Job Conditions Research Articles

Testing the nexus between reward system, job condition and employee retention through intervening role of employee engagement among nursing staff

AbstractPurposeThis study investigated the effects of reward system (RS) and job conditions (JC) on employee retention (ER). In particular, this study addressed the mediating effect of employee engagement (EE) on the relationship between RS, JC and ER.Design/methodology/approachThis paper employed descriptive survey approach and the unit of analysis consisted of public hospital nursing staff. Data were collected using questionnaires with a sample of 370 nurse respondents. Structural equation modelling with Smart-Partial Least Squares (PLS) 3.3.8 was used in a statistical analysis.FindingsThe results revealed that RS and JC significantly related to ER. The study also showed the direct effect of RS and JC on EE. These findings indicate that (EE) has a partial mediating role in the relationship between RS, JC and ER.Practical implicationsThe study offers important policy insights for public nursing stakeholders who seek to increase retention of skills among their nursing staff. The findings are also crucial because they may help the health sector improve their ER strategies, especially in dynamic and competitive business situations where organisations are challenged to retain personnel from a limited skilled workforce.Originality/valueThe findings of this study contribute to the literature on retention of nursing employees by enhancing the understanding of the influences of EE, RS and JC on ER among public hospitals.

Employability and professional success: A study about economy and business graduates

Purpose: The aim of this paper is to suggest determinants and variables that affect employability, entering the labour market and professional success. Design/methodology/approach: Our analysis has been conducted among Economy and Business graduates in Catalonia. The data was collected from the Agencia Catalana per a la Qualitat Universitària (AQU) survey that was carried out in 2014; the results were published in 2017.We have defined two dependent variables: the amount of time spent in finding a first job and the salary level two years after concluding graduate studies. We have defined eight independent variables. The independent variables are related to academic, economic and social questions as well as to those aspects related to the labour market. We analysed the relationship between, dependent and independent variables using correlation analysis.Findings: Our results show that academic variables are not important in relation to the duration of entering the labour market. Nevertheless, the socio-economic variables and previous experience in the labour market play an important role. If our analysis focuses on professional success, the factors related to the academic and socio-economic backgrounds and the type of professional contract will play a decisive role. The labour situation is very important to guarantee professional success. Precarious job conditions pose an obstacle in professional advancement. The relationship to work experience before finishing graduate studies is not clear.Originality/value: The study that we have carried out in this paper, aims to alert future employees about the factors that improve employability and professional success. In this way, graduates can plan their professional life.

Severe Acute Hepatitis B, Caused by High Viral Load: A Case Report

Acute hepatitis B cases with very high viral load are rare in communities. This study presents an experience of treating a patient suffering from severe acute hepatitis B with a very high viral load. A 38-year-old Iranian male was diagnosed with acute hepatitis B with early and progressive liver dysfunction and a very high viral load. Treatment with Tenofovir was started. The complete response to treatment was achieved with multidisciplinary management; the patient was discharged after a week. A history of not being vaccinated against the hepatitis B virus and the job conditions could be the main causes of increased risks for his illness. However, the high viral load can be considered as the cause of severe acute hepatitis B development. The prompt and accurate diagnosis followed by suitable treatment choice led to the most favorable outcome.

The working conditions for personal support workers in the Greater Toronto Area during the COVID-19 pandemic: a mixed-methods study.

ObjectiveDuring the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, personal support workers (PSWs) were heralded as healthcare ‘heroes’ as many of them cared for high-risk, vulnerable older populations, and worked in long-term care, which experienced a high number of COVID-19 outbreaks and deaths. While essential to the healthcare workforce, there is little understanding of PSW working conditions during the pandemic. The aim of our study was to examine the working conditions (including job security, work policies, and personal experiences) for PSWs in the Greater Toronto Area during the COVID-19 pandemic from the perspectives of PSWs.MethodsThis study used a mixed-methods design. From June to December 2020, we conducted a survey of 634 PSWs to understand their working conditions during the COVID-19 pandemic. Semi-structured interviews with 31 survey respondents were conducted from February to May 2021 to understand in greater depth how working conditions were impacting the well-being of PSWs.ResultsWe found PSWs faced a range of challenges related to COVID-19, including anxiety about contracting COVID-19, reduced work hours, taking leaves of absences, concerns about job security, and losing childcare. While the COVID-19 pandemic highlighted the PSW workforce and their importance to the healthcare system (especially in the long-term care system), pre-existing poor work conditions of insecure jobs with no paid sick days and benefits exacerbated COVID-19–related challenges. Despite these hardships, PSWs were able to rely on their mental resilience and passion for their profession to cope with challenges.ConclusionSignificant changes need to be made to improve PSW working conditions. Better compensation, increased job security, decreased workload burden, and mental health supports are needed.Supplementary InformationThe online version contains supplementary material available at 10.17269/s41997-022-00643-7.

Life and Work of Anganwadi Workers: A Literature Survey

The Integrated Child Development Scheme (ICDS) is a welfare scheme of the government of India. The Anganwadi workers are primarily responsible for delivering the services of the ICDS scheme. This study will enable us to gain an insight into the lives of Anganwadi workers. The past literatures are critically analyzed to understand the role, responsibilities, and problems pertaining to job satisfaction of such workers. From the detailed analysis it is found that Anganwadi workers are highly dedicated group of workers and has a potential to play a vital role in transforming the state of the society, but there are certain problems which needs to be addressed so that the job satisfaction and motivation level of such workers can be enhanced. They play a nation building role yet no heed has been paid to improve the job condition and general wellbeing of the workers even after almost two decades of dedicated services. The problem and causes of job satisfaction and job dissatisfaction of the Anganwadi workers are identified.

Becoming a Parent During Cardiovascular Training

BackgroundSpecialty training in cardiovascular diseases is consistently perceived to have adverse job conditions and interfere with family life. There is a dearth of universal workforce support for trainees who become parents during training. ObjectivesThis study sought to identify parental policies across cardiovascular training programs internationally. MethodsAn Internet-based international survey study available from August 2020 to October 2020 was sent via social media. The survey was administered 1 time and anonymously. Participants shared experiences regarding parental benefits/policies and perception of barriers for trainees. Participants were divided into 3 groups: training program directors, trainees pregnant during cardiology fellowship, and trainees not pregnant during training. ResultsA total of 417 replies were received from physicians, including 47 responses (11.3%) from training program directors, 146 responses (35%) from current or former trainees pregnant during cardiology training, and 224 responses (53.7%) from current or former trainees that were not pregnant during cardiology training. Among trainees, 280 (67.1%) were parents during training. Family benefits and policies were not uniformly available across institutions, and knowledge regarding the existence of such policies was low. Average parental leave ranged from 1 to 2 months in the United States compared with >4 months outside the United States, and in all countries, paternity leave was uncommon (only 11 participants [2.6%]). Coverage during family leave was primarily provided by peers (n = 184 [44.1%]), and 168 (91.3%) were without additional monetary or time compensation. ConclusionsThis is the first international survey evaluating and comparing parental benefits and policies among cardiovascular training programs. There is great variability among institutions, highlighting disparities in real-world experiences.

Association between work-family conflict and depressive symptoms in female workers: An exploration of potential moderators

Work-family conflict (WFC), an inter-role conflict between work and family, negatively affects mental health. Using a nationally representative systematic sample, this study aimed to investigate the association between WFC, depressive symptoms, and potential moderators in the association of adult female workers. Data of 4714 female workers (aged ≥19 years) were obtained cross-sectionally from the 2018 nationwide Korean Longitudinal Survey of Women and Families (KLoWF). WFC was assessed using a 7-item questionnaire, based on which scores were classified into high (>75th percentile score) and low (≤75th percentile score) levels of WFC. Significant depressive symptoms were defined as a score of ≥10 on the 10-item version of the Center for Epidemiologic Studies for Depression Scale. Female workers with high WFC levels were more likely to have depressive symptoms than those with low WFC levels (odds ratio = 2.29, 95% confidence interval = 1.91–2.74). In stratified analyses, high WFC levels were associated with the highest odds of depressive symptoms in the following groups: young adults (19–39 years), those with a college degree or above or with high income, never-married individuals, those with a family size of three or a single child, nonstandard workers, and pink-collar workers. This study replicated and extended previous findings on the association between WFC and depressive symptoms. The association was moderated by age, education and income levels, marital status, family size, number of children, and job conditions.

Critical Competences for the Management of Post-Operative Course in Patients with Digestive Tract Cancer: The Contribution of MADIT Methodology for a Nine-Month Longitudinal Study.

There is a high postoperative morbidity rate after cancer surgery, that impairs patients’ self-management, job condition and economic strength. This paper describes the results of a peculiar psychological intervention on patients undergoing surgery for esophageal, gastric and colorectal cancer. The intervention aimed to enhance patients’ competences in the management of postoperative daily life. A narrative approach (M.A.D.I.T.—Methodology for the Analysis of Computerised Text Data) was used to create a questionnaire, Health and Employment after Gastro-Intestinal Surgery—Dialogical Questionnaire, HEAGIS-DQ, that assesses four competences. It was administered to 48 participants. Results were used as guidance for specific intervention, structured on patients’ competence profiles. The intervention lasted nine months after surgery and was structured in weekly to monthly therapeutic sessions. Quality of Life questionnaires were administered too. At the end of the intervention, 94% of patients maintained their job and only 10% of patients asked for financial support. The mean self-perception of health-related quality of life was 71.2. The distribution of three of four competences increased after nine months (p < 0.05). Despite economic difficulties due to lasting symptoms after surgery, and to the current pandemic scenario, a structured intervention with patients let them to resume their jobs and continue activities after surgery.

Social sustainability tools and indicators for the food supply chain: A systematic literature review

Sustainable production and consumption of food systems cannot be achieved without considering the entirety of the supply chain and the actors involved at each stage along the way. This requires more in-depth analyses of social dimensions often neglected in favor of the environmental and economic ones. Yet, inattention to the social dimension of sustainability in food supply chains has yielded a lack of agreement regarding what to consider and how to measure it. This review identifies the current state of art of how social sustainability aspects are measured through various tools and indicators, following the “Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses” (PRISMA) protocol. The selection criteria resulted in 101 papers and gray literature documents published from 2000 to 2021. Thirty-four social sustainability tools are analyzed based on five food supply chain stages, namely production, processing, wholesale, retail, and consumer and four stakeholders as adapted from the most recent Social Life Cycle Assessment guidelines, namely farmers, workers, consumers, and society. Production and processing-related assessment tools are mostly publicly funded, while wholesale, retail, and consumer tools are often privately funded. Moreover, the availability of assessment tools decreases along the supply chain. Production has the highest number of tools (17) and quantitative indicators, targeting mostly farmers through job conditions and quality of life indicators. Processing stage tools (5) target mostly workers, through quantitative indicators related to fair job conditions. The wholesaler stage tools (4) and indicators are the least connected, while the retail stage (2) is the most inclusive in terms of qualitative social sustainability indicators. The consumer stage tools (2) also has a low number of social indicators and interactions, despite being the stage that influences the supply chain the most. It is clear that food supply chain stakeholders can benefit from the implementation of social sustainability aspects, although these benefits become inconsistent if not respected in each stage. A need for an unceasing thread of respected social sustainability should permeate the whole supply chain, as environmental certification currently does, becoming the priority for policy makers in the sector to focus their attention on the emerged hotspots for intervention from this research.

Workforce Characteristics, Workplace and Job Satisfaction, Stress, Burnout, and Happiness of Music Therapists in the United States

This survey research examined the work lives of music therapists in the United States. With the inclusion of data on salary, workplace and job satisfaction, stress, burnout, and happiness, a comprehensive picture of the working lives of music therapists emerges. On the whole, music therapists appear to be generally happy with their workplace and job conditions and to experience moderate stress and low burnout. Data regarding salaries reveal a complex economic landscape. Although the average full-time salary of a music therapist was $51,099.69, salaries varied widely, with newly credentialed music therapists and those with less than six years of experience reporting lower average salaries. Variations in salaries, stress, burnout, and happiness were also evident across workplaces. Implications for the profession, including advocacy efforts, support for early-career professionals, and additional support for career development, invite further discussion.

Success of organisations developing digital social innovation: Analysis of motivational key drivers

Digital social innovation (DSI) has generated an organisational network responsible for stimulating interventions in the socio-economic arena. Innovators seek to carry out social action in a sustainable manner. Sustainability implies that public policies should be result-oriented, that innovative social goods and services should be included in market activity and that funding should be largely private. Those professionals who promote these types of projects and initiatives are crucial to their organisations’ pursuit of social change. A survey with a sample of 56 cases was used to determine which combinations of job conditions lead to high organisational commitment and which lead to lack of commitment. Two fuzzy qualitative comparative analyses (fsQCA) indicate which extrinsic and intrinsic working conditions are necessary and which sufficient conditions to explain organisational commitment are.

The relationship between women\u2019s individual empowerment and the support to female genital cutting continuation: a study on 7 African countries

Female genital mutilation/cutting (FGM/C) is still present in many African countries, as well as a few others. The United Nations has targeted women’s empowerment in terms of both women’s health and gender equality as one of its Sustainable Development Goals. In this paper, we aimed to study the possible link between women’s empowerment and support for the continuation of FGM/C. We used DHS data from seven African countries and considered both the empowerment and FGM/C modules. We selected empowerment variables based on Kabeer’s conceptual framework and used multilevel logistic models to evaluate the putative role of empowerment in support for discontinuing the practice. The multilevel models highlighted the protective effect of education. Other variables, including justification of intimate partner violence (IPV) and having experienced FGM/C, were associated with FGM/C support. The relationship between decision-making and FGM/C support appears complex, while the unmet need for contraception and job conditions do not seem to play a role. Our findings confirm that some aspects of women’s empowerment (education and rejection of IPV) may enhance the discontinuation of FGM/C. However, the relationship between empowerment and support for continuation of FGM/C is complex and should not be treated as self-evident. Thus, using DHS data, we empirically support the UN’s proposal for discontinuing FGM/C through sustaining women’s empowerment.

The dynamic nature of interpersonal conflict and psychological strain in extreme work settings.

Humanity will mount interplanetary exploration missions within the next two decades, supported by a growing workforce operating in isolated, confined, and extreme (ICE) conditions of space. How will future space workers fare in a closed social world while subjected to persistent stressors? Using a sample of 32 participants operating in ICE conditions over the course of 30-45 days, we developed and tested a dynamic model of conflict and strain. Drawing on conservation of resources (COR) theory, we investigated reciprocal relationships between different forms (i.e., task and relationship) of conflict, and between conflict and strain. Results demonstrated evidence for a resource threat feedback loop as current-day task conflict predicted next-day relationship conflict and current-day relationship conflict predicted next-day task conflict. Additionally, results indicated support for a resource loss feedback loop as current-day relationship conflict predicted next-day strain, and current-day strain predicted next-day relationship conflict. Moreover, we found that job conditions affected these associations as current-day relationship conflict was more associated with next-day task conflict when next-day workload was high, but not when next-day workload was low. Similarly, current-day relationship conflict was more associated with next-day strain when next-day workload was high; however, this association decreased when next-day workload was low. Therefore, the results suggest that workload plays a critical role in weakening the effect of these spirals over time, and suggests that targeted interventions (e.g., recovery days) can help buffer against the negative impact of relationship conflict on strain and decrease the extent that relationship conflict spills over into task disputes. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved).

Antecedents and consequences of telecommuting on public organizations in Iran: the case of west Azerbaijan province

PurposeTelecommuting can reduce traffic congestion, energy consumption, prevalence and a death toll of COVID-19 among employees due to less transportation and fewer physical contacts among employees, on the one hand, and efficiently develop their use of information and communications technology, on the other hand. In this regard, the present study aims to explore antecedents and consequences of telecommuting in public organizations.Design/methodology/approachThe study used a descriptive survey method to collect data. The statistical population includes all employees of government organizations in West Azerbaijan province in 2020, which according to the collected information, their number is equal to 63,079 employees. Based on Cochran's formula, a sample size of 686 people was obtained; stratified random sampling was used to select sampling. The process of calculating the sample volume was such that after referring to the preliminary sample and processing the collected data, the variance of the given answers was approximately 0.446. After obtaining the variance of the data, assuming a maximum acceptable error of 5% and a significance level of 0.05, the Cochran's formula calculated the sample size to be 686 people. In order to collect and measure data for the study, a standard questionnaire and the collected data were analyzed using structural equation modeling.FindingsFindings indicate that there is no meaningful relationship between the employees' physical job conditions or the quality of their life with telecommuting and that telecommuting does not have a significant effect on their life. However, job burnout, training and telecommuting experience have a significant positive effect on telecommuting, which in turn has a positive and significant effect on job security, job flexibility, organizational performance and overall productivity of employees.Research limitations/implicationsThis research is a cross-sectional study, and its data have been collected in a certain period of time, while longitudinal research can provide a richer result. Future research can benefit from the impact of employee isolation and telecommuter organizational commitment.Originality/valueThis study hopes to contribute to the increase of the scientific knowledge in the telecommuting field and to allow organizations to rethink the telecommuting strategies to optimize resources and costs and to improve the organization's productivity without harming the quality of life and well-being of their workers.

Expectations, Wage Hikes and Worker Voice

Abstract Enabling worker voice could improve worker retention and effort by providing workers the chance to improve their situation or an outlet to express discontent. We provide a test of this hypothesis via a randomised controlled trial in Indian garment factories. Just after what proved to be a disappointing wage hike, workers were chosen at random to participate in an anonymous survey in which they were asked for feedback on job conditions, supervisor performance and overall job satisfaction. Enabling voice in this manner reduced turnover and absenteeism after the hike, particularly for the most disappointed workers.

Prevalence of lower urinary tract symptoms and association with shift working in hospital staff

AbstractWhat is the prevalence of lower urinary tract symptom (LUTS) among public hospitals staff and association with shift working? The aim of the current study was to evaluate the prevalence and bothersomeness of LUTS and the impact of shift working on its symptoms among the staff of public hospitals. Job condition is one of the main risk factors for LUTS, and almost about three‐quarters of nurses/nursing assistants do not have time to use the toilet during the shift work. Non‐standard shiftwork intensely is associated with various urological complications. Our study reveals new insights on the prevalence of LUTS with more frequency in women shift workers when compared with men. We conducted a descriptive cross‐sectional survey from October 2019 to January 2020. The data were collected from three public hospitals. A total of 228 individuals, 148 females (64.9%), and 80 males (35.1%) were enrolled in the study. After considering the inclusion criteria, for women, the validated version of the International Consultation on Incontinence Modular Questionnaire for Female Lower Urinary Tract Symptoms (ICIQ‐FLUTS) and for men, the validated version of the International Consultation on Incontinence Questionnaire for Male Lower Urinary Tract Symptoms Module (ICIQ‐MLUTS) were used. LUTS was more prevalent in women (61.1% vs. 44.2%, p = 0.016). In both men and women, the most bothersome symptom was urgency and the most prevalent symptom was nocturia (58.9%, and 43.9%, respectively). A significant relationship was observed between LUTS and shift working in female staff (p = 0.037). Nocturia was found to be the most prevalent symptom in both genders. The highest bothersome issue in men was related to urgency, and in women in addition to urgency, nocturia was another common symptom. However, the bother scores of most symptoms relatively were low. Although the percentage of women with shift working was low the prevalence of LUTS was high in this gender.

Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder among children related to maternal job stress during pregnancy in Taiwan: a prospective cohort study.

Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is the most common neurobehavioral disorders. Although studies have suggested relationships between ADHD in children and maternal psychosocial stress during pregnancy, little is known about the effects of work-related mental stress. Considering the increasing number of pregnant women who continue to work during the gestation period, this study investigated whether work-related stress during pregnancy is related to offspring ADHD. The Taiwan Birth Cohort Study followed selected representative mother-infant pairs in a face-to-face interview since a child was 6 months old. A total of 10,556 working pregnant women who completed follow-up 8years later were included. Whether the 8-year-old child had ever received a diagnosis of ADHD were inquired. Self-reported job stress during pregnant period was obtained 6months after delivery. Factors including perinatal and socioeconomic factors as well as the mother's job conditions were further analyzed with logistic regression. Among those who continued working during pregnancy, 3850 (36.5%) mothers reported having job stress during pregnancy, and 210 (2.0%) of the children were diagnosed as having ADHD before 8years of age. Compared with mothers who reported no job stress, the adjusted odds ratio of child ADHD was 1.91 (95% CI 1.21-3.07) for mothers with "very stressful" jobs during pregnancy and 1.53 (95% CI 1.04-2.25) for mothers with "rather stressful" jobs. Among pregnant female workers, higher levels of job stress were related to the higher occurrence of ADHD in their children.

Psychosocial job conditions and biomarkers of cardiovascular disease: A cross-sectional study in the Swedish CArdioPulmonary bioImage Study (SCAPIS).

The aim of this study was to investigate associations between psychosocial work exposure and the presence of biological and imaging biomarkers of cardiovascular disease. This cross-sectional study was conducted in a sub-cohort of the Swedish CArdioPulmonary bioImage Study (SCAPIS). Psychosocial exposure was evaluated with the job demand-control model, and analysed according to the standard categorization: high strain, active, passive and low strain (reference). Biomarkers (blood pressure, high-density lipoprotein (HDL) and low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol, coronary artery calcification (CAC) and metabolic syndrome) were measured, or derived through measurements, from clinical examinations. Gender-specific prevalence ratios (PRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated with regression models and adjusted for age, education, smoking, physical activity, general life stress and body mass index (BMI). The analyses included 3882 participants (52.5% women). High strain (high demands-low control) was linked to increased PR for low HDL cholesterol in women, adjusted for all covariates (PR 1.76; 95% CI 1.25-2.48). High strain was also related to moderately increased PR for metabolic syndrome in men, after adjustments for all covariates except BMI (PR 1.25; 95% CI 1.02-1.52). In addition, passive work (low demands-low control) was associated with diastolic hypertension in women (fully adjusted: PR 1.29; 95% CI 1.05-1.59). All relationships between psychosocial factors and LDL cholesterol or CAC (both genders), or hypertension (men), were non-significant. Poor psychosocial job conditions was associated with the presence of low HDL cholesterol and diastolic hypertension in women, and metabolic syndrome in men. These findings contribute to the knowledge of potential pathways between stressful work and coronary heart disease.

Who wants to work and why? workplace practices, job satisfaction and the will to work

&lt;abstract&gt; &lt;p&gt;Beyond the obvious positive effect on employees, job satisfaction is also critical for organizations. Job satisfaction affects workers' turnover intents, while also predicting employees' commitment to their workplace and their performances. Thus, not surprisingly, most organizations strive for employee satisfaction. The goal of the study is to examine which job characteristics and workplace practices affect the job satisfaction of employees, and particularly that of older ones (55+), and, in turn, enhance their will to work and may encourage them to work longer. Our analysis of the Social Survey for 2016 from the Israel Central Bureau of Statistics focused on job conditions and revealed that income satisfaction, additional benefits, a sense of belonging and work-life balance enhance job satisfaction and the desire to work longer, particularly among older workers. Among younger workers, a higher significance was found for professional training and skills. Implications for organizations and policymakers are discussed.&lt;/p&gt; &lt;/abstract&gt;

COVID-19 and Working from Home: Determinants and Consequences of Work-Family and Family-Work Conflicts

The COVID-19 pandemic forced millions of employees worldwide to perform their full-time job tasks remotely from home. As creative performance is considered a desirable work outcome expected by organizations, the present study investigated whether the work-family and family-work conflicts mediate the relationship between job conditions experienced by employees while working from home and their creative performance. The study, carried out in Sri Lanka, featured a sample of employees in white-collar or professional positions who carried on with their full-time jobs during the COVID-19 pandemic working from home. It was found that job conditions (work characteristics, work environment and technical support) significantly negatively related to both work-family conflict and family-work conflict. In addition, the results supported the mediation hypothesis.