Service Employees Research Articles

Analyzing health service employees’ intention to use e-health systems in southwest Ethiopia: using UTAUT-2 model

BackgroundE-health systems have the potential to improve healthcare delivery and access to medical services in resource-constrained settings. Despite its impact, the system exhibits a low level of consumer acceptance and intention to use it. This research paper aims to analyze the intention of health service employees to use e-health systems in southwest Ethiopia using the UTAUT-2 model.MethodInstitutional-based cross-sectional studies were conducted at four referral hospitals (two private and two public) to examine the acceptance of e-health among consumers. Employees who had previous experience with diagnostic information systems and the health logistic information system were given structured questionnaires based on the UTAUT-2 model. The data were analyzed using the PLS-SEM method to identify the key factors that influence the intention to use e-health systems. The data were analyzed using SPSS version 20 and SmartPLS 3 software.ResultOut of the 400 surveyed employees, 225 (56.25%) valid questionnaires were collected. The findings indicate that three factors—effort expectancy (β = 0.276, t = 3.015, p = 0.001), habit (β = 0.309, t = 3.754, p = 0), and performance expectancy (β = 0.179, t = 1.905, p = 0.028)—had a significant positive impact on employees’ intention to use e-health systems. On the other hand, factors such as social influence, facilitating conditions, hedonic motivation, and price values did not appear as significant predictors of intention to use e-health. The study model was able to predict 63% of employees’ intentions to use e-health systems.ConclusionEffort expectancy, habit, and performance expectancy were significant predictors of employees’ intention to use e-health systems among health service employees in southwest Ethiopia. The study supports the ideas that ease of use, experience with information systems, and the role of the systems in improving job performance contribute to employees’ intention to use e-health. Policymakers and healthcare organizations in the region can use these findings to develop strategies for successful implementation and adoption of e-health systems, ultimately improving healthcare services and outcomes for the population.

Study to determine medical imaging devices costs of maintenance and repair: case of a university hospital in turkey

Abstract Objectives: Unperformed maintenance and repairs cause medical devices to become idle or unusable before their useful life. In this study, it was aimed to determine a standard for maintenance and spare parts expenditures of medical imaging devices. Methods: In the study conducted on nearly 30 medical imaging devices of a university hospital, firstly, the economic life of the devices was determined depending on the intensity of use. It was determined that the expenditures changed in the first five years, the second five years and after the economic life. Expenditures were categorized according to the period and technological level. Results: According to the results obtained, the annual expenditure of medium technology devices varies between 2% and 7% of the current price. For high-tech devices, expenditures vary between 4% and 13%. In the study, the required expenditure rates for the devices according to the technology level were also predicted. Conclusions: It has been determined that the maintenance and repair practices of imaging devices in health institutions in Turkey are inadequate. Managers should closely monitor the inventory of medical imaging devices for effective use, quality service delivery and employee health.

Understanding the role of exploitative leadership in inhibiting service innovative behavior: a moderated mediation model

Purpose The purpose of this study was to investigate how and when exploitative leadership hinders hospitality employees’ service innovative behavior. Based on the conservation of resource theory, the authors examined the mediating role of relational energy and the moderating impact of sensitivity to interpersonal mistreatment on this relationship. Design/methodology/approach Two-wave data collection from 54 hotel leaders and 266 subordinates in China resulted in 266 supervisor–subordinate matched data sets. Structural equation modeling analyses were used for data analysis. Findings Exploitative leadership is negatively related to hospitality employees’ service innovative behavior via diminished employee relational energy. Furthermore, employees with high sensitivity to interpersonal mistreatment experience intensified negative impact of exploitative leadership on relational energy and subsequent service innovation behavior. Research limitations/implications Hotel management must recognize and mitigate the effects of exploitative leadership to foster an environment conducive to service innovation. In addition, hotel managers should be attuned to the employees’ relational energy, recognizing its essential role in driving innovative behavior. Originality/value This research contributes insights into how exploitative leadership style impedes employee service innovation behavior. It further illuminates the role of relational energy as a critical mediator in this relationship.

Socio-cultural and contextual resources shaping the initiation of closings of public utility service interactions

This article investigates the pre-closings of interactions between inquirers and public utility service providers to find out what strategic sequential components the participants utilize to bid the closings of their conversations. We examined how these components are co-constructed and linguistically realized and what socio-cultural and co-textual influences have given rise to these sequences. The data analyzed was based on recorded face-to-face interactions between seven employees in public utility services and 100 Jordanian participants who approached the organization to inquire about utility services. Contrary to prior research on pre-closings, our results reveal a more elaborate sequential organization consisting of eight strategic component options, most of which (e.g. supplicating, praising, showing hospitality, invoking compassion) have not been encountered in other similar discourses analyzed. Some components are socio-culturally motivated, others are religiously affiliated, and some others are co-textually and contextually bound. Such findings will, hopefully, contribute to understanding how interlocutors use socio-cultural and religious affiliations to co-construct the preclosing of their interactions

Robo‐compliance in Australian employment services

AbstractSince the late 1990s, Australia's employment services have enforced mutual obligation compliance as part of a transition to a disciplinary regime of conditional welfare. In recent years, the digitisation of employment services has extended the disciplinary approach to self‐activation. Notably, self‐activation extends mutual obligation requirements so that online reporting is a condition of benefit eligibility, or a digital obligation, enforced by threats to financial security in the form of automated payment suspensions. Guided by recent developments in the conceptualisation of digital welfare to work programs, case study analysis is used to explore the ways the technologies of self‐activation have changed the location of power in mutual obligation compliance decisions. This shift represents a move from street‐level decision making to Robo‐compliance. The article discusses the significance of this shift in the digital administration of disciplinary social policy in employment services. It highlights the need for further empirical research to explore this shift and how it affects individuals whose social security payments depend on interactions with these technologies.

Transportation for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities in Home- and Community-Based Services

BackgroundTransportation can help improve the health, quality of life, and community integration of people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD). Yet, transportation is one of people with IDD's most common unmet needs. ObjectiveThe aim of this study was to examine if, and, how, states provide non-medical transportation to people with IDD in their Medicaid HCBS programs. MethodsUsing content analysis and descriptive statistics, this study analyzed fiscal year (FY) 2021 Medicaid HCBS 1915(c) waivers for people with IDD from across the nation to examine how they allocated transportation. ResultsIn FY 2021, all 44 states and the District of Columbia with HCBS waivers for people with IDD provided transportation services. Transportation was included either by providing a stand-alone service that exclusively provided transportation, or by being embedded within another service. Transportation was embedded within 896 different HCBS services for people with IDD, most commonly within residential habilitation services (26.70 %), supported employment services (19.44 %), and day habilitation (18.44 %). Thirty-three states (73.33 %) also provided 145 different stand-alone transportation services in their programs for people with IDD, to increase community integration and help people gain access to waiver services. A total of $781.78 million of spending was projected for stand-alone transportation services for 261,109 people with IDD (30.32 % of waiver recipients). ConclusionsHCBS waivers are an important resource for providing transportation for people with IDD. However, significant variation in how states do so may result in disparities or unmet needs.

The effects of footstep sounds on impression formation and persuasion

Although walking is ubiquitous and regularly produces footstep sounds, little is known about how such sounds impact (1) observer impressions of walkers, and (2) walker influence over observers. The current research addresses these issues in three retailing scenario-based experiments. The presence of service employees' footstep sounds is found to increase their perceived status in the eyes of the shoppers, which increases the service employees' persuasiveness. Moreover, we rule-out several potential alternative explanations (niceness, attractiveness, and honesty) while identifying a boundary condition of both theoretical and practical significance, shoppers' political ideology: service employees’ footstep sounds affect conservative shoppers far more than liberal shoppers.

Burnout and Quality of Life: A Cross-Sectional Study of Dental Clinic Employees at Dent Smile Jakarta

Quality of life is an individual's assessment of their life, which can be influenced by burnout. Burnout is a work-related stress syndrome characterized by emotional exhaustion, a sense of low achievement, and depersonalization. This condition can negatively impact the quality of service, performance, and overall health of clinic employees. The objective of this study is to examine the relationship between burnout and quality of life among employees at the Dent Smile Dental Clinic in Jakarta. The research design employed is a descriptive correlational method with a cross-sectional approach. The sampling technique utilized is purposive sampling. The study's findings indicate that among the 60 employees at the Dent Smile Dental Clinic in Jakarta, 19 employees (31.7%) exhibited low levels of burnout, 17 employees (28.3%) displayed moderate burnout, 10 employees (16.7%) experienced relatively high burnout, and 14 employees (23.3%) were categorized as having high burnout. Meanwhile, 38 employees (63.3%) were found to have a moderate quality of life, 10 employees (16.7%) had a high quality of life, and 12 employees (20%) had a very high quality of life. Data analysis using the Chi-square test revealed no significant relationship between burnout and quality of life among employees at the Dent Smile Dental Clinic in Jakarta (p = 0.633). It is recommended that future research explore other factors influencing burnout, such as length of service, age, and gender.

The impact of customer incivility on employee negative emotions: an organizational culture perspective

Purpose The primary purpose of this study is to analyze the effects of customer incivility on employees' negative emotions (i.e. anger, fear and sadness) considering the moderating role of organizational power distance. Design/methodology/approach A survey sample comprising 312 service employees was collected from 51 Taiwanese and Vietnamese companies spanning different industries. Given the multilevel characteristics of the data structure, hierarchical linear modeling was used to rigorously test the proposed hypotheses. Findings The results indicate a significant contribution of customer incivility to employees' negative emotions. Notably, this impact is more pronounced among employees in organizations characterized by low power distance compared to those in organizations with high power distance. Originality/value This research significantly advances our understanding of the emotional repercussions of customer incivility on employees by integrating cognitive–motivational–relational theory and organizational culture perspectives. The findings not only provide valuable theoretical insights but also offer practical implications for effectively managing employee well-being in culturally diverse contexts. The study recognizes certain limitations and puts forth suggestions for future research directions.

The value of commuting time, flexibility, and job security: Evidence from current and recent jobseekers in Flanders

This study examines jobseekers’ preferences for a variety of job attributes. It is based on a choice experiment involving 1852 clients of the Flemish Public Employment Service (PES). Respondents value flexibility (e.g., remote work and schedule flexibility), job security and social impact of the job, and require significant compensation for longer commute times. A majority (70%) would need very substantial wage increase beyond their acceptable baseline wage to compensate for less flexibility, job security or social impact. These findings enhance our understanding of labour supply decisions and can inform the design of salary packages and HR policies.

Data Quality and Legal Barriers to Linking US Government Social Program Data

To link social program data, such as employment, welfare, education, and human services data, a set of high-quality variables or fields are needed to facilitate rigorous linkage. The siloed nature of data collection in the US leads to a lack of consistency in the data that agencies collect. The data that one needs to make high quality linkages are often exactly those that government agencies are unwilling and unable to collect, or those that have poor quality. This has significant implications for privacy-protecting record-linkage and other techniques whereby privacy and confidentiality can be appropriately addressed. There are some obvious examples. For example, in the US, many agencies are unlikely to collect or share Social Security Number because of privacy concerns. A different type of example many agencies collect race or ethnicity poorly, so that the data is not consistent over time or simply inaccurate at the point of collection. Some programs may only collect age or month and year of birthdate. This presentation will discuss strategies to address these barriers short of changing agency practice around data sharing. It will also address how policies are a barrier to better linkage and data use. Also, how the proposed National Secure Data Service may affect state capacity to conduct linkage will also be discussed. This presentation is based on 40 years of experience working with the US federal government, states, and local agencies.

The effectiveness of financial reward on improving the job performance of public sector employees through organisational commitment: the case of Maldives civil service employees

PurposeThough public sector organisations have continuously borrowed human resource management practices from the private sector, there seems to be sparse evidence on the effectiveness of financial rewards for public sector employees, especially in developing countries where pay remains low. Therefore, the objective of this research is to test the effectiveness of financial rewards on the job performance of those working in the Maldives civil service from the perspective of a developing country where public sector pay, especially civil pay, remains comparatively low. Additionally, this study tested the mediating effect of organisational commitment on the relationship between financial rewards and job performance.Design/methodology/approachA cross-sectional study was conducted using quantitative design methodology, whereby data were collected from 341 employees working in the Maldives civil service and analysed using structural equation modelling.FindingsThe findings indicate that financial rewards negatively affect civil service employees’ job performance. However, financial rewards improve organisational commitment, which reduces the negative effects, although the effect sizes of the mediator are not very significant.Originality/valueThe results of this study present critical theoretical and practical contributions to public administration researchers on using financial incentives as a mechanism to boost job performance, particularly in developing countries, where salaries and other benefits remain low. Furthermore, it presents practical recommendations for managing employees in the Maldives and other countries, where the public sector is less developed and budget constraints remain a challenge.

The physical and mental health of home care recipients: A quantitative secondary data analysis

The physical and mental health of home care recipients: A quantitative secondary data analysis Abstract: Background: Although more and more people are being supported by home care services, there is a lack of information regarding the health limitations and needs of this group. Aim: The objective of this study was to examine the health status of people with home care needs in Switzerland. Method: A secondary data analysis based on the HomeCareData database, which contains routine data on people with home care requirements in Switzerland, was conducted. All cases with a fully completed Resident Assessment Instrument (RAI-HC) were included. Data on various items of the RAI-HC and other standardized scale scores with reference to physical or mental health were analyzed using descriptive statistics. Results: In total, 74,674 data records were evaluated. Physical limitations most frequently manifested in the form of fatigue (40.6%), pain (29.7%) or within the scope of impaired hearing (21.9%). Around a third of individuals sampled had experienced a fall in the last 90 days. With regard to mental health, the most frequent signs were fear of falling (33.5%), loneliness (13.9%), depression (12.8%) and anxiety (4%). Approximately one third showed signs of impaired cognition and polypharmacy was detected in almost 68% of those evaluated. Conclusion: Considering the comparatively high prevalence of mental health problems among people with home care requirements, there is a need to develop appropriate skills of employees in home care services and for adequate care planning.

The Effect of Motivation, Commitment, and Work Discipline on Work Productivity in Grapari Medan Putri Hijau Service Employees

The research analysis aims to determine whether motivation, commitment and work discipline affect work productivity. The data analysis technique used is an associative research method with the help of the SPSS version 19 program. This research uses multiple linear regression analysis. The sample in this study was 37 respondents. Primary data collection uses a questionnaire. The research results show that motivation has a partially positive and significant effect on work productivity. Commitment has a partially significant effect on work productivity. Work discipline does not have a positive and partially significant effect on work productivity. Motivation, commitment and work discipline simultaneously have a positive and significant effect on work productivity.

Implementation and Effectiveness of Equalizing Echelon IV Structural Positions into Functional Positions at the Blitar Regency Culture and Tourism Service

The Blitar Regency Personnel and Human Resources Development Agency has made a new innovation, namely by creating a system of adjustment/Inpassing procedures, carrying out competency tests and determining requirements for Adjustment/Inpassing which are further regulated by the Head of the Functional Position Development Agency. The aim of this research is to determine the implementation and effectiveness of equalizing echelon IV structural positions into functional positions at the Blitar Regency Culture and Tourism Service. This research method is qualitative research. The research location was carried out at the Blitar Regency Culture and Tourism Service in carrying out the functions and duties of the Blitar Regency Culture and Tourism Office. Research data is in the form of secondary and primary data. Primary data was obtained from components related to the implementation of the equalization of echelon IV positions into functional positions. Secondary data is data obtained from various sources within the Blitar Regency Culture and Tourism Service in the form of documents, journals, archival book records, the presence of Blitar Regency Culture and Tourism Service employees, this is adjusted to research needs. Data collection methods used in research are interviews, observation, documentation. This research's analytical method uses qualitative analysis. The results of this research are that equalizing structural positions to functional positions is like a tsunami storm that hits the ranks of Structural Administrator Officials. When the Minister of Administrative and Bureaucratic Reform Regulation Number 28 of 2019 concerning the Equalization of Administrative Positions into Functional Positions was implemented, it gave the impression that the Regional Government was just watching and waiting to take action. So after the deadline appeared on December 1 2021, with limited time, the Regional Government of Blitar Regency inevitably immediately processed the equalization of positions.

Work-Related Musculoskeletal Disorders Pain among Beauty Service Employees: An Observational Survey

Abstract Background and Purpose: Work-related musculoskeletal disorders (WMSDs) include a variety of inflammatory illnesses and injuries that cause musculoskeletal pain as a result of work. Beauty service workers, including beauticians, cosmetologists, hairdressers, and hairstylists, are more prone to musculoskeletal pain due to repetitive movements and poor ergonomics. This observational study was designed to better understand WMSDs in beauty service employees. Materials and Methods: Demographic data, including age, gender, and work experience, were collected, and the Nordic Pain Questionnaire (NPQ) was employed to record musculoskeletal pain, and the capacity to perform routine activities during the past 7 days and 12 months. These data were collected offline (door-to-door). Approximately, 400 questionnaires were administered, however, only 345 (86.25%) were fully completed. The data obtained from participants were analyzed using descriptive statistics and frequency distributions. Furthermore, the Chi-square test was utilized to investigate the relationship between demographic characteristics and musculoskeletal pain. Results: The results revealed that almost all of the beauty service workers experienced lower back stiffness that negatively impacted their job performance. Following low back pain, knee pain (76.5%), neck discomfort (70.1%), upper back pain (60.3%), shoulder pain (50.7%), and wrist pain (40.6%) were found to be the most prevalent. A significant correlation was found between musculoskeletal pain and age (χ2 = 204.643; P < 0.000), gender (χ2 = 9.417; P < 0.02), and work experience (χ2 = 38.333; P < 0.000). According to the NPQ, during the past 7 days, the most significant discomfort was reported in the elbows (χ2 = 259.133; P < 0.000), and ankles and feet (χ2 = 225.626; P < 0.000). Whereas, in the past 12 months, the most severe pain was reported in hips/thighs (χ2 = 222.403; P < 0.000) and ankles/feet (χ2 = 222.403; P < 0.000). Pain in the lower back was the most common reason reported by workers for the inability to carry out work-related activities during the previous 12 months. Conclusion: This study concludes that a large percentage of beauty service professionals are prone to WMSDs, which consequently has a significant impact on their ability to carry out their work. Low back pain, followed by knee pain, was the most prevalent WMSD among beauty professionals.

Pengaruh Akuntabilitas dan Transparansi Terhadap Kinerja Keuangan dengan Konsep Value for Money pada Dinas PUPR Kabupaten Bone Bolango

The aim of this research is to determine the effect of accountability and transparency on financial performance with the Value for Money concept in the Bone Bolango Regency PUPR service, both partially and simultaneously. Type The type of method used in this research is a quantitative method with data collection techniques using questionnaire surveys and observation. The number of respondents in this research was 63 respondents consisting of Service Heads, Secretaries, Treasurers and all PUPR service employees of Bone Bolango Regency. The results of this research show that accountability and transparency towards financial performance with the Value for Money concept in the Bone Bolango Regency PUPR service have an effect both partially and simultaneously with a determinant value of 62.9% while the remaining 37.1% is explained by other variables not studied. in this research.

Considering the animating ethos of designing digital first unemployment services: On the motivation of others

AbstractThis paper explores the animating ethos of digital unemployment services. Unlike human‐to‐human services, where the intention of policy is normally mediated by professionals, digital services are fully designed in the policy imagination. As a result, it is a pressing issue to understand the ethos that animates their development. To address this, we report on design thinking focus groups undertaken to support the development of a disruptive digital unemployment service that sought the views and responses of three different groups—senior policymakers, caseworkers and unemployed people in four European countries. Without prompting, each conversation variously problematised the imputed motivations of unemployed people, suggesting a form of paternalistic motivation that should only risked in‐person. From this, we suggest that the design of digital unemployment services may well be dominated by the axiomatic, uncritical mobilisation of motivation theory. Going further, we offer a brief genealogy of the form of motivation theory that surfaced in the study, highlighting its interesting, shared history in seminal studies on unemployment. As a result, we conclude, that rather than altering welfare, digitisation may reanimate, essentialise and make durable activation in new ways that deepen longstanding processes of “double activation”—activating public employment services as well as the unemployed.

Analisis Lingkungan Kerja dalam Meningkatkan Kinerja Pegawai pada Dinas Perindustrian dan Perdagangan

The purpose of the research is to analyze and find out the role of the work environment in strengthening employee performance in the Karawang industry and trade office, as well as to explore the problems and solutions that can benefit the organization. The method used in this study is a qualitative descriptive method, using triangulation techniques with observation methods, data sources and interviews. The population in this observation is all employees of the Karawang industry and trade office. The sample in this observation consisted of three informants: leaders, secretaries, and employee staff. The results of this study show that the data obtained from the observations and interviews about the work environment could be better because the employee service facilities are not complete. This can result in a decrease in employee performance achievement.

Not a good fit? The roles of aesthetic labour, gender, race, Indigeneity, and citizenship in food service employment

Abstract Companies and business lobby groups bemoan a lack of qualified workers, even for entry-level or low-skill jobs. At issue is a stated inability to find workers with the right ‘fit’ for the role or business. But what does fit really mean? We draw on human capital theory and labour segmentation theory to examine how perceptions of fit are shaped. We conducted ninety-three interviews with food service workers, managers, and other industry stakeholders and found that employment decisions are shaped by stereotypes, with a particular focus on ‘pretty privilege’ or aesthetic labour, as well as Indigeneity, citizenship, race, and gender. We present implications for research and practice in the food services industry.