Employee Assistance Programmes are to be established in all government departments, according to a circular of the director-general of the Department Public Service Administration. According to the head office of SAPS, the three disciplines of the Helping Professions should implement this programme. The Helping Professions consist of the Chaplains, Psychological Services and Police Social Work Services. The services rendered by the three disciplines were fragmented and had to be stream- lined and coordinated. This dissertation researched the activation of the existing helping professions in the West Metropole to participate in the development and integration of an effective internal EAP. This would result in more effective teamwork and minimising the duplication of services. In Chapter 1 the research problem was identified, namely activating the three disciplines into an EAP team for the benefit of the SAPS client. When this research was done, proper guidelines from the SAPS National Head Office were yet not in place. To put together an effective EAP team, the uniqueness of each discipline first had to be uncovered to ascertain its strong and weak points, and to determine how the three disciplines would complement one another. Attention was given to the relationship between their discipline-specific training and the core technologies of the EAP. Chapter 2 addresses these aspects. Chapter 3 consists of the findings of the literature review regarding the collaboration between the different disciplines within the helping professions over the broader spectrum. Quite a number of themes that were covered by the literature review were also identified and highlighted by the respondents of the helping professions of the West Metropole. Chapter 4 contains the results of the data analysis and interpretation of the empirical study. Rich data was obtained through a semi-structured schedule used in the interviews. A balance was struck between the functioning of the different disciplines, the literature review and the results of the empirical study, and that was captured in Chapter 5 where certain recommendations were made. Copyright 2004, University of Pretoria. All rights reserved. The copyright in this work vests in the University of Pretoria. No part of this work may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, without the prior written permission of the University of Pretoria. Please cite as follows: Biehl, J 2004, The activation of the helping professions of the South African Police Service (SAPS) with respect to an internal Employee Assistance Programme in the West Metropole, MA dissertation, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, viewed yymmdd < http://upetd.up.ac.za/thesis/available/etd-02072005-153014 / > / Dissertation (MA (Social Work--EAP))--University of Pretoria, 2006. / Social Work and Criminology / unrestricted

This study explores monitoring and evaluation as a critical element in the success of any EAP. This forms part of Standard 27 in the EAPA-SA standards document. The monitoring and evaluation of the EAP in an organisation refers not only to the individual employee but also to the work organisation and the impact, success, and value of the programme within these two spheres. In recent years, EAPs have been recognised for returning employees to higher levels of efficiency and productivity as a result of the brief therapy offered. In order to maintain this recognition, it is critical for EAPs to demonstrate their cost-effectiveness in terms of both employees and the organisation. This study is based on General Systems Theory and is of a qualitative nature. As is consistent with qualitative research, the aim was to gain an in-depth understanding of the meaning that participants attach to the evaluation of EAPs. This was done by interviewing identified role players, often being those dealing with the EAPs in their organisations. The sample was taken from the client base of a leading EAP service provider and each client was approached to participate voluntarily in the research. The sample size was a total of twelve participants, however the researcher took saturation levels into consideration and therefore a total of ten participants were interviewed. The results of the research highlighted that, in the represented population, there is wide use of monitoring and evaluation processes. The results of these processes are used for various reasons, at different levels of the organisation and are often associated with the success and continuation of the programme. The researcher found that, whilst monitoring and evaluation takes place, standardisation is lacking and a number of clients have mentioned the need for standardised definitions and processes as well as an automated system. It is, therefore, recommended that iv further studies take place with clients of other service providers and that a process of standardisation be considered by EAPA. / Mini Dissertation (MSocSci)--University of Pretoria, 2017. / Social Work and Criminology / MSocSci / Unrestricted

The management practices used by predominantly large organisations for the purpose of retaining talented people is key to the greater success and longer term sustainability of the business. However, these organisations continue to wrestle with appropriate management practices to retain their talented people. It is therefore of critical importance that organisations are aware of the retention practices that work, and those that don’t, in the global war for retaining talent. A non-probability sampling method was used to select a sample of high potential or talented employees that either are, or have been participants of the Leadership Academy at a large South African organisation, to participate in a series of focus groups utilising the nominal group technique which enabled the quantification of qualitative data. A total of 36 highly talented employees participated in the focus groups which were split in terms of age in order to establish if different age groups had different views. The findings of the research enabled the development of a structured argument in terms of what organisations need to start doing, stop doing and continue doing with respect to the management practices employed for the retention of highly talented people. The research further enabled the identification of a number of components to an employee value proposition (EVP) geared specifically at the retention of highly talented people in a large organisation. / Dissertation (MBA)--University of Pretoria, 2010. / Gordon Institute of Business Science (GIBS) / unrestricted

The turnover of call centre agents in South Africa is higher than in most other industries. The costs incurred to retain agents versus the replacement costs of an agent are massive. This research focused on inbound call centre agents and the perception of five management practises which were compared with both managers and agents in two large call centres. The five management practises tested were communication, call centre structure, performance management, recruitment and selection, and training and development. These five practises impacted on the agents’ intention to leave by 36%. A non-probability sampling method was used to select a sample of inbound call centre agents; a total of 82 agents were surveyed. Regression, stepwise selection, Wilcoxon Scores Rank Sum test, Pearson and Spearman correlation tests were some of the tools used to interpret the survey. The research concluded that communication had the strongest correlation with an agent’s intention to leave. Communication had the best combination of a matching variable to be predicted on a stepwise selection. The research further showed that the managers’ and call centre agents’ perception differs to the extent that managers believe sufficient communication is made to keep call centre agents satisfied, and this is contrary to the agents perception. Interesting to note is that 82% of the agents have considered leaving their organisation at some point, 63% of the employees do not want to be working at their current employer in the next year, and 53% had considered leaving within the past three months. This research has contributed to the body of knowledge. Organisations and managers are well positioned to direct their focus to specific management practises identified in the research which will assist them in retaining call centre agents. / Dissertation (MBA)--University of Pretoria, 2010. / Gordon Institute of Business Science (GIBS) / unrestricted

Business leaders often encounter difficulties in achieving sustainable employee engagement in the work environment, yet employee engagement is critical to an organization's financial success. The purpose of this qualitative single case study was to explore strategies business leaders use to overcome or mitigate the challenges of employee disengagement. A purposeful sample of 6 leaders employed at an insurance company participated in the study based on their knowledge and experience in implementing successful employee engagement strategies. The conceptual framework for the study was Kahn's personal engagement theory. Data were collected using semistructured interviews, company documents, and archival information. Data were analyzed using thematic analysis. Four themes emerged: leader–employee relationship; effective internal communication and feedback; compensation, awards, benefits, and incentives; and professional training and development to improve employee engagement. The implications for positive social change include the potential to provide leaders with strategies to increase employee engagement, which may create employment opportunities for community members, which could lead to the stability and general well-being of the community.

A research report submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Public Health (MPH) in the School of Public Health, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, 2019 / Background: In South Africa, a well-performing health workforce is critical to the successful implementation of the National Health Insurance system. Sickness absenteeism influences health worker performance, with potentially negative consequences for quality of patient care and staff morale. Within the South African public sector, temporary incapacity leave is additional sick leave which is granted at the discretion of the employer once the allocated sick leave has been exhausted. Incapacity leave may only be accessed once the allocated 36 days of sick leave have been exhausted and the year 2016 marked the beginning of a new sick leave cycle. Objectives: The aim of this study was to examine approved incapacity leave of health professionals in the Gauteng Department of Health (GDoH) with the objectives of describing the demographic and occupational characteristics of health professionals with approved incapacity leave, the medical reasons for this type of leave and to determine whether there was an association between demographic characteristics, occupational characteristics and medical reasons (independent variables) and approved incapacity leave (outcome). Methodology: This descriptive study used official government statistics obtained from the Personnel Salary Administration System. Electronic records of approved incapacity leave absences of health professionals employed in the GDoH were obtained for the period from 1 January 2016 until 31 December 2016. A structured record review form was used to extract information. STATA ® 15 was used for descriptive and multivariate statistical analysis. Results: In 2016, the GDoH approved the incapacity leave of 518 health professionals, who accounted for 1155 leave episodes. The mean age of health professionals with incapacity leave was 46 years (SD ± 10.2 years). Professional nurses accounted for 41.5% of incapacity leave. The main medical reasons for incapacity leave were mental disorders (12.8%) and musculoskeletal disorders (12.0%). The risk factors for incapacity leave among health professionals were: female, 35 years and older, from district hospitals and working in the Sedibeng health district (p<0.05). The odds of incapacity leave was three times higher for health professionals who were older than 45 years (45 to 54 years – adjusted odds ratio (AOR) 3.0 95% CI 2.3-4.0) (≥ 55 years - AOR 3.1 95% CI 2.3-4.3). The odds of incapacity leave among health professionals was highest for those working in the Sedibeng health district (AOR 2.2 95% CI 1.5-3.3). Conclusions: Sickness absenteeism is complex and influenced by individual, workplace and health system factors. The study findings suggest the need to improve the management of incapacity leave in the GDoH, through inter alia, improved information systems, monitoring of sickness absenteeism and the creation of positive practice environments. / TL (2020)

The purpose of this research was to understand how leaders in organisations generate hope in their followers. High hope leaders who generate hope in their followers may be described as leaders who have a positive and engaging management style, and who positively influence the people around them by generating hope. There is significant evidence that a large part of a leader’s role is to inspire hope in followers, and that high hope managers are more effective and successful than leaders who lack hope. Leaders who inspire hope in followers were identified, and nine qualitative semistructured depth interviews were conducted with the followers of these leaders. What emerged was a checklist of behaviours, actions and attitudes of high-hope leaders, which may in future serve as a guide for other leaders who seek to increase their positive influence on followers, and consequently, their positive impact on organisations and the economy. Nine common behaviours which were key in generating hope in followers emerged from this research, these are: 1. Each of the leaders has a high level of personal competence and credibility – they are personally very smart and very successful 2. They trust their people implicitly, and don’t micromanage followers 3. They empower their people 4. They are keen developers of people 5. Access to the leader is relatively easy – they are available to their people 6. They believe in and believe the best about their people 7. They are great communicators, and willingly share knowledge and information with their followers 8. They relentlessly drive high performance 9. They inspire their followers to work hard, and contribute large amounts of discretionary effort / Dissertation (MBA)--University of Pretoria, 2009. / Gordon Institute of Business Science (GIBS) / unrestricted

Submitted in fulfilment of the requirements of Master of Arts in the Department of Social Work in the Faculty of Arts at the University of Zululand, South Africa, 2013. / The study investigates the implementation process of the Employee performance management development systems policy within the Department of Social Development, attitude of staff and policy makers towards whether or not it is achieving its goals, the strengths and constraints in its implementation as a way to improve it. This study is conducted with an aim of coming up with solution to the problem or to identify drawbacks and establish if the policy is implemented correctly with the required tools for the purpose of improving service delivery. Since the EPMDS aims at organizational development and efficiency, this study will investigate if social workers are delivering their services to their best and to find out it is the right tool in the grooming and career pathing of social workers. The study reveals that there has been some dissatisfaction the way in which retention strategy was implemented, thus roll out campaigns are highly recommended for the provision of clarity provision of information on how it was implemented by the implementers. It explores the processes involved in implementation of Employee Performance Management Systems (EPMDS) it also identify what tools are used in the identification of other support mechanism and implementation of EPMDS mechanism. It establishes challenges that exist in the implementation and gain from participants possible recommendations for successful implementation of EPMDS. The study also establishes if there is integration of EPMDS with Integrated Service Delivery model (ISDM) and Situational Leadership Supervision Model (SLS), and focuses in the investigation of how Retention Strategy was implemented. The researcher utilizes evaluative research because the study aims at evaluating how EPMDS policy has been implemented within the Department of Social Development .Evaluation research, frequently referred to as program evaluation or practice evaluation, involves searching for practical knowledge in considering the implementation and effects of social policies and the impact of programs.

Research revealed that 20% of American employees are not actively engaged in the workplace. Disengaged employees cost the U.S. economy billions of dollars annually in lost productivity. The purpose of this single case study was to explore strategies that small business managers of a privately-owned company used to maintain an engaged work force. The target population consisted of 4 small business managers from the same organization within Fairfax County, Virginia. Leader member exchange was the conceptual framework chosen for this study. Data were collected through semistructured interviews and review of company documents. Member checking was used to address the dependability of data. Data were analyzed using Yin's 5-phased cycle of data analysis and methodological triangulation. The final interpretations revealed 2 major themes: creating and sustaining a cohesive, engaging organizational environment and ensuring effective communications. The contributions of this study to positive social change include encouraging managers and their employees to have a healthier attitude at work, having a better sense of work-life balance, and having pride in belonging. Understanding the contribution of an engaging workforce may enable organizational leaders to improve performance and profits for catalyzing monetary and nonmonetary contributions benefiting communities.

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