Australian Organisations Research Articles

Associations between employees' alcohol consumption, insomnia and HR management strength.

Understanding of hazardous alcohol drinking and insomnia among Australian ambulance personnel is limited. Australian ambulance organizations have strengthened their organizational human resource management (HRM) to promote their employees' healthy lifestyles, health and well-being. To describe the prevalence of hazardous alcohol consumption and insomnia among Australian ambulance personnel and to explore their associations with the organizational HRM strength. This cross-sectional study was conducted on 492 ambulance personnel randomly selected from three Australian states. The Alcohol Use Disorders tool, The Insomnia Severity Index and the Perceived HRM System Strength instrument measured alcohol consumption, insomnia and HRM strength. Descriptive analyses, bivariate association analyses and general linear models were used for data analysis. Twenty per cent of Australian ambulance personnel consumed alcohol at a hazardous level and 68% experienced clinically significant insomnia. There was no significant association between organizational HRM strength and ambulance personnel's hazardous alcohol consumption. There was a significant association between organizational HRM strength (consensus) and ambulance personnel's insomnia experience. Hazardous alcohol consumption and insomnia were concerns among Australian ambulance personnel. Even though strengthening the HRM system might reduce their experience of insomnia, simply strengthening the HRM system could not reduce their hazardous alcohol consumption.

Investigation of the effectiveness of the implementation of gender equality strategies: a case study of an Australian public sector organization in a male-dominated industry

Investigation of the effectiveness of the implementation of gender equality strategies: a case study of an Australian public sector organization in a male-dominated industry

Design and Modeling of Sustainable Environment in Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Practices

Pharmaceuticals have detrimental environmental effects, including their effect on the greenhouse gas emissions of medical care; hence, pharmacists address climate and biodiversity problems. Education and understanding are essential to facilitate Environmental Sustainability (ES) in Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Practices (PP) (ESPP). This study aimed to investigate Australian pharmacy undergraduates' understanding and views about ES and the ESPP program material. Responders were polled using a survey administered. The survey consisted of two primary portions: the New Environmental Perspective (NEP) to assess people's ecological mindset scores and a section regarding their opinions and curricular experiences of ES procedures, adjusted from previously released questionnaires. The notification with the survey User Recourse Locator (URL) was distributed through online platforms, Australian pharmaceutical student organizations, and direct outreach. Quantitative information was presented descriptively. Thematic analysis of qualitative data from open-ended question replies was conducted using a reflexive, recursive methodology. Answers that needed to be included should have been included in the evaluation. Among the 165 replies, 98% had already acquired information on ES. Under 12% possessed an awareness of ESPP, and only 7.9% recognized the inclusion of ESPP topics in the pharmaceutical syllabus. 65% of participants saw the ESPP as pertinent to prospective PP. 89% asserted that the pharmacy profession must implement sustainability efforts in providing pharmaceutical treatment. Australian pharmacy learners needed to exhibit more awareness of ESPP, and a limited number reported curricular involvement with ESPP topics within their pharmacy programs. ESPP material represents a significant domain for enhancement within pharmacy courses.

It’s ‘Gut Feeling’ Mostly: Online Hate, Uncivil Comments and Content Moderation in Australian Sports Media

There is evidence that online hate speech is increasing significantly on social media pages related to sport, but less research on how sport and media organisations are managing it. This research explored the management of content moderation in Australian sport media through qualitative interviews (16) with social media and communications staff in Australian sport and media organisations. It found that content moderation, or the moderating and removal of comments under social media posts, happened mostly as an addition to content creation work. Strategies for dealing with online hate and incivility were mostly the same between media and sport organisations, interviewees used some automated filters, but mostly manually hid, deleted and blocked comments and users to ‘clean’ their spaces. Overall there was a lack of formal guidelines and policies to direct moderation. Instead the work of content moderation was reliant on the actions of individuals, who took it on with a significant level of personal responsibility, and developed individual coping mechanisms to deal with the work. With its focus on communication staff in sport and media organisations this research contributes a different and important perspective to the growing field of research of online hate in sport.

Providing accessible health information for people with disability in a public health crisis: A qualitative study of the experiences of Australian accessible information provider organizations during the COVID-19 pandemic

BackgroundDuring the COVID-19 pandemic, people with disability had a right and an acute need to access accessible COVID-19 information, in formats such as sign language, Braille, large print and Easy Read/English. Yet such information was not always provided and many people with disability were without sufficient accessible information. ObjectiveThis paper explores the experiences of Australian accessible information provider organizations of producing accessible information during the pandemic. The intent is to understand why insufficient accessible information reached people with disability. MethodsIn-depth interviews were conducted with 17 accessible information provider organizations and one other stakeholder in Australia, and thematically analyzed. ResultsThe findings show that accessible information provider organizations felt an immense depth and breadth of responsibility for providing accessible information to people with disability during the pandemic. However, they were hampered by constantly changing information; workforce challenges; and a lack of financial, logistic and partnership assistance. Other notable difficulties included having no source of clear/accurate information to translate to accessible formats and not having medical/health expertise themselves. ConclusionThe findings have implications for better preparation for accessible information access in future public health crises. There should be greater funding and logistic support for accessible information provider organizations. Provision of clear/accurate information and subject matter checks of accessible products would be helpful. Responsibility for this should be scoped into existing outreach, education and communications roles – for example, in local health services, general practice clinics and government health departments.

Supportive Care Needs of Young Adults With Endometriosis: An Open-Ended Online Survey and Exploration of Unmet Needs.

The aim of this study is to identify and explore the unmet needs of adolescents and young adults living with endometriosis. An open-ended online survey was conducted, with questions derived from prior research looking at areas of unmet need in healthcare, career and work, financial, information, psychological, social and cultural domains. Self-selecting 18-25 year olds with surgically diagnosed endometriosis (self-reported) currently living in Australia were included as participants. Invitation to participate in an open-ended online survey was shared through the social media of Australian endometriosis organisations and the Royal Women's Hospital, Melbourne. Surveys were analysed qualitatively through template analysis. Recording of the unmet supportive care needs of this population was carried out. One hundred and thirty-one respondents fit the eligibility criteria of being aged 18-25 years (median age 23 years). Most were born in Australia (94%), university-educated (54%) and lived in a metropolitan setting (69%). There was a range of unmet needs that were presented across education, work, healthcare and relationships. Group-specific challenges were identified: doctors either over- or underemphasising future fertility; disrupted sexual and romantic life due to painful sex; managing pain in the classroom and workplace where periods are taboo; and being gender-queer in gynaecological medical spaces. The increasingly young age at which patients are receiving an endometriosis diagnosis precipitates a shift in patient care. The treatment decisions that are being made must be reflective of the unique needs of the adolescents who carry the burden of the disease. Clinicians are advised to be aware of and discuss needs with their patients. The nine open-ended questions in this survey were developed from data from a preliminary series of interviews with endometriosis patients in a tertiary women's healthcare centre. In asking these data-informed questions to the online endometriosis community, patients across broader sociocultural demographics and disease states (including less symptomatic endometriosis) have provided a broader understanding of their supportive care needs.

What is Needed to Provide High-Quality Cultural and Spiritual Care in Long-Term Care Homes?

Context: Providing high-quality care to older people living in long-term care homes requires consideration of their cultural backgrounds and spiritual beliefs. Objective: To ascertain the views of key informants from Australian culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD), Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander (ATSI), and spiritual care organisations about providing high-quality cultural and spiritual care in long-term care homes. Method: Semi-structured interviews were undertaken with seven representatives of these Australian organisations. Interview transcripts were thematically analysed. Findings: The importance of cultural and spiritual care to older people living in long-term care was acknowledged. However, it was noted that this care for older people from diverse CALD, ATSI, and spiritual backgrounds was often absent due to staff ignorance, lack of awareness, and assumptions. Staff need further education to provide culturally and spiritually appropriate care; long-term care homes need to incorporate an organizational approach to providing culturally and spirituality appropriate care; and staff should be encouraged to consult experts in cultural and spiritual care when the care they provide is insufficient. Cultural and spiritual care champions may be an appropriate way of disseminating knowledge and establishing a culturally and spiritually aware workforce. Limitations: The small number of existing Australian cultural and spiritual care organisations, and the smaller number of representatives within these organisations who have experience with older people living in long-term care homes, limited the number of eligible participants. Implications for practice Long-term care homes must invest in comprehensive education to better equip staff to provide high-quality cultural and spiritual care to older people. Education should assist staff in identifying the range of life areas to which culture and spiritual care have relevance and how to apply appropriate knowledge. Staff should be aware of the available guidelines about culturally and spiritually informed care; and recognise when to consult experts. Workplace champions can provide and encourage an ethos where culture and spirituality are considered in everyday care.

Improved Glycemic Control during a One-Week Adventure Camp in Adolescents with Type 1 Diabetes-The DIACAMP Study.

Adolescence remains a crucial age associated with diabetes distress in individuals living with type 1 diabetes (T1D). The Austrian organization "Diabär" regularly hosts a one-week adventure camp for adolescents (12-18 years) living with T1D. The camp focuses on "fun activities" without a structured educational protocol in order to minimize diabetes distress and increase diabetes management skills. In contrast to educational camps, training is kept to a minimum. However, attendees analyze the glycemic data of the previous day with their medical supervisor once daily during the camp. All subjects used a standardized real-time continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) system (DexcomG7) throughout the whole study. Glycemic metrics were prospectively analyzed during three periods: week 1 = home phase, week 2 = adventure camp, and week 3 = after the camp. Safety (time below range 1 [TBR1], 69-54 mg/dL, and time below range 2 [TBR2], <54 mg/dL) and efficacy (time in range [TIR], 70-180 mg/dL) were assessed by comparing the CGM data during weeks 1-3. The CGM data of 14 participants were analyzed. The TIR was higher during the camp week versus week 1 (70.4 ± 11.1% vs. 53.1 ± 20.2%; p = 0.001). The TBR1 significantly increased during camp compared to week 1 (2.5 ±1.7% vs. 1.3 ± 1.2%; p = 0.009), whereas the TBR2 did not differ. No serious adverse events occurred. This adventure camp without a main focus on education showed feasibility and safety in adolescents with T1D.

Are Australian Jewish community organisations meeting child safe standards in their policies? An exploratory desktop audit

Are Australian Jewish community organisations meeting child safe standards in their policies? An exploratory desktop audit

Transformational Leadership on Performance of Selected Ethiopian Sport Federations

Transformational leadership may not be positively and significantly affects the performance of sports federations, because sport organization unique nature is competitiveness and result-driven organization. The purpose of this study was to assess the impact of transformational leadership practices on the organizational performance of some Ethiopian sports federations. Cross-sectional design was used to collect transformational leadership and organizational performance variables. The study was conducted in Addis Ababa City Administration, Ethiopia. The data was collected from Ethiopian sports federations participants (n = 95). Transformational leadership as a predictor variable measured by multifactorial leadership questionnaire and sport federation performance was measured by Australian national Olympic sporting organizations effectiveness. SPSS version 26 was used to process the data; robust method of multiple regression analysis was used to analyze the data p &lt; 0.05. The result of the study shows that idealized influence was statistically significantly predicted organizational performance (β = .26, p = .00). However, that inspirational motivation (β = .03, p = .54), intellectual simulation (β = .11, p = .12) and individualized considerations (β = -.05, p = .49) did not significantly predicted organizational performance. The finding of the study shows that transformational leadership idealized influence enhanced the performance of selected Ethiopian sports federations through inspiring trust, fostering commitment, promoting excellence, and cultivating a positive organizational culture. Ethiopian Sports Federation managers were advised to consider transformational leadership style dimensions such as inspirational motivation, intellectual simulations and individual considerations in their leadership.

Food Banks as a "Treasure Trove": Users' Experiences of a Western Australian Food Relief Organization.

Food banks are providing crucial relief as food insecurity increases worldwide. While these services are essential for vulnerable populations, there is variability in foods available and users may experience poor nutritional quality, and an overabundance of discretionary foods, contributing to public health risks including overnutrition and obesity. Understanding how customers perceive food availability, variety, and quality is important to inform relief services and health interventions. This study reports the findings of a convergent parallel mixed-methods investigation of user experiences and perceptions of food availability, variety, and quality at a major food bank in Western Australia. Food bank customers (N = 207) at a food bank branch and mobile van locations completed a survey, with an option to complete a subsequent semi-structured interview (n = 15). Approximately 80% of the survey sample had low (48%) or very low (30%) food security, half of the sample had been using the food bank for longer than 6 months, and 77% reported the food bank as their first choice for food. Three-quarters (77%) reported financial barriers to a balanced diet in the past twelve months and described how limited availability and variety complicated shopping. Interviewees explained complex perceptions of these issues, including favouring healthy food while considering discretionary food as a "luxury" that enhanced their quality of life. Our findings suggest that food bank users experience barriers to maintaining a balanced diet, encounter variable supplies of healthy and nutritious foods, and have concerns about the impacts of frequent discretionary food consumption. These findings have implications for public health promotion.

Consent as Social Reproduction: Making Space for the Transformative Labour of Refugee and Migrant Anti-violence Advocates in Australia

ABSTRACT Following #MeToo, sexual violence and consent have become more important to Australian governments, policy makers, and organisations addressing gender-based violence. Locating consent in a specific social system of ‘labour’, this article takes social reproduction as an entry point to examine the experiences of refugee and migrant anti-violence advocates in Australia. I suggest that current discourses of consent, as bodily autonomy and judicial power, act as a site of social reproduction through the creation of norms that uphold patriarchy and whiteness. Considered in this way, marginalised groups such as refugee and migrant women are not afforded adequate space and resources to theorise consent based on their own lived experiences. Interview participants (n = 19) are active in their ethnic and faith communities addressing GBV, as well as in organisations such as NGOs and policy domains. Utilising a lens of ‘Transformative Labour’ (Swanson, Resha Terae, and Erin Devorah Carreon. 2024. “Uncovering the Transformative Labor in Black Women’s Community Work.” Affilia, 08861099231223935. https://doi.org/10.1177/08861099231223935), the findings demonstrate the limits of consent when applied to refugee and migrant communities; the ways a history of different feminisms play out in current front-line interventions; and how mainstream, dominant groups might make space for marginalised groups to articulate their own identities, and the time and resources to theorise consent based on their own struggles.

‘We cracked a hole in this very white structure’: Indigenous journalism practices in mainstream Australian news organisations

A new wave of anti-racist politics is challenging the racialised dynamics of news media reporting. This paper explores the experiences of Indigenous journalists working in mainstream news media organisations in Australia in this changing context, and their strategies to navigate the racial political economy and news values of the industry. While many have observed the growing number of Indigenous journalists working in mainstream news, Indigenous journalists’ experiences and practices in these contexts have rarely been canvassed. I analyse 11 in-depth interviews with practicing journalists in Australia to explore how they have their mediated their positions. I suggest that Indigenous journalists engage in a specifically Indigenous journalistic practice, informed by connections to place, community and culture. This can be understood as a contested practice of Indigenous sovereignty. It also highlights the racialised presumptions of news values, including notions of objectivity, authority and balance.

Collaborative challenge-based learning: a case study for twenty-first century skills development

ABSTRACT Persistent criticisms of the narrow focus on technical skills in Australian training package qualifications indicate that vocational learners are failing to graduate with the transferrable skills they need for the twenty-first century workplace. This case study investigates the Basque high-performance cycles of collaborative challenge-based learning (CCBL or ETHAZI in Basque), which has been designed specifically to develop twenty-first century skills alongside technical skills and knowledge. The findings are presented as a descriptive case study of ETHAZI based on observations, analysis of training and assessment documents, and interviews with teachers and managers undertaken during site visits to the Basque Country. The author concludes that there is no reason why Australian training organizations could not adopt the ETHAZI model to address the perceived shortcomings of Australian vocational training since training package qualifications only prescribe the assessment outcomes to be achieved, not how the learning should occur.

Workplace diversity and positive leadership style: impacts on employee well-being in Australian businesses

PurposeIncreasing workforce diversity requires leadership to ensure employees retain their well-being. This study aims to examine how employees’ and managers’ co-creation of diversity in the workplace influences positive leadership (PL) style, which in turn affects employee well-being (EWB) positively.Design/methodology/approachEmployees and managers of Australian businesses participated in a cross-sectional survey. EWB was regressed on PL style and diversity dimensions (DDs). Also, the mediation effect of PL style between DDs and EWB was tested.FindingsResults suggest that Australian organisations appear to have more employee diversity with its partial impact on managers’ PL style, which then positively affects on employee well-being (EWB). Furthermore, the PL style partially mediated the relationship between DDs and EWB.Practical implicationsManagers will better understand workplace diversities and the key role that PL style can play in enhancing EWB.Social implicationsThis study will help improve employees' and managers' personal and social lives by developing a better understanding of health and well-being. It will have further economic impacts, such as higher organisational productivity.Originality/valueThis study fills the gap in the literature where PL style will positively affect EWB. Investigating the relationship between DDs, PL style and EWB using PERMA-profiler is a unique contribution.

Factors associated with health CEO turnover - a scoping review

BackgroundChief Executive Officer’s (CEO) are integral leaders of health care organisation. Over the last two decades in United States (US) hospitals, it has been noted that CEO turnover rates are increasing, and it was reported that the CEO turnover rates have augmented from 14% in 2008 to 18% in 2017 in the private sector. In Australia, it was discovered that during two years, 41 executives had 18 distinct positions. It has been highlighted that the increasing CEO turnover is a major issue for Australian and international health care organisations. Some of the negative consequences of CEO turnover include organisational instability, high financial costs, loss of human capital and adverse effects on staff morale and patient care.ObjectiveOur scoping review aimed to map and summarise the evidence associated with CEO turnovers in both health and non-health setting, and answer the following questions: 1. What are the reasons for CEO departure?, 2. What are the strategies to minimise CEO turnover?ResultsA protocol explaining the objectives, inclusion criteria and methods for this scoping review were specified in advance and published. This scoping review included 17 studies (13 health and 4 non-health setting) published over a 31-year period that investigated and described the increasing CEO turnover rates. All 17 studies identified causes of CEO turnover along with certain studies identifying facilitators of CEO retention. We classified CEO’s departure reasons into three major themes: organizational, performance, and personal. Organisational factors include CEO departures due to issues within the organisation, performance factors include issues with CEO’s work and personal factors captures personal reasons for CEO’s leaving their job.ConclusionCEOs are under immense pressure to deliver good results and drive growth while satisfying the interests of internal and external stakeholders. There are various reasons for CEO’s departure however the most common factor identified is organisational.

Disaster Preparedness in Social Work: Enhancing Policy in Australian Human Service Organisations

Abstract This article reports on a small study that aimed to enhance disaster preparedness policy in Australian human service organisations. Adopting a transformative ecosocial lens, the researchers collaborated with emergency services as part of action research (AR) to co-design a series of workshops. The objectives of the workshops were to progressively develop disaster preparedness policy relating to risk assessment, service continuity and recovery plans. Semi-structured interviews with eight participants from human service organisations were undertaken post-workshop to explore their experiences and the impacts of workshops on organisational policy. Qualitative data were examined using thematic analysis. Five key themes emerged from the data. The themes were knowledge acquisition, the interrelationship between policy and practice, inter- and intra-professional relationships, organisational challenges and marginalisation. Whilst results indicated that workshops provided participants with opportunities to enhance disaster preparedness policy, participants described ongoing challenges inhibiting their progress within an organisational context. Implications for social work highlight the interrelationship between policy and practice and underscore the value of the profession’s multidimensional approach to practice. The need to disrupt the influence of the neoliberal discourse within the organisational context is critical for enhancing disaster preparedness and for mitigating the inequitable impacts of disasters on marginalised groups.

Rethinking the Three Rs: Growing Momentum Toward a New Gold Standard in Australian Research.

Recent years have seen increasing recognition of the scientific, economic and ethical benefits of the use of non-animal models in advancing preclinical research, giving reason to rethink the application and framework of the Three Rs. However, to benefit from the economic advantages of shifting to such alternative methods, and to realise Australia's drug development potential, legislative reform is essential. Such reform should be responsive to international regulations that encourage the use of animal-free methods, and be coupled with a corresponding re-evaluation of current Three Rs frameworks and principles. If these supportive changes, and the recommendations from the 2023 Australian Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO) Futures Non-animal models report, are implemented concurrently - with government support paramount- then a new gold standard for scientific research in Australia could be created in which the use of non-animal models and animal-free methods is the default.

Emissions, the Strategic Omission: Climate Security and Australia’s National Intelligence Community

The Australian Government has identified climate change as being a threat to national security. With the emerging prospect that a climate security policy will be established, the question arises as to how the extraordinary powers of Australia’s security agencies could be effectively, but proportionately, utilized. Currently, discourse remains restricted to the tactical capacity of the Department of Defence or intelligence agencies’ assessment functions. Conversely, this article outlines strategic opportunities for Australia’s National Intelligence Community to enhance substantially the Commonwealth’s climate security response. Specifically, the Australian Geospatial-Intelligence Organisation (AGO), the Australian Federal Police (AFP), and the Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission (ACIC) are found well placed to support the monitoring of breaches to specific components of Australia’s federal climate change legislation. Hence, it is recommended that the collection and provision of greenhouse gas emissions data be prioritized within AGO, and, regarding the AFP and ACIC, that Subsection 22XF(1) of the National Greenhouse and Energy Reporting Act 2007 be amended to include a criminal penalty to form a hybrid criminal/civil regime.

The influence of human resource management policies on employee behaviour related outcomes and organisational resilience during COVID-19

PurposeThis study examines the effect of Human Resource Management (HRM) policies in respect to workplace flexibility and employee empowerment on two employee behaviour related outcomes (employee organisational commitment (EOC) and collegiality) and organisational resilience during the COVID-19 pandemic.Design/methodology/approachData were collected using an online survey questionnaire managed by Qualtrics. The questionnaire was distributed to the lower, middle and senior managers of 1,000 Australian organisations with 337 responses used in the analysis.FindingsThe findings indicate that workplace flexibility exhibits a direct and indirect (through collegiality) significant positive association with organisational resilience, and employee empowerment exhibits a direct and indirect (through both EOC and collegiality) significant positive association with organisational resilience.Originality/valueThe results highlight the importance of implementing desirable HRM policies in respect to empowering employees and enhancing workplace flexibility due to their role in facilitating organisational resilience both directly and indirectly through their influence on employee behaviour related outcomes, specifically EOC and collegiality.