Labor Workforce Research Articles

What do the CEOs expect from us? (If they expect something)

The Millennial generation is usually delimited to western people born between 1980 and 1999 (figures may vary depending on the study). Millennial generation is entering the work labor force worldwide and this has made them extensively studied. This generation has common characteristics between its members worldwide, and those may create a "generation gap" between them and previous generations in many aspects. In the nuclear industry, this gap may be slightly dangerous given that the mayor NPPs projects, and consequently job-hiring, occurred in the late 70’s and early 80’s and at the writing date of this paper, a transition is happening whereas experienced nuclear industry workers are retiring and being replaced with Millennials. Said so, strong and valid conclusions about the hazards of the generation gap are still under discussion, as well as the possibility that the differences between generations are indeed exaggerated. It is however clear that, even if generation differences are not so remarkable, work conflicts with Millennials will arise if there are misguided expectations about them.In this work, an attempt to clarify these discussions will be made. In addition, a summary of interviews and conversations with CEOs of the nuclear industry will be presented, in order to observe if their expectations on Millennials are aligned with their common aptitudes or not. Moreover a survey concerning different problem management situations will be showed. In this survey several work-problems on different topics (work-life balance, success, working hours vs. objectives...etc.) are presented; Millennials are expected to answer truly, and CEOs were told to answer what they consider an ideal young employee should do. Conclusions on the study will try to fill the gap of the generation gap with information about the topics on which differences are insignificant, and those in which agreement should be found between parts.

Working Beyond the Traditional Retirement Ages: How does Chronic Health Condition Influence Older Workers in Vietnam

This paper, using the nationally representative data for older people in Vietnam, namely Vietnam Aging Survey (VNAS) in 2011, was aimed at exploring the current working status of older men and women who were at the ages beyond their respective normal retirement age (i.e., 60 for men and 55 for women) and then estimating how their chronic health conditions influenced on their decision to work. We found that there were significant differences in working rates between various groups of older men and women in terms of age group, living area, marital status, and educational level. The results from logistic models indicated that older persons with at least one chronic health condition had a significant lower probability of participating in the labour workforce than those without chronic health condition. In addition to health conditions, other factors (such as age, living area, and educational level) also implied that more vulnerable and poor older people had higher probabilities (i.e., more advanced ages, living in rural areas, and low educational levels) to work than did their counterparts. These groups of older people must work due to limited access to income security schemes, and thus there would be a great demand for policies supporting these groups of older people.

Global Health Workforce Labor Market Projections for 2030

BackgroundIn low- and middle-income countries, scaling essential health interventions to achieve health development targets is constrained by the lack of skilled health professionals to deliver services.MethodsWe take a labor market approach to project future health workforce demand based on an economic model based on projected economic growth, demographics, and health coverage, and using health workforce data (1990–2013) for 165 countries from the WHO Global Health Observatory. The demand projections are compared with the projected growth in health worker supply and the health worker “needs” as estimated by WHO to achieve essential health coverage.ResultsThe model predicts that, by 2030, global demand for health workers will rise to 80 million workers, double the current (2013) stock of health workers, while the supply of health workers is expected to reach 65 million over the same period, resulting in a worldwide net shortage of 15 million health workers. Growth in the demand for health workers will be highest among upper middle-income countries, driven by economic and population growth and aging. This results in the largest predicted shortages which may fuel global competition for skilled health workers. Middle-income countries will face workforce shortages because their demand will exceed supply. By contrast, low-income countries will face low growth in both demand and supply, which are estimated to be far below what will be needed to achieve adequate coverage of essential health services.ConclusionsIn many low-income countries, demand may stay below projected supply, leading to the paradoxical phenomenon of unemployed (“surplus”) health workers in those countries facing acute “needs-based” shortages. Opportunities exist to bend the trajectory of the number and types of health workers that are available to meet public health goals and the growing demand for health workers.

An Empirical Analysis on Hostile vs. Friendly Acquisition and Effects on Employment

This paper provides empirical evidence on the impact of friendly and hostile acquisitions on the firm employment and labour workforce in the United Kingdom using a specific collected database for the period of 1988-2011 and UK quoted companies. The understanding of this paper is to provide results in terms of recognizing whether hostile acquisitions are harmful to employment and decrease the demand for labour. The results exhibits otherwise, as it does not find any evidence to support the theory that hostile companies are more detrimental to the employment in comparison to friendly acquisitions. However, the paper does find descriptive statistics to what changes during and after the merger events, more specifically, in the labour productivity, real output, employment and wage rate variables. The aforementioned variables do suffer in both types of mergers and acquisitions except for wage rate. Conclusively, hostile and friendly acquisitions do not display any significant relationship with the changes in labour demand and employment, thereby, going against the popular belief that hostile takeovers reduce employment and job loss.

A Literature Review on Women in Management in Asian Countries: Does Gender Matter?

The discrimination of women in the workplace is a real problem. Despite national and international organizations having made huge strides against it and implementation of United Nations Women's Treaty, apparently, nothing much has changed in the direction of eliminating it. This study aimed to find out if gender equality in terms of women representation and/or participation in the corporate world, politics, higher education management and labor workforce is practiced. Likewise, it aimed to find out the causes of inequality, if there exists. This research is essentially qualitative since it uses narrative review to assess, summarize, and interpret the results from a broad spectrum of related studies. Only 65 studies were included in the review, out of 122 studies read. The results reveal that glass ceiling and inadequate government regulations and lack of implementation of existing policies in women's leadership hinder women to forge ahead in the realm of management. This study concludes that gender inequality exists globally despite substantial national and international measures being taken against it. Breaking the glass ceiling and fine tune the mindset of the population in favor of gender equality are highly recommended.

The impact of depression among chronic low back pain patients in Japan.

BackgroundChronic low back pain (CLBP) is associated with significant disability and reductions in health related quality of life (HRQoL), which can negatively impact overall function and productivity. Depression is also associated with painful physical symptoms, and is often present in patients with chronic pain. However, the incremental burden associated with depression or symptoms of depression among CLBP patients is not well understood. The objective of this study was to investigate the impact of depression on HRQoL in CLBP and to assess the relationship between depression and work impairment and healthcare use among CLBP patients in Japan.MethodsData were extracted from the 2014 Japan National Health and Wellness Survey (N = 30,000). CLBP was defined by report of diagnosed low back pain ≥3 months duration. Depression was assessed using the Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9). Measurements assessed included pain, HRQoL, labor force participation, work productivity and healthcare utilization. Patients with depression (PHQ-9 ≥ 10) were compared to patients without depression (PHQ-9 < 10) using t-tests for continuous and count variables and chi-square for categorical variables, which were followed by generalized linear models adjusted for covariates. The association between presenteeism and other patient outcomes and characteristics was analysed using nonparametric correlations (Spearman’s rho).ResultsDepressed CLBP patients had significantly more severe pain and higher levels of pain compared with patients without depression (P < 0.001). Depression was associated with worse HRQoL in CLBP patients. Presenteeism, overall work impairment and activity impairment were 1.8, 1.9 and 1.7 times as high, respectively, among those with depression relative to those without depression. CLBP patients with depression had almost twice as many healthcare provider visits in 6 months than those without depression. The pattern of results remained consistent after adjustment for sociodemographic and general health characteristics. Analysis also indicated presenteeism was closely related to overall work impairment (rho = 0.99).ConclusionsDepression among CLBP patients in Japan was associated with higher pain scores and lower HRQoL scores, as well as lower labor productivity and increased healthcare use. Screening for depression in CLBP patients should be an essential part of CLBP patient care.

호텔직원들의 스트레스 유발요인이 직무만족과 이직의도에 미치는 영향에 관한 연구

There has been many issues regarding emotional labor workforce and their rights and their work place environment. Hotel industry could be a good example of emotional labor work place where its employees confront moment-of-truth with customers and among employees. The purpose of this study is to identify the impact of hotel employees' stressors on job satisfaction and turnover intension. The empirical result indicated that the 'promotion and wage' stressors which are 'personal factors', 'job factor' and ' internal personal factor' have effects on job satisfaction and 'work place environment' stressor which are 'personal factors', 'job factor' and ' internal personal factor' have effects on job satisfaction and 'job contents' stressors which are 'personal factors', 'job factor' and ' internal personal factor' have effects on job satisfaction. 'Relationship among work place' and 'internal personal stress' causal factors ' have effects on turnover intention. 'Promotion and wages' and 'work place environment' satisfaction factors have effects on job satisfaction.

Skilled trades to university student: luck or courage?

Purpose– The purpose of this paper is to examine participants’ experiences as they transitioned from the skilled trade labor workforce to the school teaching profession. Their goal was to work in the secondary school system as certificated teachers.Design/methodology/approach– The study examined interview data from a 2014 to 2015 evaluation study of participants in the Career and Technology Studies Bridge to Teacher Certification Program in Alberta. Interview comments of 20 participants were analyzed.Findings– Participants earning a bachelor of education degree countered their skilled trade habitus with adjustment to the university habitus, with support provided though the program and strong networks among the students. Individuals demonstrated resiliency, persistence, and optimism. The findings may have significance more broadly for a re-examination of university policies and spaces for non-traditional students.Originality/value– The paper provides an insight into how a well-designed program provides opportunities for individuals to transition from the skilled trade workforce to university. Further, the paper contributes to the scholarly literature in the area of second-career teachers’ habitus, fields, and capitals.

Health status of industrial workforce in district Lahore Pakistan

Background: Industrial labour is an important population section as it is actively engaged in the industry of the nation. Labour work force and health have bi-directional relationship, as hazardous work can produce negative effect on health in terms of injury and disease. Since sickness and absenteeism is an indicator to measure the health status of Labour workforce as well as an important indicator to measure the functioning of the industrial establishments; therefore, it has been focused to describe the distribution of their health status in this project. Methods & Materials: Study Design: Descriptive epidemiological cross sectional study Settings: Nawaz Sharif Social Security Hospital, Lahore Study Design: Descriptive epidemiological cross sectional study. Settings: Nawaz Sharif Social Security Hospital, Lahore Methodology: Industrial labour (patients) presented at Nawaz Sharif social Security Hospital, Lahore to seek treatment were included in this study. Sample Size (87,278): A total number of 87,278 patients were included in this project. It was a time based study for the period from July, 2013 through June, 2014. Methods Results: The average age of patients was 36.5 + 10.5 years, which is the productive age group. Out of a total of 87,278 labour patients 83160 (95.28%) were male and 4118 (4.72%) were female. Among the patients 22046 (25.26%) were recorded with infectious diseases and 65232 (74.74%) were recorded as non-infectious diseases. Among infectious diseases, the most frequent conditions with a ranking in the descending order was gastro-intestinal disorders with a number of 10719 (48.62%), tuberculosis & chest infection were 7497 (34.01%) followed by 3699 (16.78%) suffering with skin diseases, while 123 (0.56%) were of hepatitis-C virus (HCV) and the least with hepatitis-B i.e. 08 (0.04%). Among non-infectious diseases the most common patients reported were 16902 (25.94%) with cardiovascular diseases followed by 10306 (15.80%) of orthopedics, 7439 (11.40%) of urology, 5422 (8.31%) of diabetes and 5047 (7.74%) of various eye diseases. Conclusion: The number of absenteeism due to tuberculosis & pulmonary disorders were statistically higher than number of absenteeism due to other diseases (P <0.001). This magnitude of problem would double the burden on exchequer of the organization concerned with the quality of healthcare services at all levels and improvement in it. The health status of labour workforce affects the economic productivity of the nation's wealth, therefore, comprehensive health & labour policy is needed to address the health issues of the labour workforce which is the need of the hour, so as to achieve the maximum outcome in a decent work environment.

Child care and parent labor force participation: a review of the research literature

Early care and education (ECE) enables parental employment and provides a context for child development. Theory suggests that lower child care costs, through subsidized care or the provision of free or low-cost arrangements, would increase the use of ECE and parents’ employment and work hours. This paper reviews the research literature examining the effects of child care costs and availability on parental employment. In general, research suggests that reduced out-of-pocket costs for ECE and increased availability of public ECE increases ECE attendance among young children, and has positive impacts on mothers’ labor force participation and work hours. However, there is considerable heterogeneity in findings. Among U.S. studies that report the elasticity of employment to ECE price, estimates range from −0.025 to −1.1, with estimates clustering near 0.05–0.25. This indicates that a 10 % reduction in the price of child care would lead to a 0.25–11 % increase in maternal employment, likely near 0.5–2.5 %. In general, studies using more recent data or data from non-U.S. countries find smaller elasticities than those using U.S. data from the 1990s. These differences may be due to historical and cross-national differences in ECE attendance, labor force attachment, and educational attainment among mothers with young children, as well as heterogeneity in the methodological approaches and data used across studies. More research in the U.S. using contemporary data is needed, particularly given recent changes in U.S. ECE policy.

The Humanistic and Economic Burden of Narcolepsy.

To evaluate the burden of narcolepsy--with respect to psychiatric comorbidities, Health-Related Quality of Life (HRQoL), direct costs for healthcare resource utilization, and indirect costs for reported work loss-through comparison of patients to matched controls. This analysis was conducted on data from the 2011, 2012, and 2013 US National Health and Wellness Survey (NHWS; 2011 NHWS n = 75,000, 2012 NHWS n = 71,157, and 2013 NHWS n = 75,000). Patients who reported a narcolepsy diagnosis (n = 437) were matched 1:2 with controls (n = 874) on age, sex, race/ethnicity, marital status, education, household income, body mass index, smoking status, alcohol use, exercise, and physical comorbidity. Chi-square tests and one-way analyses of variance were used to assess whether the narcolepsy and control groups differed on psychiatric comorbidities, HRQoL, labor force participation, work productivity, and healthcare resource utilization. Patients with narcolepsy, in comparison to matched controls, reported substantially (two to four times) greater psychiatric comorbidity, HRQoL impairment, prevalence of long-term disability, absenteeism, and presenteeism, and greater resource use in the past 6 mo as indicated by higher mean number of hospitalizations, emergency department visits, traditional healthcare professional visits, neurologist visits, and psychiatrist visits (each p < 0.05). These population-based data suggest that a narcolepsy diagnosis is associated with substantial adverse impact on mental health, HRQoL, and key economic burdens that include work impairment, resource use, and both direct and indirect costs. Although this study is cross-sectional, the results highlight the magnitude of the potential opportunity to improve mental health, lower costs, and augment work-related productivity through effective assessment and treatment of narcolepsy.

Estrés laboral femenino y políticas de igualdad y flexibilidad en España

This article includes the legal, demographic and labour workforce in the context within a period of economic growth in Spain (2003-2007) which, however, turned out to be a missed opportunity as regards to the effective implementation of work-family and equal policies. In this period, the Spanish woman increases her rate of activity in the labour market in a greater proportion to the rest of the European labor workforce as women’s work. However Hispanic culture of long working hours and poor corporate leadership, proved to be a powerful break before two deep draft standards: the Law for reconciling work and family life (of November 5, 39/1999) and Organic Law for the effective equality of women and men (of March 22, LOIEMH, 3/2007). Several public health surveys and a study from a sample of 4,700 Spanish companies, among them are 38 companies in the media and advertising sectors, show a new aspect of the traditional gender gap between men and women: salary, promotion, representation in management positions. This article discusses the different uses of time, women’s dual role and the effects on the correlations between stress and fertility, labour market and social sustainability.

The Dilemma between Using Seniority- and Performance-Based Pay to Boost Workforce Labor Productivity

To date, performance-based and seniority-based pay remain among the most popular and widely used pay policies to incentivize employees and maximize workforce performance. We take a structural contingency approach and present a macro-level study determining when these policies are effective in improving firm-level workforce productivity. First, building on the unique benefits and disadvantages of both pay policies, we argue that they are effective in different industries. In particular, we expect that performance-based pay is more effective in core manufacturing industries-where tasks are generally standardized and employee performance is measurable-, whereas seniority-based pay is particularly effective in core service industries-where typically, employee commitment and loyalty is desirable. Second, given that performance- and seniority-based pay create competing incentives, we argue that a performance-based pay policy undermines the success of seniority-based pay and, therefore, that both pay policies are incompatible. Using a heterogeneous sample of 5,866 firm observations (2008-2011), we find general support for our expectations.

Analyzing “jobless growth” in post-liberalisation India: a decomposition approach

There has been a growing concern about “jobless growth” in the Indian economy as a major problem to the significant rise in GDP. This paper comprehensively examines India’s economic growth and employment during the different National Sample Survey (NSS) rounds, with a special reference to the service sector, the main growth engine for Indian economy over the past two decades. This paper tries to examine the factors accounting for the growth in the Indian economy through the labour market and workforce behaviour. It focuses on growth decomposition to account for the factors driving growth of the Indian economy, and it looks to decompose growth across the different sectors of the economy. The methodology used here is Shapley (in: Contributions to the Theory of Games,1953) decomposition. The periods of analysis are the different rounds of NSS. The three spells of growth considered are 1993/1994 to 1999/2000, 1999/2000 to 2004/05 and 2004/05 to 2009/10. The paper reveals an interesting fact that the main cause of growth in per capita GDP in post-liberalisation India is a massive growth in output per worker across all sectors over the three growth spells. There has been negative growth associated with employment rate, implying jobless growth in India. The demographic component effect on growth has been mostly positive. At the sectoral level, the industrial and specialised service sectors show fairly positive growth in terms of employment rate, though small, the negative contribution of employment in agriculture is so large that it overshadows the positive effect of these sectors, leading to huge negative contribution to the changes in the employment rate, defining jobless growth in India.

Employment Gaps Between Military Spouses and Matched Civilians

Drawing upon data from the Deployment Life Study, this article examines whether female military spouses (SPs) are disadvantaged relative to matched civilian peers in terms of hours worked and earnings, paying particular attention to gaps among the highest educated women. Female SPs do earn less than comparable civilian peers in terms of raw dollars and percentage earnings. Moreover, military wives who are part of the labor force work as many hours as their civilian counterparts, but still earn significantly less for that work. Contrary to predictions, the most educated SPs are not disproportionately affected compared to spouses with less education. These results suggest that SPs at all education levels could benefit from employment assistance; in particular, women already participating in the labor force may benefit from support in finding higher paying jobs.

Day labor, informality and vulnerability in South Africa and the United States

Purpose– The purpose of this paper is to compare conditions in informal day-labor markets in South Africa and the USA to better understand the nature of worker vulnerabilities in this market, as well as the economic conditions that have contributed to the growth of day labor. The conclusion considers interventions that are underway in the two countries to improve conditions in day-labor markets.Design/methodology/approach– The paper is based on national surveys of day laborers in South Africa and the USA. A random sample of day laborers seeking work at informal hiring sites was undertaken in each country. The paper presents key findings, compares conditions in South Africa and the USA, and analyzes the relationship between economic change, labor-market dynamics, and worker vulnerability.Findings– Day-labor work is characterized by low pay, hazardous conditions on the job, and tremendous income insecurity. The day-labor markets in South Africa and the USA perform somewhat different functions within regional economies. Within South Africa, day labor can be regarded as a survival strategy. The growth of day labor in South Africa over the past decade is a manifestation of a formal labor market that is incapable of absorbing the structurally unemployed. Here, day labor is the employment of last resort, allowing workers to subsist on the fringes of the mainstream economy, but offering few pathways into the formal sector. In the USA, the day labor workforce is a largely undocumented-immigrant workforce. Workers seek work at informal hiring sites, maintaining a tenuous hold on jobs in the construction industry. There is evidence of some mobility into more stable and better paying employment.Practical implications– This paper documents the need for policies and programs to increase employment opportunities for day laborers and to better enforce labor standards in the informal economy.Originality/value– This paper summarizes findings from the only two national surveys of day laborers that have been conducted, and it compares for the first time the dynamic within growing day-labor markets in a developed- and emerging-market context.

Call for collaboration in researching the best practices in teaching ethical entrepreneurship: the conflict of money and ethics

Entrepreneurs seek opportunity, are organizational innovators, and engines of economic development. Pursuit of economic self-interest may manifest “guile,” or deceit. As academics, we are charged by businesses (and society) to instruct students in functional topics as well as in the rules and policies of business, whether from a legalistic or procedural basis. This paper lays a literature and logic foundation for the culturally-influenced ethical differences having a significant impact on entrepreneurs and larger businesses due to differing ethical foundations and perspectives. Global differences in ethical values and practices combined with globalized markets, supply chains, and the labor workforce aggravate the likelihood of ethical conflicts. An outline of Western business education orientation, means and methods is presented, and initiates a call to collaborate with inquiry and understanding. While some readers may object to this article not further defining the problem beyond the domain of “Best Practices,” and for not including elements of research design (methodology, instruments, or sampling technique), this author has attempted to define the need without injecting a bias or ethnocentric perspective. Global entrepreneurship research will benefit from understanding world-wide best practices in teaching business ethics, and such research is only valid if performed through true international collaboration; the essence of the Journal of Global Entrepreneurship Research.

Direct and Indirect Economic Burden of Chronic Idiopathic/Spontaneous Urticaria: An Analysis Based on Adult US Population

Economic burden of patients with chronic idiopathic/spontaneous urticaria (CIU/CSU) was assessed using patients currently treated for chronic hives as a proxy. Data were obtained from the US National Health and Wellness Survey (NHWS) in 2010-2012, representative of US adults in terms of age, sex, and ethnicity. Measures included labor force participation, Work Productivity and Activity Impairment questionnaire, and self-reported 6-month healthcare use. Cases (current use of a prescription for chronic hives) were matched 1:4 to those who never experienced chronic hives (controls), according to survey year, sex, race, age and Charlson comorbidity index (CCI) and compared using t-test and chi-square. Cases (n=253) and controls (n=1,012) did not significantly differ in terms of socio-demographic characteristics or mean CCI (all p>0.05). Labor force participation was similar for cases and controls (58.1% vs 62.2%, p=0.24). Cases had higher mean levels of absenteeism (12.64% vs 5.00%), presenteeism (32.71% vs 15.49%), overall work-impairment (37.32% vs 18.26%) and activity-impairment (45.93% vs 26.90%), (p<0.001) relative to controls. The mean number of healthcare provider visits in the prior 6 months was significantly (p<0.01) greater among cases than controls in terms of total visits (8.39 vs 5.03), as well as visits to specific providers, including GPs (1.72 vs 1.25), allergists (0.49 vs 0.07), and dermatologists (0.40 vs 0.16). This analysis suggests a considerable economic burden on patients with CIU/CSU in terms of work productivity, activity impairment and use of healthcare resources compared to those without the condition sharing similar socio-demographic characteristics.

Factors Influencing Construction Ergonomic Performance in India

Many construction industry sectors have been experiencing chronic problems, such as poor management of workforce, improper working conditions, tools, and working methods. Many researchers have identified these problems as factors that affect construction productivity and overall ergonomic performance of the workers. Keeping in view the necessity of addressing problems as stated, a questionnaire-based survey was conducted to study the critical issues related to the workers involved in man-machine interaction at the construction sites. This research has identified the quantified RIIs, determined the influence ranks of 30 factors affecting construction ergonomic performance in India. These factors were classified under the following three primary classifications: (a) human/labor related factors; (b) tasks-related factors; and (c) equipment/tools-related factors based on various age groups and occupations of the construction workers. Industry practitioners and researchers can use the primary outcomes of this study in developing systems to enhance and improve health and safety of the construction workers for effective management of construction labor workforce and to achieve a competitive level of quality and a cost-effective project.

Kids at risk: children's employment in hazardous occupations in Brazil

While the literature on child labor in Brazil is large, it is not comprehensive: in particular, there are few studies on children's work in risky occupations, and those that exist tend to be qualitative and based on limited samples. In this paper, we aim to paint a broader picture of children's engagement in risky labor force work, based on quantitative evidence from PNAD data. We document associations between parental characteristics and children's work, using both descriptive statistics and multivariate modeling to understand the determinants of child participation in risky labor force work. Brazilian children engaged in risky occupations are less likely than other employed children to be enrolled in school, and more likely to work long hours and experience a variety of working conditions that may be unsafe. Parental education, indicators of household wealth and owning a family farm are particularly strongly associated with the incidence of risky work among children, and girls are over-represented in risky jobs due to their work in domestic service.