Human Resources Project Research Articles

The Prominence of Rhetoric in Japanese University English Oral Communication Courses

Due to a rapidly globalizing world, there has been a recent resurgence in the demand for university graduates entering the workforce who understand and utilize spoken English rhetorical strategies and techniques. These rhetorical skills are necessary in a wide range of fields (e.g., advertising, communication, international relations, politics, psychology, etc.), yet rhetoric rarely features in EFL or ESL curriculums. With the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT) in Japan emphasizing the need for English education to specifically foster the development of oral communication skills through the Global Human Resources (GHR) project (2018), there is a definite need for integrating instruction on English rhetorical strategies and techniques into the curricula of higher education. However, explicit rhetorical instruction in EFL and ESL curriculums in Japan almost exclusively focuses on written genres, such as essay writing. The core research question framing this exploratory study is: How prominent is instruction on rhetoric in Japanese university English oral communication courses? This qualitative study firstly examines if rhetoric-based instruction is addressed in a sample of English language oral communication textbooks, before documenting the language learning experiences of ten Japanese university students. An amalgamation of the data reveals a dearth of explicit rhetoric-based instruction in Japanese university English language oral communication courses. The implications of this finding are discussed, and suggestions are then proffered on how to better equip Japanese university graduates with practical English language rhetorical tools so that they may play a more active role in the globalizing world.

Administrative burden in Swiss nursing homes and its association with care workers’ outcomes—a multicenter cross-sectional study

BackgroundCare workers in nursing homes often perform tasks that are rather related to organizational or management activities than ‘direct patient care’. ‘Indirect care activities’, such as documentation or other administrative tasks are often considered by care workers as a burden, as they increase overall workload and keep them away from caring for residents. So far, there is little investigation into what kind of administrative tasks are being performed in nursing homes, by which type of care workers, and to which extent, nor how administrative burden is associated with care workers’ outcomes.PurposeThe objective of this study was to describe care workers’ administrative burden in Swiss nursing homes and to explore the association with four care worker outcomes (i.e., job dissatisfaction, emotional exhaustion, intention to leave the current job and the profession).MethodsThis multicenter cross-sectional study used survey data from the Swiss Nursing Homes Human Resources Project 2018. It included a convenience sample of 118 nursing homes and 2′207 care workers (i.e., registered nurses, licensed practical nurses) from Switzerland’s German- and French-speaking regions. Care workers completed questionnaires assessing the administrative tasks and burden, staffing and resource adequacy, leadership ability, implicit rationing of nursing care and care worker characteristics and outcomes. For the analysis, we applied generalized linear mixed models, including individual-level nurse survey data and data on unit and facility characteristics.ResultsOverall, 73.9% (n = 1′561) of care workers felt strongly or rather strongly burdened, with one third (36.6%, n = 787) reporting to spend 2 h or more during a "normal" day performing administrative tasks. Ratings for administrative burden ranged from 42.6% (n = 884; ordering supplies and managing stocks) to 75.3% (n = 1′621; filling out the resident’s health record). One out of four care workers (25.5%, n = 561) intended to leave the profession, whereby care workers reporting higher administrative task burden (OR = 1.24; 95%CI: 1.02–1.50) were more likely to intend to leave the profession.ConclusionThis study provides first insights on care workers’ administrative burden in nursing homes. By limiting care workers’ burdensome administrative tasks and/or shifting such tasks from higher to lower educated care workers or administrative personnel when appropriate, nursing home managers could reduce care workers’ workload and improve their job satisfaction and retention in the profession.

Identifying work-related factors associated with work-family conflict of care workers in nursing homes: A cross-sectional study.

To investigate which work-related factors are associated with work-family conflict of care workers in nursing homes, this study aimed to: (a) describe the prevalence of work-family conflict of care workers in nursing homes and (b) assess the association of work-related factors with work-family conflict. Cross-sectional multicentre sub-study based on data from the Swiss Nursing Homes Human Resources Project 2018. Data were collected between September 2018 and October 2019. Work-family conflict of care workers was assessed with the Work-Family Conflict Scale (range 1-5). Prevalence was described in percentages. We used multilevel linear regression to assess the association of time-based factors (working overtime or during one's free time, employment percentage, presenteeism, shift working) and strain-based factors (staffing adequacy, leadership support) with work-family conflict. Our study sample consisted of 4324 care workers working in a total of 114 nursing homes. Overall, 31.2% of respondents stated to have experienced work-family conflict (>3.0 on the Work-Family Conflict Scale). The overall mean score of the study sample for work-family conflict was 2.5. Care workers experiencing presenteeism 10 or more days per year showed the highest scores for work-family conflict (mean: 3.1). All included predictor variables were significant (p < .05). Work-family conflict is multifactorial. Possible intervention points to tackle work-family conflict could be strengthening care workers' influence in planning work schedules, enabling flexible planning to ensure adequate staffing, lowering presenteeism and implementing a supportive leadership style. Care workers' jobs become less desirable when workplace demands interfere with family life. This study highlights the multifaceted nature of work-family conflict and suggests intervention options to prevent care workers from experiencing work-family conflict. Action is needed at nursing home and policy level.

CARE WORKERS’ ADMINISTRATIVE BURDEN IN SWISS NURSING HOMES: A MULTICENTER CROSS-SECTIONAL STUDY

Abstract Apart from ‘direct’ resident care, care workers in nursing homes also perform tasks that are related to organizational or management activities. ‘Indirect’ care activities, such as administrative tasks, are often considered as burdensome, as they increase overall workload and keep care workers away from caring for their residents. So far, there is little investigation on care workers’ administrative burden. The multicenter cross-sectional Swiss Nursing Homes Human Resources Project (2018) study included a convenience sample of 118 Swiss nursing homes and 2207 care workers (i.e., registered nurses and licensed practical nurses). Care workers completed questionnaires assessing the administrative burden, staffing and resource adequacy, leadership ability, implicit rationing of nursing care and care worker characteristics and outcomes. For the analysis, we applied 2-level binomial generalized linear mixed models. Overall, 73.91% (n=1561) of care workers felt strongly or rather strongly burdened, with one third (36.6%, n=787) reporting to spend 2h or more during a "normal" day performing administrative tasks. Ratings ranged from 42.6% (n=884; ordering supplies and managing stocks) to 75.3% (n=1621; filling out the patient’s medical record). One out of four care workers (25.5%, n=561) intended to leave the profession, whereby care workers reporting higher administrative burden (OR=1.24; 95%CI: 1.02-1.50) were more likely to leave the profession. This study provides first insights on care workers’ administrative burden in nursing homes, which can inform the development of interventions to reduce the workload related to ‘indirect care activities’ and to improve care workers’ job satisfaction and retention in the profession.

Research on Organizational Structure and Management Mode of Fuyao Group

China's glass industry is booming. Fuyao Group can become China's glass industry giant, cannot leave the advanced management mode. Therefore, the research topic of this paper is the organizational structure and management mode of Fuyao. The research methods of this paper are as follows: firstly, collect the data of management mode and organizational structure of Fuyao Group. Then collect the problems encountered in the management process of Fuyao Group, and finally give the solutions according to these problems. The study found that Fuyao Group's organizational structure and human resources management, project management and brand management processes are advanced. However there are still some problems, such as employee recruitment, production and Research &amp; Development (R &amp; D) structure disconnection, project process defects. Therefore, it is suggested that Fuyao Group can optimize the organizational structure and optimize the process of human resources management, project management and brand management according to the problems encountered.

Increasing implicit rationing of care in nursing homes: A time-series cross-sectional analysis

BackgroundImplicit rationing of nursing care is a socio-ecological problem where care workers, due to lack of resources, have to leave necessary nursing care activities undone. Cross-sectional studies on implicit rationing of nursing home care revealed associations with organizational and work environment characteristics. However, little is known on how implicit rationing of nursing care varies over time in nursing homes. ObjectiveThis study's purpose was to describe changes in levels and patterns of implicit rationing of nursing care in Swiss nursing homes over time, while accounting for key explanatory factors related to organizational, work environment, and individual characteristics. DesignTime-series cross-sectional analysis. SettingNursing homes in Switzerland. ParticipantsA convenience sample of 47 nursing homes and 3269 care workers from all educational levels participating in two multicenter cross-sectional studies (the Swiss Nursing Home Human Resources Project) conducted in 2013 and 2018. MethodsTo quantify implicit rationing of nursing care, care workers' data were collected via the nursing home version of the Basel Extent of Rationing of Nursing Care instrument. To control for leadership ability, staffing and resource adequacy, we used the Nursing Work Index–Practice Environment Scale. Objective measures including turnover, staffing and skill mix levels were aggregated at the nursing home level. Our analyses included multiple linear mixed models, using time as a fixed effect and nursing home as a random effect. ResultsWe found overall increases of rationing of care activities over the five-year period studied, with documentation and social activities most rationed at both measurement points (overall coefficients varied between 0.11 and 0.23, as well as the 95%-confidence intervals between 0.05 and 0.30). Moreover, a considerable increase in rationing of activities of daily living (coefficient of 0.47 in 2013 and 0.63 in 2018) was observed. ConclusionsAlongside long-term deterioration of staff resources, increases in rationing of nursing care are a worrying development, particularly given their potential negative impacts both on residents and on care workers. To assess nursing home care quality and to determine adequate staffing levels and skill mixes, policy makers and nursing home managers should consider regular monitoring of rationing of nursing care. Tweetable abstractTime-series cross-sectional analysis reveals increasing rationing of nursing care activities in Swiss nursing homes from 2013 to 2018.

Electronic Health Record Use in Swiss Nursing Homes and Its Association With Implicit Rationing of Nursing Care Documentation: Multicenter Cross-sectional Survey Study.

BackgroundNursing homes (NHs) are increasingly implementing electronic health records (EHRs); however, little information is available on EHR use in NH settings. It remains unclear how care workers perceive its safety, quality, and efficiency, and whether EHR use might ease the burden of documentation, thereby reducing its implicit rationing.ObjectiveThis study aims to describe nurses’ perceptions regarding the usefulness of the EHR system and whether sufficient numbers of computers are available in Swiss NHs, and to explore the system’s association with implicit rationing of nursing care documentation.MethodsThis was a multicenter cross-sectional study using survey data from the Swiss Nursing Homes Human Resources Project 2018. It includes a convenience sample of 107 NHs, 302 care units, and 1975 care workers (ie, registered nurses and licensed practical nurses) from Switzerland’s German- and French-speaking regions. Care workers completed questionnaires assessing the level of implicit rationing of nursing care documentation, their perceptions of the EHR system’s usefulness and of how sufficient the number of available computers was, staffing and resource adequacy, leadership ability, and teamwork and safety climate. For analysis, we applied generalized linear mixed models, including individual-level nurse survey data and data on unit and facility characteristics.ResultsOverall, the care workers perceived the EHR systems as useful; ratings ranged from 69.42% (1362/1962; guarantees safe care and treatment) to 78.32% (1535/1960; allows quick access to relevant information on the residents). However, less than half (914/1961, 46.61%) of the care workers reported sufficient computers on their unit to allow timely documentation. Half of the care workers responded that they sometimes or often had to ration the documentation of care. After adjusting for work environment factors and safety and teamwork climate, both higher care worker ratings of the EHR system’s usefulness (β=−.12; 95% CI −0.17 to −0.06) and sufficient numbers of computers (β=−.09; 95% CI −0.12 to −0.06) were consistently associated with lower implicit rationing of nursing care documentation.ConclusionsBoth the usefulness of the EHR system and the number of computers available were important explanatory factors for care workers leaving care activities (eg, developing or updating nursing care plans) unfinished. NH managers should carefully select and implement their information technology infrastructure with greater involvement and attention to the needs of their care workers and residents. Further research is needed to develop and implement user-friendly information technology infrastructure in NHs and to evaluate their impact on care processes as well as resident and care worker outcomes.

CONCEPTUAL MODEL OF HUMAN RESOURCES MANAGEMENT AND PROJECT MANAGEMENT FOR AN SOFTWARE DEVELOPMENT

The article provides an analysis of digital economy level in the Russian Federation, based on I-DESI index and software development was singled out as the most important industry for digital transformation. The importance stimulated by market growth dynamic and Russian Federation IT market product structure. An analysis of possibility using workflow based on data and data mining with according to software development specific are produced in the article. After the analysis there are conclude that digital transformation in software development are possible. Then generalized model of human resources management and project management for a software development organization is produced. Human resources management and project management in software development organization often executed manually and not effective. With this in mind produced model contains intelligence decision support system as crucial element in management and assumes using current operation tools. The model using can increase software development organization effectiveness and increase the process standardization due to base the process on accumulating and analysis data.

WFOT report: WFOT human resources project 2018 and 2020

ABSTRACT The World Federation of Occupational Therapists (WFOT) Human Resources Project 2018 and 2020 provides demographic statistics of the occupational therapy profession for 98% in 2018 and 95% in 2020 of WFOT Member Organisations. The data show the diversity of the profession's demography between countries and regions, established and newly established organisations in both low and high resource countries. Some Member Organisations are unable to collect or have limited access to the information that is requested as part of the Human Resources Project. This report respects the limitations that some Member Organisations might have in providing data; equally, it reinforces the importance of maintaining national demographics as a contributing factor to the profession's development and global identity. The Human Resources Project is an integral part of WFOT's business, aligned to its strategic and operational objectives. The project has formed part of its continued collaboration with the World Health Organization and various government ministries and departments. WFOT supports the widespread dissemination of this information to facilitate global recognition and commissioning of the valued contribution of the occupational therapy profession.

Research on Multi-objective Project Scheduling Model Based on Multi-skilled Workers

There are many kinds of skills for the workers in the project group, but the present scheduling methods do not consider that the workers have different proficiency in different skills. In this paper, a scheduling model of human resources project is established, which takes the worker’s skill proficiency into account and the project duration and labor cost are considered as the optimization objectives. The improved non-dominated sorting genetic algorithm (NSGAII) is used to solve the model. The simulation results show that the model can significantly improve the scheduling efficiency of the project team, and managers can make scheduling decisions according to preference in a series of solutions.

An ontology-based approach with which to assign human resources to software projects

Human resources play a critical role in the success of software projects. Ensuring the correct assignment of them to a specific project is, therefore, an immediate requirement for Software development organizations. Within this context, this work explores the use of ontologies in the building of a decision support system that will help human resources managers or project leaders to select those employees who are best suited to participating in a new software development project. Ontologies allow the system to discover semantic relatedness among new and previous software projects by means of its requirements specification. The system can, therefore, suggest those people who have participated on similar projects. We have proved the effectiveness of our approach by conducting an evaluation in a software development organization. Our findings confirm the success of our approach and reveal that it may bring considerable benefits to the software development process.

Study Roots Out Context of Resident Aggressive Behavior

A new study has identified modifiable context and care worker factors associated with aggressive behavior of nursing home residents toward staff. According to Karin Stutte, MScN, of Solothurn’s Hospital AG, Switzerland, and fellow researchers, aggressive behavior from nursing home residents against care workers is a distressing and often unacknowledged experience. “Previous studies have linked differences in prevalence not only to the individual histories of the residents, or the details of their injuries, psychological states, or dementia, but also to a range of context factors (i.e., factors related either to the nursing home setting or to individual care workers),” Stutte and colleagues wrote (Geriatr Nurs 2017;38:398–405).“Identifying context and care worker factors’ relationships with aggressive behavior would support recommendations for interventions to reduce residents’ aggression.” Their study detailed the prevalence of three types of aggressive behavior by residents toward care workers in Swiss nursing homes, and examined the relationship of context and care worker factors with the aggressive behaviors. The researchers defined aggressive behavior as any nonaccidental overt act involving the delivery of noxious stimuli toward an object, oneself, or another person. The types of aggression could be verbal, physical, or sexual. The researchers performed a secondary data analysis of the Swiss Nursing Homes Human Resources Project, a representative multicenter study with a cross-sectional design. They collected data from May 2012 to April 2013 and surveyed care workers by use of a self-report questionnaire. The analysis included 155 nursing homes that housed 402 units and employed 3,919 care workers. The mean age of the residents was 85 years, with 62% displaying symptoms or having a diagnosis of dementia. The mean care worker was 43 years old, and 92% were female. During the 4 weeks preceding the survey, the researchers found that 66% of care workers had been verbally assaulted, 42% had been physically assaulted, and 15% had been the focus of sexual aggression. For the care workers who were exposed to aggression, most experienced it less than once a week. The care workers reported a lower likelihood of experiencing verbal, sexual, or physical aggression if they were older or they worked in non–special care units versus special care units, or if they perceived their facility to be well staffed, with adequate resources. Sexual aggression was less likely to be experienced by male workers or by staff who characterized their working style as autonomous. Verbal aggression was more likely to be experienced by workers who perceived they had good or very good collaboration among team members. Both verbal and physical aggression were more likely to be experienced by staff who were emotionally exhausted. Compared with tertiary-level care workers, certified nursing assistants and nurse aides had an increased likelihood of reporting physical aggression. “Intervention studies should assess whether strategies that modify context factors (e.g., campaigns to tackle the roots of low perceptions of staffing and resource adequacy, or to increase work autonomy) should also facilitate aggression reduction,” the researchers wrote. “Since our study points to the higher exposure of care workers on [special care units] to aggressive behavior, it is vital to choose care workers whose personal characteristics best match the needs of specialized units, and to adequately train and supervise them in aggression management.” Brian Ellis is a freelance writer and editor based in NJ.

Ärztliche Führung im Krankenhaus. Praktischer Nutzen von ärztlichen Führungs- und Management Kursen aus subjektiver Sicht der Teilnehmenden

ObjectivesThe aim of the present study was to evaluate the benefit of Leadership and Management Courses for clinicians, specifically which leadership and management contents are beneficial to their daily clinical work and whether these contents support their individual career. MethodE-mail invitations to participate in the study were sent to all 543 medical doctors of the University Hospital Hanover, Germany, who had taken part in one of the leadership and management courses offered between June 2005 and June 2015. The enquiry was carried out between June 1 and June 30, 2015. 84 e-mail addresses were no longer active; and so, N=459 clinicians actually received the invitation. Of these, 104 participated (22.7%). ResultsThe study included 59 items. Six were free text items, twelve items were closed questions which could be answered by choosing from a drop down menu, and 41 were answered on a Likert scale from 0 (not fitting at all) to 10 (perfect fit). Based on the items answered on a Likert scale, the following scales and mean values were deduced: Job Satisfaction (M=7.44); Leadership (M=7.77); Trust (M=7.22); Striving for Power (M=7,45); negative Affect (M=4,91); Target Achievement Motivation (M=8.19); Communication (M=8.30) and Management (M=6.48). Regression analysis showed that Job- and Team Satisfaction can predict to what extent the participants regard themselves as good leaders. The study participants defined the following topics as very important: leadership and management style, managerial functions, team management, human resources development and project management. Further topics included rhetoric skills, presentation techniques, as well as basic economics such as understanding balance sheets, profit & loss statements and contribution margin calculation. 55% of the course contents were described as being directly applicable to their daily working environment. In the clinicians’ view, the ideal leader acts as a role model (passing on values like respect, appreciation, honesty, openness, fairness, sense of justice, and empathy), someone who motivates his colleagues by giving them a vision, structure and transparency. The participants estimated that they met 60% of these qualifications. 51% of the participants found the course highly beneficial, and 45% rated it as being beneficial. 55% said that the course boosted their career. 96% were willing to attend further leadership and management courses. 98% would recommend the course to their colleagues. ConclusionThe return rate of 22.7%, the subjective benefit of the courses (96%), the willingness to attend such courses (96%) and to recommend them to colleagues (98%) demonstrates that clinicians are highly interested in leadership and management topics. This may be due to the fact that these topics are not part of the training program for medical students or junior doctors. Our findings are in consistent with organisational and psychological research results showing that “soft” psychological factors related to leadership topics are a significant and crucial factor behind the success of organisations and hospitals.

Factors Associated With Care Workers' Intention to Leave Employment in Nursing Homes: A Secondary Data Analysis of the Swiss Nursing Homes Human Resources Project.

The emerging care personnel shortage in Swiss nursing homes is aggravated by high turnover rates. As intention to leave is a predictor of turnover, awareness of its associated factors is essential. This study applied a secondary data analysis to evaluate the prevalence and variability of 3,984 nursing home care workers' intention to leave. Work environment factors and care worker outcomes were tested via multiple regression analysis. Although 56% of care workers reported intention to leave, prevalences varied widely between facilities. Overall, intention to leave showed strong inverse relationships with supportive leadership and affective organizational commitment and weaker positive relationships with stress due to workload, emotional exhaustion, and care worker health problems. The strong direct relationship of nursing home care workers' intention to leave with affective organizational commitment and perceptions of leadership quality suggest that multilevel interventions to improve these factors might reduce intention to leave.

Factors associated with aggressive behavior between residents and staff in nursing homes

The aim of this secondary data analysis of the cross-sectional Swiss Nursing Homes Human Resources Project (SHURP) study was to describe the prevalence of residents' verbal, physical and sexual aggression toward care workers in Swiss nursing homes and to explore their association with context and care worker factors. The study's sample incorporated data from 155 randomly selected nursing homes, including 402 units. Among care workers (n = 3919), 66% reported experiencing verbal, 42% physical and 15% sexual aggression. Logistic regression analyses indicated that non-special care units and care workers' higher perception of staffing and resources adequacy and higher age were associated with a decreased likelihood of aggression, whereas emotional exhaustion was associated with an increased likelihood. Our results suggest an association of aggressive resident behavior with modifiable context and care worker factors. Knowledge about this may contribute to a continuous improvement process, enhancing residents' well-being alongside care workers' safety and satisfaction.

World Federation of Occupational Therapists human resources project 2016: Demographic profile of WFOT member organisations

ABSTRACTThe World Federation of Occupational Therapists (WFOT) Human Resources Project 2016 provides demographic statistics of the occupational therapy profession for 96% of WFOT Member Organisations. These data demonstrate the diversity of the profession’s demography between countries and regions in established and newly established organisations in both low and high resource countries. Some Member Organisations were unable to access or collect the required information for this report. This report recognises the limitation that some Member Organisations might have in providing these data, but equally this report places importance in maintaining national demographics as a contributing factor to the profession’s development and global identity. The Human Resources Project is a key part of WFOT’s business, and is aligned to its strategic and operational objectives. This project is part of a continuing collaboration with the World Health Organization and various government ministries and departments. WFOT encourages the dissemination of the information presented in this report to increase global recognition and commissioning of the contribution of the occupational therapy profession.

World Federation of Occupational Therapists human resources project 2012 and 2014: Demographic profile of WFOT member organisations

ABSTRACTThe World Federation of Occupational Therapists (WFOT) Human Resources Project 2012 and 2014 provides demographic statistics of the occupational therapy profession for 97% in 2012 and 99% in 2014 of WFOT Member Organisations. The data show the diversity of the profession’s demography between countries and regions, established and newly established organisations in both low and high resource countries. Some Member Organisations are unable to collect or have limited access to the information that is requested as part of the Human Resources Project. This report respects the limitations that some Member Organisations might have in providing data; equally, it reinforces the importance of maintaining national demographics as a contributing factor to the profession’s development and global identity. The Human Resources Project is an integral part of WFOT’s business, aligned to its strategic and operational objectives. The project has formed part of its continued collaboration with the World Health Organization and various government ministries and departments. WFOT supports the widespread dissemination of this information to facilitate global recognition and commissioning of the valued contribution of the occupational therapy profession.

Mobbing among care workers in nursing homes: A cross-sectional secondary analysis of the Swiss Nursing Homes Human Resources Project

BackgroundAs a category of bullying, mobbing is a form of violence in the workplace that damages the employing organization as well as the targeted employee. In Europe, the overall prevalence of mobbing in healthcare is estimated at 4%. However, few studies have explored mobbing among long-term care workers. ObjectivesThis study aims to examine the frequency of mobbing in Swiss nursing homes and its relationships with care workers’ (i.e. registered nurse, licensed practical nurse, assistant nurse, nurse aide) health status, job satisfaction, and intention to leave, and to explore the work environment as a contributing factor to mobbing. DesignA cross-sectional, multi-center sub-study of the Swiss Nursing Homes Human Resource Project (SHURP). SettingNursing homes in Switzerland’s three language regions. ParticipantsA total of 162 randomly selected nursing homes with 20 or more beds, including 5311 care workers with various educational levels. MethodControlling for facility and care worker characteristics, generalized estimation equations were used to assess the relationships between mobbing and care workers’ health status, job satisfaction, and intention to leave as well as the association of work environment factors with mobbing. ResultsIn Swiss nursing homes, 4.6% of surveyed care workers (n=242) reported mobbing experiences in the last 6 months. Compared to untargeted persons, those directly affected by mobbing had higher odds of health complaints (Odds Ratios (OR): 7.81, 95% CI 5.56–10.96) and intention to leave (OR: 5.12, 95% CI 3.81–6.88), and lower odds of high job satisfaction (OR: 0.19, 95% CI 0.14–0.26). Odds of mobbing occurrences increased with declining teamwork and safety climate (OR: 0.41, 95% CI 0.30–0.58), less supportive leadership (OR: 0.42, 95% CI 0.30–0.58), and higher perceived inadequacy of staffing resources (OR: 0.66, 95% CI 0.48–0.92). ConclusionsMobbing experiences in Swiss nursing homes are relatively rare. Alongside teamwork and safety climate, risk factors are strongly associated with superiors’ leadership skills. Targeted training is necessary to sensitize managers to mobbing’s indicators, effects and potential influencing factors.

Dementia care worker stress associations with unit type, resident, and work environment characteristics: a cross-sectional secondary data analysis of the Swiss Nursing Homes Human Resources Project (SHURP).

Although caring for residents with dementia in nursing homes is associated with various stressors for care workers, the role of the unit type, and particularly the proportion of residents with dementia, remains unclear. This study aimed to explore associations between unit type and care worker stress, taking into account additional potential stressors. This cross-sectional study was a secondary data analysis in the Swiss Nursing Homes Human Resources Project, which included data from 3,922 care workers from 156 Swiss nursing homes. Care workers' stress was measured with a shortened version of the Health Professions Stress Inventory. Generalized estimating equation models were used to assess care worker stress and its relationships with three unit types (special care units and others with high or low proportions of residents with dementia), work environment factors, and aggressive resident behavior. After including all potential stressors in the models, no significant differences between the three unit types regarding care worker stress were found. However, increased care worker stress levels were significantly related to lower ratings of staffing and resources adequacy, the experience of verbal aggression, and the observation of verbal or physical aggression among residents. Although the unit type plays only a minor role regarding care worker stress, this study confirms that work environment and aggressive behavior of residents are important factors associated with work-related stress. To prevent increases of care worker stress, interventions to improve the work environment and strengthen care workers' ability to cope with aggressive behavior are suggested.

The Effectiveness of Shared Services Engineering and Project Management as Basis for an Innovative Strategic Project Management System

This paper provides an overview of Centralized Shared Services Management (CSSM) concept as an idea initiated by SABIC top management to reach their goals successfully and to gain the expected values of strategic management change. These shared services organizations have been structured from Information System (IS), General Services (GS), Human Resources Management (HRM), and Engineering & Project Management (E&PM). All these departments are servicing and centralized setup. The project team was to manage this change of management using sophisticated, comprehensive and integrated software SAP system. Cost reduction and gaining specialization benefits are the main objectives of this change. The international market, thus, they have plans to enlarge their investment scale by large expansion so, they started building new petrochemical plants in the global market as well to cover petrochemical market demand and to shield their market segmentation as possible as they can. With this plan, an industry is further extending its worldwide leading position in the technology of converting gas to petrochemicals.