Flexible benefits, workforce diversity, and working conditions as determinants of work-life balance among unionized employees in Thailand: A mixed methods study

The role of gender perception in women’s career withdrawal: Evidence from Türki̇ye

How work and family dynamics shape mental health across the life course: Insights from a longitudinal study in Japan.

Are four days better than five? Academic Staff's behavioural intention toward a four-day workweek in Malaysia

ABSTRACT The positive association between transformational leadership and employees’ job performance is well established. The rapid spread of the COVID-19 virus precipitated unprecedented global challenges, including the expeditious transition to remote work, which has provided valuable insights into the future of flexible work environments. An important question is whether transformational leadership has a positive association with employees’ job performance in remote work settings. This study examines how transformational leadership is associated with remote work utilization and job performance based on employees’ remote work experiences during the COVID-19 pandemic. The findings highlight how transformational leadership must effectively support remote work practices to be positively associated with employees’ job performance. Transformational leadership’s direct effect on job performance diminishes in remote work settings; however, this effect can be significantly achieved through organizational support.

The research aims at exploring how the concept of work–life balance affects the productivity of the employees. Work–life balance is an important factor in the success of an organization because workers are expected to balance their professional duties with their personal life in today's rapidly changing work environment. Some of the major factors targeted are working hours, flexible working options, leave policies and management support. Structured questionnaires were used to gather the primary data that were analysed using statistical analysis including correlation, regression and ANOVA among others. The results indicate that there are different effects of work–life balance on employee productivity, but that it is a significant factor. The study demonstrates the need for fostering employee well-being and performance through supportive organizational practices.

The present research study focuses on analysing the impact of work-from-home (WFH) on employee productivity and work-life balance. In recent years, especially after the COVID-19 pandemic, organizations across various sectors have increasingly adopted remote working practices as a flexible working model. This shift has significantly changed the way employees perform their tasks, communicate with colleagues, and manage personal as well as professional responsibilities. The primary objective of this study is to examine whether work-from-home positively or negatively affects employee productivity and to identify the key factors influencing employee performance in a remote working environment. The study also aims to understand the relationship between flexibility, communication, distractions, time management, and work-life balance in the context of remote work. The research is based on primary data collected from 50 respondents through a structured questionnaire using a Likert scale. The study follows a descriptive and analytical research design. Statistical tools such as percentage analysis, tabulation, graphical representation, and correlation analysis have been used to interpret the collected data. The findings of the study indicate that work-from-home offers several benefits such as flexible working hours, reduced commuting time, and improved work-life balance, which positively contribute to employee productivity. However, the study also highlights challenges such as household distractions, communication gaps, lack of proper workspace, and limited interaction with team members that may negatively affect employee performance. The correlation analysis shows a moderate positive relationship between work-from-home and employee productivity. The study concludes that work-from-home can be an effective working model when supported by proper communication systems, organizational support, technological resources, and employee discipline. It further suggests that a balanced hybrid work model can help organizations achieve improved productivity and employee satisfaction.

Population aging, labour shortages and economic conditions are increasing concerns worldwide regarding retirement decisions of nurses. Although previous studies have examined factors influencing nurses' retirement, limited research has explored how late-career female nurses perceive and experience the transition to retirement, particularly from a qualitative perspective, and how these perceptions reflect the current situation in healthcare settings. Hence, this study aims to fill this gap by exploring the perceptions of late-career female nurses about retirement and the interplay of personal, professional, social, and economic factors influencing their decisions. A phenomenological design was employed in the study. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews with 31 female nurses aged 45 or older who were actively working in clinical or managerial roles. Participants were selected using criterion and snowball sampling techniques. The interviews were analysed using thematic analysis with the support of MAXQDA software, following a structured process of data familiarization, initial coding, theme development, and reviewing and naming themes to systematically capture participants' experiences. Reporting was conducted in accordance with the COREQ checklist to ensure methodological rigor (Appendix A). The analysis resulted in four main themes and eleven subthemes, revealing that retirement for late-career female nurses is a complex and multifaceted process. It is experienced both as a positive life transition, offering rest, financial security, and personal time, and as a challenging period marked by potential loss of identity, productivity, and social roles, highlighting the interplay of personal, professional, social, and economic drivers in shaping retirement decisions within healthcare settings. The study found that retirement decisions among late-career female nurses are influenced by workload, emotional and physical strain, financial and family considerations, and organizational support. Addressing these factors through age-sensitive policies, flexible work arrangements, and retirement preparation programs may facilitate smoother transitions and support workforce retention. Not applicable.

ABSTRACT As digital transformation accelerates across China, organizations increasingly depend on digital platforms not only to enhance operational efficiency but also to cultivate employee-driven innovation. However, the mechanisms through which platform capabilities translate into intrapreneurial behaviour remain underexplored. This study investigates how digital platform capability influences employee intrapreneurship using two-wave matched data from 278 senior managers and employees in China. Results show that digital integration and reconfiguration capabilities significantly promote intrapreneurship. Employee value co-creation partially mediates these effects, while employee flexibility strengthens the indirect relationships. These findings enrich understanding of how digital platforms facilitate bottom-up innovation in China’s evolving digital economy.

BackgroundAbout 4 in 10 people in Sweden get cancer during their lifetime, and approximately half of them will be diagnosed during their working life. As cancer survival rates improve, a growing number of individuals face challenges in returning to work following treatment. This increases the demand for effective return-to-work (RTW) strategies. Despite existing rehabilitation frameworks, cancer survivors often encounter barriers to sustainable work reintegration.ObjectiveThis study aimed to investigate stakeholders’ perceptions of facilitators and barriers to RTW among cancer survivors, including factors promoting work-related well-being during the RTW process.MethodsDuring the development phase of a work-oriented rehabilitation intervention, semistructured interviews were conducted, with 25 stakeholders involved in the RTW process: health care professionals (n=12), social insurance officers (n=7), employers (n=5), and an employment service agency officer (n=1). Data were analyzed using qualitative content analysis.ResultsFive overarching themes were identified that influenced RTW: collaboration and clear division of responsibilities, balancing individual adaptations, reducing structural barriers through support, views and expectations of the individual regarding RTW, and the emotional significance of work. Key facilitators included flexible work arrangements, individualized adaptations, a strong desire to work, and the emotional value of work. Barriers comprised lack of collaboration among stakeholders, particularly the absence of a clear division of responsibilities, as well as structural barriers, such as sick leave bureaucracy and financial obstacles. The role of rehabilitation coordinators was highlighted as pivotal in bridging gaps between stakeholders and ensuring continuity in care.ConclusionsRTW for cancer survivors is a complex, multifactorial process requiring coordinated efforts across health care, insurance, and employment sectors. Enhancing collaboration, clarifying stakeholder responsibilities, and implementing flexible, individualized support structures are essential to facilitating cancer survivors’ RTW. Additionally, including a designated coordinator in the process is proposed. More support during the early phase of RTW is necessary to reduce the risk of long-term labor market exclusion. To help cancer survivors’ RTW, clear role definitions and shared responsibilities among stakeholders are essential. Flexibility in the RTW process helps individuals reintegrate at their own pace, reduces isolation, and promotes social connection. These are key considerations for future policies and support measures.

We used national-level data to compare worker demographic and socioeconomic characteristics, work arrangements, psychosocial working conditions, safety and health, job security, wages and benefits, and worker health and well-being before the COVID-19 pandemic, in 2018, and in the late stage of the pandemic, in 2022. Understanding these changes helps inform some of the potential ways these factors may shape the future of work. We analyzed self-reported and publicly available data from the 2018 and 2022 waves of the General Social Survey (GSS)-Quality of Worklife (QWL) module, focusing on adults working part-time or full-time. We describe differences in the broad categories of interest mentioned above, as well as subcategories within each. For example, we assessed changes in psychosocial working conditions by focusing on subcategories that included job demands, job control, role conflict, resource adequacy, job support, work flexibility, and work and family interface, that is, the boundaries between work and family life. We used Mann-Whitney tests to assess statistically significant changes, using weighted, nationally representative worker samples (N = 1473 in 2018; N = 2112 in 2022). Between 2018 and 2022, we observed two changes in work arrangements; the share of independent contractors increased (from 12.4% to 14.4%) while the share of those working full-time decreased (from 81.3% to 78.5%). Psychosocial conditions exhibited mixed trends; job demands and control showed marginal improvement, while role conflict, resource adequacy, and job support worsened. The share of workers who mainly worked at home increased (6.6%-17.2%), alongside those experiencing family-work conflict (from 26% to 32%). Health and well-being also worsened, with more workers reporting lower job satisfaction and very often feeling used up (from 13.1% to 16.0%). In addition, workers reported more days in poor mental health (from 3.6 to 4.4 days) and days with activity limitations (from 1.6 to 2.2) in the past 30 days. The quality of worklife in 2022 differed meaningfully from 2018, though not uniformly for better or worse. For example, increases in working at home and the share of independent contractor arrangements suggest different potential long-term consequences for worker well-being. Continued monitoring and more nuanced analyses are essential to understanding the evolving future of work.

The visual system balances veridical object perception with flexible visual working memory (VWM), both engaging high-level visual regions. However, how these competing demands shape object-selective cortex (OSC) representations remains unclear. Here, we ask whether VWM inherits the spatial constraints observed in the OSC during perception or reorganizes representations to meet mnemonic demands. Using a matched task design and functional magnetic resonance imaging-based decoding, we systematically compared the localization of object-identity representations during perception and VWM. A robust dissociation emerged: Perception kept object information largely contralateral, whereas VWM produced robust ipsilateral representation even when memorizing bilateral items. These expanded representations exploited more than 90% of ipsilateral OSC vertices and could not be attributed to increased attentional span. Critically, the ipsilateral representations closely mirrored contralateral representations, implicating interhemispheric coordination in VWM. Together, these findings demonstrate that object VWM flexibly recruits distributed high-level visual cortex, with spatial reorganization distinguishing mnemonic flexibility from perceptual fidelity.

ABSTRACT This research aims to shed light on the psychological and socioeconomic dimensions of the working environment in Turkey. Structural equation modelling was used in this study, which examined the mediating role of psychological flexibility in the effect of subjective underemployment levels of adult individuals working in Turkey on decent work levels. The data of the study consists of 334 people who are actively working in one of the central provinces of Turkey. As a result of the analyses, it was determined that psychological flexibility partially mediates the relationship between subjective underemployment and decent work. These findings were discussed in the light of other studies in the literature and suggestions were made.

This study focuses on examining the social security provisions available to gig workers in India under the Code on Social Security, 2020. The rapid growth of the gig economy has transformed employment patterns by creating flexible, short-term, and platform-based work opportunities. However, gig workers often remain outside traditional social security systems, making their protection a major concern. Although the law provides benefits such as health insurance, maternity support, and old-age protection, there is limited awareness among gig workers. Many workers are not fully informed about registration procedures or how to access these benefits. The study aims to analyze awareness levels, understand registration processes, evaluate accessibility of benefits, and identify key challenges faced by gig workers. The research is based on both primary and secondary data. Primary data was collected from 110 gig workers in Pune using structured questionnaires. Secondary data was collected from journals, books, and online sources. The findings reveal a significant gap between policy provisions and actual implementation. Many workers face difficulties in accessing benefits due to lack of awareness and complex procedures. Keywords- Gig Economy, Gig Workers, Social Security, Code on Social Security, 2020, Platform Workers, e-Shram Portal, Labour Laws, Unorganized Sector, Welfare Schemes, Implementation Challenges

This study examines how marketing professionals publicly articulate total rewards perceptions through LinkedIn discourse, extending natural language processing methodologies via domain-specific model development. Analyzing 35,691 comments from 2023, we identify significant shifts toward digital skill-based compensation discourse (+ 31.2%) and strong positive sentiment associations with flexible work arrangements (r = .48, p < .001), particularly among technology sector professionals. Hierarchical regression analysis confirms that digital skill discourse orientation and industry sector interact to predict sentiment variation (ΔR² = 0.04, p < .001), with digital competency emphasis demonstrating differential effects across technology, retail, and consumer goods contexts. Drawing on Skill-Based Total Rewards Theory, we provide preliminary empirical support for three propositions: Digital Skill-Reward Congruence, Market Value of Skills, and Skills-Based Flexibility principles. The sentiment analysis model achieved an F1-score of 0.89, while industry-specific analysis revealed significant variations (F(2,35688) = 27.32, p < .001) across sectors. Recognizing that LinkedIn discourse reflects publicly constructed professional identity positions rather than unfiltered latent attitudes, we interpret these patterns as expressions of signaled reward preferences within professional networking contexts. Methodologically, the study demonstrates NLP applications for large-scale professional sentiment analysis. Practically, findings inform industry-specific compensation strategies recognizing digital competencies and workplace flexibility as critical retention factors. This research contributes to compensation theory through quantitative operationalization of SBTRT propositions while establishing methodological frameworks for discourse-based organizational research.

The rapidly growing gig economy phenomenon in the digital era has brought significant changes to the economic structure of Muslim families, particularly regarding the obligation to provide for a living, which according to Islamic jurisprudence is the husband's responsibility. The gig economy, based on flexible work, short-term contracts, and unstable income, creates new dynamics in husband-wife relations, the division of gender roles, and the concept of qiwāmah (compensation) within the household. This study aims to examine how the gig economy affects the implementation of the obligation to provide for a living and how Muslim families renegotiate the economic roles between husband and wife during the digital transformation. The study used a qualitative approach, analyzing classical and contemporary literature, socioeconomic data on gig workers, and interpreting the context using the maqāṣid al-shari'ah framework. The results show that the obligation to provide for a living remains normatively with the husband, but the reality of digital income instability encourages the emergence of collaborative patterns in meeting household needs. The gig economy also causes psychological stress for husbands who feel they have lost stability and their traditional position as primary breadwinners, while simultaneously enhancing women's economic roles through digital employment opportunities. These findings demonstrate the need to reinterpret the concepts of qiwāmah and sustenance in the context of the modern economy, and demand public policies that protect gig workers to ensure the continued well-being of Muslim families.

Digital transformation has changed the global employment landscape through the emergence of the gig economy, with Grab as one of the largest platforms in Indonesia. In Cirebon City, there are 4,560 active Grab partners who face the paradox between work flexibility and the reality of strict algorithmic control. This study aims to analyze the influence of job autonomy, platform algorithmic control, and work-life balance on the performance of Grab partners in Cirebon City. The study used a quantitative approach with a multiple linear regression method on 150 active Grab partner respondents selected using a purposive sampling technique. Data were collected through a structured 5-point Likert scale questionnaire that had been tested for validity and reliability, then analyzed using SPSS version 22. The results showed that job autonomy had a significant positive effect on performance with a coefficient of 0.424, work-life balance had a significant positive effect with a coefficient of 0.344, while platform algorithmic control had a minimal positive effect with a coefficient of 0.038. Simultaneously, all three variables had a significant effect, with the model Y = 9.578 + 0.424X₁ + 0.038X₂ + 0.344X₃. Job autonomy was the most dominant variable influencing performance, followed by work-life balance and platform algorithmic control. This study provides a theoretical contribution by integrating the Job Characteristics Model, Organizational Control Theory, and Conservation of Resources Theory in the context of the Indonesian gig economy. Practically, the results provide recommendations for Grab Indonesia to increase algorithm transparency and provide greater autonomy to partners. This study also provides an empirical basis for the government in formulating more comprehensive regulations for protecting digital platform workers.

Since the COVID-19 pandemic, flexible work arrangements, including working from home and remote roles, have become a sustained feature of academic life. While these models offer ongoing benefits such as flexibility, accessibility, and accommodation of diverse personal circumstances, there remains limited discussion of how they are reshaping academic work culture and affecting campus-based colleagues. The shift away from shared physical workspaces has altered key dimensions of professional life, diminishing informal collegial interactions. Although existing literature has explored the pedagogical and logistical challenges associated with the rapid shift to online teaching, less attention has been paid to the longer-term impacts of sustained remote work on academic identity, institutional culture, and the everyday practices of academic citizenship. In this paper, we consider how flexible work arrangements are reshaping the social fabric of academic nursing and blurring the boundaries between home and work. We argue that while flexible work patterns are likely to remain embedded in academic structures, they can carry unintended consequences, that require careful consideration. Sustaining a vibrant and inclusive academic culture will require intentional strategies to foster connection, visibility, and equity among both remote and campus-based colleagues.

Radiographers in the United Kingdom (UK) are under increased pressure due to both higher referral rates and the expectation to undertake elective imaging across extended working patterns alongside a 24/7 emergency service. Diagnostic radiography in the UK carries a 12.8 % vacancy rate, leading to empty shifts which add to the working pattern. Shift patterns have changed in response to increased service need, and the number of work sessions has increased. Professions such as resident doctors have reported increased burnout, poorer wellbeing and increased risk of error with increased workload. No studies have been undertaken investigating shiftwork effects on UK diagnostic radiographers to date. A mixed methods study was conducted, with this reported phase comprising a survey of all practicing UK diagnostic radiographers. The anonymous, part novel survey was delivered electronically and shared via both social media platforms and the College of Radiographers in a mass email campaign to members. Questions elicited responses from participants on work patterns, teamworking, flexibility and concurrency; impact perception and use of validated tools (UWES9 engagement instrument, OLBI burnout scale, SWEMWBS wellbeing scale) to measure that perceived impact. 822 valid questionnaires were returned across a range of regions within the UK, comprising 2.5 % of the UK workforce. Fast switching, variable and atypical shift patterns were predominantly reported, with short staffing, leading to staff undertaking work beyond the scope of the Working Time Regulations 19981. 68 % (n = 545) of respondents suggested a negative impact of the current working patterns; 70 % reported burnout (OLBI) and 30 % returning SWEMWEBS scores suggesting depression symptoms. Shortage of staff was correlated to engagement and burnout (UWES9, SWEMWBS). Participation in more than one rota was correlated with low scores in wellbeing (SWEMWBS). Shift pattern variance and inflexibility (due to staff shortage and service demand is reported to have a detrimental effect on the radiographer workforce wellbeing and burnout, particularly with concurrency of rosters. Further research is required on the mechanisms that cause these results, such as management of legal frameworks for shiftwork delivery, as well as a review of rostering practices and coproduction of out-of-hours staffing plans.

Despite near-equal global gender distribution, women remain starkly under-represented in academic medicine and scientific publications—a systemic inequity so pervasive it constitutes a silent pandemic. While women now comprise 70% of the healthcare workforce, they hold only 15% of full professorships in medicine and face persistent gaps in authorship, citations, and leadership roles. This article examines the multifaceted barriers driving this disparity, including implicit bias in hiring and promotions, disproportionate caregiving burdens, hostile work environments, and gendered disparities in mentorship and peer review. Data reveal that women-authored papers receive 30–50% fewer citations than men’s, and fewer than 20% of senior authors in high-impact journals are women. These inequities compromise scientific progress, as diverse perspectives enhance innovation and patient outcomes. Solutions demand systemic reforms: anonymised peer review, gender-balanced editorial boards, flexible work policies, institutional accountability metrics, and targeted sponsorship programs. Addressing this "pandemic" requires treating gender equity as a public health imperative—one that strengthens medicine for all.