Failure of neutralization: How digital job demands shape cyberslacking and job performance in telework.

Purpose Grounded in the event system theory and the stressor-detachment model, this study aims to investigate how crisis strength differentially influences employee fatigue via a detrimental emotional process, namely, affective rumination, and job performance via a constructive cognitive process, namely, problem-solving pondering, with family support serving as a moderator. Design/methodology/approach The authors examined the hypotheses across two studies (Study 1: an experiment and Study 2: a multi-wave field study). Findings Study 1 demonstrated that crisis strength could promote problem-solving pondering and affective rumination, and that family support moderated the relationship between crisis strength and affective rumination. Study 2 replicated these relationships and examined their distal outcomes. Specifically, crisis strength increased employee fatigue through affective rumination and enhanced job performance through problem-solving pondering. Family support further moderated the indirect relationship between crisis strength and employee fatigue through affective rumination. Practical implications Hospitality organizations should not treat crises solely as threats but also as potential catalysts for employee growth and resilience. Originality/value While crisis strength has been linked to negative outcomes for hospitality employees, this study extends the literature by examining its double-edged effects.

Occupational injuries among firefighters significantly impact their job performance. To reduce these injuries and enhance their professional capabilities, this study investigates and comprehensively evaluates the factors contributing to occupational injuries among frontline firefighters in China. It analyzes the underlying mechanisms of these injuries and proposes preventive strategies. This study employed questionnaire surveys and factor analysis methods to conduct a comprehensive investigation and comprehensive assessment of occupational injuries and their influencing factors among 200 firefighters in China. The research subjects were randomly selected from the grassroots firefighters in cities of FuJian Province. Among them, 179 firefighters successfully completed the questionnaire survey. Through exploratory factor analysis, the key factors influencing firefighters' injuries were identified. The injury rate among the participating firefighters in 2023 was 40.78%. The highest injury rate was observed during daily training (58.52%). Notably, the injury rate tends to decrease with increasing age. The most common types of injuries were sprains and strains (57.10%), with the knee joint exhibiting the highest incidence of injury among all body parts (47.00%). The primary factors influencing occupational injuries among firefighters include training factors, support factors, educational factors, and mental health factors, which collectively account for a variance contribution rate of 79.56%. Training, support, educational, and mental health factors are the 4 primary influences on firefighters' occupational injuries. The administrative department should strengthen the study and practice of physical fitness theory for firefighters, prioritize the prevention of occupational training injuries, enhance the scientific rigor of training programs, and promote the occupational health of firefighters. Med Pr Work Health Saf. 2026;77(1):1-10.

This study investigates the impact of workplace ostracism on job performance, with a focus on the moderating role of emotional intelligence. Using a quantitative research design, the study collected data through purposive sampling from a sample of 170 university employees (102 females, 68 males), Participants complete questionnaires measuring workplace ostracism, job performance, and emotional intelligence using Workplace Ostracism scale, Job Performance scale, and the Wong and Law Emotional Intelligence scale. In SPSS data were analyzed using Pearson Correlation, one-way ANOVA, independent sample t-test, regression and the PROCESS macro. Findings indicate a significant negative correlation between workplace ostracism and job performance. Additionally, a negative correlation exists between workplace ostracism and emotional intelligence, whereas emotional intelligence and job performance showed a significant positive correlation. Results further indicated that less experienced employees experienced higher workplace ostracism than more experienced ones, and age and qualification levels also varied. However, emotional intelligence does not moderate the relationship between workplace ostracism and job performance suggesting that emotional intelligence alone may not be sufficient to mitigate its effects. The study emphasizes fostering inclusive workplaces and enhancing emotional intelligence training to improve job performance.

To identify effective interventions designed to improve work ability and reduce early exit from the labor market of midlife and older workers. Searches were conducted in PubMed, Cochrane Library, Scopus, Web of Science, and PsycInfo up to February 17, 2025, focusing on studies aimed at improving work ability and associated conditions (work productivity, work engagement, job performance, and work capacity) and reducing early exit from the labor market among participants aged ⩾40 years. Two reviewers evaluated the quality of studies. The effectiveness of interventions was evaluated using meta-analysis and, when not feasible, qualitative synthesis. Of 17,505 publications, 41 studies were included, comprising 14 randomized controlled trials (RCTs, n = 4123) and 27 non-randomized studies (n = 4,616,452). Meta-analysis of RCTs showed that aerobic or strengthening exercises modestly improved work ability (pooled standardized mean difference 0.26, 95% CI 0.08-0.44). Qualitative synthesis indicated cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) reduced productivity loss in workers with chronic health conditions. A meta-analysis of non-randomized studies showed policy reforms raising the eligible retirement age increased employment by 12 percentage points (pps) (95% CI 7-17) and decreased retirement by 29 pps (95% CI 8-50), but increased disability benefits by 6 pps (95% CI 1-11), unemployment by 7 pps (95% CI 2-12), and economic inactivity by 6 pps (95% CI 5-8). Policy reforms tightening unemployment benefit requirements increased employment and reduced unemployment, but increased disability benefits. Exercise improved work ability and CBT reduced productivity loss. Regulatory actions on retirement age and unemployment benefits were associated with higher work participation.

Purpose This study investigates how gamification strategies in hospitality organizations influence employee engagement, workplace fun, involvement and job performance. By adopting a dual-theoretical lens – self-determination theory (SDT) and the job demands-resources (JD-R) model – the study aims to explain the motivational and organizational mechanisms underlying gamification's impact. Design/methodology/approach A concurrent mixed-method design was employed, integrating qualitative interviews with hospitality professionals and quantitative survey data from frontline employees. Thematic analysis was used to extract qualitative insights, while quantitative data were examined using descriptive and inferential statistics. Findings Gamification was found to enhance employee engagement and performance by addressing psychological needs (SDT) and acting as a workplace resource (JD-R). Workplace fun and involvement emerged as critical mediators, linking gamified activities to increased intrinsic motivation and organizational commitment. Practical implications The results provide hospitality managers with actionable strategies to design gamification frameworks that are perceived as fair, development-oriented, and socially enriching, ultimately leading to sustained employee engagement and performance. Originality/value This study contributes to the hospitality literature by offering an integrative theoretical explanation for gamification's effects, bridging individual psychological needs with structural workplace dynamics through a mixed-method lens.

The main aim of this work was to assess the influence of alcoholism on the workplace in Kerala, India. The study assessed the workplace consequences of alcohol addiction by comparing alcoholic workers with non-alcoholic workers across several indicators, including work incapacity, punctuality, wage loss due to misconduct, borrowing from colleagues, absenteeism, income loss resulting from absence, and job loss. A cross-sectional study was conducted where 210 alcoholic respondents were selected from various Alcoholics Anonymous groups through multi-stage sampling technique. The same number of non-alcoholic respondents with the same socio-economic background were also selected as control group. Statistical analysis was performed using binomial logistic regression and the Mann–Whitney U test. In this study, we observed a direct relation of alcohol addiction with the inability to work [Odds Ratio (OR) = 40.24], with not being punctual in work (OR = 7.7), and with payment loss due to misbehaviour (OR = 4.25). Similarly, the paper also revealed a direct association of alcohol addiction with monthly absence from work (U=36245.00) and with job loss (U =29706.50). Thus, alcoholism has led to a negative impact on the workplace compared to the families of non-alcoholics.

ABSTRACT This study investigates gender differences in analysts’ work effort by exploiting the exogenous shock of China’s universal two-child policy. Using 151,389 analyst reports from 2010 to 2021, we find robust evidence that the increased childcare responsibilities induced by the policy lead to a greater reduction in work effort among female analysts relative to their male counterparts. These effects are more pronounced for analysts with lower education and less experience, and for those covering non – state-owned, financially constrained, or less digitally advanced firms. Further analysis shows that, following the policy’s implementation, female analysts display lower forecast accuracy and are less likely to be recognized as star analysts. These findings underscore gender differences in workplace performance and enhance understanding of how family obligations shape career development.

The digital transformation of university education has shown the importance of digitalization in influencing the world system by finding relevance at the pinnacle of education. The equitable access to digital infrastructure by stakeholders within the university system, therefore, becomes a thing of concern for the certainty of quality education. This study explores the accessibility to digital infrastructure resources by one of the stakeholders in the University of Education, the academics, and their job performance. The study hinges on three indices basically: digital infrastructure accessibility, financial investment in digital infrastructure, and job performance of academics. By using stratified random sampling techniques, questionnaires were administered and responses analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics such as linear regression. The finding exposes the disparities in digital access of the academics and recommendations that would assist the institution to better harness institutional digitalization, such as the need to have policy reforms to ensure sustainable digital infrastructure in the university system, were suggested.

To examine the impact of socioenvironmental factors on the severity of menopausal symptoms among perimenopausal Japanese women from a life-course perspective. This cross-sectional study was conducted using an internet panel survey in August 2023 among 1,980 Japanese women aged 45-56 years. Women hospitalized for depression or gynecologic disorders at the time of the study were excluded. Data on sociodemographic and lifestyle factors and employment details were collected using Japanese-validated versions, including the World Health Organization Health and Work Performance Questionnaire and Kupperman Menopause Index. Multivariate logistic regression was used to identify factors associated with moderate or severe menopausal symptoms. Over half of the participants reported mild (26.8%), moderate (16.1%), or severe menopausal symptoms (7.8%). The median absolute presenteeism, where lower scores reflect greater performance impairment and consequently poorer job performance, was 60% in severe cases, 70% in moderate cases, and 80% in mild cases. After adjusting for age and body mass index, caregiving for an elderly family member, and those experiencing absolute presenteeism were associated with increased odds of moderate or severe symptoms. Conversely, women who received social support from their surrounding community were less likely to experience severe symptoms. Socioenvironmental factors significantly impact the severity of menopausal symptoms. Supportive workplace policies and community may help mitigate these symptoms.

We develop and test a model of how older workers’ perceived age discrimination obstructs their job performance, focusing on employee job level (managerial versus line employee) as a critical contingency. Drawing upon resource theories, we propose that the effects of age discrimination on performance are more detrimental for older workers at lower levels (frontline) than at higher levels (managerial). We tested our model using three-wave data—controlling for lagged variables at every stage—and found evidence for a moderating role of job level. Older workers in lower job levels (frontline) experienced more negative consequences from perceived age discrimination compared to those in higher job levels (managerial), resulting in lower work engagement and ultimately in lower subsequent task performance relative to baseline. However, we did not observe conclusive effects extending to proactive performance. Our model and results show that the impact of perceived age discrimination is mitigated at higher managerial job levels, highlighting the need to protect frontline older workers who are impacted more strongly by age discrimination.

Introduction Changes in job characteristics and conditions intensify uncertainty, necessitating investigating the extent to which employees experience career anxiety, which could adversely influence employee wellbeing and organizational outcomes. Career anxiety is distinct from job insecurity which consists out of objective and subjective job insecurity. Objective job insecurity is related to employment relations (viz. employment contract), while subjective job insecurity emphasizes anticipation relating to desired employment conditions. Career anxiety is an emotional state in response to attaining decent work and hindrances to job performance. Methods A quantitative research design was utilized by means of collecting primary data from 345 participants ( n = 345) using a questionnaire. Statistical analyses included regression analysis, as well as ascertaining the mediation role of job crafting and the moderating role of burnout. Results Career anxiety reverted significant associations with burnout and work engagement. Burnout was found to be significantly negatively associated with work engagement. Job crafting was found to be a significant mediator that partially mediates the association between career anxiety and burnout. Burnout was found to be statistically a moderator that moderates the association between career anxiety and work engagement. Discussion Results underscore that job crafting mediated the association between career anxiety and burnout, which, in turn, reduces burnout. Higher levels of burnout would exacerbate career anxiety, decreasing the experience of work engagement. Future studies should be conducted to validate the results. This study contributes to the corpus of knowledge regarding career anxiety, with a lacuna of research identified internationally indicative of the originality of the research.

BackgroundFor any organization, it is crucial to understand that its internal CSR practices should be perceived positively and enhance satisfaction and happiness, ultimately leading to its employees' long-term intention to stay and improved job performance.ObjectiveDrawing on social exchange theory and social identity theory, the study examines the role of internal CSR in promoting employee happiness, intention to stay, and job performance through top management support.MethodsThe data were collected using a self-administered survey and convenience sampling. Initially, 450 questionnaires were distributed among hotel staff at various levels; however, only 293 questionnaires were used for further analysis. Notably, 70.30% of the respondents were male and 29.70% female, with the majority being young adults aged 20-30 (53.24%) and 30-40 (25.94%). PLS-SEM using Smart PLS (4.0) was used to test the proposed hypotheses.ResultsTop management support moderates the relationship between internal CSR and happiness at work. The findings also show that happiness at work mediates the relationship between internal CSR and employee intention to stay. Intention to stay mediates the relationship between happiness at work and employee job performance. Finally, the study results indicate that happiness at work and intention to stay sequentially mediate the relationship between internal CSR and employee job performance.ConclusionsInternal CSR practices such as work-life balance initiatives, fair treatment, employee development, and inclusive policies are essential for promoting well-being. Organizations that focus on these practices are better able to improve employee satisfaction, happiness, their long-term stay, and job performance.

Digital twin technology, a virtual model that replicates real-world machines, has become a key component of modern manufacturing, enabling companies to predict problems before they occur and enhance operational efficiency. Yet, most of these systems are built around equipment, overlooking the human operators who play a crucial role in the production process. To address this gap, we propose the Psychosocial Digital Twin (PDT), a framework designed to create a real-time virtual model of a worker’s cognitive state. Unlike traditional monitoring tools, the PDT combines multiple data sources to track and predict stress and workload as they unfold. To test this idea, we created a virtual factory environment using VR and conducted an experiment with 70 experienced factory workers. Participants were split into two groups: one used the new PDT system, while the other relied on conventional monitoring methods. The PDT combined information from several streams, including machine performance data (such as speed and error rates), environmental conditions (like noise and lighting), and non-invasive physiological measures (such as heart rate variability, electrodermal activity, and eyetracking). All of this was processed by an AI model that produced a Cognitive Load Index (CLI), a score showing the worker’s real-time mental stress levels. Supervisors in the PDT group could then run “what-if” simulations to test how proposed changes might affect workers before applying them on the floor. Results demonstrate that the PDT enhanced both worker experience and operational stability. The system predicted stress events with 87.4% accuracy, reduced reported stressful episodes by 42%, and cut task-related errors by 28% compared with the control group. Supervisors also proactively altered or canceled 65% of stress-intensive tasks based on simulations. Overall, the PDT represents a shift from reactive human factors analysis toward proactive, simulation-driven design. This study contributes to understanding human behavior in cyber-physical environments by modeling how cognitive load dynamically influences performance and decision-making in AI-augmented workplaces. By making workers’ wellbeing visible, measurable, and optimizable, this framework provides a scalable method for balancing productivity and safety, thereby enhancing performance in Industry 4.0 environments.

BackgroundProviding tailored information is an essential part of health care. However, physicians often lack time for detailed education during the consultation. An additional, tailored digital health information service (DHIS) could help physicians meet their patients’ information needs regardless of time and place and extend physician-patient communication to the digital realm.ObjectiveThis study aimed to examine physicians’ intentions to provide a DHIS to their patients and identify facilitating factors and barriers, guided by the extended unified theory of acceptance and use of technology.MethodsA cross-sectional online survey with German physicians from various specialties was conducted in March 2022. The sample (N=364) ranged in age from 33 to 75 years (mean 53.92, SD 8.12), and the majority were male participants (31.9% [n=116] female participants). A blockwise multiple linear regression analysis was conducted to identify facilitating factors and barriers of physicians’ intentions to provide a DHIS.ResultsOverall, 54.1% (n=197) of the surveyed physicians were (rather) willing to provide a tailored DHIS, 23.9% (n=87) were undecided, and 22% (n=80) were (rather) not willing to provide such a service to their patients. The overall model of a blockwise multiple linear regression analysis explained 56.8% of the variance of physicians’ intentions. Perceived usefulness for job performance and patient outcomes as well as personal innovativeness was positively associated with physicians’ intentions to provide a DHIS to their patients. Ease of use, social influence, facilitating conditions, price value, and habit were not associated with their intentions.ConclusionsThe perspective of the majority of surveyed physicians suggests that a tailored DHIS seems to be a promising way to provide additional health information and thus enhance face-to-face physician-patient communication. Efforts supporting the implementation of DHIS should address job performance and patient outcomes in particular. Further, physicians with a more positive attitude could serve as multipliers to increase the adoption of DHIS.

ABSTRACT The rapid digitalisation of higher education has intensified academic work demands, particularly in resource-constrained contexts of the Global South, raising critical questions about how faculty sustain teaching effectiveness under growing occupational pressures. Drawing on the conservation of resources (COR) theory and stress appraisal theory, this study investigates how stressors (job insecurity and work-family conflict) shape faculty perceived online teaching effectiveness, with faculty identity disruption as a mediator and leadership support as a moderator across gender and institution types (private and public universities). Using survey data from 426 full-time faculty members engaged in online teaching in Bangladeshi universities, we tested our hypotheses. Results reveal that work-family conflict significantly reduces teaching effectiveness, particularly for female faculty. Contrary to core COR assumptions, job insecurity showed a positive association with teaching effectiveness among public university faculty. Leadership support was insufficient to fully buffer the negative impact of job insecurity on faculty identity disruption. By integrating stress, identity, and institutional context, this study advances research on digital academic work and faculty well-being in higher education, offering new insights into how academics in Global South contexts sustain teaching effectiveness while navigating competing demands in rapidly transforming university environments.

Organizations increasingly face sudden disruptions, such as the COVID-19 pandemic, which can create profound uncertainty for employees. Drawing on conservation of resources (COR) theory, this study examines how job performance evaluation prior to a disruption is associated with employees’ work outcomes during the disruption. We argue that these recognition signals, as contextual resources, help employees maintain psychological resources under uncertainty, in the form of career satisfaction. We also propose supervisor support during the disruption as a moderator of this relationship, as it renders performance evaluation a socially conferred contextual resource and reinforces its impact. Furthermore, we find that career satisfaction during disruption is positively associated with employees’ perceptions of COVID-19’s impact on the future success of the company, a perceived condition resource, which in turn relates to organizational commitment and lower turnover intentions. Our findings highlight how configurations of resources, such as performance evaluation and supervisor support, are linked to employee responses during periods of high uncertainty. We discuss implications for COR theory, highlight connections to resilience, career shocks, and signaling processes, and provide practical strategies for managing employee attitudes in disruptive contexts.

Education Stakeholders’ Experience in the Use of Public Employee’s Performance Management Information System (PEPMIS) in Monitoring Teachers' Job Performance in Public Secondary Schools in Dar-es salaam, Tanzania

Corrigendum: Leadership influence and newcomer socialization: a dual-process model of servant leadership, directive leadership and newcomer job performance

The research examined health sector employees’ job turnover and performance of Federal University Teaching Hospital, Owerri, Imo State, Nigeria. The study was anchored on human relations theory and expectancy theory was used as a supporting theory. The study used survey research design and data were collected through structured questionnaire. The population of the study covered the entire 755 senior and management staff of Federal University Teaching Hospital Owerri, Imo State from where 262 respondents were sampled. The data collected were analyzed using simple percentage, and the hypotheses were tested using chi-square. On the basis of the above, it was discovered that Job turnover affect organizational effectiveness in Federal University Teaching Hospital Owerri, Imo State, and there is significant negative impact of job turnover on quality service in Federal University Teaching Hospital Owerri, Imo State. This study concludes that employee job turnover can be reduced through human relation strategy which will add values to employee effectiveness. The researcher recommends that there is need to develop positive organizational policies which will help to reduce employee job turnover and achieve organizational effectiveness. Also, employees should not be given too much work schedule; hence the need for workers to enhance quality service for the achievement of organizational objectives. In all, there is need for employees’ accomplishment of task, and commitment so as to achieve patients’ patronage and productivity of the hospital.