Employee Wellbeing: Evaluating a Wellbeing Intervention in Two Settings

Abstract

This research presents two studies conducted to evaluate the Wellbeing Game in two different contexts: In a student sample and in an organizational setting. Study 1 investigated the efficacy of the Wellbeing Game, in terms of its effect of wellbeing, stress, and an image valence test, among 60 university students. The results showed that after playing the Wellbeing Game, students reported a significant positive change in wellbeing compared to those who did not play the Wellbeing Game, but there was no decrease in stress or any change in classification of image valence. Study 2 evaluated the Wellbeing Game in an organizational context. Employees (n = 52) in a financial organization played the Wellbeing Game for 4 weeks and answered survey questions about wellbeing and stress at the beginning and end of this period. The results showed that after playing the Wellbeing Game, employees reported lower stress levels, and higher wellbeing levels for those who felt that it had helped them connect more with colleagues. The results from the two studies provide preliminary support that the Wellbeing Game may be an effective wellbeing intervention tool in both an organization and a non-organizational context.

Well-Being in Life and Well-Being at Work: Which Comes First? Evidence From a Longitudinal Study

“…The definitions shifted from early characterizations in broad affective terms to more articulate, conceptually sharper ones (30), which provide relatively robust and consistent frameworks necessary for a scientific analysis (16). For example, consideration of job and life satisfaction is now combined in notions of employee well-being (31-33) and more well-being interventions are proposed to ensure that workers are both happy (or high in well-being) and productive (have high performance) (34,35).…”

ONYA—The Wellbeing Game: How to Use Gamification to Promote Wellbeing

“…An evaluation study of a gamified web application showed a significant positive change in wellbeing of university students and employees of a financial organization in New Zealand compared to a control group [42]. Further, a study by Hull from 2009 [39] showed promising results using therapy video games to improve the wellbeing status of children.…”

“…TWBG uses game design elements to motivate the users to participate in the game, such as badges, leaderboards, and point systems. After playing the game, users showed higher awareness for possibilities to promote their wellbeing [44], as well as lower stress levels and better wellbeing, compared to non-players [42]. However, as TWBG was only applied in New Zealand, its transferability to other countries and cultures remains unknown.…”

Happiness Index for Human Resource Management Practitioners Associated with the Professional Body

“…Another happiness index dimension with almost the same definition as positive emotions is job-related well-being. However, it is related to energy, inspiration, fulfilment and excitement (Bakker & Oerlemans, 2011;Keeman, Naswall, Malinen & Kuntz, 2017;Kirsten, Van der Walt & Viljoen, 2009;Rodríguez & Sanz, 2013), which leads to organizational success (Page & Vella-Brodrick, 2009). The study conducted by Warr and Inceoglu (2017), which comprised of two groups, found no significant differences between them in relation to wellbeing.…”