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INTRODUCTION
In November 2002, Cabinet approved proposals for the restructuring of higher education institutions, through mergers and incorporations. This reduced the number of higher education institutions from 36 to 21. Any major change process has an impact on employee well-being, since it is associated with increased uncertainty. It therefore produces increased perceptions of occupational stress, lower jo atisfaction, high levels of absenteeism, a lack of trust and high mental and physical ill-health symptoms (Chunda & Cooper, 2002: 21-22; Gibson, Ivancevich & Donnelly, 2000).
The survival and longevity of the new higher education institutions will largely depend on the well-being of individual employees. To deal with the underlying stressors caused by the mergers and incorporations, higher education institutions should develop and implement wellness programmes as part of their strategic human resource plans. Since managers, as change agents, have to provide strategic direction and leadership to the new institutions, their wellness is of crucial importance for the continued survival of higher education institutions. When managers, as leaders, are not healthy, there may be the perception that the organisation they serve may not be healthy either (Grant & Mack, 2004).
This research study follows an explorative approach in developing a holistic wellness model for managers in higher education institutions. Two Gauteng based universities were selected to measure the perceived wellness behaviour levels and health risk factors of managers. The reason for selecting these two institutions was that one university, referred to as an academic university, is an example of an existing institution that only had to incorporate one small campus from another university, which would have little impact on the status quo. The other university selected, referred to as a technology university, was a new institution which came into being on 1 January 2004 following the merger of three former technikons. This research study thus focused on health risk behaviour variables, as predictors of unhealthy lifestyles and vulnerability to diseases, amongst managers at the academic university and the technology university. In addition, the wellness levels of managers of these two institutions were compared. A holistic wellness behaviour assessment questionnaire was used to determine whether there is a need for wellness interventions by way of a comprehensive wellness programme. A wellness programme should be based on a thorough needs analysis. Baseline data should be gathered on demographics, health claim costs, disability claims, health risk and fitness levels, absenteeism reports, productivity and organisational culture. To obtain baseline data a variety of questionnaires may be used, such as employee interest surveys that solicit the employees’ input to determine the kind of programmes in which employees would be likely to participate, while a behavioural health risk assessment survey may gather data on the current level of employee health risk factors.
No previous study, regarding the development of a wellness model for managers at higher education institutions, has been undertaken. A search via the Nexus database system for current and completed research revealed no records of any South African research directly related to the focus of this study (Nexus database, 2005).
CHAPTER ONE: OVERVIEW, RATIONALE AND RESEARCH OBJECTIVES
1.1 INTRODUCTION
1.2 BACKGROUND, MOTIVATION AND AIM
1.3 PRELIMINARY LITERATURE REVIEW
1.3.1 Health and wellness
1.3.2 Health risk assessment
1.4 PROBLEM STATEMENT AND HYPOTHESES
1.5 RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
1.5.1 Research approach
1.5.2 Research design
1.5.3 Sampling
1.5.4 Data analysis
1.6 FINDINGS AND RECOMMENDATIONS
1.7 CHAPTER OUTLINE
1.8 CLARIFICATION OF CONCEPTS
1.8.1 Health
1.8.2 Wellness
1.8.2.1 Emotional wellness
1.8.2.2 Intellectual wellness
1.8.2.3 Spiritual wellness
1.8.2.4 Occupational wellness
1.8.2.5 Social wellness
18.2.6 Physical wellness
1.8.3 Organisational health promotion
1.8.4 Wellness programme
1.8.5 Health risk appraisal
1.9 SUMMARY
CHAPTER TWO: LITERATURE REVIEW
2.1 INTRODUCTION
2.2 PHYSICAL WELLNESS
2.2.1 PHYSICAL FITNESS AND NUTRITION
2.2.1.1 WELLNESS BEHAVIOUR RISKS ASSOCIATED WITH A SEDENTARY LIFESTYLE AND OBESITY
2.2.1.2 PHYSICAL FITNESS AND NUTRITIONAL INTERVENTIONS
2.2.2 MEDICAL SELF-CARE
2.2.2.1 WELLNESS BEHAVIOUR RISKS ASSOCIATED WITH INADEQUATE MEDICAL SELF-CARE
2.2.2.2 MEDICAL SELF-CARE INTERVENTIONS
2.2.3 SAFETY AND LIFESTYLE
2.2.3.1 RISKS OF DRIVING UNDER THE INFLENCE OF ALCOHOL AND DRUGS
2.2.3.2 INTERVENTIONS TO REDUCE ALCOHOL AND DRUG IMPAIRED DRIVING
2.3 SOCIAL WELLNESS
2.3.1 ENVIRONMENTAL WELLNESS
2.3.1.1 ADVERSE IMPACTS OF POLLUTION AND GLOBAL WARMING ON HEALTH AND WELLNESS
2.3.1.2 POLLUTION AND GLOBAL WARMING INTERVENTIONS
2.3.2 SOCIAL AWARENESS
2.3.2.1 WELLNESS BEHAVIOUR AND HEALTH RISKS ASSOCIATED WITH LOW LEVELS OF SOCIAL CAPITA
2.3.2.2 SOCIAL CAPITAL HEALTH INTERVENTIONS
2.4 EMOTIONAL WELLNESS
2.4.1 EMOTIONAL MANAGEMENT
2.4.1.1 EMOTIONAL MANAGEMENT BEHAVIOUR RISKS ASSOCIATED WITH STRESS, BURNOUT, DEPRESSION AND ANXIETY
2.4.1.2 EMOTIONAL MANAGEMENT INTERVENTIONS
2.4.2 EMOTIONAL AWARENESS AND SEXUALITY
2.4.2.1 WELLNESS BEHAVIOUR RISKS ASSOCIATED WITH SEXUALLY TRANSMITTED DISEASES
2.4.2.2 RISK REDUCTION INTERVENTIONS FOR SEXUALLY TRANSMITTED DISEASES
2.5 INTELLECTUAL WELLNESS 1
2.5.1 WELLNESS BEHAVIOUR PROBLEMS ASSOCIATED WITH THE LACK OF INTELLECTUAL DEVELOPMENT
2.5.2 INTELLECTUAL DEVELOPMENT INTERVENTIONS
2.6 OCCUPATIONAL WELLNESS
2.6.1 WELLNESS BEHAVIOUR RISKS ASSOCIATED WITH WORKLIFE IMBALANCES
2.6.2 WORK-LIFE BALANCE INTERVENTIONS
2.7 SPIRITUALITY AND VALUES
2.7.1 WELLNESS BEHAVIOUR RISKS ASSOCIATED WITH A LACK OF SPIRITUALITY AND VALUES
2.7.2 SPIRITUAL WELLNESS INTERVENTIONS
2.8 SUMMARY
CHAPTER THREE: RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
3.1 INTRODUCTION
3.2 RESEARCH DESIGN
3.3 PARTICIPANTS
3.4 MEASURING INSTRUMENT
3.5 PROCEDURES FOR DATA COLLECTION
3.6 PROCEDURES FOR DATA ANALYSIS
3.7 SUMMARY
CHAPTER FOUR: RESEARCH FINDINGS
4.1 INTRODUCTION
4.2 RESULTS
4.3 SUMMARY
CHAPTER FIVE: SUMMARY AND RECOMMENDATIONS
ANNEXURE A: QUESTIONNAIRE
REFERENCES
