Work Opportunities Research Articles

An Analysis of Migration during Covid-19 Pandemic

The COVID-19 pandemic has been negatively impacting the entire world economy. The plight of migrants and their struggle to return home in the period of lockdown has been highlighted during lockdown. The migrants see no future in returning to cities; they want to go back to their homeland and are prepared to make the very minimum of money that is possible there. The COVID-19 pandemic has generally resulted in reverse migration, which has highlighted the importance of addressing migrant workers' socioeconomic needs and promoting inclusive and sustainable development in both urban and rural areas. This paper analyses the scenario of migration in India during the pandemic period and the evaluation of current policy responses by the central government and state governments. These initiatives supported the reintegration of returning migrant workers into the local economy, promoted sustainable livelihoods through employment and entrepreneurship, and helped offer immediate assistance to them. The welfare of millions of migrant workers and the management of the migration crisis depended heavily on cooperation between the central and state governments. The purpose of this article is to discuss the crises of reverse migration amid Covid 19 and the initiatives taken by the Government of India. The article uses PLFS 2020-21 data to analyze the issue. It observes that the female migration rates have been steadily increasing during the period 2020-21. The majority of migrants in intra-state movement are women, and the majority of migrants in inter-state migration are men. The primary causes of migration brought on by COVID-19 include health issues, the departure of a parent or other family member who earns money, job loss or a lack of work opportunities.

Can generative artificial intelligence productivity tools support workplace learning? A qualitative study on employee perceptions in a multinational corporation

Purpose The purpose of this study was to explore employees’ perceptions and firsthand experiences of the impact of generative artificial intelligence (AI) productivity tools, specifically Microsoft 365 Copilot, on individual and collective learning processes within a multinational corporation. In doing so, the study provides insights into how these tools can shape workplace learning dynamics, fostering both individual skill development and collaborative knowledge-sharing practices. Design/methodology/approach The authors collected responses from 357 participants through a survey that included both multiple-choice and open-ended questions. This study focuses exclusively on the qualitative responses. The reflexive thematic analysis method was used to capture and interpret employees’ perceptions of the role of Microsoft 365 Copilot – a generative AI-powered assistant integrated into the Microsoft 365 suite of applications (e.g., Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, Teams) – in enhancing their work and learning opportunities in the workplace. Findings The results highlight four key themes contributing to workplace learning. At the individual level, Task Support illustrates the extent to which generative AI productivity tools transform work practices and facilitate both formal and informal learning pathways, while Meaningful Work underscores the tools’ role in enhancing employees’ foundational knowledge through enriched information. At the organisational level, organisational culture suggests the importance of fostering a supportive environment for AI integration, while organisational socialisation highlights its influence on team cohesion and the informal knowledge-sharing processes essential for effective collaboration within and among team members. Practical implications The results of this study offer actionable insights for organisations integrating generative AI productivity tools in the workplace. Understanding employees’ perceptions of the role of AI in workplace learning can inform the design of targeted training programmes that promote individual skill development and foster collaborative knowledge sharing. Furthermore, a supportive organisational culture that positions AI as a complementary resource can improve employee engagement, reduce resistance to new technologies and encourage a growth-oriented mindset, ultimately driving both personal and organisational development. Originality/value This study shifts the narrative around the role of AI in the workplace by examining how generative AI productivity tools can enhance workplace learning at both individual and organisational levels, rather than focusing solely on their potential to disrupt work through displacement and automation. By positioning AI-based applications as complementary to human work, this approach highlights their potential as enablers of skill development, knowledge sharing and job enrichment, fostering a more adaptive and learning-oriented work environment.

Artificial intelligence methods applied to longitudinal data from electronic health records for prediction of cancer: a scoping review

BackgroundEarly detection and diagnosis of cancer are vital to improving outcomes for patients. Artificial intelligence (AI) models have shown promise in the early detection and diagnosis of cancer, but there is limited evidence on methods that fully exploit the longitudinal data stored within electronic health records (EHRs). This review aims to summarise methods currently utilised for prediction of cancer from longitudinal data and provides recommendations on how such models should be developed.MethodsThe review was conducted following PRISMA-ScR guidance. Six databases (MEDLINE, EMBASE, Web of Science, IEEE Xplore, PubMed and SCOPUS) were searched for relevant records published before 2/2/2024. Search terms related to the concepts “artificial intelligence”, “prediction”, “health records”, “longitudinal”, and “cancer”. Data were extracted relating to several areas of the articles: (1) publication details, (2) study characteristics, (3) input data, (4) model characteristics, (4) reproducibility, and (5) quality assessment using the PROBAST tool. Models were evaluated against a framework for terminology relating to reporting of cancer detection and risk prediction models.ResultsOf 653 records screened, 33 were included in the review; 10 predicted risk of cancer, 18 performed either cancer detection or early detection, 4 predicted recurrence, and 1 predicted metastasis. The most common cancers predicted in the studies were colorectal (n = 9) and pancreatic cancer (n = 9). 16 studies used feature engineering to represent temporal data, with the most common features representing trends. 18 used deep learning models which take a direct sequential input, most commonly recurrent neural networks, but also including convolutional neural networks and transformers. Prediction windows and lead times varied greatly between studies, even for models predicting the same cancer. High risk of bias was found in 90% of the studies. This risk was often introduced due to inappropriate study design (n = 26) and sample size (n = 26).ConclusionThis review highlights the breadth of approaches to cancer prediction from longitudinal data. We identify areas where reporting of methods could be improved, particularly regarding where in a patients’ trajectory the model is applied. The review shows opportunities for further work, including comparison of these approaches and their applications in other cancers.

Social work in a global context: The case of Ghana

This article examines the global dimensions of social work in Ghana, using systematic literature review and qualitative content analysis. It explores how globalization affects social work practice, challenges, and opportunities in Ghana. It shows that social workers are vital for tackling social problems and enhancing service users’ well-being. It recommends indigenizing social work practices, promoting co-production, increasing social service funding, and improving social work education curriculum. The article aims to contribute to the understanding and development of social work as a global profession in Ghana.

Bridge employment in middle vs. late life for men and women: gendered social roles or life structures?

Abstract Utilizing longitudinal data from a stratified random sample of 15,433 retirees from Turkey, a country with uniquely large variation in postretirement work years, our study is the first to examine the phenomenology of middle vs. late life in postretirement work and demographic intersectionality in retirement. Synthesizing theory in the vocational psychology of retirement with industrial sociology of the life course, the social forces approach we advocate helps shed light on whether documented sex differences in bridge employment participation are caused by social bias or life structure. Results suggest that family and work contexts affecting the gender gap in bridge employment participation may be explained by differing communal and work factors inherent at the intersection of sex and age, and that life stage interacts with social and work opportunity structures very differently for men and women. Yet a nuanced look also points to some trends suggesting a social bias explanation.

You cannot start a fire without a spark: Strengths-based leadership and personal initiative

A pivotal characteristic of leaders is their ability to assist employees in recognizing, harnessing, and cultivating their strengths. This study explores the hypothesis that strengths-based leadership fosters employees’ personal initiative (PI). Grounded in self-determination theory (SDT), it is posited that strengths-based leadership indirectly bolsters employees’ PI by enhancing their competence perceptions. The study further argues that with the increase in remote work opportunities in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic, it is imperative to consider whether teleworking influences the relationships among strengths-based leadership, employees’ perceived competence, and employees’ PI. A two-wave, web-based questionnaire was utilized to collect data from 626 employees in the public sector in Norway. Multiple regressions and the PROCESS macro were used to test the hypotheses. The results corroborate a mediation model in which strengths-based leadership amplifies employees’ PI by increasing their perceived competence. The results supported the hypothesis that remote working moderates the positive association between strengths-based leadership and employees’ perceptions of competence, whereas a moderated mediation model, with the number of hours working remotely as the moderator, did not. This study contributes to research on strengths-based leadership by offering a deeper understanding of the mechanisms that drive proactive employee behavior within the framework of self-determination theory. As such, this study also contributes to self-determination theory and the literature on PI by examining how context and leadership influence the satisfaction of employees’ needs and foster proactivity. The study further provides insight into the implications of the increase in home office use in the post pandemic workforce.

Beyond “Dead Words”: Enhancing Documentation Practices for Domestic Violence-Informed Work

Abstract Purpose Domestic violence-informed documentation practices across health and human services were explored as an aspect of a wider action research project in New South Wales, Australia. In health and human service responses to families living at the intersection of domestic violence, substance misuse and mental ill-health, practitioners navigate the complexities of collaborative and integrated work to address violence and abuse. Documentation is an aspect of practice where ethical, quality and safety issues arise, impacting individuals, organizations, and service sectors. Methods Senior practitioners from specialist domestic violence, substance use, mental health and child protection services participated in a series of Communities of Practice to explore integrated and collaborative practice using the Safe & Together™ Model approach to working with families impacted by domestic violence and abuse. Documentary practices were explored as an important aspect of the wider research project, and ethnographic notes from Community of Practice and reflective focus groups were thematically analyzed. Results Four key themes regarding domestic violence-informed documentation practices were highlighted in the analysis: recognizing the power of documentation; maintaining an all-of-family focus; focussing on patterns and context; and the importance of language that emphasizes behavioral specificity. Taken together, these themes speak to the powerful role played by domestic violence-informed documentation for clients accessing services, as well as to the opportunity for practice-changing work through documentation that diverse practitioners can take up when working with families and with each other. Conclusion This paper contributes to a growing body of practice-led knowledge building and provides an in-depth examination of domestic violence-informed documentation practices from the perspectives of practitioners working at the intersections of domestic violence, substance use, mental health and child protection issues across health and human services. It highlights the complex and empowering opportunities that attention to language and documentation holds and emphasizes the need for further research exploration and capacity building for domestic violence-informed practice.

A Study on the Impact of Flexible Working Arrangements on Turnover Intention of Chinese Working Women: From the Perspective of SDG 8 (Decent Work）

Objective: This study aims to investigate the impact of flexible work arrangements on the turnover intention of female workers in China. The goal is to provide valuable insights for optimizing flexible work policies, strengthening policy guidance, and fostering a more equitable, autonomous, and sustainable work environment for women, ultimately contributing to the realization of SDG 8 (Decent Work). Theoretical Framework: This study draws on key concepts such as SDG 8 (Decent Work), job satisfaction, and turnover intention, which form the theoretical foundation for understanding the impact of flexible work arrangements on female employees. Method: A questionnaire survey was conducted among female working students from the School of Continuing Education at a university in Guangzhou. The participants had already implemented flexible working arrangements, and data were collected to analyze the relationships between flexible work arrangements, job satisfaction, organizational commitment, and turnover intention. Results and Discussion: The results indicate that the prevalence of flexible work arrangements positively influences organizational commitment, job satisfaction, and turnover intention among working women. Specifically, opportunities for flexible work arrangements significantly impact job satisfaction and turnover intention but do not significantly affect organizational commitment. The discussion highlights that organizations should consider both the prevalence and availability of flexible work opportunities when designing policies to meet the needs of female workers, enhancing their job satisfaction and organizational commitment, and reducing turnover intention. Research Implications: This study emphasizes the importance of flexible working arrangements in achieving SDG 8, particularly in improving job satisfaction and reducing turnover intention. Originality: This study uniquely focuses on Chinese working women who have adopted flexible work arrangements, an area underexplored in existing literature. Value: This study explores the impact of flexible working arrangements on working women in alignment with SDG 8, aiming to enhance job satisfaction, reduce turnover intention, and promote decent work.

TeleAbsence: A Vision of Past and Afterlife Telepresence

Abstract This paper presents our vision of TeleAbsence, extending the concept of telepresence to the past and the afterlife to address the vast emotional and temporal distance caused by the memory of loved ones who drifted apart and faded away. Instead of explicit and literal representations of loved ones, TeleAbsence describes poetic encounters with digital and physical traces left by the absence of others. TeleAbsence fosters illusorycommunications to conjure the feeling of being there with those no longer with us without using synthetic or generative representations and utterances. Our vision is deeply inspired by the Portuguese concept “Saudade”—the “desire for the beloved thing, people, place, and moment, made painful by its absence.” We present our vision through five design principles: presence of absence, illusory communication, the materiality of memory, traces of reflection, and remote time, grounded in historical and cultural contexts. We present exploratory narratives to illustrate these principles and the concept of ambient co-presence using poetry, phone, piano, and pen as mediums. We discuss challenges and opportunities for future work, including representational strategies to depict lost loved ones, ethical issues, and the possible extension of TeleAbsence to historical public figures.

Pathways to Positive Employment Outcomes for Individuals With Disabilities: Considerations for Life Care Planning

Despite the well-documented benefits of employment on health, quality of life, and longevity, vocational considerations are often overlooked in life care plans. The purpose of this article is to provide an overview of various pathways to employment, so life care planners can be aware of the kinds of elements that may be important in preparing the “road map” life care plan for people with disabilities and their families to follow. This article provides a comprehensive overview of various pathways to employment, including vocational rehabilitation services, supported employment, and customized employment approaches. It also explores meaningful alternatives such as volunteer work and preparatory training opportunities including internships, apprenticeships, and higher education. Comprehensive vocational planning in life care planning is discussed for life care planners with and without vocational expertise.

The Collaborative Practices and Motivations of Online Communities Dedicated to Voluntary Misinformation Response

Responding to misinformation online can be an exhausting and thankless task. It takes time and energy to write effective content, puts users at risk of online harassment, and strains personal relationships. Despite these challenges, there are people who voluntarily respond to misinformation online, and some have established communities on platforms such as Reddit, Discord, and X (formerly Twitter) dedicated to these efforts. In this work, we interviewed 8 people who participate in such communities to understand the type of support they receive from each other in these discussion spaces. Interviewees described that their communities helped them sustain motivation, save time, and improve their communication skills. Common practices included sharing sources and citations, providing emotional support, giving others advice, and signaling positive feedback. We present our findings as three case studies and discuss opportunities for future work to support collaborative practices in online communities dedicated to misinformation response. Our work surfaces how resource sharing, social motivation, and decentralization can make misinformation correction more sustainable, rewarding, and effective for online citizens.

Learning Health Systems Research

Background: Learning health systems research (LHSR) builds on concepts of systems-based participatory research to form a new paradigm for partnered research. Objective: Defines LHSR and its ongoing challenges and future directions. Research Design: Qualitative description of relevant dimensions of LHSR. Results: In LHSR, researchers and health system stakeholders co-create research with dual aims of producing internal quality improvement and generalizable, disseminable knowledge. This approach aligns research priorities with community and health system needs, resulting in interventions that are both feasible and acceptable in real-world settings and effective. LHSR methods and outcomes reflect elements of implementation science, particularly participatory implementation science and the use of mixed methods, but the field is distinct in its emphasis on co-creation with health system leaders and the use of theory to inform rather than drive the work. Practitioners of LHSR face challenges related to the complex and multi-stakeholder nature of the field, including the time-intensive nature of building partnerships, conflicting project time horizons, imprecision inherent in real-world data, and barriers to publication of the smaller studies that typically result from LHSR. Conclusions: Continued advancement of the field requires confronting these challenges with a variety of interventions, including explicit institutional support and incentives for this type of work, training and career development opportunities, a diversity of funding sources, investment in data resources and expertise, and inclusive research governance structures.

Digital Nomads in Conversation: Reddit-based Analysis and the Future of Nomadic versus Migrant Career Journeys

We examine digital nomadism through the lens of the Intelligent Careers framework and compare this emerging career form with more traditional migrant careers. We show how digital nomads navigate their career paths by leveraging online platforms for casual storytelling and knowledge sharing. Our analysis uses probabilistic topic modeling to analyze 66,601 Reddit posts from the DigitalNomad subreddit to uncover insights into digital nomads’ career management strategies. We categorize discussions under the three competencies of the Intelligent Careers framework: knowing-why (motivations and aspirations), knowing-how (skills and adaptability), and knowing-whom (networks and social capital). Most of the conversations concerned practical aspects of nomadic life (knowing-how), differentiating their narrative from the more permanent and often structural hurdles that migrants typically face. Discussions on the knowing-why on the other hand highlight the integration of work and leisure as a significant motivator, while at the same time debating the loss of “home.” The knowing-whom conversations reveal digital nomads’ reliance on online and offline networks for support and work opportunities, showcasing the role of digital platforms in fostering community and collaboration among nomads and revealing strategies for maintaining personal relationships and friendships across boundaries. Digital nomads in some ways resemble migrant actors (e.g., through cost-benefit calculations), but are also significantly different because of temporary nature of their movement and completely portable work lives. We contribute to the broader discourse on contemporary careers and the future of work in the digital era, emphasizing the importance of adaptability, network building, and aligning personal values with career aspirations.

The female genital mutilation: the current situation and the role of healthcare workers in the fight against excision

Female genital mutilation: the current situation and the role of healthcare workers in combating excision. Female genital mutilation/cutting (FGM/C) affects more than 200 million girls and women, mainly in African countries. These procedures have no medical rationale and are essentially a form of power abuse. Despite alarming levels in some countries, prevalence has decreased over the last two decades, but only in very limited proportions. FGM/C is even found in non-African countries due to migration for family reasons, education, work opportunities or political insecurity. In countries such as France, when medical and psychological problems arise, more nurses and health personnel treat FGM/C victims. Their role in the recognition, alert, attendance and fight against such mutilations is crucial.

Analisis Determinan Tingkat Kesempatan Kerja di Provinsi Jawa Barat

A low level of employment opportunities cause problems in a country's economy. Low employment opportunities are caused by an increase workers number without being balanced by the availability of new jobs. This research aims to determine the effect of population, growth rate of Gross Regional Domestic Product (GRDP), Human Development Index (HDI), and Regency/City Minimum Wage (UMK) on the level of employment opportunities in West Java Province. This research uses secondary data through quantitative methods. The analysis used is panel data regression. The research results show that population size has a positive and insignificant effect on the level of employment opportunities. The growth rate of Gross Regional Domestic Product (GRDP) and the Human Development Index (HDI) have a positive and significant effect on the level of employment opportunities, while the District/City Minimum Wage (UMK) has a negative and significant effect on the level of employment opportunities. Policy proposals for the West Java Provincial government to focus on development by developing infrastructure and investment that have the potential to create new jobs. Programs to improve the quality of human resources need to be improved to develop workforce skills. Apart from that, the government needs to consider structuring wage policies and creating decent work opportunities to protect the workforce.

Determinants of Youth Participation in Agriculture: A Case of Polder Farming Practices in Southwest Coastal Areas of Bangladesh

Revitalizing the agricultural sector through youth participation is essential to better adapt to changing climate and support sustainable development. However, youth participation in agriculture has been declining in developing countries, including Bangladesh. Only a limited number of scientific studies have been conducted to address this concern. This study aimed to examine the factors affecting the perception and participation of youths (18-35 years of age) in agriculture, considering the polder agricultural practices in the coastal zones. A simple random sampling technique was followed in this study. The quantitative data were randomly collected from 270 young men (64%) and women (36%) from Polder 30 located in Khulna district of Bangladesh. The determinants of participation choice were identified using the logit regression model. The empirical findings reveal that factors such as gender, farming experience, agricultural and youth development training, and access to credit positively affected youths’ decision to participate in agricultural practices. On the other hand, their age, education level, and plan to migrate to cities inversely influenced their decision. Moreover, the nature of the work, restricted access to land, and fewer work opportunities often contributed to such negative attitudes of youths toward agriculture. It is recommended that the government and policymakers should adopt appropriate measures through inclusion of practical agricultural education in curriculum, availability of extension services, and training programs on modern agricultural technology, a significant social recognition of agriculture in society and provide access to new technologies and adequate credit facilities to change the attitude of youths toward agriculture that will contribute to achieving agricultural sustainability and food security in Bangladesh.

Post-COVID-19 Sojourn Choices: Exploring the Distribution and Preferences of Chinese Digital Nomads Based on the Lifestyle Migration Theory

With the advancement of digital technologies and the gradual waning of the pandemic’s impact, digital nomads have attracted significant attention from academia and industry as an emerging social group. Existing studies regarding the distribution and destination selection preferences of digital nomads remain lacking. This study aims to investigate the distribution patterns and destination selection preferences of Chinese digital nomads, guided by the lifestyle migration theory. Specifically, we address the following research questions: Where do Chinese digital nomads choose to sojourn post-pandemic, and what factors influence their destination preferences? Using a qualitative approach based on grounded theory, we analyze text data from China’s largest video-based social platform to uncover key factors shaping digital nomads’ choices. The findings reveal that Chinese digital nomads consider five key dimensions when selecting a destination: basic living conditions, social environment, work opportunities, travel experience, and local integrated environment. Notably, compared to traditional migrant groups, digital nomads demonstrate stronger online and sharing behaviors in work and social interactions. Additionally, “travel” is identified as a new category. This study makes a theoretical contribution by expanding the application of lifestyle migration theory to digital nomadism, offering new insights into contemporary migration behaviors. It also provides practical guidance for travel destination planning and management to better accommodate the preferences of this emerging group.

Integrating Citizen Participation in the Development of New ICT Services for Smart Cities

The transition of cities towards a smarter approach significantly benefits from citizen participation in the development and implementation of innovative information and communication technology (ICT) products and services. Despite the emergence of various initiatives in recent years aimed at guiding the development of smart cities, there is still a lack of effective strategies to actively engage citizens, businesses, and educational institutions during the creation of these products and services. This study describes a set of practices that includes four co-creation techniques to facilitate the effort of software system development in collaboration with citizens and other stakeholders. The SEMAT standard is used to create and represent a method in which these practices are distributed across four stages: focus, definition, development, and validation. In each stage, a practice is proposed that incorporates a co-creation technique and complementary activities from various software engineering disciplines to promote active citizen participation; stimulate idea generation; and facilitate the creation of necessary documents and components for the development of the desired software system, including design systems, code files, conceptual representations, and technical diagrams, among others. Finally, the applicability and completeness of the method are validated through expert consultation in the fields of software engineering and smart cities. Recognized procedures are followed to obtain qualitative and quantitative results, such as improvement actions (addition or removal of elements), levels of consensus or acceptance, and opportunities for future work.

Legal Regulation of Hybrid Work Models and Their Impact on Work-Life Balance: A Case Study of Ukraine

Abstract The pandemic and Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine have resulted in adjustments to the organisation of working hours in various areas of society, and not only in Ukraine. Employees look for remote work opportunities, while employers strive to control employees’ work by increasingly offering hybrid work models in addition to traditional work formats. Such hybrid work models comprise a combination of remote work and work at the employer’s premises. However, the authors argue that the legal regulation of this work format should be reconsidered in terms of its impact on work-life balance. Hybrid work formats should still provide an employee with the ability to separate work and personal life in order to avoid burnout and to genuinely be more effective. The purpose of this article is to analyse the legal regulation of “non-traditional” forms of labour organisation and develop recommendations for further improvement.

Legal regulation of IT employees

This article is aimed at studying the labour regulation of IT workers in the context of labour law. Particular attention is paid to issues related to remote work, flexible working and conditions that are typical in this area. Many aspects are devoted to the analysis of the employment contract, especially in the context of the growing demand for IT specialists and new forms of employment. The issue of flexible working hours for IT employees is one of the most important, as this area of work requires more adapted conditions aimed at ensuring a balance between professional duties and personal life. The availability of opportunities for remote work or flexible working requires certain changes in labour legislation. It is important to define not only the rights and obligations of the parties to labour relations, but also the conditions for the proper protection of such rights, in particular in terms of occupational health and safety, confidentiality of information, social guarantees, and liability for breach of employment duties. Most IT employees prefer civil law contracts, as they offer more benefits and flexibility than labour law in some aspects. However, it is necessary to analyse both contracts in detail and understand that this form of cooperation can lead to social insecurity for employees, as they do not have the rights provided for by labour law. Many employees choose gig contracts, which offer new opportunities but also have their limitations, especially social guarantees and the lack of guaranteed salary. The IT sector involves intellectual property, trade secrets and other confidential information, which requires appropriate legal regulation. To ensure the protection of confidentiality, it is important to define the rights and obligations of employees in the employment contract and internal labour regulations. Failure to comply with confidentiality terms can lead to legal consequences and a negative reputation for the employee and the employer. Another important aspect is occupational health and safety, especially when working remotely. The issue of labour protection in the context of remote work is not sufficiently regulated in labour legislation, so employers need to conduct appropriate briefings, especially in the context of martial law. In Ukraine, the IT sector continues to be important for the economy, contributing about 5% of GDP, but exports of IT services have declined during the war. The process of European integration will contribute to the development of the IT sector, as well as change the legal and economic situation, which will directly affect the working conditions, rights and obligations of IT professionals in Ukraine. Ukraine’s accession to the EU creates new opportunities for IT workers, such as career growth, improving their skills and access to European labour markets. However, this process also requires significant changes in national legislation to adapt to European standards.