Work Preferences Research Articles

Reconfiguring digital embeddedness in hybrid work: The case of employee experience management platforms

AbstractAs organisations respond to the increasing preference for hybrid work, employee experience management (EXM) platforms are becoming integral to transforming employees' experiences in hybrid workplaces. In this article, we theorise that EXM platforms are implanted into the workflow through digital embeddedness, which is appropriated and reconfigured through the interactions between human and digital subsystems in hybrid work. We adopt the lens of digital/human interaction to explore the reciprocal process of how EXM platforms configure and are reconfigured in hybrid work. Based on a case study of Microsoft Viva, an AI‐based EXM platform, we propose a conceptual model that identifies two dimensions of digital embeddedness: digital/human embeddedness and digital/workplace embeddedness. The study contributes to a theoretical understanding of digital embeddedness as a dynamic process whilst also showing the reconfiguration of hybrid work practices evidences a joint optimization. The study further contributes insights into how hybrid work, which resulted from the enforced remote work during the COVID‐19 pandemic, continues to emerge due to the digital embeddedness of EXM platforms in the flow of hybrid work.

Remote work and location preferences: a study of post-pandemic trends in Italy

This study investigates how working remotely, by reducing workplace commuting, weakens the limitations connected to residential mobility and enables Tiebout sorting. We focus on the Italian context, where a strong culture of in-person workplace attendance limits workers’ ability to live farther from their workplace. We leverage the natural experiment of COVID-19 containment measures to shed light on the spatial implications of an increased remote work adoption. We overcome the unavailability of official data by collecting primary data in early 2022 through an original survey of our design on a sample of workers in 12 metropolitan areas. To address the challenges of analyzing the phenomenon in a still-developing context, we ask questions on both their actual and intended moving behavior in relation to remote work availability. Using a case–control study design, we find significant evidence that expecting to work remotely more frequently in the long term increases the likelihood of being interested in moving, or having done so already since the pandemic outbreak.

Perspectives of the Technological Pedagogical Environment and Teaching Adaptation in Times of Pandemic in Ecuador. Retrospective Study

The purpose of this research is to know the perspectives of the technological pedagogical environment and teaching adaptation in times of pandemic in Ecuador regarding online education within the framework of the health emergency within Ecuadorian middle-level institutions; since, current education represents a methodological challenge characterized by digital tools during teaching, and processes that have abruptly modified the space and forms of teaching. Therefore, the retrospective level study assisted by case study methodology used as data collection techniques, questionnaires applied to the selected sample, made up of volunteer high school teachers, whose responses were stored through the Google Forms platform, in categories that detected quantitative and qualitative perception indicators. In this sense, teachers consider that, in this modality, the workload entails greater dedication time and the speed of content advancement is affected by the short synchronous interaction times. Consequently, teacher perception indicates a drastic change and little flexibility for the development of their digital skills or accessibility to resources that provide an adequate space for virtual education, thus highlighting their preference for in-person work.

Joining forces: Developing a smoking prevention intervention in social work organisations through co-creation with adolescents and youth workers

BackgroundAdolescents experiencing societal vulnerability confront a higher risk of smoking initiation, thereby perpetuating health disparities. To develop a smoking prevention intervention tailored to these adolescents, employing a participatory approach such as co-creation with adolescents and key stakeholders can ensure alignment with their needs. Navigating a co-creation process, especially concerning a sensitive topic like smoking, remains uncharted territory in existing literature, particularly when engaging with hard-to-reach youth. ObjectiveThis paper describes the co-creative process underpinning the KickAsh!-intervention, a smoking prevention program involving youth workers and 10–15-year-olds experiencing societal vulnerability. MethodsFour youth workers (Mage = 23.75 ± 0.96 years) and nine adolescents (Mage = 13.56 ± 0.73 years) from two social work organisations in Ghent, Belgium, participated in an eight-month co-creation trajectory together with two academic researchers and one design thinking specialist. The Double Diamond Model (DDM) and the Intervention Mapping Protocol (IMP) facilitated this trajectory. The objectives and working methods from each co-creation session are described. ResultsThe outcomes of each co-creation session and how these findings have shaped the development of the KickAsh!-intervention – a comprehensive website consisting of materials developed in collaboration with youth workers and adolescents – are described. ConclusionThis paper emphasises the value of prioritising participatory designs (such as DDM) structured by a theory- and evidence-based framework for intervention development (such as IMP). This approach enabled us to devise intervention strategies rooted in the lived experiences of adolescents and youth workers, ensuring practicality within the given context. The developed KickAsh!-intervention closely aligns with the preferences of both adolescents and youth workers. It prioritises creative elements informed by theory and scientific evidence with the expectation of achieving impact. However, further research is needed to evaluate the effectiveness of the KickAsh!-intervention.

Monopsony in local labour markets

Abstract We investigate employer monopsony power in local labour markets in the UK. We propose a model in which market power stems from idiosyncratic worker preferences over non-wage attributes of jobs, including the commuting distance. This set-up delivers point-specific, overlapping local labour markets. The resulting concentration index reflects the intensity of commuting flows between local areas, and is lower than the conventional index based on self-contained, non-overlapping areas because commuting across local areas expand workers’ outside options. We estimate that employment concentration in local labour markets was slightly falling over the past 2 decades. The model-based concentration index is negatively correlated to local wages and performs better than other purely local concentration measures. However, in quantitative terms, the observed fall in concentration can predict only a negligible increase in wages.

Relationship Between Consumers' Hair Care Behavior, Hair Salon Worker Selection Attributes, and Customer Satisfaction

In the beauty service industry, quality of life has improved along with economic development, and consumers' lifestyles have become more diverse. Unlike in the past, customers with rapid knowledge and diverse experiences place importance on individuality and have increased aesthetic desires. Accordingly, this study investigated the relationship between consumers' hair care behavior, preferences for beauty salon staff, and customer satisfaction. The limitations of this study are as follows. First, considering that there are more consumers in the study who do not visit regularly than there are consumers who visit regularly, generalizations may not be accurate. Second, because there is no designated hair salon and data on consumer satisfaction while traveling was collected together, the results of worker preference may be limited. To overcome the above limitations, we suggest that future research consider the following directions. First, it is necessary to equally compare consumers who visit beauty salons regularly and those who do not visit regularly, or conduct research targeting regular consumers. Second, worker preference and satisfaction data should be collected from consumers who have designated hair salons and studied separately or compared. Based on the results of this study, it is judged that continued research is necessary to identify the tendency of consumers to follow the style of the worker and to find ways to attract designated customers.

Проблемы реализации муниципальной социальной политики в сельских поселениях российской Арктики: пример Приморского округа Архангельской области

This article examines the challenges in shaping and developing digital competencies among the population during the transition to a digital economy, using the dominant employer in an Arctic monotown as a case study. The impact of digital technologies on the socio-economic aspects of territorial development has not been thoroughly studied, and the development of digital competencies in the population of monotowns remains underexplored and requires further research. The authors highlight the importance of addressing the development of digital competencies among employees and the digital culture of dominant employers, considering regional factors crucial for formulating development strategies for both individual companies and territories (monotowns). The goal of this study is to assess the readiness of executives, managers, and specialists at the dominant company in an Arctic monotown to implement digital processes. The key objectives are to identify and classify the preferences of these executives, managers, and specialists regarding the current level of business digitalization. Our review of studies on the topic confirmed the variation in the development of regional digital infrastructure, influenced by regional development characteristics, the specific labor resources in monotowns, and the impact of dominant employers on digital competency development. To conduct the study, a questionnaire was developed to identify the preferences of senior and middle managers at the company. Electronic document management was chosen as the focus area, as digitalization often begins with this process, leading to varied assessments by employees, including instances of opportunism. Our analysis of the responses revealed a moderate relationship between work experience and preference for electronic document management, as well as a correlation between work experience and the willingness to improve specialized competencies. There was a high overall recognition of the need for continuous development and training. The results identified key areas for digital competency development among the company’s staff.

Preferences for Remote and Hybrid Work: Evidence from the COVID-19 Pandemic

The COVID-19 pandemic created an opportunity for many American workers to work from home. Did the rapid and widespread adoption of remote work arrangements influence workers’ preferences? This study analyzes the early pandemic work experiences of 52 participants (20 men and 32 women) in dual-earner households with children through in-depth interviews conducted in 2021 and 2022 via Zoom. The study explores respondents’ desire for remote and hybrid work, considering job satisfaction as well as job characteristics, family structure, and household organization. Unless their jobs were poorly suited to remote work, most workers with pandemic-era remote work opportunities—and even some who had not worked remotely—wished to keep remote access in their post-pandemic work arrangements. Respondents reported enhanced job satisfaction and productivity from remote work, as a result of greater schedule control and flexibility. We found that some workers were willing to change jobs to maintain their preferred work arrangement, while others acquiesced to employers’ return-to-work policies. The study highlights the need to understand workers’ preferences in supporting flexible work arrangements and contributes to the understanding of remote work on family dynamics during the pandemic and afterwards.

Development of an integrated urban modelling framework for examining the impacts of work from home on travel behavior

This paper develops an integrated urban modelling framework (IUMF) to predict how work from home (WFH) decision affects travel behavior. First, it conducts a questionnaire survey among working professionals in Halifax, Canada, to collect data on their socio-demographic characteristics, mode choice, vehicle ownership, and work-arrangement. Bayesian Belief network models are developed using the collected responses to calculate the cumulative probability tables (CPTs) of variables associated with the decision to WFH. Next, the ascertained CPTs are used as input to extend an integrated urban modelling framework (IUMF) that is further utilized to simulate individuals’ work from home choices and travel behavior up to 2025 for Halifax, Canada. Results indicate that around 57% of the workers would like to WFH and 7% wants to relocate closer to workplace. The model forecasts a significant preference for remote work among individuals with offices in the urban core. Results also show that auto mode share is increased to 79% in 2024, whereas transit, walking and biking trips decreased. Average travel distance is higher in the post-pandemic compared to the pre-pandemic, while travel distance of telecommuters is found to be higher than non-telecommuters. Statistically significant differences are observed between telecommuters and non-telecommuters for ‘number of activities’ and ‘distance travelled’ in a day. The outcomes of this study will offer policy makers a better understanding of long-term impacts of WFH on transport and land-use systems and help to develop effective travel demand management strategies.

Engagement and Satisfaction in the Workplace: A Millennial and Gen Z Perspective from APEC Schools Educators

This research explores the engagement and job satisfaction levels of millennial and Generation Z educators within the NTC-APEC Schools, focusing on the specific factors influencing these metrics. In the face of growing burnout among educators, which impacts both their wellbeing and educational outcomes, this study seeks to uncover the relational dynamics between work engagement, job satisfaction, and prevalent work environment factors. Using a comprehensive survey distributed among 75 educators, the research analyzes the complex interplay of personal values, workplace culture, and structural empowerment on employee satisfaction and engagement. Results suggest a significant prevalence of burnout, emphasizing an urgent need for organizational strategies that address the unique work preferences and stressors associated with younger generational cohorts. The study aims to inform policy-making and strategic HR planning within educational institutions to foster environments that enhance satisfaction and reduce turnover, thereby improving educational outcomes and workplace morale.

Unveiling teachers’ work preferences: A conjoint experiment on the implications of school governance reform across three countries

School governance reforms have changed teachers’ work in many aspects and have been associated with increasing teachers’ discontent and demotivation. Research on which school policies and organizational practices teachers prefer is scarce and faces challenges. Our conjoint experiment identifies the importance given by teachers to different work dimensions altered by recent reforms and teachers’ preferences regarding school policies in three contexts. Internationally-shared preferences include qualitative teaching assessments, socially mixed classes, clear goal-setting, and collective rewards. Context-specific preferences include individual incentives in Chile, a low-pay, high-stakes accountability system, and peer support in Norway and Catalonia, which are systems with collaborative governance traditions.

The Lesser of Two Evils? Explaining Chinese Rural Migrant Workers’ Preference for On-demand Food Delivery Work With Reference to the Legal Framework

Drawing on a series of interviews with on-demand food delivery riders, who are rural migrant workers, this paper seeks to explain the workers’ decision to give up stable jobs in factories in favour of largely unregulated and precarious on-demand work. Focusing on those aspects of the legal framework which shape workers’ decisions, it presents the explanation under the dual banners of ‘income’ and ‘freedom and flexibility’. In terms of income, Chinese law often enables low factory wages and a reliance on overtime; migrant workers view social insurance contributions as a loss; issues with payroll and wage arrears are significant. In terms of freedom and flexibility, insufficient rest rights lead to inadequate breaks for assembly line workers and, compounded by unspecified ‘special working time’ permit physically unbearable shifts without extra compensation. Age and gender discrimination are prevalent both in factories and various sectors. In contrast, on-demand delivery work has relatively low barriers to entry.

Assessing the Preservation of Lumbar Lordotic Curvature in Everyday Sitting Conditions Assessed with an Inertial Measurement System.

Background/Objectives: Lumbar lordotic curvature (LLC), closely associated with low back pain (LBP) when decreased, is infrequently assessed in clinical settings due to the spatiotemporal limitations of radiographic methods. To overcome these constraints, this study used an inertial measurement system to compare the magnitude and maintenance of LLC across various sitting conditions, categorized into three aspects: verbal instructions, chair type, and desk task types. Methods: Twenty-nine healthy participants were instructed to sit for 3 min with two wireless sensors placed on the 12th thoracic vertebra and the 2nd sacral vertebra. The lumbar lordotic angle (LLA) was measured using relative angles for the mediolateral axis and comparisons were made within each sitting category. Results: The maintenance of LLA (LLAdev) was significantly smaller when participants were instructed to sit upright (-3.7 ± 3.9°) compared to that of their habitual sitting posture (-1.2 ± 2.4°) (p = 0.001), while the magnitude of LLA (LLAavg) was significantly larger with an upright sitting posture (p = 0.001). LLAdev was significantly larger when using an office chair (-0.4 ± 1.1°) than when using a stool (-3.2 ± 7.1°) (p = 0.033), and LLAavg was also significantly larger with the office chair (p < 0.001). Among the desk tasks, LLAavg was largest during keyboard tasks (p < 0.001), followed by mouse and writing tasks; LLAdev showed a similar trend without statistical significance (keyboard, -1.2 ± 3.0°; mouse, -1.8 ± 2.2°; writing, -2.9 ± 3.1°) (p = 0.067). Conclusions: Our findings suggest that strategies including the use of an office chair and preference for computer work may help preserve LLC, whereas in the case of cueing, repetition may be necessary.

The effect of supervisor bottom-line mentality and supervisory support on salesperson lone wolf tendencies–implications for turnover intention and performance

ABSTRACT As contemporary business-to-business (B2B) sales organizations endeavor to reorganize into collaborative institutions where synergy and cooperation are valued, sales executives are faced with the challenge of managing salespeople who exhibit Lone Wolf Tendencies (LWT). Such salespeople have a strong preference for working alone and are resentful of collaborating with others. The present study examines the impact of supervisory support and supervisor bottom-line mentality on LWT in B2B salesforces and the resulting influence on turnover intention and outcome performance. Research questions are presented and tested with a sample of 264 B2B salespeople using structural equation modeling.

Investigation of The Factors Affecting the Vaccine Preferences of Pre-Hospital Emergency Healthcare Professionals

Objective: The aim of this study was to examine the factors affecting the vaccine preferences of prehospital emergency health workers and the status of vaccine opposition. Materials and Methods: This study was planned as a descriptive study to examine the factors affecting the vaccine preferences of prehospital emergency health care workers working in 112 emergency health services stations and command and control centers affiliated to the Ministry of Health in Aydın province between April 2022 and January 2023, their anti-vaccine status and their attitudes towards Covid-19 vaccine. The population of the study consisted of physicians, emergency medical technicians/technicians (ATT/Paramedics) and ambulance drivers (drivers) working in 112 emergency health services stations and command control centers affiliated to the Ministry of Health in Aydın province (N: 577). The sample selection method was not used and it was aimed to reach the whole population. Data were collected by sending online questionnaire forms to social media groups. The Case Report Form consisting of 12 (twelve) questions including socio-demographic characteristics such as age, gender, educational status, Attitudes Towards Covid-19 Vaccine Scale and Anti-Vaccine Scale were used. The data obtained in the study were analyzed using the SPSS for Windows 25.0 program. Findings: The population of the study was 577 people. 89.7% (n:427) people participated in our study. 51.5% (n:220) of the participants were female. 48.9% (n:209) were found to have Covid-19 infection. 95.8% (n:427) of the participants were vaccinated. Among the vaccinated participants, 70.4% (n:288) received Biontech, 70.4% (n:288) received Sinovac and 5.1% (n:21) received Turkovac vaccine types. When the scores of the attitudes towards Covid-19 vaccine scale and its dimensions were compared according to the descriptive characteristics of the participants, it was found that the positive attitude dimension scores of male participants (3.81) were higher than those of female participants (3.51). It was determined that the positive attitude dimension scores of the participants with chronic diseases and the participants who were vaccinated, and the positive attitude dimension scores of the participants whose vaccine type was Biontech, Sinovac and Turkovak were higher than those of the participants who were not vaccinated. It was determined that the positive attitude dimension and attitudes towards Covid-19 vaccine scale scores of the participants whose vaccine dose was three doses and more were higher than the participants whose vaccine dose was one dose and two doses, and the positive attitude dimension and attitudes towards Covid-19 vaccine scale scores of the participants who had a death due to Covid-19 infection in the family or close environment were higher than those of the participants who did not. According to the findings of our study, the view that there is no vaccine protection in those with chronic diseases has a higher score. Participants who did not have Covid-19 infection, who were not vaccinated, and who had no death loss in their close environment had higher scores on the anti-vaccination scale. Conclusion: In this study, which examined the hesitancy of prehospital emergency healthcare workers about Covid-19 vaccination, it was found that Covid-19 vaccines were administered at a very high rate. However, it was also found that 4.2% of the employees had high hesitation about vaccines and were not vaccinated. Pre-hospital emergency healthcare workers have an important role and responsibility in the acceptance of Covid-19 vaccine by the public and other healthcare professionals, as in other disaster situations. In a pandemic, vaccination of all members of the society is necessary for the control of the pandemic. For this reason, scientific studies should be conducted for emergency healthcare workers who are not vaccinated and who are hesitant about vaccines, including basic concerns about vaccines and examining potential side effects of vaccines. Training programs should be organized to ensure that healthcare workers are vaccinated with existing Covid-19 vaccines.

Shift schedules and circadian preferences: the association with sleep and mood.

We explored the circadian preferences of non-shift workers (non-SWs) and various types of shift workers (SWs), and the associations of these preferences with sleep and mood. In total, 4,561 SWs (2,419 women and 2,142 men aged 37.00 ± 9.80 years) and 2,093 non-SWs (1,094 women and 999 men aged 37.80 ± 9.73 years) completed an online survey. Of all SWs, 2,415 (1,079 women and 1,336 men aged 37.77 ± 9.96 years) reported regularly rotating or fixed schedules ("regular SWs"), and 2,146 (1,340 women and 806 men aged 36.12 ± 9.64 years) had irregular schedules ("irregular SWs"). Of the regular SWs, 2,040 had regularly rotating schedules, 212 had fixed evening schedules, and 163 had fixed night schedules. All participants completed the Morningness-Eveningness Questionnaire (MEQ) exploring circadian preferences, the short form of the Center for Epidemiological Studies-Depression Scale (CES-D) evaluating depression, the Insomnia Severity Index (ISI), and the Epworth Sleepiness Scale (ESS). Compared to non-SWs, SWs had lower MEQ scores, i.e., more eveningness, after controlling for age, gender, income, occupation, and weekly work hours (F = 87.97, p < 0.001). Irregular SWs had lower MEQ scores than regular SWs (F = 50.89, p < 0.001). Among regular SWs, the MEQ scores of fixed evening and fixed night SWs were lower than those of regularly rotating SWs (F = 22.42, p < 0.001). An association between the MEQ and ESS scores was apparent in non-SWs (r = -0.85, p < 0.001) but not in SWs (r = 0.001, p = 0.92). SWs exhibited more eveningness than non-SWs; eveningness was particularly prominent in SWs with irregular or fixed evening/night shifts. Eveningness was associated with sleepiness only in non-SWs, but not in SWs.

A Study on Impact of Hybrid Work on Employee Productivity in Select IT Organizations of NCR

A hybrid work is a combination of both remote and in-person work, where employees can work from the office, home, or other locations. This type of work design has become more and more popular in recent years due to advances in technology and changing work preferences. The purpose of this study is to investigate the impact of hybrid work on employee productivity in select IT organizations of the National Capital Region (NCR). The employees of select IT companies in the NCR who have experienced a shift to a hybrid work will be the focus of the study. Through surveys and interviews with employees and managers, the study will gather data. The studies will gather information on representative efficiency, work fulfilment, balance between serious and fun activities, and other important elements. Keywords: Employee Productivity, Hybrid Work, NCR, Delhi. Research Type: Research Paper

DWSP-MT: Discovery of workers sensing preferences to match tasks for improving data collection quality in MCS

Mobile CrowdSensing (MCS) is a new sensing paradigm that leverages the widespread use of mobile devices to collect data quickly and enable various key applications in the Internet of Things (IoT). Collecting high-quality data is essential for MCS to design and provide a high-quality service. However, it is difficult for the platform to detect dishonest workers who submit fake data. Therefore, MCS applications face a significant challenge. Although there are a number of studies on truth discovery, these studies mainly failed to consider the sensing preferences of workers, resulting in poor data quality enhancement. To overcome these issues, a Discovery of Workers Sensing Preferences to Match Tasks (DWSP-MT) scheme is proposed to improve the quality of MCS data collection. The DWSP-MT scheme primarily includes three components: 1) Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) are employed to sense data as ground truth data and an unsupervised anomaly detection algorithm is adopted to identify the data truth of tasks submitted by unidentified workers. 2) The data truth of unidentified workers in historical tasks is evaluated to calculate their sensing preferences, which are used to identify trusted workers. 3) To improve the quality of data collection, a task assignment model based on the sensing preferences of trusted workers is proposed for the first time, which can ensure that tasks are assigned to their areas of most excellent expertise. At last, two open-access datasets were used to conduct experiments comparing the DWSP-MT scheme with existing truth discovery methods. The outcomes of these experiments indicate that our approach outperforms the state-of-the-art research and improves F1-score by 65.74 %, improves accuracy by 36.62 %, and reduces data bias by 60.61 %

Multiple Perspectives of Working From Home

This qualitative phenomenological study investigated the varied experiences of professionals working from home in eight different countries (Asia, Australia, Brazil, and the USA) during the COVID-19 pandemic. In-depth structured open-ended interviews (10) were conducted using online video calls in 2022. Most people shifted to working from home (WFH) during the lockdown. The participants responded differently to this new working norm, reporting different productivity levels and distractions. Participants in IT departments experienced heavy workloads and long working hours. Many organizations transitioned from traditional to digital work methods as they found new ways to meet organizational goals. Some respondents preferred the hybrid working mode after the lockdown ended, while two preferred working entirely from home and four working entirely onsite. One participant moved his IT department to remote work to save office leasing costs as his employees preferred WFH after the pandemic. Some businesses were negatively impacted, and one restaurant closed permanently. This study provided valuable insights from the participants’ WFH experiences and their post-pandemic working preferences.

Exploring the learning preferences of farmworker-serving community health workers.

Community health workers are responsible for finding, processing, and transferring health information to communities with limited access to health-related resources, including farmworkers. This paper is the culmination of an undergraduate student research project to explore the learning processes and preferences of farmworker-serving community health workers in the USA. The project was designed for students from farmworker or agricultural backgrounds at two North Carolina universities and was supported by a North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services workforce development grant. Semi-structured interviews were conducted, in person and virtually, with a convenience sample of 17 current and former community health workers. The interview data were analysed thematically and identified a preference for a combination of learning styles, with visual and hands-on learning being the most preferred. Community health workers also identified the importance of learning preferences in relation to their responsibilities as health educators. This study provides librarians, along with public health and medical professionals, with useful information about learning preferences to inform the creation of new and varied learning materials for community health workers.