

Optimising workplace health programmes using organisational culture: Post-COVID perspectives from managers and workplace health experts from the UK contact centre industry

Contact centre workers experience disproportionately low physical activity levels and high sedentary behaviour levels, as well as an increased risk of negative occupational health outcomes such as anxiety and depression. Organisational culture factors such as strict work schedules and pressure to maintain productivity often impede the effectiveness of programmes to reduce these health risks. Despite its significance, organisational culture is often overlooked during the development and implementation of workplace health programmes due to its conceptually complex nature. The COVID-19 pandemic further complicated organisational culture-related associations to workplace health programmes in contact centres. This study investigated how organisational culture influences the existence and effectiveness of workplace health programmes in contact centres and if/how COVID-19 disrupted these associations. Fifteen interviews were conducted with contact centre managers and workplace health experts between February and June 2021. Findings indicate that employee well-being is increasingly being prioritised within contact centres, especially post-pandemic, and that there is a legacy of COVID-19 to learn from the spotlight that was placed on employee well-being during the pandemic to improve workplace conditions for contact centre employees. Further, to maximise effectiveness and support positive organisational culture change, these findings should be considered during well-being programme planning, delivery, implementation and evaluation.

Non-Financial Rewards Towards Academic Job Satisfaction in State Universities in Sri Lanka

The employee retention and turnover depend on many factors including job satisfaction, financial and nonfinancial rewards, and other internal and external factors.The financial rewards of an organization are comprised of bonuses, salary incentives, gift vouchers, retirement plans, professional development plans and referral programs etc. Non-financial rewards are recognized as public recognition, experiential rewards, participation in the decision-making, time to work on personal projects, volunteering works, professional training, leadership training, increased autonomy, employee wellbeing programs, personal growth, awards, and career advancement. Hence, the study will focus on the impact of non-financial rewards on the job satisfaction of the academicians among state universities in Sri Lanka. Currently, it is a more significant and apt time to study the job satisfaction of academic staff in Sri Lanka as there is a higher rate of brain drain in Sri Lanka. The study was carried out by using qualitative methodology conducting in-depth interviews with fifteen faculty members in five state universities, aged between 30 to 55 male and female academic staff. Interview guides were used to collect data from selected thirty permanent academicians of state universities in Sri Lanka to determine the influence of nonfinancial rewards on job satisfaction. Thus, the study identified three main non-financial rewards as work autonomy, recognition, and professional development as the most influential factors towards the job satisfaction of academicians. Further, it was found that non-financial rewards have a positive and strong with job satisfaction than financial rewards. Hence, the study emphasizes the importance of enhancing the non- financial rewards of the employees to obtain their maximum performance.

Connections between specific mental health diagnoses of schizophrenia, bipolar disorder and schizoaffective disorder and primary substance use

PurposeThis study aims to use the database of consumers referred to the dual diagnosis shared care service to examine those connections. The Eastern Dual Diagnosis Service, based in Melbourne, Australia, has established a database of consumers with co-occurring mental health disorders and problematic substance use. An examination of mental health and substance-use information obtained over a two-year period in the delivery of dual diagnosis shared care to consumers of mental health services is supporting an improved understanding of substance use and the connections to specific mental health diagnoses of schizophrenia, bipolar disorder and schizoaffective disorder.Design/methodology/approachThis research uses a quantitative approach to review the prevalence of primary substance use and mental health diagnoses for consumers referred to as dual diagnosis shared care. Reviewed are referrals from adult mental health community and rehabilitation teams operating within a mental health and well-being program between January 2019 and December 2020 inclusive.FindingsOf the 387 clients referred to the specialist dual diagnosis shared care, methamphetamine, alcohol and cannabis are associated with 89.4% of the primary mental health diagnosis (PMHD). The most common PMHDs are schizophrenia, schizoaffective disorder and bipolar disorder. The most common PMHD and substance-use connection was schizophrenia and methamphetamine. Nicotine was reported to be used by 84% of consumers and often occurred in addition to another problematic primary substance.Originality/valueImproved dual diagnosis data collection from a community-based clinical mental health service is increasing understanding of the mental health and substance-use relationship. This is now providing clarity on routes of investigation into co-occurring mental health and problematic substance-use trends and guiding improved integrated treatments within a contemporary mental health setting.

Fostering Resilience and Well-Being Among New Graduate Nurses.

Nearly one third of the U.S. nursing workforce is considering leaving their current job, with millennials new to the role most likely to leave. Newly licensed registered nurses (NLRNs) often feel unprepared and overwhelmed, contributing to the risk of turnover in this workforce segment and amplifying unstable healthcare environments. This evidence-based quality improvement project integrated a resilience and well-being program into a nurse residency program, improving resilience and well-being in NLRNs transitioning to professional practice.

A Guiding Model for Undergraduate Medical Education Well-Being Programs.

Most medical schools have instituted undergraduate medical education (UME) well-being programs in recent years in response to high rates of medical student distress, but there is currently significant variability in the structure of UME well-being programs and limited guidance on how to best structure such programs to achieve success. In this article, the authors, all leaders of medical student well-being programs at their home institutions and members of the Association of American Medical Colleges Group on Student Affairs Committee on Student Affairs Working Group on Medical Student Well-Being between 2019 and 2023 offer guidance to the national community on how best to structure a UME well-being program. They use the current literature and their professional experiences leading well-being efforts at 7 different institutions to review the case for addressing medical student well-being, propose a guiding model, and make recommendations for strategies to implement this model.The proposed guiding model emphasizes the importance of the learning environment and efficiency of learning to medical student well-being, as well as personal resilience. Based on this model, the authors recommend specific and tangible well-being strategies to implement systemic interventions to improve the learning environment, efficiency of learning, and personal resilience, including formalizing the well-being program; hiring qualified, dedicated, and empowered well-being leadership with clear responsibilities; acting as a central hub for resources and as a liaison with mental health care; and establishing robust program evaluation methods.

What works to promote staff health in prison settings: a systematic review

PurposeGiven epidemiological data highlighting poor health outcomes for prison staff and correctional workers, this systematic review aims to understand what health promotion interventions, delivered in prison settings, are effective for prison staff health.Design/methodology/approachA systematic review was undertaken, with search parameters encompassing papers published over a ten-year period (2013–2023). Health promotion programmes; well-being programmes; and occupational health interventions to support prison staff health as part of a targeted approach or as part of a whole-prison approach were included in the review.FindingsThe review identified 354 studies, of which 157 were duplicates and 187 did not meet the inclusion criteria. This left ten studies in the review from five countries. Reducing the impact of tobacco smoke was the commonly cited intervention, with four studies focusing on smoke-free prison legislation, but other studies focused on stress reduction for staff and supporting holistic health. The papers were of poor methodological quality, with the exception of three included studies that had robust designs. Most studies showed limited or no impact of interventions to support prison staff health, the exception being policy interventions to reduce second-hand smoke exposure.Originality/valuePrison staff have poor health outcomes and yet limited attention has been paid to interventions to support their health. This review suggests a number of considerations for future policy and practice and direction for further research to improve prison staff health.

Digitally enabled perinatal mental health programmes: a Scottish perspective

This article provides an overview of the use of digitally enabled programmes to support perinatal mental healthcare in the NHS in Scotland, focusing on the Perinatal Wellbeing Programme from SilverCloud®. This follow up to a previous article published in the British Journal of Midwifery considers the experiences of using this programme in a Scottish context, examining feedback from users of the intervention.

Six aspects of female genital mutilation education (SAFE) model: findings from a qualitative study

ObjectivesRecent figures show that over 200 million women and girls, globally, live with the consequences of female genital mutilation (FGM). Complex debilitating physical, psychological and social problems result from the...

Analyzing the Impact of Employee Well Being Programs on Productivity

Analyzing the Impact of Employee Well Being Programs on Productivity

Te Pā: A wellbeing initiative on a major roading construction project.

Purpose. Due to the significant challenges to employee wellbeing in the construction industry, a major roading project in New Zealand implemented a wellbeing programme based on holistic health frameworks. A description, rationale and outline of the wellbeing programme are presented. An independent evaluation of the wellbeing programme took place in 2023. Design. Data from interviews, a focus group, surveys, and the OnLocation app were analysed to examine participants’ perspectives on the programme, and to establish whether the programme was effective and how it could be improved. Findings. The majority of staff reported that they had experienced enhanced wellbeing since joining the project, and spoke positively about the programme. A small number of participants felt the project still had elements of the ‘old’ construction culture including a focus on productivity over people, but most felt the wellbeing programme had made substantial progress toward changing the construction culture. Suggested improvements included a perceived need for more resources, for members of the wellbeing team to be present onsite more often, and more training for onsite managers in workplace wellbeing. Originality. A holistic approach to wellbeing has rarely been taken in the construction industry. This project was based on indigenous New Zealand Māori perspectives on wellbeing. Evaluation showed that it was positively valued by both Māori and non-Māori participants. This indicates that, although some details are specific to New Zealand, the model itself, its supporting framework and approach can be generalised to other contexts.

Sustaining mental health and wellbeing programmes in schools: recommendations from an online roundtable

Despite recent investments in school-based mental health and wellbeing promotion in England, the sustainability of mental health interventions remains a substantial challenge. This article brings together potential solutions to sustaining interventions in schools, drawing on insights from an online roundtable discussion held in July 2022. Facilitated by researchers and informed by recent research on barriers and facilitators to sustaining school-based mental health interventions, 16 participants came together to discuss challenges and solutions. Participants included school staff, policy makers, educational psychologists, researchers and mental health intervention developers. The discussion explored the need for accountability at all levels (e.g., from school leaders to policy makers and Ofsted) and the potential value of engaging schools more consistently with academic evidence. Participants also discussed the importance of creating a healthy and sustainable ecosystem for interventions (underscoring the significance of staff wellbeing, adequate resourcing, and longer-term funding commitments), and moving beyond separate, isolated interventions. The findings offer a range of recommendations for school decision makers, mental health researchers, intervention developers, and those working in the wider system around schools.

Building physician wellness into the culture: evaluating a family physician well-being programme using the physician wellness inventory.

Family physicians have a higher incidence of burnout, dissatisfaction, and disengagement compared to other medical specialties. Addressing burnout on the individual and systemic level is important to promoting wellness and preventing deleterious effects on physicians and patients. We used the Physician Wellness Inventory (PWI) to assess the effects of a wellness programme designed to equip family physicians with skills to address burnout. The PWI is a fourteen-item 5-point Likert scale broken down into 3 scores; (i) career purpose, (ii) cognitive flexibility, and (iii) distress. The PWI was distributed to a cohort of n = 111 family physician scholars at 3 time points: January 2021, May-June 2021, and October 2021. The response rate was 96.4% at baseline, and 72.1% overall. Demographic information was collected to assess differences. The survey was distributed online through Qualtrics (Provo, UT). Cognitive Flexibility scores at the endpoint were higher for POC scholars than white scholars (P = 0.024). Distress scores for all groups decreased over time. Female scholars were more nervous, and anxious at the start than male scholars (P = 0.012), which decreased over time (P = 0.022). New career scholars were more likely than later career scholars to be distressed (P = 0.007), but both groups' distress decreased over time (P = 0.003). Later career scholars' feelings of being bothered by little interest or pleasure in doing things decreased more than new career scholars (endpoint: P = 0.022; overall: P = 0.023). The wellness programme shows improvement in PWI scores, indicating the programme content should be evaluated further for system level improvements.

School-based well-being programs for children living in regional and rural Australia: stakeholder views

Children living in regional and rural areas report poorer mental health than metropolitan children, however, there are few, if any, evidence-based school well-being programs tailored for this group. This study aimed to elicit the views of stakeholders about what should be included in well-being programs for these young people and how they should be delivered. Nine online focus groups were conducted with 29 participants including children, teachers, parents/caregivers, school leaders, and school well-being staff. Thematic analysis was conducted, and findings revealed several unique aspects of rural life that should be included in school well-being programs for these communities. These included the losses and isolation experienced in these communities, the cumulative risk and impact of disasters in rural areas, and inadequate access to mental health and support services. The results can be used to justify further investment and delivery of targeted well-being programs for students living in regional and rural locations.

Chaplaincy and spiritual care in Australian ambulance services: an exploratory cross-sectional study

Ambulance staff wellbeing programs aim to support the bio-psycho-social and sometimes spiritual needs of paramedics. While evidence demonstrates strong connections between spirituality and/or religion to wellbeing outcomes, little is known about spiritual care in ambulance services or its impact. The aim of this study was to investigate paramedics’ perspectives on the role and value of Australian ambulance chaplains. A cross-sectional online study of registered paramedics in Australia was conducted between November and December 2022. Analysis of the 150 responses identified that paramedics viewed the chaplain’s role as one built on professional caring relationships that provided proactive and reactive care in paramedic workplaces. Chaplains were perceived to promote wellbeing by incorporating emotional, psychological, social and spiritual care, and assisting paramedics to access additional support. Perceived religiousness of chaplains and organisational factors were barriers to paramedics accessing chaplains, while pre-existing relationships and shared experiences positively influenced paramedics decision to seek chaplain support.

Digitally enabled perinatal mental health programmes' role in contemporary maternity care

This article explores the use of digitally enabled programmes to support perinatal mental healthcare in the NHS. Focusing on the Perinatal Wellbeing Programme from SilverCloud® by Amwell®, participant experiences drawn from published case studies are considered. With mental health conditions recognised as a continued and significant cause of maternal death in the UK, the need for innovative, flexible and effective interventions and support has never been more important. Exploring the place of digitally enabled programmes in contemporary midwifery practice, and the need for further evidence of their efficacy, this article continues the discourse of a previously published article on digital mental health platforms.