Workplace Health Promotion Programmes and Employee Productivity in the Nigerian Banking Sector: Evidence from Lagos

Workplace health promotion programmes are increasingly being adopted by Nigerian corporate organisations as a strategy to improve employee well-being, reduce absenteeism, and enhance productivity, yet evidence on their effectiveness in the financial services sector remains sparse. This study examines the scope of workplace health promotion programmes and their association with employee productivity in selected commercial banks in Lagos State. A cross-sectional survey design is applied, with 350 bank employees from five commercial banks selected through stratified random sampling across Lagos Island and Victoria Island branches. A structured self-administered questionnaire assesses awareness and participation in health promotion activities including health screenings, mental health support, ergonomics training, physical fitness incentives, and nutrition counselling, alongside self-rated productivity measures. Managers' perspectives on programme implementation are gathered through six in-depth interviews. SPSS is used for quantitative analysis, applying descriptive statistics and Pearson correlation. Evidence from the International Labour Organisation's wellness in the workplace reports indicates that employees who participate in structured wellness programmes report 20 to 25 percent improvements in productivity metrics, with mental health support identified as the highest-value component in high-stress banking environments. The Salutogenic Model of Health informs the study's wellness orientation. Findings will guide human resources and occupational health practitioners in the banking sector on optimising health promotion investment. Keywords: workplace health promotion, employee productivity, banking sector, Lagos State, corporate wellness.