Addressing Psychosocial Hazards and Improving Employee Psychological Wellbeing in the Ghanaian Banking Industry: Application of Organization Development Intervention Using Action Research Model

Abstract

Employee safety and wellbeing is significantly influenced by the working environment and the nature of work itself. In Ghana, working in the bank is beneficial in that it provides people with the means to satisfy social and economic needs. However, employees in the Ghanaian banking industry are faced with a wide range of psychosocial hazards, and they experience work-related stress which potentially affects their physical and mental health. Efforts made by banking institutions to minimize the problem of occupational health and safety tend to focus more on physical hazard to the neglect of psychosocial hazards. From an organisation development perspective using the Action Research Model, this paper provides a step-by-step approach to diagnosing the problem in relation to the poor psychosocial work environment in the Ghanaian banking sector. Further, it provides an intervention strategy that can be used to address the problem and improve employee psychological wellbeing in the banking industry.