Government Workplace Research Articles

Workplace Health and Wellbeing in Small and Medium Sized Enterprises (SMEs): A Mixed Methods Evaluation of Provision and Support Uptake.

Today's challenging times highlight the need for workplaces to support employee wellbeing. Workplaces can offer a means to improve employee wellbeing and promote health initiatives. However, small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) are less likely than larger organizations to engage with workplace wellbeing initiatives or offer wellbeing provision. This study, conducted in an urban area in central England, explores SME engagement with local government workplace wellbeing provision, and barriers and facilitators to SME engagement, SME implementation of wellbeing provision, and employee uptake. A mixed-methods design was used. Quantitative data were collected via a survey of 103 SMEs and qualitative data from three focus groups with stakeholders involved in promoting SME engagement with wellbeing support (n = 9) and 16 in-depth interviews with SME representatives (n = 8) and employees (n = 8). Quantitative data were analyzed using the chi-squared, Fisher's exact and Mann-Whitney U tests, and multivariable logistic regression. Qualitative data were analyzed using framework analysis. Findings highlighted several interrelated factors acting as barriers and facilitators to SME engagement with wellbeing initiatives, SME-provided wellbeing provision, and employee uptake. The study provides valuable insights for policymakers, public health teams, and SME leaders on improving provision of and engagement with wellbeing programs. Trust, awareness, knowledge, and communication are highlighted as important prerequisites of optimal provision and engagement.

Experiences and Perspectives of Female Employees Regarding Work-Family Balance Following Maternity Leave: A Cross-Sectional Survey in Southeastern Iran.

Work-family balance has emerged as one of the influencing factors for the physical and mental health of working mothers and their children. The present study aimed to understand the experiences and perspectives of working mothers on maternity leave and return to work after childbirth. This cross-sectional survey was conducted in three major cities in southeastern Iran. Working mothers who had at least one live birth during the 3 years prior to the survey, aged between 18 and 49 years, and living with their husbands were enrolled using a consecutive sampling method. The sampling framework consisted of all government workplaces that had at least 30 female employees. Using a validated anonymous questionnaire consisting of demographic and attitude variables, we assessed the working mothers' experiences and perspectives regarding the quantity and nature of the last maternity leave and how supportive their workplace was. Descriptive statistics with frequencies and percentages were used. To compare categorical variables between groups, the Chi-square test was used. A P value of less than 0.05 was considered significant. Statistical analysis was done using SPSS version 22. A total of 900 female employees were invited to participate in the study, and finally, 741 valid questionnaires were analyzed. More than 21% of them reported that the office had changed their position or type of work after returning to work. Women with higher position jobs reported a higher husband's support for baby care (P = 0.03). Almost 51% of mothers agreed their workplace allowed them to use breastfeeding breaks, which was less evident in nurses (P = 0.001). Nearly 86% of them stated that mothering duties are much more important than job-related responsibilities. Our study identified areas of consideration for investing in family-friendly workplace policies in Iran.

Unleashing the potential of digitalization: the nexus of psychological needs, enjoyment, volition, engagement and training and development for local government workplace transformation

Unleashing the potential of digitalization: the nexus of psychological needs, enjoyment, volition, engagement and training and development for local government workplace transformation

A state within reach? An ethnographic case study on the relocation of a government workplace from Copenhagen to a small town in rural Denmark

Exploring the redistribution of state jobs from Copenhagen to provincial Denmark, this article draws upon an ethnographic case study involving the relocation of a government workplace, Nota, to the small town of Nakskov (12,500 inhabitants) on the rural island of Lolland. Taking up residence in the town's central square, the article examines the everyday social and economic expectations and norms Nota encounters in this new locale. Based on social scientific theories of practice communities and local economic circles, the analysis illustrates how the state institution must navigate two parallel and opposing economic circuits: that of the state, marked by inflexibility and uniformity, and that of the local town community, grounded in pragmatism and adaptability. The state's standardising central-economic line of procedure is shown to hinder the relocated workplace in becoming part of and contributing to the new host town's own local-economic systems of exchange. In conclusion, the article argues that in daily life a fundamental conflict of interests between state-economic rules and local-economic norms emerges on the ground, meaning that, despite being introduced as decentralisation, when seen from the perspective of the site of relocation, the redistribution of state jobs in Denmark remains bound by logic of centralisation.

Intersectional Earnings Inequalities in U.S. Public Sector Workplaces and the Great Recession

The authors examine intersectional earnings inequalities in U.S. state and local government workplaces during the Great Recession of 2007 to 2011. Corresponding to closure and exploitation mechanisms as proposed in Relational Inequality Theory, the authors decompose pay gaps into between-workplace and within-workplace segregation components and within-job disparities. Between-workplace closure mechanisms tend to be absent or weak for all comparisons, but within-workplace occupational closure and within-job pay disparities are present for all and quite large for most groups. Within-job earnings inequalities tend to be largest for Black, Hispanic, and Native American women and smallest for Asian and Native American men. During the Great Recession, organizational resources to make claims on shrank, as low-wage job layoffs surged and resources contracted. This resulted in a shrinking of within-workplace and within-job, but rising between-workplace, inequalities.

Knowledge-sharing attitude and behavior of civil servants: motivations behind rewards

PurposeTo a large extent, knowledge in government workplaces resides within the hierarchy as it provides unique services to the public. Governments should preserve and pass on valuable and irreplaceable knowledge in providing their services through learning by sharing. Yet, sharing requires time and effort. This study examines the motivations of civil servants to share knowledge and their knowledge-sharing behaviors.Design/methodology/approachThe authors conducted an online survey to collect quantitative data from civil servants in the Hong Kong Government and obtained 104 useable responses to test the eight hypotheses comprising six constructs by structural equation modeling to explore the participants' knowledge-sharing behaviors.FindingsResults indicated that (1) expected contribution was the primary source of motivation behind knowledge sharing; (2) participants engaged more frequently in informal than formal knowledge-sharing activities; and (3) there was a dire need for knowledge sharing focusing on explicit knowledge of work procedures.Originality/valueThe research focuses on motivational factors for knowledge sharing. Despite abundant literature about knowledge sharing in public or governmental organizations, scant studies focus on the motivations behind why expected rewards and expected associations have less significant impacts on the attitude toward knowledge sharing than expected contribution.

A cross-sectional survey of English NHS Trusts on their uptake and provision of active bystander training including to address sexual harassment.

Reports identify that sexual harassment is troublingly pervasive in the NHS. Active bystander training (ABT) has been promoted to address sexual harassment, alongside other forms of poor behaviour, discrimination, and harassment. We explore ABT across all English NHS Trusts and determine whether the programmes address sexual misconduct in the training content. Freedom of Information requests asking whether Trusts offer ABT, and if so, about the programme content and delivery, and to NHS England on centrally commissioned ABT. 213 NHS Trusts in England, and NHS England. Not applicable. Provision of ABT, and presence of sexual harassment content in the training. 199 Trusts responded by August 2022. Of these, 35 Trusts provide ABT, the majority of which deliver content that is not specific to sexual misconduct, are in London, outsource training using private providers, and only provide workshops on an opt-in basis. One Trust offers a standalone ABT module on sexual harassment. Private providers prohibit Trusts from sharing training material, inhibiting content analysis and evaluation. Among the 163 Trusts without ABT programmes, only 23 (13%) have plans to implement training. ABT is underutilised in the NHS, despite being identified as an effective intervention in other settings like the military, higher education, and government workplaces. Studies should explore whether wider NHS adoption is warranted. Robust monitoring and evaluation processes are critical to strengthening the available literature regarding the effectiveness of ABT in the healthcare context and engaging in global knowledge sharing across health systems.

Arriving at a social equity orientation on workplace domestic violence policy in Australia

ABSTRACT This article examines Australian Government workplace domestic violence policy as a workplace equality and gender equality policy. Drawing on Baird’s typology of policy orientations and systematic process analysis of documents and elite interviews with 43 key informants, this article contributes a process theory of how and why workplace domestic violence policy developed in Australia. It finds non-traditional actors (anti-domestic violence advocates, trade union members and researchers) led traditional actors (components of the state, trade unions and employer parties) towards orientations and mechanisms on this policy post-2010 likely to enhance the social equity of employees experiencing domestic violence. Significant to non-traditional actor effectiveness on this was their lived expertise and experience on domestic violence, and trade union support.

The implementation of smoke-free workplace policy and the determinants affecting indoor smoking in Indonesia.

A smoke-free workplace is important to reduce secondhand smoke exposure, raise awareness, encourage smoking cessation, and increase productivity. This study aimed to assess indoor smoking in the workplace as part of a smoke-free policy implementation and the factors associated. This was a cross-sectional study at workplaces in Indonesia from October 2019 to January 2020. The workplaces were divided into private workplaces owned by a company for business and government workplaces that run for public services. Samples were selected using stratified random sampling. Data collection follows time and area observation guidelines, starting in the indoor area and then outdoor. The observation was conducted for at least 20 min for each workplace in 41 districts/cities. Of the 2900 observed workplaces, 1097 (37.8%) were private and 1803 (62.92%) were government workplaces. The proportion of indoor smoking at government workplaces was 34.7%, higher compared to private (14.4%). The results were consistent for each indicator such as people smoking (14.7% vs. 4.5%), electronic cigarette use (0.7% vs. 0.4%), cigarette butts presence (25.8% vs. 9.5%), and smell of cigarette smoke (23.0% vs. 8.6%). The factors associated with indoor smoking were indoor ashtray availability (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] =13.7; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 10.6-17.5), indoor designated smoking area (AOR = 2.4; 95% CI: 1.4-4.0), presence of indoor tobacco advertising, promotion and sponsorships (AOR: 3.3; 95% CI: 1.3-8.89), whereas the presence of no smoking sign was a preventive factor (AOR = 0.6; 95% CI: 0.5-0.8). Indoor smoking remains high, particularly in government workplaces in Indonesia.

Work-Family Conflict and Burnout Amid COVID-19: Exploring the Mitigating Effects of Instrumental Leadership and Social Belonging

The COVID-19 pandemic brought disruptions to government workplaces, including abrupt transitions to remote work for many employees. Remote work can offer a physically distant environment and greater flexibility for individual employees and organizations; remote work also creates or exacerbates potential work-life balance tensions. Drawing on Job-Demands Resources theory, we propose that two organizational resources, instrumental leadership (a vertical organizational resource) and a sense of social belonging (a horizontal organizational resource), help prevent burnout by alleviating conflict between work- and family-life activities. Using survey responses from local government employees collected during the COVID-19 pandemic (May 2020), we show that employees with a strong sense of social belonging experience less work-family conflict and, in turn, report lower levels of burnout. We also find that social belonging, as a horizontal organizational resource, appears more important for reducing burnout in a period characterized by disruption than the more formal, vertical resource of instrumental leadership.

Studying Up: Four Modalities, Two Challenges

Abstract In her 1973 article “up the anthropologist” Laura Nader called on anthropologists to engage in critical studies of the relationship between powerful institutions and the broader society, using a “vertical slice” approach. But Nader worried that participant observation was hard in the context of studying up, and yet it has been presented as definitive of anthropology’s methodology. This article discusses four methodological strategies for studying up in the light of this concern: insider ethnography; covert ethnography; remote ethnography; and adapted participant observation. The first two have intellectual or ethical liabilities. The last is increasingly normalized. Going forward, anthropologists studying up face two obstacles: first, the increasingly totalizing hold of corporate and government workplaces over their employees, even when they are not at work; and, second, university institutional review boards (irb s) concerned to avoid conflictual or critical research.

Psychosocial Effects on US Government Personnel of Exposure to the 1998 Terrorist Attack on the US Embassy in Nairobi

Objective: The mental health effects of major terrorist attacks on diplomatic government personnel have not been well studied. This study examined the psychiatric and psychosocial effects of the 1998 terrorist bombing of the US Embassy in Nairobi, Kenya, on US government personnel exposed to the bombing. Method: At 8–10 months after the bombing, 179 US government employees (53 Americans, 126 Kenyans, 53% male, age mean = 40.6 and SD = 8.4 years ranging 21–65) were assessed with the Diagnostic Interview Schedule for DSM-IV for disaster-related psychiatric diagnoses and the Disaster Supplement Interview and Questionnaire about their immediate disaster experiences, subjective responses, mental health interventions/treatment, safety perceptions, and coping. Results: About one-third (32%) of these US government personnel developed postdisaster psychiatric disorders, mostly bombing-related PTSD (20%), but few received psychiatric treatment. Prevalence rates of all postdisaster psychiatric disorders, including bombing-related PTSD, were similar between subgroups of Americans and Kenyans, despite the Kenyans reporting more direct disaster trauma exposures, subjective postdisaster distress, and posttraumatic stress symptoms. These US government personnel had fewer psychiatric consequences of the Nairobi bombing than their previously studied civilian counterparts. Conclusions: Possible explanatory factors in the lower prevalence of postdisaster psychopathology in these government personnel compared to the civilians are selection for greater personal resilience for government employment and stigma-based underreporting of mental health needs in governmental workplaces. Stigma is a potential barrier to psychiatric treatment that needs to be addressed in government workplaces.

Economic Efficiency of Highly Mixed Use Buildings. (Dept. A)

Architecture has experienced a strong restoration over the last eras of the twenty’s cen-tury, leading to the appearance of a new generation of architects that were inspired by the designs which had been made by pioneers such as Zaha Hadid , Gharry and Norman foster . As they integrate the designs by the current technology and their own creativity. Which leads to a variety of types, forms and functions of the buildings all over the world such as - multi use, mixed use and multifunctional buildings which are the signif-icance of sustainable architecture. Multifunctional buildings are growing rapidly, especially in downtown spaces, repro-ducing a modern design or management approach that avoids urban problems. Also con-tribute to the regeneration of the urban areas where people can live and work in one building that contain stores, theatres, exhibitions, government workplaces, private ac-commodation settled in one building which has been designed to fit any function. In the Upcoming years, the internal spaces inside buildings must produce an economical progress and living sustainability. Also, the concept of multi-functional buildings can add a language that expresses the sustainable ecology for life processes. So, the liability issue is for what value the ideal meaning of the multi-functional buildings can fit the meaning of sustainability in an eco-efficient way. Finally, the paper presents some of the different aspects that are related and influence the idea of the urban concept of multi-functional building and economic sustainability

Design and behavior science in government-to-citizens cognitive-communication: a study towards an inclusive framework

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to describe the application of design and behavior science collectively in refining the government to citizens’ (G2C) cognitive-communication by using artificial intelligence (AI) artifacts. It investigates the citizens’ behavior intention to use AI cognitive-communication channels in e-government services.Design/methodology/approachThis study reveals the potential of unification in design and behavior science paradigms when integrated into AI artifacts in measuring the constructive outcome of proposed architecture that embraces the perceived risk and trust in citizens’ usage behavior intentions. To evaluate the practical relevance of design science paradigm, action research was incorporated by developing an app as an exemplified scenario.FindingsThe weaknesses of traditional G2C channel communication obliterated by AI virtual agents. This study proposes a five-layer architecture model created with citizens-centered design highlighting the improved relevance for G2C cognitive-communication. The behavior model supports citizens’ usage behavior intentions through trust as a positive attribute and negative attribute as a perceived risk.Research limitations/implicationsThis study contributes to the knowledge of design science paradigm particularly to AI-based cognitive G2C communication. The architecture serves for deploying virtual agents to automate the public officials for decision-making processes. The authors have constructed a cognitive-communication model and have examined the relationships among the extents of cognitive-communication model. This channel has the potential to significantly transform G2C cognitive and intelligent communication.Practical implicationsThis cognitive-communication channel has the potential to significantly transform the communication between government and citizens. Such a model can be an interest of developers, researchers and government policymakers in a holistic approach drawn from theory and methods of both design and behavior science to create a successful communication scenario.Social implicationsAdvances in technology are not without social implications. The study results can dramatically improve the efficiencies of government workplaces and can augment the human working. It will help to reduce the government services discriminations among the citizens and contribute to society through social inclusion.Originality/valueThis study addresses the duality in information system research by first defining the theoretical framework for G2C cognitive-communication architecture and then developing a research model drawn upon a citizens’ service usage behavioral theory. It will also contribute to providing important perceptions of AI practices in the public sector.

The Public Service Motivated Volunteer: Devoting Time or Effort?

Non-profit organizations, corporate volunteer programs, and government workplace schemes are asking volunteers for their time and effort. But, with the changes in how people volunteer, such as episodic, micro, and cyber volunteering, those managing volunteers need to understand whether they should focus on encouraging volunteers to donate more time or effort. Using public service motivation to measure volunteer’s propensity to engage in volunteering, we compare three outcomes: time spent volunteering, frequency of volunteering, and volunteering intensity. In a sample of 411 volunteers, we find public service motivation is associated with more time spent volunteering, increased frequency, and higher levels of volunteering intensity. However, volunteering intensity explains the most variance. These findings suggest that how the individual perceives they exert volunteering intensity may be useful among public service motivated volunteers.

Control of work-related accidents in local government workplaces by the introduction and establishment of the occupational safety and health management system.

Control of work-related accidents in local government workplaces by the introduction and establishment of the occupational safety and health management system.

The mediating role of planned behaviour on deterrence initiatives aimed at managing local government workplace compliance

Orientation: Compliance culture within the South African local government context is perceived to be critical to sustainable municipality service delivery. Improving compliance culture is therefore important.Research purpose: This article therefore developed a compliance framework based on deterrence theory (DT) and the theory of planned behaviour (TPB) to identify human behavioural factors to be considered in the development and use of work procedures as a way to improve workers’ compliance with work procedures.Motivation for the study: Reports (e.g. Auditor General reports) on municipality service delivery fall short of providing a clear assessment and study of work and human behavioural dynamics in relation to compliance with work procedures.Research approach/design and method: This article tested a conceptual model focused on the effect of deterrence initiatives on workplace compliance as mediated by the theory-planned behaviour. Data were collected from 119 workers in two municipalities of the Eastern Cape Province in South Africa through a structured questionnaire and analysed using structural equation model.Main findings: Findings show that a positive attitude towards compliance to work procedures cannot be achieved through intimidation; reinforcement has a positive effect on attitude, subjective norms and perceived behavioural control (PBC). However, only the PBC aspect of the TPB explains significant mediation between deterrence and compliance.Practical/managerial implications: The study demonstrates how compliance culture can be engendered by non-intimidating deterrent measures and PBC.Contributions/value-add: The negative effect of intimidation on compliance culture and the positive effect of PBC on compliance attitude of workers are critical contributions.

A Brief Recent History of Women in Computational Chemistry at Vertex Pharmaceuticals.

Countless reports cite the importance of diversity in the academic, industrial, and government workplace. This article shares the different perspective on gender diversity from five women who have recently joined Vertex's computational chemistry group. It is written with the hope that other scientists will take the themes which resonant and adopt them to their own institutions to inspire the fostering of an inclusive environment while in pursuit of scientific discoveries.

DATA PRIVACY IN ENCRYPTED RELATIONAL DATA USING K-NN CLASIFICATION

Data Mining has wide applications in various domains, for instance, keeping cash, arrangement, intelligent research and among government workplaces. Portrayal is one of the usually used assignments in data mining applications. As far back as decade, due to the climb of various assurance issues, various theoretical and convenient responses for the request issue have been proposed under different security models. In any case, with the present pervasiveness of circulated processing, customers now have the opportunity to outsource their data, fit as a fiddle, and moreover the data mining endeavors to the cloud. Since the data on the cloud is in encoded outline, existing security protecting plan procedures are not significant. In this paper, we focus on dealing with the gathering issue over encoded data. In particular, we propose a secured k-NN classifier over mixed data in the cloud. The proposed tradition guarantees the characterization of data, security of customer's information question, and covers the data get to outlines. To the best of our knowledge, our work is the first to develop an ensured kNN classifier over encoded data under the semi-authentic model. In like manner, we observationally inspect the profitability of our proposed tradition using a bona fide dataset under different parameter settings.

Effectiveness of MH-Guru, a brief online mental health program for the workplace: A randomised controlled trial

BackgroundDepression and anxiety interfere with an individual's quality of life and result in substantial economic costs to the workplace through lost productivity. The internet offers an unparalleled opportunity for the large scale, cost-effective delivery of mental health awareness and destigmatisation programs in the workplace. However, to date high quality assessments of the effectiveness of such workplace programs have been confined to health professional settings. The current study reports the effectiveness of Mental Health Guru (MH-Guru), a two-module online mental health workplace induction program. MethodsA total of 507 employees from a large multi-departmental government workplace were randomised to a 2-week online depression and anxiety educational program (Mental Health Guru; MH-Guru), or a Wait List Control condition. Participants completed online surveys at baseline, 1week post-intervention and at 6-month follow-up. Primary outcome measures included depression and anxiety literacy, personal stigma about depression and anxiety, and help seeking intentions for anxiety and depression at post-test. Secondary measures included help-seeking attitudes and self-reported help seeking behaviour. Satisfaction measures were also collected. ResultsDropout at post intervention was 26.7% and 21.0% for the MH-Guru and Control conditions respectively. Relative to Control, MH-Guru participants showed significantly greater improvements in depression and anxiety literacy at post intervention. Between group standardized effect sizes at post-test and 6-months were 0.78 and 0.81 for depression literacy and 0.80 and 0.79 for anxiety literacy. Compared to the Control participants, the MH-Guru group also showed significantly greater reductions in depression and anxiety personal stigma. Between group effect sizes in stigma for depression were −0.56 and −0.47 at post-test and 6-months respectively and −0.42 at both time points for anxiety. The MH-Guru intervention was not associated with a differentially greater increase in anxiety or depression help-seeking intentions or improvement in help seeking attitudes compared to the Control group. However, self-reported help-seeking behaviour was significantly greater in the MH-Guru group at post-test. In addition, the MH-Guru group showed greater intentions to seek help for depression from the Internet at 6-month follow-up. Satisfaction items suggested that the program was acceptable to employees. ConclusionsBrief online programs such as MH-Guru have the potential to play an important role in increasing mental health awareness and decreasing stigmatizing attitudes in the workplace, and by extension the general community.