This paper presents significant relationships between employees who have attended wellness program and those who have not attended wellness program with employees’ job satisfaction, stress and absenteeism. This study was conducted at a major telecommunication company in Malaysia. 125 employees of the company were selected as respondents of this study by using simple random sampling. In addition, 63 of these respondents had attended the wellness programs whereas the other 62 had not attended the programs provided by the company. A survey questionnaire was used for data collection. The research hypotheses were tested using T-test. The findings revealed that higher job satisfaction were found in the respondents who have attended wellness program than the respondents who have not attended wellness program. The findings also showed that lower employees’ perceived stress was found among the respondents who have attended wellness program than those who have not attended wellness program; and lower employees’ absenteeism was found in the respondents who have attended wellness program than the respondents who have not attended wellness program. As a conclusion, corporate wellness program is important in promoting employees to be concerned about their health status, possibility of having sickness, and tailored treatment for their health. The challenge now is to inculcate this activity as a culture within the employees so that they would have a positive perception towards wellness programs

Dayang Nailul Munna, Abang Abdullah

Oon, Y.B.

Unimas Institutional Repository

 Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences  65 ( 2012 )  479 – 484 1877-0428 © 2012 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.Selection and peer-review under responsibility of JIBES University, Jakartadoi: 10.1016/j.sbspro.2012.11.152 International Congress on Interdisciplinary Business and Social Science 2012 (ICIBSoS 2012) Effects of Wellness Programs on Job Satisfaction, Stress and Absenteeism between Two Groups of Employees (Attended and Not Attended)  Dayang Nailul Munna Abg Abdullaha*, Oon Yin Leeb aFaculty of Business Management, Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM) Puncak Alam, Bandar Puncak Alam, 42300 Kuala Selangor, Selangor, Malaysia bFaculty of Cognitive Sciences and Human Development, Universiti Malaysia Sarawak (UNIMAS), 94300 Kota Samarahan, Sarawak, Malaysia  Abstract This paper presents significant relationships between employees who have attended wellness program and those who have not attended wellness program with employees  job satisfaction, stress and absenteeism. This study was conducted at a major telecommunication company in Malaysia. 125 employees of the company were selected as respondents of this study by using simple random sampling. In addition, 63 of these respondents had attended the wellness programs whereas the other 62 had not attended the programs provided by the company. A survey questionnaire was used for data collection. The research hypotheses were tested using T-test. The findings revealed that higher job satisfaction were found in the respondents who have attended wellness program than the respondents who have not attended wellness program. The findings also showed that lower employees  perceived stress was found among the respondents who have attended wellness program than those who have not attended wellness program; and lower employees  absenteeism was found in the respondents who have attended wellness program than the respondents who have not attended wellness program. As a conclusion, corporate wellness program is important in promoting employees to be concerned about their health status, possibility of having sickness, and tailored treatment for their health. The challenge now is to inculcate this activity as a culture within the employees so that they would have a positive perception towards wellness programs.  © 2012 Published by Elsevier Ltd. Selection and/or peer-review under responsibility of JIBES University, Jakarta   * Corresponding author. Tel.: +603 3258 5196 E-mail address: nailul@salam.uitm.edu.my Available online at www.sciencedirect.com 12 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.Selection and peer-review under responsibility of JIBES University, JakartaOpen access under CC BY-NC-ND license.Open access under CC BY-NC-ND license.

Effects of Wellness Programs on Job Satisfaction, Stress and Absenteeism between Two Groups of Employees (Attended and Not Attended)

AbstractThis paper presents significant relationships between employees who have attended wellness program and those who have not attended wellness program with employees’ job satisfaction, stress and absenteeism. This study was conducted at a major telecommunication company in Malaysia. 125 employees of the company were selected as respondents of this study by using simple random sampling. In addition, 63 of these respondents had attended the wellness programs whereas the other 62 had not attended the programs provided by the company. A survey questionnaire was used for data collection. The research hypotheses were tested using T-test. The findings revealed that higher job satisfaction were found in the respondents who have attended wellness program than the respondents who have not attended wellness program. The findings also showed that lower employees’ perceived stress was found among the respondents who have attended wellness program than those who have not attended wellness program; and lower employees’ absenteeism was found in the respondents who have attended wellness program than the respondents who have not attended wellness program. As a conclusion, corporate wellness program is important in promoting employees to be concerned about their health status, possibility of having sickness, and tailored treatment for their health. The challenge now is to inculcate this activity as a culture within the employees so that they would have a positive perception towards wellness programs

Abdullah, Dayang Nailul Munna Abg

Lee, Oon Yin

Elsevier - Publisher Connector 

Effects of Wellness Programs on Job Satisfaction, Stress and Absenteeism between Two Groups of Employees (Attended and Not Attended) 

 Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences  65 ( 2012 )  479 – 484 
1877-0428 © 2012 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.
Selection and peer-review under responsibility of JIBES University, Jakarta
doi: 10.1016/j.sbspro.2012.11.152 
International Congress on Interdisciplinary Business and Social Science 2012 
(ICIBSoS 2012) 
Effects of Wellness Programs on Job Satisfaction, Stress and 
Absenteeism between Two Groups of Employees (Attended 
and Not Attended)  
Dayang Nailul Munna Abg Abdullaha*, Oon Yin Leeb 
aFaculty of Business Management, Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM) Puncak Alam, Bandar Puncak Alam, 42300 Kuala Selangor, 
Selangor, Malaysia 
bFaculty of Cognitive Sciences and Human Development, Universiti Malaysia Sarawak (UNIMAS), 94300 Kota Samarahan, 
Sarawak, Malaysia 
 
Abstract 
This paper presents significant relationships between employees who have attended wellness program and those who 
have not attended wellness program with employees  job satisfaction, stress and absenteeism. This study was 
conducted at a major telecommunication company in Malaysia. 125 employees of the company were selected as 
respondents of this study by using simple random sampling. In addition, 63 of these respondents had attended the 
wellness programs whereas the other 62 had not attended the programs provided by the company. A survey 
questionnaire was used for data collection. The research hypotheses were tested using T-test. The findings revealed 
that higher job satisfaction were found in the respondents who have attended wellness program than the respondents 
who have not attended wellness program. The findings also showed that lower employees  perceived stress was found 
among the respondents who have attended wellness program than those who have not attended wellness program; and 
lower employees  absenteeism was found in the respondents who have attended wellness program than the 
respondents who have not attended wellness program. As a conclusion, corporate wellness program is important in 
promoting employees to be concerned about their health status, possibility of having sickness, and tailored treatment 
for their health. The challenge now is to inculcate this activity as a culture within the employees so that they would 
have a positive perception towards wellness programs. 
 
© 2012 Published by Elsevier Ltd. Selection and/or peer-review under responsibility of JIBES University, 
Jakarta  
 
* Corresponding author. Tel.: +603 3258 5196 
E-mail address: nailul@salam.uitm.edu.my 
Available online at www.sciencedirect.com
 12 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.
Selection and peer-review under responsibility of JIBES University, Jakarta
Open access under CC BY-NC-ND license.
Open access under CC BY-NC-ND license.
480   Dayang Nailul Munna Abg Abdullah and Oon Yin Lee /  Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences  65 ( 2012 )  479 – 484 
 
Keywords: Wellness programs; job satisfaction; stress; absenteeism. 
1. Introduction 
In the field of human resources, wellness programs help companies contain health expenditures among 
their employees. A century ago, one of the first worksite-based recreation and fitness programs were 
formed in Pullman Company in 1879. However, the growth of worksite recreation and fitness programs 
slower down for several decades until the National Employee Services and Recreation Association 
(NESRA) was formed in 1941 and spearheaded greater interest in employees  health. Currently, over half 
of all midsize and large American companies offer at least one type of corporate health promotion activity 
with a growing number of smaller employers catching on (Chenoweth, 1998). The contributions of 
corporate health promotions have been recognized by many companies in global market. Yet, result of 
this study need to be justified due to various differences between developed countries and developing 
countries. 
Some researchers have been attempting studies on how wellness program could play its key role. For 
example, according to Johnson & Johnson studies (Janice, 1997), they indicated positive opportunity 
costs, business-unit-wide of health promotion programs. From his study, positive effects on wellness 
satisfaction, smoker  quit rates and on an indirect measure of productivity. Besides that, Connors (Janice, 
1997) also found that some companies have also enjoyed intangible benefits such as improved employee 
morale, health and productivity, employee attraction and retention, and improved image for corporations. 
The aims of this study were to identify the significant difference between employees who have 
attended wellness program and those who have not attended wellness program with employees  job 
satisfaction, stress and absenteeism. 
2. Literature Review 
2.1. Importance of Wellness Programs 
Wellness program is seen as a way to stop the bleeding in health care costs (Top Insurance News, 
2010). Actually implement employee wellness program create a win-win situation between employer and 
employees. Employer win with reduce tangible cost in the area of healthcare, disability, absenteeism, and 
Whereby, employees are benefited by learning how to lead a healthy lifestyle and 
how to be safe on job (Bates, 2006, cited in -five percent of what you 
spend on health care every year is something we can change through wellness; the tools, the programs, 
-West 
Healthcare (Top Insurance News, 2010). This means wellness program can assist a company to enjoy 
lower costs and greater financial savings, by retaining the better employees without affecting human 
resource which has been seen as fundamental issue of a company. 
Besides increasing ing key people, wellness program results in fewer 
injuries, less human error and harmonious work environment. Moreover, when employees know that their 
company is concerned about their health and wellness, indirectly can increase their loyalty and 
satisfaction. Additionally, according to John Bates (Wellness Proposal, 2006) employee wellness program 
can result in economic saving in four areas: reduction in demand for medical services; reduction in 
481 Dayang Nailul Munna Abg Abdullah and Oon Yin Lee /  Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences  65 ( 2012 )  479 – 484 
employee absenteeism; reduction in on-the-job injuries eduction 
in disability costs. 
2.2. Effects of Wellness Programs 
A fit employee population can be created with best fit implementation of wellness program. By 
implementing such program, it gives employees a feeling of being more than a usual resource of 
organization. This program also shows employees that the organization acknowledges that both employer 
and employee share some responsibility towards 
program reminds employee that their health is the utmost importance to the development of the 
organization. According to Health Canada, corporate wellness programs can reduce the impact of stress, 
employee satisfaction (Club Fit Corp, 2007). Therefore, most organizations expected the participation of 
employees in wellness program would return with great benefits in the workplace like low perceived 
stress problems, high job satisfaction and low absenteeism. 
3. Research Methodology 
A quantitative descriptive survey research was chosen for this study. The population consists of all 
executive employees in the chosen telecommunication company. There are approximately 1000 
employees from different units of organization. 125 respondents were selected as a sample of this study 
using simple random sampling method. In this study, self-administered questionnaire was used as an 
instrument for data collection. Basically, the items in the questionnaire were derived and adapted from the 
literature review. These questions were categorized into Section A, B and C. Section A was designed to 
obtain the information regarding the demographic characteristic of the respondents like age, gender, race, 
marital status, and job position. Meanwhile, Section B consists of statements on empl
the wellness programs that had been carried out in their company. Section C contains statements on the 
job satisfaction and absenteeism. A five-point rating scale ranged from Strongly 
Disagree with the value of one to Strongly Agree with the value of five was used in Section B and C. 
Table 1. Results of reliability and validity tests 
 
Measure 
 
Items Factor Loading KMO 
   
Sphericity Eigenvalue 
Variance 
Explained 
Cronbach 
Alpha 
 
Wellness Program 
 
5 0.631 to 0.897 0.799 45.279, p=.000 3.758 75.166 0.895 
Stress 4 0.646 to 0.868 0.744 43.845, p=.000 2.631 65.781 
 
0.816 
 
Job Satisfaction 3 0.461 to 0.943 0.624 11.796, p=.008 1.768 58.919 
 
0.648 
 
Absenteeism 3 0.850 to 0.954 0.769 77.450, p=.000 2.704 90.129 
 
0.945 
 
 
Table 1 presents the results of reliability and validity tests. Reliability and validity tests were 
conducted to ensure that the survey questions were clearly phrased and would be easily answerable by 
members of the sample without ambiguous, unclear or misleading questions. The KMO score for each 
482   Dayang Nailul Munna Abg Abdullah and Oon Yin Lee /  Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences  65 ( 2012 )  479 – 484 
variable was more than 0.6.  These variables were significant in Bartlett s test of sphericity. All variables 
had Eigenvalues larger than 1. The items for each variable had factor loadings of 0.4 and above, 
indicating that it met the acceptable standard of validity analysis (Coakes and Steed, 2002). According to 
Nunally and Bernstein (1994), the result of reliability analysis showed that the value of Cronbach alpha 
met the acceptable standard of reliability analysis (between 0.648 and 0.945). 
4. Findings and Discussion 
4.1. Demographic Characteristics  
This study comprised of 125 respondents. Majority of them are between 22 to 27 years old (56%). The 
smallest representative age group is between 40 to 45 years old which constituted 3.2%. The company has 
more male respondents (62.4%) compared to female (37.6%) and majority of them are Chinese (81.6%). 
71.8% of the respondents are not yet married. 
4.2. Different perception on effects between respondents who have or have not attended wellness 
program 
The results in Table 2 showed that employees who have attended wellness program have higher 
satisfaction on wellness program and job satisfaction, lower perceived stress and absenteeism than those 
who have not attended wellness program. T-test results (t=2.614, p=0.010) indicated that there was a 
significant difference between employees who have attended wellness program and those who have not 
attended wellness program with employee s job satisfaction. Thus, the H1 was accepted. According to the 
findings, higher job satisfaction were found in the respondents who have attended wellness program 
(mean= 3.7672) than the respondents who have not attended wellness program (mean= 3.5269).  
Table 2.  T-test results 
Effects on employees 
Participant attended 
wellness program or 
not? N Mean 
Std. 
Deviation 
T-test for Equality of Means 
T df 
Sig.  
(2-tailed) 
 
Job Satisfaction 
 
 
Attended 63 3.7672 .42601 2.614 123 .010  
Not attended 62 3.5269 .58998 
 
Stress Level 
 
 
Attended 63 2.1865 .36469 2.020 123 .046  
Not attended 62 2.3508 .53074 
 
Perceived 
Absenteeism 
 
 
Attended 63 1.7249 .53057 2.001 123 .048  
Not attended 62 2.0054 .97602 
 
 
H1: There is a significant difference between employees who have attended wellness program and 
those who have not attended wellness program with employees  job satisfaction. 
 
Some of the wellness program like anti-smoking campaign, anti-drug campaign, weight management 
and stress management could assist employees in improving their behavior and attitude. As cited in Janice 
483 Dayang Nailul Munna Abg Abdullah and Oon Yin Lee /  Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences  65 ( 2012 )  479 – 484 
(1997), a research done by Shinew and Crossley (1998) has found that improved morale and attitude of 
employee are likely to improve overall job satisfaction. Meanwhile, the validated importance of wellness 
program on job satisfaction had led to replication of further studies by other researcher. The Perrier 
Survey of Fitness found that those with a strong commitment to exercise would feel less tired, more 
relaxed, more self-confident and more productive (Spark People, 2011). This survey shows that company 
which is organizing wellness program overall job satisfaction and 
performance. This is because when employees have better impression towards the employer who is 
concerned about their health, they may feel valued and being an important member of the organization, 
and thus lead to a better job satisfaction. 
 
H2: There is a significant difference between employees who have attended wellness program and 
those who have not attended wellness program with employees  perceived stress. 
 
The T-test results (t= 2.02, p=0.046) showed that the H2 was accepted as well. Therefore, there was a 
significant difference between employees who have attended wellness program and those who have not 
attended wellness program with employees  perceived stress.  Lower employees  perceived stress were 
found among the respondents who have attended wellness program (mean= 2.1865) than those who have 
not attended wellness program (mean= 2.3508). According to Gibson (2006), a research indicated that 
exercise can protect individuals by enhancing the state of resistance to any stimulus, so that the individual 
is less susceptible to the effects of perceived stress. Some wellness program offered various kind of 
exercises according to employee s preference, like gym session, yoga session, or aerobic session. The 
outcome of Gibson s research had indicated the important of wellness program in reducing perceived 
stress. 
 
H3: There is a significant difference between employees who have attended wellness program and 
those who have not attended wellness program with employees  absenteeism. 
 
It was clearly showed in Table 2 that there was a significant difference between employee who have 
attended wellness program and those who have not attended wellness program with employees  
absenteeism (t= 2.001, p= 0.048). Therefore, H3 was accepted. Lower employees  absenteeism were 
found in the respondents who have attended wellness program (mean= 1.7249) than the respondents who 
have not attended wellness program (mean= 2.0054). According to John Bates (Wellness Proposal, 2006), 
employee wellness program can result in economic saving by reduction in employee absenteeism. 
Meanwhile, Johnson and Johnson reduced their organization absenteeism rate by 15 % within two years 
after introducing wellness program in their organization  This result 
was further supported by a study which has been done in Motorola, Penang, whereas overall absenteeism 
rate was reduced by 12% after a series of wellness program being carried out within six months (ASP, 
2005). 
5. Conclusion 
Wellness program was found to be influential to employee s job satisfaction, stress and absenteeism in 
this study. Wellness programs have positive impact not only toward employee s wellbeing but 
organization wellbeing as well. Most of the literatures being referred were conducted in the context of 
foreign developed countries. Furthermore, those researches were conducted in a longer timeframe and 
complicatedly combined various aspects under one study. Somehow, this research has been localized and 
484   Dayang Nailul Munna Abg Abdullah and Oon Yin Lee /  Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences  65 ( 2012 )  479 – 484 
simplified into a main objective as mentioned earlier. Hopefully, the finding of this study would very 
much contribute to the existing literature reviews for future researchers. 
Acknowledgements 
     The authors wish to thank the respondents from the chosen telecommunication company for 
participating and allowing the dissemination of the findings of this study. 
References 
ASP Annual Medical Report. 2005. Motorola Wellness Program 2005.  
 
Chenoweth, D. H. (1998). Worksite Health Promotion. Champaign, IL: Human Kinetics. 
 
Club Fit Corp. (2011). Corporate Wellness Plans. Available at www.worldhealth.ca/  
 
Coakes, S.J., & Steed, L. G. (2002). SPSS Analysis Without Anguish Version 11.0 for Window. Australia: 
John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. 
 
Dr. (2006). How to Live to 100 and Love It. Available at  
http://www.liveto100.com.au/speaking.html 
 
Gibson, D. M., & Myers, J. E. (2006). Perceived Stress, Wellness, and Mattering: A Profile of First-Year 
Citadel Cadets. Journal of College Student Development, 47 (6), 647-660.  
 
Janice, H. T. S. (1997). Corporate Wellness Programmes in Singapore: Effect on Stress, Satisfaction and 
Absenteeism. Journal of Managerial Psychology, 12 (3), 177-189.  
 
Top Insurance News. (2010). Wellness program is seen as a way to stop the bleeding in health care costs. 
Available at www.insurancedaily.org/wellness-programs-seen-as-way-to-stop-the-bleeding-in-health-
care-costs/ 
 
Nunally, J.C., & Bernstein, I.H. (1994). Psychometric Theory. New York: McGraw-Hill. 
 
Spark People (2011). Are you fit to climb the corporate ladder? Available at 
http://www.sparkpeople.com/resource/wellness_articles.asp?id=738&page=3 
 
Wellness Proposal. (2006). Companies Make Great Gains with Employee Wellness Programs. Available 
at 
http://www.wellnessproposals.com/wellness_articles/companies_make_great_gains_with_employee_well
ness_programs.htm 
 
 


file:///data/core-remote/dit/data/elsevier/pdf/59c/aHR0cDovL2FwaS5lbHNldmllci5jb20vY29udGVudC9hcnRpY2xlL3BpaS9zMTg3NzA0MjgxMjA1MTM3Mw==.pdf

Effects of Wellness Programs on Job Satisfaction, Stress and Absenteeism between Two Groups of Employees (Attended and Not Attended)

Abstract

Similar works

Full text

Available Versions

Unimas Institutional Repository

Elsevier - Publisher Connector

Elsevier - Publisher Connector