Workplace Practices Research Articles

Sustainable Employment for People with Disabilities: A Scoping Review on Workplace Practices and Positive Employment Outcomes

This is a scoping review of literature on positive employment outcomes for people with disabilities (PWD) and stakeholders in the organization. The aim is to investigate the connection between workplace practices and positive employment outcomes contributing to sustainable employment. Methodologically, the scoping process commenced with four electronic databases and resulted in a total of 42 articles. We identified seven categories of workplace practices that contributed to positive employment outcomes: accommodation, cultural practices, human resource management (HRM) practices, leadership, participation, support, and training. We identified five categories of positive employment outcomes: employment experiences of PWD, employment outcomes of PWD, employment outcomes of stakeholders in the organizations, work performance, and organizational outcomes. The article discusses the findings in relation to studies on employment of PWD which often focus on discrimination and barriers faced by PWD. The scoping process revealed a research gap where the majority of articles described positive employment experiences of PWD, while only a few articles described positive employment experiences of stakeholders in the organization. We propose that future research focus on workplace practices that can advance our theoretical and empirical understanding of what contributes to sustainable employment of PWD.

Helping patients prepare their dependent children for parental death: mixed-methods evaluation of a codeveloped training programme for palliative and allied healthcare professionals in the UK

ObjectivesTo evaluate how the codesigned training programme, ‘No conversation too tough’, can help cancer, palliative and wider healthcare professionals support patients to communicate with their dependent children when a parent...

Learning in the workplace: Development of a simple language statement assessment tool that supports second-level nurse practice

AimTo focus learning through clarity of the enrolled nurse (EN) role (a second tier nurse position) through development of a user-friendly workplace performance assessment tool commensurate with EN standards for practice. BackgroundInternationally, the nursing workforce comprises regulated and unregulated staff. In Australia, similar to other western countries, there are two tiers of regulated workforce, namely Registered Nurses (RNs) and Enrolled Nurses (ENs). Differences in RN and EN standards based on the education preparation are not always clearly differentiated in workplace practice. Roles are often seen as interchangeable: Improved clarity of both regulated and unregulated roles, when numbers of healthcare workers are burgeoning, assists performance assessment that guides further learning and safe practice. DesignTwo phase sequential, non-experimental design. MethodsPhase one used focus groups (n=48), expert reference panel (n=8) and end-users (n=16) to develop simple language statements. Phase two involved field testing of the statements. FindingsA 30-item, criterion-based workplace performance tool was developed. Principal component analysis of completed tools indicated work could be organised around three key areas of practice, namely, higher order thinking and problem solving, routine daily activities of care and personal and social attributes. DiscussionParticipants reported the statement items assisted in determining suitable activities and accompanying cues in discussing learning needs. Analysis assisted with discriminating broader elements of EN workplace performance. ConclusionsWorkplace learning is important for nurses to continue to build their capacity to deliver optimum care. Assessment tools that describe professional capability in plain language statements and provide examples of supportive behavioural cues help guide on-going learning through improving the validity and thereby consistency of assessment processes. Furthermore, comprehensible and meaningful statements and cues can readily be adopted by students and educators to target learning and feedback thereby enhancing clarity of the EN role, to distinguish from other nursing roles.

Chronotype preferences, work motivation, and gender differences among private sector employees in Bengaluru

In Bengaluru, a thriving economic center, the private sector employs a diverse workforce, including individuals from various cultural backgrounds and age groups. Understanding the relationship between chronotype preferences and work motivation among private sector employees in Bengaluru is essential for optimizing workplace practices and fostering employee well-being. This study aims to explore how chronotype preferences, rooted in individuals' intrinsic rhythms, intersect with work motivation among 200 employees aged 20-50 residing in Bengaluru, India. By examining these intersections, organizations can tailor their practices to accommodate diverse employee needs, ultimately enhancing engagement, satisfaction, and performance in the workplace. The findings suggest that there is a significant negative correlation between chronotype preferences and work motivation. Moreover, our investigation into gender differences unveiled intriguing insights, with significant disparities observed in eveningness preferences and work motivation between males and females. While no significant gender differences were found in morningness preferences and work motivation, indicating similarities in these domains, distinct gender dynamics were evident in the eveningness preferences and work motivation.

Factors affecting environmental sustainability attitudes among nurses - Focusing on climate change cognition and behaviours: A cross-sectional study.

To investigate the relationship between climate change cognition and behaviours (awareness, concern, motivation, behaviours at home and behaviours at work), positive and negative future cognition, and environmental sustainability attitudes in nurses and to identify the factors affecting environmental sustainability attitudes. A cross-sectional study. In total, 358 nurses currently working in tertiary hospitals in Korea were recruited. Data were collected using an online questionnaire link from 1 August to 7 August 2022. Climate change cognition and behaviours were measured using the Korean version of the Climate, Health, and Nursing Tool. Positive and negative future cognition were measured using the Korean version of the Future Event Questionnaire. Environmental sustainability attitude was measured using the Korean version of the Sustainability Attitudes in Nursing Survey-2. Multiple regression analysis was used to identify the factors affecting environmental sustainability attitudes. Motivation, concern and behaviours at work were factors affecting environmental sustainability attitudes. Motivation was a pivotal influencing factor. Better scores for environmental sustainability attitudes were specifically correlated with higher scores for motivation, concern and behaviours at work. Nurses' motivation, climate change concern and pro-environmental workplace practices should all be considered to improve their attitudes towards environmental sustainability. To enhance nurses' environmental sustainability attitudes and behaviours, nurse educators must educate them to increase their motivation for climate action. Nurses are increasingly expected to contribute to environmental sustainability. Hence, awareness of climate change and environmental sustainability among nurses must be improved, and nursing engagement and action encouraged. Nurse educators and managers should explore barriers to pro-environmental behaviour engagement among nurses, examine workplace cultures that encourage pro-environmental behaviours and develop policies/regulations to develop more environmentally sustainable workplaces. We adhered to the Strengthening the Reporting of Observational Studies in Epidemiology (STROBE) guidelines. Neither patients nor the public were involved in our research's design, conduct, reporting or dissemination plans. The nurses partook in this study exclusively as research participants and were not involved in any research process.

Prevalence and nature of workplace bullying and harassment and associations with mental health conditions in England: a cross-sectional probability sample survey

BackgroundEvidence on workplace bullying and harassment (WBH) in the UK has not used probability-sample surveys with robust mental health assessments. This study aimed to profile the prevalence and nature of WBH in England, identify inequalities in exposure, and quantify adjusted associations with mental health.MethodsData were from the 2014 Adult Psychiatric Morbidity Survey, a cross-sectional probability-sample survey of the household population in England. Criteria for inclusion in the secondary analysis were being aged 16–70 years and in paid work in the past month (n = 3838). Common mental disorders (CMDs) were assessed using the Clinical Interview Schedule-Revised and mental wellbeing using the Warwick-Edinburgh Mental Wellbeing Scale. Analyses were weighted. We examined associations between past-year WBH and current CMD using multivariable regression modelling, adjusting for sociodemographic factors. Interaction terms tested for gender differences in associations. The study received ethical approval (ETH21220–299).ResultsOne in ten employees (10.6%, n = 444/3838) reported past-year experience of WBH, with rates higher in women (12.2%, n = 284/2189), those of mixed, multiple, and other ethnicity (21.0%, n = 15/92), and people in debt (15.2%, n = 50/281) or living in cold homes (14.6%, n = 42/234). Most commonly identified perpetrators of WBH were line managers (53.6%, n = 244/444) or colleagues (42.8%, n = 194/444). Excessive criticism (49.3%, n = 212/444), verbal abuse (42.6%, n = 187/444), and humiliation (31.4%, n = 142/444) were the most common types. WBH was associated with all indicators of poor mental health, including CMD (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] 2.65, 95% CI 2.02–3.49), and 11 of 14 mental wellbeing indicators, including lower levels of confidence (aOR 0.57, 0.46–0.72) and closeness to others (aOR 0.57, 0.46–0.72). Patterns of association between WBH and mental health were similar in men and women.ConclusionsThese findings reinforce a need for more cohesive UK legislation against WBH; guidance on recognition of bullying behaviours for employees, managers, and human resources, focusing on prevention and early intervention, and increased awareness of the impact of WBH on mental health among health service practitioners. Limitations include reliance on cross-sectional data collected before pandemic-related and other changes in workplace practices. Longitudinal data are needed to improve evidence on causality and the longevity of mental health impacts.

Professional Social Media Use Among Orthopedic and Trauma Surgeons in Germany: Cross-Sectional Questionnaire-Based Study.

Social media (SM) has been recognized as a professional communication tool in the field of orthopedic and trauma surgery that can enhance communication with patients and peers, and increase the visibility of research and offered services. The specific purposes of professional SM use and the benefits and concerns among orthopedic and trauma surgeons, however, remain unexplored. This study aims to demonstrate the specific uses of different SM platforms among orthopedic and trauma surgeons in Germany as well as the advantages and concerns. A web-based questionnaire was developed on the use of SM in a professional context by considering the current literature and the authors' topics of interest. The final questionnaire consisted of 33 questions and was distributed among German orthopedic and trauma surgeons via the mail distributor of the Berufsverband für Orthopädie und Unfallchirurgie (Professional Association of Orthopaedic Surgeons in Germany). The study was conducted between June and July 2022. A subgroup analysis was performed for sex (male vs female), age (<60 years vs ≥60 years), and type of workplace (practice vs hospital). A total of 208 participants answered the questionnaire (male: n=166, 79.8%; younger than 60 years: n=146, 70.2%). In total, all of the participants stated that they use SM for professional purposes. In contrast, the stated specific uses of SM were low. Overall, the most used platforms were employment-oriented SM, messenger apps, and Facebook. Instagram emerged as a popular choice among female participants and participants working in hospital settings. The highest specific use of SM was for professional networking, followed by receiving and sharing health-related information. The lowest specific use was for education and the acquisition of patients. Conventional websites occupied a dominating position, exceeding the use of SM across all specific uses. The key benefit of SM was professional networking. Under 50% of the participants stated that SM could be used to enhance communication with their patients, keep up-to-date, or increase their professional visibility. In total, 65.5% (112/171) of participants stated that SM use was time-consuming, 43.9% (76/173) stated that they lacked application knowledge, and 45.1% (78/173) stated that they did not know what content to post. Additionally, 52.9% (91/172) mentioned medicolegal concerns. Overall, SM did not seem to be used actively in the professional context among orthopedic and trauma surgeons in Germany. The stated advantages were low, while the stated concerns were high. Adequate education and information material are needed to elucidate the possible professional applications of SM and to address legal concerns.

Professional Critical Consciousness: Bridging Classroom Theory with Workplace Practice

ABSTRACT In this Methodologies and Approaches piece, I introduce the concept of professional critical consciousness (PCC). PCC combines professional consciousness and critical consciousness to form a workplace praxis centered on social justice. I describe PCC using work and classroom experiences and provide instructors with assignment ideas to promote PCC. By learning how to increase one’s power and legitimacy in the workplace, technical communicators can use PCC in ways that are more intentional and socially just.

The Impact of Leadership Style, Training and Organizational Culture on Employee Productivity through Job Satisfaction

Employee productivity is a critical factor for organizational success, yet it can be influenced by various elements within the workplace. This study aims to investigate the interplay between leadership style, training opportunities, organizational culture, and job satisfaction, and how these factors collectively impact employee productivity. By examining the relationships among these variables, the research seeks to provide insights into optimizing workplace environments and practices that foster high levels of employee engagement and performance. The data were first processed for the characteristics of the respondent using the IBM SPSS 29 program, and then the questionnaire results were processed using the Structural Equation Modelling (SEM) method with the AMOS 29 program. The study found that that leadership style positively affects productivity, training has a positive effect on productivity, organizational culture has a significant positive effect on productivity, leadership style does not significantly influence job satisfaction, training has a significant positive impact on job satisfaction, organization culture positively influences job satisfaction, job satisfaction does not mediate the effect of leadership style on productivity, job satisfaction significantly mediates the effect of training on productivity, and job satisfaction also significantly mediates the effect of organizational culture on productivity.

ENHANCING JOB PERFORMANCE: EXPLORING THE IMPACT OF EMPLOYEE LOYALTY AND TRAINING ON QUALITY HUMAN RESOURCES PRACTICES

The current phase of globalization brings significant challenges to both private and public sectors globally, driven by rapid technological advancements and intense competition. In this context, the effectiveness of organizations depends crucially on the quality of their workforce and workplace practices. However, existing studies on job performance often overlook the pivotal roles of employee loyalty and training programs in fostering quality human resources. This study addresses this gap by examining how quality human resources practices influence job performance, with a focus on the mediating role of employee loyalty and the contribution of training and development programs. Using Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) and survey data from 175 individuals in Ghanaian public hospitals, our findings underscore the significant positive impact of both employee loyalty and training and development opportunities on job performance. Moreover, we reveal that employee loyalty fully mediates the relationship between quality human resources and job performance. Furthermore, our results indicate that the association between employee loyalty and job performance is moderated by the availability of training and development opportunities. These findings emphasize the importance of prioritizing training and development programs to enhance employee loyalty, thereby improving job performance.

Positioning theory as a framework for understanding the facilitation of professional development for educational leaders

AbstractThe article addresses the problem of providing in-service education within government-led reform initiatives yet enhancing professionalism in the Early Childhood Education and Care sector. The study was conducted during policy-mandated reform in Australia to investigate effective ways to support educational leaders in centres rated as not meeting the national quality standard. Data were derived from a larger project designed as a formative intervention and funded by the Australian Research Council. In this article, we focus on the positioning of the educational leaders over the course of the intervention as they endeavoured to develop workplace practices. We found that the participants’ status as leaders of low-rated centres was featured in the way they positioned themselves initially. How the researchers responded has been highlighted in our analysis and, we argue, repositioning these participants as professionally capable and responsible was essential to the success of the intervention for them. This article contributes an original methodological approach to researching individual learning within the collective processes of workplace practice development and provides an understanding of the reform process from the perspective of ‘working-towards’ educational leaders.

The Social Pillar of ESG: Exploring the Link Between Social Sustainability and Stock Price Synchronicity

This study examined the association between the social sustainability aspects of environmental, social and governance (ESG) initiatives and stock price synchronicity in 146 publicly listed companies in India from 2011 to 2021. Social sustainability is gauged using indicators such as community engagement, adherence to human rights, customer loyalty, consumer health and safety protection, and employee welfare. Panel data regression with industry-year fixed effects reveals a positive association between social sustainability and stock price synchronicity. This finding suggests that the stocks of companies with strong social issue management are more aligned with market movements. The findings indicate that investors value ethical management, commitment to human rights and employee satisfaction. The insights provided by this study are vital for investors’ fund allocation decisions, highlighting the importance of workforce and supply chain diversity, fair workplace practices, human rights compliance and product integrity in informed investment decision-making. Overall, the research confirms the economic benefits that social sustainability bestows on companies and their investors.

Investigating the Professional Needs of Undergraduate Translation Students at the College of Language Sciences, King Saud University

Translation instructors typically select texts based on what they think students need. However, their translation experience may not extend beyond teaching translation. Furthermore, previous research reported a gap between translator training and the translation job market. As translation courses should cater to the needs of the translation profession, the current study was motivated by the importance of identifying the professional needs of undergraduate translation students in the English Language Program at the College of Language Sciences, King Saud University, to identify any gap between the Program’s requirements and workplace practices. Using questionnaires, interviews, and the analysis of relevant documents, the researchers attempted to identify the most frequent fields, genres, skills, and evaluation criteria professional translators encounter at the workplace. The graduates of the Program under investigation, reported that the most frequent translation fields in the job market were the business translation and legal translation. Furthermore, the most common genres were terms and conditions, policies, reports, agreements and contracts, and website content. The analysis of the documents and interview data showed that the genres addressed in the legal translation course align with the genres encountered at the workplace. In addition, the evaluation criteria adopted by course instructors are well-aligned with the aspects emphasized by employers. In general, some significant discrepancies were found between the Program and the job market regarding genres and fields. Thus, it is recommended that course specifications and objectives are revised in light of job market needs.

Analyzing Trans and Nonbinary Workers’ Response to Workplace Discrimination

Workplace discrimination against trans and nonbinary workers is pervasive and contributes to high rates of unemployment, underemployment, and economic precarity. Scholars have begun to identify the ways cisnormativity is embedded in workplace organizations in ways that contribute to hostile work environments for trans and nonbinary workers. However, relatively little research has explored the strategies trans and nonbinary workers use to navigate such environments. The current study contributes to this growing field by exploring the predictors of worker agency among trans and nonbinary workers. Drawing on data from the 2015 U.S. Transgender Survey, this study analyzes the role of social status, including race, gender, and social class, and institutional protections, including union membership and antidiscrimination policies, in shaping trans and nonbinary workers’ responses to discrimination. Our findings suggest that lower status workers are more likely than higher status workers to rely on self-protective measures that pose risks to their health and well-being, while comprehensive antidiscrimination policies enhance the ability of all workers to pursue redressive action. We consider the implications of our findings for workplace policy and practice.

How supervisors and coworkers enable workplace practices to foster success for employees with mental health and/or addiction challenges

PurposeThe goal of this study was to understand which employee-focused workplace practices and priorities – more formally known as human resource (HR) practices and priorities – employees with mental health and/or addiction challenges (MHAC) valued and how they perceived the day-to-day implementation of those practices and priorities in the workplace integration social enterprises (WISEs) that employed them.Design/methodology/approachTwenty-two WISE workers who self-identified as having serious MHAC participated in semi-structured interviews. Interviews were transcribed and coded to identify ways that employees did or did not feel supported in their WISEs.FindingsParticipants identified three HR practices and two HR priorities as important to establishing an inclusive workplace that accommodated their MHAC. The extent to which individual participants felt included and accommodated, however, was shaped by interactions with their supervisors and coworkers.Originality/valueBy evaluating the salience of WISEs’ employee-focused workplace practices and priorities through the lens of the employees themselves, our study articulates the critical role that interactions with coworkers and supervisors have in determining whether HR practices and priorities have the intended effect on worker experience.

Impact of educating faculty on student assessment: beyond satisfaction level

PurposeThis study evaluated the impact of a faculty training program on student assessment using the Kirkpatrick model.Design/methodology/approachA self-reported survey assessed 111 Saudi and non-Saudi participants' satisfaction. Subjective and objective measures (self-reported measures, assessment literacy inventory and performance-based assessment tasks) gauged participants' learning level. Pre- and post-training data were collected from 2020 to 2022.FindingsA highly significant effect on satisfaction (&gt;80%) and learning levels was observed, as manifested by workplace practices of student assessment (&gt;70%, the cut-off score). Pre- and post-training comparisons of participants' satisfaction and assessment literacy scores showed significant improvements following training. Multiple regression analyses showed no significant effects for gender and educational attainment but a substantial impact of academic cluster on participants' student assessment skills.Research limitations/implicationsLong-term effects of training faculty on assessment practices and student achievement will be studied at the institutional level in future research.Practical implicationsThe current study contributes to human capital investment via faculty training on student assessment, helping them comply with assessment best practices. This assures the quality, fairness and consistency of assessment processes across disciplines in higher education institutions, enhances assessment validity and trust in educational services and may support institutional accreditation.Social implicationsThis study provides opportunities for sharing best practices and helps establish a community of practice. It enhances learning outcomes achievement and empowers higher education graduates with attributes necessary to succeed in the labor market. The human capital investment may have a long-term impact on overall higher education quality.Originality/valueThis study contributes to the scarce literature investigating the impact of training faculty from different clusters on student assessment using subjective and objective measures. It provides developing and evaluating a long-term student assessment program following the Kirkpatrick model.

Domestic workers talk. Language use and social practices in a multilingual workplace By KellieGonçalves and Anne AmblerSchluter (Ed.), Bristol: Multilingual Matters. 2024 xv + 146 pp.

Domestic workers talk. Language use and social practices in a multilingual workplace By KellieGonçalves and Anne AmblerSchluter (Ed.), Bristol: Multilingual Matters. 2024 xv + 146 pp.

The Impact of COVID-19 on Older Black and Hispanic Workers’ Perceptions of their Workplace

This study provides insight into how having COVID-19 shifted Black and older Hispanic adults’ organizational perceptions and experiences. We used data from 30 Black and Hispanic full-time men and women over the age of 45 who have had COVID-19, and most have co-occurring physical and mental chronic illness, to examine how having COVID-19 shapes their perceptions of their workplace and organizational interactions. We examine how older Black and Hispanic adults’ intersectional identities further shape their work experiences. Further, we illuminate how COVID-19-related enhanced safety protocols impacted these workers’ emotional and interpersonal experiences by increasing feelings of safety and support, while simultaneously widening relational gaps among coworkers and increasing mental health concerns. We end with workplace practice recommendations, centering an intersectional and Total Worker Health® (TWH) approach, to reduce work-related health and safety hazards with efforts to promote and improve the well-being of older Black and Hispanic workers.

GENDER EQUALITY IN THE WORKPLACE: A COMPARATIVE REVIEW OF USA AND AFRICAN PRACTICES

This Review presents a comparative review of gender equality practices in the workplace, focusing on both the United States (USA) and various African countries. Gender equality is a pivotal aspect of societal progress, economic development, and fostering inclusive workplaces. The analysis delves into the differing approaches, challenges, and advancements in promoting gender equality within organizational settings, offering insights into the nuanced landscape of gender dynamics. In the United States, considerable progress has been made toward gender equality, driven by legislative measures, advocacy efforts, and cultural shifts. The Review explores initiatives such as affirmative action, diversity and inclusion programs, and policies addressing pay disparities. It examines the impact of landmark legislation like the Equal Pay Act and Title VII of the Civil Rights Act, highlighting advancements and persisting challenges in the pursuit of gender parity. Conversely, the review extends its focus to diverse African practices, recognizing the continent's rich tapestry of cultures, economies, and regulatory frameworks. The Review illuminates regional variations in approaches to gender equality, considering factors such as cultural norms, legal frameworks, and socioeconomic conditions. It sheds light on innovative practices emerging in African workplaces, emphasizing the role of grassroots movements, government interventions, and the empowerment of women in various sectors. The Review also underscores shared challenges faced by both the USA and African nations, including gender-based discrimination, underrepresentation in leadership roles, and the impact of intersectionality on women's experiences in the workplace. By comparing these practices, the review seeks to draw attention to successful strategies, lessons learned, and areas for improvement in advancing gender equality globally. This comparative analysis aims to contribute to the ongoing discourse on gender equality, offering a nuanced understanding of how workplace practices vary between the USA and Africa. By recognizing the unique contexts and leveraging shared experiences, the review seeks to inform policymakers, businesses, and advocates in fostering workplaces that prioritize diversity, inclusivity, and gender equity.&#x0D; Keywords: Gender Equality, Workplace, African Practice, USA, Review.

Experience and impact of inappropriate patient sexual behaviors within a large VA healthcare system.

Inappropriate patient sexual behaviors (IPSBs) can negatively impact work performance, job satisfaction, and the psychological well-being of clinicians and staff. Although the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) is the largest integrated healthcare system in the United States, the rate of IPSBs in VHA hospitals is unknown. The unique demographic and cultural characteristics of military populations may be associated with IPSBs. To evaluate the extent and impact of IPSBs within a large VA healthcare system (VAHS), a survey was disseminated to all staff. Among the 32% of staff who responded (N = 1359), over half (n = 789; 58.1%) of participants reported at least one instance of IPSB during the past year; this included 67.9% (n = 644) of staff who identified as women and 33.4% (n = 126) of staff who identified as men. There was a significantly greater impact of IPSBs for women, as compared to men, on psychological well-being (X2 1 = 60.4, p < .001, odds ratio [OR] = 4.55, 95% confidence interval [CI]: [3.08, 6.79]), work satisfaction (X2 1 = 43.0, p < .001, OR = 3.51, 95% CI: [2.40, 5.18]), and workplace practices (X2 1 = 48.9, p < .001, OR = 4.02, 95% CI: [2.69, 6.11]). The results of this project highlight the need for overcoming barriers to reducing the pervasiveness and impact of these experiences.