Impaired Employees Research Articles

Workplace Bullying Experience Predicts Same-Day Affective Rumination but Not Next Morning Mood: Results from a Moderated Mediation Analysis Based on a One-Week Daily Diary Study

The link between workplace bullying and impaired employee psychological health is well established. Insights into the role of cognitive processes in reaction to stressful events, as well as personality traits in this relationship, remain scarce. In this study, we investigated moderated mediation models that link workplace bullying with employee well-being and mood. The study employs both cross-sectional and longitudinal methodologies within the same group of employees with workplace bullying experience (n = 59). Results from a cross-sectional survey show that affective rumination fully mediates the link between workplace bullying and employee well-being. Contrarily, findings from a daily diary study indicate that day-to-day variations in bullying experiences do not affect the subsequent morning mood. Thus, workplace bullying primarily acts through affective ruminative thinking rather than having a direct effect, especially on individuals low in neuroticism. These insights contribute to a more comprehensive understanding of the relevance of repetitive cognitive processes and personality traits as mechanisms that link workplace bullying with psychological well-being. Implications include the need for a better understanding of the accumulation processes of persistent ruminative thought and the relevance of stressor pile-up to explain spillover effects into the next day in order to understand long-term health impairment.

Analysis of clothing microclimate conditions for lower body part workwear dedicated for motor impaired employees

Workwear dedicated for motor impaired employees was designed. The woven fabrics used meet the requirements for light to moderate effort according to PN-P-08525:1998, reaching suitable level of water vapor resistance meanwhile. The workwear’s design was carefully chosen to meet the requirements of motor impaired employees during their work activities. The analysis of microclimate was carried out to investigate the garment’s ability to transport water vapor outside from gaps between body part and item of clothing. Two sets of workwear were tested, showing that both garments’ construction and woven fabrics properties influence thereon.

Least Restrictive Adaptation Model: Anything You Need You Can Find in the Kitchen Drawer (First printed inRE:view, 36(2), 63–69.)

Least Restrictive Adaptation Model: Anything You Need You Can Find in the Kitchen Drawer (First printed in<i>RE:view</i>, 36(2), 63–69.)

The Job Demands Scale for Hearing-Impaired Employees: Development and preliminary analysis of internal validity

Few work participation scales have been normed on employees with hearing impairment. This creates an employment disparity against them. We developed a 57 item Job Demands for Hearing Impaired Employees (JDHIE) scale, providing preliminarily internal validity evidence. Respondents were 85 South African adults with hearing impairment from a variety of occupational settings (female = 45.9%; deaf = 42.4%). Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA) findings yielded a three-factor scale for communication, environmental, and time demands. The reliability of scores from the communication, environmental and time demands were high, providing the preliminarily evidence for further validation studies of this instrument.

Visual Impairment in the Virtual Workplace: Exploration, Experience, and Interpretation

Introduction: This study utilizes interpretive phenomenology to understand the experiences of people with visual impairments in the virtual workplace. As virtual work is becoming increasingly common, this investigation is timely for employment research that is especially relevant to people who are visually impaired. Methods: Using an interpretive phenomenological approach, individuals who have experienced working in the virtual workplace filled out an in-depth online questionnaire. The resulting qualitative data were analyzed and interpreted via Applied Thematic Data Analysis (ATDA). ATDA was used to transform the raw qualitative data into themes regarding the essence of the experience of being a visually impaired employee in the virtual workplace. Results: Based on the phenomenological data, three primary themes emerged: defined by blindness, technology as the catalyst of inequality, and ingenuity as efficacy.Discussion: Using co-cultural theory, in-depth interpretations of the data were conducted. Key to these interpretations were the technological and communicative structures that mute the voice of the virtual worker with visual impairment and the experiential factors, with special attention to inaccessible technology, that shape the unique standpoint of the virtual worker who has visual impairment. Implications for practitioners: Both theoretical and applied implications are presented. This study takes note of the social factors that surround the navigation of the workplace with a focus on how communicating about access, advocating for accessibility, and requesting assistive technology are embedded in a larger conversation of culture and societal norms of employment. Accessibility is discussed as both a technical and social challenge. This consideration of accessibility is crucial in current and future workplaces where even the simplest task is to be completed via a technological tool.

PSS6 Loss of Productivity Due to Visual Impairment in Turkey

Visual impairment is an important health issue that constitutes a limitation in professional and social life. Due to these limitations, visually impaired individuals can estrange from working life. This study aims to calculate the productivity loss experienced by visually impaired individuals in Turkey. The data used in the analysis was taken from the Ministry of Family, Labor and Social Services, and the Turkish Statistical Institute. Among the visually impaired population between 20 and 65 years of age in Turkey, the rate of participation in visually impaired employment and the number of prospective visually impaired employees were calculated. Subsequently, the number of employees who could have taken place if these individuals had not been visually impaired was calculated with the figures of the general community. For this purpose, the Turkish employment participation rate and the Turkish unemployment rate were used. With the data obtained, productivity loss was calculated in visually impaired individuals. The employment gap rate for visually impaired people was calculated as 58%. Productivity loss over visually impaired labor force participation was calculated as 37.78%. The population who could participate in employment and employed if they were not visually impaired was estimated to be 94,756 and 81,490 people while these numbers are currently as 39.888 and 31.254 for visually impaired people, respectively. According to these data, average annual individual income loss per capita due to visual impairment is 18.514.34 TL, loss of income tax, and Socal Security Institution healthcare and retirement premiums are 3.036.73 TL and 2.460.48 TL in Turkey, respectively. Visually impaired individuals in the age group who can participate in employment have both been observed to experience individual economic losses which cause an economic loss for the public also. The findings should be evaluated with survey and panel studies.

Connecting Governments’ Accessibility Policy to Its Visually Challenged Stakeholders for An All-Inclusive Smart Infrastructure

Purpose: The key to every economic and social development lies in its solid infrastructure and this plays a paramount importance in the case of developing countries like India. Although policies related to website and physical accessibility exists; however, there is a dire need to bring about its awareness to the stakeholders (employers and visually challenged employees) who are going to need it to build in an allinclusive robust infrastructure that will result in diversityinclusion and enhanced empowerment The purpose of this research is not just to highlight this gap existing in the system but to suggest the companies to imbibe an empathetic perspective for ensuring the accessibility infra for all its stakeholders so that the government’s accessibility audit checklist justify its purpose. Methodology: Full time 60 visually impaired from the service sector (namely banking, IT, hospitals, call centers, NGO and school staff) in India were considered for the study through the mixed methods research where quantitative analysis has been done through purposive sampling. Further Public awareness indicator measured by means of a public opinion survey has been undertaken. In this case ‘public’ means the visually impaired employees. In addition, Qualitative analysis through Phenomenology method has been undertaken from the Indian government approved ‘Accessibility Auditors’ regarding their experiences about the accessibility audit checklist (Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities; government of India) in various Indian organizations. And secondly through verbatim, the authors have gauged the awareness amongst the visually disabled employees about the above mentioned audit checklist that includes both Website accessibility as well as Physical Accessibility related to Infrastructure Findings: There exists a significant gap between the knowledge about such important policies amongst the visually impaired employees Supporting this is their verbatim that highlights the need for the companies to introduce such policy awareness amongst its employees through including this in their Induction program Practical Implications: The knowledge of such policies amongst the employees; especially the visually impaired will help them to raise their grievances and thereby help organizations in expanding vision of the Indian government of the universal accessibility under the Inclusiveness and Accessibility Index Social Implications: The visually impaired will be better equipped to work if their companies take due diligence and care for their special accessibility needs to make the working environment and culture a Disability-Inclusive Originality/Value: The paper attempts to know the awareness amongst the employees especially the visually challenged; about the Accessibility Audit checklist and to decipher from the Revised Manuscript Received on September 10, 2019. Dr. Neha Patvardhan, Asst. Professor, Finance, Symbiosis Institute of International Business, Pune, Maharashtra, India. (Email: neha.patvardhan@siib.ac.in) Dr. Smita Santoki, Asst. Professor, International Business, Symbiosis Institute of International Business, Pune, Maharashtra, India. (Email: smita.santoki@siib.ac.in) Accessibility auditors about the probable solutions to bridge the gap between the existing infra policy and this lack of knowledge amongst the stakeholders to make the working environment disability integrated.

A Meta-Analysis of Job Insecurity and Employee Performance: Testing Temporal Aspects, Rating Source, Welfare Regime, and Union Density as Moderators.

Previous research has shown that job insecurity is linked to a range of performance outcomes, but the number of studies exploring this relationship is still limited and the results are somewhat mixed. The first aim of this study was to meta-analytically investigate how job insecurity is related to task performance, contextual performance, counterproductive work behavior, creativity, and safety compliance. The second aim was to test two method-related factors (cross-sectional vs. longitudinal associations and self- vs. supervisor-ratings of performance) and two macro-level indicators of social protection (social welfare regime and union density) as moderators of these associations. The results show that job insecurity was generally associated with impaired employee performance. These findings were generally similar both cross-sectionally and longitudinally and irrespective of rater. Overall, the associations between job insecurity and negative performance outcomes were weaker in welfare regimes characterized by strong social protection, whereas the results concerning union density produced mixed results. A majority of the findings confirmed the negative associations between job insecurity and types of employee performance, but future research is needed to elaborate on the effects of temporal aspects, differences between ratings sources, and further indicators of social protection in different cultural settings in the context of job insecurity.

Assistive Technology Divide: A Developing Country Perspective

Use of ICTs, in relation to physical challenge, especially visual impairment, is a problematic issue. This study explored awareness, accessibility and use of specialized ICTs among visually impaired adults in selected urban cities in South- eastern Nigeria. Thirty In-depth Interviews were conducted among visually impaired students and government employees. The study established a general awareness of ICTs, and limited awareness of specialized ICTs, among these visually impaired persons. It also found that use of specialized ICTs among them appeared a distant reality. This led to the conclusion that a ‘divide’ exists in terms of accessibility and use of assistive technology for the visually impaired persons in this region. The study recommended individual and governmental interventions, to help bridge this ‘divide’. Keywords : Assistive Technology Divide, Visually Impaired, Specialized ICTs. DOI : 10.7176/DCS/9-4-13 Publication date : April 30 th 2019

Preparation of small to medium-sized enterprises to earthquake disaster

Small to Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs) are often vulnerable to the adversities caused by major earthquake events, which may include business disruption, damage to goods and property, impaired employee health and safety, financial strain and loss of revenue, or even total loss of the business. SMEs are expected to make critical decisions to prepare their businesses for an earthquake, in an attempt to ensure business continuity and the wellbeing of their employees, should a disaster occur. This study was conducted five years after the devastating Canterbury earthquakes and sought to examine the level of earthquake preparedness of SMEs by investigating the actions undertaken in two different suburban locations having differing seismicity. The extent of preparedness was assessed based on a list of twenty-one possible actions grouped into four categories being knowledge enrichment, insurance and business continuity, survival support actions, and seismic damage mitigation. The assessment involved a survey with an online questionnaire. Analysis of the collected data revealed a specific adoption pattern in the regions of study. The main preparedness action adopted by SMEs was the purchase of business insurance with the development of continuity plans. The least obtained preparedness action was related to survival support actions such as maintaining necessary emergency supplies. The overall adoption rate of the preparedness actions was less than 30%, with no significant difference between the regions studied, and close to 50% of SMEs having adopted less than five preparedness actions. This situation clearly requires urgent attention from all stakeholders involved in SMEs resilience before an earthquake disaster hits the regions.

FROM DIFFERENTLY-ABLED TO DISTINCTLY–ENABLED: CREATING SOCIAL CAPITAL USING SERVQUAL MODEL- THE CASE OF MIRCHI &amp; MIME IN MUMBAI

Self-efficacy in building self-identity amongst the differently abled employees of a fine dining restaurant in Mumbai has been used as the precursor to building up of a sustainable business model to create social capital. The outcome of this successful profitable business model has been able to demonstrate that such hearing and speech impaired individuals could be turned from being ‘social liabilities’ to ‘social positive assets’. The ‘social liability’ denotes to Mirchi & Mime employees being hearing and speech impaired who suffer from social, economic, financial and familial exclusion. The focal point of this study is to understand the transformation of such entities termed as ‘social liability’ to ‘social capital’ which has been possible within the span of three years. The study uses mixed method research to elicit, quantify and substantiate the building of social capital through the positive psychological, social and economic changes brought about in people who belong to the bottom of the pyramid (BoP). The study uses four different approaches to assess and validate the conceptual model and research objective. One, using survey instrument for guests (consumers) which included 32 items in total and 27 items were measured using likert type scale (5= strongly agree & 1- strongly disagree). Two, employee interview questionnaire was open ended. The questions intend to address the aspects such as regular vs special schooling, challenges experienced in daily routine, employee’s aspiration, pre-employment- economic, social and psychological condition and their post-employment changes, including their perception about the society. Three, the in-depth video-based interview with employee’s family- the questions revolved around their economic, social and psychological transformation pre and post-employment. Fourth, is personality assessment of selected few employees to understand implicit perception about ‘self’ and ‘world’. The quantitative outcome is obtained through descriptive and inferential analysis. The study empirically captures the social capital development with an extensive research from individual psycho-sociological perspective to familial- societal perspective. The study encapsulates an inward to outward outlook of hearing and speech impaired employees and how Mirchi & Mime a fine-dine restaurant (a profit making firm) has successfully converted a social liability into a social capital. Mirchi & Mime consistently maintained its top ranking on Indian restaurant search and discovery service (Zomato). Hence, the study contributes in justifying the viewpoint that social liability is a myth in fact if, employed strategically this would lead to economic and social inclusiveness and business sustainability.

Illicit drug use and work in a model therapeutic workplace

BackgroundThe link between illicit drug use and impaired employee performance in the workplace has been assumed, but the relation has not been demonstrated clearly in research. This study was an evaluation of the relations between cocaine and opiate use, attendance, and performance in a job skills training program in a population with high rates of drug use. MethodsOut-of-treatment injection drug users (N = 42) attended a model therapeutic workplace where they could earn a maximum pay of around $10 per hour, 4 h every weekday, for 30 weeks. At the workplace, participants could complete practice trials on computer-based typing and keypad training programs. Participants were asked to provide urine samples thrice weekly, which were tested for opiates and cocaine. ResultsParticipants worked for more hours on a program that resulted in a flat hourly wage when their urine was negative for opiates and cocaine than when their urine was opiate and cocaine positive. Attendance was positively associated with opiate-negative samples during the study. When participants attended the workplace, however, their performance was not related to drug use. Participants completed the same number of practice trials, performed at the same accuracy, and typed at the same speed when they were positive and negative for cocaine and opiates. ConclusionsContrary to common expectations, this study failed to show that the use of opiates or cocaine affected in-training performance, even though opiate and cocaine use predicted reduced attendance under some circumstances.

Making my way: A study on workarounds and social support among Visually Impaired bankers in India

Reasonable accommodations are an important aspect for the organizational efficiency and effectiveness of persons with disabilities (PwDs) in organizations. Extant research has focused on the experience and role of PwDs before they request for reasonable accommodations. Through a phenomenological study of the human experience of visually impaired (VI) employees in Indian banks, this research explicates the experience of PwDs after reasonable accommodations have been granted to them in their organizations. It is observed that despite the provision of reasonable accommodations, VI employees often find it difficult to fulfill their job responsibilities. This difficulty faced by VI employees may be attributed to extensive paperwork required for their jobs and the need to use information systems that may not be fully accessible to the visually impaired. As a result, these VI employees are found to resort to workarounds in order to carry out their jobs, such that the nature of workarounds adopted varies with the type and extent of visual impairment. Furthermore, it is observed that VI employees require social support not only from their superiors and peers, but also their subordinates and customers to carry out their tasks.

Trade unions as employment facilitators for disabled employees

Can trade unions be effective representatives of disabled employees? The paper presents a qualitative case study of views and experiences of a range of trade union stakeholders related to a novel UK Union Learning Fund (ULF) project designed to represent neurological impaired employees employed in the UK rail/transport industry. The case study is the UK’s Transport Salaried Staffs’ Association (TSSA) Neurodiversity project that began in 2012. The findings are based on analysis of focus groups with TSSA members, interviews with neurologically impaired employees, Neurodiversity Champions and TSSA organisers. The findings suggest the Neurodiversity project attracted positive responses from TSSA members and neurologically impaired employees, with Neurodiversity Champions and TSSA organisers reporting successes with individual case work and shaping trade union-employer bargaining agendas. Despite examples of resistance from some employers, an increased number of employers took active steps as the project progressed to support neurologically impaired employees, and incorporate neurodiversity practices into organisational strategy. The study makes a unique contribution to wider debates, showing how trade unions can be effective representatives of disabled employees.

Survey Reveals Myths and Misconceptions Abundant among Hiring Managers about the Capabilities of People who are Visually Impaired

Despite continued gains in employment, people who are blind remain one of the greatest untapped labor resources in the United States. In November 2012, as we approached the 75th anniversary of the National Industries for the Blind (NIB), we commissioned a study to assess the attitudes and opinions among corporate decision makers regarding the employment of individuals who are visually impaired (that is, those who are blind or have low vision, as defined by JVIB). The primary objective for the survey was to evaluate attitudes about hiring qualified visually impaired applicants. We wanted to measure perceptions among hiring managers of the quality of employees who are visually impaired and determine how likely it would be for managers to consider hiring visually impaired employees versus those with other disabilities. To read the results of the Decision-Maker Study, conducted in November 2012, by the market-and-opinion research firm Repass & Partners, visit: . PERSISTENCE OF MISCONCEPTIONS The survey results were disappointing. They indicated a majority of managers mistakenly believed there were few jobs in their organizations that visually impaired people could successfully perform. They also thought it was more expensive to hire someone with impaired vision compared to someone without a disability. The majority of managers made it a lower priority to recruit, train, and retain employees with disabilities than to recruit, train, and retain executives, senior managers, young employees, and minorities. Not surprisingly, the survey results indicated that a hiring manager who personally knew someone with visual impairment was significantly more likely to consider hiring a person with vision loss. NEED TO RAISE AWARENESS After reviewing the survey results, it became clear that we needed to increase awareness about the capabilities of individuals who are blind, the nominal cost of assistive technology, and the positive impact of creating an inclusive and diverse workplace. As a result, NIB developed an education campaign to change perceptions in the business community of the abilities of people who are visually impaired. We want to see companies open up more employment opportunities that can be filled by qualified candidates who are visually impaired. Given the findings of the survey, we believe it is important for members of the field of visual impairment, when interacting with the business community, to provide education about the value in hiring individuals who are visually impaired. This information is especially needed by smaller businesses, which are less likely to consider hiring employees who are visually impaired, as well as by companies that do not have formal educational programs to encourage the hiring of employees with disabilities. ARGUMENTS IN FAVOR OF HIRING PEOPLE WITH VISUAL IMPAIRMENTS Based on the experience of NIB and our network of associated nonprofit agencies, we know that the opinions and attitudes expressed by the hiring managers who were surveyed are misconceptions. The following arguments are some of the reasons why people who are visually impaired are as capable as their sighted counterparts and are a valuable resource for strong, competitive businesses. Many are already employed Individuals who are visually impaired are productive, skilled, and successfully employed in a wide range of positions at all levels, including production, administration, technical, professional, managerial, and senior executive roles. …

Disability in the Labour Market: An Exploration of Concepts of the Ideal Worker and Organisational Fit that Disadvantage Employees with Impairments

The adverse employment effects that attach to disability are empirically well established. They are large and persistent. This is a conceptual article that investigates the source of this deep and enduring employment disadvantage. Debate begins by examining the origins of ideas that have shaped approaches to work study and have influenced concepts of what constitutes an ideal worker. Drawing on feminist critiques of organisational analysis that have highlighted the gendered character of processes, practices and values, it explores the relatively neglected position of disabled employees. With reference to transcripts from four Employment Appeal Tribunals brought under the Disability Discrimination Act, it illustrates how standard jobs, designed around ideal (non-disabled) employees, create a mismatch between a formal job description and someone with an impairment. We suggest this mismatch is central to the organisation’s resistance to implementing adjustments and also to any radical approaches to include impaired employees in the workplace.

Cost-effectiveness of a vocational enablement protocol for employees with hearing impairment; design of a randomized controlled trial

BackgroundHearing impairment at the workplace, and the resulting psychosocial problems are a major health problem with substantial costs for employees, companies, and society. Therefore, it is important to develop interventions to support hearing impaired employees. The objective of this article is to describe the design of a randomized controlled trial evaluating the (cost-) effectiveness of a Vocational Enablement Protocol (VEP) compared with usual care.Methods/DesignParticipants will be selected with the 'Hearing and Distress Screener'. The study population will consist of 160 hearing impaired employees. The VEP intervention group will be compared with usual care. The VEP integrated care programme consists of a multidisciplinary assessment of auditory function, work demands, and personal characteristics. The goal of the intervention is to facilitate participation in work. The primary outcome measure of the study is 'need for recovery after work'. Secondary outcome measures are coping with hearing impairment, distress, self-efficacy, psychosocial workload, job control, general health status, sick leave, work productivity, and health care use. Outcome measures will be assessed by questionnaires at baseline, and 3, 6, 9, and 12 months after baseline. The economic evaluation will be performed from both a societal and a company perspective. A process evaluation will also be performed.DiscussionInterventions addressing occupational difficulties of hearing impaired employees are rare but highly needed. If the VEP integrated care programme proves to be (cost-) effective, the intervention can have an impact on the well-being of hearing impaired employees, and thereby, on the costs for the company as well for the society.Trial registrationNetherlands Trial Register (NTR): NTR2782

Making Life Meaningful: Designing Workstations for Physically and Cognitively Impaired Adults

Ergonomic solutions for the workplace are important for any employee but especially important for workers with disabilities. This project investigates the workstations of physically and cognitively impaired employees at a state funded work program. Two workstations, a sorting station for coat hangers and a sealing station for flatware packages, were analyzed for inefficiencies and ergonomic hazards. The hanger station was redesigned using anthropometric principles and workstation aids to improve the employees’ capability to distinguish and sort the coat hangers. The positioning of the hangers was modified to improve the efficiency of the employees’ movements by reducing reach lengths. The sealing station was altered by providing a new platform for aligning flatware packages and installing a lever to control the sealer such that the lever motion conforms better to reduce errors and force requirements. Field tests were performed and the redesigns were proven successful in improving the productivity of the employees.

Health Impaired Employees' Job Satisfaction: New Evidence from Athens, Greece

By utilizing the 2008 Athens Area Study (AAS) data set, this study investigates four aspects of job satisfaction – total pay, promotion prospects, respect received from one’s supervisor, and total job satisfaction – between healthy and heath-impaired employees. Health impaired employees are found to be less satisfied according to all job satisfaction measures even when a large number of productivity features, and job characteristics are controlled for. The outcomes suggest also that women are more satisfied with their jobs than men are, regardless of health status. Moreover, the estimations show that health impaired employees' job satisfaction is affected more than healthy employees' job satisfaction by adverse mental health symptoms (life dissatisfaction). Finally, health impaired employees are found to become more satisfied with their jobs with time after disability onset. The study concludes that health impaired employees may have higher expectations about what they will obtain from their work, and that they may have job satisfaction adjustments.

Impaired employees: Lessons learned from The Wonderful Wizard of Oz

This article highlights the ‘dark’ side of employee psychological, cognitive, and behavioral disorders that could prove harmful to other employees, to groups within the organization, or to the organization itself. Using The Wonderful Wizard of Oz as a backdrop, we relate the attitudes and behaviors of the book's characters to destructive tendencies and syndromes that employees may exhibit, and which may wreak havoc on the firm; a description of the characters, the definition and manifestation of the maladies, and critical dimensions of each are presented. Finally, strategic components for addressing the employees’ dysfunctional behavior are discussed.