Service Employees Research Articles

Navigating labor-market transitions: an eco-social policy toolbox for public employment services

Current societies are heavily reliant on employment as a cornerstone of prosperity, both in terms of individuals’ access to income and social security and to finance welfare states through tax revenues. At the same time, work is often linked to environmentally harmful activities and not necessarily oriented toward meeting human needs. Against this background, work emerges as a key lever for a social-ecological transformation, and public employment services (PES) as key actors in labor-market policy – an area that has largely ignored environmental objectives until now. This article contributes to the small but growing field of research on eco-social labor-market policies by developing a novel set of 15 measures for eco-social labor. These indicators are grouped into six key thematic clusters of action for PES: (1) information and consultancy; (2) eco-social retraining and qualification; (3) sustainable mobility; (4) working time distribution; (5) livelihood provisioning; and (6) ecological eligibility criteria for unemployment benefits. The proposed policy measures are PES-oriented and offer concrete options toward transformation. While the policy toolbox has been developed in the context of Austria, it can also be used as a framework for other countries.

«СОФТ СКІЛЗ» У ПРОФЕСІЙНІЙ ДІЯЛЬНОСТІ ПРАЦІВНИКІВ ДЕРЖАВНОЇ КРИМІНАЛЬНО-ВИКОНАВЧОЇ СЛУЖБИ УКРАЇНИ

The article explores the significance of soft skills for the professional activities of employees of the State Penitentiary Service of Ukraine. It examines key components such as communication skills, emotional intelligence, and stress resistance, which are essential for effective work in high-stress environments and complex interpersonal interactions. The author emphasize the importance of developing these skills to ensure safety, reduce conflicts, and maintain high levels of professionalism. The article highlights the need for investment in training and development of soft skills to enhance the efficiency of the service and improve the atmosphere in correctional facilities. Key words: soft skills, communication skills, emotional intelligence, stress resistance, professional activities, State Penitentiary Service of Ukraine.

The Impact of Digital Transformation on Service Models and Employee Skill Requirements in Taiwan's Real Estate Brokerage Industry

This paper investigates how digital transformation impacts service delivery models and employee skill requirements in Taiwan's real estate brokerage industry. Through a multiple-case comparison approach, data was collected from 200 participants across real estate firms to examine organizational adaptation to technological change. The research employed structural equation modeling and hierarchical linear modeling to analyze relationships between compensation satisfaction (β = 0.45, p < 0.001), digital competency levels, and internal case circulation patterns. Results demonstrate that digital technologies significantly reshape brokerage operations, with digitalized companies achieving 32% higher client acquisition rates and 45% reduction in transaction processing time. Analysis reveals that employee digital literacy accounts for 28% of performance variance, while organizational support systems explain 23% of technology adoption rates. The findings extend service innovation literature by establishing empirical links between compensation systems and digital transformation success, providing a practical framework for technology integration in Taiwan's real estate sector. This research offers evidence-based recommendations for firms implementing digitalization strategies and developing employee capabilities in response to industry evolution.

Family caregiving experiences of medical school faculty: high prevalence, high strain, and low resource awareness.

Adult caregiving can be demanding and stressful, especially when the caregiver is employed. As the age of the U.S. population and workforce increases, more adults are providing care to aging family members. To understand the prevalence and aspects of the caregiving experience and caregiving strain among department of medicine faculty members, and to gauge their awareness and utilization of caregiving resources. We used a cross-sectional survey design. A questionnaire survey was developed and launched in Redcap in October, 2022, and an invitation was emailed followed by two reminders to all full-time and part-time faculty members (N = 1053) in our department of medicine. Faculty demographics, caregiver status, caregiving details, degree of mental or emotional strain, and knowledge of and use of employer and external caregiver resources. Of the 1053 faculty members who received up to three email survey invitations, 209 (20%) responded of which 76 (36%) were current caregivers and 117 (56%) were non-caregivers. Among the 76 current caregivers, 53 (70%) reported providing care for parents or parent-in-laws and 9 (12%) reported caring for a spouse. One-third of current caregivers reported caring for individuals with Alzheimer's disease or dementia/memory problems. Ninety-five% of current caregivers reported some or a lot of caregiving strain. A wide variation in knowledge of and use of employer and external caregiver resources was reported. Department of medicine faculty who provide adult caregiving report a high prevalence of strain and wide variation in knowledge of and use of employer and external caregiver support services, suggesting opportunity to better understand where gaps exist in providing support for caregivers.

The role of digital competence in improving service quality and employee performance

Orientation: Digital acceleration forces all public service organisations to prepare to shift from traditional methods to digital methods. Thus, this phenomenon challenges today’s public service organisations to present new service innovations with technological elements to create superior performance.Research purpose: This study aims to explore and analyse the impact of digital competence, smart digital services, and service quality on the performance of public service employees.Motivation for the study: Human resources in public service organisations face many challenges, namely how to adapt to technology and create effective services to improve service quality and employee performance.Research approach/design and method: This study was conducted in all government organisations in Central Java province, Indonesia. The sampling technique used was proportional random sampling, so that a sample of 262 civil servants was obtained. This study uses a quantitative method with Structural Equation Model (SEM) analysis.Main findings: The study results show that digital competence has a positive impact on intelligent digital services, which significantly improves service quality and ultimately has a positive impact on employee performance.Practical/managerial implications: The results of this study provide important insights for policy makers in the Central Java Provincial Government, Indonesia, to determine the direction of digital competence development and service innovation in achieving positive performance.Contribution/value-add: This study provides a roadmap for public service organisations to develop employees who can adapt to digital competencies and smart digital services to achieve maximum performance.

A Questionnaire-based Research and Analysis Report on the Demand and Status of Language Services in the Energy and Power Industry in Hebei Province

This report analyzes the demand for language service professionals in Hebei’s energy and power industry from three key perspectives: enterprise requirements, translation education, and student employment planning. The 45 valid questionnaires cover four key aspects related to enterprises including the business scope, international business activity, language service team building and employment requirements. Despite the energy and power industry in Hebei Province have made significant strides in international collaboration, there is a gap between professional training and industry requirements. Enterprises demand language service personnel to maintain proficiency in terminology, have industry knowledge, master technical competence, and own international communication skills that most translation students lack. It can be seen that there are issues with the alignment between educational content and the actual need of enterprises. In addition, the results from teachers’ survey identified challenges in terms of aspects of teaching methods, curriculum setting, and the cooperation with enterprises. The report thus recommends to enhance the professional skills and industry knowledge of energy and power language services of translation students through various measures, including establishing professional knowledge bases and terminology bases of energy and power, designing relevant courses and practical projects, and strengthening school-enterprise cooperation. By performing these practices, it could better adapt to the future energy and power industry market demand. Furthermore, this report emphasizes that the education system needs to better adapt to the development of the industry, especially in the cultivation of interdisciplinary language service capabilities, and strengthen cooperation with energy and power companies to jointly develop language service talent training programs that meet the specific needs of the industry.

Using the five-factor questionnaire to study the personality of a specialist-cynologist of the security agencies of the Russian Federation

The article presents the results of using the Russian-language version of the “Big Five” personality questionnaire, in which personality is considered as a structure consisting of 5 factors, including many secondary factors. The subject of the study are psychological characteristics of the personality of dog handlers of law enforcement agencies of the Russian Federation (hereinafter referred to as RF) at various stages of professionalisation. The author emphasises the relevance of studying and further psychological support of the professional development of dog handlers, with consideration to the fact that specifics of their service and professional activities in order to ensure the security of the country have no analogues and are unique. The results of a focused interview with experienced dog handlers with extensive experience in service cynology have formed the basis for constructing a psychograph for a specialist in the profile in question. Using the “Big Five” methodology, it is possible to identify the characteristic features of cadets studying in the field of training “Animal Science”, profile “Cynology”, and employees of canine services of the law enforcement agencies of the RF. The author correlates the results obtained and notes the correspondence of the psychological qualities of both groups of respondents to the professionally oriented qualities presented in the psychograph of a specialist dog handler of the law enforcement agencies of the RF. The five-factor questionnaire adapted by A.B. Khromov adequately describes the psychological characteristics of an individual and can be used in the study of various aspects of its professional development.

Job satisfaction and turnover: The role of creativity, engagement, and decent work amongst employees

Orientation: The South African public service faces the challenge of a high labour turnover among its employees. There is a need for strategies to not only keep employees happy at work but also to retain them.Research purpose: The study investigates the determinants of job satisfaction and turnover intention accounting for the role of employee creativity, engagement and decent work.Motivation for the study: There is a need for strategies to not only retain employees within the public service but also to ensure the employees are satisfied with their jobs.Research approach/design and method: A cross-sectional survey was conducted with a convenience sample of 304 employees working within the South African public service in the Eastern Cape province of South Africa. The Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) (version 25) and the Linear Structural Relations (LISREL) software packages were used to analyse data.Main findings: It was established that higher ratings of decent work experience relate positively to employee ratings of engagement in the work and that they also influenced outcomes such as job satisfaction and employee turnover intentions.Practical/managerial implications: The findings are a useful precursor in improving not just the work experience for employees but also work related outcomes such as job satisfaction and turnover intention.Contribution/value-add: The study findings give practical interventions to address the challenge of high turnover and the dearth of job satisfaction among public service employees.

The Role of Gender (M/F) in the Workplace: The Case of Municipality of Athens, Greece

Purpose: This article presents the results of a survey conducted on employees of the municipality of Athens, Greece, in the context of an extensive survey on the implementation of the European Charter for Gender Equality in Local Communities and regarding stereotypes and discrimination between men and women in the specific survey population. Methodology: In particular, a survey was developed aimed to investigate the existence of stereotypical perceptions about gender within the Municipality and the absence of awareness of the need to integrate gender equality in all municipal policies. The survey was conducted between June and September 2023, online. A total of 258 employees in various Services and Organizations of the municipality of Athens participated in the survey, 71% women and 27% men, with an average age of 49 years old. The results of the research show that the gender of employees had a negative impact in the working life for women, confirming its role in inequalities and reduced opportunities for career development. Findings: The results also revealed that women in greater degree compared to men, have suffered a slowdown in their professional development due to their personal-family responsibilities, demonstrating that balancing work and family life is a difficult equation, especially for female employees. The study highlights persistent gender disparities, impacting work life balance and career progression for women. Unique Contribution to Theory, Practice and Policy: Its findings suggest a need for targeted policies that address gender-based barriers, promoting a more equitable work environment in municipal roles.

Mothers' and fathers' experiences of breastfeeding and returning to paid work after birth: A mixed-method study.

This mixed-method study explored the experiences of mothers and fathers combining breastfeeding with returning to paid employment after childbirth. Tasmanian State Service employees participated in an online survey and phone interviews. A total of 130 parents completed the survey, and 42 participated in 60-min phone interviews. The survey had more female respondents (109) than male (21), and only 4 of the 42 interviews were with fathers. The sample consisted mainly of professional women (84%) and men (16%), predominantly Australian-born (88%). Two-thirds of participants worked part-time (62%), taking either unpaid (52%) or paid leave (61%) within the first 12 months after birth. The majority (88%) preferred to breastfeed, with the mean age of the first formula feed being 4.1 months. A narrative analysis of the qualitative data, informed by work-family conflict theory, reveals that transitioning back to paid work while breastfeeding is challenging for both mothers and fathers. Parents face multiple conflicts between paid work, family responsibilities and maintaining breastfeeding. The emotional and physical demands of feeding, expressing, storing and transporting breast milk, combined with often inadequate workplace facilities, policies and gender discrimination, add to parental pressure. Mothers bear the greatest burden, while fathers' roles and needs are often overlooked in the workplace. The major finding of this study is that breastfeeding is insufficiently recognised as an integral part of the return-to-work process for both parents, generating a form of work-family breastfeeding conflict, where work (part-time or full-time) interferes with family responsibilities and breastfeeding. Family-friendly breastfeeding policies based on equity principles are needed to address workplace gender inequality and discrimination and better support parents in combining work and breastfeeding.

Analisis Peran Bawaslu Provinsi Jawa Timur dalam Pengawasan Netralitas ASN pada Pemilihan Umum

General elections are a form of a country's democratic system. The General Election Supervisory Body is one of the agencies in organizing general elections which is responsible for supervising general elections so that they run honestly and fairly. This research aims to determine the role of the East Java Province Bawaslu in monitoring the neutrality of the State Civil Apparatus in the Election. The method used in this research is descriptive qualitative with data collection techniques through observation, interviews and documentation. Analysis of this research data uses the theory put forward by Sururama and Amalia (2020:44) explaining the stages of supervision which consist of setting implementation standards, determining measurement of activity implementation, comparing activity implementation with standards and analyzing deviations, and taking corrective action. The research results show that there is SKB Number 2 of 2022 concerning Guidelines for the Neutrality Development and Supervision of State Civil Service Employees in the Implementation of General Elections and Elections. Apart from that, Bawaslu also held declaration activities to increase the neutrality of ASN during the election and take action against violations that occurred according to the rules.

Evaluating the social return on investment of dance movement for wellbeing in the prevention of burnout among healthcare staff: a study protocol.

Improvement in the National Health Service (NHS) employees' mental well-being and staff retention are current key issues. Evidence indicates that dance movement therapy (DMT) has been effective in improving mental health and well-being; however, a social return on investment (SROI) evaluation on DMT interventions aimed at NHS staff has not been performed. This protocol for an SROI study will explore the social value generated from DMT, specifically 'The Body Moving Self-Compassion' programme, as measured by the increase in personal well-being and resilience experienced by participants. The SROI evaluation aims to measure the monetary and social value generated through DMT by placing a monetary value which is essential for sound policy in accessing investment while contributing evidence of dance/movement's impact on health. SROI is a pragmatic form of social cost-benefit analysis which uses quantitative and qualitative methods to value relevant costs, outcomes and associated impact. A mixed-methods approach design (focus group, online questionnaire and semistructured interviews) will be employed in this SROI study. SROI takes a societal perspective and considers relevant and significant outcomes for participants. Monetary values which often do not have a market price are then assigned to these outcomes. Contingent valuation is integrated into this study to estimate individuals' choices, preferences and values associated with DMT. The social value generated by the identified outcomes will then be estimated in a similar way to cost-benefit analysis, and the ratio of social value generated per £1 invested is then calculated. Ethical approval for this study has been granted by the Faculty of Life Sciences and Education Ethics Subgroup at the University of South Wales, with Reference No. 230 236LR. The findings from this SROI study will result in a report and academic publications.

PENGARUH BUDAYA ORGANISASI DAN DISIPLIN KERJA TERHADAP SEMANGAT KERJA PEGAWAI PADA DINAS PERHUBUNGAN KOTA BIMA

This research aims to determine the influence of organizational culture and work discipline on the work spirit of Bima City Transportation Department employees. The approach used in the research is an associative approach. The population in the study was 188 people with a sample of 32 ASN people. The data collection techniques used were observation, questionnaires and literature study. The data analysis techniques used were validity and reliability tests, classical assumption tests, multiple linear regression analysis, correlation coefficient, coefficient of determination, T test and F test which were processed using the Statistical Product and Service Solution (SPSS) version 20 program. that Organizational Culture and Work Discipline simultaneously have a significant effect on the Work Morale of Bima City Transportation Service Employees.

Central obesity and associated factors among public service employees in Adama Town in Ethiopia

The prevalence of obesity is rapidly increasing, contributing to 678 million obese adults and rapidly increasing in lower-income countries. This study assessed the magnitude of central obesity and associated factors among public service office employees in Adama Town in the Oromia Regional State in Ethiopia. An institutional-based cross-sectional study was conducted from January 1 to February 26, 2020, among 590 public service employees. The data were collected by using interviewer-administered questionnaires and anthropometric measurements. The data were coded, entered, cleaned, and entered into Epi Info version 7, and subsequently exported to SPSS version 26 for statistical analysis. Binary logistic regression was used to check the associations between the explanatory and outcome variables. The adjusted odds ratio at a 95% confidence interval was used to estimate the strength of associations. A P value < 0.05 indicated statistical significance. The overall prevalence of central obesity among public service office employees was 24.2% (95% CI 20.9, 27.8). In a stratified analysis, the prevalence of central obesity was 29.9% in male and 14.9% in female employees. The multivariate analysis showed that using motorized transportation (AOR = 2.20, 95% CI 1.110, 4.385), eating food out of the home (AOR = 1.76, 95% CI 1.107, 2.800), drinking alcohol (AOR = 1.85, 95% CI 1.104, 3.128), being aged 33–42 years (AOR = 3.83, 95% CI 1.964, 7.472), 43–52 years (AOR = 4.34, 95% CI 2.151, 8.765) and 53 years and above (AOR = 10.33, 95% CI 3.783, 28.242), not engaging in moderate physical activity (AOR = 2.32, 95% CI 1.484, 3.631) and having a chronic illness (AOR = 1.97, 95% CI 1.177, 3.316) were statistically associated with central obesity among public service office employees in the study area. Nearly 25% of public service employees in the town had central obesity, which is a risk factor for metabolic syndromes. Mode of transportation, eating food out of home, drinking alcohol, age, level of physical activity, and presence of chronic illnesses were found to be independent predictors of central obesity. The public administration in the town should design a feasible preventive strategy to reduce the burden of obesity among public service employees in the study setting.

Guest Service Ambassador Performance: Post-Crisis Adaptation

The purpose of this study is to analyze the performance of guest service ambassadors at Hotel XYZ in the new normal era. The research method used is descriptive qualitative. The techniques used to collect data include interviews with front office managers, and also observations of guest service employees. Other data that supports this study comes from literature, journal references, books, and articles about the front office department and employee performance. This study uses the Performance theory which contains four indicators to measure performance, namely quality, quantity, cooperation, and responsibility. From the results of the study, it can be seen that performance still needs to be improved because there are indicators that are not optimal, namely the quantity indicator. The suggestion that can be given is that training should be held such as communication exercises for the guest service Ambassador section in terms of upselling.

Work First or Education First? Frontline Service Challenges of Providing Enabling Activation

Activation policies, especially formal upskilling, can strengthen social inequality among long-term unemployed people. Also, receiving skill-enhancing activities may be at odds with the ‘work first’ principle. Drawing on interviews with frontline workers in the Norwegian employment and welfare service (NAV), this article analyses how frontline workers handle the challenging aspects arising from activation policies in providing enabling activities to claimants who need comprehensive support. The findings suggest that frontline workers face claimants who expect to embark on an education, and on the contrary, claimants who lack motivation or capability to do so. In both cases, frontline workers are challenged in terms of experiencing contradictory expectations from policies and users and in assessing future outcomes and suitability of the services. Education activities provided by the public employment agency (PES) involves multiple policy fields and require specific competency on the part of frontline workers.

Effect of Service Compact (SERVICOM) on Employee Service Delivery: A Study of University of Nigeria Nsukka and Nnamdi Azikiwe University Awka

Effect of Service Compact (SERVICOM) on Employee Service Delivery: A Study of University of Nigeria Nsukka and Nnamdi Azikiwe University Awka

Do commitment and asset specificity serve as the double-edged sword to assist co-production in enhancing value co-creation? A dyadic approach in Taiwan

PurposeValue, also known as co-creation, is recognized as the outcome of collaborative efforts between both parties. However, knowledge is currently limited regarding the motivations and mechanisms driving customers to engage in co-production and value co-creation. Therefore, the current study aims to investigate co-production in enhancing value co-creation. Previous research has predominantly explored the linear effects of commitment and asset specificity on co-production. To expand on this foundation, our study goes a step further by including the potential quadratic effects of commitment and asset specificity on co-production. Although moderate levels of commitment and asset specificity may enhance co-production, higher levels are implied to possibly impede it. Considering that co-production requires collaboration between customers and service employees, this study includes the characteristics of service employees, such as self-monitoring and self-efficacy, identifying their moderating roles in aiding active co-production and ultimately enhancing the value co-creation.Design/methodology/approachWe employed linear, nonlinear and hierarchical moderated regression analysis to test our hypotheses.FindingsOur findings provide evidence for the positive linear effects and negative quadratic effects between commitment, asset specificity and co-production. The inverted-U relationships suggest an existing optimal commitment and asset specificity that maximize co-production. Results also suggest that co-production influences value co-creation and self-efficacy and self-monitoring positively moderates the relationship between co-production and value co-creation.Originality/valueBy applying the core provisions of S-D logic, this study contributes to marketing literature by analyzing the dyadic process of co-production. Dyadic data collection from both customers and service employees provides a comprehensive understanding of the co-production process, allowing academics to recognize service employees’ self-efficacy and self-monitoring that contribute to effective co-production and value co-creation in service processes.

Pengaruh Motivasi, Mutasi dan Kualitas Pelayanan Publik Terhadap Kinerja Pegawai Melalui Kepuasan Kerja Sebagai Variabel Intervening Pada Dinas Kependudukan dan Pencatatan Sipil Kabupaten Kupang

The aim of this research is to determine the influence of motivation, transfer and quality of public services on employee performance through job satisfaction as an intervening variable at the Kupang Regency Population and Civil Registration Service. Data collection methods include observation, recording and questionnaires, using the SmartPLS application. The sample for this research used the census method, totaling 69 employees of the Kupang Regency Population and Civil Registration Service. The results of this research reveal that statistically the performance variable of Kupang Regency Dukcapil service employees is influenced by job satisfaction. The job satisfaction variable is not influenced by service quality, but is influenced by employee motivation and transfer variables. Employee performance variables are not influenced by mutations, but are influenced by service quality variables and motivation variables. The job satisfaction variable cannot act as a mediating variable between the service quality variable and employee performance. Furthermore, the job satisfaction variable can mediate the influence of motivation and mutation variables on employee performance in the Kupang Regency Dukcapil service.

Ethical leadership and pro-social behavior in the hospitality industry: Does social norms matter?

Ethical leadership (EL) plays a pivotal role in shaping organizational culture and influencing employees' behaviors, especially in service-oriented sectors like hospitality, where interpersonal interactions are fundamental. This study investigates the mediating role of social norms (SN) in the relationship between EL and pro-social behavior (PSB) within Saudi Arabian hospitality enterprises. This research posits that SN serve as a critical conduit through which EL affects PSB among employees. A quantitative approach using self-administered questionnaire, gathering data from Saudi Arabian hotel employees to measure perceptions of EL, SN, and PSB. Structural equation modeling using Smart-PLS was used to analyze the data and test the proposed mediation model. The findings indicate that EL significantly enhances PSB and SN. Furthermore, SN partially mediate the relationship between EL and PSB. These results underscore the importance of fostering a culture of EL to promote PSBs in the hospitality industry, thereby enhancing overall service quality and employee satisfaction. Several theoretical and practical implications have been discussed for hospitality managers and researchers.