Affect Employee Health Research Articles

Contextual barriers to implementing pandemic HRM in Indian manufacturing SMEs: A comprehensive analysis

BACKGROUND: Existing literature lacks in-depth analyses and identification of barriers to implementing HR practices that affect employee health and well-being, especially during and after the pandemic. Moreover, existing studies primarily focus on large organizations with generic HR contexts. Therefore, this research contributes by evaluating the contextual relationship between barriers to implementing pandemic Human Resource Management (HRM) practices in Indian manufacturing SMEs. OBJECTIVE: The post-pandemic landscape has necessitated a reevaluation of Human Resource (HR) practices, particularly in terms of employee health and well-being while balancing organizational performance goals. This study seeks to identify and evaluate the significant barriers hindering the implementation of re-designed HR policies, focusing on Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs) in the manufacturing sector in developing countries during and after the pandemic transition. METHODS: The study initially identified ten barriers through a thorough literature review, which was then validated by experts. Subsequently, the interrelationships among these barriers were explored, and their structural hierarchy was established using the Total Interpretive Structural Modelling (TISM) approach. Additionally, a MICMAC (Matriced Impact Croises Multiplication Applique) analysis was performed to assess the driving-dependence power of each barrier. RESULTS: “Manager’s resistance to change” and “employee’s resistance to change” were found to be highly dependent on the other identified barriers. Among these, “lack of skilled managers at affordable costs” and “implementation expenses of new normal HRM practices” emerged as the most critical barriers, with the potential to impact all other barriers in the implementation of re-designed policies. CONCLUSIONS: The study helps owners of manufacturing SMEs and managers to understand the significant barriers to implementing HR policies, particularly in frequent pandemic situations for enhancing employees’ health and well-being while ensuring organizational performance. The planned framework might make it easier for practitioners and decision-makers to comprehend how the various implementation barriers relate to one another. The study’s focus on Indian manufacturing SMEs limits the generalizability of findings to other contexts. Reliance on expert opinions introduces bias, and further validation through empirical research is needed.

Evaluation of absenteeism and presenteeism status of factory employees.

While absenteeism refers to not attending work, presenteeism is defined as not being present at work. These two conditions, which negatively affect employee health, can be indicators of work efficiency, work peace, work safety and work engagement. Several factors were evaluated in this study concerning absenteeism and presenteeism among factory workers. This cross-sectional study was conducted among workers in a factory operating in a heavy industry in southern Turkey in 2021. A survey consisting of 57 questions was applied to 152 factory workers by face-to-face interview method. The participants' behaviour over the last month was evaluated regarding absenteeism and presenteeism. It was reported that 24 (15.8%) of all employees were absent from work in the last month (absenteeism), excluding holidays and sick leave, and that 20 (13.2%) employees engaged in presenteeism, working when they should not have been at the workplace. There was a high absenteeism rate among employees who had an acute illness and were dissatisfied with their jobs. Several factors have been associated with presenteeism, including poor economic conditions, family health problems, previous unemployment, working overtime, job dissatisfaction, poor relationships with colleagues and difficulty finding a replacement, acute illness, sleep problems and fatigue. To increase the productivity and commitment of employees, it may be useful to identify the reasons for absenteeism and present behaviours, to facilitate effective interpersonal communication skills by examining the organisational climate of employees, and to regulate workload based on a comprehensive assessment of the health status of employees.

Which workplace health initiatives work, for whom, in what contexts, and how? A rapid realist review

BackgroundThe work environment is an important determinant of health and health inequalities. Workplaces have a key role in preventing ill health. The WHO and Office for Health Improvement and Disparities encourage implementing employer-led workplace health award schemes tailored to specific contexts. Therefore, when designing and developing workplace initiatives it becomes imperative to know what works, for whom, and in what circumstances. This research aims to facilitate understanding of the various contexts and mechanisms through which workplace health initiatives are implemented while considering how these might affect employee health outcomes. MethodsWe did a rapid realist review to explore the different contexts (C) in which workplace initiatives are implemented that may fire a mechanism (M), leading to a change in employee health-related and business outcomes (O). We searched 12 databases for peer-reviewed papers published from June 1, 2019, to March 31, 2022 that referred to a workplace health and or wellbeing programme or intervention. There were no restrictions placed on study design. We recorded the impact of context and mechanisms on any health and business-related outcomes. The review was carried out in accordance with RAMESES publication standards. Findings26 articles were included. Most studies were conducted in North America (n=13) and Europe (n=9), with four conducted in Australia and Oceania and one in Asia. We developed eight realist CMO programme theories. For example, when leaders are committed to employee health and wellbeing (C) (identified in 16 studies), demonstrated by role modelling healthy behaviours and actively promoting workers to engage in initiatives, employees feel valued and “permitted” to engage in healthy and wellbeing initiatives (M) which might lead to greater participation in health promotion activities (O). This review is registered with PROSPERO, CRD42022303262. InterpretationFindings contribute towards raising employers' awareness of what interventions might work for their employees. For instance, those interventions that encompass engagement of leadership at all levels to promote health and wellbeing are likely to leave employees feeling valued, motivated, and permitted to engage in interventions. Limitations of this study include potential biases arising from using rapid review processes and the inability to produce standardised recommendations. However, knowledge gained, which considers complexity and flexibility, might help inform, tailor, and support the implementation of future workplace health initiatives. FundingNational Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR).

In what ways does age-differentiated leadership influence employee health?

According to Wegge et al. (2014), leadership behavior can affect employee health in several ways. The model describes leaders (1) as actors with a direct influence on the health of employees, (2) as designers of work systems, (3) as a moderating factor (buffer/amplifier) of the effects of work requirements and resources on health, (4) as a developer of group climate and identification and (5) as direct role models for health-related behavior. In order to collect evidence for the usefulness of this multi-path model, connections between age-differentiated leadership (ADL) and health were analyzed in 947 employees of a German technology company. ADL is a management style that takes into account the particularities of mixed-age teams and also differentiates between the different needs of different age groups. It was found that better ADL (when controlling for employee-oriented leadership) is associated with fewer physical and psychological complaints (pathway 1). This relationship is mediated by the manager’s social support (path 2) and a better recreational climate in the team (path 4). Better ADL also reduced the negative effects of psychological work demands on the psychological symptoms (pathway 3).Practical Relevance: This article provides practical evidence for the multi-way model of leadership and health. Using the example of age-differentiated leadership (ADL)—with control of employee-oriented leadership—it was also found that this leadership behavior has a positive effect on the mental and physical health of employees via four different paths and should therefore be encouraged.

Relaxation Methods to Reduce Occupational Stress.

Healthcare providers putting their patient's health before their own has negative consequences. Utilizing evidence-based research, nurse leaders can implement practices to positively affect employee health. This project assessed the utilization of a workplace relaxation room to reduce occupational stress. Multiple methods were used to recruit participants. Participants completed pre/post surveys (demographic, PSS-10, GallupQ12, and open-ended questions) via email. The relaxation room contained stress reducing items for staff to utilize while at work. Data was collected using Qualtrics Survey software. Data from the PSS-10 and GallupQ12 did not reveal statistically significant results. The participants responses to the open-ended questions did indicate a positive impact. While the aims of the project were not met during the intervention, the open-ended responses indicated that for the employees who participated in the project, the intervention was a positive addition to the workplace.

The relationship between telework from home and employee health: a systematic review

BackgroundGlobalization and technological progress have made telework arrangements such as telework from home (TWFH) well-established in modern economies. TWFH was rapidly and widely implemented to reduce virus spread during the Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic, and will probably be widespread also post-pandemic. How such work arrangements affect employee health is largely unknown. Main objective of this review was to assess the evidence on the relationship between TWFH and employee health.MethodsWe conducted electronic searches in MEDLINE, Embase, Amed, PsycINFO, PubMed, and Scopus for peer-reviewed, original research with quantitative design published from January 2010 to February 2021. Our aim was to assess the evidence for associations between TWFH and health-related outcomes in employed office workers. Risk of bias in each study was evaluated by the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale and the collected body of evidence was evaluated using the the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation (GRADE) approach.ResultsWe included 14 relevant studies (22,919 participants) reporting on 28 outcomes, which were sorted into six outcome categories (general health, pain, well-being, stress, exhaustion & burnout, and satisfaction with overall life & leisure). Few studies, with many having suboptimal designs and/or other methodological issues, investigating a limited number of outcomes, resulted in the body of evidence for the detected outcome categories being GRADED either as low or very low.ConclusionsThe consisting evidence on the relationship between TWFH and employee health is scarce. The non-existence of studies on many relevant and important health outcomes indicates a vast knowledge gap that is crucial to fill when determining how to implement TWFH in the future working life.Systematic review registration numberPROSPERO registration ID # CRD42021233796.

Institutional Investor Activism and Employee Safety: The Role of Activist and Board Political Ideology

Although prior research on shareholder activism has highlighted how such activism can economically benefit the shareholders of targeted firms, recent studies also suggest that shareholder activism can economically disadvantage nonshareholder stakeholders, notably employees. Our study extends this research by exploring whether shareholder activism by institutional investors (i.e., institutional investor activism) can adversely affect employee health and safety through increased workplace injury and illness. Furthermore, deviating from the assumption that financially motivated institutional investor activists are homogeneous in their goals and preferences, we investigate whether the influence of institutional investor activism on employee health and safety hinges on the political ideology of the shareholder activist and of the board of the targeted firm. Using establishment-level data, we find that institutional investor activism adversely influences workplace injury and illness at targeted firms and that this influence is stronger for nonliberal shareholder activists and for firms with a nonliberal board. Our study contributes to shareholder activism research by highlighting how the political ideology of shareholder activists and boards affects the impact of shareholder activism on stakeholders and how shareholder activism can adversely affect the health and safety of employees. Furthermore, our paper also contributes to research on workplace safety and the management of employee relations and human capital resources by highlighting the detrimental effect of a firm’s ownership by investor activists on its employees and how the board’s political ideology may enable a firm to reduce this risk. Supplemental Material: The online appendices are available at https://doi.org/10.1287/orsc.2021.1542 .

Effects of health-promoting leadership, employee health on employee engagement: employability as moderating variable

PurposeEmployee health is a major challenge for enterprises. Fostering a healthy work environment and promoting employee engagement are key to addressing this challenge. Health-promoting leadership and employee health are the driving forces of corporate development; at the same time, employability is the core element of employee relations. Based on self-determination theory, this study aims to explore the effects of health-promoting leadership and employee health on employee engagement in light of employee employability.Design/methodology/approachThe data of this study encompass 723 valid questionnaires from employees of MSME in China. This study focuses on health-promoting leadership and employee health, engagement relationship and the above relationship moderating by employability.FindingsHealth-promoting leadership plays a key role in the workplace, results show that health-promoting leadership has a positive impact on employee health and employee engagement, while employee health did not have a positive effect on employee engagement. Employability negatively moderated the relationship between employee health and employee engagement.Research limitations/implicationsThis study is based on cross-sectional survey data collected at the COVID-19 pandemic. The pandemic rapidly and continuously changed the organizational responses to employee health. Future studies could utilize longitudinal methods or focus on measurement instruments of the culture of health, to create additional insights about health promoting.Originality/valueThis study adds important knowledge regarding health-promoting leadership and employee health in Chinese MSMEs, an area for which limited research exists. The findings provide insights and knowledge about health-promoting leadership how to affect employee health and to improve engagement outcomes. The findings also identify the moderating role of employability.

How Managers Affect Followers’ Health Behavioral Change: A Systematic Literature Review

Employee health is of direct importance to managers of organizations, teams, and individuals. How managers affect employee health behaviors, and changes thereof, is still unknown. Only a few studies have sought these mechanisms associated with “healthy leadership”, including studies that charted how managers/leaders affect employees’ private health lives. In this systematic literature review of fourteen studies, we analyze the mechanisms that have been explored and substantiated so far. We identified eleven categories of variables that can explain the effects of leadership on employee health behaviors. The findings were incorporated into a conceptual model, offering insight into how healthy leadership/management may affect follower health behavioral change. At the core of this individual-change model are: 1) a personal leader-employee relationship and 2) role modelling. It is suggested that this model should be tested empirically, and that the links among the thus far explored independent and outcome variables should be theorized further. Ultimately, efforts to advance effective healthy leadership at work might promote health behavioral changes among employees’ families and related social networks. In effect, managers may become crucial in the slow ascent of preventive medicine, thereby bringing ‘managers back in’ to pursue their potentially lofty, multi-purpose objectives.

This job is (literally) killing me: A moderated-mediated model linking work characteristics to mortality.

Research in applied psychology has found that job demands affect employee health outcomes. However, less is known about the mechanisms linking job demands to more distal health outcomes, such as death, and how other job characteristics (i.e., job control) and individual differences (i.e., cognitive ability) might buffer these relationships. Accordingly, we drew from theories from the work stress and medical literatures to argue that job control and cognitive ability moderate the positive relationship between job demands and the probability of mortality, via the mediating effects of poor physical (i.e., allostatic load) and mental health (i.e., depression) indicators. We tested our hypotheses using a 20-year time-lagged design in a sample of 3,148 individuals with mental health data (and a subsample of 754 with physical health data) from the Midlife in the United States Survey. We found that job control and cognitive ability buffered the positive relationship between job demands and poor mental health. Unexpectedly, we found that job control, but not cognitive ability, moderated the relationship between job demands and physical health, such that job demands were related to better physical health under conditions of high control, and unrelated to physical health under conditions of low control. In turn, physical and mental health mediated the moderated (by job control and cognitive ability) job demands-mortality relationship. Our findings suggest that job demands relate to death differentially via physical and mental health, and that these relationships are bounded in unique ways by job control and cognitive ability. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2021 APA, all rights reserved).

High-performance work practices, employee well-being, and supportive leadership: spillover mechanisms and boundary conditions between HRM and leadership behavior

The aim of this paper is to deepen our understanding of the relationships between high-performance work practices (HPWPs) and employee well-being. In particular, we integrate three employee well-being types, proposing that HPWPs positively affect employee health (i.e. health status, sickness absence, and sleep quality), mediated by job satisfaction and employee engagement. We also analyze the influence of supportive leadership as a key contextual factor. We hypothesize that the positive relationships between HPWPs and employee health via job satisfaction and engagement will be reinforced by supportive leadership, since the relationships between HPWPs and a) job satisfaction and b) work engagement should be stronger when leadership is more supportive. These hypotheses are tested with representative data from German-speaking countries (Austria, Germany, and Switzerland; N = 3325). The results support the mediating roles of job satisfaction and work engagement. Interestingly, the remaining direct relationships between HPWPs and sleep quality are negative, which supports a counteracting effects model. We further find a moderating effect where, in contrast to our assumption, supportive leadership attenuates HPWPs’ effects.

Office cake culture

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to explore the characteristics of office cake (OC) consumption and the associated attitudes and behaviours among UK office workers to gain insight into the implications for workplace health.Design/methodology/approachA cross-sectional online questionnaire was completed by 940 respondents. Data were analysed using descriptive statistics and cross-tabulation withχ2tests for between-group difference.FindingsRespondents reported both positive social and negative health-related consequences of OC. OC influenced eating behaviour through increased salience and availability, and the effects of social influencing. Almost all (94.8 per cent) reported ideal OC frequency to be once/week or less. Gender and age significantly affected attitudes and behaviour.Research limitations/implicationsThe questionnaire was not validated so data accuracy could have been diminished or biased. Portion size was not examined and consumption data were self-reported which could have resulted in under-reporting. Only office workers were investigated therefore results may not be applicable to other workplaces.Practical implicationsOC appears to influence both the workplace eating environment and employee eating behaviour. It could therefore affect employee health and workplace health promotion programme efficacy. However the findings suggest that nudge-based initiatives could reduce OC consumption to make workplaces healthier while retaining social benefits.Originality/valueThe present study provides the first data on OC culture and insights on how to address it sensitively. It also highlights that sweet treats used for celebration and employee recognition should be considered a relevant part of workplace food provision alongside canteens and vending.

Office cake culture: an exploration of its characteristics and associated behaviours and attitudes among UK office workers and implications for workplace health

Purpose: This paper explores the characteristics of office cake (OC) consumption and the associated attitudes and behaviours among UK office workers to gain insight into the implications for workplace health. Design: A cross-sectional online questionnaire was completed by 940 respondents. Data were analysed using descriptive statistics and cross-tabulation with Chi-square tests for between-group difference. Findings: Respondents reported both positive social and negative health-related consequences of OC. OC influenced eating behaviour through increased salience and availability, and the effects of social influencing. Almost all (94.8%) reported ideal OC frequency to be once/week or less. Gender and age significantly affected attitudes and behaviour. Research limitations/implications: The questionnaire was not validated so data accuracy could have been diminished or biased. Portion size was not examined and consumption data was self-reported which could have resulted in under-reporting. Only office workers were investigated therefore results may not be applicable to other workplaces. Practical implications: OC appears to influence both the workplace eating environment and employee eating behaviour. It could therefore affect employee health and workplace health promotion programme efficacy. However the findings suggest that nudge-based initiatives could reduce OC consumption to make workplaces healthier while retaining social benefits. Originality/value: The present study provides the first data on OC culture and insights on how to address it sensitively. It also highlights that sweet treats used for celebration and employee recognition should be considered a relevant part of workplace food provision alongside canteens and vending.

Investigation of awareness levels about the radiation safety of personnel working in the imaging units of the hospitals in Agri, Turkey

Radiation treatments, which are frequent and hidden hazards in imaging centers in hospitals, seriously affect employee health. In general, people think that there will be nothing to them because they do not know the damage of the radiation. It is not possible to stay away from radiation in some professions. For example, the radiology officials, their job is to identify the disease in people with radiographic method has no chance of dealing with radiation. That's why we need to do our job by getting enough information about radiation and its hazards, and by protecting ourselves and our environment from the dangers of radiation. Therefore, our study aimed to determine the level of information about employee safety of the health personnel working in public and private hospitals in Agri city centrum. Data was collected through a questionnaire by answering the questions of the personnel under observation in the imaging centers of hospitals. All official permits required for our work have been obtained from the necessary authorities. Results showed the inadequacy of knowledge related to ionizing radiation of the personnel, and the necessity of the implementation of radiological examinations by planning training for the safe use.

Insights in When and Why High Performance Work Systems Affect Employee Health Well-being

Thus far, the empirical evidence about the effects of HPWS on both organizational and employee outcomes shows that while HPWS have a positive effect on organizational performance through establishi...

Effectiveness and feasibility of a 10-minute employee stress intervention: Outdoor Booster Break

ABSTRACTThere is a growing recognition that workplace environments affect employee health. Nature contact exposures in the workplace have been shown to be healthful for employees. This pilot study was designed to test the feasibility and efficacy of a daily outdoor work break (Outdoor Booster Break) compared to a daily indoor break. A census of university office staff was invited to participate (N = 244). Phase 1 focused on feasibility—participants (n = 119) reported that the Outdoor Booster Break was feasible (74%), practical (80%), and worthwhile (83%). During Phase II we used a single-site randomized controlled trial (RCT) to examine the effects of an Outdoor Booster Break—compared with a control indoor work break group—for 4 weeks on employee stress. Perceived stress was measured at pretest and posttest for both conditions. Mean posttest stress scores were lower for both the control group (n = 19) and the treatment group (n = 18). A main effects ANCOVA model controlling for baseline stress revealed posttest stress was lower for the treatment group compared to controls (p = .041). Taking a work break appears to have stress-reducing benefits, but the Outdoor Booster Break reduced stress significantly more than an indoor break. Implications for employers, worksite health promoters, and future research are discussed.

Return on investment of a LEED platinum hospital: the influence of healthcare facility environments on healthcare employees and organizational effectiveness

Objective: The purpose of this research study was to link hospital environments to the quality of care and the associated cost of care by examining the relationship among hospital environments and healthcare employee engagement, turnover, illness and injury. Methods: This study used a multi-method research design and quantitative analysis of data sets from participating hospitals. Data included employee survey responses and human resource employee data provided by the hospital system. All statistical tests used an alpha level of .05. The analysis of the survey and human resource employee data tested for significant differences among employees at the participating hospitals; and used correlations and regression analysis to determine the direction and strength of the relationships where significant differences were evident. Results: Results from the survey indicated that perceptions of the built environment affect employee engagement and health and well-being up to 14%. Turnover and injury reductions were significant and resulted in substantial cost differences; $2.17M cost reduction based on the facility replaced and annual cost avoidance of $2.24M when compared to the two newer hospitals that were not Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certified. Conclusions: This study demonstrates that the quality of the hospital environment has social, environmental, and cost implications that aligns with the intention of sustainable design as defined by the United States Green Building Council (USGBC). Developing a built environment that supports productivity, efficiency, safety, and engagement contributes to the prosperity of the healthcare organization.

Does transfer of work from a public sector organisation to a commercial enterprise without staff reductions increase risk of long-term sickness absence among the staff? A cohort study of laboratory and radiology employees

BackgroundPrivatisations of public sector organisations are not uncommon, and some studies suggest that such organisational changes may adversely affect employee health. In this study, we examined whether transfer of work...

How does a vacation from work affect employee health and well-being?

Health and well-being (H&W) improve during vacation. However, it is unclear whether this general development applies to all employees, while also little is known about the underlying processes causing such an improvement. Our research questions were: (1) Does every worker experience a positive effect of vacation on H&W? and (2) Can vacation activities and experiences explain changes in H&W during vacation? In a 7-week longitudinal field study, 96 workers reported their H&W 2 weeks before, during, 1 week, 2 and 4 weeks after a winter sports vacation on 6 indicators (health status, mood, fatigue, tension, energy level and satisfaction). Sixty percent of the sample experienced substantial improvement of H&W during and after vacation. Yet, a small group experienced no (23%) or a negative effect of vacation (17%). Spending limited time on passive activities, pleasure derived from vacation activities, and the absence of negative incidents during vacation explained 38% of the variance in the vacation effect. Although vacation has a positive, longer lasting effect for many, it is not invariably positive for all employees. Choosing especially pleasant vacation activities and avoiding negative incidents as well as passive activities during active vacations apparently contributes to the positive effect of vacation on H&W.

Managers' practices related to work-family balance predict employee cardiovascular risk and sleep duration in extended care settings.

An increasing proportion of U.S. workers have family caregiving responsibilities. The purpose of this study was to determine whether employees in extended care settings whose managers are supportive, open, and creative about work-family needs, such as flexibility with work schedules, have lower cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk and longer sleep than their less supported counterparts. From semistructured interviews with managers, we constructed a work-family balance score of manager openness and creativity in dealing with employee work-family needs. Trained interviewers collected survey and physiologic outcome data from 393 employees whose managers had a work-family score. Employee outcomes are sleep duration (actigraphy) and CVD risk assessed by blood cholesterol, high glycosylated hemoglobin/diabetes, blood pressure/hypertension, body-mass index, and tobacco consumption. Employees whose managers were less supportive slept less (29 min/day) and were over twice as likely to have 2 or more CVD risk factors (ORs = 2.1 and 2.03 for low and middle manager work-family scores, respectively) than employees whose managers were most open and creative. Employees who provide direct patient care exhibited particularly elevated CVD risk associated with low manager work-family score. Managers' attitudes and practices may affect employee health, including sleep duration and CVD risk.