Work Autonomy Research Articles

A Price Too High: Injury and Assault among Delivery Gig Workers in New York City

The occupational health burden and mechanisms that link gig work to health are understudied. We described injury and assault prevalence among food delivery gig workers in New York City (NYC) and assessed the effect of job dependence on injury and assault through work-related mechanisms and across transportation modes (electric bike and moped versus car). Data were collected through a 2022 survey commissioned by the NYC Department of Consumer and Worker Protection among delivery gig workers between October and December 2021 in NYC. We used modified Poisson regression models to estimate the adjusted prevalence rate ratio associations between job dependence and injury and assault. Of 1650 respondents, 66.9% reported that food delivery gig work was their main or only job (i.e., fully dependent). About 21.9% and 20.8% of respondents reported being injured and assaulted, respectively. Injury and assault were more than twice as prevalent among two-wheeled drivers, in comparison to car users. Fully dependent respondents had a 1.61 (95% confidence interval (CI) 1.20, 2.16) and a 1.36 (95% CI 1.03, 1.80) times greater prevalence of injury and assault, respectively, than partially dependent respondents after adjusting for age, sex, race and ethnicity, language, employment length, transportation mode, and weekly work hours. These findings suggest that fully dependent food delivery gig workers, especially two-wheeled riders, are highly vulnerable to the negative consequences of working conditions under algorithmic management by the platforms. Improvements to food delivery gig worker health and safety are urgently needed, and company narratives surrounding worker autonomy and flexibility need to be revisited.

Chained to the App: German Bike Couriers Riding into Digital Capitalism

In the digital age of platformization and digital capitalism, this study demonstrates the significant role of institutionalized relationships in influencing autonomy-control dynamics within platform companies. By contrasting multinational food delivery corporations with local cooperative courier services in Germany, we find that algorithmic management centralizes control in commercial platforms, thereby limiting worker autonomy. In contrast, cooperative models prioritize communication, trust, and self-determination. These findings underscore that works councils and collective representation of interests serve as countervailing powers in commercial platforms, actively advocating for worker protections. In summary, this study highlights the pivotal role of institutionalized relationships in shaping the evolving landscape of work, emphasizing their significance in achieving a more equitable and humane work environment.

Prahara Digital Labor dalam Bingkai Penafsiran Logika Waktu Pendek dan Kapitalisme Luwes

<p align="justify"><em>When the COVID-19 pandemic gradually subsided, digital disruption was considered a game changer for today's work, such as work from home (WFH). The prevalence of digital disruption in contemporary work has triggered the birth of a digital labor class, which broadly impacts intra- and inter-organizational communication, especially in dealing with work-related risks in an increasingly insecure labor market. In a macro context like this, digital labor within neoliberal higher education institutions became an interesting phenomenon, especially given the worsening conditions of intellectual workers and changes in academic behavior and practices. A recent study showed many practices violating academic integrity in Indonesian higher education institutions, such as plagiarism, data fabrication, improper claims of authorship, contract-cheating, and other violations of professional codes of ethics. To address these problems, the author employed a critical method of the political economy of communication and the sociology of work to analyze 'short-time logic' as an operational mechanism in flexible capitalism, commoditizing workers' time by blurring the boundaries between productive and leisure time and turning the illusion of worker autonomy into a 'sustained contestation.' The 'short time logic' of flexible capitalism deformed intellectual workers in higher education in Indonesia into digital labor because they were constantly conditioned to produce intellectual products with highly competitive metrics but lacking reflection and meaningfulness, which sharpened the gaps in competency-based inequalities and created a new hierarchy of social classes in higher education. </em><strong></strong></p>

Insights into the Impact of Organizational Factors and Burnout on the Employees of a For-Profit Psychiatric Hospital during the Third Wave of the COVID-19 Pandemic.

In this paper, we provide insights into the interplay among the organizational, job, and attitudinal factors and employees' intentions to resign during the third wave of the COVID-19 pandemic at a mental health hospital. We point out shortcomings in the relationship dynamics between executive administration and operational staff and propose a pathway to develop more effective leadership frameworks to increase job satisfaction. We integrate qualitative data from case information and open-ended questions posed to employees at a mental health hospital and quantitative data from a small-scale survey (n = 19). We highlight that the ability to achieve objectives, work autonomy, burnout, affective commitment, distributive and procedural justice, and job satisfaction are critical in determining individuals' intentions to resign. Individuals identified disconnectedness and moral distress as critical aspects, while highlighting empathy, compassion, satisfaction, and confidence as pivotal elements. Mental healthcare settings could benefit from enhancing the staff's ability to achieve objectives, work autonomy, affective commitment, and both distributive and procedural justice. Addressing burnout and implementing measures to increase job satisfaction are equally vital. Efficiently restructuring dynamics between various leadership levels and staff can significantly improve employee retention.

Decentralizing referral prioritization to general practitioners at the primary care level: A qualitative case study based on the Grounded Theory.

Patient referral prioritizations is an essential process in coordinating healthcare delivery, since it organizes the waiting lists according to priorities and availability of resources. This study aims to highlight the consequences of decentralizing ambulatory patient referrals to general practitioners that work as family physicians in primary care clinics. A qualitative case study was carried out in the municipality of Rio de Janeiro. The ten health regions of Rio de Janeiro were visited during fieldwork, totalizing 35 hours of semi-structured interviews and approximately 70 hours of analysis based on the Grounded Theory. The findings of this study show that the obstacles to adequate referrals are beyond the management of vacancies, ranging from the standardization of prioritization criteria to ensuring the proper employment of referral protocols in diverse locations assisted by overloaded health workers with different backgrounds and perceptions. Efforts in decentralizing patient referral to primary care still face the growing dilemmas and challenges of expanding the coverage of health services while putting pressure on risk assessment, as well as sustaining the autonomy of physicians' work while respecting the eligibility when ordering waiting lists. A major strength of this work is on the method to organize and aggregate qualitative data using visual representations. Limitations concerning the reach of fieldwork in vulnerable and hardly accessible areas were overcame using snowball sampling techniques, making more participants accessible.

The Triumph of Resilient Leadership: Unleashing Psychological Well-being with Self-Esteem and Job Autonomy

Current research tries to investigate the influence of resilient leadership on PWB (psychological well-being) with role of organization-based self-esteem and job autonomy. A diverse sample of 200 employed people served as the source of data for this study. Individuals who are working in a well renowned organization. This study employs a cross sectional research design. It is evident that very rare amount of research being conducted on this particular relationship. By evaluating the combined effects of resilient leadership, PWB (psychological well-being), work autonomy, & OBSE (organization-based self-esteem), study adds to the body of knowledge by drawing on the COR (conservation of resource) theory. Findings prevail a substantial positive link between the resilient leadership & psychological wellbeing as well as significant moderating and mediating relationships. Implementing training programs and interventions focused on developing resilient leadership skills can be beneficial in promoting mental and physical health of leaders, ultimately fostering a positive work environment and reducing burnout.

Entrepreneurship and mental well-being in China: the moderating roles of work autonomy and subjective socioeconomic status

Entrepreneurs’ mental well-being has been a nascent research topic in the entrepreneurship domain, but it remains unclear whether and how entrepreneurship affects mental well-being in the context of emerging economies. Drawing on the self-determination theory (SDT), we developed a model in which entrepreneurship, compared to wage–employment, was identified as a career choice more conducive to work-related and socioeconomic status (SES)-related psychological functioning (i.e., work autonomy and subjective SES), which, in turn, produces mental well-being benefits. We tested this model in the Chinese context by providing evidence based on data from the Chinese General Social Survey (CGSS) between 2010 and 2021 (N = 28,419). We found that entrepreneurs had higher levels of positive mental well-being and lower levels of negative mental well-being than paid employees. Mediation analysis showed that subjective SES mediated the relationship between entrepreneurship and mental well-being and explained this relationship better than work autonomy. These findings indicated that the mental well-being benefits of entrepreneurship existed in emerging economies like China and highlighted the crucial role of SES-related psychological functioning in facilitating entrepreneurs’ mental well-being.

Unlocking Work Autonomy: A Hybrid Approach for Sustainable Job Satisfaction in the Post-Covid Era

This research aims to design a hybrid work model with a task-characteristic autonomy job design. Remote work or Work from Anywhere (WFA) is widely used, as the Covid-19 pandemic accelerated this method. For some people, the WFA method is enjoyable because it can provide freedom to organize work methods, allowing for high work autonomy. However, some people also feel that working remotely creates a feeling of isolation and boredom and reduces job satisfaction. The hybrid method will increase work autonomy, work-life balance, and job satisfaction. This research is aimed at employees in Jakarta and surrounding areas who can work hybrid. The research population is difficult to calculate, so the sampling method is purposive, and the sampling technique is convenience method. Hypothesis testing was done using Structural Equation Modeling (SEM). The research results prove that applying the hybrid method can significantly increase job satisfaction by fully mediating the task characteristic autonomy and the work-life balance variables. Therefore, applying the Hybrid method is an option because, in the next decade, the world of work will increasingly be dominated by Gen Y and Gen Z.

Nurses' Perception of Tension, Stress, and Pressure before and during the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Multicenter Serbian Study.

The mental health of healthcare workers, especially the nursing staff in intensive care units, is crucial for the optimal functioning of healthcare systems during medical emergencies. This study implements a cross-sectional design to investigate the associations between nurses' personal characteristics, workplace challenges, and job satisfaction with the increased perception of tension, stress, and pressure at the workplace (TSPW) before and during the COVID-19 pandemic. In 2021, we surveyed 4210 nurses from 19 intensive healthcare facilities in the capital of Serbia, Belgrade, and, at that time, collected data about their perceived TSPW before and during the COVID-19 pandemic. Our study identified six predictors of the increase in TSPW, as perceived by nurses: their work in COVID-19 infectious zones (OR = 1.446), exhaustion due to work under protective equipment (OR = 1.413), uncertainty and fear of infection (OR = 1.481), a high degree of superiors' appreciation and respect (OR = 1.147), a high degree of patients' attitudes (OR = 1.111), and a low degree of work autonomy (OR = 0.889). The study's findings suggest that a solution to this issue is necessary to ensure that nurses are safe and able to alleviate the physical and mental strain that comes with prolonged use of protective equipment. Nurses on the frontline of the pandemic require better health protection, better conditions, and respect for their role. Strategies to promote mental health would help reduce nurses' stress and increase job satisfaction.

Investigating engagement and burnout of gig-workers in the age of algorithms: an empirical study in digital labor platforms

PurposeDigital labor platforms (DLPs) are transforming the nature of the work for an increasing number of workers, especially through extensively employing automated algorithms for performing managerial functions. In this novel working setting – characterized by algorithmic governance, and automatic matching, rewarding and punishing mechanisms – gig-workers play an essential role in providing on-demand services for final customers. Since gig-workers’ continued participation is crucial for sustainable service delivery in platform contexts, this study aims to identify and examine the antecedents of their working outcomes, including burnout and engagement.Design/methodology/approachWe suggested a theoretical framework, grounded in the job demands-resources heuristic model to investigate how the interplay of job demands and resources, resulting from working in DLPs, explains gig-workers’ engagement and burnout. We further empirically tested the proposed model to understand how DLPs' working conditions, in particular their algorithmic management, impact gig-working outcomes.FindingsOur findings indicate that job resources – algorithmic compensation, work autonomy and information sharing– have significant positive effects on gig-workers’ engagement. Furthermore, our results demonstrate that job insecurity, unsupportive algorithmic interaction (UAI) and algorithmic injustice significantly contribute to gig-workers’ burnout. Notably, we found that job resources substantially, but differently, moderate the relationship between job demands and gig-workers’ burnout.Originality/valueThis study contributes a theoretically accurate and empirically grounded understanding of two clusters of conditions – job demands and resources– as a result of algorithmic management practice in DLPs. We developed nuanced insights into how such conditions are evaluated by gig-workers and shape their engagement or burnout in DLP emerging work settings. We further uncovered that in gig-working context, resources do not similarly buffer against the negative effects of job demands.

Cornelius Castoriadis’ agonistic theory of the future of work at Amazon Mechanical Turk

ABSTRACT Digital innovations are rapidly changing the contemporary workplace. Big Tech companies marketing algorithmic management increasingly decide on the Future of Work. Political responses, however, often focus on managing the impact of these technologies on workers. They leave the question of how these technologies are designed or how workers can determine their own futures unanswered. This approach risks surrendering the Future of Work debate to techno-determinist imaginaries aligned with corporate interests. Using Cornelius Castoriadis’ early writings on worker struggles in French Tayloristic factories and his later oeuvre on conflictual social imaginaries, I propose an agonistic approach to the Future of Work. Not merely companies implementing workplace technologies, but also workers themselves possess agency in determining the Future of Work. Workers’ frequent contestations against machinic surveillance and technologically mediated coordination of the labour process disclose an alternative Future of Work in which technologies are used to enhance worker autonomy rather than bureaucratic control. Worker struggles at Amazon Mechanical Turk illustrate this agonistic dynamic: Amazon mobilizes algorithmic management to fragment and control a workforce of globally dispersed remote workers, but the latter form online social communities and create counter-technologies to reappropriate control over the labour process.

Dampak Mediasi Komitmen Profesional Mempengaruhi Otonomi Kerja dan Kompetensi terhadap Job Engagement (Studi pada Pegawai Inspektorat Daerah Kabupaten Boven Digoel)

This research aims to determine the mediating influence of professional commitment in influencing work autonomy and competence on work engagement. The method used is a quantitative method. The data analysis method used is Partial Least Square (PLS) analysis. The research results showed that the work autonomy variable obtained P values > 0.05 (0.324 > 0.05) and t-statistics < 1.96 (0.987 < 1.96). The competency variable has a P value > 0.05 (0.818 > 0.05) and t-statistic < 1.96 (0.231 < 1.96). This value shows that work autonomy and competence do not have a positive and significant effect on work engagement. This research also proves that work autonomy does not have a positive and significant effect on professional commitment because it has a P value > 0.05 (0.449 > 0.05) and t-statistic < 1.96 (0.758 < 1.96). Competence has a positive and significant effect on professional commitment because it has P Values < 0.05 (0.000 < 0.05) and t-statistics > 1.96 (24.086 > 1.96). Keywords: Job Engagement, Competence, Mediation of Professional Commitment

The Impact of Work Enviroment, Information Technology, and Work Autonomy on Telework Adjusment of National Institute of Public Administration Employees During A Pandemic

This research aims to determine the impact of Work Environment, Information Technology, and Work Autonomy on Telework Adjustment of National Institute of Public Administration Employees During a Pandemic. The population of this research used the Slovin sampling technique in which the population were 120 people. This research uses primary data with data collection method through questionnaires distributed to 120 respondents. The analysis technique uses multiple linear regression and uses the Static Product and Service Solution (SPSS) program with the 26.0 version. Based on the results of the partial research, it was discovered that Work Environment has been a positive and significant impact on Telework Adjustment. Information Technology has a positive and significant impact on Telework Adjustment. Work Autonomy has a positive and significant impact on Telework Adjustment.

Influence of Job Stressors on The Quality of Work Life Among Coaches and Chaperone

This study aimed at determining domains in the job stressors that significantly influence the “quality of work life among coaches and chaperone. The non-experimental quantitative research was utilized in this undertaking. There were 150coaches and chaperone who are also teachers in Mati City Division with distinct range of working experiences and level of academic achievements from one year and above, who participated in this study as respondents. The Mean, Pearson-r and Regression Analysis were used as the statistical tools employed for the interpretation of the data gathered. The result of this undertaking revealed that the level of job stressors was high among coaches and chaperone in terms of job stress scale, co-worker support, role expectation conflict, and work life balance. Also, it was revealed that the level of quality of work life was high in terms of work environment, relation and cooperation, job satisfaction and job security, organization culture and climate, training and development, compensation and reward, autonomy of work, adequacy of resources, and facilities. Moreover, the result revealed that job stressors were significantly related to quality of work life among coaches and chaperone. It was also found that job stress scale and coworker support as job stressors were significantly influenced the quality of work life.

The Mediating Effect of Organizational Climate on The Relationship Between Self-Efficacy and Autonomy of Work of Teachers

This study looked at the impact of organizational climate in mediating the relationship between teacher self-efficacy and work autonomy among public school secondary teachers in the Municipality of Sto. Tomas, Davao del Norte. This study used a descriptive-correlational research (mediation analysis) approach with a sample of 300 public secondary school teachers. Three different survey questionnaires were employed to collect data from respondents, which were then subjected to content validity and reliability testing. The data was examined using the mean, Pearson-r, multiple linear regression analysis, and Medgraph with the Sobel z-test. The findings demonstrated that organizational climate, self-efficacy, and autonomy of the work of teachers are often observed. Furthermore, there was a strong link between these variables. The study found a substantial partial mediation of organizational climate on the link between self-efficacy and autonomy of work of public secondary school teachers in the Municipality of Sto. Tomas.

UBERIZAÇÃO: O MITO NEOLIBERAL

The interpretations that the judiciary emanates on matters of great international repercussion, such as the condition of uberized workers, matter to the questioning because it conveys a series of ideologies similar to the mythological foundations that found the law itself. Therefore, this article proposes to problematize the naturalization of business practices that deny the existence of labor relations between digital platforms and their service providers. The method of approach was deductive, with a monographic procedure methodology, based on the literature review, concomitant with a brief documentary research. It is considered that the myth of uberization is legitimized in Brazil based on social influence, by legal means, to justify logic linked to the autonomy of work, through self-entrepreneurship.

The Impact of Enterprise Innovation Values on Employees' Innovative Behavior: An Analysis of Mediating Effects

Innovation is crucial for the success of organizations, especially in the technology industry. Motivating employees' innovative behavior is essential for organizations seeking to stay competitive. This study examines the impact of enterprise innovation values on employees' innovative behavior in the technology industry, and the mediating effects of work autonomy, interpersonal trust, and emotional intelligence. The study is based on a cross-sectional survey of 458 employees from technology companies in China. The data is analyzed using E-views and other software to analyze the cross-level research of enterprise innovation values on employees' innovation behavior. The study constructs a theoretical framework of "innovation values-self-determining factors- innovation behavior" and explores the mediating effects of work autonomy, interpersonal trust, and emotional Intelligence. The results reveal that enterprise innovation values have a significant impact on employees' innovative behavior and that the mediating variables play an important role in explaining the relationship between the two. These findings provide valuable insights into the theoretical and practical implications of motivating employees' innovative behavior in the technology industry. By focusing on the technology industry, this study provides specific recommendations for technology companies seeking to motivate employees' innovative behavior and maintain their competitive edge.

Teacher Autonomy And Supervision Of Teacher Performance In Junior High Schools

This research aims to determine the influence of autonomy and supervision on teacher performance in junior high schools in Ngaliyan sub-district. This type of research is quantitative descriptive research with survey techniques using questionnaires as a data collection method. A questionnaire containing statements regarding research variable indicators, was distributed to 110 teacher respondents in Ngaliyan sub-district junior high schools. The results obtained show that there is a significant influence of teacher work autonomy on teacher performance. Supervision at Ngaliyan Middle School also has a significant effect on teacher performance. Autonomy and supervision influence teacher performance in junior high schools in Ngaliyan subdistrict.

A expropriação dos mestres-artesãos no Portugal contemporâneo (séculos XIX-XX)

This essay debates the expropriation of masters-artisans in Contemporary Portugal, focusing on its origins in the 19th century. It explores how this process unfolded throughout the Portuguese transition to capitalism after 1820. We focus on the expropriation process, the social dynamics — between pre-capitalist and capitalist forms of labour —, and, finally, critically analyze the analogy made during the Estado Novo between medieval guilds and the dictatorial corporatism of the bourgeois autocracy (1926-1974). We argue that the corporate system in the medieval era had a self-regulated work autonomy and real democracy that is absent in the Estado Novo regime and generally lacking in other Contemporary periods, including the present one. It is a reassessment of medieval arts and crafts, with a methodological perspective founded on the centrality of living work.

Work-Life Quality Dynamics of Employees in a Selected Philippine National Government Entity: Basis for Human Resource Development Strategies

Objectives: This study sets out to achieve two main objectives. Firstly, it aims to identify the dynamics of work-life quality experienced by employees within a selected Philippine national government entity. Secondly, it seeks to establish a solid foundation for the development of human resource plans tailored to the needs identified in the organizational context.
 
 Methods: The research employed a descriptive approach, utilizing a survey questionnaire to gather data from 125 employees. The questionnaire covered various dimensions of work life, including the work environment, organizational culture and climate, relationships and cooperation, training and development, compensation and rewards, facilities, autonomy of work, and adequacy of resources.
 
 Results: The study's findings indicate a positive quality of work life among employees across multiple areas. Specifically, the favorable aspects encompass the work environment, training and development opportunities, compensation and rewards, facilities, autonomy of work, and the adequacy of resources.
 
 Conclusion: In conclusion, the study underscores the significance of key factors in promoting a conducive work environment and contributing to organizational effectiveness. These factors include fostering a positive work environment, implementing effective communication strategies, encouraging teamwork, and ensuring sufficient resources. The results provide a valuable framework for shaping human resource development strategies aimed at enhancing employee engagement, commitment, talent retention, and overall organizational success.