Work Demands Research Articles

Differences in the work-family experience of mothers and fathers of a southern European country

Abstract Background The intense childrearing years often coincide with the heightened work demands and responsibilities of the career-building years. We aimed to evaluate the association between family-life stage and men’s and women’s experience of work and private demands, and the conflict between these demands. Methods We evaluated 3532 mothers and 731 fathers as part of the Portuguese population-based birth cohort Generation XXI (2018-2020). Data on family-life stage (exposure), work demands, private demands, and work-to-family conflict (outcomes) were retrieved at the 13-year follow-up wave, as well as data on sociodemographic and household characteristics. Family-life stage was operationalized according to the age of the youngest child: stage 1 (≤5 years), stage 2 (6-11 years), and stage 3 (≥12 years). Ordinal logistic regression models were used to estimate associations. Results Men reported more frequently long working hours, while women spent more time on household and child-related tasks. After adjustment for parents’ and household characteristics, mothers and fathers with younger children were more likely to report spending more time on child-related tasks (ORmothers = 1.83; 95%CI 1.44, 2.33; ORfathers = 2.36; 95%CI 1.41, 3.94), compared to those with older children. Fathers with younger children were also more likely to report spending more time on household tasks (OR = 2.20; 95%CI 1.30, 3.73 for routine tasks and OR = 1.75; 95%CI 1.03, 2.97 for sporadic tasks). Mothers exhibited a significant association between family-life stage and time-based work-to-family conflict when they had younger children (OR = 1.24; 95% CI 1.05, 1.47 for family-life stage 2 and OR = 1.28; 95% CI 1.00, 1.63 for family-life stage 1). Conclusions Both fathers and mothers with young children experienced increased private demands, but only mothers experienced work-to-family conflict. This reveals that family and working arrangements remain marked by a gendered pattern against women.

Weekend compensatory sleep is associated with reduced risk of heart disease: a prospective UK Biobank-based cohort study

Abstract Background and Aims Influenced by the demands of school or work, people often fall out of sync with their circadian rhythms, which leads to sleeping in on days off. Despite this phenomenon, there is a lack of research examining whether compensatory weekend sleep has positive effects on heart health. Methods and results Our prospective cohort study utilized data from the UK Biobank (UKB) and encompassed 90,903 participants. To evaluate the relationship between compensated weekend sleep and heart disease. The sleep data was recorded by Axivity AX3 accelerometer from UKB and grouped by quartiles. Hospitalization records and cause of death registry information were used to diagnose various cardiac diseases including IHD, HF, AF, and stroke. Then multivariate Cox proportional hazard modeling was used to examine the potential impact of compensated sleep on the risk of heart disease. At a median follow-up time of up to 13.8 years, we found that participants in the compensatory sleep group(Q4) had a lower risk of having heart disease in the fully adjusted model (HR: 0.809, 95%CI: 0.766,0.854), which was not influenced by the effect of genetic risk for IHD, HF, or AF. These relationships were even more pronounced in the subgroup with daily sleep deprivation (HR:0.801, 95%CI: 0.718,0.894). Conclusion Sufficient compensatory sleep on weekends is linked to a low risk of heart disease, including IHD, AF, HF, and stroke, which is independent of genetic risk. And the association becomes even more pronounced among individuals who regularly experience inadequate sleep on weekdays.Visual abstract

Impact of COVID-19 on Management, Quality and Satisfaction of Health Organizations

Abstract The hospital health care professionals are the frontline fighting COVID-19 considering they are responsible for all the care provided to patients during all the time they spend at the hospital for diagnosis, treatment or recovering of the COVID-19 disease and other diseases. The purpose of this study was to determine the impact of COViD-19 at the hospital management level and, also, to understand how psychosocial environment, and satisfaction of Health Professionals were affected. A case study was performed in a Portuguese Hospital. Data were collected at one hospital under study at two different occasions: the first before the pandemic (November 2019) and the second almost two years after the pandemic started (November 2021). Regarding data collection, 37.0% of participants responded in the occasion 1 (n = 296) and 63.0% responded in the occasion 2 (n = 503). The instrument for the Assessment of Global Management of Health Organizations (AGMHO) Comparing timings pre and during pandemic COVID-19, it was found that the participants in the pre- COVID-19 era showed stronger organizational culture, higher quality of life, better psychosocial environment regarding content/leadership and higher job satisfaction when compared to the participants during pandemic COVID-19. On the other hand, participants in the second occasion were found to have higher psychosocial risks related to mental health when compared to participants in the pre- COVID-19 phase. The results obtained allow us to identify priorities in terms of promoting well-being and satisfaction of professionals and overall wellbeing of the health organization, namely intervention in leadership relationships and psychosocial risks at work related to the physical and psychological demands of work, stress management and a more active and involved role for the professional. Key messages • This knowledge facilitates labelling and prioritizing the promotion of well-being and satisfaction of professionals and overall wellbeing of the health organization. • The product is a comprehensive diagnostic model of the factors influencing the results in health organizations.

Co-Designing a Digital App to Support Young People's Patient and Public Involvement and Engagement (VoiceIn): Development and Usability Study.

While patient and public involvement and engagement (PPIE) is now seen as a cornerstone of mental health research, young people's involvement in PPIE faces limitations. Work and school demands and more limited independence can make it challenging for young people to engage with PPIE. Lack of ability or desire to attend face-to-face meetings or group discussions can further compound this difficulty. The VoiceIn app and digital platform were codeveloped by a multidisciplinary team of young people, mental health researchers, and software designers, and enables young people to engage directly with PPIE opportunities via a mobile app. This paper aims to describe how VoiceIn was developed through a series of co-design workshops with relevant stakeholders, specifically (1) how the initial design of VoiceIn was informed and driven by focus groups with young people, mental health professionals, and PPIE leads; (2) how VoiceIn was refined through collaboration with the aforementioned stakeholders; (3) the priorities for an app to support PPIE; (4) the key features necessary in the PPIE app; and (5) the recommended next steps in testing and deploying the digital platform. Initial co-design workshops took place with young people, mental health professionals, and PPIE leads to identify key features of an app to support PPIE. A series of VoiceIn design prototypes were developed and iterated based on the priorities and preferences of the stakeholders. The MoSCoW (must have, should have, could have, won't have) prioritization method was used throughout the process to identify priorities across the different stakeholder groups. Co-design with young people, mental health professionals, and PPIE leads supported the successful development and improvement of the VoiceIn app. As a result of this process, key features were identified, including allowing for various modes of providing feedback (eg, polls and comments), reviewing project updates, and expressing interest in categories of research. The researcher platform was developed to support multimedia uploads for project descriptions; a jargon detector; a dedicated section for providing project updates; and a visually appealing, user-friendly design. While all stakeholder groups emphasized the importance of allowing app users to engage with the app in various ways and for there to be ongoing progress updates, group differences were also noticed. Young people expressed a desire for incentives and rewards for engaging with the app (eg, to post on their public social media profiles), and mental health professionals and PPIE leads prioritized flexibility in describing the project and its PPIE needs. A co-design approach was pivotal to the development of the VoiceIn app. This collaborative approach enabled the app to meet the divergent needs of young people, mental health professionals, and PPIE leads. This process mirrored the aspirations of PPIE initiatives by cocreating a digital health research tool with key stakeholders.

Self-Perceived Difficulty in Job Performance by Working Patients with Uveitis: Global Assessment and by Subscales of Work Demands

ABSTRACT Purpose To evaluate a worker’s self-perceived difficulty in job performance as a whole and by subscales of job demands in a sample of working patients with uveitis and to analyze the relationship with sociodemographic, occupational, and clinical variables. Methods A cross-sectional, cross-association study was conducted. Participants completed the Work Role Functioning Questionnaire (WRFQ) to assess self-perceived difficulty in job performance. Clinical data were collected from the patients’ medical records or instruments used to evaluate clinical parameters in practice. Two clinical groups were established for this study. Bivariate and multivariate analyses were performed to assess associations between variables. Results Sixty participants were included in the study. In the multivariate linear regression analysis, active uveitis was significantly associated with a worse WRFQ total score (coefficient, −25.1; 95% CI, −36.6 to −13.6; p < 0.001). Acute course uveitis was significantly associated with a better total score than recurrent and chronic uveitis (coefficient, 17.7; 95% CI, 3.7 to 31.7; p = 0.014). In bivariate analysis, patients with active uveitis also scored worse on all subscales and on the total score. Conclusions Patients with active uveitis presented with greater self-perceived difficulty in the performance of their work as a whole and in all subscales of work demands. Patients with acute uveitis presented with less difficulty than those with recurrent and chronic uveitis. Early and correct treatment of uveitis in specialized units may reduce its impact on patients’ work impairment.

The impact of work–family conflict on occupational fatigue among endoscopy nurses in China: a moderated mediation model

BackgroundEndoscopy nurses in China face significant work–family conflicts, where the clash between high work demands and family responsibilities markedly increases the risk of occupational fatigue. This not only affects the nurses’ physical and mental health and overall well-being, but also poses a threat to the quality of care and patient safety. This study, grounded in the Conservation of Resources theory, constructs a moderated mediation model to examine the mediating role of positive coping style in the relationship between work–family conflict and occupational fatigue among endoscopy nurses in China, as well as the moderating effect of perceived social support.MethodsA convenience sampling method was employed to select 315 endoscopy nurses from 25 tertiary hospitals across 14 provinces in China. A questionnaire survey was conducted using the Fatigue Assessment Instrument, the Work–Family Conflict Scale, the Simplified Coping Style Questionnaire, and the Perceived Social Support Scale. The moderated mediation model was validated using Stata16.0.ResultsOur findings reveal that work–family conflict is a significant predictor of occupational fatigue, with a negative impact on positive coping style. Positive coping style, in turn, is negatively associated with occupational fatigue. Furthermore, positive coping style partially mediates the relationship between work–family conflict and occupational fatigue, accounting for 35.52% of the total effect. Additionally, perceived social support mitigates the negative effects of work–family conflict on positive coping style and occupational fatigue.ConclusionThere exists a moderated mediation effect between work–family conflict and occupational fatigue among endoscopy nurses in China, wherein positive coping style serve as a mediating variable. Perceived social support mitigates the negative impact of work–family conflict on positive coping style, while enhancing the alleviating effect of positive coping style on occupational fatigue. Therefore, improving endoscopy nurses’ levels of perceived social support and coping strategies may help to prevent and alleviate the occurrence of occupational fatigue.

Predictive Models of Brake Reaction and Steering of Police Officers in Critical Driving Situations

Motor vehicle crashes involving police vehicles significantly impact law enforcement officer (LEO) safety, often occurring during high-risk maneuvers like pursuit driving and sudden lane changes. These incidents are exacerbated by LEOs’ interaction with in-vehicle technologies, including Mobile Computer Terminals. Advanced Driver-Assistance Systems (ADAS) could mitigate these risks, though existing ADAS algorithms are not tailored to the unique work demands. To address these challenges, our study develops predictive models for LEO braking and steering in critical situations, based on a driving simulator experiment with police officers. Both braking and steering models were constructed and identified as effective in predicting police officer braking response and steering. The models can be practically applied as part of ADAS systems to deliver warnings at appropriate times, adapting to police officer demands in critical driving situations. Study implications contribute to the wider body of knowledge on surface transportation, occupational safety, and the use of adaptive models.

Work Disparities and the Health of Nurses in Long-Term Care: A Scoping Review.

Work disparities, such as unfairness in pay or unequal distribution of work experienced by nurses in long-term care (LTC), can impact the retention and health of this workforce. Background: Despite the significant impact of disparities on nurses' health in LTC, a literature review on work disparities of nurses in LTC has not been conducted. Method: This scoping review aimed to explore the nature and extent of research on meso-level work disparities experienced by nurses in LTC and its links with nurse health and well-being. Five databases were searched: MEDLINE (Ovid), EMBASE (Ovid), PsycINFO (Ovid), SCOPUS, and CINAHL (EBSCO host). Results: Of the 5652 articles retrieved, 16 studies (14 quantitative and 2 qualitative) published between 1997 and 2024 met the inclusion criteria. A total of 53 work disparities were identified. Only four articles investigated the association of a work disparity with a variable of health (e.g., physical, mental, or poor general health). Conclusions: The results suggest that more attention to how disparities impact nurses' health and lived experiences is warranted. Meso-level disparities from this review provide an initial basis to consider possibilities in the workplace, especially in supporting equity and opportunities for health and well-being at work (e.g., through fair access to professional growth opportunities and a more equitable balance of work expectations and demands of nursing staff). Future studies of the intersection of macro- and meso-level factors are needed to inform better workplace practices and social and economic policies to support the well-being, health, and safety of nurses at work in LTC.

Results of a Survey Regarding the Implementation of Work-Related Medical Rehabilitation for Patients with Musculoskeletal Disorders: Evaluation and Training of Work-Related Functional Capacity

Although work-related medical rehabilitation (WMR) has been established as a component of the rehabilitative care system for some time, particularly in patients with musculoskeletal disorders, studies indicated strong heterogeneity regarding the implementation of the guideline for WMR in Germany. This study is the first to examine the implementation of work-related functional capacity training and the preceding work-related diagnostics based on a nationwide survey of WMR health care professionals. Rehabilitation facilities (n=317) authorized to carry out WMR in patients with musculoskeletal disorders were invited to participate in a nationwide survey. 86 of 317 facilities responded to the self-developed questionnaire and met the inclusion criteria. 67% of the WMR facilities described a systematic use of functional capacity evaluation (FCE) at the beginning of rehabilitation in at least 50% of the rehabilitants. 70% stated that they systematically matched abilities and work demands. Furthermore, 57% reported that profile comparisons were used to tailor training of work-related functional capacity. The training itself was provided to at least every second rehabilitant with a total duration of 360 minutes or more in about every second facility. The FCE procedures and the work-related functional capacity training were primarily carried out by occupational therapists. Work-related diagnostics and the work-related functional capacity training are often but not yet always implemented in line with the guideline for WMR. Promoting interdisciplinarity seems to be a promising approach regarding the further development of WMR.

Too much work frustrates me! A mediation model of career-related outcomes of work overload

PurposeWork overload implies that there are excessive work demands that cannot be adequately fulfilled within the given deadlines. This research examines the effect of work overload on career outcomes, i.e. career satisfaction and occupational commitment through the mediating role of work frustration.Design/methodology/approachThe data were collected from employees working in the schools of Punjab, Pakistan in three waves. Out of the total, 248 valid responses were analyzed by PROCESS model 4 using SPSS 24.FindingsBased on affective event theory (AET) the results demonstrated that negative workplace events such as work overload create negative emotions like frustration at work and cause poor job outcomes (i.e. low satisfaction and commitment).Research limitations/implicationsHowever, the outcomes should be interpreted in the light of single sector and time-lagged data tested on the mediation-only model.Practical implicationsThe current study has implications for workload management in school staff to retain their career satisfaction and commitment.Social implicationsThis study has implications for society by offering to enhance the career outcomes of school staff that are prime institutions for socio-economic development.Originality/valueThis is one of the initial research studies that have examined the career-related outcomes of work overload based on AET via the mediating role of work frustration.

Work demand and voluntary turnover intention of independent auditors

This study aimed to analyze the influence of work demand on the voluntary turnover intention of independent auditors, considering the mediating effects of work engagement and Burnout Syndrome. The research is descriptive, of the survey type, with a quantitative approach, and includes a sample of 196 Brazilian independent auditors. The results confirmed the positive association between work demand and the voluntary turnover intention of auditors. Additionally, it was evidenced that work engagement acts as a mediator in this relationship. On the other hand, Burnout Syndrome does not play a mediating role in the relationship between work demand and turnover intention. Finally, it was observed that work engagement exerts a negative and neutralizing influence on Burnout Syndrome. These findings provide auditing firms with a deeper understanding of the antecedents of independent auditors' turnover intention.

Massive Education in Prison Health in Brazil: A Look Beyond the Walls

Equal access to health initiatives and services under the principles of universal and comprehensive care remains a challenge in Brazil. The realization of public health policies is further intricate when one examines the health situation of people deprived of liberty. This study showcases the “Prison System: Beyond the Walls” educational pathway, available on the Virtual Learning Environment of the Brazilian National Health System (AVASUS). The action research methodological strategy guided the pathway development, emphasizing dialogic learning. The goal was to address the need for massive training on the topic of prison health, with the model focusing on engagement through spontaneous, non-mandatory participation in the pathway courses. The pathway comprised four modules, whose educational offerings were based on the self-learning model. Students were free to choose which courses to take and in what order, as there was no prerequisite for participating in modules. Hence, students could either take all the courses or only those with which they identify their learning needs, regardless of work demands or personal interests. Structuring the pathway through action research facilitated a massive, cohesive, and continuous training process. This approach expanded knowledge and established meaningful relationships among the related topics and the key players involved: health professionals, prison officers, and people deprived of liberty. Notably, the pathway courses have surpassed the 50,000-enrollment mark, spanning all five regions of Brazil. In this context, this article presents and discusses the development of the “Prison System: Beyond the Walls” pathway, emphasizing the massive improvement of health within Brazil’s prison system and highlighting the results achieved.

Digital platform work reinforcing performativity: teacher responses to work intensification explored through trace ethnography

ABSTRACT This paper critically explores how teachers’ everyday work is reconfigured through work on and around different digital platforms. In particular, it demonstrates teacher experiences of workload and work intensification and the different workarounds and adaptions to platforms done by teachers, conditioned by demands of performativity, e.g. discourses of optimising work, making visible and caring for school performances as part of a market-competitive and increasingly digitalised school system. By ethnographically tracing the digital work of six teachers in public and private upper-secondary schools through logs, follow-up interviews, observations and digital ‘go-alongs’, we show how central tasks, administration, communication and teaching are reconfigured through the distribution of work onto local-domestic and global platforms and relatively local school and national regulations. Our contribution to the discussion on platforms in education is how platforms and aligning devices and procedures reinforce performativity demands in teacher work. This reconfiguration produces tensions, interruptions and intensity peaks, often seen as work-time conflicts, but which nonetheless relate to wider, critical issues of the changing nature of teacher digital work being established in relation to the marketised and highly digitalised school.

Baseline Health of University Workers Pre-Intervention in Lifestyle: HaSEN

Objective: The aim of the present study was to analyse and compare the initial health situation before starting the lifestyle programme in 4 editions of the programme. Theoretical framework: HaSEN is an annual intervention programme for the generation of healthy habits on eating behaviour (psychonutrition) and active lifestyle (physical exercise) in university workers in the contemplative phase of motivation to change. Methods: A total of 74 workers participated between the 2019, 2020, 2021 and 2022 editions from a Spanish university (24-59 years; M = 42.3; SD = 8.5) 19 men (26%) and 55 women (74%). Anthropometric, biological, lifestyle and psychological variables were analysed. Results and Discussion: Anthropometric, biological, lifestyle and psychological variables were analysed. Adherence to the Mediterranean diet in the 2021 edition workers at the start of the intervention was found to be higher than in 2019 and achievement motivation higher than in 2020, results that could be related to the special situation derived from the Covid-19 pandemic. Implications of the research: This shows the importance of knowing the baseline health status of workers in behaviours such as those observed in the last edition (2022) in terms of worsening adherence to the Mediterranean diet. This aspect highlights the need to apply interventions such as the HaSEN programme for the maintenance of a healthy lifestyle in terms of nutrition and physical exercise behaviour in the population under study. Originality/value: This study contributes to the scientific literature on public health in the population of university workers. It provides retrospective and prospective information on baseline health status and motivation to change habits to maintain a lifestyle in a working population subjected to high levels of work demands and the implications that this may have on the overall health status of this population.

Can Women Thrive in a Predominantly Male Environment? Examining the Perception of Women in I-deal Negotiation

Idiosyncratic deals (i-deals) are nonstandardized work arrangements that help employees balance their work and nonwork demands. Previous literature has paid increased attention to the concept of i-deals, yet there is a lack of clarity regarding the perception of i-deals among Indian women employees. India’s social context is patrifocal, where women face multiple work challenges. Women are more drawn toward nontraditional forms of employment because they prioritize balancing work and personal life. Therefore, the study investigates how i-deals mitigate challenges faced by women in their workplace using an exploratory research design. Data were collected by interviewing 20 women employees in the IT sector in India who had successfully negotiated i-deals. A content-coding method was used to analyze the interview transcripts, and the study findings show that reduced turnover intention, hedonic well-being, and career advancement are the critical outcomes of negotiating i-deals. We also discuss the theoretical and managerial implications.

A watched pot never boils: how appraisals of supervisor remote monitoring influence remote workers’ voice and silence

ABSTRACT A significant percentage of the global workforce is now working remotely, thus prompting managers and organisations to adopt practices geared towards monitoring a remote workforce. Although remote monitoring practices provide managers with information regarding employee work progress and productivity, our understanding of how, why, and under what conditions such practices impact employees’ willingness to engage in voluntary extra-role behaviour intended to improve organisational functioning is limited. Drawing from the challenge-hindrance stress framework, our research provides insight into this issue. Specifically, we propose that the two types of remote monitoring (interactional and observational) will be appraised as stressful work demands that will differentially influence employees’ voice and silence. More precisely, we predict that interactional remote monitoring engenders voice because this form of monitoring tends to be appraised as a challenge, and that observational remote monitoring encourages silence because this form of monitoring tends to be appraised as a hindrance. Additionally, we argue that the complexity of one’s job will intensify the predicted indirect effects of interactional monitoring and observational monitoring paths on voice and silence, respectively. Results from two studies of remote workers largely support our predictions. We discuss implications to theory, research, and practice.

Individual preferences in multiple goal pursuit: Reconsidering the conceptualization and dimensionality of polychronicity

AbstractWith increasing demands in work and life, successful self‐regulation of multiple goals becomes critical to the well‐being and performance of individuals and organizations. When pursuing multiple goals, individuals may use different strategies and have divergent preferences toward these strategies. Polychronicity, or the preference for multitasking over sequential tasking, has long been considered a unidimensional construct with two opposing ends. To empirically test this assumption, we reconstructed existing polychronicity items to explore a new scale that measures preferences separately and synthesizes different operationalizations of multitasking (i.e., concurrent tasking and task switching) (study 1). We found that multitasking and sequential preferences, while related, have distinct components and can co‐occur within individuals, challenging the traditional bipolar assumption (study 2). Finally, we used a behavioral task‐switching paradigm to simulate a multitasking environment. We found that consistent with past research, the preferences were not associated with behavioral performance but were associated with subjective experience (study 3). Our findings suggest that assuming multitasking and sequential preferences are completely antithetical can be an oversimplification. This research opens opportunities for future research on multiple goals.

Results of a Survey Regarding the Implementation of Work-Related Medical Rehabilitation for Patients with Musculoskeletal Disorders: Identification of a Need and the Assessment of Work Demands

Research indicates that the implementation of work-related medical rehabilitation (WMR) is characterized by pronounced heterogeneity and that the requirements defined by the German Pension Insurance are not consistently met. The study aimed to investigate the implementation of the WMR guideline in patients with musculoskeletal disorders with regard to the identification of a need for WMR as well as the assessment of the individual demands of work. 317 rehabilitation facilities authorized for WMR in patients with musculoskeletal disorders were invited to participate in a nationwide survey. 86 of 317 facilities responded to the self-developed questionnaire and met the inclusion criteria. Although most facilities reported that nearly all patients receive WMR if they have a need for it, the proportion of WMR measures provided was below ten percent in the majority of cases. With regard to work demands, respondents demanded greater involvement of employers in order to strengthen validity. The findings indicate that WMR is largely implemented in accordance with the WMR guideline. The main challenges include meeting the need for WMR and strengthening the involvement of employers in the assessment of work requirements.

Registrars as institutions for ensuring the development of the real sector of macroeconomics

Subject. This article discusses the importance of diversified institutions of the financial system, linking the functionalities of the financial and real sectors of macroeconomics. Objectives. The article aims to substantiate the need for such institutions to recognize professional participants of the securities market engaged in maintaining registers of securities holders (registrars), and formulate proposals that contribute to the qualitative disclosure of the potential of registrars in this capacity. Methods. For the study, we used the methods of systems and logical analyses, and the tabulation procedure. Results. The article presents the author-developed proposals aimed at the implementation and development of the potential of registrars as diversified institutions of the financial system, capable of ensuring the development of equity investment as a factor of qualitative and quantitative growth of the real sector of the macro-economy. Conclusions and Relevance. The arguments set forth in the article regarding the need to create an institution of insurance for direct investments of citizens in the creation of new and the development of existing joint-stock companies, the need to provide individuals with the right to register on the websites of investment platforms as persons attracting investments, and other formulated proposals will form the basis for creating norms that contribute to the development of the functionality of registrars, including registrars that are operators of investment platforms, and the realization of their potential as an effective diversified institution of the financial market. The presented proposals may be in demand in the future work of the Bank of Russia, as well as in the work of all interested specialists and scientists aimed at improving the efficiency of the financial sector.

Indian Sequins: A Jeweled Textile of India

Looking back from the time of civilization, India always has rich competencies in the field of fascinating arts, crafts, and cultures along with its high-end heritage. From that time competent craftsmen not only used their skills to fulfill the needs and wants of society but also trade overseas. This used to be a reason for their earning and livelihood. Little by little these skills started demolishing, mukeish or badla or kamdani work is one of them. Mukeish (also known as Badla work or Kamdani in the local language) is a type of old-age metal wire embroidery with its legacy in the capital of Uttar Pradesh, Lucknow, the city of Nawabs. Mukeish work involves twisting metallic thread to create patterns over the surface of the fabrics. Earlier original gold and silver wires were used to make these patterns, depicting royalty. With the passage of time, mukeish work lost its shine and royalty. Though it is not vaporized completely, only a handful of skilled craftsmen are available in Uttar Pradesh. The core reason for the decreasing demand for Mukeish work is not crystal clear but a small number of craftsmen are available who work on mukeish embroidery. It is said that mukeish or badla work is the original sequence of India that paves out the track of sequence work around the fashion globe. It is an expensive and indeed time-consuming craft. This meticulous work has lost its shine and glamour due to the lack of skilled artisans. The availability of substitute sequences in embroidery is also the reason for its blurry image in the world of Embroidery. The purpose of shedding light on mukeish or badla work is to review this meticulous craft of India and promote this precious craft around the globe.