THE DEVELOPMENT OF COMPONENTS AND APPROACHES FOR PROMOTING HOLISTIC WELLBEING OF SUPPORT STAFF IN FACULTIES OF EDUCATION

Abstract

This research aimed to 1) Develop and validate a measurement model of holistic wellbeing for support staff in faculties of education, and 2) Examine approaches for promoting the holistic wellbeing of support staff. The study employed an explanatory sequential mixed-methods design. The research sample consisted of 270 support staff members in faculties of education at universities across six regions of Thailand, selected through multi-stage random sampling. The research instruments were a holistic wellbeing assessment scale comprising 30 items in a 5-point rating-scale format, and a semi-structured interview protocol concerning approaches to promoting holistic wellbeing, comprising 8 items. Data were analyzed using confirmatory factor analysis and content analysis. The findings revealed that: 1) Holistic wellbeing consisted of four components: 1.1) Physical wellbeing, 1.2) Mental wellbeing, 1.3) Social wellbeing, and 1.4) Intellectual wellbeing. The holistic wellbeing measurement model showed a good fit with the empirical data (χ² (313, n = 270) = 564.047, χ²/df = 1.802, p = .000, CFI = .969, TLI = .957, RMSEA = .055, SRMR = .046). and 2) Approaches for promoting the holistic wellbeing of support staff encompassed four dimensions: organizing the work environment and promoting health across four dimensions; fostering a positive organizational culture together with activities to develop mental wellbeing; encouraging collaboration through the development of communication skills alongside conflict management; and developing essential skills together with the decentralization of decision-making authority in order to establish a systematic administrative mechanism.