The importance of well-being in African institutions

The physical and mental well-being of employees is essential within

organizations. Indeed, an employee who feels good at work both physically
and mentally will perform better. For this, it is important to put the need of
employees at the heart of the concerns of institution. Effectively supporting
employees to ensure their well-being therefore means, among other things,
participating in the balance of their mental health. In west Africa, as elsewhere
employees can degrade their well-being. Particular attention should therefore be
paid to prevention and to the implementation of solutions capable of restoring
the mental balance of workers in their work environment, what are the causes
and consequences of stress in the workplace and what measures has WAPP put to
ensure the well-being of workers?

Stress: one of the main problems affecting the well-being of employees

Stress at work is a phenomenon that can have serious consequences on the

health of employees, as it significantly alters his psychological and physical
balance. The causes of work related stress are diverse and are lonked to the work
environment, organization and management, working condition, workload or
even relations within a department or work team.

Stress at work can have many negative consequences for the wealth and well-
being of the employees. Ongoing stress can lead to dissatisfaction with the job,
reduced productivity, misconduct and communication problems.

The main source of stress at work

The sources of stress are diverse. They are linked to both internal and external
factors.

The internal factors are those concerning the person herself. Biology underlines
the role of genes in the construction of personality and psychology highlights
different types of personality that are naturally more exposed to stressful
episodes. These two elements can therefore also contribute to the stress
employees in their work environment.
External factors are generated by the work itself, it is possible to distinguish three
types of external factors capable of increasing the stress of workers in their work
environment. These are the constrains imposed by the job, task and schedules,
the demand for result and various performance , the nature of relation between
colleagues and the quality of management.

Other factors of exposure to stress in the workplace are highlighted in several

studies. These are the following:

-Lack of autonomy at work;

-Lack of social relations and responsibilities;

-Lack of professional and/or salary recognition;

-Moral harassment .

The consequences of stress on the employee and the company

Numerous studies have been carried out on the consequences of work-related

stress. Most of the result show that stress is a major problem In the lives of
employee.it can cause sleep disorder, increased appetite and weight gain as well
as difficulties in concentration an memorization.

Stress at work can have many negative consequences for the health and
wellbeing of the employees, but it can also be a source of conflict, communication
difficulties and a poor social climate. Stress can also be the causes of significant
absenteeism or even voluntary departure for work.

It is also possible to access the consequences of stress at work from data relating
to accident at work occupational diseases. When not properly managed, problem
of irritability, increase risk of accident absenteeism are added to the long list of
consequences of stress in the workplace.

Managing stress effectively: a necessity to avoid burn-out

Stress at work can be beneficial, as it helps to maintain employee motivation,
however ,when it becomes excessive it can lead to professional exhaustion and
even burn-out .when the latter occurs, employees are no longer able to work
normally and this can lead to downfall of an entire organization.

In order to avoid these extremes, it is important to take concrete measures to

manage these situations. This can be done through the use of a stress test, which
measures the pressure that the work puts on the employee.

This method is based on the principle of risk analysis and makes possible to
identify stress factors at work.once the stress factor has been identifies, in is
easier to implement preventive measures to eliminate them.

Workplace stress prevention measures must be constantly applied in order to

avoid the risk of burn-out. Effective management of stress at work will ensure
that your staff is in good shape and will continue to produce in the most optimal
way possible, while preserving their health,

The implementation of various preventive measure: an effective way to fight

against stress in the workplace;

In order to effectively fight against stress, burn-out and all their consequences,
organizations concerned about the mental health of their employees must
implement preventive measures to reduce the risks related to stress and burn-
out.

Preventive actions against stress at work ain to improve the quality of life at work
and to reduce the psychological burden on employees. They aim to enable a
better adaptation between health and work and to identify stressful situations
before they aggravate behavioural problems. Preventive actions are based on a
voluntary and participatory approach by employees.

A few simple measures can be put in place to allow employees to be in good

physical and mental health. For example, the creation of relaxation areas
designed and created to accommodate employees during their breaks is a
solution that has already proven successful in several organizations.
Team building, a performance lever for companies

To what extent can the balance of strengths of a team influence its performance?
What are the factors that promote cohesion and results? Professionals agree that
teams that work in harmony are undeniably more productive than those that do
not.

It is therefore necessary to ask how to build effective harmony between the

different teams of an institution? The social link is a key element for the balance
in a company, but also a factor of efficiency.

Companies have understood this and are now turning to team building. This
formidable weapon is a real means used to relax the atmosphere and strengthen
the links between workers. The team building allows indeed to create a work
atmosphere favorable to the development of the cohesion and the confidence.

The team building is a real company therapy which consists in offering a time of
training and cohesion to people working together in an organization. The goal is
to allow them to develop their relational skills and thus improve their
performance.

Useful information about team building

Team building is practiced in a group and in a context different from the usual
professional life. The participants are brought to share, to confront and to
manage unexpected situations, even a little stressful. Here is some information
about this tool, which is increasingly used throughout the world:

- The objective is to combine personal development with collective

performance. Team building offers many benefits;
- A team building concerns one or several teams, whether it is all the
employees of a company or a subsidiary. When working with several
teams, the program is precisely adapted to each group;
- Team building can be done in a formal setting, during a seminar or a
company vacation, or in a more informal setting, during a beach
outing or a picnic.
Wellness and Stress Management: What does WAPP do?

Like many other organizations, WAPP strives to integrate several tools and
strategies into its capacity building program to not only combat stress, but also to
strengthen collaboration within its teams, motivate workers and prepare them for
the new market environment, which is characterized by accelerated processes, a
greater risk of unpredictability and an additional need for flexibility.

Preventive actions

The preventive actions used by WAPP are characterized by :

- Well thought-out information and communication strategies that will

have to work for a better dissemination of information, to find
adapted communication tools, and to strategies for raising people’s
awareness;
- Actions for the prevention of psychosocial risks through involvement
and participation;
- Greater involvement of various social actors;
- The development of people’s awareness.

The implementation of an action plan

The action plan implemented by WAPP aims to combat psychosocial risks and to
put in place an organization that reduces exposure and consequences.

The active contribution of human resources departments

The human resources department is a key player in the prevention of

psychosocial risks. It is therefore the department that is the driving force behind
the process, in all areas. The human resources department is the privileged
interlocutor of the employees in the prevention process. To effectively prevent
stress, human resources act at various levels;

- Optimal organization of meetings;

- Organization of training courses;
- Carrying out various cultural actions;
 - Administrative management;
- Development of people’s awareness.

Actions to prevent psychosocial risks

The prevention of psychosocial risk by WAPP is based on, among other things

- The definition of clear objectives: it should take into account the

company’s objectives, the analysis and understanding of the activity,
the involvement of employees and the sharing of responsibilities;
- Employee information and awareness: this is characterized by the
definition of collective operating rules and better management of
conflicts at work;
- The organization of work: this involves setting up a better distribution
of tasks, the optimal layout of the workplace, the organization of
working hours and the ideal choice of production means to be used;
- Supervision of the various activities: this includes guiding and
monitoring activities, carrying out a psychosocial health assessment,
effectively implementing preventive measures and evaluating the
psychosocial risk prevention system.

Teamwork

A team is a group of individuals who work together, who have common interests
and a common goal. Teamwork is a way to reduce the negative effects of stress at
work and to strengthen the health and well-being of employees through actions
that are governed by specific regulations. The WAPP has understood this and
therefore offers a place of choice for collaboration between its actions as well as
for teamwork.

The revision of the system

The review of the system is characterized by the implementation of a quantitative

and qualitative evaluation of the preventive activities, by the implementation of
an action plan as well as by the feedback and the continuous improvement of the
results.
The recommendations of the CSE

They are characterized by:

- The integration of psychosocial risks into the risk prevention system;

- Harmonization of actions with other prevention measures;
- The involvement of management and supervisors.

The importance of well-being in the company is a point that cannot escape the
attention of organizations that want to be competent and sustainable. Having
understood this, WAPP works to improve the climate in its various departments
through all the actions mentioned above. The well-being of the workers as well as
their productivity are thus on the short, medium and long term.

Culled from WAPP/ EEEOA

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