Workplace Change Research Articles

Dignity during work-integrated learning: Piloting an online learning resource for placement students and supervisors

What was the educational challenge? Medical student abuse within work-integrated learning (WIL) is well-reported, with negative consequences for wellbeing, motivation, and learning. Conversely, workplace dignity, described as respecting the worth of others and self, has positive impacts on wellbeing, learning, and relationships for WIL students and supervisors. Stakeholders often struggle to articulate what workplace dignity means, and can downplay or do nothing in the face of WIL indignities. What was the solution and how was this implemented? We created an innovative research-informed online learning resource about WIL dignity to improve stakeholders’ understandings and help them get the best from WIL placements ensuring these are dignified, safe, and educationally productive. The resource included three topics: (a) workplace dignity and why it matters; (b) upholding dignity; and (c) strengthening dignity. What lessons were learned? We conducted a pilot qualitative evaluation involving 13 semi-structured interviews with students and supervisors to elicit their views and experiences of the resource. Our key findings across three overarching categories were: (1) perceived benefits (motivations to complete the resource; content of the resource; online pedagogies); (2) potential applications of learning (reinforcing existing knowledge; developing new knowledge; promoting reflection; changing workplace practices); and (3) suggested improvements (barriers to resource use; resource content; online pedagogies; timing of resource implementation; embedding the resource in broader learning). What are the next steps? Although we identified numerous perceived benefits, and applications of learning, the findings suggested opportunities for further development, especially improving the resource’s social interactivity. We recommend that further resource implementation includes student-educator and student-peer interactivity to maximise learning, and longitudinal evaluation of the resource.

Setbacks, strain and stress: lived experiences of U.S. working mothers during COVID-19

PurposeThe purpose of this study was to examine the lived experiences of working mothers during the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic and assess their perceptions of the types of training opportunities that would help advance their careers as they navigated pandemic-related challenges.Design/methodology/approachIn study 1, 53 participants responded to an online survey that included open-ended questions regarding the impact COVID-19 has had on their careers and desires they have for training to ameliorate these concerns. For study 2, 10 participants completed an interview that included open-ended questions regarding workplace changes and professional development/training opportunities since the pandemic.FindingsThematic analysis showed mothers facing several setbacks in their careers, including delays, loss of hours and wages, childcare stressors and strained or lost relationships with colleagues and supervisors. A small number of participants also reported some surprisingly positive experiences, such as a push toward career innovation. Participants reported little to no exposure to career development opportunities and expressed a desire for training for leadership and interpersonal connection in the workplace.Originality/valueAlthough quantitative data have been helpful in identifying and quantifying growing gender gaps in work during the pandemic, the qualitative analyses the authors used highlight how recent difficulties encountered by working mothers risk a growing gender gap in work and career mobility as women in the leadership pipeline struggle with challenges. Further, the findings suggest ways that women in management can support the working mothers on their staff, including by suggesting ways additional training may address some concerns.

A Case Study of Innovative Workplace Development Programming at Community Colleges in the United States

Given changes in the 21st century workplace and expectations of employers, the notion that a bachelor’s degree is the sole pathway to sustainable employment and a middle-class life in the United States has become obsolete. Many (e.g., Fleming, 2016) have argued that employers are now seeking employees with technical skills, digital literacy, and the ability to analyze and think critically, capabilities that do not necessarily require a postsecondary degree. Because of the lingering economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, including rising inflation globally, many adults, including English-language learners, are seeking short-term certificate or credentialing programs because their financial realities necessitate entering the workplace and earning a living wage as quickly as possible. The need for effective credentialing programs that are connected to market sector demands in the local community can foster productive partnerships among educational programs/institutions, local businesses, and governmental agencies on the municipal, state, and federal levels. Such partnerships often occur in the adult and continuing education areas of community colleges, and this case study focuses on the timely and financially responsive programming and practices at one community college (4C) in the northeastern United States. Key components of their programming that have produced successful outcomes have been highlighted as well as how they might be modified to address the marketplace and educational needs of adult learners in other areas of the United States and internationally.

Особенности профессиональной идентичности вьетнамских работников поколения Z, окончивших высшие учебные заведения

Introduction. The research deals with the problems of professional identity of Generation Z in Vietnam and the trend of workplace change in the context of globalisation and digitalisation. The results of theoretical analysis of the definition of Generation Z, the distinctive features of Generation Z from its predecessors, and the essence and statuses of professional identity are presented. The empirical study involved 238 Vietnamese Generation Z employees graduated from higher education institutions.
 Research methods. The following methods and techniques were used: interview, survey, methodology for studying the statuses of professional identity (A.A. Azbel and A.G. Gretsov), test of meaning-life orientations.
 Results. The results of the empirical study on the methods used are described and analysed. The tendency to change workplaces is discussed and its reasons are revealed (desire to test oneself, to give priority attention to one’s own development, desire for self-assertion in front of society, to work in conditions of active labour market, to find a balance between work and personal life). The links between the statuses of professional identity and the meaning-life orientations of generation Z are revealed.

Frontline healthcare workers’ lived experiences of healthcare work during the COVID-19 pandemic

Abstract Background The COVID-19 pandemic changed the face of modern healthcare, with impacts felt by staff and organisations alike. Globally, hospital-based healthcare workers have identified increased stress, anxiety, insomnia, and reduced wellbeing related to their work roles. Hospitals have been plagued by increased demand, poor staff retention and a reduction in the working hours of remaining staff. This paper sought to explore the unique experiences of frontline healthcare workers (FHWs) with parenting responsibilities working in Australian hospitals during the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods Thirty-nine FHWs with parenting responsibilities from Australian public hospitals were interviewed from October 2020 and February 2021. Reflexive thematic analysis was used to interrogate transcripts arising from extended interviews with participants regarding their experiences with healthcare work and the workplace support they received during the COVID-19 pandemic. Results Key themes indicate that workplace changes during the early stages of the pandemic were rapid and placed significant burden on healthcare staff and leaders, impacting their physical, mental and social health. Support from leaders was seen as protective for staff but placed an additional burden on staff in leadership roles. Additionally, when leaders considered family safety and were flexible when family demands surged, staff reported better wellbeing and feelings of support. While staff felt a sense of pride in their role during this time and were motivated by family members, they reported reduced career enjoyment and were concerned about long-term mental health consequences. Conclusions The challenges and fatigue associated with healthcare work during a pandemic can impact FHWs in varied ways. However, findings during the COVID-19 pandemic sheds light on important areas that can be bolstered and enhanced during pandemic planning that can prevent negative impacts in future pandemics. Key messages • The COVID-19 pandemic has demonstrated how a pandemic significantly impact healthcare roles and the wellbeing of staff, indicating a need for better pandemic planning in the future. • Important factors to consider during future pandemic planning are proper management of workplace changes, managing staff's work life balance and family safety, and enhancing support from leaders.

Investigating the longitudinal impacts of frontline work on healthcare workers family functioning

Abstract Background At a time when many families were sheltering at home, frontline healthcare workers (FHWs) worldwide continued to work in the community, often under significant stress. While it has been well documented that frontline work during the COVID-19 pandemic has had impacts on healthcare workers’ mental and physical health, the impacts on their family functioning remain unclear. This study investigates the longitudinal impact of frontline work on family functioning amongst Australian healthcare workers. Methods Semi-structured interviews were conducted with Australian FHWs working in high-risk areas such as Emergency Departments, Intensive Care Units, COVID wards, Hospital in the Home, and Aged Care. Interviews occurred across three timepoints (Dec 2020=39 participants, June 2021=34 participants, Jan 2022=31 participants). Transcripts from each timepoint were analysed separately using reflexive thematic analysis, then whole group comparisons were made between timepoints to identify changes and the nature of the changes. Results Flexibility and the need for constant adaptation were consistent themes across the three timepoints, as FHWs struggled to balance the demands of workplace changes alongside lockdown and COVID-19 related changes in their personal lives. In the early stages of the pandemic, families with pre-existing vulnerabilities reported significant challenges whereas others reflected on family resilience and growth. Two years on, even those families that articulated resilience and growth have observed declines associated with the persistent demands of their healthcare roles. Conclusions While healthcare organisations globally have made efforts to support their staff, these challenges observed by participants highlights the need for more targeted workplace and public health strategies within healthcare systems, particularly with respect to family support. Key messages • Healthcare workers have faced considerable challenges through the course of the COVID-19 pandemic, with declines in mental health and family functioning observed. • Beyond resilience and wellbeing interventions, healthcare workers need workplaces that acknowledge and support their family lives.

6.P. Workshop: Responding to violence and abuse across the life-course

Abstract Much research on the mental health effects of violence focus on domestic violence as experienced in adulthood. The mental health impacts are often gauged using cross-sectional studies and focus on current associations between violence and health. This workshop presents a range of analyses - drawing on data from New Zealand, Germany and the UK - that address the ways in which violence and abuse manifest at different life stages, including in childhood, among working-age adults, and in later life. The presentations highlight differences across the life course, as well as commonalities. They provide evidence of the long-term, even life long, shadow that violence and abuse can cast over people's health, and provide evidence of the extensive costs for society. Health impacts are shown to be broad, not only anxiety and depression, but substance dependence, chronic physical health conditions, and related health risks such as obesity. This workshop comprises four presentations that each consider violence and abuse prevalent at a particular stage of life, and provide evidence to inform the sensitive tailoring of responses from and for families, schools, health and social services, workplace human resource employees, and care and residential homes. The format of the workshop comprises brief presentations, with a focus on extended audience discussions. We invite engagement from people from a range of disciplines interested in how different forms of violence and abuse present at different life stages, the impacts on health, and the ways in which society should respond. This workshop is submitted on behalf of the EUPHA Public Mental Health Section. Key messages • Violence occurs across the life course. While its prevalence and form often vary between life stages, at every stage it has major, long-term, and diverse implications for health. • Interventions need to be tailored to the life course and sensitive to changing context, including domestic, workplace, and care home environments.

Experiences of Minority Frontline Healthcare Workers During the COVID-19 Pandemic.

Minority healthcare worker (MHW) experiences during the COVID-19 pandemic has received little attention in the published literature compared to their majority counterparts. This study describes healthcare systems, mental health, and advocacy challenges that MHWs experienced during the pandemic in the United States. A descriptive cross-sectional design was used to gather data from a convenience sample (n = 74) of MHWs who identified as registered nurses, advanced nurse practitioners, physicians, pharmacists, nursing assistants, dentists, and respiratory therapists. Data were imported into SAS Version 9.4 (Cary, NC) for analysis. Responses to each survey question were tabulated, and percentages of participants responding in the affirmative to each health system, mental health, and advocacy question were displayed. Findings indicate the pandemic both exacerbated old and imposed new challenges. Health systems should offer both tangible and intangible or emotional resources that support resilience; build an inclusive work environment that would consider the experiences and knowledge of MHWs; implement and sustain workplace changes that support and promote self-advocacy without fear of retribution; and increase research on MHWs to inform effective and culturally relevant interventions for challenges experienced by MHWs.

Skill …Skill… Which Skill do I Acquire? ---Skills Requirement for the BANI Environment---

We are moving from the information era to innovation era. Knowledge, Skills and Abilities (KSA) are the core for every employee to accomplish the organizational goals during this era. This paper is an exploratory study aimed at identifying the ‘SKILLS’ requirement to meet new-age challenges, and to assess the role of Higher Educational Institutions in imparting those SKILLS. Secondary data is collected through various reports and research works to list out the skills required by the millennials. According to World Skill Council, problem solving, self-management, working with people, technology use and development are some of the Skills among the top Skills of 2025. The emphasis is on the emerging Skills requirement, as the very basic nature of work and meaning of workplace is in transition stage. The rules of the game have changed. The below three questions will provide an insight on the changing workplace scenario. (i) Who does the work? Work could be done by full time or part time employees, gig workers or crowd sourcing. (ii) How the work is done? – Work can be accomplished by using AI, robotics and automation. (iii) When and where work is done? – Work places are no longer traditional brick and mortar settings. They could be fluid work schedules, remote workers or collocated workspace. To embrace this change in the workplace, it is vital for the workforce to equip themselves with a new set of skills. Therefore, this study will explore the skills requirement for the future workplace to thrive in BANI environment. And also make an effort to direct the Higher Educational Institutions in imparting those Skills.

Legal Parameters of the Employer's Duty to Consult

Significant workplace change requires consultation, and standard consultation obligations exist under legislation and statutory instruments. However, those provisions offer minimal guidance on how to approach consultation. The consultation cases tend to focus on compliance, adding little beyond saying consultation needs to be meaningful. Building on the foundation laid by the 2021 decision in Construction, Forestry, Maritime, Mining and Energy Union v Mt Arthur Coal Pty Ltd, this article considers what the parameters of the obligation to consult might — or should — be. It shows that there is an over emphasis in the authorities on timing, as a compliance trigger, rather than the substance of the obligation, and major decisions continue to show the obligation is poorly understood. It argues that clear parameters are needed on how to implement the duty to consult, and that these parameters need to come from statute or clear authority of the courts. Without restricting the inherent flexibility that is needed for consultation to work, or impeding the employer’s prerogative to make decisions, it asserts that there is a need for a deeper legal underpinning, and more active obligations, to shift the concept away from the conflictual paradigm of consultation being ‘triggered’ towards a more collaborative and productive approach.

Initiatives, Outcomes, and Facilitating Factors to Changing Workplace Environments in Small- and Medium-sized Enterprises due to the COVID-19 Pandemic: Interviews with Employers and Human Resource Managers

This study identified changes in the work environment due to the COVID-19 pandemic, subsequent initiatives and outcomes, and facilitating factors from the perspective of company officials in small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). In 2021, semi-structured interviews were conducted with employers or human resource managers of SMEs with less than 300 employees regarding changes in the work environment due to the pandemic, initiatives, outcomes, and facilitating factors. Thereafter, codes were extracted from verbatim transcripts or interview notes and categorized based on similarities in content. Based on interviews with 16 companies, the following four major categories of changes in the work environment were identified: "conflict and anxiety about infection when employees were forced to attend work despite the rapid transmission of the infection," "unfamiliarity and loneliness with the new working style that was suddenly imposed on them," "loss of emotional ties with workmates and opportunities for mood changes," and "future anxiety, feelings of alienation, and mental illness." The following seven initiatives were implemented to address these issues: "a hands-on approach to infection prevention and physical healthcare," "urgent introduction of telework for business continuity," "development and promotion of online information sharing," "establishment of a place and opportunity to maintain emotional connections within the company," "economic and management measures to protect employees and ensure company continuity," "support for employees for health maintenance," and "measures to respond to employees' needs and ideas, and support the continuation of activities." Four major categories of outcomes were: "increased efficiency of information sharing and enhanced performance," "maintenance and promotion of emotional ties and a sense of solidarity," "increased independence and sense of health among employees," and "adaptation of employees to novel situations." The initiatives were facilitated by factors classified into the following three major categories: "workplace culture wherein employees shared opinions and helped each other," "management's attitude and philosophy of valuing employees," and "proactive attitude toward information acquisition and resource utilization." The rapid introduction of teleworking as a new working style in response to the need to balance infection control and business continuity resulted in increased loneliness and other associated stressors. Many SMEs stated that they could maintain a sense of solidarity in the workplace and improve employee autonomy through their efforts to incorporate employees' opinions and maintain human connections.

The Knowledge Economy and Quality of Work in the Future: An Exploratory Study

The emergence of digital technologies is transforming economic paradigms and leading to significant changes in product and factor markets, as well as how businesses operate. While these technologies enhance productivity, they also present new challenges for businesses regarding manufacturing methods, sources of competitive advantage, and market structures, impacting how work is conducted. Workplace transformations are happening at a faster pace than anticipated, raising important questions for employees, business decision-makers, and policymakers. We conducted an exploratory study to analyze the realism of the Knowledge Economy model's perspective on workplace changes. The study was based on a non-exhaustive literature review and an empirical study conducted with professionals from companies in Portugal belonging to several sectors of activity. Our research leads to the conclusion that the Knowledge Economy model, through technological innovation, has shaped the quality of work, bringing new insights and self-engagement of employees. However, digitalization might induce urgent needs for reskilling and upskilling. Therefore, it is essential to request such a challenge not only to employees but also to organizations and public authorities by investing in lifelong education and training and implementing policies, actions, and tools to facilitate the digital economy transition. Such proactive measures will propel the labor market towards greater availability of decent work, foster a more inclusive society, and promote social well-being and economic prosperity.

Changes in US payment behaviour during COVID-19: Differences by income and demographics

The COVID-19 pandemic caused large changes in consumer spending, including how people make their payments. For employed consumers, the pandemic also changed workplace behaviour, with about one-third of workers continuing to work from home every day as of September 2020. Using data from a nationally representative survey of US consumers collected before and during the pandemic, this paper analyses changes in workplace and payment behaviour during the pandemic. The study finds that, compared with their payment behaviour in 2019, consumers had shifted some of their purchases from in person to online by the autumn of 2020, significantly reduced their use of cash for purchases, and shifted their person-toperson (P2P) payments away from paper-based instruments (ie cash and cheques). These changes are consistent with what we might expect, as many people were less able or willing to shop in person. The adoption of electronic P2P payments increased, especially the use of payment apps such as PayPal, Venmo and Zelle. In comparison with consumers who worked at least partly in person, consumers who worked exclusively from home during the pandemic made a significantly higher proportion of their payments online or through mobile devices, and were less likely to use cash at all, even after controlling for income and education levels. In contrast, payment behaviour changes that took place from 2018 to 2019 were smaller in magnitude and largely insignificant, suggesting that COVID-19 likely accelerated any longerterm trends.

Supervisor Emotional Maturity, Psychological Safety, and Traumatic Stress in College Student Affairs

Abstract: The COVID-19 pandemic placed an immense amount of stress on student affairs professionals, who were exposed to numerous potentially traumatic events as a result of changing workplace environments, health and safety risks, and their emotional support of students. This study explored the impact of supervisor emotional maturity on supervisee trauma exposure response through the mediating effect of psychological safety for a sample of student affairs professionals employed at 4-year institutions. Results indicated that supervisees who felt that their supervisors were more emotionally mature felt more psychologically safe and that this psychological safety predicted lower adverse reactions to both primary and secondary traumatic stress in workplace contexts. Implications for the training and development of student affairs supervisors are explored, as well as for further research into the construct of emotional maturity as it relates to supervision.

Employees’ appraisal of workplace changes during COVID-19: findings from a state-owned oil and gas company

This study aims to explore employees’ perceptions of workplace management practices (i.e. planning before workplace change, implementation process, management after workplace change) at the PTT headquarters building in Thailand. Another purpose is to examine workplace change development during COVID-19 to understand the organisation’s planning and processes, which serves as a means to contribute to Facilities Management and Corporate Real Estate Management (CREM) theory. Employees' responses to workplace management practices at different stages (i.e., before, during, and after workplace change) were affected by the company's strategic direction and management approach, particularly in terms of planning and implementing workplace change development. This study demonstrates that the employee engagement and involvement process is critical during and after workplace change. A lack of process at these times can result in negative impacts, as evidenced by low satisfaction percentages in various areas, including improving the workplace based on suggestions from employees, and training employees on how to use office space when returning to the workplace. The case organisation's strategic planning in relation to crisis management, reflects the supply and demand alignment dimension and the CREM strategy of corporate real estate alignment. No existing research has appraised employees' responses in terms of the preparation and implementation of workplace change. This study provides new insights into workplace change development during COVID-19, including planning, implementation, management after the change, and the impacts on employees' perceptions.

Ring the alarm: modifications to higher education negatively impacting full-time faculty

Purpose Higher education has experienced some significant changes over the past few years including a highly competitive landscape, use of new technology, managing COVID protocols and guiding students to resources that ensure their success. With prior research highlighting the changes in the workforce and poor working conditions of part-time faculty, this study aims to explore full-time perceptions of several employment-related variables to determine how these significant workplace changes have impacted them. Design/methodology/approach A mixed-methods approach is used. This includes a questionnaire being sent out via e-mail to faculty at a medium-sized, public, regional university located in the USA. This was sent through two separate listservs: full-time faculty listserv and part-time faculty listserv. The questionnaire included quantitative and qualitative questions. A one-way ANOVA was used to detect significant differences between the two groups of interest for the quantitative components. The qualitative portions of the questionnaire provided deeper insights into employee perceptions of their workplace. Findings This research uncovers some alarming trends for full-time faculty within higher education. Across several different employment variables, full-time faculty perceptions are significantly worse than part-time faculty. This includes work–family conflict, pay perceptions, compensation opportunities, online teaching experiences, overwhelming work activities, technology provided, travel funding provided, perceived satisfaction of a faculty advocate and perceived benefits of a faculty advocate. Qualitative and quantitative results support these findings and provide additional clarification as to why they have these negative workplace perceptions. Research limitations/implications A convenience sample was used, where data was only gathered from one university. Future research could replicate finding with more universities varying in their make-up and location to determine if these results hold across the USA and internationally. Some measures did not use established scales in the literature, and some were single-item measures. Future research could replicate findings using established scales with multi-item measures to provide more confidence the results produced that are reliable and valid. Practical implications These results suggest alarming concerns for higher education institutions regarding their full-time faculty. Human resource managers and administrators at universities should respond to “the alarm” from this research and internal employee satisfaction surveys they have conducted with their employees. Changes should be made at higher education institutions to improve employee workplace perceptions in hopes of retaining valuable employees and improving worker morale to increase productivity. The recent workplace changes and challenges for full-time faculty are negatively impacting their workplace perceptions. Social implications As a result of full-time faculty having significantly worse perceptions across all measured employment variables than their part-time colleagues, who already had poor perceptions, the authors may see more “good” employees leaving the industry for other more lucrative options. Others may become “dead wood” in the university and engage in “quite quitting” resulting in less productivity. With the tenure process protecting professors, this may result in universities being “stuck” with many unmotivated professors and hurt the quality of educational services provided. Some professors may even act out negatively toward the university. This could damage the quality of education provided at universities and perceptions of higher education by society. Originality/value To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the first study comparing full-time and part-time faculty workplace perceptions across several variables. After previous study has highlighted the poor work conditions and perceptions of part-time faculty, this study adds to the discussion showing that significant changes in the workplace have resulted in full-time faculty now perceiving their employment to be significantly worse than their part-time colleagues. This can have significant short-term and long-term ramifications for the industry that will make it more difficult for universities to attract talented individuals to choose a career in education and retaining their best workers based on current employment perceptions.

EMPLOYEES’ RESPONSES TO WORKPLACE CHANGE DURING COVID-19

This study aims to explore employees’ perceptions on workplace management practices (i.e., planning before workplace change, implementation process, management after workplace change) of PTT headquarters building in Thailand. Another purpose is to examine workplace change development during COVID-19 to understand its plan and process, which serves as a means to contribute to FM and CREM theory. A case study of five departments implementing workplace adaptation at PTT headquarters, a company in oil and gas business, was conducted. The research methods include document analysis, employee satisfaction survey and interview. Employees’ responses to workplace management practices in different stages (i.e., before, during, and after workplace change) were affected by the company’s strategic direction and management approach in terms of the planning and implementation of workplace change development. This study shows that employee engagement and involvement process are important during and after workplace change. The lacking of this process causes negative impacts as shown in the low satisfaction percentages in several aspects including improving workplace according to suggestions from employees and allowing employees to train and practice on workplace occupancy. No existing research has appraised of employees’ responses in terms of the preparation and implementation of workplace change. This study provides new insights into workplace change development during COVID-19 from the planning, implementation and management after the change and their impacts on employees’ perceptions.

An Examination of Lesbian and Gay Employees’ Intention to Change Workplace Heterosexism in China

An Examination of Lesbian and Gay Employees’ Intention to Change Workplace Heterosexism in China

Lifelong learning opportunities for professional women in Bangladesh: to what extent does patriarchy act as a barrier?

ABSTRACT In the novel ‘Pride and Prejudice’, Austen (1813) wanted to show the marginal or subaltern standing of a woman in the 18th century England by saying that a woman was always subservient to a man, and the sole identity of a woman was being a wife to a male at that time. In present-day Bangladesh, a similar view is evident, where women are raised with the notion that their raison d’etre is to have and maintain stable relationships with men for a lifetime, despite the changing workplace dynamics that offer opportunities for progress. Bangladeshi women quietly embrace the philosophy of lifelong learning, yet their dedication to this pursuit remains largely unexplored and unrecorded, with only occasional publications touching upon the subject in an organized manner. The study examines how patriarchy restricts women's access to lifelong learning in Bangladesh, presenting a scoping review of literature to identify gaps and potential solutions. By advocating a radical approach, the paper aims to empower Bangladeshi professional women to overcome barriers and challenge patriarchal norms for their educational and career advancement.

Defining generic skills to better support the development of future health professionals: results from a scoping review

ABSTRACT Over the past two decades, there has been a growing interest in the role of universities in developing generic skills, in addition to disciplinary ones, to help students adapt to a changing workplace. The need to develop these skills is particularly critical for healthcare students who must face challenges in health systems. This scoping study, following Arksey and O'Malley's ([2005]. Scoping studies: Towards a methodological framework. International Journal of Social Research Methodology, 8(1), 19–32. https://doi.org/10.1080/1364557032000119616) method provides an overview of the scientific literature on generic skills in health studies. The definitions, categorizations, and measurement tools from 43 articles were mapped and summarized and gaps were identified. Definitions and terms were varied but overall, generic skills are considered cross-disciplinary and cross-professional. Nevertheless, the term skill itself was not defined. The lack of consensus on categorization and assessment led us to propose a typology to group all the skills mentioned into four categories: personal, ideas and object-related, interpersonal and community-related skills. One conclusion is that generic skills are valued foremost in relation to labor market demands with an emphasis on skills such as knowledge, communication, and planning over ethical and citizenship skills that are essential for future healthcare professionals. It is imperative to consider generic skills that are necessary to face the complex challenges of today’s world.