Perceptions, knowledge, and attitudes towards employee wellness programmes among private high school educators in South Africa
- Authors: Moroane, Motheo
- Date: 2024-10-11
- Subjects: Employee health promotion , Employees Health and hygiene , Private schools South Africa , Educators South Africa Attitudes , Well-being
- Language: English
- Type: Academic theses , Master's theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/464765 , vital:76543
- Description: Organisations can perform more effectively if their employees' health and wellbeing are optimal and considered a priority. Evidence suggests that employee wellness programmes (EWP) increase employee and overall organisational health, effectiveness, and performance. The World Competitive Report has ranked South Africa poorly regarding Human Resource Management and Development. The South African education system accommodates more than 12,3 million high school learners, 2 938 primary and secondary schools and only 37 500 educators. The South African Department of Education has implemented several initiatives to improve education and the wellbeing of South African educators. However, research investigating the work-related health and wellbeing of educators indicates that burnout, job dissatisfaction, depression, anxiety, and infections, including HIV and AIDS, TB, and Malaria, are prominent among educators. The objectives of this research were to explore whether age, sex, education, and years employed as an educator will significantly impact South African private high school educators' (i) perceptions, (ii) knowledge and (iii) attitudes toward employee wellness programmes, and to (iv) using the answers from a questionnaire; to propose a normative holistic employee wellness programme for private high school educators in South Africa. To fulfil these objectives a mixed-methods study approach was adopted. The study used a once-off, specifically designed questionnaire that explored EWP perceptions, knowledge, and attitudes among South African private high school educators. The results of the questionnaire indicated that firstly, the highest education obtained significantly influenced how educators rated their knowledge of employee wellness programmes. Specifically, the higher the level of education/more educated educators were, the better employees rated their knowledge of wellness programmes. Secondly, gender emerged as a significant factor. Female educators were more inclined to better rate their perception and knowledge regarding whether the workplace could provide valuable source of information on employee health and wellbeing. In other words, female educators rated their knowledge and perceived the workplace as a potentially valuable source of information on employee wellness programmes, than men did. Thirdly, educators with more than ten years of experience were more likely to participate in employee wellness programmes. Lastly, younger employees (younger than the age of 41 years) had the attitude that stigmas may prevent employees from participating in employee wellness programmes and seeking counselling, testing and treatment. Based on these findings, a tailored holistic EWP model was developed to address the specific needs of private high school educators, aiming to enhance their overall wellbeing. In conclusion, this dissertation emphasized the importance of EWP in improving the health and performance of educators in South Africa’s private high schools. Importantly, this study identified unique challenges faced by these educators and highlighted the need for tailored wellness initiatives. Lastly, this study emphasizes the importance of addressing educator wellbeing to enhance the overall educational environment in South Africa. , Thesis (MSc) -- Faculty of Science, Human Kinetics and Ergonomics, 2024
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2024-10-11
- Authors: Moroane, Motheo
- Date: 2024-10-11
- Subjects: Employee health promotion , Employees Health and hygiene , Private schools South Africa , Educators South Africa Attitudes , Well-being
- Language: English
- Type: Academic theses , Master's theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/464765 , vital:76543
- Description: Organisations can perform more effectively if their employees' health and wellbeing are optimal and considered a priority. Evidence suggests that employee wellness programmes (EWP) increase employee and overall organisational health, effectiveness, and performance. The World Competitive Report has ranked South Africa poorly regarding Human Resource Management and Development. The South African education system accommodates more than 12,3 million high school learners, 2 938 primary and secondary schools and only 37 500 educators. The South African Department of Education has implemented several initiatives to improve education and the wellbeing of South African educators. However, research investigating the work-related health and wellbeing of educators indicates that burnout, job dissatisfaction, depression, anxiety, and infections, including HIV and AIDS, TB, and Malaria, are prominent among educators. The objectives of this research were to explore whether age, sex, education, and years employed as an educator will significantly impact South African private high school educators' (i) perceptions, (ii) knowledge and (iii) attitudes toward employee wellness programmes, and to (iv) using the answers from a questionnaire; to propose a normative holistic employee wellness programme for private high school educators in South Africa. To fulfil these objectives a mixed-methods study approach was adopted. The study used a once-off, specifically designed questionnaire that explored EWP perceptions, knowledge, and attitudes among South African private high school educators. The results of the questionnaire indicated that firstly, the highest education obtained significantly influenced how educators rated their knowledge of employee wellness programmes. Specifically, the higher the level of education/more educated educators were, the better employees rated their knowledge of wellness programmes. Secondly, gender emerged as a significant factor. Female educators were more inclined to better rate their perception and knowledge regarding whether the workplace could provide valuable source of information on employee health and wellbeing. In other words, female educators rated their knowledge and perceived the workplace as a potentially valuable source of information on employee wellness programmes, than men did. Thirdly, educators with more than ten years of experience were more likely to participate in employee wellness programmes. Lastly, younger employees (younger than the age of 41 years) had the attitude that stigmas may prevent employees from participating in employee wellness programmes and seeking counselling, testing and treatment. Based on these findings, a tailored holistic EWP model was developed to address the specific needs of private high school educators, aiming to enhance their overall wellbeing. In conclusion, this dissertation emphasized the importance of EWP in improving the health and performance of educators in South Africa’s private high schools. Importantly, this study identified unique challenges faced by these educators and highlighted the need for tailored wellness initiatives. Lastly, this study emphasizes the importance of addressing educator wellbeing to enhance the overall educational environment in South Africa. , Thesis (MSc) -- Faculty of Science, Human Kinetics and Ergonomics, 2024
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2024-10-11
Effectiveness of different interventions to reduce occupational sitting among office administrators at Rhodes University
- Authors: Malesa, Thato
- Date: 2020
- Subjects: Standing position , Sedentary behavior , Work environment , Employee health promotion , Office furniture -- Design , Industrial hygiene , Employees -- Health risk assessment , Human engineering , Compliance
- Language: English
- Type: text , Thesis , Masters , MSc
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/166403 , vital:41360
- Description: Background: Sitting for prolonged periods is common in the working environment. Office workers are exposed to long periods of sitting time at work. Research has reported associations between prolonged sitting and negative health implications. As such studies have proposed different interventions aimed at reducing sitting times in the workplace. The aim of the current study was to evaluate the effectiveness of two different interventions, physical intervention (sit-stand worktables) and personal intervention (instruction to stretch) on compliance and reducing occupational sitting behaviour. The study also aimed to investigate the effectiveness of interventions in improving or impairing mood. Methods: The study took the form of a fieldbased study atRhodes University, Makhanda, South Africa. Fifteen full–time office workers in different divisions participated in the study. Participants were randomly allocated to either the physical or personal intervention group. In both intervention groups, partic ipants were prompted to stand for five minutes every hour during the workday to either work in a standing position or perform stretches. Over the course of the experiment, desk occupancy, sitting/standing time and mood effect were recorded in both intervention groups Both intervention groups were monitored for a period of three months (58 days). Results: The study found that the physical intervention group was an effective approach to reduce prolonged sitting in the workplace in comparison to the personal intervention group. Over the course of the experiment, there was sustain usage of interventions in both groups, however, in the physical intervention group desk usage decreased overtime. The findings of the study also show that some participants were more compliant with the study procedures than others. It was also found that mood improved upon introducing interventions in the workplace. However, with the outcomes of the results, the study acknowledges that several factors emerged which are likely to impact compliance, which future studies may investigate. Conclusion: Although sit-stand worktables are expensive, it seems like introducing them was successful in reducing sitting time and changing sitting behaviour in comparison to an intervention that instruct s individuals to stand up and stretch.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2020
- Authors: Malesa, Thato
- Date: 2020
- Subjects: Standing position , Sedentary behavior , Work environment , Employee health promotion , Office furniture -- Design , Industrial hygiene , Employees -- Health risk assessment , Human engineering , Compliance
- Language: English
- Type: text , Thesis , Masters , MSc
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/166403 , vital:41360
- Description: Background: Sitting for prolonged periods is common in the working environment. Office workers are exposed to long periods of sitting time at work. Research has reported associations between prolonged sitting and negative health implications. As such studies have proposed different interventions aimed at reducing sitting times in the workplace. The aim of the current study was to evaluate the effectiveness of two different interventions, physical intervention (sit-stand worktables) and personal intervention (instruction to stretch) on compliance and reducing occupational sitting behaviour. The study also aimed to investigate the effectiveness of interventions in improving or impairing mood. Methods: The study took the form of a fieldbased study atRhodes University, Makhanda, South Africa. Fifteen full–time office workers in different divisions participated in the study. Participants were randomly allocated to either the physical or personal intervention group. In both intervention groups, partic ipants were prompted to stand for five minutes every hour during the workday to either work in a standing position or perform stretches. Over the course of the experiment, desk occupancy, sitting/standing time and mood effect were recorded in both intervention groups Both intervention groups were monitored for a period of three months (58 days). Results: The study found that the physical intervention group was an effective approach to reduce prolonged sitting in the workplace in comparison to the personal intervention group. Over the course of the experiment, there was sustain usage of interventions in both groups, however, in the physical intervention group desk usage decreased overtime. The findings of the study also show that some participants were more compliant with the study procedures than others. It was also found that mood improved upon introducing interventions in the workplace. However, with the outcomes of the results, the study acknowledges that several factors emerged which are likely to impact compliance, which future studies may investigate. Conclusion: Although sit-stand worktables are expensive, it seems like introducing them was successful in reducing sitting time and changing sitting behaviour in comparison to an intervention that instruct s individuals to stand up and stretch.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2020
The effect of total standing duration during sit-stand regimes on cognitive performance, rating of perceived exertion and heart rate frequency
- Authors: Berndt, Ethan
- Date: 2017
- Subjects: Standing position , Sedentary behavior , Work environment , Employee health promotion , Office furniture -- Design , Industrial hygiene , Employees -- Health risk assessment , Human engineering
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MSc
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/7433 , vital:21260
- Description: Although there may be numerous health benefits of sit-stand workstations, the effects of sedentary or non-sedentary work configurations on cognitive performance and executive function remain unclear (Bantoft et al., 2016). It is essential to determine any performance effects of these different work configurations; as improvements in the workplace, working posture and discomfort need to be justified in terms of improvements (or no deterioration) in work performance (Liao and Drury, 2000). The aim of the current research was to investigate the effect of two sit-stand regimes differing in total standing duration, on cognitive task performance, physiological responses and subjective ratings of perceived exertion. This laboratory based investigation incorporated a repeated measures design, where a test battery was utilized. Three experimental conditions were tested during three separate testing sessions by 30 participants. Condition 2 (15 minutes standing, followed by 45 minutes seated) and Condition 3 (15 minutes seated, followed by 15 minutes standing, followed by 15 minutes seated, followed by 15 minutes standing) were compared to each other and Condition 1 (60 minutes seated). The findings of this study show that even though the two different sit-stand regimes did not result in a significant impact on cognitive task performance, an immediate postural effect for psychomotor response time and a delayed postural effect for working memory were found. The participants perceived Condition 3 as the most physically exerting condition. Heart rate frequency was not significantly different between the conditions, but the immediate seated posture had a significantly lower heart rate frequency compared to the standing posture; indicating that being seated elicited lower energy expenditure compared to standing. Heart rate frequency while standing had a greater degree of variation compared to being seated. Taking the findings of this study into account, it is recommended that: one should be seated while performing this type of working memory task; that one should be standing while performing this type of psychomotor task; that the recommendation that implementing standing at work can be used as a blanket strategy to increase energy expenditure in all individuals needs to be explored further and that individual differences may impact energy expenditure.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2017
- Authors: Berndt, Ethan
- Date: 2017
- Subjects: Standing position , Sedentary behavior , Work environment , Employee health promotion , Office furniture -- Design , Industrial hygiene , Employees -- Health risk assessment , Human engineering
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MSc
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/7433 , vital:21260
- Description: Although there may be numerous health benefits of sit-stand workstations, the effects of sedentary or non-sedentary work configurations on cognitive performance and executive function remain unclear (Bantoft et al., 2016). It is essential to determine any performance effects of these different work configurations; as improvements in the workplace, working posture and discomfort need to be justified in terms of improvements (or no deterioration) in work performance (Liao and Drury, 2000). The aim of the current research was to investigate the effect of two sit-stand regimes differing in total standing duration, on cognitive task performance, physiological responses and subjective ratings of perceived exertion. This laboratory based investigation incorporated a repeated measures design, where a test battery was utilized. Three experimental conditions were tested during three separate testing sessions by 30 participants. Condition 2 (15 minutes standing, followed by 45 minutes seated) and Condition 3 (15 minutes seated, followed by 15 minutes standing, followed by 15 minutes seated, followed by 15 minutes standing) were compared to each other and Condition 1 (60 minutes seated). The findings of this study show that even though the two different sit-stand regimes did not result in a significant impact on cognitive task performance, an immediate postural effect for psychomotor response time and a delayed postural effect for working memory were found. The participants perceived Condition 3 as the most physically exerting condition. Heart rate frequency was not significantly different between the conditions, but the immediate seated posture had a significantly lower heart rate frequency compared to the standing posture; indicating that being seated elicited lower energy expenditure compared to standing. Heart rate frequency while standing had a greater degree of variation compared to being seated. Taking the findings of this study into account, it is recommended that: one should be seated while performing this type of working memory task; that one should be standing while performing this type of psychomotor task; that the recommendation that implementing standing at work can be used as a blanket strategy to increase energy expenditure in all individuals needs to be explored further and that individual differences may impact energy expenditure.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2017
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