Lourens GeyerAnnette Prins
STAFF WELLNESS INTERVENTIONAT THE UNIVERSITY OF THE FREE STATE
April 2007
STAFF WELLNESS
• Employees form an essential core in organisational success and frequently provide the competitive edge.
• Leaders are tasked to manage and motivate their workforce in pursuit of organisational goals and in the best interest of all.
• The changing world of work includes, inter alia: an increasingly diverse workforce with needs, aspirations, and attitudes different from those of their managers
• This necessitates creativity and ingenuity from leaders.
PRESSURE FOR WELLNESS
• Is increasing worldwide at corporate level• Also in South Africa• I.t.o. taking care of employee wellbeing • Result from legal pressures
Basic Conditions of Employment Act Occupational Health and safety Act, etc (Kotton, 2006).
• Modern man is much more alert to his/her rights • More intent on leading a balanced life• Increasingly seeking for more balance between work, leisure
and family life. • Work satisfaction and well-being has become an important
issue in a competitive market within organisations. • Organisations are therefore increasingly coming under
scrutiny in terms of how well they cater for their employees.
• Global Factors Globalisation Information Age Power Relations
• South African Context Transformation HIV / AIDS
WELLNESS INFLUENTIAL FACTORS
Rate of Change Work Stress Money
Crime and Violence Poverty
WELLNESS INFLUENTIAL FACTORS
• UFS Context Transformation Regional engagement Performance Management
• Higher Education Context Massification Time pressure Achievement pressures Professional standards
Technology Work load External accountability Quality Assurance
CRITICAL SUCCESS FACTORS
• Research Based
• Theoretically Sound
• Top Management Support
• Credibility
• Sound Ethical Principles
• Advocacy / Marketing
• Equity – Equal Access
• Quality Control
• Faculty of Humanities end 2004• UFS main and other campuses end 2005• Respondents – moderate to high levels of burnout• Physical stress symptoms (headaches, insomnia, chronic fatigue,
concentration problems, indigestion)• Emotional stress symptoms such as anxiety, anger outbursts etc
ACADEME
• Significantly higher levels of emotional fatigue and cynicism than support staff
• Junior lecturers and associate professors reported higher levels of stress symptoms than the other lecturing staff
• 32% of respondents reported treatment for chronic stress-related conditions
RESEARCH
• Management matters Perceived indifference Little recognition Transformation adding
to uneven playing fields
RESEARCHWork related stressors
• Task Properties Devolution of admin Lack of resources Opportunity for growth and development
• HR Matters Salaries = working hours Consistent implementation of policy matters Recognition of staff contributions
• Overloading of staff Overload correlates positively with emotional fatigue and cynicism Unrealistically tight deadlines Encroachment on family time and relations
Discovery Health 2006ACUTE ILLNESS EXPERIENCE
University of the Free State relative to Discovery Health average
Age bank (years)
Number of employees
GP visits Specialist visits
Prescribed medicine scripts
18 – 30 121 99.2% 119.3% 153.1%
31 – 40 232 97.0% 121.9% 131.5%
41 – 50 255 85.4% 123.7% 139.9%
51 – 64 422 96.6% 121.1% 146.0%
Discovery Health 2006EMPLOYEES REGISTERED ON CHRONIC ILLNESS
BENEFIT
110%
204%
171%
142%
0%
40%
80%
120%
160%
200%
240%
Reg
istr
atio
ns
rela
tive
to
Dis
co
very
H
ealt
h
18 - 30 31 - 40 41 - 50 51 -64
Age band (years)
Theoretical underpinning :A schematic representation of the hierarchical ordered
living system
Cell
Organ
Organism
Groups
Organisations
Communities
Supra-national systems
1
32
(Wessels 1991)
Theoretical underpinning :The Cybernetic Cycle
PROBLEM SOLVING MODEL
Situation analysis
GoalsEvaluation
Strategies
(Wessels 1991)
A schematic presentation of a practice model for psycho-intervention
B GOALS1. Preventative2. Remedial3. Developmental
2
3
1
3
4
1 2
32
1
A COMPLEX SYSTEMS1. Individual2. Groups3. Organisations4. Community
C METHODS1. Direct management/ Education2. Consultation-education3. Psych-technology(Wessels 1991)
Theoretical underpinning :THE BIOPSYCHOSOCIAL/SPIRITUAL MODEL
IN SEARCH OF A BALANCED LIFESTYLEFOUR HUMAN DIMENSIONS
Psychological
Biomedical
Social
Spiritual
(Winiarsky 1997)
AT ORGANISATIONAL LEVEL
• To create an organisational climate in support of a competent,
motivated and enabled workforce (to achieve the University’s Vision
and Strategic Priorities)
• To enhance staff morale
• To increase productivity and creativity
• To reduce absence, sick leave
• To reduce medical claims
AIM OF PROGRAMMETO EMPOWER BOTH ORGANISATION AND STAFF
IN RELATION TO WELL-BEING
AT FACULTY, DEPARTMENTAL AND INDIVIDUAL LEVEL• To accentuate individual strengths, competence, pro-activity and
general wellbeing
• To enhance the quality of work life
• To enhance the personal life of employees
• To stimulate individual awareness and responsibility for own health and wellbeing
• To actively promote health versus “healing the ill”
PARADIGM SHIFT (MEDICAL AND PSYCHOLOGICAL)FROM CURING THE ILL TO PREVENTION AND DEVELOPMENT
(CAPITALISE ON HUMAN STRENGTHS)
AIM OF PROGRAMME
EVOLUTIONARY
PHASE 1
• A Campus wellness programme
• A Campus wellness office with a referral function
PHASE 2
• Organisational Interventions
• Faculty and Departmental Interventions
ESTABLISHMENT OF UFS STAFF WELLNESS PROGRAMME
BENEFITS TO COST RATIO AND GOALS
Benefits
Cost
(Gerstein & Sturnmer, 1993:180)
Time
Short Term
Intermediate Term
Long Term
• Wellness Committee Management of Wellness Programme
• Wellness Forum Individuals that represent the different faculties /departments/ divisions
• Tasks Assist with advocacy of programme Determine staff needs Support staff members in need Refer to wellness office
• Wellness Referral Office Manage referrals Crisis intervention
PROGRAMME MANAGEMENT
Wellness programme 2007First Quarter
DATE PRESENTER THEME TIME VENUE LANGUAGE
01 February
Prof D Lubbe Self defense 13:00 – 13:45
B Khotseng
107
Afr
06 February
Dr P Nel Stress in the workplace
13:00 – 13:45
B Khotseng 107
Afr
15 February
Dr U Viljoen Seeking inner calm in the workplace
09:00 – 12:00
Chancellors Room
Afr / Eng
21 February
Dr N Mofolo How tuberculosis effects me
13:00 – 13:45
FGG 106 Sotho
28 February
Dept Music and Fine Arts
Intercultural music and art picnic
13:00 – 13:45
Old Cafeteria
Afr / Eng
14 March Dr A Prins Emotional intelligence
13:00 – 13:45
B Khotseng 107
Eng
Wellness programme 2007Second Quarter
DATE PRESENTER THEME TIME VENUE LANGUAGE
25 April Wellness Committee
Interdepartmental sport day
15:30 Sport Medicine Clinic
Afr / Eng
16 May Rev G Heymans
Visualisation for a better life
13:00 – 13:45
FGG 106 Afr
22 May Mr A van der Bijl
Preparing financially for retirement
13:00 – 13:45
B Khotseng 107
Afr / Sotho
05 June Mr F Masisi Man is fickle, but God is never changing
13:00 – 13:45
B Khotseng 107
Sotho
Wellness programme 2007Third Quarter
DATE PRESENTER THEME TIME VENUE LANGUAGE
01 August
Dr K Botha Depression: the illness of our time
13:00 – 13:45
B Khotseng
107
Eng
07 August
Dr U Viljoen Caring for the inner child
09:00 – 12:00
B Khotseng 107
Afr / Eng
18 August
Me L Opperman
Dr R Blom
Dr Z Swanepoel
Law remedies/ Children/ Psycholo-gical aspects of and during divorce
09:00 – 13:00
BOK Auditorium Mabaleng A
Afr / Eng
22 August
Prof D Marx Coronary heart disease
13:00 – 13:45
FGG 106 Eng
05 Sept Rev H Nkoana
Rev C Louw
Multiculturality in religion
13:00 – 13:45
FGG 106 Eng
19 Sept Mr A vd Bijl Plan for financial peace of mind
13:00 – 13:45
B Khotseng 107
Afr
Wellness programme 2007Fourth Quarter
DATE PRESENTER THEME TIME VENUE LANGUAGE
12 October
Wellness Committee
Soccer afternoon 14:00 UFS Sport groud
Sotho
16 October
Dr R Blom I, my teenager and religion
13:00 – 13:45
B Khotseng 107
Afr
25 October
Ms F Malefane-Tadi
How to effectively manage stress
13:00 – 13:45
FGG 106 Sotho
07 Nov Wellness Committee
Fun walk 15:30 Pellies park Afr / Eng
15 Nov Drama department
Drama under lunch 13:00 – 13:45
Scaena Afr / Eng
DEVELOPMENTALOrganisational Level
• Research report (basis)
• Set of proposals to address identified problems on various levels
Top Management Middle Management General Staff
• Proposals incorporated in UFS Strategic Plan
• Top Management – Take cognisance of and supports Wellness Programme and initiative
DEVELOPMENTALFaculty, Departemental and Individual level
• Stress Management
• Neethling Brain Profile
• MBTI
• Emotional Intelligence
• Team Building Programmes
• Motivational Programmes