Employee health and wellness in South Africa: The role of legislation and management standards

Sieberhagen, Charlotte; Rothmann, Sebastiaan; Pienaar, Jaco

doi:10.4102/sajhrm.v7i1.144

Cited by 11 publications

(7 citation statements)

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“…These two legislative acts also require employers to provide free, effective PPE to workers. Most work settings are still unsafe because of lack of compliance to occupational legislation and, according to Sieberhagen et al ( 2009 :1), legislation is necessary to ensure that workers’ safety and wellness are taken seriously by employers. The occupational health nurse has a duty to increase awareness of health risks that impact the workers’ health and safety, as well as the measures that can mitigate the risks (Michell 2011 :48).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…In their research, Sieberhagen, Rothmann and Pienaar ( 2009 :1) reported that globally there are 270 million occupational accidents, 160 million occupational illnesses and two million fatalities. For workers to be protected against occupational health and safety risks, the South African government has promulgated occupational health legislation with the purpose of ensuring safety at work.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Worker knowledge of occupational legislation and related health and safety benefits

Pilusa

Mogotlane

2018

Curationis

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BackgroundEnvironmental hazards such as fumes, gases, poor ventilation and extreme temperatures might lead to occupational illnesses and injuries. To protect workers from potential occupational health and safety risks, the government has promulgated occupational legislation that must be implemented in work settings.ObjectivesThe objective of this study was to explore the knowledge of workers about occupational legislation and its benefits for their health and safety. The aim was to make recommendations that would be implemented to improve the knowledge and compliance with occupational legislation as advised by the occupational health nurse.MethodsA quantitative approach was used for this study. One hundred and ten respondents were sampled from an accessible population of 1590 workers. A self-administered questionnaire was used for gathering data. Data were analysed through descriptive analysis using Statistical Package for Social Sciences.ResultsResearch findings indicated that only 18 (16.36%) respondents were knowledgeable about occupational legislation. Eighty-two (75.54%) respondents were unable to mention even one occupational act by name. Respondents mentioned five benefits of occupational legislation for the health and safety of workers. These benefits were that legislation ensured safety, gave rights to workers, ensured compensation for occupational injuries and illnesses, and provided guidance in the prevention of occupational injuries and illnesses.ConclusionMost respondents (75.54%) were found not to be knowledgeable about occupational legislation. The positive finding was that respondents knew the benefits of occupational legislation. To improve the respondents’ knowledge about legislation, five recommendations are made by the researcher.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Worker knowledge of occupational legislation and related health and safety benefits

Pilusa

Mogotlane

2018

Curationis

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“…Many of the workplaces are experienced as highly stressful in South Africa due to the intra-societal changes within the South African society, decreasing economic stability, political challenges, such as corruption and crime, and financial as well as educational downhills (Mayer and Oosthuizen, 2021 in press). Rothmann (2005) has pointed out that stress is regarded as a high occupational risk, and Sieberhagen et al (2009) mention that often in the South African context the pathogenic approach to health still remains predominant, and that a more salutogenic and positive psychology-related approach should be considered. Recent research shows that mental illhealth is on the rise in South Africa and that many individuals are unaware that they have a diagnosable disorder which shows a lack of mental health literacy (Kometsi et al, 2019).…”

Section: Mental Health In South African Contexts During Covid-19mentioning

confidence: 99%

Cross-Cultural Comparison of Mental Health Between German and South African Employees: Shame, Self-Compassion, Work Engagement, and Work Motivation

2021

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The negative impact of the coronavirus disease outbreak 2019 (COVID-19) on work mental health is reported in many countries including Germany and South Africa: two culturally distinct countries. This study aims to compare mental health between the two workforces to appraise how cultural characteristics may impact their mental health status. A cross-sectional study was used with self-report measures regarding (i) mental health problems, (ii) mental health shame, (iii) self-compassion, (iv) work engagement and (v) work motivation. 257 German employees and 225 South African employees have completed those scales. This study reports results following the Strengthening the Reporting of Observational Studies in Epidemiology (STROBE) guidelines. T-tests, correlation and regression analyses were performed. German employees had lower mental health problems and mental health shame, and higher self-compassion than South Africans. Mental health problems were positively associated with mental health shame and amotivation, and negatively associated with work engagement and intrinsic motivation in both groups. Lastly, self-compassion, a PP 2.0 construct, was the strongest predictor for mental health problems in both countries. Our results suggest (i) that German culture’s long-term orientation, uncertainty avoidance and restraint may help explain these differences, and (ii) that self-compassion was important to mental health in both countries. While the levels of mental health differed between the two countries, cultivating self-compassion may be an effective way to protect mental health of employees in those countries. Findings can help inform managers and HR staff to refine their wellbeing strategies to reduce the negative impact of the pandemic, especially in German-South African organizations.

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“…This is because employee wellness can influence the wellness of the organisation, and vice versa (Sieberhagen et al, 2011, p. 4). Although issues of health and safety aspects are covered by occupational health and safety legislation, legislation regarding employee wellness remains undetermined (Sieberhagen et al, 2009). Andrews et al (2019) note that healthy employees experience more job satisfaction and greater productivity.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Missing in action: Perspectives on employee absenteeism in the South African Police Service

Dhlewayo

Bello

Mofokeng

2021

Cogent Social Sciences

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This article explores the pervasiveness of employee absenteeism in the South African Police Service (SAPS) at the station level and the factors that contribute to it. Employee absenteeism is a critical problem for most organisations and the SAPS is no exception. While measures have been put in place to curb this problem in the SAPS by the police authorities, employee absenteeism has persisted and remains a significant problem for the SAPS in contemporary South Africa. A recent qualitative study, using a convenient sampling technique, found that absenteeism is not only prevalent, but has become entrenched within the SAPS, and that several institutional policies and privileges, such as sick, normal, and incapacity leave, are often abused for personal benefit. Absenteeism was found to be affected by ineffective communication between station commanders and employees. The implications of the findings for effective police efficiency in the country are discussed.

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Employee health and wellness in South Africa: The role of legislation and management standards

Cited by 11 publications

References 0 publications

Worker knowledge of occupational legislation and related health and safety benefits

Worker knowledge of occupational legislation and related health and safety benefits

Cross-Cultural Comparison of Mental Health Between German and South African Employees: Shame, Self-Compassion, Work Engagement, and Work Motivation

Missing in action: Perspectives on employee absenteeism in the South African Police Service

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