Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior / The Federal Constitution of 1988 was the first in Brazil to refer to social inequalities and social assistance as a public policy. Currently there are several programs that assist the population living in extreme poverty. Among the existing programs, the best known are the Bolsa Família Program and the Continued Benefit that have as their main task the transfer of minimum necessary income to families that fall within the pre-established criteria in specific Decrees and registered in the Unified Register for Programs social - CadÚnico. From the above, this study aims to examine the relationship between the main macroeconomic variables and spending on social welfare policy of the federal government in the period between January 2004 and August 2014. The methodology to be employed to achieve this goal is : the autoregressive moving average model with ARMAX exogenous variable, the Vector autoregression model - VAR, the Granger causality test, cointegration test Johansen and Error Correction Vector - VEC. The conclusions reached were positive for significant relationships between macroeconomic variables and social assistance programs, ie, programs influence the Brazilian economy. / A Constituição Federal de 1988 foi a primeira do Brasil a referir-se às desigualdades sociais e a assistência social como política pública. Atualmente há diversos programas que prestam assistência a população que se encontra em situação de pobreza extrema. Dentre os programas existentes, os mais conhecidos são o Programa Bolsa Família e o Benefício de Prestação Continuada que possuem como incumbência principal a transferência de renda mínima necessária às famílias que se enquadram nos critérios pré-estabelecidos em Decretos específicos e cadastrados no Cadastro Único para Programas Sociais CadÚnico. Do exposto acima, o presente trabalho pretende analisar a relação existente entre as principais variáveis macroeconômicas e os gastos em política de assistência social do governo federal no período compreendido entre janeiro de 2004 e agosto de 2014. A metodologia que será empregada para atingir este objetivo é: o modelo autorregressivo de média móvel com variável exógena ARMAX, o Modelo de Autorregressão Vetorial VAR, o teste de causalidade de Granger, o testes de Cointegração de Johansen e o Vetor de Correção de Erros VEC. As conclusões obtidas foram positivas para as relações significativas entre as variáveis macroeconômicas e os programas de assistência social, ou seja, os programas influenciam na economia brasileira.

Thesis (DTech (Human Resource Management))--Cape Peninsula University of Technology, 2017. / In attempting to contribute to social transformation, South African Higher Education has undergone considerable changes, taking on greater student enrollment, increasing curriculum responsiveness, and prioritising pass- and graduation rates, all of which have put universities’ resources, specifically their human resources, under considerable pressure and stress (Rensburg, 2013: 5). Paradoxically, there has been no meaningful attempt to address the negative effects of these pressures and stress on the wellness of those who are expected to cope with the enormous changes. In addition, Higher Education Institutions’ (HEIs’) mergers, although honourable in intention, have resulted in negative, unintended consequences for staff. Previous research studies have highlighted the growing occupational stressors experienced by HEIs’ staff; however, limited sustainable solutions have been forthcoming. It is on this premise that this research study aimed to develop a holistic employee wellness programme model that would provide a support system for university staff. This model would alleviate the impact of challenges experienced in staff daily work and on their personal lives, and ultimately aid in promoting quality of work life and balance within the institution. The intention was to prevent university staff from experiencing job burnout and health-related problems, thereby promoting their optimal wellness and performance at work. A mixed methods research design was adopted involving a case study and a quasi-experimental research design. Purposive sampling was applied within the case study unit which included both academic and non-academic staff, as they shared similar attributes and wellness experiences within a university. Triangulation mixed methods that was applied combined, with equal importance, both quantitative and qualitative data which were brought together for comparison. This research study identified thirteen employee wellness factors that formed the foundation of a holistic employee wellness programme. Each employee wellness factor was allocated according to three types of interventions, namely primary – prevention, secondary – reduction, and tertiary – treatment, in order to promote employee-organisational health and wellness. The prevention intervention firstly promotes quality of work life and balance through a number of wellness factors, namely, Wellness working environment, Organisational intervention expectations, Organisational wellness support, Organisational culture, Human relations, and Social support; and, secondly, workplace health is promoted through the wellness factors, Physical health and wellness, and Lifestyle. The reduction intervention builds psychological capital through Psychological health and wellness, Resourcefulness, Resilience, and Basic work life skills.

The Bachelor of Social Work degree is a four year course consisting of classroom and field practicum training. In 2013, the Automotive Information and Development Centre (AIDC) and Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University agreed upon placing fourth year social work students within the Employee Assistance Programs affiliated with the AIDC. The research goal of this study is to enhance an understanding of Employee Assistance Programs (EAP) as a context for practicum training for (4th) fourth year social work students by exploring and describing the perceptions and experiences of students, campus supervisors and EAP company representatives. In this respect, the study seeks to determine whether EAP provides the opportunity to meet the Exit Level Outcomes for the Bachelor of Social Work degree. This study is focussed on the practical application of social work knowledge and skills; it is framed within the principles of the Outcomes Based Educational Approach to Education. It was thus considered relevant to introduce a literature review on this particular approach with the focus on the achievement of outcomes. In order to understand whether EAP is an effective learning context the researcher needed to understand how students apply the experience and bridge the gap between theory and practice to gain meaning and understanding and, essentially, learn from the practicum training experience thus further enhancing the framework. The experiential learning cycle presented by Kolb (1984) extended the framework to provide an appropriate model for facilitating learning by linking practice to theory and knowledge. Kolb’s experiential learning cycle was thus explored. The study utilised an exploratory, descriptive, qualitative approach, which is contextual in nature. Non-probability, purposive sampling was utilised to select fourth year social work students, supervisors and company representatives who were involved with EAPs and fourth year social work students at their company. Data collection incorporated semi-structured interviews. Data analysis resulted in themes, sub-themes, categories and sub-categories emerging. Upon analysis of these themes, it was clear that with the appropriate support and creativity, students were able to meet the required Exit Level Outcomes of the Bachelor of Social Work degree. The study concludes that the overall the experience of fourth year social work students placed at EAP companies has been a positive one, with students meeting the Exit Level Outcomes for the Bachelor of Social Work degree. Although this was a positive experience, greater preparation is required and communication between the relevant parties needs to be improved.

M.Tech (Construction Management) / Many construction companies are beginning to realize the value of their employees. Employees are to a large extent the engine of the organisation. Todays employees are under a lot of pressure and stress from home and at the construction sites. The construction industry just like any other industry, is faced with the challenges of dealing with personal as well as work related problems. These problems they have effect on job performance. An Employee assistance Programme is a programme that is utilized to resolve personal and work related programme. An EAP can be defined as a programme that is designed to deal with the personal and work related problems of employees and their family member, which may be impacting on productivity and social functioning. EAP has to be based on the special needs and interest of employees, who will be served by such a programme needs for assessment is important to ensure that the EAP closely matches the needs of the employees.

The full text of this thesis/dissertation is not available online. Pending permission from the author/supervisor access may be provided on <a href="mailto:upetd@up.ac.za">request.</a> Read the abstract in the section 00front of this document. / Thesis (D Phil (Social Work))--University of Pretoria, 2007. / Social Work and Criminology / Unrestricted

1)Area of investigation This hospitality project will cover Alcoholism in brief, available detoxification programs and the relative need for an Employee Assistance Program in the hospitality industry to help the alcoholic employee. 2)Materials and methods that were used Existing texts, professional and trade journals, government documents, phone conversations with industry leaders and the author's own experience in dealing with alcoholic employees. 3) Major findings a. There are an estimated 10 to 12 million problem drinkers (including alcoholics) in the adult (18 and over) population or approximately 8 percent of the 150 million adult. b. Liver cirrhosis (caused by alcohol) ranked as the sixth most common cause of death in the U.5. c. Alcohol abuse cost the U.S. $116.7 billion in 1903, consisting of $18 billion in lost production, $50.6 billion in reduced productivity, $17 billion in health and medical ii costs, $10 billion in motor vehicle accidents, $4 billion in violent crimes, $3 billion in racial responses and $2 billion in fire losses. (All $ amounts are approximate figures.) d. The rate of alcoholism is on an increase, e. As of 1985, there was only one major hospitality company with a program to help alcoholic employees. f. In the production and service industry, troubled employees used 3 to 4 more times as many medical benefits that their co-workers. g. Alcohol abuse has been overlooked and/or ignored and/or accepted in the hospitality industry. 4) Results and Conclusions a. Alcoholism in the hospitality industry cannot be ignored or accepted or overlooked any longer. b. The benefits to be derived from a good Employee Assistance Program for hospitality industry would be endless. c. There is an urgent need in the hospitality industry for a program to help alcoholic employees respond to available treatment and return to productive lives.

The research study was to identify what strategies could be used by organizations in managing or containing substance abuse in the workplace. In solving the research problems, the following actions were taken: A literature study was conducted to identify the scope and impact of substance abuse in the workplace; A literature study was also conducted to identify the strategies to prevent and contain substance abuse in the workplace;The findings from the literature studies were integrated into a model of best practices for the management of substance abuse in the workplace; The model was used as a basis for the development of a survey questionnaire to determine which strategies and wellness activities the surveyed companies were using. The questionnaire survey was administered at 25 companies in Port Elizabeth. The empirical results revealed that substance abuse was common at all organizations and the size of the organization had no bearing on the extent of the substance abuse problem. The majority of the participants in the study indicated that they experienced substance abuse problems in their organizations with alcohol consumption being the main problem at these organizations. The results also revealed that companies were not doing enough in terms of education and awareness campaigns. The lack of campaigns and education material could pose a difficult challenge to deal with and could result in companies experiencing adverse performance. Another contributing factor in the prevalence of substance abuse in the workplace was that alcohol and tobacco were referred to as socially acceptable substances.

Organizations assist employees to deal effectively with demanding work and the work environment, including their personal problems, through an Employee Assistance Programme (EAP). The essence of the EAP is the application of knowledge about behaviour and behavioural health to make accurate assessments, followed by appropriate action to improve the productivity and healthy functioning of the employees. According to the report from the Employee Wellness Directorate of the Eastern Cape, the Employee Assistance Programme Practitioners saw 576 employees in 2010. These statistics only represent a few districts in the Eastern Cape as some districts do not have Employee Assistance Practitioners offering employee assistance, hence this number could be higher. In some instances employees do self-referral, which may increase the number without the managers knowing who is utilizing the EAP. This makes it difficult for the managers to monitor such employees and the effectiveness of the intervention rendered. Managers refer employees but do not have control over whether employees made use of the EAP and on the progress in sessions as they do not always receive the feedback. The Employee Assistance counsellor may receive a written referral from the nursing manager and then consults the referred employee in private. The employee gives consent and then the EAP counsellor addresses the problem at hand. If it is a complex case needing expert intervention arrangements are made. If the intervention requires follow up sessions, the EAP counsellor makes the necessary arrangements through the referring manager until the problem is resolved. The EAP counsellor monitors the employee and asks the manager to support the employee without divulging details of the problem that was being addressed. However, the Nursing Managers do not know how effective the programme is and whether the employees benefit from the use. The above-mentioned problem led the researcher to ask the following questions: • What are the perceptions that Nurse Managers in the Department of Health in the Eastern Cape Province have of the effectiveness of the Employee Assistance Programme? • How can Nurse Managers optimize employees’ use of the EAP? The goal of this study was to identify the perceptions of Nurse Managers of the Employee Assistance Programme in order to determine how the programme’s use can be optimized. The researcher used a qualitative, explorative, descriptive and contextual design. The research population was selected purposively and included the Nursing Managers in the Department of Health in the Chris Hani District, Eastern Cape, who have referred employees to the Employee Assistance Programme. Semi-structured interviews were used during the data gathering process. Interviews were conducted at a venue convenient to the participants. Open-ended questions were asked to enable participants to express their perceptions on the topic. The researcher also used observation and field-notes to ensure that the data gathering provided rich information. The data was analysed using Tesch’s method of data analysis. Trustworthiness was ensured by using Guba’s model of trustworthiness. The ethical strategies of informed consent, confidentiality and anonymity, avoidance of harm and voluntary participation were ensured. Two themes emerged from the data analysis. Theme one showed that the participants had contrasting perceptions regarding the effectiveness of the current Employee Assistance Programme. Some felt that they have benefitted from the programme while others felt differently. Theme two described the participants’ views elated to improving the utilization of the EAP. Positive and negative factors that impacted on the implementation of EAP have been identified. Results show that both the employer and the employees could benefit if EAP is well implemented. Decentralization of EAP could be very cost effective and could save the employer thousands of rands because resources would be utilized better.

This research investigated the impact of social support on people living with HIV/AIDS. The main aim of the research was to establish the impact that social support or lack thereof has on the lives of people living with HIV/AIDS at Vhembe District in Limpopo Province. HIV/AIDS is a stigmatized disease and such stigmatisation together with lack of knowledge and unrealistic fears can lead to communities, families and friends of the infected people treating them inappropriately or detrimentally. Infected people can also choose not to disclose their status because of fear of being stigmatised. However, despite all the negativity surrounding HIV/AIDS epidemic, there are those who are brave enough to disclose their status not only to their families but to their communities as well. In this research ten (10) respondents, both male and females were interviewed by making use of a semi-structured interview schedule. And since HIV/AIDS is a sensitive and personal topic, an availability sampling method was used. The semi-structured interview schedule consisted of both closed and open ended questions. The researcher used the qualitative method. The findings and responses of all the respondents were analysed and discussed in line with the findings that were described in the literature on HIV/AIDS issues by various authors. The findings of this research can be used by the department, social workers, families of infected people, home based care workers, doctors and nurses and other professionals who work closely with HIV/AIDS infected people. These findings can be used to broaden people’s understanding on the importance and impact of social support or lack thereof to those who are HIV/AIDS infected. / Dissertation (MSD (Employee Assistance Programme))--University of Pretoria, 2007. / Social Work and Criminology / unrestricted

Thesis (M. A. (Social Work)) -- University of Limpopo, 2016 / This dissertation on the Evaluation of an Employee Assistance Programme determines the worth or value of the programme by assessing its effectiveness or ineffectiveness. It also seeks to determine if the target population was reached. This study evaluates the level of EAP awareness and utilization by prosecutors. It also focuses on the effectiveness of the programme in addressing their work and personal challenges. It further seeks to understand the level of referring prosecutors to the EAP by their supervisors. The study is evaluative in design and is based on evaluation theory. The population of the study comprises 31 prosecutors from all three Magistrate complexes within Capricorn District (Limpopo Province), namely, Mankweng, Polokwane and Seshego. The total number of prosecutors reached is 31. Data were collected through questionnaires from all the respondents. The study collected information on absenteeism, sick leave and disciplinary matters in order to measure EAP utilisation before and after the programme was introduced to employees. The wish was not successful because the Human Resources system utilised within the NPA did not capture such information as anticipated. The main findings of the study are that prosecutors are aware of the Employee Assistance Programme and most respondents who used the EAP referred themselves. It is clear that prosecutors are aware of the benefits obtained from the programme. Even though a large number of prosecutors were aware of the existence as well as the services offered by the EAP within the NPA, the utilisation rate of the programme was low. The other major finding is that the EAP within the NPA is underutilised. Lastly, the EAP within the NPA in Capricorn District, Limpopo Province is not effective in addressing prosecutors’ work and personal problems.