Abstract
M.Com. (Business Management)
Although the concept of having health and wellness programmes in a workplace is appealing to employees, the question that must be asked is whether or not employers are seeing the benefits of those initiatives. The aim of this research was to investigate the benefits of a health and wellness strategy in a corporate environment. The researcher analysed what employees want and what they perceive as effective and beneficial to them. She also made recommendations, directed at the management of University X, about what should be done to establish and maintain an effective health and wellness strategy for employees.
A qualitative, cross-sectional, time-based research design was used. The researcher developed a semi-structured, open-ended interview schedule consisting of ten questions. The intention was to collect data from a purposive sample of nine female administration employees at the Faculty of Management of University X. The nine employees who were sampled consisted of one head of faculty administration, two course co-ordinators, three senior faculty officers, two faculty officers and one faculty administration assistant. The interview questions were based on themes and concepts suggested by a review of the relevant literature on the topic of employee health and well-being and its relationship to organisational performance and productivity.
The findings revealed that employees are aware of the positive relationship between health and wellness and productivity. The findings also strongly suggested that time is the biggest constraint for employees wanting to improve their health. Lastly, employees raised concerns about the necessity for rigid working hours, as this prevents them from using the health and wellness facilities that University X offers.
This research draws attention to new information about the value of health and wellness in a corporate environment, the benefits of a health and wellness initiative and the possible drawbacks of health and wellness programmes in such a context.