Online Work Research Articles

‘The Genie's Out of the Bottle’: The Impact of Working Online with Individual Psychodynamic Psychotherapy for Therapists and Clients, and its Lessons for Psychodynamic Training

The forced move to online work in 2020 was initially greeted with consternation by many in the psychoanalytic world, but adaptation was subsequently accomplished by many with successful results for clients. At WPF Therapy where individual psychodynamic psychotherapy is offered by therapists in training, we did a qualitative and participative study with clients, trainees and supervisors to explore how these groups felt about online work. A participative and pluralistic approach was chosen to achieve a fuller and more balanced understanding. Eighteen trainees interviewed each other, 19 supervisors contributed through focus groups and individual interviews, and eight clients’ perspectives were explored in individual interviews. The findings were that working online offered different and exciting opportunities for therapy, including the unconscious processes which are central to the psychodynamic modality. This has implications for future psychodynamic training since new phenomena need to be incorporated into psychoanalytic thinking and practice. While results did not support replacing in‐person therapy, there was support for a combined approach in future. As one participant said: ‘The genie's out of the bottle now’, something has happened which cannot be stopped.

Validation of collaborative cyberspace virtual reality oculometry enhanced with near real-time spatial audio

Currently, most medical image data, such as optical coherence tomography (OCT) images, are displayed in two dimensions on a computer screen. Advances in computer information technology have contributed to the growing storage of these data in electronic form. However, the data are usually processed only locally on site. To overcome such hurdles, a cyberspace virtual reality (csVR) application was validated, in which interactive OCT data were presented simultaneously to geographically distant sites (Lucerne, London, and Barcelona) where three graders independently measured the ocular csVR OCT diameters. A total of 109 objects were measured, each three times, resulting in a total of 327 csVR measurements. A minor mean absolute difference of 5.3 µm was found among the 3 measurements of an object (standard deviation 4.2 µm, coefficient of variation 0.3% with respect to the mean object size). Despite the 5 h of online work, csVR was well tolerated and safe. Digital high-resolution OCT data can be remotely and collaboratively processed in csVR. With csVR, measurements and actions enhanced with spatial audio communication can be made consistently in near real time, even if the users are situated geographically far apart. The proposed visuo-auditory framework has the potential to further boost the convenience of digital medicine toward csVR precision and collaborative medicine.

The Taxation of Compensation for Remote Work Expenses in Portugal: Unnecessary Complexity Relative to Other EU Member States

During the COVID-19 pandemic, remote workers had to bear the additional cost of new inputs needed to fulfil their professional tasks. In many EU Member States, compensation for these additional costs was dealt with by way of simple solutions in the law and by tax authorities. Portugal was no exception. Thus, rules had to be adopted to deal with remote worker compensation. A high degree of complexity, however, can be found in the Portuguese tax authorities’ interpretation of the new rules. Not all Portuguese employers and employees grasped the new rules in 2022, and it is expected that, from May 2023, a simpler regime will correct the pitfalls highlighted in this note.

Remote Performance of a Labor Function by an Employee: Problems of Theory and Law Enforcement

Periodic bursts of deterioration of the sanitary and epidemiological situation in certain regions and in Russia as a whole make remote performance of a labor function by an employee relevant and in demand. The remote format of work increases economic profitability of the employer’s activities. Transition to remote work is not a formal change of the place of performance of the labor function, it involves a significant organizational and local regulatory restructuring.Mandatory and optional transfer to a remote form of work involves the inclusion of certain terms in the employment contract, as well as in additional agreements to the employment contract. The classical rules of interaction between an employee and an employer are not applicable for the remote exercise of the labor function. Prior to the conclusion of employment contracts with remote employees of the employer organization, it is recommended that local regulations be developed and published for all the employees to read them. It is important to note that the employee must acknowledge by signing that he has read each local regulatory act.The work of a remote employee means certain specifics of his interaction with the employer, including the use of electronic document circulation system and electronic digital signature.Traditional approaches to determining the working time and rest time of a remote worker are also inapplicable. Such an employee independently and under his own responsibility chooses the mode of work depending on the tasks periodically given by the employer. It is impossible to apply the classical grounds to terminate an employment contract concluded with a remote employee, since it seems necessary to take into account the specifics of the remote labor function.In the doctrine and law enforcement practice, there is no uniform approach to solving problems related to the remote exercise of a labor function, the interaction between a remote employee and an employer. Based on the analysis of current provisions of labor and information legislation, judicial and business practice, conclusions and recommendations are made in the article regarding the solution of problems related to the conclusion and termination of an employment contract with a remote employee, as well as regarding the documents supporting the contract.

Does the construction of smart cities make cities green? Evidence from a quasi-natural experiment in China

This paper focuses on whether the construction of smart cities can expand green space. Based on smart cities policy in China, a quasi-natural experiment is conducted by using the Heterogeneity - Robust estimator in differences-in-differences model. According to detailed theoretical analysis and rigorous empirical research, and main conclusions are as follows. First, the construction of smart cities can directly expand the green space due to the land resource allocation. The above basic conclusion remains reliable after a series of robustness tests. Second, the effect of construction of smart cities on the green space is heterogenous. The construction of smart city in the three batches has a positive impact on expending green space and the strongest positive effect on green space is seen in the smart cities established in 2012. The high-level economic scale and high-level science and technology are vital premises for smart cities to expand green space. Third, the construction of smart cities can indirectly expand the green space by promoting online work and services and increasing disposable income. Last, the “Broadband China” Strategy has a positively moderate effect on the construction of smart cities in expanding green space.

Mobility and Associated CO2 Emissions During and After COVID-19: A Case Study in Indonesia

Changes in transportation trends can occur during and after COVID-19, such as travel distance, trip, and choice of transportation mode. The positive benefits from these changes in transportation trends should be maintained, to reduce disaster risk of environmental hazards from the CO2 emissions. Research on changes in mobility, trips, and CO2 emissions during and after COVID-19 in Indonesia is still very limited; whereas, changes in these transportation variables can be an inspiration for determining sustainable transportation policies in the future. This study aims to compare amid COVID-19 and post-COVID-19 transportation variables—travel distances, trips, and associated CO2 emissions. This research was conducted by giving questionnaires to 400 participants in Aceh Besar District. The questionnaire contains questions regarding the distance traveled, trips, fuel spent, and socio-economic characteristics. The CO2 emissions were calculated using IPCC (2006). The travel distance, trips, and transportation-related CO2 emissions during and after COVID-19 were compared respectively based on statistics. The results showed that there were significant differences in travel distances, trips, and transportation-related CO2 emissions between COVID-19 and the post-COVID-19 situation in the District of Aceh Besar. This article also presents several recommendations based on the data analysis results linked to literature studies about the sustainability of transportation as a result of COVID-19 situation; those are: providing quality public transportation, considering teleworking, providing solutions for workers who do not have access to online work, and paying attention to increasing use of private cars and car sharing post COVID-19.

Panoptic Employment

Remote workers are subjected to constant and intrusive surveillance by employers and health technology companies. Working from home became commonplace as a result of COVID-19, and increasingly employers use health and location tracking software, as well as webcams and facial recognition, to monitor their employees. This surveillance exacerbates risks of discrimination based on health data and other lifestyle factors that have no bearing on work performance, implicates the privacy rights of family members and roommates, and sharpens the power asymmetry between employers and employees. Particularly as States seek to criminalize women seeking abortions following the Supreme Court’s overturning of Roe v. Wade, the safeguarding of health data on fertility-tracking applications has never been more important.
 Given the novelty and rapidity of this transition, state and federal laws fall short of adequately protecting remote workers from incessant surveillance, particularly of their health data. Although several federal laws and agencies appear to address certain aspects of this threat, in practice laws such as HIPAA at the federal level and BIPA and CCPA in Illinois and California, respectively, do not sufficiently regulate the collection of health data from remote workers. In addition to these practical issues, U.S. privacy law generally places undue exclusive emphasis on the individual, relying on notice-and-consent provisions and anonymization. However, the case of remote worker surveillance highlights the deficiencies of this individualized focus. This Note details the prevalence and harm of remote worker surveillance, discusses how the current data privacy legal regime falls short, and offers proposals for strengthening privacy protections for remote workers and their health data.

Finding new purpose for vacancies in rural areas: a taxonomy of coworking space business models

As a result of the rural exodus over the last decades, unused vacancies in rural areas are at risk of falling into disrepair. Given the current trends of flexible workplaces and people returning to rural areas, their repurposing as coworking spaces (CWSs) by entrepreneurs poses a potential for sustainable future-oriented workplace solutions. However, there is little to no guidance on the structural configuration and business models of CWSs in rural areas available for these entrepreneurs. We apply a structured empirical research approach to create a comprehensive and specialized taxonomy, including a literature review and eleven interviews with operators of rural CWSs in Germany. The resulting taxonomy of business models of CWSs in rural areas based on an extension of the business model canvas contributes to the knowledge base on rural CWSs. We evaluate its usability through a case study and an entrepreneurial operator of a rural CWS, underlining its entrepreneurial and practice-oriented purpose. The study addresses several urgent topics, such as the future of work and new work (places), which enable and accelerate the development of CWSs outside agglomerations consequential to the COVID-19 pandemic. It also promotes social and sustainable entrepreneurship and the revitalizing, enhancing, and increasing of digital accessibility of rural regions.

The impact of digital transformation on academic work

In recent years, the digital transformation of Higher Education (HE) has had a significant impact on educators and teaching practices across the sector. New ways of working have led to teachers experiencing more pressure to develop technical expertise while simultaneously supporting students through a labyrinth of change. This small-scale explorative study investigates educators’ experiences of working and teaching online in a teaching-focused institution through the lens of Leavitt’s Diamond Model (1964). The data collected consists of six semi-structured interviews with teachers working in a teaching-focused university. The study indicates that many participants have experienced a significant increase in workload since the Covid-19 pandemic, with some exhibiting signs of technostress associated with online working (Panisoara et al., 2021). This seemed especially prevalent with more senior academics as policies and digital infrastructure appear to have led to additional administrative burdens. Despite these findings, the research suggests that Information Communication Technology (ICT) may not be the sole cause for this, but rather, it is a symptom of a more complex phenomenon. It has been further suggested that as the HE landscape evolved, little emphasis has been placed on how organisational initiatives influenced the structure, work tasks, technology, and teachers’ experiences. Due to the limited scope of this study, it is unclear if this is an isolated situation within the school or a more extensive sector-wide issue. Nevertheless, Higher Education managers and policymakers may benefit from applying integrated change strategies if they are to better support teachers and adopt a more balanced work environment post Covid-19.Keywords: academic staff; digital transformation; Leavitt’s Diamond Model; organisational structures; post-pandemic; working and teaching onlinePart of the Special Issue Teaching practices in times of digital transformation <https://doi.org/10.21428/8c225f6e.ac86609b>

New Ways of Working in the Manufacturing Sector as COVID-19 Pandemic Learning and Its Relevance to Workforce Agility

The performance of manufacturing as the prominent sector decreased because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Nevertheless, it could bounce back its performance quickly right after. The question remains whether new ways of working take part in this agile behavior of manufacturing employees in adapting to such a situation. Even so, what kind of new ways of working could be implemented in manufacturing since this sector has a specific processing system from input to output? Implementing new ways of working practices in manufacturing varies since manufacturing has primary and support activities. First, this paper elaborates on the definition of new ways of working and the feasible practices that could be implemented in manufacturing. They are ICT, flexible work time, flexible workplace, and professional autonomy. Second, this paper uses the triadic reciprocal of social cognitive theory to find the relevance of new ways of working and workforce agility. Furthermore, psychological empowerment plays an important part in implementing new ways of working regarding employee sustainability as a human being who needs intrinsic motivation. The authors conclude with the proposed model that depicts the relevance between new ways of working practices, psychological empowerment, and workforce agility. This study also provides managerial implications in implementing new ways of working in the manufacturing sector.

Deep insight of HR management on work from home scenario during Covid pandemic situation using intelligent: analysis on IT sectors in Tamil Nadu

The unexpected Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has heavily hit on global business, causing major disruptions in Human Resource Management (HRM) across a wide range of industries. Since work and family are the major essential aspects of everyone's lives, work-life balance is a major factor impacting happiness. Changes brought on by the novel coronavirus COVID-19 have had far-reaching consequences for businesses all around the world, and had a significant impact on human resource management. HRM had to cope with the layoffs and staff reductions brought on by the pandemic lockdown. Work-life balance is a constant challenge for most of the employees. The work-from-home scenario shifted the balance between job and personal life. Most of the prior studies have looked at the nature of work-life balance, but only a few have covered the effects of a pandemic on the workplace. The goal of this research is to conduct a thorough examination of HRM in IT firms in Tamil Nadu under a work-from-home scenario in the event of a COVID pandemic. Here, the analysis is conducted on the basis of nine categories such as “employee wellbeing, flexible workplace, remote work, job loss, human capital, human resource development, leadership, performance, and communication”. A questionnaire is prepared to address the challenges facing in the above mentioned drives. Next, the responses are collected from different IT HR professionals in Tamil Nadu. These responses are given to the prediction phase that is performed using the proposed Deep Neural Network (DNN). DNN is used to obtain the result more quickly. Features are automatically deduced and optimally tuned for desired outcomes. The same neural network based approach can be applied to many different applications and data types. Here, the weight of DNN is optimized by the Oppositional Random Searched Tunicate Swarm Algorithm (ORS-TSA) for enhancing the performance through RMSE minimization. ORS-TSA has strong global optimization ability, robustness and fast convergence speed. It gives the optimal results when comparing the other traditional algorithms. Finally, the outcomes are compared with different methods using error measures to describe the superiority of the proposed method.

The rapidly evolving situation of employee work-from-home productivity and the integration of ICT in Post-COVID-19 pandemic.

The study objective explored the changing nature of COVID-19′s emergence on work-from-home productivity in South Africa. Studies show that the formerly coveted, highly attractive work-from-home (WFH) did not show to be one of the best solutions for most employees. The study contributes to the adoption and integration of innovative technologies in the area of information communication technologies (ICT), to improve employees' productivity at the workplace as work from home (WFH). However, WFH is still popular, but not in its current form. The study suggested that better government rules and regulations should be in place to properly regulate and make WFH practicable for all employees in South Africa. The study adopted a survey method for data collection through a structured questionnaire that was administered to selected participants. The study also reviews available literature on the topic under investigation while relying on secondary data as sources of information and analyzing them based on content. The study applied the Trust-Based Working Theory. The study finds that the decision to cease in-person meetings and work was made quickly upon the arrival of COVID-19 but without any instructions on how to do so. It was recommended that the guidance on adjusting to distant online work is one area of policy where preparation and execution are very necessary.

The role of identity in the experiences of dementia care workers from a minority ethnic background during the COVID-19 pandemic: A qualitative study.

Care home staff working during the COVID-19 pandemic experienced higher levels of stress and increased workloads. People from diverse ethnic backgrounds were disproportionately affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. This study explored the identity experiences of care home staff from diverse ethnic backgrounds in the context of working during the COVID-19 pandemic. Fourteen semistructured interviews were conducted between May 2021 and April 2022 with ethnic minority care home staff in England, who worked during the pandemic. Participants were recruited using convenience and theoretical sampling. Interviews were conducted via telephone or online platforms. A social constructivist grounded theory methodology was utilised in analysing the data. Participants described five key processes which facilitated or hindered the impact that their experiences had on their identity: dealing with uncertainty and transitioning into a COVID-19 world; difficult emotions; experiences of discrimination and racism; the response from the care home and societal systems; and the personal vs collective responsibility. When participants' physical and psychological needs went unmet by support structures within the care home and/or society, they experienced a sense of injustice, lack of control and being unvalued or discriminated against by others. This study highlights the importance of recognising the unique needs of staff from diverse ethnic backgrounds working in care homes and adapting working practices to improve impact on identity, job satisfaction and staff retention. One care home worker was involved in developing the topic guide and helping to interpret the findings.

Gender Equality and Development: Indonesia in a Global Context

Gender equality in Indonesia is approximately at the level you would expect given the country’s level of development. Indonesia has more gender inequality than some neighbouring countries and less than others; and less than in the vast majority of Muslim-majority nations worldwide, regardless of income level. Women’s economic participation is, however, low relative to Indonesia’s level of development. Female labour force participation is low as many women leave the workforce when they get married and have children, particularly in the formal sector as formal sector employers do not generally offer flexible workplace conditions that would increase their ability to retain female employees. Social norms that position mothers as the main caregiver play an additional important role in women’s low economic participation. Public information campaigns that challenge people’s perceptions of gender norms are likely to be an important component of efforts to increase women’s economic participation. Greater female economic participation has payoffs in terms of increased household incomes. By contributing to household income and reducing economic stress within the household, greater female labour force participation is also likely to reduce family violence and so lead to happier home and family lives. A focus on increasing women’s economic empowerment would be farsighted as the country looks to recover from the pandemic and lay the groundwork for a dynamic future.

Building awareness, interest, and readiness towards college course through work immersion

Work immersion is required before graduation for senior high school students that aims to prepare the students for college life, particularly for humanities and social sciences (HUMSS) students. Despite the restriction in face-to-face classes and prohibiting industry-based experience, teachers need to build the students’ awareness, ignite their interest and uplift their readiness for college courses. So, teachers decided to implement work immersion via a blended modality wherein students experience school-based and online work immersion. This study aimed to build the HUMSS students’ awareness, interest, and readiness for college courses. A practical action research design was utilized to measure the variables before and after the work immersion implementation. Hence, survey questionnaires and interviews were the data collection tools employed to collect both quantitative measures and qualitative descriptions of experiences. The findings show that the students have low awareness, interest, and readiness for their preferred college courses before implementing work immersion in a blended modality. However, after two months of implementation, all variables become high and significant differences exist before and after the implementation. The work immersion using a blended modality effectively increased students’ awareness, interest, and readiness for college courses. However, they suggested having more webinars and activities, more learning materials, frequent face-to-face interactions, parents’ involvement during the webinar, and a student committee for communication.

The COVID‐19 pandemic and caring masculinity: New prospects or a wasted opportunity?

AbstractThe early data regarding gender implications of COVID‐19 suggest that men are more likely to die as an effect of infection while women are those who suffer the social consequences of pandemic as they dominate in care‐oriented professions and bear the consequences of increased caring needs at home. The latter includes caring for children, who, in many (European) countries have been subjected to homeschooling. However, the lockdown resulted in the fact that also men (usually white‐collar workers from middle class) changed their work organization and habits and have started working from home. Some studies suggest that this specific situation results in the increase of involvement of fathers into caring activities at home. Hence, the main goal of our paper is an attempt to answer the question if pandemic opened new opportunities for larger involvement of men in caring activities. The study will locate research outcomes in the context of gender regime in Poland in order to investigate if lockdown, online work and care responsibilities enabled to challenge or to reproduce existing gender relations, with a special focus on masculinities patterns. It will be done by analyzing data from Poland, namely, semi‐structured qualitative interviews collected in two waves – during spring lockdown 2020 and during late autumn and winter 2020/2021 with men and women working online at home and caring for underage children. By doing so, we expect to add more nuanced, crisis‐related theoretical understandings of caring masculinity concept.

Personal Predictors of Online Teaching - Experiences of The Teachers in Serbia in The Covid Regime

The pandemic of the COVID-19 virus initiated a rapid organizational transformation of teaching at all levels of education and its implementation in a virtual environment. In this context, teachers’ perceptions of the predictors of online teaching largely determined the quality of its current implementation, but also the character of its further application in the future. Using the survey method, research was carried out with the aim of examining the attitudes of teachers in Serbia about personal predictors of online teaching and their determinants, in the past two school years. Personal predictors of online teaching are operationalized through the cognitive and affective competence of the teachers, as well as through organizational and technical support. Six hundred and seven teachers, who teach in the first three cycles of education, from all districts of the Republic of Serbia, participated in the research. Regarding all personal predictors considered, teachers evaluate cognitive competence as the most important predictor of the implementation of online teaching, then affective competence and finally, organizational and technical support. As the results of the research suggest, a significant influence of the dominant online experience, of the applied online platform, work experience and educational cycle on teachers’ perceptions of affective competence as a predictor of online teaching were determined, while the perceptions of organizational and technical support were significantly influenced by the place where the school was located and the applied online platforms. The obtained results may have implications for pedagogical practice and professional development of teachers in terms of consideration and awareness of the role of various personal predictors required for the successful use of modern educational technology.

“I am surprised that it works so well”: clinicians’ views on delivering psychological assessments and therapy to young people in a fully-digital mental health service"

PurposeMany mental health clinicians have delivered services digitally in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Emerging research suggests that, despite some initial discomfort, therapists appear to adjust to remote working. The purpose of this study is to explore the views of clinicians working within a fully digital organisation towards digital service provision.Design/methodology/approachClinicians (N = 52) providing digital mental health assessments and treatments at Healios anonymously completed a mixed-methods questionnaire.FindingsIn all, 85% of participants enjoyed working remotely and 71% thought they would continue to work online over the next 5–10 years. Of the participants, 40% reported low confidence in online work’s efficacy before working remotely, but 96% reported confidence at the time of questionnaire completion: suggesting confidence increased with experience. An exploratory “inverted” factor analysis generated a two-factor solution, grouping clinicians into two factors based on key views. Factor 1 was predominantly characterised by satisfaction with training received and factor 2 by quality of technical experiences (encountering problems less often and greater personal confidence in resolving them). Qualitative feedback described some benefits of, and barriers to, digital service provision. Clinicians reflected on a perceived change in cultural norms, with more openness to digital services following the COVID-19 pandemic. On a personal level, teletherapy was viewed more favourably with increased personal experience.Originality/valueClinicians’ confidence in providing services digitally is discussed, with reference to how this may be affected by extent of remote working experience and availability of technical support. Staff well-being within the digital workspace is also discussed.

Toward a model of global citizenship in business education

The world is rapidly changing because of ecological, social, geopolitical changes and digital transformation. For example, the global pandemic has accelerated the digital transformation and encouraged more online learning and working. Furthermore, reducing the speed of climate change is one of the major issues of our time. To be able to deal with major changes in our environment, employers, employees, and students (future employees) need to readjust how they evaluate their business, organizational activities, and education. Business schools have the responsibility to prepare the students with skills and values to engage in this rapidly changing environment. This means a change from the traditional profit maximization approach only to, among others, the development of global competencies and a global mindset. The development of a comprehensive framework for Global Citizenship in business education will therefore help organizations and educators alike. Based on an extensive literature review and an empirical study through focus groups and in-depth interviews of the professional field and educators a model of Global Citizenship for business education and practitioners is presented. The model of global citizenship consists of components encouraging the development of global competencies and attributes. These competencies and attributes are needed for (international) professionals to act as responsible global citizens.

Psychometric Properties of a Newly Online Work Aptitude Test: Faxtor’s Endurance and Speed Test

Psychometric Properties of a Newly Online Work Aptitude Test: Faxtor’s Endurance and Speed Test