WORKPLACE WELLNESS INITIATIVES AND EMPLOYEE RETENTION IN TELECOMMUNICATION FIRMS IN RIVERS STATE, NIGERIA

Abstract

This study examined the relationship between workplace wellness initiatives and employee retention in telecommunication firms in Rivers State, Nigeria. The increasing prevalence of workplace stress, burnout, and employee turnover has heightened the need for organisations to invest in employee wellness programmes that promote workforce stability. Workplace wellness initiatives were measured using physical wellness and mental wellness, while employee retention was measured using retention intention and job embeddedness. The study was anchored on the Social Exchange Theory and supported by the Job Embeddedness Theory. A correlational research design was adopted. The study population comprised 800 employees of selected telecommunication firms in Rivers State, from which a sample size of 267 was determined using the Taro Yamane (1967) formula. From the 267 questionnaires administered, 251 were retrieved, while 240 valid questionnaires were used for the analysis. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and the Pearson Product Moment Correlation Coefficient (PPMCC) at the 0.05 significance level. The findings revealed that physical wellness had significant positive relationships with retention intention (r = 0.736) and job embeddedness (r = 0.752), while mental wellness also had significant positive relationships with retention intention (r = 0.768) and job embeddedness (r = 0.781) (p < 0.05). The study concludes that workplace wellness initiatives significantly enhance employee retention by strengthening employees' retention intention and job embeddedness. It recommends that telecommunication firms strengthen physical and mental wellness programmes to improve long-term employee retention.