Employee participation in workplace wellness programmes in the Namibian public service: Motivational factors and barriers

Abstract

A typical workplace is likely to be non-existent in the absence of its human resources. Thus, human capital is generally an asset to most organisations. This is why it is important that employers play an active part in improving and maintaining the wellbeing of its most valued asset, its employees. The employee wellness programme is an intervention designed to serve a preventative and curative role concerning the wellbeing of employees and more organisations realises its value. However, employees and employers face various challenges when it comes to the participation of employees in these programmes. The objectives of this study was to determine the factors that motivates employees to participate in workplace wellness programmes as well as the barriers to employee participation in workplace wellness programmes in the Namibian public service. The researcher intended to uncover the personal views and experiences of public service employees pertaining to the motivational factors and barriers influencing their participation in workplace wellness programmes. The latter inspired the use of the qualitative research method as a suitable method to gather information. A total number of fifteen participants working for three different government ministries were interviewed by means of convenience sampling. Transcribed data was analysed through the method of thematic analysis and four sub-themes emerged from the data.