Reference Code FM-GRAD-041.

2
Revision Number 0
Date Effective July 1, 2019

Saint Louis College

Beacon of Wisdom in the North
City of San Fernando (La Union)
GRADUATE SCHOOL

THESIS/DISSERTATION TITLE PROPOSAL CAPSULE

(Quantitative Paper)

Proponent:
Surname Given Name Middle Name

Academic Program: MBA Major: _______________________

Proposed Title:

Exploring the Health and Productivity Management (HPM) Practices among Small-Medium
Enterprises (SMEs) in La Union: Basis for a Proposed SME Occupational Safety and Health
Protection and Services Framework

Research Title (as may be redirected by the Panel): ____________________________________

________________________________________________________________________

Background of the Study: (concise; include local scenario/ problem situation; in bulleted form)

 Given the amount of time employees spend at work, the workplace is an important setting to
promote health. In fact, employee health and safety programs should be a major priority for
management because it can save lives, increase productivity, and reduce costs. These health and
safety programs should stress employee involvement, continued monitoring, and an overall
wellness component (Jonathan and Mbogo, 2016). Ammendolia et al. (2016) added that
promotion of health and wellness among the workers might improve the presenteeism and
absenteeism in a working environment.

 In the study of Becker and Smidt (2016), there is a world average of 4 out of 10 workers are
experiencing absenteeism and presenteeism and other health and wellness-related issues which
affecting their job performance and productivity as part of the workforce. International Labor
Organization (2022) added that majority of the developing and underdeveloped countries are
experiencing this health and productive issues.

 In the Philippines, the Philippine Government estimates that 2.2 million Filipino workers in
small-medium and large enterprises enjoy effective occupational safety and health (OSH)
protection and services. In other words, 17 of 18 persons in the nation’s workforce of 38.8 million
do not benefit from acceptable working conditions especially those working in small-medium
enterprise. Studies substantiate that OSH conditions in micro-firms and the informal sector pose
risks and hazards (International Labour Organization (2022).
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 Sureweera et al, (2016) indicated that majority of studies on workplace wellness are also from
developed countries and there is an absence of studies from low to middle income countries
(LMICs). However, the World Health Organization (2013) reports that the issue of occupational
health and workplace wellness is particularly salient in developing economies that are plagued
with poverty, lack of education, poor working conditions, excessive working hours and poor diet.
Sureweera et al, (2016) added that in Sri Lanka reports that a large majority of workers are in
small-scale industries and face occupational hazards such as manual labor and long hours. In their
study, the most commonly cited work-related health problem of workers is muscoskeletal pain.

 Hechanova and Caringal-Go (2018) added that the vulnerabilities of workers in developing
countries are compounded by the lack of resources for health. In the Philippines for example,
only 3.3% of its GDP is spent on healthcare as opposed to what is spent by developed economies
such as the United States (17.9%). Moreover, resources for mental health are scarce. Unlike
developed economies such as Canada that has one mental health practitioner for every 7,930
persons, in the Philippines, the ratio of psychiatrists to clients is .41:100,000 and psychologists is
1:100,000 (Hechanova, Waelde, et al., 2015). Although the country has just recently passed a
Mental Health bill act supporting mental health services and treatment, the bill has yet to be
implemented. Given the lack of resources support from national government, the burden of
mental health lies on individuals and employers.

 In addition, the study of San Pascual (2019) revealed that only 21% among the Philippine
registered companies are providing Health Maintenance Organization (HMO) coverage among
their employees and only 2.6% are from small-medium enterprises (SMEs). San Pascual (2019)
explained that HMOs enable individuals to receive a wide range of medical help for a fraction of
a price since it’s subsidized by their employers. Due to limited provision of HMO among
employees, thus, increase the probability of absenteeism and presenteeism in a organization.

 According to Edery (2017), work safety requires that safe working conditions should not create
significant risk of people being rendered unfit to perform their work. Health and safety at work is
therefore aimed at creating conditions, capabilities, and habits that enable the worker and his/her
organization to carry out their work efficiently and in a way that avoids events which could cause
them harm. It is clear that safe working conditions have an effect on the habits of workers, which
in turn impacts on efficiency. This implies that employees working in a safe condition are likely
to perform in a way that will not cause them harm.

 Employee health and safety programs should be a major priority for management because they
safe lives, increase productivity, and reduce costs. These health and safety programs should stress
employee involvement, continued monitoring, and an overall wellness component. Work safety
requires that safe working conditions should not create significant risk of people being rendered
unfit to perform their work. Health and safety at work is therefore aimed at creating conditions,
capabilities, and habits that enable the worker and his/her organization to carry out their work
efficiently and in a way that avoids events which could cause them harm. It is clear that safe
working conditions have an effect on the habits of workers, which in turn impacts on efficiency.
This implies that employees working in a safe condition are likely to perform in a way that will
not cause them harm (Hechanova and Waelde, 2017).

Literature Survey:
 Reference Code FM-GRAD-041.2
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Research Variables: No. of References Read:

Health and Productivity Management (HPM) 15

Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) 15
HPM and OSH in Small-Medium Enterprise 10
Health and Wellness of Employees 10

Theory:

CREATE framework adopted from Ateneo Center for Organization Research and Development (CORD).
The Ateneo CORD’s culture-building model describes six components necessary to shape organizational
culture. It uses the acronym CREATE that stands for communication of desired values, role modelling of
leaders, engagement of employees in culture building, alignment of systems and structures to desired
values, training and development, and evaluation and reinforcement of culture-consistent behaviors

Gap Analysis on the Literature:

Despite of presence of laws with regard to promotion of healthy and productive environment among
workers, workplace health promotion and wellness programs vary considerably in size and composition.
Comprehensive programs provide health education, links to related employee services, supportive
physical and social environments for health improvement, integration of health promotion into the
organization’s culture, and employee screening with adequate treatment and follow up. However, details
on how best to design, integrate, tailor and deliver programs to reduce presenteeism are unknown (Tran,
2018).

Main Problem:
This study aims to assess the health and productivity management (HPM) among small-medium
enterprises (SMEs) in La Union to identify and describe the current situation and obstacles of the
Philippine workforce and health system. Also, this study aims to propose an Occupational Safety and
Health Protection and Services Framework with the aid of collaboration among companies and insurers to
implement an effective and efficient health program for their employees.

Continuum:
Source of Data
Assumption Statistical Ethical
Specific Problem Research
or Hypothesis Respondents Tool(s) Considerations
Tool(s)
1. How do N/A Employees of Survey Frequency The conduct of
respondents SMEs Questionna and this study will
describe their ire Percentage strictly follow the
profile and research ethics
individual policy and
situation in guidelines of
terms of profile SLC.
(sex, age); The conduct of
individual this study will
Reference Code FM-GRAD-041.2
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situation strictly follow the

(occupation, research ethics
employment policy and
status, work guidelines of
style, length of SLC.
service, side job,
work hours,
marital status,
family health
status,
childcare); and
living time
(commuting
time, time of
sleeping, meal
time, time spent
for health,
leisure time and
housework)?

2. How do The Employees of Survey Weighted

respondents respondents SMEs Questionna Mean
assess their manifest low ire
health status in to medium
terms of health status
Individual
consciousness
Intrinsic and
extrinsic
motivation for
health; Quality
of life and health
satisfaction for
the past two
weeks; History
of cancer
screening; and
Vaccination
history?

3. How do The Employees of Survey Weighted

respondents respondents SMEs Questionna Mean
assess their manifest low ire
productivity to medium
status in terms productivity
of Work-related status
factor; Labor
performance;
and Work
Reference Code FM-GRAD-041.2
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environment?
4. Is there There is no Employees of Survey One Way
significant significant SMEs Questionna Anova
difference on the difference on ire
health status of the health
the respondents status of the
when grouped respondents
according to when grouped
their profile, according to
individual their profile,
situation and individual
living time? situation and
living time
5. Is there There is no Employees of Survey One Way
significant significant SMEs Questionna Anova
difference on the difference on ire
productivity the
status of the productivity
respondents status of the
when grouped respondents
according to when grouped
their profile, according to
individual their profile,
situation and individual
living time? situation and
living time
6. Is there There is no Employees of Survey Chi-square
significant significant SMEs Questionna Test
relationship relationship ire
between the between the
health and health and
productivity productivity
status of the status of the
respondents? respondents
7. Based on the N/A N/A N/A N/A
results of the
study, what
Occupational
Safety and
Health
Protection and
Services
Framework may
be proposed to
implement an
effective and
efficient health
program for the
employees?
 Reference Code FM-GRAD-041.2
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Attachment: List of Potential References (in APA v7 format and style)

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Aldaba, R. (2012). Small and medium enterprises' (SMEs) access to finance: Philippines. PIDS
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Ammendolia, C., Côté, P., Cancelliere, C. et al. (2016) Healthy and productive workers: using
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