Occupational Career Research Articles

Fatigue assessment for back-support exoskeletons during repetitive lifting tasks.

Fatigue is a major cause of low back pain for workers in various fields, including industry and agriculture. It has a negative impact on workers' safety, decreases their productivity, and causes a reduction in their occupational career. An exoskeleton is expected to be a solution for reducing workers' fatigue. However, assessing the safety and effectiveness of exoskeletons, except for the direct measurement of electromyography (EMG) in the human body, is challenging in real-case scenarios. Recently, simulations have been widely used to estimate biomechanical variables. Thus, we aimed to develop a method that combines an exoskeleton model and human body simulation to evaluate the effects of exoskeletons on lumbar fatigue. The strength and tendency estimated using this method are similar to those obtained from EMG devices in symmetrical repetitive lifting tasks. In addition, this method can be used to predict and simulate fatigue after a recorded motion. Our findings will help guide manufacturers in designing their products.

Job computerization, occupational employment and wages: A comparative study of the United States, Germany, and Japan

This study adds to the growing literature on wage and employment responses to the risk of job computerization. Specifically, it revisits the original occupational perspective and inquires into the nature of the adjustments of occupational wages and employment, i.e., the potential benefits and costs associated with professional careers in such occupations. The investigation further aims at identifying whether these adjustment processes are universal — as suggested by the global availability of the respective technology — or reflect country-specific peculiarities. To this end, it conducts a comparative analysis with data from the United States, Germany, and Japan, three G7 lead countries which share the commitment to fostering technological progress, but which are also characterized by distinctly different labor market institutions and approaches to industrial policies. Generally consistent with the country-specific employment institutions and common corporate strategies, transmission channels — as reflected by the relationship between adjustments of occupational employment and wages — differ between countries. In all three countries, though, higher risks of computerization are associated with relative wage losses in occupations which require low levels of formal education or training.

The turnover intention of internal controllers of Vietnamese commercial banks in the context of COVID-19

Internal control plays an important role in managing the risks of banking system activities. Controllers are always under pressure from control activities due to the bank’s diverse activities. The resignation of internal controllers is relatively common in commercial banks. It is also a matter of concern for the banking and finance industry, which coordinates economic resources for the country, especially when the internal control period occurs again with the pandemic. The study aims to explore the turnover intention of internal controllers in the context of COVID-19 in Vietnamese commercial banks. The study uses the convenience sampling method to collect data from 339 respondents who are working or worked as internal controllers in commercial banks. The study was surveyed in 2023. The study uses quantitative methods for exploratory factor analysis. Ordinary least squares process the data to test the hypotheses. Some factors affect the turnover intention of internal controllers, such as occupational awareness, employment conditions, office environment, and career opportunities, in the context of COVID-19. The result is a useful resource for researchers to comprehensively understand issues related to the turnover intention of internal controllers in the banking industry. The study supports managers of commercial banks in planning the strategic objectives of human resource stabilization for the stable growth of the banking system.

Agency Penalties From Taking Parental Leave for Women in Men-Dominated Occupations: Archival and Experimental Evidence.

Organizations have started more progressively using and offering family benefits including parental leaves to address the issues of balancing work and family life. Although such leaves are fundamental for supporting, attracting, and retaining women, we examine whether such leaves may also inadvertently affect women's careers in occupations that overly value masculine traits, unless managed carefully. Drawing on the literature on gender stereotypes (micro factors) and occupation gender type (macro factors), we argue that longer (vs. shorter) parental leaves negatively affect women's work outcomes (i.e., annual income, salary recommendation, hireability, and leadership effectiveness) in men-dominated but not in women-dominated occupations because it lowers perceptions of women's agency. We find support for our hypotheses across three studies in the Australian context with an archival data set and two experiments. Our work shows that men-dominated organizational structures reinforce traditional gender stereotypes, whereas such reinforcement does not happen in women-dominated organizational structures. Our research equips leaders and organizations with insights into the unintended negative consequences of parental leave for women. This understanding serves as a crucial first step in developing strategies and programs to mitigate these effects, thereby supporting women in men-dominated occupations and fostering more inclusive and healthy workplaces.

The Mediated Moderating effects of GRIT in relation of Occupational Stress and Career Resilience on Organizational Commitment of Youth workers

The Mediated Moderating effects of GRIT in relation of Occupational Stress and Career Resilience on Organizational Commitment of Youth workers

Young Adult Career Outcomes for Adolescents With ADHD, High Ability, or Twice-Exceptionality

The purpose of this study was to explore career outcomes in young adulthood among adolescents with ADHD and/or high abilities. The sample included respondents who had the ability and ADHD measures from Waves 1 (1995), 3 (2002), and 4 (2009) of the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent and Adult Health in-home questionnaire. Using multiple group path analysis, we examined the pathways for three groups of individuals (i.e., ADHD, high ability, and both/twice-exceptional). We discovered financial and educational family background predicted occupational status and career goal attainment, as well as supports and barriers among various family and adolescent predictors (e.g., school attachment, educational aspiration, depressive symptoms). Knowledge about these trajectories will help professionals design tailored career and educational services for adolescents with high ability, ADHD, and both.

Sense of Calling and Job Crafting: A Test of Mediating and Moderating Effects

This research aims to explore the influence of the sense of calling on job crafting by looking at the mediating variables of occupational self-efficacy and career commitment, as well as the moderating effect of job autonomy. By involving 264 employees in Indonesia, this research used a quantitative approach with the convenience sampling method and PLS-SEM analysis techniques to test the formulated hypotheses. Of the nine hypotheses, this study supported seven hypotheses. This study found partial mediation in the mediating effect of occupational self-efficacy and career commitment. However, the moderating relationship in this research shows opposing results that job autonomy will weaken the relationship between career commitment and job crafting. Future research hopefully will be able to look further into the impact of job autonomy to provide a better explanation regarding the phenomena of job autonomy and job crafting, which, until now, various studies have still focused on the positive effects of both.

Linked lives: intergenerational transmission of labour-market pathways between parent dyads and children.

While a vast number of studies confirm the transmission of labour-market disadvantages from one generation to the next, less is known about how parents' interconnected labour-market pathways co-evolve and shape the opportunities and obstacles for their children's future careers. This study uses a multidimensional view of intergenerational transmission by describing the most typical pathways of parents' occupational careers and assesses how these patterns are associated with their children's labour-market outcomes. Drawing on Swedish longitudinal register data, we used multichannel sequence analysis to follow a cohort of people born in 1985 (n = 72,409) and their parents across 26 years. We identified four parental earning models, differentiating between (1) dual earners with high wages, (2) dual earners with low-wage, (3) one-and-a-half-earners and (4) mother as the main breadwinner. Regression analysis shows strong intergenerational transmission among the most advantageous trajectories, with education as a key determinant for young people to become less dependent on family resources. This study stresses the importance of intra-couple perspectives in life course research to understand how inequalities are shaped and preserved across generations.

Merit-based scholarships for university graduates: A generation of Italian economists

We examine the role of financial aid in shaping the formation of human capital. We study the impact of a large merit-based scholarship for graduate studies in affecting individuals’ occupational choices, career trajectories, and labor market outcomes of a generation of Italian economists, with special focus on gender gaps and the role of social mobility. We construct a unique dataset that combines archival sources and includes microdata for the universe of applicants to the scholarship program and follow these individuals over their professional life. We discuss five main results: (i) it is easier to become a high achiever for individuals from households with a lower socio-economic status if they reside in high social mobility provinces; (ii) women are less likely to be shortlisted for a scholarship as they tend to receive lower scores in the most subjective criteria used in the initial screening of candidates; (iii) scholarship winners are much more likely to choose a research career and this effect is larger for women; (iv) women who work in Italian universities tend to have less citations than men who work in Italy. However, the citation gender gap is smaller for candidates who received a scholarship and (iv) women take longer to be promoted to the rank of full professor, even after controlling for academic productivity.

Beatrice Dorothy Wade: Philosopher, Administrator, and Advocate

Occupational therapist, Beatrice D. Wade, contributed to occupational therapy through her interest in the philosophy of professional autonomy, in educational program administration and curriculum design, in mental health advocacy and in service to the profession as an office holder during her occupational therapy career spanning the years 1925–1971. The purpose of this article is to document her life, work, and contributions and to summarize her impact on current professional autonomy, and philosophy of education and practice.

Ergonomics in facial plastic and reconstructive surgery.

Understanding effective ergonomic interventions is crucial for enhancing occupational health and career longevity. There is a paucity of clear ergonomics guidelines in facial plastic and reconstructive surgery (FPRS), placing practitioners at high risk of work-related musculoskeletal disorders (WMSDs) and their consequences. There is mounting evidence that FPRS specialists are at increased risk of WMSDs as compared with the public and other surgical specialties. Numerous studies have demonstrated that implementation of ergonomics principles in surgery decreases WMSDs. Furthermore, WMSDs are reported as early as the first year of surgical residency, marking the importance of early intervention. Fatigue and physical injuries among surgeons occur more often than expected, particularly during complex, extended procedures that necessitate maintaining a constant posture. FPRS procedure often place surgeons into procrustean positions. Thus, integrating ergonomic practices into the practice of FPRS is essential for reducing WMSDs.

RETRACTED: Lai, Q.; Lee, G. An Exploratory Study of the Intrinsic Mechanisms of Occupational Stigma Consciousness, Career Development, and Work–Life Balance among Female Leaders. Sustainability 2023, 15, 15945

The Sustainability Editorial Office retracts the article “An Exploratory Study of the Intrinsic Mechanisms of Occupational Stigma Consciousness, Career Development, and Work–Life Balance among Female Leaders” [...]

Taking the long view of adolescent work quality.

Following Schulenberg's research on teenage employment and vocational development, we ask to what extent do job dimensions reflecting the quality of work experience during mid-adolescence (e.g., work stress, autonomy, learning and advancement opportunities, hourly pay, wage satisfaction, and work hours) predict the same work experiences during the ensuing occupational career? Using longitudinal data from the Youth Development Study (N = 711 individuals over 3164 occasions), and hybrid panel models to control for unobserved time-stable selection influences, we find a high level of continuity of work quality from adolescence to mid-life. Multiple dimensions of adolescent work quality are associated with the same dimensions of work quality in adulthood, even after controlling for educational attainment and other time-varying adult confounders.

Pengaruh Keselamatan Kesehatan Kerja, Pelatihan dan Pengembangan Karir terhadap Kinerja Karyawan

This research aims to determine the influence of occupational health safety, training and career development on employee performance. The research sample was taken using purposive sampling technique. The data collection method uses primary data by distributing questionnaires to respondents, namely PT employees. PLN (Persero) UP2B SUMBAGUT. The data collected is quantitative and will be analyzed using existing formulas assisted by SPSS version 26 software. The results of simultaneous hypothesis testing state that the variables of occupational health safety, training and career development simultaneously have a significant effect on the performance of PT employees. PLN (Persero) UP2B SUMBAGUT which can be seen from the significance value F < α, namely 0.000 < 0.05. The coefficient of determination of the Ajusted R Square value is 0.706, meaning that employee performance can be explained by the variables of occupational health safety, training and career development by 70.6%, while another 29.4% can be explained by other factors such as leadership, motivation, compensation and many more. which was not explained in this study.

First up then out: Self-employment as a response to normative control practices in elite consultancies

While normative control practices aim to raise employee motivation and commitment to professional standards in professional service firms, there is much debate on when and for whom such practices remain motivational. Based on interviews with 18 self-employed consultants who left elite consultancies, we find that, for them, normative control practices, such as learning opportunities and social events, lose appeal over time. This paper contributes to the literature on normative control by conceptualising how consequences, like lack of autonomy, reduced learning and growing work-life conflict, increasingly undermine the motivational impact of normative control practices during a consultant career. Self-employment can help consultants avoid these unwelcome effects because independence solves autonomy issues and improves their work-life balance. Mapping this underexplored but very common move from employment to self-employment in the consulting industry introduces the concept of occupational careers to the debate on boundaryless careers.

Choice and outcomes in worker injury rehabilitation: A mixed methods study

BACKGROUND: Although workplace injury rehabilitation is a significant economic and social burden for injured workers and the community, it remains inconclusive whether the worker’s choice of provider and treatment type influences these costs or the outcome of rehabilitation. OBJECTIVE: This study explored what choices injured workers could access during rehabilitation in terms of their provider and treatment, what hindered or helped their choice, and whether workers perceived that choice influenced the outcome of their rehabilitation. METHODS: A mixed methods study was employed, utilising an online survey and semi-structured telephone interviews. RESULTS: Injured workers reported that being able to choose their provider and treatment was not straightforward. Obstacles included systemic rigidity, poor relationships between stakeholders, and unfamiliarity with the system. Most survey respondents perceived that the degree of choice they had in their treatment influenced the outcome of their rehabilitation and sometimes also their occupational bond, career, and finances. CONCLUSION: The study found that choice of provider and treatment type does matter for workers undergoing rehabilitation, impacting on outcomes including occupational bond, income, and disputes. In balancing the need for cost containment with social responsibility, both financial and psychosocial outcomes are relevant for those engaged in rehabilitation of injured workers.

RETRACTED: An Exploratory Study of the Intrinsic Mechanisms of Occupational Stigma Consciousness, Career Development, and Work–Life Balance among Female Leaders

This study suggests a research model for investigating the negative impact of occupational stigma consciousness from the perspective of the Conservation of Resources theory. It explores the intrinsic mechanisms connecting female leaders’ stigma consciousness with their career development and work–life balance and verifies the relationships between these variables. This study conducts a quantitative analysis of data collected from a sample of 400 female leaders in Chinese enterprises and institutions. A structural equation modeling approach is used to test the proposed hypotheses. Our findings reveal that the stigma consciousness of female leadership has a significant negative impact on their career advancement and work–life balance. This negative influence is mediated by emotional exhaustion. Additionally, self-efficacy negatively moderates the relationship between female leadership stigma consciousness and emotional exhaustion.

Relationship among the nursing practice environment, occupational career, and work engagement of Chinese nurses employed in Japan: A cross-sectional study

BackgroundWork engagement is a positive, fulfilling, work-related state of mind characterized by vigor, dedication, and absorption, and it affects the quality of care nurses give. Chinese nurses working in Japan experience differences in nursing practice and difficulties in career development. Therefore, the nursing practice environment and occupational career may affect their work engagement. However, little research has been completed on the factors affecting Chinese nurses' work engagement in Japan. ObjectiveTo clarify the relationship between the nursing practice environment, occupational career, and work engagement of Chinese nurses in Japan. DesignA cross-sectional study. Setting(s)Japanese hospitals (beds>19). Participants149 Chinese nurses employed in Japan. MethodsUsing a cross-sectional study design, we mailed 640 paper questionnaires, which included a QR code for online responses, to 58 Japanese hospitals that employed Chinese nurses. A survey request form and internet address were sent to the WeChat app, where Chinese nurses in Japan communicate. The contents included attribute-related questions, the Nursing Practice Environment Scale, the Occupational Career Scale, and the Utrecht Work Engagement Scale. A multivariate analysis was conducted with nine adjustment factors, such as gender, educational background, and work engagement, as the dependent variables. The significance level was set at p<.05. ResultsParticipants’ average age was 28.4 years, and the average years of nursing in Japan was 3.8. The work engagement score was 3.09, which is the low-medium level. The nursing practice environment was positively associated with work engagement (β=0.46, 95 %CI=1.02,1.99, p<.001), with nurse participation in hospital affairs among the subscales having the strongest effect on work engagement (β=0.41, 95 %CI=0.68,1.49, p<.001). The occupational career score was also positively associated with work engagement (β=0.42, 95 %CI= 0.51,1.08, p<.001), and among the subscales, forming and coordinating interpersonal relationships had the most influence on participants' work engagement (β=0.39, 95 %CI=0.42,0.94, p<.001). ConclusionsBased on the results, we suggest that the work engagement of Chinese nurses could be enhanced by providing them with the same opportunities to train and improve their skills as Japanese nurses, as well as by helping them form relationships with patients and colleagues.

Understanding the difference, makes the difference: perceptions of Black and Minoritised ethnic occupational therapists on mentoring

IntroductionBlack and Minoritised Ethnicity (BME) occupational therapists face lower career progression opportunities and mentoring is one possible intervention that may offer support. BME persons may have different expectations and experiences from their mentor, and research exploring their perceptions of mentoring is important. In Occupational Therapy there is a growing awareness of the need to be true to the values of social justice. The aim of this research is to learn about BME occupational therapists’ experiences and perceptions of mentoring for career progression.MethodsFour online focus groups involving 19 participants from the UK were held, discussions were facilitated by researchers using a topic guide. Participants responses were analysed, and codes were brought together to create Themes including career progression and role models, mentoring relationship, similarity with the mentor and outcomes from mentoring.ResultsThe study highlighted that trust is integral to effective mentoring relationships and BME occupational therapists want mentors who they can trust with their experiences and stories. Compatibility between mentors and mentees in terms of personality, values, and working styles is crucial for effective mentoring relationships. Providing opportunities for networking, acknowledging good work and giving permission were all seen as outcomes from good mentoring. The absence of BME role models and ingroup bias were also reported as issues to be addressed.ConclusionThis study explores the perception of mentorship as a mechanism for career advancement in occupational therapists from BME backgrounds, with these results transferable to other health and care professional groups. We recommend the creation of a mentoring charter for BME healthcare workers in the United Kingdom to ensure that those from BME backgrounds feel supported, mentored, and provided with equitable access to resources, including adequate mentoring and networking opportunities.

Social origin and women’s occupational careers. The role of parenthood in shaping social inequality among Italian women

This paper studies in longitudinal perspective the direct effect of social origin (DESO) on the careers of women in Italy, focusing on the role of motherhood in shaping the DESO and its pattern over the life course. Career outcomes are seen in terms of employment interruptions and of occupational status. First, the paper analyzes when the DESO appears, and how it evolves over the occupational career and the life course. Second, it investigates whether and how motherhood shapes the magnitude and trend over the career of the DESO. Results, based on growth curve models, show that the DESO in occupational status already appears at first job, and then slightly changes over the life course, whereas the social origin gap in the probability of career breaks is small in the first years after labour market entry and then increases. Parenthood does not help to explain the DESO because women from low social origin are more likely to have children than women from high social origin. Rather, it contributes to the increase of the DESO over the life course because of different career trajectories after motherhood, with higher risks to leave employment among women from the lower classes and (slightly) higher occupational premia among women from the service class.