The origins of employee wellbeing in Brazil: an exploratory analysis

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to detail the origins (or antecedents) of employee wellbeing (EWB) in Brazil. Design/methodology/approach – The paper examines and analyses historical data in diachronic mode to reveal the origins (antecedents) of EWB in Brazil, and details factors from them arising. Findings – Numerous factors emerge regarding the origins of EWB in Brazil, including, inter alia , traditions of landed estates employing slaves and countryside workers; historical social protest movements; a lack of free association for labour movements and rights associated with them; union recognition providing freedoms and protections in the employment relationship; pro‐worker political institutions emerging; worker campaigns for better quality of working life; a history of exclusion of worker interests by state bodies (and worker resistance to it); a need for worker representatives to gain political office to increase worker‐related discourse; contradictory results arising from relatively recent government policies; and new concerns, and enabling/restricting factors in EWB. Research limitations/implications – The paper provides a backdrop within which the context of, and future prospects for, EWB in Brazil can be assessed. Limitations are issues of cultural translation apply to the Brazilian context. Originality/value – Historical data to contextualise EWB in Brazil, an under‐researched topic, is provided in the paper.