Employees’ perceptions of the employee health and wellness programme at the southern region in the Department of Public Works in KwaZulu-Natal.
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Date
2017
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Abstract
The study explores employees’ perceptions of Employee Health and Wellness Programme at the Southern Region in the Department of Public Works (DPWs) in KwaZulu-Natal. The objectives of the study includes to investigate employees’ perceptions on the implementation of EHWP, to determine factors hindering the successful implementation of the EHWP, to assess the level of awareness and the extent of utilisation of the EHWP in the organisation of focus, to examine the benefits of EHWP to both the employee and the focal organisation, and to identify measures that will help to address the challenges that are associated with the implementation of EHWP in the focal organisation.
The study adopted the interpretivist paradigm as the main research philosophy to investigate the phenomenon. The study also employed the inductive approach, where the researcher was part of the investigation process. An exploratory study was adopted in which the nature of the research problem was clarified and defined. A qualitative research method was used to investigate the phenomenon. The study was located at the Southern Region in the Department of Public Works in KwaZulu-Natal. The target population of the study was 250 and a purposive sampling technique was used to select 20 participants for the study. Face-to-face interviews were conducted with the participants, where qualitative data were gathered. A pilot study was first conducted before the actual interviews took place. Data quality control was ensured through trustworthiness and credibility. Qualitative data collected from the participants were transcribed and analysed manually using thematic analysis. Ethical approval was obtained from Humanities and Social Science Research Committee of the University of KwaZulu-Natal.
Findings emanating from the study reveal that employees have different perceptions of the utilisation of EHWP which include EHWP is an intervention for alcoholics, EHWP is trustworthy and confidential and self-stigmatisation. Furthermore, findings show that the factors affecting the implementation and utilisation of EHWP in DPWs includes high cost and expenditure, lack of support from management, inadequate resources and unavailability of EHWP professionals. In light of the findings, various recommendations were made which includes leadership support towards the implementation of EHWP, provision of adequate resources, effective and efficient communication on existence of EHWP, building relationships and partnerships with the EHWP service providers and monitoring and evaluation of EHWP.
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Masters Degree. University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban.