Shifting organizational sentiment: Qualitative insights from a mental ill-health prevention program for New Zealand firefighters

Background

Firefighters are regularly exposed to potentially psychologically traumatic events (PPTEs), significantly increasing their risk of mental ill-health. Organizational factors such as leadership, support, and workload also influence these outcomes.

Purpose

This study evaluates the Whanaungatanga Program, a participatory initiative designed to address organizational factors affecting firefighter well-being, focusing on early changes in sentiment.

Methods

We conducted a qualitative analysis of open-text responses from two surveys (embedded within broader mental health questionnaires) with firefighters and commanders, and semi-structured interviews with commanders. Thematic and sentiment analyses explored perceptions of organizational interventions and the emotional tone in responses across two time points.

Main Findings

In the pilot region receiving interventions, organizational sentiment shifted substantially: positive sentiment increased from 13 % to 48 %, negative sentiment decreased over 20 % (from 66 % to 40 %), and themes such as improved leadership visibility emerged, reflecting rapid cultural progress.

Conclusions

The results highlight the effectiveness of targeted, participatory interventions in fostering positive organizational change. Marked improvements in sentiment indicate that even in high-stress environments, well-designed interventions can lead to substantial benefits in employee sentiment and organizational culture.