Workplace Experiences Research Articles

Generation Z: Navigating Conflict Resolution Strategies at the Workplace Through Their Intimacy Styles

Drawing on the interpersonal model of intimacy and the dual concern model, this study utilizes structural equation modelling (SEM) to analyse the relationships between workplace intimacy and conflict management styles, with a particular focus on Generation Z. The research examines how different levels of intimacy influence employees’ approaches to conflict resolution, including compromising, negotiating and avoidance strategies. A survey of 203 individuals with less than three years of workplace experience examines the hypothesis that conflict management styles (CMSs) are shaped by the ability to establish intimate relationships, incorporating self-disclosure, responsiveness and feelings of validation. Findings indicate that individuals with high levels of intimacy are more likely to adopt compromise and negotiation styles in conflict management, suggesting that employees who cultivate close, trusting relationships are more likely to engage in collaborative problem-solving. Conversely, the study found no significant correlation between intimacy and avoidance-based CMS, such as withdrawal and resignation. This suggests that while intimacy fosters constructive conflict resolution, it does not necessarily influence an individual’s tendency to avoid conflicts. The results highlight the importance of fostering workplace intimacy to enhance effective conflict resolution and suggest areas for further research, particularly in understanding the unique conflict management behaviours of Generation Z. The article concludes by discussing the theoretical implications of these findings, their practical applications in organizational settings, and recommendations for future research on workplace intimacy and conflict management.

From Campus to Career

Students undertaking professional degrees are often expected to step into the workplace fully formed, with unrealistic expectations around their experience and capabilities. Universities, facing an increasingly competitive market in a neoliberal context, are focused the student experience, attraction and retention metrics, as students demand return on their investment of money and time. Alongside this, criticism of work readiness and employability comes from graduates and the industries that need them. It is in this space that technology and innovation can offer simple, albeit disruptive ways of increasing the possibility of connecting tertiary students with industry partners to facilitate authentic learning. Early workplace experience, undertaken while still studying, provides both students and employers an opportunity to understand their respective needs within a temporary low risk and low stakes environment. A platform for connecting students with industry for paid employment experiences that sit outside the ubiquitous and often unpaid internships and practicums, offers authentic ways of preparing graduates for the workforce. It also has the potential to improve the way industry connects with the university enabling a richer experience for all; students, universities and industry partners.

Cooperation or Collaboration: Which Really Drives the Employee Experience?

Abstract: This article explores the key differences between cooperation and collaboration and their relative impacts on employee experience in today's workplace. Through a review of relevant academic literature and examples from management consulting experiences, cooperation is defined as the coordination of individual efforts without shared ownership, most effective for routine tasks. Collaboration is characterized as a collective process requiring interdependent work, shared goals and outcomes, and trust—critical for complex problem-solving. The article argues that true collaboration cultivates more meaningful work, autonomy, social support, continuous learning and organizational commitment among employees. It maintains fostering collaborative ways of working through intentional cultural changes can unlock higher engagement, performance, innovation and retention compared to relying solely on cooperation. Practical recommendations are provided for organizations seeking to embed collaboration as a core value and operating practice.

Teachers as first responders in marginalized, urban communities: Stress and coping during unprecedented times for public education

The present study examines workplace priorities, challenges, and experiences of burnout and coping among teachers in marginalized urban communities, where structural barriers elevate job demands and minimize job resources. Specifically, we amplify the voices of public elementary school teachers in an urban hub of Florida during a time of unprecedented stressors (COVID-19, staff shortages, racial injustice, school shootings) to identify possible avenues of support. Participants (N = 12) were teachers in grades 3 through 5 from one large urban district; six participants served predominately Black or African American students, and six participants served predominately Hispanic students. All teachers self-identified as female and from a racially and/or ethnically minoritized background themselves. Semi-structured interviews (conducted remotely by the first author) were organized around five questions. Qualitative content analysis highlighted two core priorities (support students holistically and address interconnecting social emotional skills and academic success) and two core challenges (mismatch between administration expectations/supports and teacher needs/values, and difficulty managing student behavior). Teachers attributed the ubiquitous experience of burnout to factors at levels of work (e.g., responding to student stressors and traumas on top of curriculum demands), organization (e.g., poor compensation, excessive work demands), and society (e.g., school shootings, COVID-19), and they offered concrete recommendations for improving their work conditions. Altogether findings inspire opportunities to reevaluate supports for teachers serving as first responders for youth in marginalized urban communities.

Towards Safer Spaces: An Empirical Investigation of Trainee Psychological Safety Within Academic Medical Centers.

Psychological safety is critical for fostering well-being. Integral to the mission of academic institutions, trainees are among the most vulnerable to negative workplace experiences, calling for a need to understand factors that contribute to psychological safety in this population. Our objective is to empirically explore trainee psychological safety to inform best practices for training environments. A survey was used to capture organizational, interpersonal, and individual factors, as well as demographic information in graduate, postdoctoral, medical, resident, and fellow trainees. Descriptive statistics, multivariate ordinal logistic regression, and dominance analyses were used to understand psychological safety and the predictors that explained the majority of the variance in its statistical model. Gender minorities and those who suppressed their race information were less likely to feel psychologically safe. Psychological safety was predominately explained by senses of belonging, recognition, and respect. Notably, trust and confidence in supervisor emerged as a pivotal factor influencing belonging and respect, whereas organizational support played a crucial role in fostering recognition and belonging. Intriguingly, clarity in role expectations and autonomy were positively correlated with recognition. Our findings highlight the interplay between organizational, interpersonal, and individual dynamics shaping psychological safety. Importantly, those who suppress their race as well as female or gender minorities are disproportionally prone to feeling unsafe. We further elucidate role clarity and autonomy as important factors in achieving a sense of recognition. We suggest programs prioritize development beyond technical competencies, recognizing trainees as key stakeholders in the cultivation of positive culture within academic environments.

Nursing Home Staff with Children: Unique Needs Among Single and Partnered Parents.

Nursing home (NH) staff job dissatisfaction and turnover are associated with lower care quality. However, little is known about the impact of being single on workplace experiences. Guided by the Job Demands-Control-Support Model, we compared job satisfaction, turnover intention, and psychological distress for single and partnered parents working in NHs. Employee and manager data from the 2011-12 wave of the Work Family Health Network study were combined (N=1,144) to define parents with complete data (N=586). Bivariate tests and multivariate regressions clustering observations within NHs were used. Most single parents (n=190, 32%) were nursing assistants (NAs) (n=142, 74.74%) or licensed practical nurses (LPNs) (n=29, 15.26%). Compared to partnered parents, single parents were similar on turnover intention and job satisfaction, but they were more likely to report distress (OR=1.79, 95% CI 1.09, 2.94) observed only among NAs (OR=2.08, 95% CI 1.12, 3.85). Psychological distress was associated with greater turnover intent (β =0.02, p<.05) among NAs and LPNs, yet only among single parents (β =0.04, p<.01). Distress was more likely with higher family-to-work conflict (OR= 1.67, 95% CI 1.18, 2.36) and work-to-family conflict (OR=1.60, 95% CI 1.20, 2.14) among licensed nurses, yet the distress-work-family conflict associations were only significant for partnered parent nurses. Supporting NH staff depends upon knowing their parental, relationship, and occupational status. Additional research is needed to understand and develop strategies to mitigate psychological distress and increase resources particularly among NA single parents employed in NHs.

Workers’ experiences of pregnancy loss: qualitative insights from a mixed-methods study

Abstract Background Pregnancy loss affects approximately one in four pregnancies. The workplace is an important context to consider in pregnancy loss experiences as most women of reproductive age are in paid employment. Currently in the Republic of Ireland (ROI) there are no statutory leave entitlements if a pregnancy ends &amp;lt;24 weeks. Given the lack of research in this area internationally, we aimed to explore workplace experiences of early pregnancy loss. Methods In 2023, we conducted an online mixed-methods survey study (Mar-Apr), followed by qualitative interviews (Jun-Sept). People who experienced a pregnancy loss &amp;lt;24 weeks-whilst working and living in ROI in the preceding five years-were eligible to participate. The survey was distributed through professional/social networks and contained quantitative and qualitative questions-addressing pregnancy loss, experiences of workplace supports, and desired supports. Survey participants were asked to indicate their willingness to participate in a follow-up interview and were purposively sampled. The interview topic guide focused on specific aspects of workplace experiences which required further exploration following preliminary analysis of survey responses. Qualitative data were analysed in NVivo using reflexive thematic analysis. Results Most survey participants (N = 913) were female (74%), employed full-time (86%) and experienced a first-trimester miscarriage (75%). We conducted interviews with 13 people, across a range of demographics. Three initial themes were identified: (1) Personal experiences of pregnancy loss and dealing with emotional and physical impacts at work; (2) Challenges with the social side of pregnancy loss-disclosure and workplace interactions; (3) Workplace supports (4) Public policy and awareness. Conclusions Our analysis highlights the need for statutory leave, appropriate workplace policies and procedures, and education and training to better support workers who experience pregnancy loss. Key messages • There is a gap between workers’ needs and workplace supports regarding pregnancy loss &amp;lt;24 weeks gestation. Statutory leave, workplace policies and procedures, and education and training, are needed. • There is a need to discuss pregnancy loss in workplaces and society, to raise awareness and reduce the stigma/taboo on the topic. Recognition from Government is crucial to promote this.

Palliative care knowledge and self-efficacy: a comparative study between intensive care units and general units nurses

Background and objectivesThe growing number of terminally ill patients has underscored the importance of equipping healthcare workers with adequate palliative care knowledge and self-efficacy. This study aimed to compare the palliative care knowledge and self-efficacy of nurses in intensive care units (ICUs) with those in general wards at hospitals affiliated with Kerman University of Medical Sciences in 2023.MethodsThis descriptive-comparative cross-sectional study involved nurses from intensive care units and general wards of three hospitals affiliated with Kerman University of Medical Sciences, for a total sample size of 300 nurses (150 in each group). The samples were selected using convenience sampling. The data collection tools included a demographic information questionnaire, the Palliative Care Knowledge Test (PCKT), and the Palliative Care Self-Efficacy Scale (PCSES). Convenience Sampling method was used. The data were analyzed using SPSS 23. Descriptive statistics (frequency, percentage, mean, and standard deviation) and inferential statistics (independent t-test, Mann-Whitney U test and multivariate stepwise regression) were employed. Statistical significance was determined by a p-value of ≤ 0.05.FindingsThe mean score for palliative care knowledge was 10.59 (± 2.10) for nurses in intensive care units and 10.43 (± 2.33) for nurses in general wards, with no significant difference between the two groups (P = 0.53). Similarly, the mean score for palliative care self-efficacy was 28.01 (± 10.29) for nurses in intensive care units and 27.98 (± 10.33) for nurses in general wards, with no significant difference between the groups (P = 0.98). Variables such as the history of caring for dying patients in the hospital (P = 0.004) or at home (P = 0.01), workplace (P = 0.002), and work experience (P = 0.03) were identified as the main predictors of palliative care knowledge and palliative care self-efficacy was affected by age (P < 0.001), history of participation in palliative care training courses (P = 0.008), and palliative care knowledge score (P = 0.01).Discussion and conclusionThis study revealed no significant difference in total scores of palliative care knowledge or self-efficacy between nurses in intensive care units and general wards It is suggested that more efforts be made to increase the knowledge and self-efficacy of all nurses, especially nurses in ICU departments, till providing a standard palliative care setting.

The impact of training provisions on novice English language teachers in Hong Kong: A systematic review

AbstractThe early years of learning and the transition period are important for novice teachers. This systematic review investigated the influence that training provisions for novice primary and secondary English language teachers in Hong Kong have had on their initial workplace experience. From a large body of literature dated between 1980 and 2023, a final set of 20 articles that met our inclusion criteria was analysed using Kumaravadivelu's (2012) model of second language teacher education (consisting of the five modules of Knowing, Analysing, Recognising, Doing and Seeing). The findings were condensed into three thematic strands: (i) teacher authority: novice teachers can feel lost among different authorities (including ideological conflicts between university and school authorities) and their desire to establish their own teacher authority, but must eventually learn to think from the students' perspective to improve teaching, (ii) teacher socialisation: whether obtaining sufficient colleague and mentor support or not would lead to their diverse experiences, and (iii) two weaknesses in teacher preparation that require attention across both university preparation and in‐school training: the novice teachers were under‐prepared in procedural knowledge and in learning to theorize. These findings provide internationally relevant theoretical contributions that can advance the understanding of both novice teacher development and primary and secondary English language teacher training. From a practical perspective, the findings point to areas that need attention in novice language teachers' transition to the workplace and this may be relatable to international audiences. Context and implicationsRationale for this studyThis systematic review aims to reveal how the training provisions in Hong Kong have influenced early‐year primary and secondary school English language teachers' initial workplace experience.Why the new findings matterOur findings will reveal what impact training provisions for novice English language teachers may have on their initial workplace experience and what gaps may exist in such provisions.Implications for researchers, practitioners and teacher educatorsThe findings in this study can be applied to many other contexts like Hong Kong where English is used as one of the official languages or as a second language. Our recommendations can inform English language teacher education, by highlighting: (a) how novice teachers can feel lost between two different authorities: the school and the university; (b) how novice teachers can undergo a range of positive and negative experiences in their socialisation process; (c) how novice teachers struggle to develop their procedural knowledge; and (d) that novice teachers may not have received enough support in theory‐building.

Preparing Students for the Workplace: The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly

Curriculum for master’s level education in library and information science is an historically popular subject of discussion in the disciplinary literature. Specific topic areas are interrogated (Saunders &amp; Bajjaly, 2022), opinions are solicited about courses or topics which ought to be required of all students (Saunders, 2019) or required of students in particular sub-areas of the profession (Davis &amp; Saunders, 2020; Saunders, 2020; Williams &amp; Saunders, 2020), changes over time are analyzed (EunKyung Chung, Schalk, &amp; JungWon Yoon, 2022), and external standards are developed to articulate the breadth and depth of curricula which “should” be included (ALA, 2023). Similarly, the literature promotes a range of pedagogical approaches (Ely, 2023), and conference programs (such as the ALISE conference) and webinar series (such as those sponsored by ALISE, including the “LIS Pedagogy Chat” series) also address pedagogy. One aspect of professional practice that has received less consideration is the way students are prepared to hold realistic expectations for the workplace. Those expectations may relate to organizational cultures, practices, and challenges, all of which may be minimally addressed during students’ pre-professional education or ignored completely. The panel highlights specific aspects of workplace experience as revealed through research projects delving into the lived experiences of library workers. These research findings will be considered in terms of the ways in which they may inform the curricula of master’s programs in the field. The panel will open with a very short introduction by the moderator, Dr. Heidi Julien. Then each panelist will have 15 minutes to summarize results of their recent studies, and individually will suggest their implications for preparing master’s students for the realities of professional practice. The remaining 40 minutes will be devoted to audience discussion about possible ways students may be exposed to these realities. Prompting questions for the audience include: Are there other workplace realities not addressed by the panel that would be relevant to students? Who is best positioned to discuss these realities with students – e.g., practitioners? Adjunct instructors? Regular faculty members? Alumni? Are there existing opportunities in master’s curricula to include these discussions, or would extra-curricular opportunities be more effective? Ideas generated by the panelists and the audience will be captured and shared with attendees orally at the close of the session.

“Begging to be heard”: The Profession’s Exclusion and Marginalization of Neurodivergent Librarians

While libraries are increasingly implementing practices and services designed to serve neurodivergent patrons, such efforts have not yet been extended to neurodivergent library employees, resulting in a lack of research or best practices for workplace neuroinclusion. This research addresses that gap by investigating neuroinclusion in public and academic library workplaces and identifying barriers to and enablers of inclusion and empowerment. This work highlights the voices of neurodivergent librarians and their journey of negotiating identity and deploying embodied knowledge to navigate the barriers and enablers they encounter in their workplace and profession. This study will inform how libraries can alter their workplace environment, practices, and professional norms to improve the recruitment, retention, and advancement of neurodivergent librarians. Historically, neurodiversity research has been conducted on neurodivergent people from a medicalized perspective, focusing on diagnosis and characteristics of individuals and proposing interventions or changes to the individual or their behavior. This study instead centers neurodivergence by adopting a neurodiversity paradigm and critical disability approach to conducting research with and by neurodivergent people themselves, in accordance with their priorities and values. This study will expand library literature by attending to the various intersecting identities of neurodivergent people and analyzing the impact of professional norms and expectations on the workplace experiences of neurodivergent librarians. Through the development of this unique critical approach to ‘centering neurodivergence,’ this work will also contribute a new research paradigm for future research on neurodiversity. Furthermore, this dissertation will highlight neuroinclusive workplace practices that librarians can enact in their library workplaces.

Going Underground: The Author’s Body and the Mining Workplace in the Writing about Miners in Modern China

Abstract This article highlights the author’s body and its physical experience in labor history, by a focus on their historical implication for the emergence of writings about miners in late-nineteenth- and early-twentieth century China. Miners and their workplace entered Chinese textual and pictorial representations at the turn of the twentieth century, as a result of the growing importance of the mining industry, the dissemination of new mining knowledge, and the formation of new social groups. Later in the 1920s, literary movements tied up with the revolutionary agenda under the influence of Marxism brought new conceptualizations of miners’ position in society and their relationship with intellectuals. When authors turned to write about miners in the late 1920s and early 1930s, they chose to legitimize their writing by descending into mine shafts to acquire the experience in the underground mining workplace and to incorporate the bodily experience into their writings. The mining lamp in texts and images from this period provides a prime example to illustrate how the author’s experience in the underground mine was embodied in the author’s and the miner’s corporeal visions and contributed a new way of seeing and representing miners. Drawing upon materials about miners of various genres, this article reveals the formulation of Chinese visual modernity within Chinese social interactions and brings the author’s body into labor history by calling attention to both its material presence in the workplace and its agentic power to inscribe workers.

Analysis of factors affecting employee performance

&lt;span lang="EN-US"&gt;A company's human resources are a significant asset for business growth. Performance of working employees determines how far a company advances. This study aims to examine the variables that affect employees' productivity at PT Z. This study uses a quantitative, SEM-PLS methodology. A questionnaire with a 1–5 rating scale was given to 56 randomly selected respondents, who provided the data. The software SmartPLS is then used to examine the data that has been gathered. The study's latent variables included employee performance, job happiness, work culture, and work experience. The findings demonstrated that the composite reliability and AVE values were both greater than 0.5 and 0.7, respectively. Everything created for the model, it can be said, has strong discriminant validity. Each item's loading factor value is more than 0.7, indicating that all the variables are legitimate. The job satisfaction variable in the hypothesis test had no impact on worker performance. Employee performance, meanwhile, is influenced by workplace culture and experience.&lt;/span&gt;

"This has reinvigorated me": perceived impacts of an innovation training program on employee experience and innovation support.

Innovation is widely desired within healthcare organizations, yet the efficacy of programs aimed at fostering it remain largely unassessed, with little consideration given to their effects on employee experience. The Veterans Health Administration (VA) innovators network (iNET) was established to provide organizational support to improve and reimagine patient care and processes across the VA. We evaluated participant perspectives on how iNET impacted workplace experience and fostered innovation. Semi-structured interviews were conducted using purposive sampling to maximize diversity for program roles and site characteristics, reviewed using a rapid matrixed approach, then analyzed using a hybrid inductive/deductive approach that applied a theoretical framework of innovation supportive domains. 21 project investees, 16 innovation specialists and 13 leadership champions participated from 15 sites nationally. Most participants reported strongly positive impacts including feeling re-energized, appreciating new experiences and expanded opportunities for connecting with others, sense of renewed purpose, better relationships with leadership and personal recognition. Negative experiences included time constraints and logistical challenges. Participants' experiences mapped frequently onto theorized domains of supporting a curious culture, creating idea pathways and porous boundaries, fostering/supporting catalytic leadership and supporting (role) diverse teams. The program's delivery of ready resources was critically supportive though at times frustrating. Participants' experiences support the conclusion that iNET fosters innovation and positively impacts participating employees. In the post-pandemic context of unprecedented challenges of healthcare worker burnout and stress, effective innovation training programs should be considered as a tool to improve worker experience and retention as well as patient care.

Original Research: Exploring Black Nurses' Perceptions of Workplace Safety and Personal Health.

This study aimed to assess the perceptions of nurses who self-identify as Black or African American regarding their workplace health and safety and to explore how these perceptions are associated with their perceived personal health. Nurses practicing in unhealthy work environments can experience poorer physical and mental health. Recent civil unrest and ongoing dialogue about structural and systemic racism have prompted calls for greater efforts to understand the workplace perceptions and experiences of ethnic minority nurses, and how these influence nurses' personal well-being. But there is a dearth of relevant evidence concerning these nurses, including Black nurses. This cross-sectional, descriptive study involved analysis of secondary data collected from May 1, 2017, through December 31, 2019, by the American Nurses Association's HealthyNurse Survey (N = 19,131). We employed descriptive, bivariate, and multivariate analyses to examine the data for the 1,143 respondents who both self-identified as Black or African American and responded to all items concerning the major variable of personal health. Overall, respondents reported a slight tendency to agree or strongly agree that their practice environments were safe. When looking at various factors explaining personal health, the perception of workplace health and safety was found to be a significant contributing factor. The study findings suggest that, among Black nurses, perceptions about workplace health and safety are associated with perceived personal health. These findings underscore the importance of fostering healthy work environments.

“Too Much Trouble”: Transgender and Nonbinary People's Experiences of Stigmatization and Stigma Avoidance in the Workplace

Transgender and nonbinary (TNB) people in the U.S. navigate significant employment and economic inequities. Gaps in knowledge about their workplace experiences limit our broader understanding of how social inequality is interactionally constructed through employment contexts. We conducted and analyzed interviews with 26 TNB young adults. Routine hiring processes and structural constraints made participants vulnerable to interactional stigmatization and subsequent discrimination, with deleterious consequences for employment as well as mental health. Participants deployed a variety of strategies to avoid or resist anticipated stigma, including exiting the workforce or changing careers. One's ability to avoid stigmatization at work was partially shaped by structural and managerial support, organizational form, and one's gender and gender conformity. Beyond contributing to economic inequality by limiting job and career options, our findings suggest that these social processes comprise minority stressors that diminish the well-being of TNB participants and exacerbate their economic marginalization. In contributing empirical insight into the experiences of TNB people, we demonstrate the salience of stigmatization and stigma avoidance strategies for social closure within organizations and thereby advance sociological understanding of the relational generation of inequality at work.

The role of incivility aggression on decent work: A local government sector case

Background: The issue of workplace incivility is noted as being one of the factors that affect the work of public service employees. However, empirically, the problem needs to be sufficiently addressed in the South African local context. There are growing calls to ascertain how workplace incivility affects the experience and the outcome of work.Aim: This study investigates the effects of incivility aggression on decent work among local government employees in the Eastern Cape province of South Africa.Methods: The study followed a quantitative research design. Primary data were collected with the help of 425 self-administered questionnaires among employees in the Eastern Cape local government.Results: The study found that experienced workplace incivility significantly influences decent work. Further, instigated workplace incivility was found to influence decent work among employees significantly.Conclusion: Through the findings of the study, an appeal is made to policy makers and practitioners to implement policies that promote necessary good working conditions, social support, interdependence and fairness to counteract incivility aggression.Contribution: The study advances the understanding of incivility aggression within an organisational setting.

Reshaping workspace soundscapes: An in-depth analysis of ISO 22955 compliance and its influence on acoustic comfort and wellbeing - a case study

The prevalence of hybrid office landscapes is on the rise, eliciting concerns among users primarily due to noise and the challenge of balancing two conflicting acoustic activities: oral communication and concentrated individual work. This study investigates the interplay between acoustic comfort and wellbeing in an office setting, utilizing evidence-based data gathered through occupant surveys before and after a comprehensive renovation. Prior to the renovation, room acoustic calculations were performed to assess compliance with the acoustic parameters from the ISO 22955:2021: "Acoustic quality of open office spaces". The office was transformed, guided by a human-centric approach, from a predominantly enclosed layout into one that incorporates a blend of open-plan areas and closed rooms designed for meetings, concentrated work and phone calls. Room acoustic measurements were taken before and after the renovation that confirm compliance with ISO 22955. The results of the questionnaire indicate improvements in concentration, decision-making and contemplation, which corresponds well with acoustic parameter values achieved. Nevertheless, "disturbance of nearby conversations" was not reduced as expected. The research delves into the connection between the indoor acoustic environment and subjective experiences of health, well-being, and responses to noise disturbances, emphasizing the need for tailored acoustic design to optimize overall workplace experiences.

Transforming workplace diversity and HRD: towards a critical HRD framework for radical intentionality

ABSTRACT This article explores the evolution of diversity in HRD and explicates various tools for workplace diversity. Based on the Bierema-Callahan model of critical HRD, the literature review outlines four phases of evolution: organising by diversity management, learning from diversity training and higher education curriculum, changing to social justice and intersectional diversity, and relating through diversity intelligence. Each phase reflects the shifts in conceptualisations of workplace diversity and corresponding HRD actions and responses. The discussion introduces the concept of radical intentionality in HRD, emphasising the need for intentional transformative actions to address lingering systemic issues of workplace discrimination and marginalisation. Furthermore, it proposes a framework illustrating how HRD tools for workplace diversity can be deployed within four areas of HRD engagement to positively impact workplace experiences for diverse employees. Implications for HRD practitioners include informed decision-making in selecting appropriate tools for diversity initiatives and evaluating their effectiveness. Future research opportunities involve identifying new tools and intended impacts, advancing the quest for social justice and workplace inclusion for all.

The use of community-engagement approaches to identify strategies for increasing workplace well-being among LGBTQ+ adults

BackgroundLGBTQ+ individuals often face social stigma and workplace discrimination, negatively impacting their well-being. However, limited research exists on the factors and strategies that enhance their positive workplace experiences. This study was a sequential qualitative mixed-method design conducted in three phases. The study had the following objectives: identifying factors associated with workplace well-being, generating strategies for improving workplace well-being, and obtaining feedback on the identified strategies' acceptability. MethodsIn Phase 1, in-depth interviews were conducted with 10 LGBTQ+ who described factors that improved their satisfaction at work. In Phase 2, two focus group discussions were held with 13 participants, including LGBTQ+ adults, scholars in positive psychology, human resource development, and civil rights advocates, to develop strategies for improving workplace well-being based on Phase 1 data. In Phase 3, a survey was sent to a subset of the focus group participants (N = 7) to ascertain the acceptability of the developed strategies. Data analysis was performed using deductive and inductive approaches. ResultsThe study's first phase identified the factors contributing to workplace well-being. These factors were categorized into intrapersonal, interpersonal, and social-ecological. In the second phase and third phase, 11 strategies were developed to improve workplace well-being. These strategies were divided into two sections. The first section includes strategies organizations and agencies can implement to promote employee well-being (such as emphasizing diversity and equity as core values). The second section outlines strategies for government and civil society sectors (such as establishing laws addressing LGBTQ+ equal rights). The Index of Congruence (IOC) assessed the relationship between strategies and workplace well-being improvement. Results showed IOC values from 0.8 to 1 for 11 strategies, indicating high content validity. ConclusionsStrategies to enhance LGBTQ+ workplace well-being were identified through community engagement, but further research is needed for implementation and evaluation.