Chapter One — 1.1 Background to the Study

Employee Wellness Programs has increasingly attracted the attention of researchers, regulators, and practitioners concerned with organizational commitment. This growing interest reflects the recognition that employee wellness programs does not operate in isolation, but interacts with a wider set of institutional and market conditions found within Nigeria and Selected ECOWAS Member States.

Within the context of Nigeria and Selected ECOWAS Member States, this relationship carries particular significance. Organizations in this setting operate under a distinct combination of economic, regulatory, and market conditions that may amplify or dampen the effect of employee wellness programs on organizational commitment, making a context-specific inquiry both timely and necessary.

1.2 Statement of the Problem

While employee wellness programs is widely discussed in policy and industry circles, empirical evidence on its actual effect on organizational commitment within Nigeria and Selected ECOWAS Member States remains sparse and, in places, contradictory. This lack of localized, rigorous evidence makes it difficult for decision-makers to know with confidence whether current approaches to employee wellness programs are helping or hindering organizational commitment — a gap this study sets out to close.

1.3 Objectives of the Study

1. To examine the effect of Employee Wellness Programs on organizational commitment in Nigeria and Selected ECOWAS Member States.
2. To assess the extent to which employee wellness programs influences organizational commitment within the study area.
3. To identify the challenges associated with employee wellness programs in relation to organizational commitment.
4. To recommend strategies for optimizing employee wellness programs in order to improve organizational commitment.

1.4 Research Questions

1. What is the effect of employee wellness programs on organizational commitment in Nigeria and Selected ECOWAS Member States?
2. To what extent does employee wellness programs influence organizational commitment within the study area?
3. What challenges are associated with employee wellness programs in relation to organizational commitment?
4. What strategies can be adopted to optimize employee wellness programs in order to improve organizational commitment?

1.5 Significance of the Study

This study is significant to a range of stakeholders. For policymakers and regulators, the findings offer evidence to guide the design of frameworks that support healthier outcomes around organizational commitment. For managers and practitioners within Nigeria and Selected ECOWAS Member States, the study provides practical insight into how employee wellness programs can be better managed. Finally, it contributes to the academic literature on human resource management by extending existing knowledge into a specific empirical context, and offers a reference point for future researchers.

1.6 Scope of the Study

In terms of scope, this study confines itself to Nigeria and Selected ECOWAS Member States, focusing specifically on how employee wellness programs relates to organizational commitment within that setting. Findings are interpreted within these boundaries rather than as universal claims applicable to every organization or market.