INFLUENCE OF CORPORATE WELLNESS PROGRAMS

ON EMPLOYEE PRODUCTIVITY: A CASE STUDY OF

UNITED STATES INTERNATIONAL UNIVERSITY-

AFRICA, NAIROBI COUNTY

BY

MAUREEN NYAKIO MAINA

UNITED STATES INTERNATIONAL UNIVERSITY-

AFRICA

SUMMER 2021

INFLUENCE OF CORPORATE WELLNESS PROGRAMS

ON EMPLOYEE PRODUCTIVITY: A CASE STUDY OF

UNITED STATES INTERNATIONAL UNIVERSITY-

AFRICA, NAIROBI COUNTY

BY

MAUREEN NYAKIO MAINA

A Research Project Submitted to the Chandaria School of Business in

Partial Fulfilment of the Requirement for the Degree of Master of

Business Administration (MBA)

UNITED STATES INTERNATIONAL UNIVERSITY-

AFRICA

SUMMER 2021

ii

STUDENT’S DECLARATION

I, the undersigned, declare that this is my original work and has not been submitted to any

other college, institution or university other than the United States International University

Africa for academic credit.

Signed: ______________________ Date: ______________________

Maureen Nyakio Maina (ID No: 629452)

This project has been submitted for examination with my approval as the university

appointed supervisor.

Signed: __________________________ Date: __________________

Dr. Teresia Linge

Signed: ___________________ Date: ____________________

Dean, Chandaria School of Business

iii

COPYRIGHT

All rights reserved; no part of this work should be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system

or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying,

recording or otherwise without the express written authorization from the writer.

© 2021 Maureen Nyakio Maina

iv

ABSTRACT

The general objective of this study was to determine the influence of corporate wellness

programs on employee productivity at United States International University - Africa

(USIU-A) in Nairobi County. The study was guided by three specific objectives which

include: to assess the influence of physical wellness programs on employee productivity at

USIU-A; to investigate the influence of financial wellness programs on employee

productivity at USIU-A; to establish the influence of social wellness program on employee

productivity at USIU-A.

The study adopted a descriptive research design. The population constituted four hundred

and fifty-eight (458) employees of USIU-A consisting of two staff categories, Faculty Staff

and Support Staff. A stratified random sampling technique was used to select a sample size

of two hundred and fourteen (214) employees from the total population. A structured

questionnaire was used to collect data for the study. Data was analyzed using descriptive

and inferential statistics. The descriptive statistical analysis comprised frequency

distribution, mean and standard deviation which helped in developing patterns that make it

easy to understand the data collected. The inferential statistical analysis involved

Correlation analysis (Pearson) which described the relationship between the dependent and

independent variables and Multiple linear regression analysis in order to establish the extent

of the relationship between the independent and dependent variables. Statistical Package

for Social Sciences (SPSS version 24.0) was used as a tool for statistical analysis and the

study results presented in figures and tables.

The key findings on influence of physical wellness programs on employee productivity

established that majority of the respondents strongly agreed that physical wellness activities

that improve health was the most significant variable that influenced employee

productivity. Additionally, the findings indicated that another majority of the respondents

agreed that eating a nutritious healthy diet increases productivity in the workplace.

However, the findings showed that some of the respondents were not sure whether

employees with good health assessment rapport are more productive at the workplace.

Statistics revealed that there existed a statistically significant positive correlation between

physical wellness programs and employee productivity.

v

The study findings concerning influence of financial wellness programs on employee

productivity indicated that majority of the respondents strongly agreed that financial well-

being was the most significant variable that influenced employee productivity. However,

findings showed that another majority of the respondents were not sure whether high

financial stress and low financial well-being resulted to frequent absenteeism from work

leading to decreased productivity at the workplace. Statistics revealed that there existed a

statistically significant positive correlation between financial wellness programs and

employee productivity.

The findings based on influence of social wellness programs on employee productivity

established that majority of the respondents strongly agreed that psychosocial wellness

programs prevent and addresses stress, physical and emotional violence enabling

employees to be more productive at work was the most significant variable that influenced

employee productivity. However, findings showed that majority of the respondents

strongly disagreed that lack of work-life balance has become a challenge for organizations

because of decreased employee productivity. The findings also showed that majority of the

respondents were not sure whether development of tailored social interventions to mediate

and support employees increases employee productivity at the workplace. Statistics

revealed that there existed a statistically significant positive correlation between social

wellness programs and employee productivity.

The study concluded that eating a nutritious healthy diet while maintaining physical fitness

is directly linked to physical wellness programs and on-the-job productivity of an employee

in the workplace. Additionally, sound personal finances and financial literacy provide a

direct relationship between financial wellness programs and employee productivity at the

workplace. Lastly, psycho-social wellness and organizational wellness and culture are

directly linked to social wellness programs and employee productivity.

The study recommends the following; there is need for companies to tap information through

an employee health assessment to enable them tailor health and nutrition programs that best

suit their employees in order to increase their productivity at work. There is also need for

companies to provide employees with financial education programs in order to improve

their personal financial stress in order to boost their productivity at work with remuneration.

Additionally, employers should also provide the employees with certain facilities and

services in addition to wages and salaries that can increase employee productivity.

vi

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

I would like to take this opportunity to thank all those who have assisted me to complete

this project successfully. Firstly, I am grateful to God for giving me the strength to

successfully conduct my research and for sustaining my efforts. I am deeply indebted to

my supervisor Dr. Teresia Linge for her guidance and encouragement in carrying out this

research. I wish to also express my gratitude to the university, United States International

University – Africa, for the provision of world class facilities and a conducive learning

environment. I would also like to thank staff of United States International University –

Africa for being part of the study. Finally, I would like to thank my family for the immense

support and encouragement that they accorded me.

vii

DEDICATION

This work is dedicated to my dear mother, for her relentless love, support and prayers.

viii

TABLE OF CONTENTS

STUDENT’S DECLARATION ........................................................................................ ii

COPYRIGHT ....................................................................................................................iii

ABSTRACT ....................................................................................................................... iv

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT ................................................................................................ vi

DEDICATION.................................................................................................................. vii

LIST OF TABLES ............................................................................................................. x

LIST OF FIGURES .......................................................................................................... xi

CHAPTER ONE ................................................................................................................ 1

1.0 INTRODUCTION........................................................................................................ 1

1.1 Background of the Study ............................................................................................... 1

1.2 Statement of the Problem ............................................................................................... 5

1.3 General Objective .......................................................................................................... 6

1.4 Specific Objectives ........................................................................................................ 6

1.5 Significance of the Study ............................................................................................... 7

1.6 Scope of the Study ......................................................................................................... 7

1.7 Definition of Terms........................................................................................................ 8

1.8 Chapter Summary .......................................................................................................... 9

CHAPTER TWO ............................................................................................................. 10

2.0 LITERATURE REVIEW ......................................................................................... 10

2.1 Introduction .................................................................................................................. 10

2.2 Influence of Physical Wellness Programs on Employee Productivity......................... 10

2.3 Influence of Financial Wellness Programs on Employee Productivity ....................... 14

2.4 Influence of Social Wellness Programs on Employee Productivity ............................ 20

2.5 Chapter Summary ........................................................................................................ 25

CHAPTER THREE ......................................................................................................... 26

3.0 RESEARCH METHODOLOGY ............................................................................. 26

3.1 Introduction .................................................................................................................. 26

3.2 Research Design........................................................................................................... 26

3.3 Population and Sampling ............................................................................................. 26

This section discusses population and sampling design that was used in the study. ......... 26

3.4 Data Collection Methods ............................................................................................. 29

3.5 Research Procedures .................................................................................................... 30

3.6 Data Analysis Methods ................................................................................................ 31

3.7 Chapter Summary ........................................................................................................ 32

CHAPTER FOUR ............................................................................................................ 33

4.0 RESULTS AND FINDINGS ..................................................................................... 33

4.1 Introduction .................................................................................................................. 33

4.2 Response Rate .............................................................................................................. 33

4.3 Demographic Information ............................................................................................ 34

ix

4.4 Influence of Physical Wellness Programs on Employee Productivity......................... 37

4.5 Influence of Financial Wellness Programs on Employee Productivity ....................... 40

4.6 Influence of Social Wellness Programs on Employee Productivity ............................ 44

4.7 Employee Productivity................................................................................................. 48

4.8 Chapter Summary ........................................................................................................ 50

CHAPTER FIVE ............................................................................................................. 51

5.0 DISCUSSION, CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS ........................ 51

5.1 Introduction .................................................................................................................. 51

5.2 Summary ...................................................................................................................... 51

5.3 Discussion .................................................................................................................... 53

5.4 Conclusions .................................................................................................................. 58

5.5 Recommendations ........................................................................................................ 59

REFERENCES ................................................................................................................. 61

APPENDICES .................................................................................................................. 76

Appendix I: Cover Letter ................................................................................................... 76

Appendix II: Questionnaire................................................................................................ 77

Appendix III: USIU-A Institutional Review Board (IRB) Approval Letter ...................... 82

Appendix IV: NACOSTI Approval Permit ....................................................................... 83

x

LIST OF TABLES

Table 3.1: Population Distribution ..................................................................................... 27

Table 3.2: Sample Size Distribution .................................................................................. 29

Table 4.1: Descriptive Statistics for Physical Wellness Programs and Employee

Productivity ........................................................................................................................ 38

Table 4.2: Correlation Analysis between Physical Wellness Programs and Employee

Productivity ........................................................................................................................ 39

Table 4.3 (a): Regression Model Summary ....................................................................... 39

Table 4.3 (b): Regression ANOVA ................................................................................... 40

Table 4.3 (a): Regression Coefficient ................................................................................ 40

Table 4.4: Descriptive Statistics for Financial Wellness Programs and Employee

Productivity ........................................................................................................................ 42

Table 4.5: Correlation Analysis between Financial Wellness Programs and Employee

Productivity ........................................................................................................................ 43

Table 4.6 (a): Regression Model Summary ....................................................................... 43

Table 4.6 (b): Regression ANOVA ................................................................................... 44

Table 4.6 (c): Regression Coefficient ................................................................................ 44

Table 4.7: Descriptive Statistics for Social Wellness Programs on Employee Productivity

............................................................................................................................................ 46

Table 4.8: Correlation Analysis between Social Wellness Programs and Employee

Productivity ........................................................................................................................ 47

Table 4.9 (a): Regression Model Summary ....................................................................... 47

Table 4.9 (b): Regression ANOVA ................................................................................... 48

Table 4.9 (c): Regression Coefficient ................................................................................ 48

Table 4.10: Descriptive Statistics for Employee Productivity ........................................... 49

Table 4.11: Correlation Analysis between Corporate Wellness Programs and Employee

Productivity ........................................................................................................................ 50

xi

LIST OF FIGURES

Figure 4.1: Response Rate ................................................................................................. 33

Figure 4.2: Distribution by Gender .................................................................................... 34

Figure 4.3: Distribution by Age Group .............................................................................. 35

Figure 4.4: Distribution by Highest Level of Education.................................................... 35

Figure 4.5: Distribution by Years of Work Experience ..................................................... 36

Figure 4.6: Distribution by Department/Category ............................................................. 37

1

CHAPTER ONE

1.0 INTRODUCTION

1.1 Background of the Study

In the era of globalization and rapid ever changing environmental trends within the

employment sector, the success of an organization is highly dependent on the productivity

of employees’ (Daeley, 2012). According to Mathis and John (2013), productivity is a

measure of the quantity and quality of work done, considering the cost of the resources

used. McNamara (2015) further affirms that productivity results are usually the final and

specific outputs desired from the employee. They may be in terms of financial

accomplishments, impact on a community expressed in terms of cost, quality, quantity or

time. According to Samnani and Singh (2014), if a firm’s employees become more

productive in the workplace then it means they have become more efficient, since

productivity is an efficiency measure. Ataullah, Le and Sahota (2014) mention that there

are Human Resource Management initiatives such as corporate wellness programs that can

help workers to increase productivity in their various capacities at the workplace.

Beauregard and Lesley (2018) believe that these initiatives can in turn lead to improved

employee productivity and significant organizational improvements in the long run.

Throughout the world, corporate wellness programs have increasingly become an important

contemporary human capital concern especially in higher learning institutions such as

universities (Armstrong, 2013). Cultivating a cultural shift towards corporate wellness

programs has been recognized by many colleges and universities in global markets to

achieve employee productivity. Garrin (2014) sees that these institutions and organizations

have created and maintained a culture of a healthy workplace which is simply more than

enjoying an illness free life which leads to improved employee productivity. According to

Nailul, Abg and Yin (2015), corporate wellness programs refer to the sponsored services

of an organization that is designed to support employees’ understanding of their overall

health risks and adopt the healthy behaviors to promote or maintain their good health that

in turn results to increased employee productivity. Corporate wellness programs consist of

physical, financial and social wellness programs through policy initiatives or interventions

that are often provided by organizations to enable employees attain optimum work

productivity (Marschke & Mujtaba, 2014). According to Mathis and Jackson (2015),

having wellness culture programs in the workplace can play a huge role in the wellbeing of

2

employees and the quality of the work they do. Employees are an important business

resource, therefore, organizations should understand that a healthy and stress free employee

is a major asset to the organization and should therefore provide corporate wellness services

and programmes in order to boost their productivity levels (Ankita, 2016).

Traditionally, research associated with wellness programs on campuses have assessed

individual needs according to what campuses already provide, not what is lacking (Carter,

Kelly, Alexander & Holmes, 2014). Wellness programs promote change in quality of life

for staff and faculty that can improve health status (American College Health

Association, 2017). In turn, improved health increases productivity and reduces the

economic burden on society (U.S. Department of Wellness & Human Services, 2016).

Wellness professionals should build individual capacity and address individual risk for

illness and injury. In addition, administrators who implement such wellness programs

should address larger institutional and community issues, as well as public health policies

that are not being tackled for employees through existing wellness programming (Naydeck,

Pearson, Ozminkowski, Day & Goetzel, 2018).

In the American context, corporate wellness programs in the field of human resources help

companies contain health expenditures and increase workplace productivity among their

employees (Bohan, 2014). According to the American College Health Association (2017),

the scope of practice of wellness in colleges/universities should include both environmental

and individual approaches. The University of Virginia (UVA) in the United States has a

comprehensive employee wellness program called Hoo’s Well that covers physical

wellness, nutrition, financial wellness, mental and emotional wellness and social wellness.

Cumulative monitoring of the program indicated that employee well-being was seen to

greatly affect overall productivity (McCourt & Derek, 2015). According to Independence

Blue Cross (2013), the USA health care sector is in crisis because 75% of healthcare budget

is spent on the treatment of chronic and lifestyle diseases despite that the conditions are

preventable. Several studies have cited fatigue, stress and depression as the main causes of

low employee productivity in organizations (Atkinson, 2014). Other studies state that

chronic and lifestyle diseases such as depression, overweight, diabetes, cardiovascular

diseases and obesity are a major threat to the health and wellbeing of employees therefore,

affecting their productivity in the workplace (Solanki, 2013). In Chile for example, 70% of

inactive employees especially women would like to have a paid job but are unable to work

3

due to childcare problems resulting in decreasing productivity at their workplaces

(Gaidhani, 2018). Due to economic uncertainty and skyrocketing healthcare costs,

employers are concerned about attracting and retaining high quality employees. As a result,

some companies such as Apple, Google, and Facebook among others in the United States

improve employee productivity by incorporating corporate wellness programs that build a

strong, vibrant organizational culture and a psychologically healthy workplace (Greenhaus

& Beutell, 2017).

In the context of Europe, some researchers have been attempting studies on how corporate

wellness programs could play its key role in affecting employee productivity. According to

Shah (2014), majority of European higher learning institutions such as campuses and

colleges that incorporated corporate wellness programs to its universities and healthcare

institutions indicated positive opportunity costs and ranked higher in educational listings.

From his study, positive effects on wellness satisfaction and smoker quit rates indicated a

direct measure of employee productivity. According to Moreland (2013), integrated

corporate wellness programs depend on structure and culture of an organization and may

include fitness programs, recreational opportunities, social activities, employee assistance

programs, behavioral health programs, disease management or prevention programs, health

risk assessment, disability management programs and programs that enhances intellectual

and spiritual development (Marschke & Mujtaba, 2014).

In the Asian context, Tiwari (2014) focused on corporate wellness facilities and its impact on

employees’ efficiency at Vindha Telelinks Limited Rewa in India. The study established that

the corporate wellness facilities provided by the company resulted to satisfaction and

productivity of employees in the workplace. According to Anderson (2014), health, safety and

welfare are the measures of promoting the efficiency of employee productivity at the

workplace. The various wellness measures provided by the employer will have immediate

impact on the health, physical and mental efficiency, alertness, morale and overall efficiency

of the employee, thereby, contributing to the higher productivity (Fapohunda, 2014). The basic

purpose of corporate wellness is to enrich the life of employees and to keep them happy and

conducted. In Malaysia, it was estimated that the percentage of women who stopped work

in the universities due to childcare reasons was 23% thereby affecting their workplace

productivity physically and emotionally (Azeem & Akhtar, 2014).

4

In context to Africa, Adejare, Olaore, Udofia and Emola (2020) studied inefficiency among

non-academic staff in Nigerian tertiary institutions. The study revealed that training and

development of employees in the universities is important and is consistently required for

employees to remain productive in order to perform optimally in the organization. The study

demonstrates that the only way to resolve inefficiency among non-academic (administrative)

staff in public tertiary institutions is to integrate corporate wellness programs into employee

career management and adopt employee productivity evaluation processes as contained in the

private organizations. According to Obiageli, Uzochukwu and Ngozi (2015), employee

productivity is a key determinant in the achievement of organizational goals in today’s

business world. Employee productivity is a focal point in any establishment, more so, in

higher learning institutions such as universities or colleges. Every policy in the university

curriculum is geared towards increasing employee productivity. The demand for University

education in Kenya has significantly increased and continues to swell resulting to

establishment of new Universities and expansion of the already existing ones which

translates to more work pressures for employees. As a result, employee productivity in the

Kenyan Universities has suffered serious decline due to absence of corporate wellness

programs initiated in the workplace (Onyije, 2015).

With the increasing numbers of students seeking places in universities, the question of

employee productivity by faculty and staff which translates to quality education is critical

and requires urgent attention (Gudo, Olel & Oanda, 2011). Weldon and Muathe (2014)

deliberated on critical review of literature on employee wellness programs among higher

learning institutions in Kenya. The study revealed that employee wellness is said to be very

expensive and may not have a significant impact on the productivity of employees as well

as of the organization. Kuria (2012) examined the effects of corporate wellness

programmes on job satisfaction of employees within the flower industry in Kenya, a case

of Sueka Farm. The study revealed significant effects of corporate wellness programmes

on job satisfaction of employees within the flower industry in Kenya. In addition, the study

established how equitable rewards, involving employees in decision making, career

development opportunities, health and safety and good human resource policies and

practices contributed to job satisfaction. In this case therefore corporate organizations need

to ensure corporate wellness programs practices are incorporated in the policies of the

organization to realize increased employee productivity levels (Mungania, Waiganjo &

Kihoro, 2016).

5

United States International University-Africa (USIU - Africa) is the most diverse university

in East and Central Africa located off Thika Road in the suburb of Kenya’s capital city of

Nairobi. The university is an independent; not-for-profit institution serving 15%

international and 85% domestic, totaling to approximately 7000 students. Founded in 1969

as the Africa campus of USIU in San Diego, California, the university was first accredited

in 1981 by the accrediting commission for senior colleges and universities of the Western

Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC) as part of USIU-San Diego. The university

was later mandated to become chartered in Kenya with the Gazettement of the Universities

Act in 1985 and later awarded its charter in 1999 as an independent institution through the

Commission for Higher Education currently known as Commission of University

Education (USIU-A Human Resource Report, 2019). This study therefore seeks to

determine the influence of corporate wellness programs on employee productivity at United

States International University-Africa.

1.2 Statement of the Problem

Employee productivity is one of the leading factors for organizational competitiveness and

this has partly led to an increase in research on how it can be improved (Bankert, Coberley,

Pope & Wells, 2015). International labour organizations global report on wellness

programs rates Kenya among those with the highest prevalence of long working hours more

than 48 hours per week (International Labor Organization, 2017).

Several studies have been carried out locally on the employee welfare programs and

employee productivity. Karioki (2016) studied the effects of staff welfare programs on

employee morale in large manufacturing firms in Nairobi and established that majority of

the firms failed to provide employees with staff welfare programmes. The study

recommended need for further research to be conducted on corporate wellness programs

and its effects on employee productivity. Wainaina (2011) studied the relationship between

wellness programs and employee work-life balance at Capital Group Limited and

established that the wellness programs boosted employees’ work-life balance levels. The

study recommended need for research to be carried out on the relationship between

corporate wellness programs and productivity of employees in the workplace.

Masinde (2011) studied comparative analysis on social welfare facilities on human resource

performance in Pan African Peppermills and Mumias Sugar Company. The study revealed

that the facilities provided are a strong motivational element that has helped retain

6

employees in the job for a long time and boosting their productivity and recommends need

for studies to be conducted on corporate wellness programmes and employee productivity.

Kuria (2012) studied the effects of employee wellness programmes on job satisfaction of

employees within the flower industry in Kenya and the study established that equitable

rewards, involving employees in decision making, career development opportunities,

health and safety and good HR policies and practices contributed to job satisfaction. The

studies recommended need to undertake further research on corporate wellness programs

and employee productivity.

The reviewed studies reveal that the direct relationship between corporate wellness

programs and employee productivity particularly in higher learning institutions

(universities) remains relatively insufficient in the Kenyan context leading to insufficient

empirical literature (Osayameh, 2011). This constitutes a knowledge gap which justifies

the need for further research. The researcher therefore sought to bridge this gap by

conducting a study on the influence of corporate wellness programs on employee

productivity at the United States International University - Africa in Nairobi County.

1.3 General Objective

The general objective of this study was to determine the influence of corporate wellness

programs on employee productivity at the United States International University - Africa

(USIU-A) in Nairobi County.

1.4 Specific Objectives

The study was guided by the following specific objectives;

1.4.1 To assess the influence of physical wellness programs on employee productivity at

USIU-A

1.4.2 To investigate the influence of financial wellness programs on employee

productivity at USIU-A

1.4.3 To establish the influence of social wellness program on employee productivity at

USIU-A

7

1.5 Significance of the Study

1.5.1 USIU-A and Related Universities

The study would be of great value in providing relevant information that may assist the

University in formulation of corporate wellness programs aimed at increasing employee

productivity in the university. Additionally, the study would be relevant to other higher

learning institutions such as colleges, universities and technical institutes. It would enable

them reduce employee grievances and instead understand the importance of incorporating

physical, financial and social corporate wellness programs which boosts the morale of

employees in the workplace hence increased employee productivity. By implication, these

corporate wellness programs improve the image of the organization as a caring employer

and service provider.

1.5.2 Government and Policy Makers

Corporate wellness programs are appropriate hence very useful in improving current public

and private policies in higher learning institutions. The findings of the study would be vital

to the Commission for Higher Education - an agency of the Government of Kenya regulated

by the Commission for University to communicate to stakeholders on the relevance of

integrating corporate wellness policies within universities and colleges in Kenya. The

findings would also be useful to other Human Resource Management policy makers in

Kenya geared towards making policies on HRM in support of corporate wellness programs.

This intends to serve as an eye-opener to enable them understand the dynamics of corporate

wellness programs required to provide healthy living and healthy working atmosphere

which in turn promotes employee productivity in the university work place.

1.5.3 Researchers and Academicians

The study would also be valuable to researchers and scholars as it would add knowledge

on corporate wellness programs and employee productivity within higher learning

institutions within the country and outside borders. This study would further provide

research knowledge through recommendations for further studies that previous studies did

not fill, and thus future scholars may pursue the same.

1.6 Scope of the Study

The study targeted employees consisting of faculty staff and support staff at USIU-A

particularly those who were fulltime employees at the institution. Out of a total population

of four hundred and fifty-eight (458) employees, the study utilized a target sample size of

8

214 employees at USIU-A drawn from Nairobi County. These figures were according to

the year 2019 USIU-A Human Resource records shared on the university website. The

study was limited to online data collection due the Covid-19 pandemic which hindered the

researcher from physically distributing questionnaires to the respondents since the

university (USIU-A) institution was partially closed. This was however mitigated through

administration of questionnaires via Google Forms as a way of taking Covid-19

precautionary and safety measures that resulted in admissible responses. The study was

conducted within a period of four months; between May 2021 and August 2021.

1.7 Definition of Terms

1.7.1 Corporate Wellness Program

According to Ngeno and Muathe (2014) corporate wellness program is an employer

sponsored strategy designed to promote or maintain the wellbeing of employees especially

for those working in stressful environments.

1.7.2 Employee Productivity

Armstrong (2014) describes productivity in terms of outputs relatively to inputs either per

person or per system with reference to a specific point of time, that is, the amount of goods

and services produced relative to the resources used as described in a work description.

1.7.3 Physical wellness

Physical Wellness is the ability to maintain a healthy quality of life that allows employees

to get through daily activities without undue fatigue or physical stress (Tuwai, Kamau &

Kuria, 2015).

1.7.4 Financial Wellness

According to Aggarwal and Bhargava (2019) financial wellness refers to establishing and

maintaining healthy spending and saving habits among employees.

1.7.5 Social Wellness

Social wellness refers to the relationships we have and how we interact with others through

building healthy, nurturing and supportive relationships as well as fostering a genuine

connection with those around you (Olumuyiwa, Eseme & Ojo, 2015).

9

1.8 Chapter Summary

This chapter presented the background information of the study, statement of the problem,

objectives of the study, purpose of the study, the significance of the study outlining different

stakeholders that benefit from the study and lastly the definition of terms used in this study.

Chapter two of this study discusses the literature review on studies carried out based on the

specific objectives related to the influence of corporate wellness programs on employee

productivity. Chapter three outlines the research methodology that was conducted in the

study. Chapter four describes the findings and results of the study. Chapter five provides

summary, discussion, conclusions and recommendations of the study.

10

CHAPTER TWO

2.0 LITERATURE REVIEW

2.1 Introduction

This chapter presents the literature review on the influence of corporate wellness programs

on employee productivity at USIU-A in Nairobi County. It reviews literature on past studies

done by other scholars based on the research objectives. Section one presents literature

review on the influence of physical wellness programs on employee productivity. Section

two presents literature review on the influence of financial wellness programs on employee

productivity. The third section presents literature review on the influence of social wellness

programs on employee productivity.

2.2 Influence of Physical Wellness Programs on Employee Productivity

Physical wellness is the ability to maintain a healthy quality of life that allows employees

to get through daily activities without undue fatigue or physical stress. It is having a good

understanding of food and nutrition and applying it (Tuwai et al., 2015). Physical wellness

encourages regular physical activity and a healthy diet. The EHW Strategic Framework

(2018) describes physical wellness as the ability to maintain a healthy quality of life that

allows individuals to get through their daily activities without undue fatigue or physical

stress. The ability to recognize that behaviours have a significant impact on our wellness

and adopting healthful habits (routine check-ups, a balanced diet, exercise, etc.) while

avoiding destructive habits (tobacco alcohol, drugs etc.) will lead to optimal physical

wellness. A healthy body is maintained by good nutrition, regular exercise, avoiding

harmful habits, making informed and responsible decisions about health, and seeking

medical assistance when necessary (NDSU Wellness Centre, 2014). The elements that link

physical wellness programs on employee productivity that will be discussed in subsequent

subsections below entails; health and nutrition assessment, leadership and health

management and lastly, physical fitness capacity (Osilla & Busum, 2012).

2.2.1 Health and Nutrition Assessment

Physical fitness has been gaining considerable attention in industries from both employers

and employees over the last few years. People spend most of their time at the workplace,

which is utilized by many to share as well as receive messages of health (Cole & Kelly,

2011). Poor employee health means reduced productivity and increased expenses for the

11

employer. This is the main reason why many global organizations are giving serious

attention to various health and nutritional assessment programs or activities (Ramlall,

2012). Travis and Ryan (2004) state that employees are aware of detrimental behaviors

such as smoking, drug and alcohol abuse which may affect their health in general resulting

in lowering their productivity in the workplace. Kumar, McCalla and Lybeck (2019)

explain that a healthy nutritional diet constitutes a healthy body that is strong and fights

diseases thereby increasing an individual’s productivity level in the workplace.

A case study by Selecky (2017) utilizing an internal company’s resources and employee

survey examined questions related to the efficacy of nutritional health diets programs

among university employees and how it affects employee productivity. The results of the

employee survey showed that there is a correlation between eating a balanced diet and being

more productive at work. Also, there is a link between being in good physical health,

potentially because employees participate in the wellness program, and being productive at

work. Cartwright and Holdsworth (2015) on the other hand found that employees who do

not eat a very balanced diet, do not like the company’s wellness plan and are not convinced

that it would make employees more productive. For a company designing its wellness

program, it should tap information through an employee health assessment on how many

employees have each of the significant risk factors for using medical services and determine

which risk factors to target in its wellness program (Ataullah & Sahota, 2014). By doing

so, organizations will be in a position to tailor health and nutrition programs that best suit

their employees in order to increase their productivity at work.

Mattke, Schnyer and Busum (2012) reported that 92% of employers with 200 or more

employees offered corporate wellness programmes in 2009 that entailed health and

nutrition assessment risks. Moreover, the most frequently targeted behaviors are exercise

(addressed by 63% of employers with programmes), smoking (60%), and weight loss

(53%). Poor dietary practices and eating behavior contribute to preventable illness and

premature death. Substantial evidence links employee productivity and healthy diet

constituting calorie intake to achieving or maintaining optimum body weight with lower

rates of the three major chronic diseases - heart disease, diabetes and cancer (Cavico &

Mujtaba, 2010). Physical wellness encourages employees to take care of their bodies

through physical activity, proper nutrition and a strong mind. Furthermore, Goetzel and

Ozminkowski (2018) emphasizes self-care or self-management referring to the notion that

12

the individual is an active participant in his or her medical treatment or in ensuring health

maintenance in order to attain optimum productivity at work. These include all the things

employees can do to maintain their health, such as eating well, exercising, not smoking,

using alcohol in moderation, managing stress, performing safety checks at home and at

work and maintaining a healthy body weight.

2.2.2 Leadership and Health Management

The term management standard refers to a set of principles agreed on by organizations in

consensus in order to enhance health and wellness by identifying work-related stress

hazards and reducing associated risks. Although a management standard does not

necessarily impose obligations of adherence, it is important that a management standard

regarding work-related stress and the influence on employee health and wellness be

developed (Sieberhagen, Pienaar & Els, 2011). Managers who connect with employees

establishing good rapport and healthy communication norms are more effective than those

who do not. Developing a sincere interest in individuals and ability to promote positive

feelings in the work team is vitally important in garnering cooperation. Policies that support

interpersonal and communication skills among managers help set the stage for a healthier

work environment. In fact, the Partnership for Prevention recommends that managers

receive training in both leadership and stress management (Partnership for Prevention,

2017). Everyone appreciates support and encouragement. The workplace climate

established by policies, co-worker behavior, and leadership styles affects employee well-

being physically, emotionally, and psychologically (Bowling, 2017).

Support from the top tells employees that worksite wellness is a priority at your

organization. Studies show your programme has better opportunity to contain costs and

improve employees' health with the support of your top management. Bowling (2017)

emphasize that leadership is about setting the example. Management must champion and

participate in the programme. The top manager does not need to run a marathon, but he or

she should embrace a healthful lifestyle by completing an annual health risk assessment,

receiving an annual physical check, participating in corporate wellness events offered by

the company and taking part in community wellness events. Management should not expect

immediate results because this is a long-term commitment. Management helps in obtaining

resources needed for the worksite wellness programme and in communicating the

importance of worksite wellness. Cole and Kelly (2011) argue that it is critical that stress

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related to work must be risk assessed and managed like any other hazard. Where

government enforces legislation, the use of management standards is more self-regulatory.

Leadership in the workplace requires strong commitment to corporate wellness programs

especially by senior and middle management as well as by external stakeholders, such as

unions. Mattke, Liu, Caloyeras, Huang, Busum, Khodyakov and Shier (2016) point to the

example of Johnson & Johnson, where a “champion,” who is a senior level manager, is

identified for each component of the wellness programme; and this wellness “champion”

is responsible for taking the lead in developing and promoting his or her wellness

component. He further emphasizes the “alignment with mission” factor, that is, a

characteristic of many successful programmes is an explicit linkage between the goals of

these efforts and an overarching organizational mission.

2.2.3 Physical Fitness Capacity

The largest productivity gains are for those employees who remediate a health problem

identified by fitness capacity activities. The productivity of these employees improves not

only via all three of the previously discussed mechanisms - job satisfaction, reciprocity and

increased well-being but also via fitness capacity activity improvements brought about by

addressing the identified health issue (Gibbs & Cartwright, 2015). There is consensus in

the occupational health literature that poor health attributed by lack of exercise reduces

employee productivity levels in the workplace and has substantive effects on wages, hours

worked, labor force participation, job choice, turnover, retirement, structure of

employment, and occupational choice (Currie & Madrian, 2017). The direct link between

fitness capacity activities and on-the-job productivity at the individual level, however, bears

scant evidence in the social and behavioral sciences. Instead, health has been indirectly

linked to productivity through human capital development, identified through educational

attainment or through national and other macro-level measures (Becker & Gerhard, 2017).

The idea of the relationship between productivity and physical fitness of an employee needs

no justification. It is evident from the thinking that only a physically fit individual can

perform more physically demanding tasks at work and withstand workload pressures and

over-time. As such, a person who is physically fit can serve better at work and be productive

compared to an unfit person (Sharifzadeh, 2013). The occupational health and medical

literatures use self-reported survey data to link productivity loss to a variety of mental and

physical health conditions, including diabetes, depression, anxiety, cancer, migraines, and

14

arthritis (Stewart, Dennison, Kohl & Doyle, 2013). Study surveys link productivity losses

with health problems caused by lack of physical fitness exercises; these include migraines,

allergies, asthma, influenza, and depression. Even when health improvements are not

specifically tied to an individual’s capability to carry out a critical job task, improvements

may increase worker productivity on tasks due to improved mental health and reduced

distraction from pain and discomfort (Miller, 2015).

Gubler, Larkin and Pierce (2016) asserted that corporate wellness programs which

incorporated physical fitness indicated objective productivity improvements in industrial

workers. Almost 90% of companies use corporate wellness programs designed to improve

employee health through initiating physical fitness capacity exercises. Existing research

has focused on measuring cost savings from reduced insurance rates and absenteeism. First,

physical fitness exercise programs in the workplace increase employee productivity

through an active strong body and gratitude or reciprocity from those who discover a

previously undiagnosed illness. Second, physical fitness capacity activities increase

employee capability by spurring them to take actions that improve health, well-being and

ultimately productivity. Aldana and Jacobson (2014) tested a wellness program

implemented at multiple plants of an industrial laundry company. Using a three-year panel

of individual productivity and medical data, they found that fitness capacity program

participation increased productivity by 5%, compared to non-participants, regardless of

pre-existing health levels or post-program health changes, suggesting increased employee

productivity for participants. Moreover, many sick and healthy individuals improved their

health, increasing productivity by 11%. Surveys indicate that many employees, regardless

of pre-existing health levels, improved their diet and exercise from the program (Barr-

Anderson, AuYoung, Whitt-Glover, Glenn & Yance, 2013).

2.3 Influence of Financial Wellness Programs on Employee Productivity

Kim (2018) defined financial wellness as a function of individual characteristics, financial

behaviors, and financial stressor events. Financial wellbeing refers to subjective

perceptions and objective indicators of an individual’s personal financial status. First,

economic wellbeing consists of three components: awareness of economic wellbeing,

financial adequacy, and financial security in fulfilment of one’s own personal life.

Economic well-being is defined as having present and future financial security. Financial

adequacy includes the ability of individuals, families, and communities to consistently meet

15

their basic needs (including food, housing, utilities, health care, transportation, education,

child care, clothing, and paid taxes), and have control over their day-to-day finances. It also

includes the ability to make economic choices and feel a sense of security, satisfaction, and

personal fulfillment with one’s personal finances and employment pursuits. Financial

security includes the ability to absorb financial shocks, meet financial goals, build financial

assets, and maintain adequate income throughout the life-span (Council of Social Work

Education, 2016). Financial wellbeing can, therefore, be described as people’s perception

of the economy of their country and how easily they adjust to the environment. In this

context, financial wellbeing is regarded as people’s perception of their current financial

situation. In this light, constant financial concerns and problems could negatively affect

employees’ perception on their state of finances, which could then cause more issues to

arise, eventually leading to extreme financial stress and lowering their productivity at work

(Joo, 2018). The elements that link financial wellness programs on employee productivity

that will be discussed in subsequent subsections below entails; personal finances wellbeing,

financial stress and financial education (Osilla & Busum, 2012).

2.3.1 Personal Finances Wellbeing

Personal finances can be viewed as both objective and subjective aspects of financial

situations evaluated against standards of comparison in order to shape one’s opinion of a

financial situation. According to Rath, Harter and Grupper (2015), people with high

financial wellness manage their personal finances well and spend their money wisely.

Personal satisfaction levels within six relevant areas, namely economic, financial, personal,

relaxation, healthiness and environmental contributes to the productivity levels of an

individual. Wellbeing can also be defined as the satisfaction levels with economic, physical,

social, emotional, environmental, political and spiritual aspects and factors. Therefore,

financial wellness can be seen as a relevant aspect of welfare and expediency of employee

productivity. Therefore, in general, wellbeing is defined as “a state of being healthy, happy

and free from worry” (Zimmerman & Woolf, 2014).

According to Taft, Hosein, Mehrizi and Roshan (2013), personal financial wellbeing can

be termed as both a function of physical and emotional determinants of one’s financial

position and one’s feeling of satisfaction with one’s financial status and can boost their

morale at work making them to become more productive. Financial wellbeing can also be

viewed as the way in which people control their money on a daily basis, make use of short-

16

term precautionary savings, set financial goals such as when to buy a new car, create wealth

management tools and gain financial confidence. Joo (2018) indicated that the terms

financial wellbeing and financial wellness are used to describe the same concept. In this

context, financial wellness can be seen as a proactive approach in maintaining healthy and

stable wealth. Personal financial wellness is conceptualized as an individual’s financial

health level. Within this sense, financial health can include the level of satisfaction with

physical and emotional aspects of an individual’s financial situation, financial stability and

the necessary levels of financial resources. Therefore, in short, financial wellbeing could

represent being financially independent, healthy and carefree in line with the current

financial situation.

Bruner and Cooper (1991) identified issues related to personal finance and noted that

financial stress is a result of lack of financial wellbeing that affects employee productivity

at workplaces. A few relevant examples are financial distresses and hardships, family

relationships, and also psychological aspects. Various studies have been executed to

investigate people’s financial behaviors and what has been done to control their applicable

financial situations to ultimately attain financial freedom and realization that affects their

productivity at work (Sporakowski, 1979). Contributing to increased health problems are

credit card debt and any stress relating to debt. Increased financial interference as well as

personal financial difficulties could be due to low levels of financial literacy and knowledge

(Taft et al., 2013). Financial literacy’ refers to adequate knowledge of personal finance

facts and vocabulary for successful personal financial management. Previous research has

pointed out various factors that affect a person’s financial wellbeing which, in turn, affects

a person’s overall wellbeing. People do not live compartmentalized lives, and millions

carry financial burdens each day from home to work. This affects their ability to perform

at work and causes a decrease in productivity at work. In turn, the total cost of employment

is increased (Zimmerman, 2015).

Vosloo, Fouche and Barnard (2014) noted that financial stress is a condition that is

becoming more prevalent in today’s society due to factors such as high debt levels, low

savings and economic recessions. With these increasing pressures on personal finances and

its interference on employee productivity at work, management should attempt to improve

employees’ financial well-being. Management needs to be convinced that their actions can

improve their employees’ financial well-being. Vosloo et al. (2014) established and

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measured the relationship that the subjective measures financial efficacy and corporate

wellness programs with remuneration have on employee productivity. Personal financial

efficacy and corporate wellness programs with remuneration were found to have a strong

positive relationship with employee productivity. The study also established that the

relationship between corporate wellness remuneration programs and personal financial

well-being in the workplace was stronger in people with higher financial efficacy. It is

argued that management can intervene with employees’ financial well-being by improving

financial efficacy through financial education wellness programs and by improving

employee productivity with remuneration. Employee productivity with remuneration can

be increased by increasing actual remuneration and benefits, addressing administrative

issues of the pay system, addressing staff morale or by increasing financial efficacy.

Employees with higher personal financial wellbeing will contribute to the better

performance of the entity as a result of increased productivity at work (Vosloo et al., 2014).

2.3.2 Financial Stress

Mills, Grasmick, Morgan and Wenk (2017) states that financial stress is part of the

everyday lives of people, whether we choose to accept this or not. This undeniable reality

of financial stress has a noteworthy influence on both productivity and absenteeism.

Employee financial problems are one of the four major problems in the workplace. He

reported that 10% is a very conservative estimate of the number of employees in the

workplace with financial difficulties. Garman, Leech and Grable (2016) indicated that

approximately 15% of employees in universities in the United States (US) are currently

experiencing stress from poor financial behaviors to the extent that it has a negative impact

on their productivity. Employees battling with financial difficulties throughout the business

hours of the organization are also therefore not capable of focusing and being productive.

Financial distress has negative workplace outcomes, such as decreased dedication to the

organization, rivalry between emotions of personal finance and productive hours, less

satisfaction with compensation remuneration, idle work time while dealing with personal

finances, increased absenteeism and deprived levels of health (Prawitz & Thomas, 2017).

Stress associated with employees’ poor personal financial behaviors causes substantial

costs to employers (Garman et al., 2016).

Although employees’ levels of financial stress have lessened since the Great Recession, in

a recent survey a majority (54%) of employees reported that financial issues caused them

18

stress (PricewaterhouseCoopers, 2018). Another study found that 41% of respondents dealt

with personal financial issues while at work more than once per month (American

Psychological Association, 2015). Nearly one third (30%) of employees said they could not

cover their basic needs without using credit cards (PricewaterhouseCoopers, 2015).

Concerning financial problems affecting a substantial proportion of their employees, 67%

and 50% of employers cited credit card and other debt and trouble paying for basic needs

such as housing, respectively (Mrkvicka, Stich & Held, 2016). Employee financial stress is

reflected in evidence concerning retirement plan withdrawals. Nearly one in four workers

reported making withdrawals from retirement plans for nonretirement expenses

(PricewaterhouseCoopers, 2017). Employee loan or hardship withdrawal requests from

defined contribution plans are higher than in previous years (Society for Human Resource

Management, 2014). Fellowes and Willemin (2013) found that 75% of households that

completely cashed out their retirement plans identified difficulty meeting basic financial

needs as the reason. Similarly, households that experienced one or more financial shocks,

such as a major car repair in the past year, were more likely to make a retirement plan

withdrawal (13%) compared to households that had not experienced a shock (2%).

The financial struggles of U.S. households carry over into the workplace via absenteeism

(Mrkvicka et al., 2016) and diminished productivity (Callen, Lindley, & Niederhauser,

2013). One third of employers said employees’ personal financial issues were very

impactful on employee productivity (Mrkvicka et al., 2016). Over one third (36%) of

employees more than one half (51%) of whom had incomes below $50,000 per year said

financial stress had impacted their employee productivity at the workplace. Personal

financial issues are a distraction at work, 43% of whom said they take three or more hours

per week to think about or deal with these issues. Financial problems have affected work

productivity and attendance among 18% and 11% of employees, respectively (Bryson,

Forth & Stokes, 2015). This brings in the need for organizations to incorporate financial

wellness programs to help curb financial stress experienced by employees.

Employees with high financial stress and low financial well-being tend to be more

frequently absent from work (Kim & Garman, 2013). It has also been found that worker

productivity and workers’ financial well-being are positively related. Employees’ financial

concerns impede their work and they use time at work to attend to financial issues. Kim

and Garman (2013) also found financial stress to be negatively related to organizational

19

commitment. Considering that employees who are financially sound with personal finances

have a smaller interference, they will become more productive in the workplace thereby

benefit an organization. As a result, management should consider ways in which they can

increase employees’ financial well-being to ensure less interference at work. According to

Gathergood (2012), the measurement of financial well-being includes the remuneration

level, it should theoretically increase financial well-being when the level of remuneration

is raised. Secondly, researchers have suggested that employers should provide employees

with financial education programmes in order to improve personal financial stress in order

to boost their morale thereby affecting their productivity at work.

2.3.3 Financial Education

Financial education has been identified in research as a factor that could potentially benefit

financial well-being. An increase in financial literacy has been found to decrease financial

stress (Steen & MacKenzie, 2013) and increase financial well-being (Kumaran, 2013). In

addition, research has also shown that financial literacy increases a person’s financial

efficacy making them to become productive in their workplace. Financial literacy alone is

not enough to ensure control over personal finances; financial efficacy is equally as

important. Kim and Garman (2013) finding that higher financial efficacy predicts fewer

financial problems (i.e. more control over personal finances) supported this notion. Upon

further inspection of the efficacy concept, it was noted that higher self-efficacy motivates

people to try harder to master challenges. Increased financial efficacy enables a person to

overcome financial difficulty more easily and effectively increase his/her financial well-

being resulting to increased productivity levels at work.

Some researchers have indirectly studied the relationship between financial efficacy and

financial wellbeing in light of employee productivity. Xiao, Tang, Serido and Shim (2011)

divided perceived behavioural control into financial efficacy and controllability. Perceived

behavioral control was found to have a positive relationship with good financial behaviors.

Good financial behavior, in turn, was found to have positive relationships with employee

productivity (Staten & Johnson, 2016). Debt was one of the objective indicators used in

order to determine the level of financial well-being. Therefore, financial efficacy wellness

programs were found to indirectly have a positive relationship with employee productivity.

Some researchers use financial satisfaction as a measure of financial well-being wellness

programs in the workplace to improve employee productivity (Shim & Steers, 2019).

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2.4 Influence of Social Wellness Programs on Employee Productivity

Social wellness refers to the relationships we have and how we interact with others. Our

relationships can offer support during difficult times. Social wellness involves building

healthy, nurturing and supportive relationships as well as fostering a genuine connection

with those around you (Olumuyiwa et al., 2015). Workers or employees are often attracted

into certain organization not only because of the pays packages that are stated in the advert

but also because of the benefits attached to them. These benefits usually include housing,

transport, medical, pension or retirement benefits to name but a few (Stone, Deadrick &

Lukaszewski, 2016). These attractions also constitute to considerable objectives for which

such individuals make up their minds to these primary attractions. Lack of these social

benefits by the organization will certainly lower the morale as well as the productivity of

such individuals which will in turn affect the organization’s performance. Social wellness

programs is a dynamic concept as new welfare measures are added to the existing ones

along with social changes. The modern concept of social wellness entails all those activities

of the employers, which are directed towards providing the employees with certain facilities

and services in addition to wages and salaries that can increase employee productivity.

Social wellness facilities are essential for the health of the organization since they bear a

close connection with the productivities of the labour force. Social wellness program

measures increase the productivity of employees and organizations and promotes healthy

organizational relations thereby maintaining industrial peace and retain the employees for

longer duration (Shields, 2014). The elements that link social wellness programs on

employee productivity that will be discussed in subsequent subsections below entails;

psychological need satisfaction, psycho-social wellness and lastly, organizational wellness

and work-life balance (Osilla & Busum, 2012).

2.4.1 Psychological Need Satisfaction

Psychological need satisfaction and organizational trust are theoretically related as having

basic needs met at work, develops an employee’s belief that their employer can and will

safeguard their best interests thereby increasing employee productivity at work (Stone et

al., 2016). These factors are included in this review because they direct attention towards

an important cultural factor (i.e. trust) and relational factor (need satisfaction). At the

cultural level, the content of an employee’s trust beliefs is likely to emerge from direct

experience, vicarious observations, and anecdotal reports about how the organization

conducts itself towards employees. More specifically, trust will form based on an

21

assessment of how the organization characteristically addresses a range of employee equity

issues (e.g. gender, race, pay, career progression), provides safe working conditions (e.g.

compliance with OH&S legislation), provides adequate resources to employees and

demonstrates social responsibility (Dobrowolski, 2014). As such, organizational trust will

indicate something about an employee’s general receptivity towards any organizational

initiative as it integrates micro level psychological processes and group dynamics with

macro level organizational elements (Spence, 2015).

Employees spend many hours of their life at the workplace and work concerns cannot be

seen as separate from their personal and social lives. Chronic health conditions including

those resulting from HIV/AIDS, trauma, substance abuse, and relationship problems are

some of the concerns that filter into the job environment and influence absenteeism,

accidents and general productivity. The workplace has developed social intervention

wellness programs to mediate and support employees (Pillay & Terblanche, 2012).

Nyakwara, Shiundu and Gongera (2014) evaluated the social wellness programs facilities

as an intervention strategy of industrial unrest on employee productivity at Mumias Sugar

Company, Kenya. The findings from the study indicated that the major forms of industrial

unrest experienced by MSC were strikes and the main cause of this was inflexibility of

terms and conditions of employment. The study found that industrial unrest intervention

strategies employed at MSC did not only address the issue of unrest but also enhanced

employee productivity.

Lagat, Mutai and Kosgey (2014) examined the importance of social employee welfare

programs and employee productivity in UASU, Kenya. The study established that trade

unions play a key role in enhancing social employee welfare programs and employee

productivity in organizations. Results indicated that the UASU had different but positive

impacts on the variables affecting social employee welfare programs and, consequently,

employee productivity. In descending order of importance, maternity, pension, housing and

medical schemes were some of the benefits from the social welfare program activities of

the UASU. It is therefore vital for organizations to introduce social wellness programs to

their workplaces in order to increase employee productivity (Manning, 2019).

Weldon and Muathe (2014) deliberated on critical review of literature on employee

wellness programs in Kenya. The study revealed that employee wellness is said to be very

expensive and may not have a significant impact on the productivity of employees as well

22

as performance of the organization. It has more potential of capturing wider influences

related to a person’s individual characteristics and behaviors, the social, physical and

economic environment. However, studies show a contrasting view on the benefits as

outweighing the costs involved with substantive reduction of medicare costs, limited

illness-related absenteeism, increased productivity and better quality of life. The intended

benefits of improved employee productivity resulting from good health, enhanced morale,

reduced stress and burnout among employees are realistic if such social wellness programs

are fully operationalized in modern day workplaces.

2.4.2 Psycho-social Wellness

Psycho-social wellness can be seen as traditionally focusing on preventing and addressing

psychosocial hazards, such as stress, physical and emotional violence, overload, substance

abuse, etc., through risk assessments and policies, as well as organizational, environmental

and individually focused interventions (Steinmann, 2016). An Employee Assistance

Program is defined as a corporate wellness program designed to assist in the identification

and resolution of productivity problems associated with employees who experience

personal concerns. These concerns may include health, marital, family, financial, alcohol,

drug, legal, emotional, stress, or other personal factors which may adversely affect

employee productivity.

Personal problems are recognized as conditions, which can be overcome. The personal

reasons employees sought help from corporate wellness programs included post-traumatic

stress, personal trauma, bereavement, emotional burnout, stress, depression, work, marital

and family related problems are responsive to treatment and curative psychosocial

interventions (Ratnawat & Jha, 2014). These personal reasons for using corporate wellness

program services are indications of larger social issues and gives credence to the need for

programmes to evolve to address broader social issues in the community, such as social

development. The corporate wellness program is therefore a programme through which

employees may have access to professional assistance for a wide range of personal,

interpersonal and work-related concerns and challenges that enable them increase their

productivity at work. These wellness programs are further designed to encourage

employees to take personal responsibility for their psycho-social health and wellness.

Employees experiencing personal problems, which may affect their personal lives and work

23

productivity, can receive professional assistance from registered psychologists and social

workers (Makgato, 2016).

According to Ott-Holland, Shepherd and Ryan (2019), the return on investment of

employer wellness programs has been heavily debated in recent years, yet existing research

has failed to adequately assess the psychological factors that motivate program

participation and how participation relates to organizationally relevant employee attitudes

and behaviors. Using data over a 3-year period, they found beliefs about the value of

employee wellness programs and perceived organizational support (POS) for wellness to

be linked to wellness program participation through the mediation of intention to participate

in the wellness program. Those with greater wellness participation were found to have

higher productivity ratings, higher job satisfaction, higher intention to stay, and lower

turnover. However, the effects for job satisfaction and intention to stay disappeared when

controlling for prior levels of satisfaction and intention to stay in cross-lagged models.

2.4.3 Organizational Wellness and Work-Life Balance

Organizational wellness promotes an organizational culture that is conducive to individual

and organizational wellness and work-life balance in order to enhance the effectiveness and

efficiency of the Public Service (Ozguner & Ozguner, 2014). The intended outcome of

wellness management is to maximize and sustain the potential of human capital and an

effective employee productivity that is positively responsive to the needs of the public.

Organizational wellness also relates to issues such as moral regeneration, integrity,

organizational ethics, values, whistleblowing and productivity which are crucial to instill a

coherent sense of moral wellbeing within employees. Given the increase in corruption in

general, and the interrelatedness between bullying and corruption, absenteeism,

productivity, etc., organizational wellness deserves to be a stand-alone issue (Steinmann,

2016).

One perspective is that employers who provide organizational wellness programmes are

viewed as having more concern for their employees and as a result enhance employees‟

attitudes toward the organization resulting to increased employee productivity. A growing

number of companies have committed to providing organizational wellness programmes to

help improve the health of employees, control health care, absence and absenteeism costs,

and to provide an additional benefit to employees (Parks & Steelmann, 2016). Medical aid

companies have also seen the benefit of promoting client wellness, such as Discovery

24

Health, which first implemented preventive health-based strategies to enhance wellness

(Ndlela, 2015).

Work-life balance, in its broadest sense, is defined as a satisfactory level of involvement or

“fit” between the multiple roles in a person’s life. Although definitions and explanations

vary, work-life balance is generally associated with equilibrium, or maintaining an overall

sense of harmony in life. The study of work-life balance involves the examination of

people’s ability to manage simultaneously the multifaceted demands of life (Clarke, Koch

& Hill, 2014). The Work- Life Balance Programme promotes flexibility in the workplace

to accommodate work, personal and family needs, which can result in benefits to

organizations due to higher levels of employee productivity. Work-life balance has become

a challenge for the organizations because of an increased need to improve the productivity

of the employees, maintaining and retaining them with a precious knowledge of the

company and keeping up the speed with the current trends in the workplace (Tariq, Aslam,

Siddique & Tanveer, 2016).

Dunne and Teg (2014) noted that businesses today are operating in an extreme competitive

environment with an increased need to be more responsive and more efficient than their

competitors. Additionally, employees today are pressurizing their employers for rewarding

their employment with respect to their utilization of skills, rewarding their career and

managing their lives outside the workplace. It compels the organizations to be more

responsive and flexible for their workers. Organizations that are failing to consider these

issues are facing the crucial problem of brain drain and are losing their professional experts.

Joshi and Sodhi (2015) emphasized that work-life balance is a two-dimensional approach

i.e. organizational approach and individual approach. Work-life balance was traditionally

defined in the framework of organization as what organizations do for the individuals

(organizational approach) and (individual approach) what individuals do for themselves.

Most popular flexible working types include, working part time, flexi-time working,

compressed work weeks, job sharing and job splitting, term time working, telecommuting,

career breaks, unpaid leave, dependent care initiatives and staggered work weeks is the

match that an employee achieves in contributing to being more or less productive the

workplace (Tariq et al., 2016). Work life balance as the name indicates is to achieve a level

of equilibrium, symmetry or stability which thus creates harmony and synchronization in a

person’s overall life (Clarke et al., 2014). Work-life programmes have the potential to

25

significantly improve employee productivity, reduce absenteeism, and retain organizational

knowledge, particularly during difficult economic times (Tariq et al., 2016).

2.5 Chapter Summary

This chapter has described the literature review based on the specific objectives related to

the influence of corporate wellness programs on employee productivity. The first section

has discussed literature review on the influence of physical wellness programs on employee

productivity with a focus on health and nutrition assessment, health management and

physical fitness capacity. The second section has discussed how financial wellness

programs influence employee productivity in terms of personal finances wellbeing,

financial stress and financial education. The third section has discussed how social wellness

programs influence employee productivity in terms of psychological need satisfaction,

psycho-social wellness and organizational wellness and work-life balance. Chapter three

outlines the research methodology that was used to conduct the study.

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CHAPTER THREE

3.0 RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

3.1 Introduction

This chapter provides a discussion of the research methodology that was used in conducting

the study. The chapter provides the research design, the target population and sampling

design, data collection methods, the research procedures and the data analysis methods.

3.2 Research Design

According to Gravetter and Forzano (2015), research design involves measuring a set of

variables as they exist naturally in order to arrive at answers to research questions.

Easterby-Smith, Thorpe and Jackson (2012) expounds that research design is the systematic

framework that guide the collection and analysis of in order to realize research objectives.

The study adopted descriptive research design in order to show the extent to which

conditions in a situation are connected (Tavakoli, 2017). This research design was deemed

suitable for the study because it emphasizes on the “what” and not on the “why” of the

subject area. Therefore, it describes the subject matter of the study, situations, behavior or

the phenomenon rather than the reasons as to why it happens. This approach was preferred

for this study because it described what aspects influence corporate wellness programs to a

larger population, in this case, USIU-A and gain an understanding of the relationship

between dependent variable (employee productivity) and independent variables (physical

wellness programs, financial wellness programs, social wellness programs) that were

studied.

3.3 Population and Sampling

This section discusses population and sampling design that was used in the study.

3.3.1 Population

According to Cox (2013), target population refers to a group of people that will be the focus

of study. Population is the universe of all members of a real or hypothetical set of people,

events or objects to which an investigator wishes to generalize the results (Borg & Gall,

2015). The population of interest in this study comprised a total of four hundred and fifty-

eight (458) employees at USIU-A consisting of two categories which includes; faculty staff

27

and support staff. The population distribution showing categories of the employees is

presented in Table 3.1 below.

Table 3.1: Population Distribution

Employee Categories Population (f) Percentage (%) of Total

Faculty Staff 161 35%

Support Staff 297 65%

Total (N) 458 100%

Source: (USIU-A Human Resource, 2019)

3.3.2 Sampling Design

Cooper and Schindler (2013) have described sampling design as a method of selecting a

sample from a specific population, hence it is the procedure used by researchers use in

selecting items for the study’s sample. They conclude that sampling design is the

determination of the target population, parameters of interest, sampling frame, sampling

method and sample size. The sampling design refers to the sampling frame, sampling

technique and the sample size that was used in the study.

3.3.2.1 Sampling Frame

The term “sampling frame” refers to an objective list where the sample is drawn from (Hair,

Celsi, Money, Samouel & Page, 2015). A sampling frame needs to be comprehensive,

correct and reliable. It is a credible, complete and correct list of the population members,

which could be provided by databases or other dependable sources (Denscombe, 2014).

The sampling frame for this study included a recorded list of 458 employees obtained from

the USIU-A Human Resource Department as at December 2019.

3.3.2.2 Sampling Technique

Cooper and Schindler (2014) have described sampling technique as a method of selecting

a sample from a given population. There exist various types of sampling techniques which

include; the probability and the non-probability techniques. Probability sampling

techniques are used for quantitative studies where subjects of the sample are chosen based

on known probabilities (Sekaran & Bougie, 2016). Probability sampling techniques include

simple random, stratified random, cluster random and systematic random sampling

28

technique. Non-probability sampling techniques are used for qualitative studies to develop

theories where subjects of the sample are not based on random sampling methods and

include convenience, judgmental, quota and snowball sampling technique (Gravetter &

Forzano, 2015).

The study adopted stratified and simple random sampling technique to identify the targets.

Stratification involves the process of segmenting the members of the population into

homogenous subgroups before the sampling starts while random sampling involves the

selection of samples literally at random such that the resulting sample is likely to be

representative of the whole population (Saunders, Lewis & Thornhill, 2016). In a random

sample, each member of the population is likely to be chosen as part of the sample. The

sample is picked from a certain number of cases out of the total number of possible cases

in the sampling frame (Vanderstoep & Johnson, 2014). The basic requirement of simple

random sampling is that each case in the study has an equal chance of being selected,

meaning that no one case is more likely to be chosen than another (Gravertter & Forzano,

2015). In this study, stratification was done based on the two employee categories; Faculty

staff and Support staff.

3.3.2.3 Sample Size

Fox and Bayat (2015) define sample size as a smaller set of the larger population. In

determining an adequate sample size, Singh and Masuku (2014) proposed the use of a

simple approach based on Yamane (1973) statistical formula to select an appropriate

sample size from a finite population which assumes 95% confidence level. The

representation was derived from the formulae below:

n = N / (1 + Ne2)

Where;

n = required sample size

N = population size

e = alpha level, that is, allowable error e = 0.05 at 95% confidence interval

Substituting for the formula above, the sample size was calculated as follows:

n = 458 / [1 + 458 (0.05*0.05)] = 458 / 2.145 = 213.5198 ≈ 214

Sample Size (n) = 214

29

The study utilized a sample size of 214 employees at USIU-A drawn from Nairobi County.

This was proportionately allocated based on the population size of each strata as shown in

Table 3.2.

Table 3.2: Sample Size Distribution

Employee Categories Population (f)

(%) Sample

Proportion

Sample Size

(n)

Faculty Staff 161 35% 75

Support Staff 297 65% 139

Totals 458 100% 214

3.4 Data Collection Methods

The study used primary data in which a questionnaire was adopted. Saunders et al. (2016)

defines a questionnaire as the general term including all data collection techniques in which

each person is asked to answer the same set of questions in a predetermined order.

According to Denscombe (2014), the use of questionnaires is justified as an effective way

of collecting information questionnaires from a large sample within a short period of time

and at a reduced cost compared to other methods.

The questionnaire used closed ended questions in line with the specific objectives of the

study to ensure consistency, easy coding, and data analysis. The questionnaire was also

formulated using a five point Likert scale for each questions ranging from 1 - 5 where;

1=Strongly Disagree, 2=Disagree, 3=Not Sure, 4=Agree and 5=Strongly Agree. Likert

scale was used because it means that the collected data was quantitative in nature and made

it easier for the researcher to draw conclusions, draw results and create graphical figures

from the responses.

The questionnaire consisted of five sections. The first section comprised of general

questions seeking to collect information on the respondents’ demographic data that entails

gender, level of education, period of occupation and employee department category.

Second section sought to collect information from the respondents regarding the first

specific objective on the influence of physical wellness programs on employee

productivity. The third section sought to collect information from the respondents regarding

30

the second specific objective on the influence of financial wellness programs on employee

productivity. The fourth sought to collect information from the respondents regarding the

third specific objective on the influence of social wellness programs on employee

productivity. The fifth section sought to collect information from the respondents on the

measure of employee productivity at USIU-A.

3.5 Research Procedures

Research procedure is the approach that was taken by the researcher to conduct the study

(Saunders, Lewis & Thornhill, 2017). The researcher sought permission from the

University to conduct research on the given topic by obtaining an introduction letter from

the USIU-Africa research office. The letter detailed the purpose of the research study to

avoid misunderstanding and ensure clarity. It further briefed the respondents on the data

the researcher needs from them, why this data was necessary, and the purpose it would be

used for, how the respondents would become part of the research and how the findings

would impact them. The researcher then obtained a research permit from the National

Commission of Science, Technology and Innovation (NACOSTI) and authorization from

USIU-A Research Office to use the University institution as a case study.

According to Cooper and Schindler (2013), validity can be achieved by pre-testing the

instrument to be used through the identification and changing of any irrelevant, ambiguous,

awkward, or offensive questions and technique. The pilot study sample consisted of 45

employees, that is, 10% of the sample of 458 employees at USIU-A.

A pilot study was conducted for each employee category to test the reliability and validity

of the questionnaire. Research validity refers to the correctness or truthfulness of an

inference that is made from a research study so that the results reflect the differences among

the participants drawn from the population (Saunders et al., 2016). The validity of a

research instrument is improved by use of a pilot study (Creswell, 2012).

According to Creswell (2012), testing for reliability of the research instrument is paramount

in research. Reliability seeks to determine if scores to items on a research instrument are

internally consistent, stable, and whether the test administration and scoring is consistent.

Mayer (2015) argues that pre-testing the research instruments reduces biases that may be

caused by measurement errors. Zohrabi (2013) extensively categorizes reliability into two

forms, that is, external and internal reliability. In the external reliability, focus is on the

31

replication of the study. The internal reliability conversely constitutes the consistency in

collection, analysis and interpretation of the data and it can be found when an independent

researcher comes to similar findings as the original researcher after re-analyzing the

information.

Warrens (2015) states that Cronbach’s alpha is the most commonly used coefficient for

approximation of reliability of test scores for structured questionnaires and for calculating

internal consistency. According to Jaramillo, Mulki and Marshall (2018), internal

consistency involves correlating the responses to each question to other questions in the

questionnaire and measuring the consistency of responses. Cronbach’s alpha values range

between 0 and 1 where a value of 0 indicates no reliability, while 1 indicates high reliability

(Warrens, 2015). However, the threshold for interpretation of reliability of the research

instrument is Cronbach’s alpha value of 0.7. Thus, Cronbach’s alpha values less than 0.7

indicate that the research instrument is unreliable while Cronbach’s alpha values equal to

or greater than 0.7 indicates that the research instrument is reliable (Saunders et al., 2017).

The questionnaire was accepted at reliability indices of 0.823, 0.785, 0.710 and 0.756 for

physical wellness programs, financial wellness programs, social wellness programs and

employee productivity respectively. The researcher later revised the questionnaire based

on the pilot study results to ensure its effectiveness.

The final questionnaires were electronically distributed via Email and WhatsApp to the

respondents for filling using Google forms. This facilitated real-time as well as prompt

feedback from the respondents. It also ensured adherence to safety measures by avoiding

physical contact with the respondents. This is in light of the global Covid-19 pandemic that

resulted to the University institution (USIU-A) partially closing its physical offices and

resorting to online operations until further notice. In order to maintain high level of ethics

and integrity standards, a high level of confidentiality was maintained. The researcher

briefed the respondents about the purpose of the study and requested the respondents to

maintain anonymity when filling the questionnaires.

3.6 Data Analysis Methods

Data analysis methods facilitate the development of patterns, clear descriptions and testing

of hypothesis. It involves descriptive statistical analysis and inferential statistical analysis.

Descriptive analysis refers to the procedures and measures by which quantitative data is

described. Descriptive statistics includes distributions and its measures of central tendency

32

such as mean, variance, standard deviations, frequencies and percentages (Creswell &

Guetterman, 2018). The study adopted descriptive analysis which entailed measure of

central tendency (mean) and the measures of spread (standard deviation). The mean and

standard deviation was presented using frequency distribution tables. The inferential

analysis carried out in this study included correlation analysis (Pearson’s correlation

coefficient) to test the strength of the relationship between the influence physical wellness

programs, financial wellness programs and social wellness programs on employee

productivity. The values of Pearson correlation range between -1 and 1; the drawing of the

values closer to one in absolute terms suggests a perfect correlation whereas values drawing

closer to zero suggest absence of correlation (Mertens, 2020). A multiple linear regression

analysis was also used to test the statistical significance and the relationship that existed

between the independent variables (physical wellness programs, financial wellness

programs, social wellness programs) and the dependent variable (employee productivity).

The Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS version 24.0) program was used as the

main statistical tool to organize and analyze the collected data. Study findings were

presented in figures and tables making it relatively easy to summarize and interpret the

findings of the study. The selection of data analysis methods was dictated by the objectives

of the study, researcher method, and the data collection techniques. Regression analysis

was used to find out the connection amongst the dependent and the independent variables.

The results obtained were presented in tables.

3.7 Chapter Summary

This chapter has described the methodology that was used to conduct the study. The chapter

has discussed the research design, population and sampling design, data collection

methods, the research procedure as well as the data analysis and presentation methods that

the researcher used for the study. Findings and results were discussed in chapter four.

33

CHAPTER FOUR

4.0 RESULTS AND FINDINGS

4.1 Introduction

This chapter presents the results and findings of the research study objectives with respect

to data collected from the respondents on the influence of corporate wellness programs on

employee productivity at United States International University – Africa. The first section

presents descriptive analysis of demographic information of the respondents. The second

section addresses findings on the influence of physical wellness programs on employee

productivity. The third section presents the findings on the influence of financial wellness

programs on employee productivity. The last and fourth section presents the findings on

the influence of social wellness programs on employee productivity. A summary of the

major findings is presented at the end of this chapter.

4.2 Response Rate

The study administered a total of 214 questionnaires to the respondents, out of which 187

questionnaires were duly filled and returned. This indicated a response rate of 87%. This

response was considered admissible and representative of the population in conformity with

recommendations by Mugenda and Mugenda (2012) who adds that a response rate of 50%

is adequate enough for analysis and reporting a rate of 60% is deemed to be generally good

while a response rate of above 70% is considered excellent. This implied that the response

rate for this study was excellent and increases confidence for generalization. The finding

was presented in Figure 4.1.

Figure 4.1: Response Rate

Non-response

13%

Response

87%

Response Rate (%)

Non-response Response

34

4.3 Demographic Information

This section sought to establish the demographic information of the respondents so as to

have an understanding of their suitability to undertake the study. The demographic

information included the respondents’ gender, age, level of education, years of work

experience and work department. The subsequent sections present the findings.

4.3.1 Distribution by Gender

The study sought to establish the distribution of respondents by gender. The findings

presented in Figure 4.2 below established that female respondents accounted for 58% while

male respondents accounted for 42%. This implied that both genders were included thereby

providing a good study representation.

Figure 4.2: Distribution by Gender

4.3.2 Distribution by Age Group

The study sought to establish the distribution of respondents by age group. The findings

presented in Figure 4.3 below established that respondents aged between 41 – 50 years

accounted 45% while 28% of the respondents were aged above 50 years. The remaining

27% of the respondents were aged between 26 – 40 years.

Male

42%

Female

58%

Gender (%)

Male Female

35

Figure 4.3: Distribution by Age Group

4.3.3 Distribution by Highest Education Level

The study sought to determine the respondents’ distribution by the highest education level

attained. The findings presented in Figure 4.4 reveals that respondents’ who were Master’s

degree holders accounted for 40% while 31% of the respondents were PhD holders. The

remaining 24% and 5% of the respondents were Bachelors’ Degree holders and

Diploma/Professional certificate holders respectively. These results imply that employees

at USIU-A had attained diverse and relevant education level deemed necessary in

addressing the questionnaire and provided reliable responses for the study.

Figure 4.4: Distribution by Highest Level of Education

0%

5%

10%

15%

20%

25%

30%

35%

1 - 3 years 4 - 6 years 7 - 9 years Above 10 years

19%

33%

17%

31%

Age Group (%)

0%

20%

40%

PhD Master's Degree Bachelor's Degree Diploma/Professional

Certificate

31%40%

24%

5%

Highest Level of Education (%)

36

4.3.4 Distribution by Years of Work Experience

The study sought to establish the distribution of respondents by the number of years the

employees have been working at USIU-A. The results presented in Figure 4.5 established

that 33% of the respondents worked for 4 – 6 years while 31% of the respondents worked

at USIU-A for above 16 years. Those respondents that worked for 1 – 3 years and 7 – 9

years accounted for 19% and 17% respectively. These results imply that employees work

experience at USIU-A was varied thus provided diverse options and reliable information

for the study.

Figure 4.5: Distribution by Years of Work Experience

4.3.5 Distribution by Department Category

The study sought to establish the respondents’ distribution by department category they

represented. The findings presented in Figure 4.6 established that 68% of the respondents

represented faculty staff while 32% of the respondents represented support staff. These

results imply that the employees represented different categories of staff present as USIU

hence provided reliable information deemed adequate for the study.

0%

5%

10%

15%

20%

25%

30%

35%

1 - 3 years 4 - 6 years 7 - 9 years Above 10 years

19%

33%

17%

31%

Years of Work Experience (%)

37

Figure 4.6: Distribution by Department/Category

4.4 Influence of Physical Wellness Programs on Employee Productivity

This section sought to address the first specific objective on establishing the influence of

physical wellness programs on employee productivity. The cornerstone items that the study

focused on include; eating a nutritious healthy diet, maintaining physical fitness, taking

short walks, good health assessment rapport and physical wellness activities. In order to

achieve this, the extent to which the respondents agreed on the given statements was ranked

using a 5-point Likert scale ranging from 1 - 5, where, 1 = strongly disagree, 2 = disagree,

3 = not sure, 4 = agree and 5 = strongly agree. Means and standard deviations were

examined in order to indicate the magnitude of the responses as well as to provide objective

measures of data comparison. Mean scores of 3.5 and above (M > 3.5) denoted

effectiveness of the data. The results are presented in Table 4.1.

4.4.1 Descriptive Statistics of Physical Wellness Programs

Descriptive statistical analysis conducted included frequency distribution, mean and

standard deviation. When the employees were asked if eating a nutritious healthy diet at

work increases productivity in the workplace, 35% agreed so. Another 32% were not sure,

25% strongly agreed, 6% strongly disagreed and 3% disagreed. The mean was 3.75 with a

standard deviation of 1.002. When the employees were asked if maintaining physical

fitness by exercising regularly increases productivity at work, 35% agreed so. Another 33%

were not sure, 17% strongly agreed, 11% disagreed and 5% strongly disagreed. The mean

was 3.53 with a standard deviation of 1.076.

0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

Faculty Staff Support Staff

32%

68%

Department/ Category (%)

38

When the employees were asked if managing stress by taking short walks/muscle-stretch

breaks increases productivity at the workplace, 36% were not sure. Another 32% agreed,

14% strongly agreed, 14% disagreed and 4% strongly disagreed. The mean was 3.51 with

a standard deviation of 1.032. When the employees were asked if good health assessment

rapport results to being more productive at work, 41% were not sure. Another 37% agreed,

14% strongly agreed, 7% disagreed and 3% strongly disagreed. The mean was 3.56 with a

standard deviation of 0.878. When the employees were asked if physical wellness activities

increase productivity at the workplace by spurring them to take actions that improve health,

47% strongly agreed so. Another 31% agreed, 13% were not sure, 8% disagreed and 2%

strongly disagreed. The mean was 4.08 with a standard deviation of 1.165.

The results implied that the item physical wellness activities increase employee

productivity by spurring them to take actions that improve health was the most significant

variable that influenced physical wellness programs on employee productivity as it

indicated the highest mean.

Table 4.1: Descriptive Statistics for Physical Wellness Programs and Employee

Productivity

Influence of Physical Wellness

Programs and Employee Productivity %f 1 2 3 4 5 N M SD

Eating a nutritious healthy diet at work

increases productivity in the workplace

% 6% 3% 32% 35% 25% 100%

3.75 1.002

f 11 6 59 65 46 187

Maintaining physical fitness by exercising

regularly increases productivity at work

% 5% 11% 33% 35% 17% 100%

3.53 1.076

f 9 21 60 65 32 187

Managing stress by taking short

walks/muscle-stretch breaks increases

productivity at the workplace

% 4% 14% 36% 32% 14% 100%

3.51 1.032

f 8 26 68 59 26 187

Employees with good health assessment

rapport are more productive at work

% 3% 7% 41% 37% 14% 100%

3.56 0.878

f 6 12 77 67 25 187

Physical wellness activities increase

employee productivity by spurring them

to take actions that improve health

% 2% 8% 13% 31% 47% 100%

4.08 1.165

f 4 15 24 57 87 187

39

4.4.2 Correlation between Physical Wellness Programs and Employee Productivity

Pearson correlation analysis was carried out to determine the relationship between the

influence of physical wellness programs and employee productivity. The findings presented

in Table 4.2 indicate that there was statistically significant positive correlation between

physical wellness programs and employee productivity, r(187) = .74, p < .05.

Table 4.2: Correlation Analysis between Physical Wellness Programs and Employee

Productivity

Variables Physical Wellness

Programs

1 Employee Productivity Pearson Correlation

Sig. (2-tailed)

N

.741*

.000

187

2 Physical Wellness Programs Pearson Correlation

Sig. (2-tailed)

N

1

187

*. Correlation is significant at the 0.05 level (2-tailed)

4.4.3 Regression Analysis between Physical Wellness Programs and Employee

Productivity

A multiple linear regression analysis was carried out to determine the extent to which

physical wellness programs influenced employee productivity. Results of the regression

model summary presented in Table 4.3(a) indicate that physical wellness programs

explained 72.4% of the variability on employee productivity, (R2 = .724, p < .05).

Table 4.3 (a): Regression Model Summary

Model R

R Square Adjusted R

Square

Std. Error of

the Estimate

1 .664a 0.724 0.047 1.50248

a. Predictors: (Constant), Physical Wellness Programs

*Regression Model Summary test significant at p < .05 level

Table 4.3(b) presents the multiple linear regression ANOVA results which indicate that

physical wellness programs significantly predicted employee productivity as the

probability value obtained was 0.012 which was less than α=0.05, the significance level,

with the F value = 18.44, p < 0.012.

40

Table 4.3 (b): Regression ANOVA

ANOVAa

Model

Sum of

Squares

df Mean Square

F

Sig.

1

Regression 17.42 1 17.402 18.443 0.012b*

Residual 221.553 185 1.187

Total 238.973 186

a. Dependent Variable: Employee Productivity

b. Predictors: ( Constant), Physical Wellness Programs

*Regression ANOVA test significant at p < .05 level

Table 4.3(c) presents the regressions coefficient findings which indicate that physical

wellness programs predicted employee productivity, β = .312, p < .05. This implies that

one unit in the increase of physical wellness programs would result to an increase in

employee productivity by a unit of 0.312. From the coefficients, the general form of the

multiple linear regression model equation that was established was; Employee productivity

= 1.746 + 0.312 Physical wellness programs.

Table 4.3 (c): Regression Coefficient

Coefficientsa

Model

Unstandardized

Coefficients

Standardized

Coefficients T Sig.

β Std. Error Beta

1 (Constant) 1.746 1.158 1.201 .000

Physical Wellness

Programs .312 .046 .301 2.652 .004*

a. Dependent Variable: Employee Productivity

*Regression Coefficient test significant at p < .05 level

4.5 Influence of Financial Wellness Programs on Employee Productivity

This section sought to address the second specific objective on establishing the influence

of financial wellness programs on employee productivity. The cornerstone items that the

study focused on include; return on investment, financial education programs, financial

stress, financially sound personal finances and financial literacy. In order to achieve this,

the extent to which the respondents agreed on the given statements was ranked using a 5-

point Likert scale ranging from 1 - 5, where, 1 = strongly disagree, 2 = disagree, 3 = not

41

sure, 4 = agree and 5 = strongly agree. Means and standard deviations were examined in

order to indicate the magnitude of the responses as well as to provide objective measures

of data comparison. Mean scores of 3.5 and above (M > 3.5) denoted effectiveness of the

data. The results are presented in Table 4.4.

4.5.1 Descriptive Statistics of Financial Wellness Programs

Descriptive statistical analysis conducted included frequency distribution, mean and

standard deviation. When the employees were asked if the return on investment of financial

wellness programs benefits their financial well-being thereby increasing productivity at

work, 35% strongly agreed so. Another 32% agreed, 9% were not sure, 3% disagreed and

2% strongly disagreed. The mean was 4.41 with a standard deviation of 0.786. When the

employees were asked if employers should provide financial education programs in order

to improve personal financial well-being to increase productivity at work, 42% strongly

agreed so. Another 41% agreed, 13% were not sure, 1% disagreed and 4% strongly

disagreed. The mean was 4.16 with a standard deviation of 0.984.

When the employees were asked whether high financial stress and low financial well-being

resulted to frequent absenteeism from work leading to decreased productivity at work, 35%

were not sure. Another 31% agreed, 21% strongly agreed, 6% disagreed and 3% strongly

disagreed. The mean was 3.67 with a standard deviation of 0.952. When the employees

were asked whether having financially sound personal finances has smaller interference at

work thereby enabling them to be more productive at work, 38% were not sure. Another

32% agreed, 15% strongly agreed, 13% disagreed and 3% strongly disagreed. The mean

was 3.45 with a standard deviation of 0.973. When the employees were asked if financial

education is a factor that could potentially benefit financial well-being thereby increasing

productivity at work, 40% agreed so. Another 23% strongly agreed, 23% were not sure, 9%

disagreed and 4% strongly disagreed. The mean was 3.43 with a standard deviation of

0.722.

The results implied that the item return on investment of financial wellness programs

benefits individuals’ financial well-being thereby increasing employees’ productivity at

work was the most significant variable that influenced financial wellness programs on

employee productivity as it indicated the highest mean.

42

Table 4.4: Descriptive Statistics for Financial Wellness Programs and Employee

Productivity

Influence of Financial Wellness

Programs and Employee Productivity %f 1 2 3 4 5 N M SD

The return on investment of financial

wellness programs benefits individuals

financial well-being thereby increasing

employees’ productivity at work

% 2% 3% 9% 32% 56% 100%

4.41 0.786

f 3 5 17 59 104 187

Employers should provide financial

education programs in order to improve

personal financial well-being to

increase employees’ productivity at

work

% 4% 1% 13% 41% 42% 100%

4.16 0.984

f 8 1 24 75 79 187

Employees with high financial stress

and low financial well-being tend to be

more frequently absent from work

thereby decreased productivity at work

% 3% 6% 35% 31% 21% 100%

3.67 0.952

f 5 12 65 56 38 187

Employees who have financially sound

personal finances have a smaller

interference at work thereby more

productive at work

% 3% 13% 38% 32% 15% 100%

3.45 0.973

f 5 24 69 58 27 187

Financial education is a factor that

could potentially benefit financial well-

being thereby increasing employees

productivity at work

% 4% 9% 23% 40% 23% 100%

3.43 0.722 f 8 16 43 74 42 187

4.5.2 Correlation between Financial Wellness Programs and Employee Productivity

Pearson correlation analysis was carried out to determine the relationship between the

influence of financial wellness programs and employee productivity. The findings

presented in Table 4.5 indicate that there was statistically significant positive correlation

between financial wellness programs and employee productivity, r(187) = .67, p < .05.

43

Table 4.5: Correlation Analysis between Financial Wellness Programs and

Employee Productivity

Variables Financial Wellness

Programs

1 Employee Productivity Pearson Correlation

Sig. (2-tailed)

N

.674*

.000

187

2 Financial Wellness Programs Pearson Correlation

Sig. (2-tailed)

N

1

187

*. Correlation is significant at the 0.05 level (2-tailed)

4.5.3 Regression Analysis between Financial Wellness Programs and Employee

Productivity

A multiple linear regression analysis was carried out to determine the extent to which

financial wellness programs influenced employee productivity. Results of the regression

model summary presented in Table 4.6(a) indicates that financial wellness programs

explained 65.2% of the variability on employee productivity, (R2 = .652, p < .05).

Table 4.6(a): Regression Model Summary

Model R

R Square Adjusted R

Square

Std. Error of the

Estimate

1 .587a

0.652 0.055 1.48971

a. Predictors: (Constant), Financial Wellness Programs

*Regression Model Summary test significant at p < .05 level

Table 4.6(b) presents the multiple linear regression ANOVA results which indicate that

financial wellness programs significantly predicted employee productivity as the

probability value obtained was 0.013 which was less than α=0.05, the significance level,

with the F value = 17.39, p < 0.013.

44

Table 4.6 (b): Regression ANOVA

ANOVAa

Model

Sum of

Squares

df Mean Square

F

Sig.

1

Regression 17.75 1 17.890 17.395 0.013b*

Residual 297.331 185 1.241

Total 315.081 186

a. Dependent Variable: Employee Productivity

b. Predictors: ( Constant), Financial Wellness Programs

*Regression ANOVA test significant at p < .05 level

Table 4.6(c) presents the regressions coefficient findings which indicate that financial

wellness programs predicted employee productivity, β = .406, p < .05. This implies that

one unit in the increase of financial wellness programs would result to an increase in

employee productivity by a unit of 0.406. From the coefficients, the general form of the

multiple linear regression model equation that was established was; Employee productivity

= 1.833 + 0.406 Financial wellness programs.

Table 4.6 (c): Regression Coefficient

Coefficientsa

Model

Unstandardized

Coefficients

Standardized

Coefficients T Sig.

β Std. Error Beta

1 (Constant) 1.833 1.207 1.177 .000

Financial Wellness

Programs .406 .037 .322 2.334 .004*

a. Dependent Variable: Employee Productivity

*Regression Coefficient test significant at p < .05 level

4.6 Influence of Social Wellness Programs on Employee Productivity

This section sought to address the third specific objective on establishing the influence of

social wellness programs on employee productivity. The cornerstone items that the study

focused on include; social wellness facilities, tailored social interventions, work-life

balance, psycho-social wellness and organizational wellness and culture. In order to

achieve this, the extent to which the respondents agreed on the given statements was ranked

using a 5-point Likert scale ranging from 1 - 5, where, 1 = strongly disagree, 2 = disagree,

3 = not sure, 4 = agree and 5 = strongly agree. Means and standard deviations were

45

examined in order to indicate the magnitude of the responses as well as to provide objective

measures of data comparison. Mean scores of 3.5 and above (M > 3.5) denoted

effectiveness of the data. The results are presented in Table 4.7.

4.6.1 Descriptive Statistics of Social Wellness Programs

Descriptive statistical analysis conducted included frequency distribution, mean and

standard deviation. When the employees were asked if social wellness facilities are

essential for productivity at the workplace, 44% agreed so. Another 34% strongly agreed,

17% were not sure, 4% disagreed and 2% strongly disagreed. The mean was 3.98 with a

standard deviation of 0.971. When the employees were asked if development of tailored

social interventions to mediate and support them increases productivity levels at the

workplace, 36% were not sure. Another 34% agreed, 22% strongly agreed, 7% disagreed

and 2% strongly disagreed. The mean was 4.06 with a standard deviation of 0.855.

When the employees were asked whether lack of work-life balance has decreased

productivity at the workplace, 63% strongly disagreed. Another 28% agreed, 5% were not

sure, 3% strongly agreed and 3% disagreed. The mean was 3.50 with a standard deviation

of 0.553. When the employees were asked if psycho-social wellness programs prevent and

addresses stress, physical and emotional violence enabling productivity at work, 58%

strongly agreed. Another 30% agreed, 11% were not sure, 2% disagreed and 1% strongly

disagreed. The mean was 4.25 with a standard deviation of 0.653. When the employees

were asked if organizational wellness promotes an organizational culture that is conducive

to productivity at the workplace, 42% agreed so. Another 26% were not sure, 22% strongly

agreed, 7% disagreed and 4% strongly disagreed. The mean was 3.77 with a standard

deviation of 0.966.

The results implied that the statement psycho-social wellness programs at work prevents

and addresses stress, physical and emotional violence enabling employees to be more

productive at work was the most significant variable that influenced social wellness

programs on employee productivity as it indicated the highest mean.

46

Table 4.7: Descriptive Statistics for Social Wellness Programs on Employee

Productivity

Influence of Social Wellness

Programs on Employee

Productivity

%f 1 2 3 4 5 N M SD

Social wellness facilities are essential

for the productivity of employees at

the workplace

% 2% 4% 17% 44% 34% 100% 3.98 0.971

f 3 7 31 83 63 187

Development of tailored social

interventions to mediate and support

employees increases employee

productivity levels

% 2% 7% 36% 34% 22% 100%

4.06 0.855 f 3 12 68 62 41 187

Lack of work-life balance has become

a challenge for organizations because

of decreased employee productivity

% 63% 3% 5% 28% 3% 100%

3.50 0.553 f 115 5 10 52 5 187

Psycho-social wellness programs

prevents and addresses stress, physical

and emotional violence enabling

employees to be more productive at

work

% 1% 2% 11% 30% 58% 100%

4.25 0.653 f 2 3 20 56 106 187

Organizational wellness promotes an

organizational culture that is

conducive to individual and work

productivity of employees

% 4% 7% 26% 42% 22% 100%

3.77 0.966 f 7 13 48 78 41 187

4.6.2 Correlation between Social Wellness Programs and Employee Productivity

Pearson correlation analysis was carried out to determine the relationship between the

influence of social wellness programs and employee productivity. The findings presented

in Table 4.8 indicate that there was statistically significant positive correlation between

social wellness programs and employee productivity, r(187) = .71, p < .05.

47

Table 4.8: Correlation Analysis between Social Wellness Programs and Employee

Productivity

Variables Social Wellness

Programs

1 Employee Productivity Pearson Correlation

Sig. (2-tailed)

N

.715*

.000

187

2 Social Wellness Programs Pearson Correlation

Sig. (2-tailed)

N

1

187

*. Correlation is significant at the 0.05 level (2-tailed)

4.6.3 Regression Analysis between Social Wellness Programs and Employee

Productivity

A multiple linear regression analysis was carried out to determine the extent to which social

wellness programs influenced employee productivity. Results of the regression model

summary presented in Table 4.9(a) indicate that social wellness programs explained 73.3%

of the variability on employee productivity, (R2 = .733, p < .05).

Table 4. 9(a): Regression Model Summary

Model R

R Square Adjusted R

Square

Std. Error of

the Estimate

1 .711a 0.733 0.0489 1.54332

a. Predictors: (Constant), Social Wellness Programs

*Regression Model Summary test significant at p < .05 level

Table 4.9(b) presents the multiple linear regression ANOVA results which indicates that

social wellness programs significantly predicted employee productivity as the probability

value obtained was 0.014 which was less than α=0.05, the significance level, with the F

value = 18.42, p < 0.014.

48

Table 4.9 (b): Regression ANOVA

ANOVAa

Model Sum of

Squares

df Mean Square

F

Sig.

1

Regression 18.28 1 18.008 18.422 0.014b*

Residual 294.446 186 1.335

Total 312.726 187

a. Dependent Variable: Employee Productivity

b. Predictors: (Constant), Social Wellness Programs

*Regression ANOVA test significant at p < .05 level

Table 4.9(c) presents the regressions coefficient findings which indicate that social

wellness programs predicted employee productivity, β = .532, p < .05. This implies that

one unit in the increase of social wellness programs would result to an increase in employee

productivity by a unit of 0.532. From the coefficients, the general form of the multiple

linear regression model equation that was established was; Employee productivity = 1.566

+ 0.532 Social wellness programs.

Table 4.9 (c): Regression Coefficient

Coefficientsa

Model

Unstandardized

Coefficients

Standardized

Coefficients T Sig.

β Std. Error Beta

1 (Constant) 1.566 1.190 1.205 .000

Social Wellness

Programs .532 .044 .319 2.212 .003*

a. Dependent Variable: Employee Productivity

*Regression Coefficient test significant at p < .05 level

4.7 Employee Productivity

This section sought to analyze employee productivity at USIU-A based on efficiency,

quality, timeliness and effectiveness. In order to achieve this, the extent to which the

respondents agreed on the given statements was ranked using a 5-point Likert scale ranging

from 1 - 5, where, 1 = strongly disagree, 2 = disagree, 3 = not sure, 4 = agree and 5 =

strongly agree. Means and standard deviations were examined in order to indicate the

magnitude of the responses as well as to provide objective measures of data comparison.

49

Mean scores of 3.5 and above (M > 3.5) denoted effectiveness of the data. The results are

presented in Table 4.10.

4.7.1 Descriptive Statistics of Employee Productivity

Descriptive statistical analysis conducted included frequency distribution, mean and

standard deviation. The findings revealed that employees at USIU-A strongly agreed that

they were eager to learn various ways of making themselves more productive at work. The

mean was 4.18 with a standard deviation of 0.473. Also, results showed that the employees

agreed that they were able to deliver their job tasks within the set deadlines. The mean was

4.03 with a standard deviation of 0.861. The finding also showed that the employees agreed

that they were able to generate more than an hours’ worth of productivity of each hour at

the workplace. The mean was 3.92 with a standard deviation of 0.961.

Table 4.10: Descriptive Statistics for Employee Productivity

Employee Productivity N Mean Std.

Dev

Employees quality of work improves over time

187 3.76 0.992

Employees are able to deliver within the set deadlines 187 4.03 0.861

Employees are eager to learn on ways of making themselves

more productive 187 4.18 0.743

Employees provide suggestions to enhance their service

delivery 187 3.66 0.521

Employees are able to generate more than an hours’ worth

of productivity of each hour

187 3.92 0.961

4.7.2 Correlation of Corporate Wellness Programs on Employee Productivity

Pearson correlation analysis was carried out to determine the relationship between the

influence of corporate wellness programs and employee productivity. The findings

presented in Table 4.11 indicate that there was statistically significant positive correlation

between corporate wellness programs and employee productivity, r(187) = .81, p < .05.

50

Table 4.11: Correlation Analysis between Corporate Wellness Programs and

Employee Productivity

Variables Credit Cost

1 Employee Productivity Pearson Correlation

Sig. (2-tailed)

N

.814*

.000

187

2 Corporate Wellness Programs Pearson Correlation

Sig. (2-tailed)

N

1

187

*. Correlation is significant at the 0.05 level (2-tailed)

4.8 Chapter Summary

This chapter presented the results and findings for descriptive statistical analysis,

correlational analysis and multiple linear regression analysis for each objective collected

from respondents at USIU-A. The first section provided an analysis of demographic

information of the respondents which was presented using graphs, figures and pie charts.

The second section provided an analysis of the first specific objective concerning influence

of physical wellness programs on employee productivity. The third section provided an

analysis of the second specific objective concerning influence of financial wellness

programs on employee productivity. The fourth section provided an analysis of the third

specific objective concerning influence of social wellness programs on employee

productivity. The last section provided an analysis of employee productivity. Chapter five

presents discussion, conclusions and recommendations of the study.

51

CHAPTER FIVE

5.0 DISCUSSION, CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS

5.1 Introduction

This chapter presents the summary of the study followed by detailed discussion of the

results, conclusions and recommendations of the study. The discussion of the results,

conclusion and recommendations for improvement are presented based on the specific

objectives of this study.

5.2 Summary

The general objective of this study was to determine the influence of corporate wellness

programs on employee productivity at United States International University – Africa

(USIU-A). The specific objectives that guided the study were; to assess the influence of

physical wellness programs on employee productivity at USIU-A. To investigate the

influence of financial wellness programs on employee productivity at USIU-A. To establish

the influence of social wellness programs on employee productivity at USIU-A.

In order to achieve these objectives, the study adopted a descriptive research design. The

target population of the study consisted of four hundred and fifty-eight (458) employees

two hundred and forty-eight (248) employees at USIU-A consisting of two respondent

categories which includes; faculty staff and support staff at the time of the study. Stratified

and simple random sampling technique was used to draw a sample size of two hundred and

fourteen (214) employees from the total population. A structured questionnaire was used

to collect data for the study whereby out of 214 questionnaires that were administered to

respondents, only one hundred and eighty-seven (187) were filled and returned. Data was

then analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistical analysis. The descriptive

statistical analysis included frequency distribution, mean and standard deviation while the

inferential statistical analysis included Correlation analysis and Multiple Linear Regression

analysis. Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) software version 21.0 and MS

Excel were used as tools for statistical analysis and the results were presented in figures

and tables.

The results obtained based on the first specific objective concerning influence of physical

wellness programs on employee productivity indicated it was strongly agreed that physical

52

wellness activities increased employee productivity by spurring employees at work to take

physical body activities that improve health was the most significant variable that

influenced physical wellness programs on employee productivity. Additionally, results

showed that thirty-five percent (35%) of the respondents agreed that eating a nutritious

healthy diet increases productivity in the workplace. It was also found that forty-one (41%)

of the respondents were not sure whether employees with good health assessment rapport

are more productive at the workplace. Findings from Pearson Correlation analysis test

indicated that there was statistically significant positive correlation between physical

wellness programs and employee productivity; r(187) = .74, p < .05. Linear regression

analysis indicated that physical wellness programs explained 72.4% of the variability on

employee productivity, R2 = 0.724 and statistically significant predicted employee

productivity. The probability value obtained was 0.012 which was less than α=0.05, the

significance level, with the F value = 18.44, p < 0.012.

The results obtained based on the second specific objective concerning influence of

financial wellness programs on employee productivity indicated it was strongly agreed that

return on investment of financial wellness programs benefits individuals’ financial well-

being thereby increasing employees’ productivity at work was the most significant variable

that influenced financial wellness programs on employee productivity. Additionally, results

showed that forty-two percent (42%) of the respondents strongly agreed that employers

should provide financial education programs in order to improve personal financial well-

being which will boost employees’ productivity at the workplace. It was also found that

thirty-five percent (35%) of the respondents were not sure whether high financial stress and

low financial well-being resulted to frequent absenteeism from work leading to decreased

productivity at work. Findings from Pearson Correlation analysis test indicated that there

was statistically significant positive correlation between financial wellness programs and

employee productivity; r(187) = .67, p < .05. Linear regression analysis indicated that

financial wellness programs explained 65.2% of the variability on employee productivity,

R2 = 0.652 and statistically significant predicted employee productivity. The probability

value obtained was 0.013 which was less than α=0.05, the significance level, with the F

value = 17.39, p < 0.013.

The results obtained based on the third specific objective concerning influence of social

wellness programs on employee productivity indicated it was strongly agreed that psycho-

social wellness programs at work prevents and addresses stress, physical and emotional

53

violence enabling employees to be more productive at work was the most significant

variable that influenced social wellness programs on employee productivity. Additionally,

results showed that fifty- eight percent (63%) of the respondents strongly disagreed that

lack of work-life balance has become a challenge for organizations because of decreased

employee productivity. It was also found that thirty-six percent (36%) of the respondents

were not sure whether development of tailored social interventions to mediate and support

employees increases employee productivity at the workplace. Findings from Pearson

Correlation analysis test indicated that there was statistically significant positive correlation

between social wellness programs and employee productivity; r(187) = .71, p < .05. Linear

regression analysis indicated that social wellness programs explained 73.3% of the

variability on employee productivity, R2 = 0.733 and statistically significant predicted

employee productivity. The probability value obtained was 0.014 which was less than

α=0.05, the significance level, with the F value = 18.42, p < 0.014.

5.3 Discussion

This section discusses the study findings based on each specific objective against the

literature that was reviewed.

5.3.1 Influence of Physical Wellness Programs on Employee Productivity

The findings of the study indicated a significant proportion of the respondents agreed that

eating a nutritious healthy diet at work increases productivity in the workplace. These

results concurs with Kumar, McCalla and Lybeck (2019) who assert that a healthy

nutritional diet constitutes a healthy body that is strong and fights diseases thereby

increasing an individual’s productivity level in the workplace. A case study by Selecky

(2017) is also in agreement with the study findings where by utilizing an internal company’s

resources and employee survey, examined questions related to the efficacy of nutritional

health diets programs among university employees and how it affects employee

productivity. The results of the employee survey showed that there is a correlation between

eating a balanced diet and being more productive at work. Also, there is a link between

being in good physical health, potentially because employees participate in the wellness

program, and being productive at work.

The study findings also revealed that a portion of the respondents were not sure whether

employees with good health assessment rapport were more productive at work. Cartwright

and Holdsworth (2015) affirms these findings by highlighting that employees who do not

54

eat a very balanced diet, do not like the company’s health wellness plan and are not

convinced that it would make employees more productive. Ataullah and Sahota (2014)

assert that for a company designing its physical wellness program, it should tap information

through an employee health assessment on how many employees have each of the

significant risk factors for using medical services and determine which risk factors to target

in its physical wellness program. By doing so, organizations will be in a position to tailor

health and nutrition programs that best suit their employees in order to increase their

productivity at work. Mattke et al. (2012) further add that 92% of employers with 200 or

more employees offered physical wellness programs that entailed health and nutrition

assessment risks at Chicago University in order to increase employee productivity at work.

The findings of the study strongly agreed that physical wellness activities increase

employee productivity by spurring them to take actions that improve health. Sharifzadeh

(2013) affirms that only a physically fit individual can perform more physically demanding

tasks at work and withstand workload pressures and over-time. As such, a person who is

physically fit can serve better at work and be productive compared to an unfit person.

Cavico and Mujtaba (2010) assert that physical wellness activities encourages employees

to take care of their bodies through physical activity, proper nutrition and a strong mind.

Goetzel and Ozminkowski (2018) emphasizes self-care or self-management as part of

physical wellness referring to the notion that the individual is an active participant in his or

her physical wellness by ensuring health maintenance in order to attain optimum

productivity at work. These include all the things employees can do to maintain their health,

such as eating well, exercising, not smoking, using alcohol in moderation, managing stress,

performing safety checks at home and at work and maintaining a healthy body weight.

Gubler et al. (2016) asserted that corporate wellness programs which incorporated physical

wellness activities indicated objective productivity improvements in industrial workers. He

further adds that physical fitness exercise programs in the workplace increase employee

productivity through an active strong body and gratitude or reciprocity from those who

discover a previously undiagnosed illness. Almost 90% of companies use corporate

wellness programs designed to improve employee health through initiating physical fitness

capacity exercises.

55

5.3.2 Influence of Financial Wellness Programs on Employee Productivity

The study findings revealed that a proportion of the respondents agreed that employees

with high financial stress and low financial well-being tend to be more frequently absent

from work thereby less productive at work. This concurs with Mrkvicka et al. (2016) who

asserts that the financial struggles of U.S. households carry over into the workplace via

absenteeism and diminished overall work productivity. Bryson et al. (2015) further affirms

that Michigan University, over one third (36%) of employees more than one half (51%) of

whom had incomes below $50,000 per year said financial stress had impacted their

employee productivity at the workplace. Personal financial issues are a distraction at work,

43% of whom said they take three or more hours per week to think about or deal with these

issues. Financial problems have affected work productivity and attendance among 18% and

11% of employees, respectively. Kim and Garman (2013) affirm that worker productivity

and workers’ financial well-being are positively related. Therefore, employees with high

financial stress and low financial well-being tend to be more frequently absent from work.

Employees’ financial concerns impede their work thereby using time at work to attend to

financial issues. This brings in the need for organizations to incorporate financial wellness

programs to help curb financial stress experienced by employees.

Analysis of the data obtained from the study revealed that employers should provide

financial education programs in order to improve personal financial well-being to boost

employees’ productivity at work. Steen and MacKenzie (2013) assert that an increase in

financial literacy has been found to decrease financial stress and increase financial well-

being which in totality increases employee productivity at the workplace. Kumaran (2013)

adds that financial literacy increases a person’s financial efficacy making them to become

productive in their workplace. Financial literacy alone is not enough to ensure control over

personal finances, financial efficacy is equally as important. Kim and Garman (2013) agree

that finding higher financial efficacy predicts fewer financial problems (i.e. more control

over personal finances) resulting to increased productivity at the workplace by employees.

Increased financial efficacy enables a person to overcome financial difficulty more easily

and effectively increase his/her financial well-being resulting to increased productivity

levels at work. Shim and Steers (2019) affirms that financial wellness programs were found

to directly have a positive relationship with employee productivity at the workplace.

56

The study showed that the return on investment of financial wellness programs benefits

individuals’ financial well-being by imparting them knowledge and skills which culminate

to increasing employees’ productivity at work. Rath et al. (2015) concurs that people with

high financial wellness manage their personal finances well and spend their money wisely

thus contributes to the productivity levels of an individual. Taft, Hosein, Mehrizi and

Roshan (2013) add that personal financial wellbeing can be a function of physical and

emotional determinants of one’s financial position and one’s feeling of satisfaction with

one’s financial status leading to employees becoming more productive. Joo (2018) further

affirms that financial wellbeing could represent being financially independent, healthy and

carefree in line with an employees’ current financial situation enabling one to be productive

at work. Zimmerman (2015) asserts that people do not live compartmentalized lives and

millions carry financial burdens each day from home to work which affects their ability to

perform at work and causes decreased productivity at work. With these increasing pressures

on personal finances and its interference on employee productivity at work, management

should attempt to improve employees’ financial well-being and need to be convinced that

their actions can improve their employees’ financial well-being to increase work

productivity.

5.3.3 Influence of Social Wellness Programs on Employee Productivity

The study findings revealed that respondents strongly agreed that psycho-social wellness

programs prevent and addresses stress, physical and emotional violence enabling

employees to be more productive at work. Steinmann (2016) affirms that an employee

assistance program is one of the psycho-social wellness programs adopted by most

organizations designed to assist in the identification and resolution of productivity

problems associated with employees who experience personal concerns. These concerns

may include health, marital, family, financial, alcohol, drug, legal, emotional, stress, or

other personal factors which may adversely affect employee productivity. Ratnawat and

Jha (2014) asserts that these social wellness programs enable employees to have access to

professional assistance for a wide range of personal, interpersonal and work-related

concerns and challenges that enable them increase their productivity at work. These

wellness programs are further designed to encourage employees to take personal

responsibility for their psycho-social health and wellness.

57

Analysis of the data obtained from the study indicated that organizational wellness

promotes an organizational culture that is conducive to individual and work productivity of

employees. Ozguner and Ozguner (2014) affirms that the intended outcome of

organizational wellness management is to maximize and sustain the potential of human

capital and an effective employee productivity that is positively responsive to the needs of

the public. Steinmann (2016) adds that organizational wellness instills a coherent sense of

moral wellbeing within employees relating to issues such as moral regeneration, integrity,

organizational ethics, values and whistleblowing deemed necessary to promote employee

productivity at work. Parks and Steelmann (2016) postulate that employers who provide

organizational wellness programmes are viewed as having more concern for their

employees and as a result enhance employees’ attitudes toward the organization resulting

to increased employee productivity. Ndlela (2015) further affirms that a growing number

of companies have committed to providing organizational wellness programmes to help

improve the health of employees, control health care, absence and absenteeism costs and

to provide an additional benefit to employees.

Findings in this study established that social wellness facilities are essential for the

productivity of employees at the workplace. Nyakwara, Shiundu and Gongera (2014) assert

these findings when they evaluated the social wellness programs facilities as an

intervention strategy of industrial unrest on employee productivity at Mumias Sugar

Company (MSC) in Kenya. The findings from the study indicated that the major forms of

industrial unrest experienced by MSC were strikes and the main cause of this was

inflexibility of terms and conditions of employment. The study found that industrial unrest

intervention strategies employed at MSC did not only address the issue of unrest but also

enhanced employee productivity. Lagat, Mutai and Kosgey (2014) affirm these findings

when they examined the importance of social employee welfare programs and employee

productivity in UASU, Kenya. The study established that trade unions play a key role in

enhancing social employee welfare programs and employee productivity in organizations.

Results indicated that the UASU had different but positive impacts on the variables

affecting social employee welfare programs and, consequently, employee productivity. In

descending order of importance, maternity, pension, housing and medical schemes were

some of the benefits from the social welfare program activities of the UASU. Manning

(2019) adds that it is therefore vital for organizations to introduce social wellness programs

to their workplaces in order to increase employee productivity.

58

5.4 Conclusions

This section presents conclusions of the study made from the discussion based on the

findings sought from the specific objectives of the study.

5.4.1 Influence of Physical Wellness Programs on Employee Productivity

The results from the study revealed that maintaining physical fitness by exercising regularly

increases productivity at work. Based on these findings, the study concludes that eating a

nutritious healthy diet, maintaining physical fitness, taking short walks, regular health

assessment rapport and physical wellness activities are all direct links between physical

wellness programs and on-the-job productivity of an employee in the workplace. It is

evident from the thinking that only a physically fit individual can perform more physically

demanding tasks at work and withstand workload pressures and over-time. As such, a

person who is physically fit can serve better at work and be productive compared to an unfit

person. Additionally, health improvements are tied to an individual’s capability to carry out

a critical job task and may increase worker productivity on tasks due to improved mental

health and reduced distraction from pain and discomfort.

5.4.2 Influence of Financial Wellness Programs on Employee Productivity

The results from the study revealed that employees with high financial stress and low

financial well-being tend to be more frequently absent from work thereby less productive

at work. Based on these findings, the study concludes that financial wellbeing, financial

education programs, low financial stress, sound personal finances and financial literacy are

all linked to financial wellness programs and provide a direct relationship between financial

wellness programs and employee productivity at the workplace. An increase in financial

literacy among employees has the capability to decrease their financial stress and increase

financial well-being which in totality increases employee productivity at the workplace.

Additionally, financial wellbeing could represent being financially independent, healthy

and carefree in line with the current financial situation.

5.4.3 Influence of Social Wellness Programs on Employee Productivity

The study findings revealed that organizational wellness promotes an organizational culture

that is conducive to individual and work productivity of employees. Based on these

findings, the study concludes that social wellness facilities, tailored social interventions,

work-life balance, psycho-social wellness and organizational wellness and culture directly

link social wellness programs and employee productivity. These social wellness programs

59

enable employees to have access to professional assistance for a wide range of personal,

interpersonal and work-related concerns and challenges that enable them increase their

productivity at work. These wellness programs are further designed to encourage

employees to take personal responsibility for their psycho-social health and wellness. In

addition, employers who provide social wellness programs in the organization or company

are viewed as having more concern for their employees and as a result enhance employees’

attitudes toward the organization resulting to increased employee productivity.

5.5 Recommendations

The following recommendations are made based on the findings and specific objectives of

the study.

5.5.1 Recommendations for Improvement

5.5.1.1 Influence of Physical Wellness Programs on Employee Productivity

Majority of the employees felt that eating a healthy and nutritious balance diet enabled

them to become more productive at the workplace. For a company designing its physical

wellness program, there is need for it to tap information through an employee health

assessment on how many employees have each of the significant risk factors for using

medical services and determine which risk factors to target in its physical wellness program.

By doing so, organizations will be in a position to tailor health and nutrition programs as

well as physical fitness activities that best suit their employees in order to increase their

productivity at work. This will in the long run encourage employees to take care of their

bodies through physical activity, proper nutrition and a strong mind necessary to increase

their productivity at work.

5.5.1.2 Influence of Financial Wellness Programs on Employee Productivity

Based on the study findings, it is evident that employees with high financial stress and low

financial well-being tend to be more frequently absent from work thereby decreased

productivity at work. This affects their ability to perform at work and causes a decrease in

productivity at work. Employers can intervene with employees’ financial well-being by

improving financial efficacy through financial education wellness programs and by

improving employee productivity with remuneration. Employee productivity can be

enhanced by increasing actual remuneration and benefits, addressing administrative issues

of the pay system, addressing staff morale or by increasing financial efficacy. Additionally,

60

employers should provide employees with financial education programs in order to

improve their personal financial stress in order to boost their productivity at work.

5.5.1.3 Influence of Social Wellness Programs on Employee Productivity

Employers should strive to provide social wellness programs at work which can be viewed

as having more concern for their employees and as a result enhance employees’ attitudes

toward the organization resulting to increased employee productivity. Additionally, the

employers should also provide the employees with certain facilities and services in addition

to wages and salaries that can increase employee productivity. Employers should commit

to providing social wellness programs to help improve the health of employees, control

health care, absence and absenteeism costs and to provide an additional benefit to

employees.

5.5.2 Recommendations for Further Studies

The study sought to determine the influence of corporate wellness programs on employee

productivity at United States International University - Africa. The researcher recommends

that further research be undertaken for other private universities in Kenya applying the same

research objectives in order to generalize or contrast the findings in this study.

61

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APPENDICES

Appendix I: Cover Letter

Maureen Nyakio Maina,

United States International University - Africa,

P.O. Box 146634 - 008100,

Nairobi, Kenya.

Dear Respondent,

RE: REQUEST FOR PARTICIPATION IN ACADEMIC RESEARCH STUDY

I am a Masters student in the Business Administration program at United States

International University – Africa (USIU-A). I am conducting an Academic Research

Project titled; “Influence of Corporate Wellness Programs on Employee Productivity

at United States International University - Africa in Nairobi County” in partial

fulfilment of the requirement for the Degree of Masters in Business Administration (MBA)

at the university.

You have been identified as one of the respondents under the study. I would be grateful if

you could spend a few minutes filling out the attached questionnaire. The response of the

questions therein and all the information provided will be used purely for academic

research. Your responses will be treated with the confidentiality it deserves and no personal

information will be disclosed to the public.

Results of this study are important to current and future employees at the United States

International University - Africa (USIU-A). To maintain anonymity, I request that you DO

NOT write your name or any form of identification on the questionnaire. Attached is

NACOSTI permit for your reference in support of this research. Thank you in advance for

accepting to be a positive contributor to our society. In case you may want a copy of this

project report, kindly reach me via my contacts below and I would be glad to send you a

summary of the report upon completion. Thank you.

Yours sincerely,

Maureen Nyakio Maina

Phone – 0722869474; Email – maureennyakio@gmail.com

77

Appendix II: Questionnaire

SECTION ONE: DEMOGRAPHIC INFORMATION

1. What is your gender?

Male [ ] Female [ ]

2. Kindly indicate your age bracket

18 - 25 years [ ] 26 - 40 years [ ]

41- 50 years [ ] Above 50 years [ ]

3. Kindly indicate your highest level of education?

PhD [ ]

Master’s Degree [ ]

Bachelor’s Degree [ ]

Diploma/ Professional Certificate [ ]

4. Kindly indicate the duration for which you have worked for at USIU-A

1 - 3 years [ ]

4 - 6 years [ ]

7 - 9 years [ ]

Above 10 years [ ]

5. Which department category are you currently working in at USIU-A?

Faculty Staff [ ]

Support Staff [ ]

78

SECTION TWO: INFLUENCE OF PHYSICAL WELLNESS PROGRAMS ON

EMPLOYEE PRODUCTIVITY

This section is concerned with investigating the influence of physical wellness programs

on employee productivity at USIU-A. Kindly tick (√) on the statements by using the scale

provided of 1-5 where: 1 = Strongly Disagree, 2 = Disagree, 3 = Not Sure, 4 = Agree and

5 = Strongly Agree.

No.

Influence of Physical Wellness Programs on

Employee Productivity

SD

[1]

D

[2]

NS

[3]

A

[4]

SA

[5]

1 Eating a nutritious healthy diet at work increases

productivity in the workplace

2 Maintaining physical fitness by exercising regularly

increases productivity at work

3 Managing stress by taking short walks/muscle-stretch

breaks increases productivity at the workplace

4 Employees with good health assessment rapport are

more productive at work

5 Physical wellness activities increase employee

productivity by spurring them to take actions that

improve health

79

SECTION THREE: INFLUENCE OF FINANCIAL WELLNESS PROGRAMS ON

EMPLOYEE PRODUCTIVITY

This section is concerned with investigating the influence of financial wellness programs

on employee productivity at USIU-A. Kindly tick (√) on the statements by using the scale

provided of 1-5 where: 1 = Strongly Disagree, 2 = Disagree, 3 = Not Sure, 4 = Agree and

5 = Strongly Agree.

No.

Influence of Financial Wellness Programs on

Employee Productivity

SD

[1]

D

[2]

NS

[3]

A

[4]

SA

[5]

1 The return on investment of financial wellness

programs benefits individuals financial well-being

thereby increasing employees productivity at work

2 Employers should provide financial education

programs in order to improve personal financial well-

being which will boost employees productivity at work

3 Employees with high financial stress and low financial

well-being tend to be more frequently absent from

work thereby less productive at work

4 Employees who have financially sound personal

finances have a smaller interference at work thereby

more productive at work

5 Financial education is a factor that could potentially

benefit financial well-being thereby increasing

employees productivity at work

80

SECTION FOUR: INFLUENCE OF SOCIAL WELLNESS PROGRAMS ON

EMPLOYEE PRODUCTIVITY

This section is concerned with investigating the influence of social wellness programs on

employee productivity at USIU-A. Kindly tick (√) on the statements by using the scale

provided of 1-5 where: 1 = Strongly Disagree, 2 = Disagree, 3 = Not Sure, 4 = Agree and

5 = Strongly Agree.

No.

Influence of Social Wellness Programs on Employee

Productivity

SD

[1]

D

[2]

NS

[3]

A

[4]

SA

[5]

1 Social wellness facilities are essential for the

productivity of employees at the workplace

2 Development of tailored social interventions to mediate

and support employees increases employee

productivity levels

3 Lack of work-life balance has become a challenge for

organizations because of decreased employee

productivity

4 Psycho-social wellness programs prevents and

addresses stress, physical and emotional violence

enabling employees to be more productive at work

5 Organizational wellness promotes an organizational

culture that is conducive to individual and work

productivity of employees

81

SECTION FIVE: EMPLOYEE PRODUCTIVITY

This section is concerned with determining employee productivity at USIU-A based on

efficiency, quality, timeliness and effectiveness. Kindly tick (√) on the statements by using

the scale provided of 1-5 where: 1 = Strongly Disagree, 2 = Disagree, 3 = Not Sure, 4 =

Agree and 5 = Strongly Agree.

No.

Employee Productivity SD

[1]

D

[2]

NS

[3]

A

[4]

SA

[5]

1 Employees quality of work improves over time

2 Employees are able to deliver within the set deadlines

3 Employees are eager to learn on ways of making

themselves more productive

4 Employees provide suggestions to enhance their

service delivery

5 Employees are able to generate more than an hours’

worth of productivity of each hour

“THANK YOU”

82

Appendix III: USIU-A Institutional Review Board (IRB) Approval Letter

83

Appendix IV: NACOSTI Approval Permit

84