Adverse Work Environment Research Articles

Evaluation of a public health workplace staff psychosocial risk assessment and wellbeing initiative

Abstract Adverse psychosocial work environments can have a detrimental effect on staff wellbeing causing chronic stress leading to burnout. Despite legislation mandating regular risk assessments, only one third of workplaces assess psychosocial risks. A 2020 European report identified one of the main barriers being a reluctance to talk openly about psychosocial issues. This paper describes an evaluation of a staff psychosocial risk assessment and wellbeing initiative in a Public Health Department in Ireland. The initiative commenced in October 2022 during a period of major health service organisational change. Informed by positive organisational psychology conceptual frameworks, guided by the European Psychosocial risk assessment framework (PRIMA-EF) and utilising the HSE Work Positive (CI) survey tool it was possible to constructively identify and categorise psychosocial risks across the Public Health team. In the evaluation, a mixed methods approach was used based on Donabedian’s structures, processes and outcomes overarching framework and Nielsen’s Model of Process Evaluation Framework. The first three iterative quality improvement cycles of the intervention were reviewed. The evaluation demonstrated that all of Nielson’s three indicators for a successful organisational level staff wellbeing intervention had been met: there was evidence of improvement in both working conditions and staff wellbeing; iterative quality improvement cycles including appreciative inquiry staff collaborative engagement ensured staff views and key learning was captured; new organisational structures within the Department enabled the sustainability of this process. The evaluation indicates that the staff psychosocial risk assessment process is beneficial for staff wellbeing and that the methods used are appropriate. The resources used in this process continue to be readily available within the health service organisation. The evaluation supports continuation of this process in its present form. Key messages • This evaluation supports staff psychosocial risk assessment and mitigation processes and provides a framework for healthcare managers to implement such processes and comply with legislation. • This evaluation indicates that effective and sustainable collaborative staff engagement can be achieved using a positive focus which builds on team strengths and harnesses collective wisdom.

Effect of Electromagnetic Field Assistance on the Wear and Corrosion Resistance of Nickel-Based Coating by Laser Cladding

Offshore wind turbine generators usually demand higher requirements for key component materials because of the adverse working environment. Therefore, in this study, electromagnetic-assisted laser cladding technology was introduced to prepare the nickel-based composite coating on the Q345R matrix of wind turbine generator key component material. By means of Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), Energy Dispersive Spectrometer (EDS), the Vickers hardness tester, friction and wear tester, and electrochemical workstation, the effects of different magnetic field intensities on the macroscopic morphology, microstructure, phase composition, microhardness, wear resistance, and corrosion resistance of the coating were analyzed. The experimental results show that the addition of a magnetic field can effectively reduce the surface defects, improve the surface morphology, and not change the phase composition of the coating. With the increase in magnetic field intensity, the microstructure is gradually refined, and the average microhardness increases gradually, reaching a maximum of 944HV0.5 at 8 T. The wear resistance gradually increases with the increase in magnetic field intensity, especially when the magnetic field intensity reaches 12 T, the wear rate of the coating is reduced by 81.13%, and the corrosion current density is reduced by 43.7% compared with the coating without a magnetic field. The addition of an electromagnetic field can enhance the wear resistance and corrosion resistance of the nickel-based laser cladding layer.

Beyond external pressures: How work conditions harm employees' social and environmental responsibilities

AbstractThe political and economic sanctions, coupled with the COVID‐19 pandemic, have made work and life difficult for Iranians. In this adverse external work environment, this study aims to understand how internal adverse working conditions such as workplace bullying and a hostile work climate may affect workers' emotional exhaustion and socially responsible behaviors, both inside and outside the workplace. Data were collected longitudinally from 304 full‐time employees in Iran using four survey waves over 12 months. To deepen our understanding of the variables and context of the study, we conducted supplementary interviews with 12 participants. The results show that overall workplace bullying increases emotional exhaustion, which, in turn, decreases two types of socially responsible behaviors among workers: (a) sustainability‐oriented behaviors within the workplace and (b) societal behaviors outside of the workplace. Furthermore, we found that a hostile workplace climate increases workers' emotional exhaustion, which, in turn, reduces their sustainability‐oriented behaviors but not their societal behaviors. We have discussed the managerial implications of these results.

Peer Support to Promote Surgeon Well-being: The APSA Program Experience

BackgroundPeer support programs have evolved to train physicians to provide outreach and emotional first aid to their colleagues when they experience the inevitable challenge of a serious adverse event, whether or not it is related to a medical error. Most pediatric surgeons have experienced the trauma of a medical error, yet, in a survey of APSA membership, almost half said that no one reached out to them, and few were satisfied with their institution's response to the error. Thus, the APSA Wellness Committee developed an APSA-based peer support program to meet this need. MethodsPeer supporters were nominated by fellow APSA members, and the group was vetted to ensure diversity in demographics, practice setting, and seniority. Formal virtual training was conducted before the program went live in 2020. Trained supporters were surveyed 6 months after the program launched to evaluate their experiences with providing peer support. Results15 referrals were made in the first year, 60 % of which were self-initiated. Most referrals were for distress related to adverse events or toxic work environments (33 % each). While only about 25 % of trained supporters had provided formal support through the APSA program, more than 80 % reported using the skills to support colleagues and trainees within their own institutions. ConclusionOur experience in the first year of the APSA peer support program demonstrates the feasibility of building and maintaining a national program to provide emotional first aid by a professional society to expand the safety net for surgeons who are suffering.

Associations between psychosocial work environment factors and first-time and recurrent treatment for depression: a prospective cohort study of 24,226 employees.

Adverse factors in the psychosocial work environment are associated with the onset of depression among those without a personal history of depression. However, the evidence is sparse regarding whether adverse work factors can also play a role in depression recurrence. This study aimed to prospectively examine whether factors in the psychosocial work environment are associated with first-time and recurrent treatment for depression. The study included 24,226 participants from the Danish Well-being in Hospital Employees study. We measured ten individual psychosocial work factors and three theoretical constructs (effort-reward imbalance, job strain and workplace social capital). We ascertained treatment for depression through registrations of hospital contacts for depression (International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems version 10 [ICD-10]: F32 and F33) and redeemed prescriptions of antidepressant medication (Anatomical Therapeutic Chemical [ATC]: N06A) in Danish national registries. We estimated the associations between work factors and treatment for depression for up to 2 years after baseline among those without (first-time treatment) and with (recurrent treatment) a personal history of treatment for depression before baseline. We excluded participants registered with treatment within 6 months before baseline. In supplementary analyses, we extended this washout period to up to 2 years. We applied logistic regression analyses with adjustment for confounding. Among 21,156 (87%) participants without a history of treatment for depression, 350 (1.7%) had first-time treatment during follow-up. Among the 3070 (13%) participants with treatment history, 353 (11%) had recurrent treatment during follow-up. Those with a history of depression generally reported a more adverse work environment than those without such a history. Baseline exposure to bullying (odds ratio [OR] = 1.72, 95% confidence interval [95% CI]: 1.30-2.32), and to some extent also low influence on work schedule (OR = 1.27, 95% CI: 0.97-1.66) and job strain (OR = 1.24, 95% CI: 0.97-1.57), was associated with first-time treatment for depression during follow-up. Baseline exposure to bullying (OR = 1.40, 95% CI: 1.04-1.88), lack of collaboration (OR = 1.31, 95% CI: 1.03-1.67) and low job control (OR = 1.27, 95% CI: 1.00-1.62) were associated with recurrent treatment for depression during follow-up. However, most work factors were not associated with treatment for depression. Using a 2-year washout period resulted in similar or stronger associations. Depression constitutes a substantial morbidity burden in the working-age population. Specific adverse working conditions were associated with first-time and recurrent treatment for depression and improving these may contribute to reducing the onset and recurrence of depression.

Psychosocial work factors and sickness absence among young Danish workers with a disease history

Abstract Background Young workers with a disease history may be more sensitive to adverse work environment, which could lead to increased rates of sickness absence (SA). This study investigates the association between psychosocial work factors and SA among young Danish workers with a history of somatic or mental disorders (N = 39,772). Methods We included young workers (aged 15-30) with a history of hospital-diagnosed somatic or mental disorders before labor market entry (between 2010 and 2018). SA spells of any length (≥1 day) were measured in registers and psychosocial work factors were estimated on the occupational level using job exposure matrices. We separately estimated adjusted rate ratios (RR) and 95% confidence intervals (95% CI) for women and men using Poisson regressions. Results Among women, employment in occupations with high quantitative demands, low decision authority, high job strain, high emotional demands, or high work-related physical violence was associated with higher rates of SA. Employment in occupations with high vs. low emotional demands showed the strongest association with a RR of 1.56 (95% CI: 1.48-1.65). Among men, employment in occupations with low decision authority showed the strongest association (1.40 [1.32-1.48]). In contrast, employment in occupations with high quantitative demands or high job strain was associated with lower rates of SA. Conclusions In a large nationwide sample of young workers with a history of somatic or mental disorders, we found several psychosocial work factors associated with SA at the job group level. Associations were overall similar to previously published results on all young workers. The results indicate that young workers with a history of somatic or mental disorders may not be more sensitive to adverse working conditions concerning the risk of SA and that preventive interventions, toward reducing SA, may have a similar impact regardless of disease history. Key messages • Several psychosocial working conditions were associated at the job group level with sickness absence in a nationwide sample of young workers with a disease history. • Associations were similar to previous results indicating that young workers with a disease history may not be more sensitive to adverse working conditions compared to the overall workforce.

Thriving and Striving: The Paradox of Leading and Following for Women Mid-level Administrators in the Community College

In this qualitative study, I explored the meaning that ten mid-level women administrators ascribe to the experience of being both a leader and a follower within the community college sector. Previous research indicates that mid-level women administrators are under-valued as leaders and followers despite their capacity and influential connectivity up, down, and across the organizational chart. Participants discussed their experiences through in-depth, semi-structured interviews and described the perceived effects of those experiences on their leadership and followership practices. Three overarching themes emerged from the transcript analysis of the narratives: leading with purpose; complications of following; and navigating an adverse work environment. Implications from the findings suggest that community college leaders at all levels will benefit from shared leadership professional development, interrogation of implicit gender bias embedded with the institution, and the reduction and removal of race-based microaggressions among faculty, staff, and administrators. By understanding the leading and following experiences of women in mid-level administrative positions in the community college, this study contributes to a broader inclusion of leadership beyond the privileging of senior-level positions.

Perception of Graduating Students towards their Professional Settlement

This research article aimed at unraveling the perceptions, aspirations, and efforts of the graduating students towards professionalism development and enabling a sense of professional placement in them. The researcher adopted a qualitative research paradigm and narrative inquiry method. The information was generated from four purposively selected graduating students representing diverse fields via in-depth interviews and group discussions. The findings revealed that the academic leadership was unable to promote a sense of professionalism development in the graduating students due to the lack of sufficient effort in skilling them. Their own attempts were also found insufficient due to various causes including lack of sufficient career awareness, limited professional opportunities, and adverse working environment in the nation.

In their own words: Experiences of emergency health care workers during the COVID-19 pandemic.

BackgroundDuring the COVID‐19 pandemic, a substantial number of emergency health care workers (HCWs) have screened positive for anxiety, depression, risk of posttraumatic stress disorder, and burnout. The purpose of this qualitative study was to describe the impact of COVID‐19 on emergency care providers' health and well‐being using personal perspectives. We conducted in‐depth interviews with emergency physicians, emergency medicine nurses, and emergency medical services providers at 10 collaborating sites across the United States between September 21, 2020, and October 26, 2020.MethodsWe developed a conceptual framework that described the relationship between the work environment and employee health. We used qualitative content analysis to evaluate our interview transcripts classified the domains, themes, and subthemes that emerged from the transcribed interviews.ResultsWe interviewed 32 emergency HCWs. They described difficult working conditions, such as constrained physical space, inadequate personnel protective equipment, and care protocols that kept changing. Organizational leadership was largely viewed as unprepared, distant, and unsupportive of employees. Providers expressed high moral distress caused by ethically challenging situations, such as the perception of not being able to provide the normal standard of care and emotional support to patients and their families at all times, being responsible for too many sick patients, relying on inexperienced staff to treat infected patients, and caring for patients that put their own health and the health of their families at risk. Moral distress was commonly experienced by emergency HCWs, exacerbated by an unsupportive organizational environment.ConclusionsFuture preparedness efforts should include mechanisms to support frontline HCWs when faced with ethical challenges in addition to an adverse working environment caused by a pandemic such as COVID‐19.

The perceived work environment and well-being: A survey of emergency health care workers during the COVID-19 pandemic.

BackgroundDuring the COVID‐19 pandemic, health care provider well‐being was affected by various challenges in the work environment. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the relationship between the perceived work environment and mental well‐being of a sample of emergency physicians (EPs), emergency medicine (EM) nurses, and emergency medical services (EMS) providers during the pandemic.MethodsWe surveyed attending EPs, resident EPs, EM nurses, and EMS providers from 10 academic sites across the United States. We used latent class analysis (LCA) to estimate the effect of the perceived work environment on screening positive for depression/anxiety and burnout controlling for respondent characteristics. We tested possible predictors in the multivariate regression models and included the predictors that were significant in the final model.ResultsOur final sample included 701 emergency health care workers. Almost 23% of respondents screened positive for depression/anxiety and 39.7% for burnout. Nurses were significantly more likely to screen positive for depression/anxiety (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] 2.04, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.11–3.86) and burnout (aOR 2.05, 95% CI 1.22–3.49) compared to attendings. The LCA analysis identified four subgroups of our respondents that differed in their responses to the work environment questions. These groups were identified as Work Environment Risk Group 1, an overall good work environment; Risk Group 2, inadequate resources; Risk Group 3, lack of perceived organizational support; and Risk Group 4, an overall poor work environment. Participants in the two groups who perceived their work conditions as most adverse were significantly more likely to screen positive for depression/anxiety (aOR 1.89, 95% CI 1.05–3.42; and aOR 2.04, 95% CI 1.14–3.66) compared to participants working in environments perceived as less adverse.ConclusionsWe found a strong association between a perceived adverse working environment and poor mental health, particularly when organizational support was deemed inadequate. Targeted strategies to promote better perceptions of the workplace are needed.

Prevalence And Risk Factors of Anxiety and Depression among University Students and Employees During Covid-19 Pandemic

Aim: To determine the prevalence and perceived risk factors of anxiety and depression among employees and students at the Mariano Marcos State University during the COVID-19 pandemic and determine if significant differences exist between groups on the identified variables. Method: This was a descriptive-comparative study that used a survey consisting of the screening questionnaire, Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9), Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 (GAD-7), and Perceived Risk Factors of Anxiety and Depression Questionnaire (PRFAD). The developed, validated, and pilot-tested questionnaire was administered to 212 students and 114 employees during the second semester of 2020-2021. Descriptive statistics and T-test were used for analyses using p<0.05 as the significance level. Results: Results showed that most students have mild severity of anxiety and depression while employees have none to minimal. Cultural factors like the adverse working environment, social inequalities and exclusion, and adverse media influences were identified as moderate risk factors in anxiety and depression. Moreover, there were significant differences in the prevalence of anxiety and depression between students and employees and between teaching and non-teaching employees. There were higher self-reported anxiety and depression among students than employees and among teaching employees than non-teaching employees. Conclusion and Implications: With a higher prevalence of anxiety and depression among students, higher education institutions must strengthen their student welfare services. Also, employees' mental health needs must be considered by providing services to alleviate their anxiety and depression. A holistic and comprehensive policy on mental health promotion should be implemented to improve the mental health status of students and employees.

Workplace characteristics of forensic and nonforensic psychiatric units associated with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms.

Workplace factors associated with the development of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in inpatient psychiatric settings have received limited attention. In this study, we examined critical exposures, patient care stressors, and aspects of workplace environment that are potentially associated with PTSD symptoms in a sample of 633 clinical staff (68% nursing staff, 70% female) who provided direct day-to-day care for patients, and indicated they worked in either forensic (57%) or nonforensic units (43%). Forensic staff reported more direct exposure (74%) to a wider variety of potentially traumatic events and chronic stressors than nonforensic staff (66%). Forensic staff also endorsed more PTSD symptoms. Using the PTSD Checklist for DSM-5 (PCL-5; Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders-Fifth Edition, DSM-5), 22% of forensic staff and 11% of nonforensic staff met the screening cut-off for possible PTSD; PTSD symptom scores were predicted both by direct exposure and unit type. Additionally, workplace environment and organizational trust were negatively correlated with PTSD symptom scores, where forensic staff reported a greater degree of incongruence with their workplace and lower levels of trust in management, compared with nonforensic staff. These results offer a snapshot of the more adverse work environment and associated risks faced by clinical staff on forensic units compared with nonforensic settings. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2021 APA, all rights reserved).

SP4.1.16 V is for vicious: a COVID burnout vector perspective

AimsNo employment sector has been more heavily pressed by COVID-19 than healthcare. This study aimed to characterise surgical trainee burnout related to the pandemic, following a previous observational cohort study reporting 59% burnout.MethodsA 36-point survey, including the 22-point Maslach Burnout Inventory evaluated emotional exhaustion, depersonalisation, and personal accomplishment amongst all surgical trainees within a UK Statutory Education Body, with responses received from 121 (75 Core (CST), 46 Higher Surgical Trainees (HST)).ResultsHigh burnout levels were evident across one, two, or all three domains in 60.3% (n = 73), 32.2% (n = 39) and 13.2% (n = 16), respectively. Median emotional exhaustion, depersonalisation and personal accomplishment scores were 19 (range 0-48), 7 (0-25) and 36 (6-48), respectively. Median emotional exhaustion score was related to age (25-29yr 25 vs. >40yr 4; p = 0.016), trainee grade (CST 23 vs. HST 13; p = 0.001) and parenthood (parents 13 vs. not parents 21; p = 0.011), as was depersonalisation: 9 (25-29yr) vs. 1 (>40yr; p = 0.001), 8 (CST) vs. 6 (HST; p = 0.006) and 5 (parents) vs. 8 (not parents; p < 0.001), respectively. COVID-19 induced curriculum working pattern disruption was observed in 82.6% (n = 100), with 31.4% (n = 38) redeployed away from surgery. Barriers to training and career development were the commonest stressors (71.9%) and more prevalent among younger trainees (25-29yr. 76.8% vs. >40yr. 28.6%; p = 0.045) and CST (80.0% vs. HST 58.7%; p = 0.011). Clinical workload concerns were associated with emotional exhaustion (OR 3.12; p = 0.008).ConclusionsBurnout endures, though unique adverse clinical work environments may have boosted resilience. Countermeasures including Enhanced Stress Resilience Training remain a priority.

More Than Just "Stressful"? Testing the Mediating Role of Fatigue on the Relationship Between Job Stress and Occupational Crashes of Long-Haul Truck Drivers.

IntroductionRecent evidence consistently highlights the adverse work environment of long-haul professional drivers, whose task structure typically involves the performance of extensive shifts, driving under stressful working conditions. In this regard, job stress and fatigue – that are highly prevalent in this workforce – seem to play a crucial role in explaining this group’s negative traffic safety outcomes. The aim of this study was to assess whether work-related fatigue is a mechanism that mediates the relationship between job stress, health indicators and occupational traffic crashes of long-haul truck drivers (LHTD).MethodsThe data used in this study were collected from 521 Spanish long-haul truck drivers (97% males) from all 17 regions of Spain, with a mean age of 47 years.ResultsUtilizing structural equation models (SEM), it was found that work-traffic crashes of long-haul truck drivers could be explained through work-related fatigue that exerts a full mediation between job stress (job strain), health-related factors and traffic crashes suffered during the previous two years.DiscussionOverall, the findings of this research support that a) stressful working conditions and health issues of drivers have significant effects on traffic crashes, and b) fatigue is a mechanism relating stress-related factors and work-traffic crashes of long-haul drivers. This study highlights the need of stress- and fatigue-management policies and interventions, in order to reduce the crash risk of long-haul truck drivers.

Analysis on the Steady-state Performance and Losses of a Bent-axis Type Hydraulic Motor Used in Heavy Earth Moving Machinery

Hydraulic components play a significant role in the mining and construction equipment. It is responsible for smooth change in the output speed, torque, and power of the machine. The hydrostatic drive powered by a constant speed electric motor is widely used in the propel system of the mining equipment. Regulation of the displacements of the pump and the hydro-motor of the drive facilitates the control of the straight running and steering of the machines.&#x0D; In the present scenario, better efficiency and ease of control are the critical aspects to be considered in the design and selection of the hydraulic pump and motor used in underground mining operations. The bent axis hydro-motor is one such equipment that is an electro-hydraulic component that can work in an adverse working environment.&#x0D; The present study deals with the performance analysis of fixed displacement bent axis hydro-motor at different operating parameters such as different temperatures, sizes, viscosity at different loads, and drive speed. For analysis, the hydraulic drive consists of a variable displacement pump rotated by a constant speed electric motor and a fixed displacement hydro-motor. The regulation of the pump displacement controls the speed of the drive. Manually controlled hydrostatic drive propels the said machine against variable load demands. The present work investigates the performances of the hydro-motor used in the mining and construction machine through detailed modeling and experimentations. The steady-state performances are analyzed in terms of slip, torque losses and efficiency of the hydro-motor. The study finds the design guideline to operate the hydrostatic drive using such motors in a reasonable efficiency zone.&#x0D; The model is validated for various operating conditions of the equipment by comparing the predicted results with the test results. The outcome of the present work will be expedient for the preliminary design and assortment of similar hydraulic component used in the mobile, mining equipment.

The Role of Personal Biological Resource in the Job Demands-Control-Support Model: Evidence From Stress Reactivity.

Job resources can buffer the deleterious effect of adverse work environments. Extant studies on the interaction pattern between job resources and adverse environments were confined to the diathesis stress model. This traditional perspective has received the challenge from the differential susceptibility model and the vantage sensitivity model. Additionally, stress reactivity may be one of the important job resources at the personal biological level, but its moderating role was short of empirical research. This study aimed to examine how stress reactivity interacts with work environments in predicting job burnouts among 341 Chinese hospital female nurses. This study selected job control and job support representative of supportive environments and psychological demands representative of an adverse environment and the cortisol content in 1-cm hair segment as a biomarker to assess individual’s stress reactivity in 1 month. The nurses self-reported their work environments and job burnouts and provided 1-cm hair segments closest to the scalp. Hair cortisol content was measured with high-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. The interaction pattern was examined with multiple linear regressions and the analysis of region of significance (RoS). The regression revealed that the interaction of hair cortisol content with job control could positively predict professional efficiency among nurses, with psychological demands could negatively predict emotional exhaustion, and with coworker support could negatively predict professional efficiency. The RoS analysis revealed that nurses with high cortisol levels had not only significantly higher professional efficiency than those with low cortisol levels in high job control but also significantly lower professional efficiency in low job control. Nurses with high cortisol levels had significantly higher emotional exhaustion than those with low cortisol levels in low psychological demands. Nurses with low cortisol levels had not only significantly higher professional efficiency than those with high cortisol levels in high coworker support but also significantly lower professional efficiency in low coworker support. The interaction patterns of stress reactivity with both job control and coworker support were consistent with the differential susceptibility model, but the interaction between stress reactivity and psychological demands supported the vantage sensitivity model.

Workplace bullying in the hospitality industry: A hindrance to the employee mindfulness state and a source of emotional exhaustion

We investigate how workplace bullying leads to employee emotional exhaustion through its detrimental effects on mindfulness. Extant research investigated mindfulness as a trait and treated it as a predictor or moderator. However, we model mindfulness as a state that can be altered by events such as bullying and thus, we conceptualize it as a mediator that is drained by bullying and thus influences emotional exhaustion. Our model is based on the Conservation of Resources theory and tested with data from 426 full-time employees in the hospitality industry in Zanzibar using Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modelling. Our results show that workplace bullying leads to employee emotional exhaustion and that mindfulness state is a mechanism through which bullying is related to exhaustion. The results provide managerial implications for practitioners to develop work environments to reduce emotional exhaustion and research implications for scholars about the role of mindfulness in dealing with adverse work environments. • Workplace bullying leads to emotional exhaustion among hospitality employees. • Employee mindfulness state is difficult to achieve under workplace bullying. • Employees become more susceptible to emotional exhaustion when they cannot maintain mindful states due to workplace bullying.

Effects of work stress, sleep, and shift work on suicidal ideation among female workers in an electronics company.

Suicide is the leading cause of death in young adults in Korea. Stress in the workplace affects the suicide rate; young female workers are particularly vulnerable to adverse work environments. We investigated the relationships of shift work, sleep, and work stress to suicidal ideation. This study used data from 508 female workers aged 22-40 years in an electronics company. Data on baseline characteristics, work patterns, sleep quality (using the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index), and work stress levels using the Korean Occupational Stress Scale (KOSS) were obtained from questionnaires. We examined associations between suicidal ideation and shift work, sleep quality, and KOSS scores. Suicidal ideation was significantly higher among shift workers (odds ratio [OR], 2.38; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.31-4.32), those with poor sleep (OR, 2.84; 95% CI, 1.68-4.84), and those with high work stress (OR, 3.30; 95% CI, 1.82-6.00). Both 3 × 12 h shift workers (OR, 2.98; 95% CI, 1.35-6.57) and 4 × 8 h shift workers (OR, 2.14; 95% CI, 1.03-4.45) had increased suicidal ideation. High work stress (OR, 11.55; 95% CI, 2.93-45.48) had stronger associations with suicidal ideation than poor sleep (OR, 3.86; 95% CI, 1.21-12.33) in shift workers. The combined effect of poor sleep and high KOSS on suicidal ideation was stronger in shift workers (OR, 13.39; 95% CI, 3.22-55.62) than day workers (OR, 4.31; 95% CI, 1.03-18.01). Shift workers are more vulnerable than day workers to the combination of work stress and poor sleep quality as well as to work stress alone.

Thwarted psychological needs: the negative impact of customer mistreatment on service employees and the moderating role of empowerment HRM practices

PurposeDrawing on self-determination theory (SDT), this study aims to understand the adverse effects of customer mistreatment on employee performance and well-being by thwarting the satisfaction of employees' basic psychological needs. It also examines how these negative effects may be mitigated by empowerment human resource management (HRM) practices.Design/methodology/approachTwo studies were conducted using survey data collected in China. In Study 1, cross-sectional data from 321 telemarketing employees were analyzed to examine how customer mistreatment reduces the satisfaction of employees' basic psychological needs, harming job performance and job satisfaction. In Study 2, multiwave, multisource data were collected from 149 property agents and their supervisors to replicate the findings of Study 1 and further test empowerment HRM as a moderator of the relationship between customer mistreatment and satisfaction of needs.FindingsThe results from both studies show that customer mistreatment leads to low job performance and job satisfaction via reduced satisfaction of employees' needs for autonomy and competence but not relatedness. Moreover, the negative effect on the satisfaction of employees' needs for autonomy and competence was buffered when organizations had high empowerment HRM practices in place.Originality/valueThis study provides new insights on customer mistreatment by understanding its effects from a motivational perspective, which has not been considered in prior research. It also explores how HRM practices can help satisfy employee needs in adverse work environments induced by customer mistreatment.

Perceived losses of scientific integrity under the Trump administration: A survey of federal scientists.

President Trump and his administration have been regarded by news outlets and scholars as one of the most hostile administrations towards scientists and their work. However, no study to-date has empirically measured how federal scientists perceive the Trump administration with respect to their scientific work. In 2018, we distributed a survey to over 63,000 federal scientists from 16 federal agencies to assess their perception of scientific integrity. Here we discuss the results of this survey for a subset of these agencies: Department of Interior (DOI) agencies (the US Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS), the US Geological Survey, and the National Park Service); the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC); the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA); the Food and Drug Administration (FDA); and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). We focus our analysis to 10 key questions fitting within three core categories that relate to perceptions of integrity in science. Additionally, we analyzed responses across agencies and compare responses in the 2018 survey to prior year surveys of federal scientists with similar survey questions. Our results indicate that federal scientists perceive losses of scientific integrity under the Trump Administration. Perceived loss of integrity in science was greater at the DOI and EPA where federal scientists ranked incompetent and untrustworthy leadership as top barriers to science-based decision-making, but this was not the case at the CDC, FDA, and NOAA where scientists positively associated leadership with scientific integrity. We also find that reports of political interference in scientific work and adverse work environments were higher at EPA and FWS in 2018 than in prior years. We did not find similar results at the CDC and FDA. These results suggest that leadership, positive work environments, and clear and comprehensive scientific integrity policies and infrastructure within agencies play important roles in how federal scientists perceive their agency's scientific integrity.