Physical Work Research Articles

Navigating the Physical Work Environment of Libraries: Perspectives from Pakistani Female Librarians

This study investigates the congeniality of physical workspaces given to female librarians in the academic sector of Punjab, Pakistan. An explanatory sequential mixed-methods approach was employed to explore the phenomenon. Female librarians working in Higher Education Commissions’ (HEC) recognized universities of Punjab province participated in the study. For the quantitative phase, a census survey sampling technique was employed for collecting data by using a questionnaire. The questionnaire was sent to 89 females, and 77 responded with a response rate of 86.5 percent. The quantitative results highlighted the satisfaction of female librarians with the physical work environment conditions. For the qualitative phase, twenty outlier cases were identified from the quantitative phase, however, only fourteen consented to participate. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with participants by using a pre-prepared interview guide. NVivo was used for qualitative data analysis while SPSS-23 was used for the quantitative data analysis. Results revealed a concern among female librarians regarding the open desk system in libraries: they shared that open desk offices not only lack esthetic appeal for users but also disrupt librarians during crucial tasks, thereby highlighting potential drawbacks of this workspace arrangement. This study is unique in its nature as it delves into assessing the physical work environment in Pakistani libraries, focusing specifically on the viewpoint of female librarians.

CONCEPTUAL FOUNDATIONS OF ORGANIZATIONAL CULTURE OF MANUFACTURING ENTERPRISES IN THE WARTIME PERIOD

The article is devoted to the study of the conceptual foundations of organizational culture of manufacturing enterprises in wartime. The author generalizes approaches to the concept of “organizational culture” and presents the author’s own definition, which is understood as an integrated system of values, norms and behavioral models, which in wartime acts as an adaptive and protective mechanism, providing the enterprise with the ability to quickly restructure and strengthening corporate solidarity by enhancing the socio-psychological stability of the team; as a strategic tool, it ensures cohesion and motivation of employees, activating their ability to dedication and support each other, which is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. The article highlights the peculiarities of organizational culture in wartime, in particular: strategic direction; values that form a unique socio-psychological environment at an enterprise, thereby shaping its competitive advantages; specific components - implicit (socio-psychological) and explicit (regulatory and image elements). The characteristics of modern models of organizational culture are identified: spiritual, socio-psychological, and material. It is proved that the organizational culture of an enterprise is formed under the influence of external and internal factors, and the factors from each group are specified. The functions of the organizational culture of enterprises are studied and the functions of internal integration and functions of external adaptation are allocated. The functions of internal integration include organizational, integrating, regulatory, substitution, adaptive, educational and cognitive, motivating, communicative, quality management, and recreational. External adaptation is ensured by the following functions: innovation, formation of a positive image, customer orientation, management of partnership relations, and adaptation of the enterprise to the needs of society. The key aspects of the conceptual foundations of building the organizational culture of production enterprises are defined: process orientation; hierarchical organizational structure; physical work; safety and risks; innovation and adaptation; relationship with suppliers and consumers. New requirements for the formation of the organizational culture of enterprises during the war period were considered. The experience of foreign countries regarding the formation of organizational culture in conditions of war and constant armed conflicts, in particular Germany, South Korea, and Israel, is studied. It is proposed to introduce as elements of organizational culture specific for production enterprises under conditions of war, including: adaptability to risks and crises, support for safety and protection of personnel, patriotic aspect and values of sustainability, as well as humanitarian and social responsibility.

The impact of workplace design on academic staff: a systematic literature review

ABSTRACT The physical work environment can impact workers’ productivity, job satisfaction, health, and well-being. Workplace design has become a key strategic resource for many organizations and is also highly relevant to universities. The field of workplace design is expanding, but research focusing specifically on workplace design for academic staff is limited. This systematic literature review maps the current literature on workplace design for academic staff and analyses it according to a theoretical framework of office productivity, examining components of both the physical and behavioural environments. The review identified 32 relevant studies. This literature review examines various types of office designs and identifies several features that need particular attention. The results show that the most positive outcomes of more open office designs were increased interaction and more informal meetings, while the most negative outcomes were lack of privacy and noise disturbances. The workplace should facilitate both collaborative and individual work. While there is no universal solution to this issue, finding the right balance between the two is crucial, as it significantly impacts productivity, well-being and job satisfaction.

Analisis Hubungan Antar Manusia dan Lingkungan Kerja Fisik Terhadap Etos Kerja

The purpose of this study is to describe human relations, physical work environment, and work ethic. Then to analyze the effect of human relations, physical work environment on employee work ethic at Perumda Air Minum Tirta Jaya Mandiri Sukabumi Regency. This study uses associative research methods with a quantitative approach. The population is all employees of Perumda Air Minum Tirta Jaya Mandiri totaling 58 people using saturated sampling. The type of data used is primary and secondary data, the measurement of this study using a semantic differential scale. In this research analysis technique, namely using validity test, reliability test, correlation coefficient analysis, coefficient of determination analysis, multiple linear regression analysis, research model testing (F test), and hypothesis testing (T test). Based on the results of the study, it is obtained that the relationship between the variables of Human Relations and the Physical Work Environment on Work Ethic is 0.874, including the criteria for a very strong relationship, the magnitude of the influence of Human Relations on Work Ethic is 0.667, and the magnitude of the influence of the Physical Work Environment on Work Ethic is 0.615 or 76.4% while the remaining 23.6% is influenced by other factors not included in this study.

Work experience of special workers returning to work after the public health emergency: taking ICU nurses who have been infected with COVID-19 as example†

Abstract Objective The occurrence of some public health events inevitably endangers medical personnel, and medical personnel, as a special group, have to resume work on time to treat patients. This coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) infection is a good example, and what intensive care unit (ICU) nurses experience as the primary caregivers of critically ill patients after COVID-19 infection is our focus. To explore the work experience of ICU nurses after recovery from COVID-19, and to provide a theoretical basis for the intervention to improve the physical and mental health level and work experience of special workers in public health emergencies. Methods We conducted an explorative descriptive study using an inductive thematic analysis. Using the maximum differential sampling method, a semi-structured interview was conducted among 13 ICU nurses suffered from COVID-19 in a tertiary grade A hospital in Qingdao, Shandong Province. This study carried on the theme analysis according to the inductive content analysis method and used MAXQDA 2020 Analytics Pro (VERBI Software GmbH, Berlin, Germany) to manage and summarize the interview data. Results After being infected by the virus, SARS-Coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2), the pathogen of COVID-19, the work experience of ICU nurses was extracted from the following 5 themes: (1) Stress and challenge caused by the change of work focus; (2) downsizing, overtime, taking up work with illness, and physical discomfort; (3) dedication and family debt; (4) unknown fear and helplessness; and (5) professional responsibility and sense of benefit. Conclusions Under the pressure of COVID-19, ICU nurses face multiple pressures and challenges, and their emotions are complex. We suggest that nursing managers should take corresponding measures to alleviate nurses’ physical and psychological pressure and improve their work experience.

Community Group-Based Physical Activity Programs for Immigrant Older Adults: A Systematic Realist Review.

Physical activity program interventions often lack sensitivity to the needs of older immigrant adults. The objective of this systematic realist review is to explain how, why, for whom, and under which circumstances community group-based physical activity programs work for immigrant older adults. The initial program theory was developed using prior research, team expertise, social cognitive theory, and knowledge user consultations. The program theory was tested and refined via a systematic review of the literature. Database searches were conducted in MEDLINE, EMBASE, CINAHL, Scopus, Cochrane Library, Sports Medicine and Education Index, and SPORTDiscus. A total of 22 sources of evidence met inclusion criteria and included intervention studies, systematic reviews, and a discussion paper. Intervention studies were appraised using the Mixed Methods Appraisal Tool. The final program theory constituted eight context-mechanism-outcome configurations that highlight the importance of facilitator characteristics, access to safe spaces, group dynamics, and social support. A limitation was the small number and variable quality of included evidence. Physical activity programs that target immigrant older adults must strengthen physical and psychological safety and maximize opportunities for role modeling and socialization. This research was supported by the Alberta Health Services Seniors Health Strategic Clinical Network and is registered in PROSPERO (ID#258179).

Analysis of factors related to the incidence of hypertension in the elderly

Introduction: Hypertension or high blood pressure is one of the main health problems in the elderly population in various parts of the world. The elderly are more susceptible to hypertension due to the ageing process that affects the elasticity of blood vessels, as well as increased peripheral resistance. In addition, various risk factors, such as an unhealthy lifestyle, poor diet, and certain medical conditions, can worsen the condition of hypertension in the elderly. Objective: This study aims to analyze factors related to the incidence of hypertension in the elderly. Methods: This research uses a cross-sectional design, an analytical study that studies the causes of incidents or incidents. Data collection uses a questionnaire. The sample in this study was 64 elderly hypertensive patients in the working—data analysis using the chi-square test. Result: The results of this study indicate that there is a relationship between physical activity (p=0.000), obesity (p=0.000), diet (p= 0.029), smoking habits (p=0.000) and work (p=0.020) with the incidence of hypertension in the elderly in working. Conclusion: The incidence of hypertension in the elderly with the variables studied shows that there is a relationship, and the most related variable is obesity. So, it is hoped that the elderly, especially those who are obese, should be given intervention to maintain their diet so that complications do not occur and can reduce the risk of hypertension.

Uncovering Mental Health Profiles of Workers with a Physically Disabling Injury or Illness Using the Complete State Mental Health Framework.

Complete mental health encompasses both mental illness (MI) symptoms and positive mental health (PMH). Distinct profiles of MI and PMH have not been explored among injured workers. This study describes latent mental health profiles among workers with a disabling physical work injury/illness and identifies differences in sociodemographic and return-to-work factors, health correlates, and disability claim duration and cost between profiles. 1132 Ontario workers with a physical work-related injury/illness who received lost-time claim benefits weresurveyed 18months post-injury. MI was defined by the self-reported presence of a mood and/or anxiety disorder diagnosed by a healthcare professional pre- or post-injury. TheMental Health Continuum Short Formmeasured aspects of PMH. Claim information was obtained via administrative records. Latent profile analysis identified the unique number of MI and PMH profiles. Chi-Square and ANOVA tests compared sociodemographic, return-to-work, health, and claim outcomes between classes. Four latent MI and three latent PMH classes were uncovered. Eighteen percent of participants exhibited high MI symptoms diagnosed pre- and post-injury and 14% exhibited languishing PMH. Classes with higher MI burden and languishing PMH were more likely to report financial concerns during their claim, pain interference, other health conditions, and opioid use. Claim duration and wage-replacement benefits were ~ 20days longer and ~ $2000 greater, respectively, among the highest MI and lowestPMH classes. Workers' compensation claimants exhibit both flourishing and languishing mental health profiles. The demographic, health, and return-to-work characteristics of latent classes may help identify claimants who may benefit from additional psychological supportwhen returning to work.

Yoga for Psychophysiological Wellbeing during Menstrual Phases in Eumenorrheic Females.

Hormonal shifts during the menstrual cycle (MC) cause autonomic imbalances and psycho-physiological distress in eumenorrheic females. This present study reveals that yoga proactively improves the overall psychophysiological health and wellness in eumenorrheic female college students during different phases of MC. Healthy eumenorrheic female college students (Mage= 20.11 ± 5.39 years, n = 82) were randomized to a control and yoga group (n = 41). A well-conceptualized yoga module (CYM) for 5 days/week for 3 months (1h daily in the morning) was practiced by the yoga group volunteers. Intra and intergroup comparisons were performed for the estimation of mindfulness awareness scale (MAAS), menstrual distress questionnaire (MDQ), cardiometabolic risk factors, heart rate variability (HRV), and endurance fitness during the luteal (LP) and follicular (FP) phases. Psychophysiological discomforts before CYM practice were mostly observed during LP compared to FP due to significant changes in mindfulness, pain, concentration, autonomic reactivity, negative affect, double product (DoP), rate pressure product (RPP), and HRV values. CYM practice influenced HRV parameters for an increase in parasympathetic activity and a decrease in sympathetic balance for better cardiac-autonomic functioning, with significant improvement in maximal oxygen consumption (VO2max) and physical work capacity (PWC170). Accordingly, MAAS and MDQ scores also improved significantly after yogic practice. The intra-group and inter-group significant improvements in psychophysiological parameters through CYM practice are relevant in eumenorrheic females to perform effectively throughout their MC period, by improving MC distress and sympathovagal (LF/HF) balance.

Efficacy of a 6-week VR exergame for older adults with essential hypertension: a randomized controlled pilot trial

This study aimed to examine the initial efficacy of a virtual reality (VR) exergame for blood pressure (BP), body composition, lung function, physical working capacity, and mobility in older hypertensive adults. Furthermore, the objective was to explore the exercise intensities that can be reached during the training. This study was designed as a randomized controlled pilot trial. The exergame group (EG) completed 6-week training using VR; the conventional training group (CTG) performed conventional group training over the same time period. The sample included thirty-five participants with essential hypertension randomized with a ratio of 2:1 to EG (n = 23) and CTG (n = 12). The training was performed twice a week and consisted of strength endurance and endurance training sessions in alteration, which lasted from 20 to 30 min. Within the groups, systolic and diastolic BP were significantly reduced only in the EG. There were no group differences with regard to BP. The heart rate (HR) results showed no significant differences within and between groups in the pre–post comparison. Overall, a significant increase in HR during exercise was observed in both groups. On average, only the EG was able to reach the target intensity of 40–60%. In addition, blood pressure was significantly lower 5 min after training in EG than in CTG. This pilot study showed that 6 weeks of training with VR can lead to reaching the target heart rate during exercise and indicate a greater reduction in BP after training in older adults with hypertension. This pilot study provides useful insights into the potential of VR exergaming and for future research.

The productivity, participation, and recognition of women in academic radiology: Past, present, and future

Despite women's early involvement in and contributions to the field of radiology, such as Marie Curie's work in radiation physics and chemistry, women have long remained lacking in their representation among radiologists, including in academics. While many other medical specialties have gradually become more proportionate or even equalized in their gender distribution, radiology continues to exist as a predominately male specialty. In this special topics issue, we aim to explore the landscape of female representation in academic radiology over time, not only in number, but in research productivity, recognition and accolades, and grant and funding reception. We discuss the progress that has been made and factors that have influenced that progress, as well as the crucial role that women currently hold in the field of academic radiology.

Motives for Minors Working as Farm Workers

This study aims to understand the motives of underage children working as farm laborers in Pencong Village, Biringbulu District, Gowa Regency, and its impact on their education and health. The study used a qualitative approach with a case study type, involving in-depth interviews with children, parents, and community leaders. In this study, the data collection techniques used are in the form of observation, interviews and documentation. The data collected was then analyzed with a quantitative descriptive approach through three main steps, namely data reduction, data presentation, and conclusion drawn., The results of the study indicate that the main motives for children to work are influenced by economic, social, and cultural factors. Family economic limitations are the dominant reason, while social norms and local traditions that support early work also play an important role. Farm labor work has a negative impact on children's education, causing absenteeism and low academic achievement. In addition, heavy physical work affects children's physical and mental health. This study concludes the need for social interventions, economic assistance, and more flexible education programs to reduce child labor in rural areas.

Examining the influence of work environment and compensation on employee job satisfaction: A case study of Al-Hoty Analytical Services in Bahrain

This study examines the impact of compensation and work environment on employee job satisfaction at Al-Hoty Analytical Services in the Kingdom of Bahrain. In a competitive global market, optimizing workplace conditions is crucial for enhancing employee morale and organizational performance. A sample of 152 employees from various departments at Al-Hoty Analytical Services was surveyed using a structured questionnaire, applying saturated sampling within a quantitative research framework. Data analysis was conducted using SPSS version 26. The results indicate that the physical work environment significantly contributes to higher levels of job satisfaction, emphasizing the importance of a well-designed workspace. The social work environment, while positively correlated with satisfaction (p = 0.926), did not significantly impact overall satisfaction (β = 0.385, p < 0.001). In contrast, both direct and indirect compensation had significant positive effects on job satisfaction, with direct compensation having a stronger influence (β = 0.273, p < 0.001) than indirect compensation (β = 0.238, p = 0.001). The study provides practical insights for organizational leaders and contributes to the broader understanding of job satisfaction dynamics.

Hiding in Sight: The Eco-social Rhythms of Women’s Worlds in Small Town Nepal

The article explores intersecting conceptual and physical fields through an ethnography of acts of lukne, or hiding, performed by women during seasonal grass-cutting excursions in a small town located in Nepal’s Far Western Tarai. Women’s physical work performed in agricultural fields, and especially grass-cutting excursions, afforded possibilities for women to construct private worlds as spaces of female agency. As the article unpacks the locality’s gendered environments and explores the eco-social rhythms that shape women’s movements, it simultaneously grapples with the place of hiding in women’s daily activities and in the interplay between agricultural and ethnographic fields. In doing so, it reflects on the ecology underlying ethnographic practice and the hidden worlds of women’s fieldwork, and engages fields as moral and material spaces mediating relationships between ethnographic practice and the intersubjective worlds built by ethnographers and people in places of research.

Psychological and Pedagogical Determinants of the Professional Training of Future Physical Education Teachers for Organisation of Physical Education and Mass Participation Work in General Secondary Education Institutions

Psychological and Pedagogical Determinants of the Professional Training of Future Physical Education Teachers for Organisation of Physical Education and Mass Participation Work in General Secondary Education Institutions

Praxeological component of the future physical culture teachers’ readiness to the physical education and mass work in the secondary school

Praxeological component of the future physical culture teachers’ readiness to the physical education and mass work in the secondary school

The levels of physical activity, physical fitness self-assessment, and physical working capacity in school students of the modern time

The levels of physical activity, physical fitness self-assessment, and physical working capacity in school students of the modern time

Professional development opportunities and a newly built daycare center: incentives in ECEC teacher job advertisements in Finland

ABSTRACT Attracting and recruiting qualified, high-quality teachers is a global challenge. In Finland, the recruitment of Early Childhood Education and Care (ECEC) teachers has been particularly problematic, especially in the Helsinki metropolitan area. This paper investigates the incentives used in job advertisements to attract ECEC teachers in Finland and the differences in incentives between urban, semi-urban, and rural municipalities. The analysis of 322 ECEC teacher job advertisements revealed that the most frequently highlighted incentives were related to professional development opportunities and physical work environment. Urban municipalities featured more incentives compared to their semi-urban and rural counterparts, reflecting the observation that, unlike many other parts of the world, the teacher recruitment challenge in Finland is most acute in urban areas. This study contributes to the limited research on teacher recruitment and enhances the understanding of incentives used in recruitment beyond financial ones.

Evaluating the Effectiveness of Physical Education Subjects in Universities

The effectiveness of the subject is evaluated based on the satisfaction and results through the scores of students in the process of studying physical education subjects at universities. The study has built a scale to measure and evaluate the current status of university physical education work. Through analysis, processing and reliability testing using SPSS software, we have applied this scale to survey and assess lecturers and students on the innovation of teaching methods of physical education subjects at universities. This study conducted a survey of 115 people, including 25 managers, lecturers and 90 students with questions related to the effectiveness of physical education subjects at universities. The survey results show the importance and necessity of innovation in teaching methods, current teaching shortcomings, and basic causes. On that basis, this article recommends solutions to continue innovating teaching methods of physical education subjects at universities to meet the requirements of comprehensive educational innovation.

Intelligent system for assembly-line worker’s fatigue recognition and facilitation

The fourth industrial revolution, or Industry 4.0 paradigm, gives scope to resolve the challenges of 21st-century manufacturing. Physical stress or worker’s work-related musculoskeletal disorders (WMSDs) remain a challenge to the manual assembly line production system. This research provides a new intelligent framework to recognize and facilitate an assembly line fatigue worker. The intelligent framework provides a real-time fatigue status of each assembly worker on the manager’s work screen. Furthermore, the intelligent system provides a suitable solution to facilitate the fatigue worker, without disturbing the line balance. A novel approach is given to recognize the assembly line workers’ physical stress or work fatigue using the Knowledge-based Intelligent System (KBIS) methodology. Similarly, intelligent work rotation algorithms are proposed to find the solutions to facilitate the fatigue worker. Details of intelligent fatigue recognition, making of a learning-based fatigue recognition model, Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) setup for worker’s real-time status monitoring, and Pseudocodes of intelligent work rotation algorithms are discussed in detail. Furthermore, an illustrative example is given to demonstrate the scope of the proposed framework for a manual assembly line system. Four worker assembly line is considered during the illustration. Details of intelligent fatigue worker recognition with their current-status is explained. The intelligent algorithm has recognised that the worker 4 is under fatigue condition. Furthermore, the intelligent facilitation algorithm found the worker 6 as alternative worker to facilitate the fatigue worker. Learning-based classification models are used to make fatigue recognition model. However, Random Forest model has shown better performance in terms of prediction accuracy while recognising the worker’s fatigue status. Similarly, worker’s work capability models are used to find a suitable alternative worker to facilitate the fatigue worker.