This study was concerned with investigating the perceptions of the conditions of the physical work environment on the psychological and physical wellbeing of employees at Nedbank. This was an important study to carry out due to the fact that people are increasingly spending time indoors more especially in the offices in which they work. Thus it becomes important to investigate the effects that the physical work environment in which people work has on their psychological and physical wellbeing. The buildings investigated in this study were green buildings, as they were concerned with limiting the negative impact of the physical work environment on the wellbeing of employees and the environment. The sample utilised in this study consisted of three hundred and forty nine (n=349) participants of Nedbank from two recently refurbished buildings known as Phase II and Ridgeside, the sampling technique utilised in order to obtain this sample was purposive sampling. The statistical analysis which were utilised was the multiple regression analysis which was used in order to find out which building conditions influenced psychological and physical wellbeing, whilst a partial correlation analyses was performed to investigate the moderating effect of time spent in building. From these analyses it was found that perceptions of the conditions of the physical work environment had a greater influence on the physical wellbeing of employees. Perceptions of the conditions of the physical work environment were found to have a lesser influence on the psychological wellbeing of employees at Nedbank. Results also revealed that time spent in building was not a moderator of the relationships between the perceptions of the conditions of the physical work environment with psychological and physical wellbeing respectively.

M.A. (Clinical Psychology) / Please refer to full text to view abstract

Thesis (MTech (Human Resources Management))--Cape Peninsula University of Technology, 2006 / Many people work shifts because of socio-economic considerations and for them stopping shift work is not a realistic option. Shift work can have a negative impact on the health and well being of workers. The reason for this is that in every individual's body there are many rhythms/cycles, which are designed for daytime work. When these rhythms are disrupted as in nightime work, they need time to adjust so that they may all function as one. These rhythms do not adjust instantaneously; therefore the impact on the body is negative. This in turn, leads to a reduction in performance attentiveness, as well as an increase in the risk of accidents and injuries. Most shift workers do not know how to adjust their lifestyle to minimise the negative effects of working around the clock as companies do not provide the required programmes for their well being, thus increasing the chance of suffering from stress. If this is so, then, not only will the well being of the individual or employee be disrupted, but so too will productivity, as well as the profits of the business. This therefore means that shift work could in the end diminish the economic gain it was designed to create. "A tailor-made shift system should be a compromise between the employer's goals, the wishes of employees, and ergonomic recommendations for the design of shift systems" (Knauth, 1997:21). According to Ahasan (2002:09): "Currently there is little information available in the literature that supports the effective design of shift schedules, which offer effective productivity levels, while maintaining the health and safety of shift workers", It therefore has to be realised that there is no ideal shift system, which is going to fully meet an organisations needs, as well as the well being, social and family needs of each and every single employee within the organisation. Employers and employees can work together in order to learn how to identify and control shift work hazards. Also, employees need to learn how to cope better with the demands of their work schedule. Due to the many disruptions encountered in their personal life, social life and physical well being, the existence of stressrelated illnesses is increased in shift workers. Employers may pick up signs of stress when the following factors are monitored on a regular basis, as well as investigated if and when variances occur:

This case study explored the occupational stress stimuli perceived and / or experienced by employees in a small Gauteng based manufacturing Company. The research was aimed at assisting the Company‟s management to devise and implement strategies to prevent and/or reduce stress and its consequences. The key theoretical concept is that employees who are frequently exposed to stress stimuli within a work environment can incur stress. In turn, the consequences of stress (i.e. stress related illnesses) can be harmful to employees as well as to the organisations at which they work. The starting point for preventing the debilitating consequences of stress is to explore whether stress stimuli are prevailing within a workplace and also to discover the types of stress stimuli that may exist. Once this is known the Company‟s management team can implement stress reduction and prevention interventions to mitigate undesirable consequences of stress stimuli in the working environment. This research was done by means of a qualitative case study using one organisation and a number of sources of data. The Researcher made use of secondary data which were qualitatively analysed. As a result of the research the Researcher was able to discover a broad range of workplace stress stimuli in the workplace. This will assist the participating Company's management team to devise and implement plans/strategies to prevent and/or reduce stress and its consequences. This study also lays a foundation for future research to take place, specifically regarding the development and implementation of stress reduction and prevention measures within an occupational environment. / Business Management / M. Tech. (Business Administration)

Thesis (MA (Industrial Psychology))--University of Stellenbosch, 2007. / Overview of previous work: Previous research on call centres has identified the inherent stressful nature of the call centre agent job. In fact researchers have gone so far as to name call centres ‘sweatshops of the new millennium’, (Crome, 1998; Fernie, 1998). Comparative studies between human service work and burnout have often featured in current literature as have studies concerning the correlations between call centre work and job satisfaction, the effects of shift work, and stress in the call centre environment. Purpose: However, the purpose of this study, avoiding a comparative approach, is to focus on one organisation in particular, in order to assess the varied work dysfunctions present in its call centre. The study is particularly important in the light of the proposed development of the call centre industry in South Africa at this time. A more comprehensive understanding therefore, of the pitfalls of call centre work, would be beneficial to those currently running call centres as well as those planning their implementation. At the outset, stress was considered a pivotal dysfunction within the call centre, from which other maladies often ensued such as substance abuse, depression and eating pattern disruptions. Work challenges too, manifest in the field data, namely insufficient training and managerial / system problems. The research therefore includes the exploration of these factors serving to highlight both the more socio-cultural and emotional issues, as well as on-the-job grievances encountered by call centre agents. Design / methodology / approach: Owing to the exploratory nature of the study, a focus group methodology was used, allowing for in-depth qualitative research which catered for a far reaching and comprehensive understanding of current work issues. As the study concerns only call centre agents, the roles of supervisors and managers were not included. The sample comprised four different groups, of randomly selected call centre agents, with a total of 27 participants. Demographics revealed male and female participants of differing marital status, educational qualifications, but with tenure at a call centre between 2 and 6 years, and aged between 20 and 40 years. Findings: Support was found for the following dysfunctions in the process, with stress as primary harbinger of other dysfunctions, many exacerbated by the stressful nature of shift work, and the resultant work-life imbalance. Stresses encountered due to ineffective systems, training processes, and call centre management were also significant. On a positive note, of interest was the unanimous agreement that within this particular field study, workspace ergonomic considerations were thought not to add to call centre dysfunction. Research limitations / implications: Even though four groups from two different call centres were observed, they were part of the same organisation, in Cape Town in the Western Cape. In this way commonalities in terms of reactions to systems, policies etc were thought likely to be similar, however owing to the shift work nature of call centres through out South Africa, it is believed that significant correlations could be determined, in any organisation. A comparative study across various differing organisations and locations therefore could be investigated. Originality / value: Owing to the very stressful nature of call centre work, the focus groups revealed themselves to be cathartic in nature as participants thoroughly embraced the process, and personal experiences were often disclosed by participants which facilitated realistic discussions. In this way, meaningful qualitative data was collected, and can be used to ameliorate current call centre conditions, and to allow better planning for future implementation. Furthermore, the research has exposed a number of further study options, as e.g. owing to their significance, each dysfunction could be investigated further and covered individually in separate research papers, as could the role in management, and training within the call centre milieu.

This case study explored the occupational stress stimuli perceived and / or experienced by employees in a small Gauteng based manufacturing Company. The research was aimed at assisting the Company‟s management to devise and implement strategies to prevent and/or reduce stress and its consequences. The key theoretical concept is that employees who are frequently exposed to stress stimuli within a work environment can incur stress. In turn, the consequences of stress (i.e. stress related illnesses) can be harmful to employees as well as to the organisations at which they work. The starting point for preventing the debilitating consequences of stress is to explore whether stress stimuli are prevailing within a workplace and also to discover the types of stress stimuli that may exist. Once this is known the Company‟s management team can implement stress reduction and prevention interventions to mitigate undesirable consequences of stress stimuli in the working environment. This research was done by means of a qualitative case study using one organisation and a number of sources of data. The Researcher made use of secondary data which were qualitatively analysed. As a result of the research the Researcher was able to discover a broad range of workplace stress stimuli in the workplace. This will assist the participating Company's management team to devise and implement plans/strategies to prevent and/or reduce stress and its consequences. This study also lays a foundation for future research to take place, specifically regarding the development and implementation of stress reduction and prevention measures within an occupational environment. / Business Management / M. Tech. (Business Administration)

The aim of the study is to design a needs assessment data collection instrument; administer it to a representative sample of employees in the department; and to analyze the findings in order to make recommendations regarding the design of an Employee Assistance Programme (EAP) for the Department of Water Affairs and Forestry (DWAF) in the Northern Province. The literature review concentrates on the design and application of needs assessments for EAPs. A data collection instrument, the SAGENA was designed, piloted and then trans,ated into the major languages spoken by DWAF employees in the region, and content is given. Out of the total population of 7,381 employees, a stratified, random sample of DWAF employees was selected for the study. A total of 550 employees completed the questionnaire, which represented a 7,45% sample with a 93% response rate. The findings showed that 97% of employees felt that an EAP would have a positive impact on their well-being and work performance. The majority said they would use counselling for themselves (71%) as well as for referring colleagues and subordinates (67%). The most prevalent problems (financial problems, retrenchment, retiring and HIV fears etc.) and least prevalent problems of employees are reported in the study as well as employees' preferences for various forms of EAP services. Finally recommendations are made regarding the design of an EAP for DWAF: Northern Province. / Social Work / M.A.(Socal Science)

The aim of the study is to design a needs assessment data collection instrument; administer it to a representative sample of employees in the department; and to analyze the findings in order to make recommendations regarding the design of an Employee Assistance Programme (EAP) for the Department of Water Affairs and Forestry (DWAF) in the Northern Province. The literature review concentrates on the design and application of needs assessments for EAPs. A data collection instrument, the SAGENA was designed, piloted and then trans,ated into the major languages spoken by DWAF employees in the region, and content is given. Out of the total population of 7,381 employees, a stratified, random sample of DWAF employees was selected for the study. A total of 550 employees completed the questionnaire, which represented a 7,45% sample with a 93% response rate. The findings showed that 97% of employees felt that an EAP would have a positive impact on their well-being and work performance. The majority said they would use counselling for themselves (71%) as well as for referring colleagues and subordinates (67%). The most prevalent problems (financial problems, retrenchment, retiring and HIV fears etc.) and least prevalent problems of employees are reported in the study as well as employees' preferences for various forms of EAP services. Finally recommendations are made regarding the design of an EAP for DWAF: Northern Province. / Social Work / M.A.(Socal Science)

The study set out to assess the impact of organisational restructuring (OR), the independent variable on organisational behaviour (OB), the dependent variable, in private and public sector organisations as well as state-owned enterprises (SOEs) in South Africa. OB, for the purposes of this study, consists of turnover intention, resistance to change, commitment to change and job security. It further aimed to evaluate whether the various types and magnitude of OR impact on employees in the different sectors. OR was delineated into three factors, that being Restructuring (Type), Restructuring (Leadership) and Restructuring (Frequency), before being further regressed into sub-factors, that being Restructuring (Type_Count), Restructuring (Leadership_Count) and Restructuring (Frequency_Count), for the purposes of using it as categorical variables and indexing it. The study assessed whether effective change management (ECM) mediated the relationship between OR and OB, across sectors. ECM is underpinned by effective change management processes, leader-member exchange (LMX) and perceived organisational support (POS). Finally, it aimed to assess whether employees’ psychological capital (PC), comprised of self-efficacy, hope, optimism and resilience, moderated the relationship between ECM and OB. The study found that OR does, indeed, impact on the OB of employees in different sectors. It has also confirmed the mediating role of ECM and that PC moderated the relationship between ECM and OB. The study assessed whether effective change management (ECM) mediated the relationship between OR and OB, across sectors. ECM is underpinned by effective change management processes, leader-member exchange (LMX) and perceived organisational support (POS). Finally, it aimed to assess whether employees’ psychological capital (PC), comprised of self-efficacy, hope, optimism and resilience, moderated the relationship between ECM and OB. The study found that OR does, indeed, impact on the OB of employees in different sectors. It has also confirmed the mediating role of ECM and that PC moderated the relationship between ECM and OB. The study found that the unidimensional construct, effective change management, coupled with PC, another unidimensional construct, has indeed been able attenuate the impact of OR on OB. In the case of this study, it was primarily the employees of large organisations, such as SOEs, which are affected, while employees of private and public organisations were also affected. Recommendations to organisational leaders and practitioners are provided, with the aim of assisting with the successful implementation of organisational change and restructuring initiatives, while at the same time reducing the impact thereof on the organisational behaviour of employees / Business Management / DBL (Business Leadership)