An appreciative inquiry of selected elements of staff well-being at a higher education institution
| dc.contributor.advisor | Du Plessis, A. | |
| dc.contributor.advisor | Van Tonde, S. P. | |
| dc.contributor.author | Van Straaten, Laurika | |
| dc.date.accessioned | 2016-01-12T11:48:23Z | |
| dc.date.available | 2016-01-12T11:48:23Z | |
| dc.date.issued | 2014-06 | |
| dc.description.abstract | English: This study explored identified elements of well-being of support services staff of a South African higher education institution (HEI), and ways of optimising their well-being by means of Appreciative Inquiry (AI). The study was underpinned by the research paradigm of social constructionism and the belief that reality is socially constructed through our language. The principles of social constructionism entail that people determine their own destiny by envisioning their desired future. The same principle of dreaming about a desired future is supported by AI – hence this theme was strengthened by both the social constructionism paradigm that underpinned the study, and the research method that was followed (AI). The institution under research has gone through a process of institutional restructuring from 2007 to 2011. It became evident from an institutional climate survey conducted at the institution in 2013 that elements related to staff well-being had been affected, either through the restructuring or by other factors. A literature review of well-being revealed that very little research has been done relating to the well-being of support services staff of HEIs, and particularly so in the South African higher education (HE) context. This study was aimed at addressing that gap. The literature review included a study of current perspectives and theories on staff well-being and the research method of Appreciative Inquiry (AI). During the empirical phase of the study the strengths of the HEI were identified, as well as some positive developments that support services staff members of the institution would like to see in order to enhance their well-being. The research participants‟ social world was interpreted in an attempt to understand their own reality in terms of the language they used during an AI workshop. A qualitative research design was followed, and action research was conducted by means of an AI process. The study identified the positive core of the organisation to be its hard-working and dedicated staff, positive relations between colleagues, supervisors and subordinates, a willingness of staff to adapt to change, good remuneration and benefits offered to staff, job security and a supportive work environment. It transpired that through its positive core, the institution could enhance the well-being of support services staff by valuing and acknowledging contributions made by support services staff, by establishing equality between support services and academic staff, appointing adequate support services staff to do the work, ensuring manageable workloads, creating opportunities for promotion for support services staff, and by doing more to address the overall well-being (physical, psychological and emotional well-being) of support services staff. As there are limited studies available pertaining to the well-being of support services staff at HEIs, this study will make a contribution to the body of knowledge in that field. It is hoped that the institution will realise the importance of the role of support services staff as the gears that keep the machine running, and that their well-being should be a matter of high priority. The applicability of AI as research method in such a study was illustrated, as the statement of positive, provocative propositions rather than problems created a positive context or climate for the participants within which to work, which resulted in positive findings rather than complaints as often is found to be the case with other types of staff surveys. | en_ZA |
| dc.description.abstract | Afrikaans: In die studie is ‘n ondersoek uitgevoer oor elemente van die welstand van die ondersteuningsdienspersoneel van ‘n Suid-Afrikaanse hoëronderwysinstelling (HOI), en maniere om hul welstand te optimaliseer deur middel van ‘n appresiërende ondersoek (appreciative inquiry – AI). Die studie is onderlê deur die navorsingsparadigma van sosiale konstruksionisme en die oortuiging dat realiteit sosiaal gekonstrueer word deur die taal wat ons besig. Die beginsel van sosiale konstruksionisme behels dat mense hul eie bestemming bepaal deur hul begeerde toekoms in die vooruitsig te stel. Dieselfde beginsel van ʼn wens vir die toekoms word deur AI ondersteun – dus is die tema van die studie versterk deur beide die paradigma van sosiale konstruksionisme wat dit onderlê en die navorsingsmetode (AI). Die instelling waar die ondersoek gedoen is, het van 2007 tot 2011 ‟n proses van institusionele herstrukturering deurloop. Uit ‘n institusionele opname oor die klimaat aan die instelling wat in 2013 uitgevoer is, het dit geblyk dat elemente wat verband hou met personeel se welstand geraak is – óf deur die herstrukturering óf deur ander faktore. ‘n Literatuurondersoek oor welstand het getoon dat weinig navorsing nog uitgevoer is oor die welstand van ondersteuningdienspersoneel aan hoëronderwysinstellings, veral in die Suid-Afrikaanse hoëronderwyskonteks. Hierdie studie was daarop gerig om dié leemte aan te vul. Die literatuurondersoek het ook ‘n studie van huidige perspektiewe en teorieë oor personeelwelstand en appresiërende ondersoeke (AI) as navorsingsmetode ingesluit. In die empiriese fase van die studie is die sterk punte van die HOI geïdentifiseer, asook sommige positiewe ontwikkelinge wat die ondersteuningsdienspersoneel graag sou wou sien om hul welstand uit te bou. Die deelnemers aan die studie se sosiale wêreld is geïnterpreteer in ‘n poging om hul eie werklikheid te begryp aan die hand van die taal wat hulle gedurende ‘n AI-werkwinkel gebruik het. ‘n Kwalitatiewe navorsingsontwerp is gebruik, en aksienavorsing is deur middel van die AI-proses uitgevoer. Met die studie is die positiewe kern van die instelling geïdentifiseer as die hardwerkende en toegewyde personeel, positiewe verhoudings met kollegas, toesighouers en ondergeskiktes, ‘n bereidwilligheid van personeel om by verandering aan te pas, goeie besoldiging en byvoordele wat aan personeel gebied word, werksekerheid en ‘n ondersteunende werksomgewing. Dit blyk dat die instelling deur hierdie positiewe kern die welstand van ondersteuningsdienspersoneel kan uitbou deur die bydraes wat hulle lewer, te waardeer en te erken, deur gelykberegtiging tussen ondersteuningsdienspersoneel en akademiese personeel te verseker, deur voldoende ondersteuningsdienspersoneel aan te stel om die werk te behartig, hanteerbare werkladings te verseker, geleenthede vir die bevordering van ondersteunings-dienspersoneel daar te stel, en deur meer te doen om die algemene welstand (fisies, psigologies en emosioneel) van ondersteuningsdienspersoneel te verbeter. Aangesien beperkte studies beskikbaar is oor die welstand van ondersteuningspersoneel aan hoëronderwysinstellings, sal hierdie studie ‘n bydrae lewer tot die kennisterrein. Daar word vertrou dat die instelling die belangrikheid van ondersteuningsdienspersoneel sal besef, aangesien hulle die ratte is wat die masjien laat loop, en hul welstand behoort ‘n prioriteitsaangeleentheid te wees. Die toepaslikheid van AI as navorsingsmetode in sodanige studie is geïllustreer, aangesien die stelling van positiewe, uitdagende stellings eerder as probleme ‘n positiewe konteks of klimaat daargestel het waarbinne die deelnemers kon werk. Die gevolg hiervan was positiewe bevindinge eerder as die klagtes - wat gewoonlik die geval is met ander tipes personeelondersoeke. | af |
| dc.identifier.uri | http://hdl.handle.net/11660/2156 | |
| dc.language.iso | en | en_ZA |
| dc.publisher | University of the Free State | en_ZA |
| dc.rights.holder | University of the Free State | en_ZA |
| dc.subject | Higher education | en_ZA |
| dc.subject | Support services staff | en_ZA |
| dc.subject | Well-being | en_ZA |
| dc.subject | Appreciative inquiry (AI) | en_ZA |
| dc.subject | Positive/provocative propositions | en_ZA |
| dc.subject | AI workshop | en_ZA |
| dc.subject | Nominal group technique (NGT) | en_ZA |
| dc.subject | Institutional climate | en_ZA |
| dc.subject | Social constructionism | en_ZA |
| dc.subject | Education, Higher | en_ZA |
| dc.subject | Dissertation (M.A. (Higher Education Studies))--University of the Free State, 2014 | en_ZA |
| dc.title | An appreciative inquiry of selected elements of staff well-being at a higher education institution | en_ZA |
| dc.type | Dissertation | en_ZA |