Employee Strain Research Articles

Effects of Smart Glasses on the Visual Acuity and Eye Strain of Employees in Logistics and Picking: A Six-Month Observational Study.

The usage of smart glasses in goods logistics and order picking has mainly been studied through cross-sectional experimental studies. Our longitudinal field study investigated the effects of smart glasses on the eyesight of 43 employees at two German companies. We combined ophthalmological examinations and questionnaire surveys at two points in time, six months apart. The vision of the employees was examined before and after each work shift. Mixed effects logistic regression was conducted to determine the associations between smart glasses use and effects on visual acuity. In the baseline examination, differences in eyesight before and after shifts were small and not statistically significant. However, some individuals experienced deteriorations, especially in visual acuity at near distances (n = 7 for the right eye, n = 6 for the left). Participants over 40 years of age had 16.1 times higher odds of deterioration compared to those under 40 years (95% CI: 2.7-95.9, p = 0.002). The most commonly reported eye strains were eye fatigue (n = 32), rubbing (n = 25), and burning (n = 24). If smart glasses are to be implemented in logistics companies, it is recommended to offer employees eye tests with an industrial physician in advance.

Organizational ethical pressure as a threat to employee health: The buffering roles of ethical leadership and employee ethical efficacy

AbstractCompetitive pressures, resource constraints, high shareholder/stakeholder expectations, and other dynamics may lead to organizations putting pressure on employees to act unethically to meet goals. Yet, the effects of this pressure on employee health and factors that can abate it are unclear. Based on the job demands‐resources model, this study examines whether, how, and when organizational ethical pressure harms employees' psychological and physical health and what factors can buffer its negative effects. According to the findings of a two‐wave lagged data study involving 212 healthcare employees, results show that organizational ethical pressure causes ethical strain in employees, resulting in both psychological and physical health problems, with these effects less pronounced when employees have higher levels of ethical efficacy. An integrated effect was also discovered, in which employees' ethical efficacy increases when led by a more ethical leader, thereby buffering the effect of ethical pressure on ethical strain and health problems. Overall, our research identifies organizational ethical pressure as a significant threat to employee health and provides preliminary approaches to mitigate its effects.

Within-person increases in job autonomy linked to greater employee strain

ABSTRACT It is commonly believed that job autonomy has a positive impact on employee well-being and protects workers from strain. However, an emerging counter-narrative challenges this assumption and identifies ways in which greater job autonomy has negative impacts, especially for jobs that already have substantial autonomy. Contributing to this debate, our longitudinal study disaggregates stable, between-person variation in job autonomy from dynamic, within-person change in job autonomy over a multi-year period with a sample of Church ministers. We argue that experiencing high and stable job autonomy is conceptually distinct from experiencing an increase in one’s job autonomy; the former being positive for worker well-being while the latter often represents a form of role stress. We develop a two-level model tested by a random-intercept crossed-lagged panel analysis. We find that workers with higher job autonomy than others tend to have lower emotional exhaustion at the between-person level. Also at this level, trait positive affect and, more weakly, trait self-efficacy account for variance in aggregate levels of job autonomy and emotional exhaustion. Our model then evidences the counter-view that within-person increases in job autonomy are followed by greater emotional exhaustion. Implications for extending theory on within-person change in well-being are discussed.

The manifestation of professional burnout among university teachers under pandemic conditions

Relevance. The relevance of this study focuses on the ways to work effectively under stressful situations. After all, the COVID-19 pandemic is a stressor, and burnout syndrome is directly linked to the stress caused by the pandemic. Education is particularly specific, since within the "human-human" professions, an important aspect is the social connection between those involved and the support inherent in the educational process. As education has been completely reorganised into distance education, an important part like belonging to society is neglected. This has a negative impact on both the emotional and mental component of the personality. Purpose. The purpose of this study is to investigate burnout syndrome amidst the pandemic. The object is professional burnout as a key mechanism of productivity and efficiency. The subject is a manifestation of professional burnout among university teachers under the conditions of COVID-19 pandemic. Methodology. The study involved the following research methods: theoretical (analysis, synthesis, generalisation, argumentation) and practical (mathematical statistics, methodology: Diagnostics of professional burnout by K. Maslachand and S. Jackson (adapted by N. Vodopyanova); Diagnostics of the level of emotional burnout by V. Boyko; Definition of mental burnout by A. Rukavishnikov). Results. In the course of disclosing the subject, the immediate advantages and significant disadvantages of distance education were identified. The causes of burnout, the stages of its development and a number of techniques to minimise the manifestations of professional burnout were also highlighted. Conclusions. According to the study, teachers today need to work on decreasing their levels of emotional exhaustion and detachment, and on increasing their "reduction in personal achievement". Substantial work should be done to reduce employees' stress levels and train them in self-regulation skills to manage their emotions effectively. The findings will be of use to all those involved in education, namely teachers, psychologists, administrators of educational institutions and ministers. Keywords: students; personality; professional burnout; teachers; educational sphere; COVID-19 pandemic

Let Employees Train Their Own Chatbots: Design of Generative Ai-enabled Delegation Systems

Let Employees Train Their Own Chatbots: Design of Generative Ai-enabled Delegation Systems

Keeping warm: racial disparities of warmth judgments in the service industry

PurposePeople develop general stereotypes and beliefs about how people look and behave, and discrepancies in perceptions of warmth and competence can lead to incongruence in expected behaviors during service interactions. These perceptions can contribute to negative outcomes for employees; therefore, this study aims to examine how perceptions of warmth affect both customer reactions to employees who are Asian and the work stress, strain and attitudes of employees who are Asian toward their jobs.Design/methodology/approachTo investigate the phenomenon, the authors conducted three studies. The first study examined whether occupational-racial stereotypes influence customers’ evaluation of employees’ service recovery performance. The second study temporally examined whether employees who are Asian engage in more emotional labor strategies to counter these occupational-racial stereotypes and as a result experience more negative outcomes. And a third study investigated the cumulative effects of negative perceptions on employee outcomes.FindingsThe results suggest employees in the hospitality industry who are Asian are perceived as less warm during service failure interactions and, thus, must work harder to regulate their emotions. As a result, employees who are Asian reported experiencing more negative outcomes, supporting the notion that occupational-racial stereotypes contribute to racial disparity and act as challenges and barriers for employees in the service industry.Research limitations/implicationsThese findings emphasize the need to understand and address occupational-racial stereotypes for employees who are Asian to mitigate racial disparities in the service industry. Organizations can promote diverse work climates, provide emotional support and foster high-quality relationships to support employee well-being and satisfaction.Originality/valueThe results provide insight into how stereotypical warmth perceptions of employees who are Asian may affect the demands they face when engaging in service recovery, and how these increased demands may reduce the quality of their work experiences.

The shadows of digitisation: on the losses of health-oriented leadership in the face of ICT hassles

ABSTRACT Research shows positive effects of health-oriented leadership (HoL) on employees. However, the increasing spread of working from home may challenge leadership effectiveness. This study examines whether ICT hassles weaken the positive relationships between HoL and follower outcomes. Effectiveness of HoL was tested as perceived by employees while working from home for 1) employee exhaustion with an experimental vignette study (N = 138), and 2) employee strain and engagement in a survey with two measurement points (N = 214). Results provided evidence for lower exhaustion and strain, and higher engagement with more HoL. Results also showed higher exhaustion and strain, and lower engagement with more ICT hassles. Moreover, the relationships of HoL with employee outcomes were weaker with more ICT hassles. Findings provide initial evidence that HoL positively affects employees when working from home, but that its effectiveness may be impaired by technical issues. Findings suggest that in order to maintain the effectiveness of HoL while working from home, organisations must provide reliable IT equipment and technical support. The study ties in with research on digital leadership and leadership effectiveness and contributes to the deeper understanding of situational contingencies of health-specific leadership during the process of digitisation.

Perceived employability and employee strain: A meta‐analysis

AbstractThis meta‐analysis addresses the association between perceived employability (PE) and employee strain (k = 34). Consistent with expectations, PE was negatively related to strain (ρ = −.12, 95% CI = −.16 to −.08). Moderator analysis showed that this relationship was stronger post‐2008 (ρ = −.20, 84% CI = −.23 to −.17) versus pre‐2008 (ρ = −.06, 84% CI = −.08 to −.05) and in high (ρ = −.17, 84% CI = −.21 to −.14) versus low (ρ = −.07, 84% CI = −.09 to −.06) uncertainty avoidant cultures. Our results suggest that career competency development interventions can be effective for reducing employee strain and that national uncertainty avoidance need be incorporated into models of boundaryless careers, especially as it relates to employee health and well‐being.

Can We Mitigate Covid-19 Related Work Strain Among Civil Servants? Examining the Role of Organizational Commitment, Job Autonomy and Workplace Social Support

The extraordinary measures taken to constrain infections with the coronavirus may have altered the known psychological processes preventing stress and strain in the public workplace. We use survey data of a large public organization in Belgium to look at the capacity of affective organizational commitment, perceived job autonomy, and workplace social support to buffer the impact of Covid-19 measures on work strain. We find a negative effect of perceived job autonomy on stress resulting from Covid-19 measures. We find no support for the buffering effect of affective organizational commitment and workplace social support on employee strain induced by Covid-19 measures.

Commuting demands and appraisals: A systematic review and meta-analysis of strain and wellbeing outcomes

Research on commuting to work and its potential consequences for employee strain and wellbeing has accumulated across various disciplines. However, this has led to a narrow research scope with wide methodological variability. An integration of this literature is needed to understand the breadth of the commuting experience and interpret heterogeneous findings. Extending the transactional stress model, we propose that commuting is a demand that can have both negative and positive effects on outcomes through commuting appraisals. We present a systematic review (k = 109 studies) and meta-analysis (k = 39 studies) of these relationships. Our systematic review finds partial support for our hypotheses, and our meta-analysis suggests that objective commuting demands are positively associated with strain outcomes (r ̅_xy = .089; especially perceived stress, r ̅_xy = .153), but unrelated to wellbeing outcomes. Subjective commuting appraisals are unrelated to strain or wellbeing outcomes. We conclude with recommendations for methodological improvements and implications for research and practice. Plain language summary Commuting is a nearly ubiquitous part of contemporary employment. Over the last several decades, empirical research on commuting has accumulated across various disciplines. Our systematic review and meta-analysis take stock of relationships regarding commuting demands, appraisals of commuting, and strainand wellbeing-related outcomes. The results of the qualitative review indicate that there are both positive and negative implications of commuting. Commuting demands are related to favorable and unfavorable appraisals, and commuting demands are also related to both strain and wellbeing outcomes. However, the result of our quantitative meta-analysis suggests that time spent commuting is positively associated with strain outcomes, but unrelated to wellbeing outcomes. Subjective commuting appraisals are unrelated to strain and wellbeing outcomes. We outline implications for future research (e.g., commuting's role in boundary management), highlight methodological challenges (e.g., variability in reporting), and provide recommendations for practice (e.g., offer resources that mitigate consequences of commuting).

Mediation Effect of Debt Behaviour on Malaysian Employees’ Financial Strain Moderated by Job Satisfaction

Recession and currently the unfolding pandemic COVID-19 do greatly impact most households economically. Individuals faced uncertainty affecting them in various aspects of life leading to stressful situation. The Expected Utility Theory supported this study aiming to identify factors affecting financial strain and the mediating effect of debt behaviour including the moderating effect by job satisfaction. A multi-stage random sampling among Malaysian employees resulted in 322 usable forms. External locus of control and debt attitude were found to be significantly affecting financial strain of employees. Mediation effect of debt behaviour was confirmed in the influence by debt attitude. Job satisfaction was found to moderate the influence of debt behaviour on the financial strain. Thus, employees should be concerned with their debt management as it can reduce financial strain. Ensuring high job satisfaction should be the focus of employers to multiply the effect of positive debt behaviour in reducing the financial strain.

Excessive use of personal social media at work: antecedents and outcomes from dual-system and person-environment fit perspectives

PurposeThis study aims to investigate the antecedents and outcomes of excessive use of personal social media at work. The prevalence of personal social media in the work environment can easily lead to excessive use and negative consequences. Understanding the predictive factors and negative consequences of employees' excessive use of personal social media at work is important to develop their appropriate use of social media and improve their job performance.Design/methodology/approachBased on dual-system theory and the person-environment fit model, this study develops a research model to examine the effect of habit and self-regulation on excessive use of personal social media at work and that of the outcomes of excessive use on employee job performance through strain. This study conducts a questionnaire survey on 408 employees to test the research model and hypotheses empirically.FindingsResults suggest that the imbalance between habit and self-regulation drives excessive personal social media use of employees at work. Furthermore, excessive use of personal social media has a strong impact on employee strain, which can significantly decrease job performance.Originality/valueFirst, this study considers excessive use of personal social media at work as a result of two different cognitive systems, that is, an automatic system and a controlled system, thereby extending the dual-system theory to explain excessive use of personal social media in the work context. Second, unlike previous studies that focused on the outcomes or explored the antecedents of excessive social media use at work respectively, the study employs the person-environment fit model and examines the systematic influence of excessive social media use at work from a broad perspective by linking its antecedents and outcomes.

Work–family strain of employees with children with disabilities

PurposeThe purpose of this study is to investigate the relationships between (1) employed parents' work–family conflict (WFC), (2) their children with disabilities' support needs, (3) their children's age, and (4) those parents' levels of school engagement.Design/methodology/approachData were collected from 193 US parents of children with disabilities who completed a survey regarding work and family strain as well as school engagement. Descriptive statistical and correlational analyses were used, followed by moderated regression analysis.FindingsResults indicate that higher levels of WFC have a negative impact on parents' school engagement. Similarly, children with disabilities' increased needs for parental support have a negative impact on school engagement. Moreover, the age of children with disabilities holds a moderating role in the relationship between support needs and school engagement.Research limitations/implicationsHuman resource managers can acquire information regarding employed parents of children with disabilities' increased support needs and formalize flexible policies leading to supportive workplace cultures. School personnel can instigate a range of options that facilitate parents' school engagement, such as maximizing use of technology via virtual meetings and activities.Originality/valueThese innovative findings contribute to theoretical underpinnings in work and family strain research as well as conservation of resources theory, given the lack of previous empirical work specific to children with disabilities and their employed parents.

A Meta-Analysis of the Effects of Work Hours on Resource Depletion, Resource Acquisition, and Strain

Employee work hours are a frequent topic of interest among academics and management practitioners alike. However, there is a lack of theory explicating why and under what conditions longer work hours are likely to cause employee strain. Accordingly, we adopt a resource-based framework to propose that work hours can deplete resources owing to their impact on on- and off-the-job stressors, which relate positively to strain, while simultaneously proposing that longer work hours can also aid in resource acquisition, owing to positive relations with income and promotions which are subsequently negatively related to strain. We also posit that these effects vary by culture (Eastern vs. Western) and that they are curvilinear in nature (becoming stronger at higher work hours in the case of resource depletion, and weaker in the case of resource acquisition). We tested our hypotheses using meta-analytic methods based on a sample of over 360 studies including over 800,000 individuals. We found that work hours are positively related to strain via more proximal on- and off-the-job stressors, and negatively related to strain via income and promotions, although the indirect effect via income relation was weak. We found mixed support for the moderator hypotheses, as work hours were more strongly related to on-the-job stressors and income in Western than Eastern cultures, but not the other variables; work hours were also more strongly related to off-the-job stressors and promotions at high vs. low levels of work hours. We discuss the implications of our findings for research and practice.

"Exploring Job Resources for Female Employees’ Job Strain: The Case of U.S. Federal Employees"

"It becomes critical to the success of organizations to figure out how to effectively remedy female employees’ stress, given the sheer number of female employees in most organizations. The present study aimed to enhance our understanding of female employees’ strain, and suggest job resources to reduce their stressful feelings at work. With a sample of U.S. federal employees, female employees were compared with male counterparts in terms of their satisfaction about diverse work environments and the effects of work environment on stressful feelings. According to the findings, the strain of female employees was significantly higher than that of male counterparts. Work-life balance became a significant job resource for both male and female employees. Some work environment factors, such as public support and relationship with outside organizations, showed different effect on job strain, depending on the gender. Keywords: female employees, job resources, strain, employee stress, gender, stressful feelings."

Single-site employment (multiple jobholding) in residential aged care: A response to COVID-19 with wider workforce lessons.

ObjectiveThis study aimed to capture stakeholder views and issues arising from the implementation of the innovative single‐site employment guiding principles (SSE‐GP) that the Australian Government, in consultation with the sector, introduced into hot spot residential aged care facilities (RACFs) in July 2020 in response to COVID‐19.MethodsInterviews with 74 stakeholders around Australia were conducted in October–November 2020. Provider interviews included employees and managerial and human resources staff in profit and non‐profit services who did, and did not, have COVID‐19 outbreaks. Sector interviews included representatives from peak bodies, unions, government, academics, advocates, labour hire and registered training organisations.ResultsThere was broad but not total agreement on SSE‐GP's effectiveness. Beyond specific SSE‐GP feedback, six strategic workforce issues were identified. The quality of resident care was mixed, sometimes improved and sometimes diminished. The extent of employees' multiple jobholding surprised many providers, and rostering and unplanned absenteeism are a substantial strain for both providers and employees. Innovative work practices are often difficult for smaller providers lacking employment relations specialists. Future SSE‐GP is seen by larger providers as voluntary and organisation‐ rather than facility‐specific, and unions saw only mandated SSE‐GP as appropriate for future outbreaks. Last, all staff, management and executives had additional stress that placed their well‐being at risk.ConclusionsAlthough SSE‐GP revealed new and existing weaknesses in the Australian RACF workforce, the broad industry consultation and collaboration demonstrated that the sector can meet COVID‐19's urgent and complex challenges. The experience provided lessons for further workforce challenges that remain to be addressed.

Virtual work communication during a pandemic—The moderating effect of technology expertise on technology overload.

The coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic and its accompanying restrictive measures have led to a sudden digitalization of all areas of work and to many knowledge workers now working entirely from home. Especially, the use of information and communication technologies (ICT) has been associated with negative outcomes such as technology overload. Interacting with technology is dynamic and employees often have to face negative ICT events that are related to the technology’s characteristics (e.g., system reliability). In this preregistered study, we aimed to link ICT events with employees’ technology overload during a phase of intensive telework. In a daily diary study over the course of 2 weeks, we investigated how ICT events impact technology overload. Additionally, we explored how technology overload as well as professional isolation due to current pandemic-related restrictions impacts employee strain. Multilevel regression modeling was used to explore the described relationships. ICT events were a significant predictor of technology overload and a significant interaction effect of objective technology expertise was found. Technology overload further impacts ICT-related strain. No significant effects were found regarding professional isolation. Gaining a better understanding of the relationship between ICT events, technology overload, and technology expertise during a phase of extensive telework will help to develop training and support for employees to improve their interaction with virtual communication systems during times of social distancing and beyond.

Supplemental Material for Virtual work communication during a pandemic—The moderating effect of technology expertise on technology overload.

The coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic and its accompanying restrictive measures have led to a sudden digitalization of all areas of work and to many knowledge workers now working entirely from home. Especially, the use of information and communication technologies (ICT) has been associated with negative outcomes such as technology overload. Interacting with technology is dynamic and employees often have to face negative ICT events that are related to the technology’s characteristics (e.g., system reliability). In this preregistered study, we aimed to link ICT events with employees’ technology overload during a phase of intensive telework. In a daily diary study over the course of 2 weeks, we investigated how ICT events impact technology overload. Additionally, we explored how technology overload as well as professional isolation due to current pandemic-related restrictions impacts employee strain. Multilevel regression modeling was used to explore the described relationships. ICT events were a significant predictor of technology overload and a significant interaction effect of objective technology expertise was found. Technology overload further impacts ICT-related strain. No significant effects were found regarding professional isolation. Gaining a better understanding of the relationship between ICT events, technology overload, and technology expertise during a phase of extensive telework will help to develop training and support for employees to improve their interaction with virtual communication systems during times of social distancing and beyond.

Family-supportive supervisor behaviors and employee turnover intention in the foodservice industry: does gender matter?

PurposeThe restaurant industry is characterized by long hours, intense job demands and a lack of work-life balance. While a growing body of research has investigated methods for decreasing role conflict-related stress and strain in foodservice and hospitality employees, there is still little understanding of what supervisors can do to decrease work-life-related employee strain. This study aims to investigate how family-supportive supervisor behaviors (FSSB) influence employee emotional exhaustion (EE) and subsequent turnover intentions, as well as the role of gender in moderating these effects.Design/methodology/approachA survey-based design using a national panel of 226 foodservice employees was used to investigate the hypotheses developed in this paper.FindingsResults indicated that FSSB decreased employee EE and subsequent turnover intentions. The authors also found that this relationship was stronger for female employees.Research limitations/implicationsThe study provides insight into the role that employee gender may play in response to the perception of and reactions to FSSB. Women still shoulder a majority of home and non-work caring duties, and therefore, they may be more positively affected when supervisors engage in behaviors that allow for balancing work and non-work demands.Originality/valueThere is little hospitality or foodservice-focused research into the effects of FSSB, and little overall research that investigates the role that gender may play in shaping the beneficial effects of FSSB. Given that women make up a majority of foodservice employees in the USA, yet there is a lack of female representation at higher levels of organizations, the study provides insights into ways in which organizations and supervisors can improve female employees’ working experiences and potentially increase their retention.

Occupational Self-Efficacy as a Mediator in the Reciprocal Relationship between Job Demands and Mental Health Complaints: A Three-Wave Investigation.

The most recent version of the job demands-resources (JD–R) theory proposes that demanding working conditions and employee strain form a self-perpetuating loss cycle. By acknowledging that such cycles are detrimental for both employees and organizations, the present study aimed to contribute to enhancing the current scarce understanding regarding their explanatory mechanisms. For this purpose, it applied social cognitive theory to propose that occupational self-efficacy mediates the effects of two role stressors (i.e., role ambiguity and role conflict) on employee mental health complaints and vice versa. The hypothesized reciprocal mediation effects were tested using a three-wave full panel research design and a dataset of 917 (NT1 = 513, NT1+T2 = 122, NT1+T3 = 70, NT1+T2+T3 = 212) Croatian employees working in heterogeneous private sector industries. The results demonstrated that role conflict, but not role ambiguity, undermined employees’ beliefs in their capabilities to successfully master their jobs which, in turn, led them to experience more mental health complaints over time. Contrary to expectations, poor mental health did not lead to diminished efficacy beliefs nor, in turn, more job demands over time. Overall, the results of this study demonstrated an additional mechanism in the job demands-strain relationship and, at the same time, shed new light on the role of personal resources within the JD–R theory. Accounting for the malleable nature of employee efficacy beliefs, the study proposes several ways in which organizations can enhance occupational self-efficacy and thereby curb the causal chain linking job demands and employee strain reactions.