Abstract
The strategies by which work is organized and carried out and the sources from which organizations obtain funding and other resources for their operations may influence employee outcomes including work performance and health. This study explored how organizational structure (dormitory vs family unit) and funding sources (government vs private) influence the work and health of individuals employed as caregivers in children’s homes in Ghana. Using qualitative research techniques we collected data from fifty-seven caregivers across three children’s homes in Ghana. We found that the structure adopted by children’s homes influence caregiver work performance by increasing work stress levels, complicating some caregivers’ ability to bond with the children and limiting the amount of time that some caregivers have to spend with their own families. These influences then exposed caregivers to physical, mental and social health risk factors including injuries from slips and falls, mental strain, and loss of social support. We also found that funding source influence the frequency of training caregivers receive, the extent of help caregivers receive with their own healthcare costs as well as the extent to which caregivers utilize international regulations like child rights principles in doing their jobs. Our findings suggest a need for stakeholder reconsideration of work design and strategizing for the homes taking into account caregiver health and well-being.