Workplace Problems Research Articles

Stress management for middle managers via an acceptance and commitment-based smartphone application: A randomized controlled trial

Stress is a major health problem in today's workplace. Recent studies suggest that acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) is effective for reducing stress at work, specifically among managers. Moreover, smartphone-delivered treatments have been developed and increasingly used in research. The objective of our study was to evaluate the efficacy of an ACT-based smartphone treatment among middle managers at medium- and large-sized companies (>50 employees) in Sweden. A total of 73 participants were randomized to either receive the six-week stress intervention (n=36) or to a waitlist control group (n=37). Results showed small to moderate within-group effect sizes (Cohen's d range 0.37–0.62) for the treatment group, and small to moderate between group effects (Cohen's d range 0.41–0.50). In conclusion, the study indicates that a smartphone administered stress intervention based on ACT can reduce perceived stress and increase general health among Swedish middle managers in the private sector.

Book Review: Multinational Human Resource Management and the Law: Common Workplace Problems in Different Legal Environments

Book Review: Multinational Human Resource Management and the Law: Common Workplace Problems in Different Legal Environments

Occupational stress, its psychosomatic symptoms on nurses and Coping Strategies of nurses at Assiut University Hospital

Nursing is a stressful profession; stress is a prevalent and costly problem in today's workplace. Aim: The study aimed to assess occupational stress, its psychosomatic symptoms on nurses and coping strategies of nurses at Assiut University Hospital. Design: A descriptive- cross sectional study design was utilized in this study. Subjects and methods: The subjects included in this study 150 female nurses. The study was conducted at Assiut University Hospital at different hospital departments, during 6 months period from 1st January to 30th Juan 2012. Nurses were assessed through; the sociodemographic data questionnaire, in addition to socioeconomic status scale, Social readjustment rating scale, assessment level of stress scale, Coping strategies rating scale, and Symptoms Check List (SCL-90-Revised). Results: More than half of nurses (54.7%) were from urban areas, about fifty percent 50.7% of them had more than 10 years of experience, and sixty four percent 64% of nurses had moderate level of stress. Both methods of coping strategies (emotional focused strategies and problem focused strategies) had high mean scores and very highly significant (0.006*** & 0.000***). Recommendation: A training programme is essential for nurses to provide them with a multitude of stress management techniques and coping strategies which nurses can be used to deal with their stressors and avoid the negative effect of stress on nurse' health.

Function and friction at work: a multidimensional analysis of work outcomes in cancer survivors

Cancer survivors can experience difficulties returning to and/or remaining at work. Sociodemographic, health and well-being, symptom burden, functional limitations in relation to work demands, work environment, and various work policies and procedures can be related to work function. This study analyzed cross-sectional data of a sample of cancer survivors (n = 1,525) who were diagnosed and treated for various types of cancer. The data were obtained from a survey of cancer survivors collected by the LiveStrong Foundation. Using a cancer survivorship and work model proposed in 2010, this study used structural equation modeling to predict work ability (whether survivors reported lower work ability following cancer) and work sustainability (whether survivors had ever lost or left a job because of cancer, i.e., work retention). Potential predictors included health and well-being, symptom burden (e.g., fatigue, pain, and distress), cancer-related worry, worry about family's cancer risk, functional impairment (i.e., physical, cognitive, and interpersonal), workplace support, and workplace problems. The overall model predicting work ability (CFI = 0.961, TLI = 0.952, and RMSEA = 0.027) indicated that a greater level of functional limitations (B = 5.88, p < 0.01) and workplace problems (B = 0.22, p = 0.05) were significantly related to lower levels of work ability. Structural equation modeling (CFI = 0.961, TLI = 0.952, and RMSEA = 0.027) also indicated that workplace problems was a significant predictor (B = 0.498, p < 0.001) of the likelihood of losing or leaving a job because of cancer. Functional limitations and problems at work including poor treatment, discrimination, being passed over for promotion, and lack of accommodations were directly related to the ability to work. Problems at work were associated with lower work sustainability (work retention). Employed cancer survivors, health care providers, and employers need to be aware of the potential implications of limitations in function (e.g., physical, cognitive, and interpersonal/social) as it relates to ability to work. In many cases, these functional limitations are responsive to rehabilitation. Workplaces also need to be educated on how to better respond to the needs of cancer survivors at work.

Mieux vaut prévenir que guérir : mise au point d’une trousse en santé et sécurité pour les nouveaux immigrants qui utilisent les services d’établissement en Ontario

New immigrants to Ontario have a greater probability of being employed in jobs with a higher number of occupational health and safety (OHS) hazards. In addition, recent immigrants may have higher risks of work injuries and be less likely to access compensation after injury. Despite these issues, information provided to new immigrants about OHS and workers’ compensation (WC) is often informal and fragmented. In this paper, we discuss the development of a tool to share information about OHS and workers’ compensation with newcomers using settlement services. While acknowledging that employers and regulatory bodies also have responsibility for OHS, new immigrants must have the necessary resources to protect themselves from harm in the workplace, and know what to do in the event of an injury and how to access services and support.Building on previous research, we completed a national scan that reviewed the existing safety resources for recent immigrants entering the Canadian workforce. Then, in conjunction with an Advisory Committee, we developed a toolkit covering the general components of OHS in Ontario and the Ontario Workers’ Compensation system. Once the toolkit was developed, focus groups were conducted with educators and new immigrant learners from a large settlement organization in Toronto which provided feedback on the tools.In the method and results section, we will discuss the toolkit development process and the focus group results. In the focus groups, there was agreement that it was important to introduce this information in programs that prepared newcomers for employment, with many people stressing that information had to be accompanied by efforts to increase employer knowledge and compliance. Settlement staff identified a lack of time and knowledge about OHS and WC as barriers to delivering this information. Both groups thought it was important that work-related mental health issues be addressed in the material. Material had to be delivered in a way that could incorporate class discussion, exercises and questions. Settlement staff wanted some guidance around how to address difficult questions and issues related to these topics.The development of this toolkit has the potential to improve existing services offered to new immigrants and to increase immigrant worker knowledge about health and safety before a workplace problem or injury occurs. Such knowledge can help reduce the risk of injury and lead to more positive social, health and economic outcomes. We end this paper by discussing dissemination activities and recommendations for future work in this area.

Relevance of Spirituality on Employee Health and Attitudes

Spirituality is a path through which people recognize their own identity and know about the super power of the universe. This is not only an alleged immaterial reality but also a deep feeling of super truth behind us and universe. At this modern time health complication becomes major issue. Climate change and natural forces affect human life externally while for employees; organizational burdens affect a lot from internal affairs. In many cases it is seen that people remain ill both mentally and physically due to various known and unknown causes. Unhealthy condition keeps a person in sorrow and pain. Unnecessary pressure creates depression, hypertension and many mental hazards. Both physical and mental illness do not allow a person to work perfectly. In many cases an employee falls in problems in workplace due to unpleasant attitudes produced. Health and attitudes are dependent with each other. One healthy person expresses healthy attitudes. Attitudes are dependent on thoughts generated in mind. Due to temptation of environment sometimes negative forces come in and generate negative thoughts lead to harmful attitudes. But Spirituality pours impact on generating positive thoughts. A Person recognizes his self properly and awakens his conscience due to spiritual awareness. Truly spirituality plays a major role on health and attitudes. This paper contains Introduction, objectives, literature review, Importance, discussion and conclusion. At last references are included. This paper will become beneficial to many employees, scholars, students and others as we hope.

Socialinių darbuotojų veiklos ypatumai teikiant socialines paslaugas sveikatos priežiūros įstaigose: socialinių darbuotojų patirties analizė

Straipsnio tikslas – isryskinti socialinio darbuotojo veiklos ypatumus, teikiant socialines paslaugas sveikatos priežiūros įstaigose, remiantis socialinių darbuotojų patirtimi. Taikyta kokybinio tyrimo strategija. Tyrimo duomenų rinkimo metodas – pusiau struktūruotas interviu. Rezultatų analizė atlikta taikant turinio analizės (content) metodą. Tyrime dalyvavo 6 socialiniai darbuotojai, dirbantys medicinos pagalbos, slaugos ir palaikomojo gydymo, medicininės reabilitacijos įstaigose. Tyrimo rezultatai atskleidė socialinio darbo svarbą sveikatos priežiūros įstaigose, socialinio darbuotojo veiklos sritis sveikatos priežiūros įstaigose ir problemas, su kuriomis susiduria socialiniai darbuotojai, sveikatos priežiūros įstaigose. Socialinio darbo svarbą sveikatos priežiūros įstaigose socialiniai darbuotojai sieja su sveikatos ir socialinių problemų glaudžia sąveika; socialinių paslaugų teikimu, stiprinant asmens socialinio funkcionavimo gebėjimus ir kuriant tinkamas socialines sąlygas. Socialinio darbuotojo veikla sveikatos priežiūros įstaigose yra daugiaplanė, apimanti pacientų socialinės situacijos ir poreikių įvertinimą; socialinių paslaugų teikimą, vertinimą ir testinumą; paciento ir jo artimųjų informavimą ir konsultavimą; dokumentų tvarkymą; tarpininkavimą ir atstovavimą; seimos, artimųjų įtraukimą į pagalbos procesą ir socialines paslaugas jiems; užimtumo ir savipagalbos grupių organizavimą; bendradarbiavimą su kitomis įstaigomis; profesinės veiklos tobulinimą. Problemos, su kuriomis susiduria socialiniai darbuotojai sveikatos priežiūros įstaigose: per didelis darbo krūvis, perdegimo sindromo rizika; informacijos apie socialinių darbuotojų teikiamas paslaugas sklaidos ribotumas, darbo vietos problema, socialinio darbo sveikatos priežiūros įstaigose nepakankamas vertinimas, „tarpministerinio susikalbėjimo“ problema.

Harassment in the Workplace: The Legal Context

The occurrence of harassing behaviour in the work environment is a wellestablished problem in the modern workplace. Harassment manifests itself in different behaviours, such as social isolation, silent treatment, rumours, false accusations, threats, ridicule, name calling attacking the victim’s private life or attitudes, excessive criticism, monitoring of work, withholding information or depriving responsibility and physical or verbal aggression. There is widespread evidence that harassing conduct can cause a wide range of psychological and work-related harm, including diminished work performance, lower job satisfaction, absenteeism, career interruptions, job loss, depression, and health problems. This article examines case law pursuant to antidiscrimination law and cases brought under the ambit of the Protection from Harassment Act 1997 (PHA, 1997) in the United Kingdom. Information on the flow of interpretive case law will no doubt continue to capture the attention of human resource and legal professions who need to be aware of potential legal liability in this domain. It is evident from the research that employers must deal with claims of harassment more effectively so as to guard against litigation. Human resource departments must adopt a more constructive and effective system for responding to harassment complaints. Individual employers need to identify the structural, organisational and cultural barriers that might impede an effective response to a complaint of harassment.

The influence of human resource practices on the negative consequences of customer aggression

Mistreatment of employees by customers is a common problem in customer service workplaces. Yet, we know very little about whether the human resource practices organizations adopt can help to offset the negative impact of these encounters on employees. We remedy this oversight by considering whether the decisions firms make about how they manage their employees can help to reduce the negative effect of aggressiveness from customers on the decision by employees to leave the organization. We analyze field data from a 2010 survey of call centre managers (N=239) and find that call center establishments where employees encounter more aggressive customers feature jobs with less autonomy and job discretion. In addition, we examine whether specific HR practices can reduce or exacerbate the effect of aggressiveness from customers on voluntary turnover and find that establishments that use systematic selection in hiring, and that offer more generous benefits help reduce the negative impact of aggressiveness from customers on voluntary turnover. Moreover, when we assess the influence of bundles of HR practices (e.g., human capital enhancing practices, motivation enhancing practices, and empowerment enhancing practices), we show that adopting high performance work systems can reduce the negative impact of aggressive customers on voluntary turnover. practices into consideration, the effect disappears. Taken together, we show that the decisions about work organization and HR practices have an important role in influencing the negative consequences of aggressiveness from customers on employees such as voluntary turnover for the customer service workforce.

Problems Faced by Experienced Women IT Professionals in Chennai using Fuzzy Relational Maps (FRMs)

This paper deals with the relationship between health related problems and the problems in Workplace of Women IT Professionals in Chennai using Fuzzy Relational Maps. In an FRM, we have associated with it are the domain spaces and range space, the attributes contributing to the rows of the connection matrix form the concepts relating the domain of the FRM and the range attributes correspond to the columns of the connection matrix. Using this FRM we analyze the problem by giving definition for fuzzy relational maps followed by the description of the women’s IT problem along with the adaptation of the fuzzy relational maps to the women’s IT problem along with the conclusion.

Development of a Usable Online Counseling Management System

This paper is aimed at identifying solution regarding counseling management of employees’ life problem including personal and work place problems. This paper involved the design, development and evaluation of Employee Needs Assessment Inventory (ENAI) functionality and usability among employees in Malaysia. This project used a quantitative approach called case study in the process of collecting data. In general, this project was divided into three phases: system requirements analysis, system design and development, and formative evaluation. The result from of ENAI formative evaluation had proven that the system could be able to record employees’ life problem (health, family, financial, spiritual, work issue, career, interpersonal relationship and work environment). Besides, the system can be used by three tiers (employees, employer and counselor) to access the counseling information, provide communication networking facility for a diversity user, and assist in the generation of reports and analysis, and also to support counseling management for the three tiers.

The ethical grey zone

Confronting hypothetical dilemmas can ease workplace problems, argue Caitlin Casey and Kartik Sheth.

Functional outcomes of child and adolescent oppositional defiant disorder symptoms in young adult men

Oppositional defiant disorder(ODD) is considered to be a disorder of childhood, yet evidence suggests that prevalence rates of the disorder are stable into late adolescence and trajectories of symptoms persist into young adulthood. Functional outcomes associated with ODD through childhood and adolescence include conflict within families, poor peer relationships, peer rejection, and academic difficulties. Little examination of functional outcomes in adulthood associated with ODD has been undertaken. Data for the present analyses come from a clinic referred sample of 177 boys aged 7-12 followed up annually to age 18 and again at age 24. Annual parental report of psychopathology through adolescence was used to predict self-reported functional outcomes at 24. Controlling for parent reported symptoms of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), Conduct disorder (CD), depression and anxiety, ODD symptoms from childhood through adolescence predicted poorer age 24 functioning with peers, poorer romantic relationships, a poorer paternal relationship, and having nobody who would provide a recommendation for a job. CD symptoms predicted workplace problems, poor maternal relationship, lower academic attainment, and violent injuries. Only parent reported ODD symptoms and child reported CD symptoms predicted a composite of poor adult outcomes. Oppositional defiant disorder is a disorder that significantly interferes with functioning, particularly in social or interpersonal relationships. The persistence of impairment associated with ODD into young adulthood calls for a reconsideration of ODD as a disorder limited to childhood.

Clash of Generations at Workplace: What does Business Ethics Mean to Different Generations in Turkey?

Changing times and fast moving conditions force organizations and managers to find new ways to adopt and manage every day challenges of the business world. One of those everyday challenges is managing a diverse work force composed of employees from different ages. Due to the increasingly diversified nature of the work force, intergenerational differences on work place characteristics and attitudes are major possible sources of work place problems. As the literature on generational differences at work place is generally dominated by Western studies, by conducting this study, it is aimed to highlight the way generations perceive business ethics from Turkish organizational perspective. The research was designed with an exploratory nature and employed qualitative research methods. 18 semi-structured interviews with three generations: Baby Boomers, Generation X and Generation Y were conducted. The findings of the current study indicated that there are both some similarities and also differences in terms of business ethics perceptions of three generations. DOI: 10.5901/ajis.2013.v2n9p532

The assessment of the sawmill noise

Noise is a serious and widespread problem in many workplaces like in sawmill. The published data for the year 2010 about the total number of pathologies from work in Italia due to the noise, showed 5222 cases divided by sex, in fact for females there are instances in number of 221 while the male has a number of cases is equal to 4961. The aim of this work was to detect the sound level caused by the use of the machineries in a sawmill. The measurements were carried out through an instrument known as noise level meter, equipped with a microphone and connected to a computer for data processing and analysis of variance to a factor in excel, and able to assess noise levels at any particular point in the mill. The machines were subjected in relief and with several different types of wood materials. Obviously, in our case a fundamental role takes the moisture of wood. The drying operation is intended to obtain that degree of humidity of the wood, generally it must be between 7 and 16%, compatible with the type of glue used and, above all, appropriate to the target structures. The machines that have the highest sound pressure levels were trimmer and profiler, with values ranging between 85 dB(A) and 110 dB(A). Finally, it’s possible conclude that the sound pressure level increases when the aspiration equipment is turned on, the noise of machinery decreases during the processing of wood and that, increasing the thickness, decreased the noise emitted by the machine.

Changes in psychosocial work environment and depressive symptoms: A prospective study in junior physicians

We examined the impact of changes in the psychosocial work environment on depressive symptoms in a sample of junior physicians, a high risk group for stress and mental disorders. This is a three-wave prospective study in 417 junior physicians during their residency in German hospitals. The psychosocial work environment was measured by the Effort-Reward Imbalance (ERI) Questionnaire at Waves 1 and 2, and the depressive symptoms were assessed with the State-Trait Depression Scales at all three waves. Multivariate linear regression was applied for prospective associations between ERI across Waves 1 and 2, and baseline-adjusted depressive symptoms at Wave 3. Compared with the ERI scores at Wave 1, at Wave 2, and mean scores between the two waves, the baseline-adjusted ERI change scores between the two waves showed slightly better statistical power, predicting depressive symptoms at Wave 3 (β = 0.78, 95% CI = 0.38-1.18 for increased ERI per SD, β = 0.64, 95% CI = 0.22-1.06 for increased effort per SD, β = -0.65, 95% CI = -1.06 to -0.24 for increased reward per SD, and β = 0.68, 95% CI = 0.27-1.09 for increased overcommitment per SD). Negative changes in the psychosocial work environment, specifically increased ERI, are associated with depressive symptoms in German junior physicians. Reducing the non-reciprocity of working life, particularly improving reward at work, may have beneficial effects on prevention of mental health problems in the hospital workplace.

Remediating buildings damaged by dampness and mould for preventing or reducing respiratory tract symptoms, infections and asthma (Review)

Dampness and mould in buildings have been associated with adverse respiratory symptoms, asthma and respiratory infections of inhabitants. Moisture damage is a very common problem in private houses, workplaces and public buildings such as schools. To determine the effectiveness of remediating buildings damaged by dampness and mould in order to reduce or prevent respiratory tract symptoms, infections and symptoms of asthma. We searched the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL) (The Cochrane Library 2011, Issue 2), which contains the Cochrane Acute Respiratory Infections Group's Specialised Register, MEDLINE (1951 to June week 1, 2011), EMBASE (1974 to June 2011), CINAHL (1982 to June 2011), Science Citation Index (1973 to June 2011), Biosis Previews (1989 to June 2011), NIOSHTIC (1930 to November 2010) and CISDOC (1974 to November 2010). Randomised controlled trials (RCTs), cluster-RCTs (cRCTs), interrupted time series studies and controlled before-after (CBA) studies of the effects of remediating dampness and mould in a building on respiratory symptoms, infections and asthma. Two authors independently extracted data and assessed the risk of bias in the included studies. We included eight studies (6538 participants); two RCTs (294 participants), one cRCT (4407 participants) and five CBA studies (1837 participants). The interventions varied from thorough renovation to cleaning only. We found moderate-quality evidence in adults that repairing houses decreased asthma-related symptoms (among others, wheezing (odds ratio (OR) 0.64; 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.55 to 0.75) and respiratory infections (among others, rhinitis (OR 0.57; 95% CI 0.49 to 0.66)). For children, we found moderate-quality evidence that the number of acute care visits (among others mean difference (MD) -0.45; 95% CI -0.76 to -0.14)) decreased in the group receiving thorough remediation. One CBA study showed very low-quality evidence that after repairing a mould-damaged office building, asthma-related and other respiratory symptoms decreased. For children and staff in schools, there was very low-quality evidence that asthma-related and other respiratory symptoms in mould-damaged schools were similar to those of children and staff in non-damaged schools, both before and after intervention. For children, respiratory infections might have decreased after the intervention. We found moderate to very low-quality evidence that repairing mould-damaged houses and offices decreases asthma-related symptoms and respiratory infections compared to no intervention in adults. There is very low-quality evidence that although repairing schools did not significantly change respiratory symptoms in staff or children, pupils' visits to physicians due to a common cold were less frequent after remediation of the school. Better research, preferably with a cRCT design and with more validated outcome measures, is needed.

English

&nbsp; Child labour is a sensitive issue in global business. It is a common problem in workplace in Bangladesh particularly in Ready-made garment (RMG) sector. This paper focuses on child labour and how it affects the Bangladesh RMG sector. In fact the International Labour Organization (ILO), the World Trade Organization (WTO) and other international communities consider child labour as abusive and exploitative. To eliminate child labour, the ILO and other stakeholder promote decent work programme with technical and financial support. These are also discussed in this paper. An extensive literature survey has been undertaken in order to review the working conditions in the Ready-made garment industry. Based on this literature review, working conditions in the RMG sector are below standard according to the ILO as well as this lack of social compliance. As a result, the international communities and buyers declined to purchase RMG product. Compliance of RMG factories is a key requirement for most of the reputable global garments buyers that compliance ensures all labour rights and facilities according to the buyer&rsquo;s Code of Conducts. Hence Bangladeshi manufacturers must provide themselves with compliance tools in order to maintain the reputation of their industry. Therefore this review identifies the need to improve capacity of the institutions concerned with social compliance. &nbsp; Key words:&nbsp;Ready-made garment (RMG), compliance, code of conducts, monitoring and verification system, Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics (BBS), International Programme for the Elimination of Child Labour (IPEC), International Confederation of Free Trade Unions (ICFTU), International Labour Organization (ILO), United Nations Children&rsquo;s Fund (UNICEF).

Standing up for staff

RCN representatives support members with workplace problems – and enhance their own skills and knowledge at the same time. Rachael McIlroy explains

804 – Contributing factors of workplace violence among nurses at psychiatric and non psychiatric wards

Objective To explore the situation, contributing factors and management of workplace violence among nurses in the health sector the Isfahan, Iran. Research design and methods A total of 250 nurses were assessed from all the health care services available in Isfahan. Quantitative and qualitative data were collected through questionnaires and interviews. Nurses were asked a series of questions about their personal experience of workplace violence in addition to their views and perceptions of violence in the workplace more generally. This can include verbal aggression or abuse, threat or harassment as well as physical violence. Results Violence is a problem in the workplace for almost half of nurses. Among hospital nurses, those working in Psychiatry, Drug abuse and Screening units are more likely to report violence as a problem in their workplace. The majority of Nurses experienced form of verbal abuse and a third of them reported physical violence or abuse. Females, younger nurses, working in night shifts, having physical contacts with patients, working in crowded units and poor working experience nurses were more likely to experience violence. Dissatisfaction of service provided and with diagnosis or planned treatment was the most frequently stated reason for work place violence. Psychological backgrounds, inability to pay for hospital bill, low social security conditions were the indirect factors. Conclusions Improved training, better security measures, including provision of a safe environment to treat known or potentially violent patients, prevention programs, and health services for both nurses and patients should be provided.