Workplace Events Research Articles

A little gratitude goes a long way: how customer gratitude promotes employee customer-oriented organizational citizenship behavior

PurposeDrawing upon affective events theory and regulatory focus theory, the current study examines the relationship between customer gratitude and customer-oriented organizational citizenship behavior (customer-oriented OCB), and the mediating role of positive affect and the moderating role of trait promotion focus.Design/methodology/approachThree-wave time-lagged data from 674 nurses nested within 125 department supervisors was collected. Multilevel modeling and Monte Carlo simulation were performed using Mplus 7.1 software to test all hypotheses.FindingsCustomer gratitude was positively associated with nurses’ customer-oriented OCB, and the relationship was mediated by positive affect. Nurse trait promotion focus strengthened the positive relationship between patient gratitude and positive affect, such that the relationship was stronger for those with a higher level of trait promotion focus.Research limitations/implicationsThis paper extends research on the effects of customer gratitude by extending our understanding of customer gratitude as a positive workplace event that can potentially promote employees’ positive behaviors toward customers, especially those with a stronger promotion focus.Originality/valueThis study is one of the first to examine the relationship between customer gratitude and employee customer-oriented OCB and uncover potential mechanisms to understand how this relationship unfolds and to whom this relationship is stronger. These findings can inform practices for service organizations.

Too much work frustrates me! A mediation model of career-related outcomes of work overload

PurposeWork overload implies that there are excessive work demands that cannot be adequately fulfilled within the given deadlines. This research examines the effect of work overload on career outcomes, i.e. career satisfaction and occupational commitment through the mediating role of work frustration.Design/methodology/approachThe data were collected from employees working in the schools of Punjab, Pakistan in three waves. Out of the total, 248 valid responses were analyzed by PROCESS model 4 using SPSS 24.FindingsBased on affective event theory (AET) the results demonstrated that negative workplace events such as work overload create negative emotions like frustration at work and cause poor job outcomes (i.e. low satisfaction and commitment).Research limitations/implicationsHowever, the outcomes should be interpreted in the light of single sector and time-lagged data tested on the mediation-only model.Practical implicationsThe current study has implications for workload management in school staff to retain their career satisfaction and commitment.Social implicationsThis study has implications for society by offering to enhance the career outcomes of school staff that are prime institutions for socio-economic development.Originality/valueThis is one of the initial research studies that have examined the career-related outcomes of work overload based on AET via the mediating role of work frustration.

Uneventful days? A cautionary tale about the underestimated role of triggering events in employee silence research

AbstractEmployee silence research stipulates that silence requires input to share, which we posit stems from encountering workplace events. We argue that the validity of relationships between employee silence and outcomes is limited without taking preceding events into account: Employees might not encounter relevant events and therefore cannot show silence. Further, workplace events can have independent effects on the outcomes attributed to silence, potentially confounding the effects of silence and preceding events. Drawing on an existing cross‐cultural dataset (N = 8222 in 35 samples), we show that some samples include up to 60% of participants who did not encounter relevant events. Using data from a German utility company (N = 572 in 129 teams), we demonstrate that the associations between employee silence and outcomes like burnout are overestimated if effects of events are left unaccounted. Lastly, a simulation study shows that biased silence–outcome relations are generalizable whenever events have independent effects on the outcome of interest.

Age-based stereotype threat in the workplace: A daily diary study of antecedents and mechanisms.

Both older and younger employees are stereotyped at work, making them susceptible to age-based stereotype threat or the concern about being negatively stereotyped based on their age. To date, there is limited understanding of the workplace events that spark age-based stereotype threat and the mechanisms through which they do so. The current daily diary study aimed to assess the frequency with which older and younger employees experience various events that have been identified as potential antecedents of age-based stereotype threat (e.g., being overlooked for training or development opportunities, feeling excluded from informal socializing) as well as their association with experiences of stereotype threat. As predicted, we found that employees who reported more frequent experiences of these events subsequently reported greater feelings of stereotype threat. This association was partially mediated by the capacity of these events to increase the salience of a participant's age. There was also evidence of reciprocal association, whereby employees who felt more stereotype threat were also more likely to subsequently report experiencing these events. Employee age did not moderate the relationship between daily feelings of stereotype threat and daily outcomes, suggesting that everyday feelings of stereotype threat may be equally problematic for both older and younger employees. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved).

Well! Fun forms and friendship uplift frontline employees' positive affect for workplace well-being in the hospitality industry

PurposeThis study aims to reveal the positive effects of workplace fun forms on employee positive affect state and workplace well-being. This study also aims to examine workplace friendship opportunity and workplace friendship prevalence in the context of fun events and workplace well-being.Design/methodology/approachThe research model developed and tested with responses from 1,000 thousand Indian frontline employees of five-star hotels who have worked in the hospitality industry for at least two years and who have been exposed to fun committees at their workplace.FindingsThis study revealed that workplace fun forms are the main causes of employee positive affective reactions, and they have positive effects on frontline employees' positive affect. The study also found that fun activities, customer interaction with fun and manager support for fun as workplace events are strong proximal causes for forming positive affect when they have workplace friendship opportunity. Coworker socialization can induce employee positive affect in the workplace, even without the moderating effect of workplace friendship opportunity. Additionally, the positive effect of positive affect was found to be significant on workplace well-being.Practical implicationsHospitality management is required to foster fun culture with fun activities, coworker socialization, manager support for fun and customer interaction with fun that enhance employee affective reactions to uplift employee positive affect state. This study also presents more interesting practical implications for practitioners and managers.Originality/valueThis study empirically tested deferential workplace fun forms on positive affect, and study provides novel insights into positive affect and workplace well-being. Four mediation mechanisms examined on fun forms and workplace well-being. Four moderating roles of workplace friendship opportunity tested on positive affect and fun events. Workplace friendship prevalence moderation on positive affect and workplace well-being helped to understand employee cognitive mechanism.

Changes in Registered Nurse Employment Plans and Workplace Assessments

The US registered nurse (RN) workforce is in flux, with high rates of burnout, intention to leave, and vacancies. Rapid, repeated assessments of the nursing workforce can help hospital executives and policymakers enact effective recruitment and retention strategies. To identify changes in practicing RNs' employment plans and workplace assessments between the 2022 and 2023 surveys. This survey study compared data collected from the Michigan Nurses' Study at 2 time points: February 22 to March 1, 2022, and May 17 to June 1, 2023. Practicing RNs with an active, unrestricted license in Michigan and a valid individual email address were included. The primary outcome was nurses' intention to leave their current position within 1 year. In the 2023 survey, nurses who planned to leave were queried on their next career step and the primary reason for their planned departure. Workplace assessments included questions about abusive or violent workplace events, emotional exhaustion, job satisfaction, the practice environment's delivery of high-quality care, and the clinical setting's safety rating. Regression analysis was used to examine workplace assessments and personal factors associated with planned departures. This study obtained data on 9150 nurses (6495 females [71.0%]) and 7059 nurses (5134 females [72.7%]) responding to the 2022 (response rate, 8.3%) and 2023 (response rate, 7.4%) surveys, respectively. In the 2023 survey, 32.0% (2259) of nurses planned to leave their position, compared with 39.1% (3576) in the 2022 survey. Of these nurses, 957 (41.8%) planned to leave their current employer but remain in nursing, with workloads as the most frequently cited reason (29.4% [672]). Compared with the 2022 cohort, nurses in the 2023 sample reported less workplace abuse or violence (4591 [50.2%] vs 3063 [43.4%]; P < .001), fewer understaffed shifts (4407 [48.2%] vs 2898 [41.0%]; P < .001), and less frequent use of mandatory overtime (1709 [18.7%] vs 824 [11.7%]; P < .001). Factors associated with increased likelihood for planned departures included workplace abuse or violence (odds ratio [OR], 1.39; 95% CI, 1.05-1.82) and higher emotional exhaustion scores (OR, 3.05; 95% CI, 2.38-3.91). Favorable practice environments (OR, 0.37; 95% CI, 0.22-0.62) and excellent clinical setting safety ratings (OR, 0.28; 95% CI, 0.14-0.56) were associated with lower likelihood of planned departure. Results of this study showed that nurses reported improved workplace conditions in the 2023 vs the 2022 survey; however, planned departure rates, abusive or violent events, and unsafe conditions remained high, and understaffing remained a primary concern for most nurses. Health system leaders and policymakers should prioritize initiatives that support nurse retention and reduce potential workforce instability.

When leaders and their employees disagree: investigating the consequences of differences in cognitions of workplace event criticality

PurposeCriticality cognitions regarding the same workplace event often differ between leaders and employees. Nevertheless, its consequences on employee work outcomes remain unknown. In this study, we draw on cognitive dissonance theory to examine how and why leader–employee differences in cognitions of workplace event criticality impact employee job-related outcomes.Design/methodology/approachWu used multilevel polynomial regression analyses from a time-lagged, multi-source field study with 145 leader–employee dyads to test our proposed model.FindingsLeader–employee differences in cognitions of workplace event criticality can bring both benefits and perils to employees. Specifically, such differences can cause employee rumination, which in turn leads to an increase in both employee voice and fatigue.Originality/valueThis study contributes to the event and cognitive discrepancy literature in four ways. First, prior event studies largely adopted a singular employee perspective for investigation (e.g. Chen et al., 2021; Lin et al., 2021). By examining the impacts of event criticality from the dual perspective of leaders and employees, we attain a more comprehensive understanding of the implications of workplace events in organizational life. Second, extant studies have predominantly focused on the dark side of cognitive discrepancy (e.g. Bashshur et al., 2011; Erdogan et al., 2004; Grandey et al., 2013). Our study reveals that leader–employee differences in criticality cognitions can have both a bright and a dark side on employee outcomes, offering a more balanced and dialectical view of the consequences of cognitive discrepancy. Third, drawing on cognitive dissonance theory, we introduce employee rumination as an underlying mechanism to explain the impacts of leader–employee differences in criticality cognitions on employee voice and fatigue. Finally, while prior cognitive dissonance research has primarily employed an intrapersonal perspective (e.g. Sivanathan et al., 2008; Pugh et al., 2011; Grandey et al., 2013), our study adopts an interpersonal lens and underscores that interpersonal differences in cognitions can also serve as an example of cognitive discrepancy to instigate internal dissonance processes. By doing so, we enrich our understanding of cognitive dissonance theory.

Abusive supervision, dehumanization, knowledge hiding behavior and psychological capital – a daily diary method study

PurposeKnowledge is the source of competitive advantage, but when shared at all levels. Unfortunately, there is a universal unruly present in the form of knowledge hiding at employees’ level, but the causes and remedies are still vague as past studies have rarely investigated the causes of daily knowledge hiding behavior. Against this backdrop, this study aims to entail a daily diary method investigation of the role of daily abusive supervision in daily employees’ knowledge hiding through the mediation of dehumanization and moderation of psychological capital.Design/methodology/approachThe data for this study is collected using a daily diary method approach, which estimates the daily workplace events and their continuous influence on employees’ feelings (i.e. dehumanization) and actions (knowledge hiding). The daily responses of 279 respondents were considered useful for analysis purposes.FindingsThe findings of the study revealed that the daily events of abusive supervision have both direct and indirect (through dehumanization) influence on employees’ daily knowledge hiding behavior. Moreover, psychosocial capital has a significant conditional influence in the relationships of negative workplace treatments (abusive supervision and dehumanization) and their outcomes (i.e. knowledge hiding).Research limitations/implicationsThe study provides some theoretical and practical insights by providing the explanatory and coping mechanism between continuous abusive supervision and daily knowledge hiding behavior.Originality/valueThere is a dearth of literature that has focused on daily episodes of abusive supervision, dehumanization and knowledge hiding behavior. Furthermore, the moderating role of psychological capital has also been rarely investigated.

Support Needs of Labor and Delivery Nurses After Traumatic Experiences

ObjectiveTo examine the effect of psychological distress, overall distress, and institutional support following a traumatic workplace event on absenteeism, turnover intention, and resilience among labor and delivery nurses. DesignA quantitative cross-sectional survey. SettingOnline distribution from January 13, 2021, to February 2, 2021. ParticipantsA nationwide convenience sample of labor and delivery nurses recruited from the Association of Women’s Health, Obstetric and Neonatal Nurses (N = 171). MethodsParticipants completed a survey that included the Second Victim Experience and Support Tool–Revised and the Second Victim Support Desirability survey. We compared available versus desired support options using descriptive analyses. We examined levels of psychological distress and lack of institutional support in relation to turnover intention, absenteeism, and resilience using multiple regression analyses. ResultsParticipants identified and described various traumatic experiences in the workplace, including neonatal and maternal death, complicated births, and workplace violence. Participants indicated that the available support services did not meet their needs. Psychological distress, overall distress, and lack of institutional support were associated with absenteeism and turnover, whereas only institutional support was associated with resilience. ConclusionLabor and delivery nurses encounter various traumatic events in the workplace, and the support services provided after an event do not meet their needs. Additional research is needed to understand the scope of the problem and investigate best practices to assist labor and delivery nurses following traumatic events.

Role of workplace bullying and workplace incivility for employee performance: Mediated-moderated mechanism.

Workplace events play a significant role in shaping the performance of employees and organizations. Negative events, in particular, require careful attention due to their severe impact on employee wellbeing and performance. Workplace bullying and incivility are two negative events that can cause significant harm to employees and contribute to poor performance. This study examines the effects of workplace bullying and incivility on employee performance in the presence of perceived psychological wellbeing (PWB), with the moderating role of perceived organizational support (POS) considered for both independent variables and employee performance (EP). The study focuses on female nurses working in the healthcare sector of Azad Jammu and Kashmir. The results of the study indicate that workplace bullying and incivility have adverse effects on employee performance and that PWB mediates these relationships. Moreover, perceived organizational support moderates the relationship between both predictors and the employee performance criterion. In conclusion, the findings of this study highlight the importance of creating a positive and supportive work environment to mitigate the negative effects of workplace bullying and incivility on employee performance.

Are You So Good That They Cannot Ignore You? Effect of Coworker Support on Knowledge Sharing Through an Affective Events Theory Perspective

Drawing on affective events theory, this study considers knowledge sharing as an outcome of emotional responses resulting from an individual’s experience of workplace events. This study aimed to empirically examine how coworker support as a work event encourages employees’ knowledge contribution and knowledge-seeking behaviors through feelings of vitality. A structured, questionnaire-based survey was administered to 430 employees of knowledge-based organizations in India. The retrieved data were further analyzed using structural equation modeling. The results indicate that perceived coworker support positively influences the knowledge contribution and knowledge-seeking behavior of individuals in the workplace. Furthermore, vitality mediated the positive association between perceived coworker support and knowledge sharing. This implies that the perception of coworker support in the workplace augments employees’ feelings of vitality, which further motivates them to contribute to and seek knowledge from coworkers. Therefore, this study critically underscores the existence of a “performance loop” in knowledge sharing, as coworkers find it difficult to bypass an employee because of their outstanding performance and the fact that the same virtuous cycle elicits greater knowledge sharing by coworkers. Such perceived goodwill makes employees so good that they cannot be ignored within an organizational setting. This is a pioneering study investigating how coworker support in the workplace stimulates knowledge sharing among employees by considering the mediating effect of feelings of vitality. This study also contributes to the positive psychology and knowledge management literature by revealing the implications of vitality for extra-role behaviors such as knowledge sharing.

Development and Validation of the Workplace Affective Events Survey.

Background Work, a central aspect of human life, serves vital economic and social functions. There is a burgeoning interest in positive emotions in the workplace, which can enhance creativity, foster social connections, and improve problem-solving abilities. These emotions are pivotal in key organizational outcomes, including employee performance and health. Despite the extensive examination of factors like job satisfaction and workplace stressors, a knowledge gap exists regarding the everyday workplace events that influence emotions and their contribution to overall workplace emotional health.The present study introduces the Workplace Affective Events Survey (WAES), a new tool that can facilitate the advancement of research in this field. Purpose This study aimed to develop a tool to assess daily workplace events that lead to positive or negative emotional responses and the intensities of such responses. The study also examined the relationship between theseevents and the associated affect-intensities with trait affect, and social companionship at work for convergent validation. Methodology The tool development entailed a multi-phase approach which encompassed item generation, content validation, pre-pilot trials, and pilot testing of the WAES. Participants were entry and mid-level service sector employees aged 25-55 years. Themes generated using focus group discussions and one-to-one interviews were mapped against a known taxonomy of workplace affective events. Expert validation and pre-pilot trials helped inrefining the final items. The main phase engaged 300 individuals from nine service industries across 29 organizations in an urban metropolitan city in India. WAES was administered alongside standardized measures of trait-affect and workplace social companionship. Results WAES subscales demonstrated acceptable reliability. Participants reported positive daily affective events more often than negative ones, with the average intensity of positive emotions surpassing that of negative emotions. Notably, trait affect scores and social companionship exhibited significant correlations with daily affectiveevents and their intensity. Conclusions The WAES offers a novel tool to investigate daily emotional experiences in the workplace. The data suggest that a within-person disposition such as trait-affect might play a lesser role in generating positive affective events than contextual factors.These findings underscore the value of creating work environments that consistently nurture positive emotional experiences.

When the gig isn’t up: The importance (and relevance) of trust on gig workers’ performance and commitment

Millions of employees are now classified as gig workers – a subset of contingent employees with alternative employment arrangements. This type of work arrangement can be beneficial for both managers (e.g. cost savings, specialised skillsets) and employees (e.g. work preferences such as flexibility). Yet little research has addressed how trust for a manager might factor into gig workers’ performance when compared to traditional employees, perhaps because research has implied that trust is irrelevant to gig workers. We test this prediction across four studies to show that low trust is a double-edged sword with unfavourable and favourable outcomes. On the one hand, we find that less trust in the manager leads to lower performance and commitment among gig workers. Yet, on the other, we find that lower levels of trust help to offset or mitigate the harmful outcomes of trust violations, or unexpected, negative workplace events. Our findings highlight the important role of trust in this context of gig versus traditional workers.

Post-traumatic stress disorder in doctors: Origins, approach and Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing therapy

Navigating a high-stakes clinical environment, medical doctors tend to consider trauma and adverse workplace events as 'part of their job'. This often leads to delays in help-seeking in doctors who develop acute traumatic stress symptoms (ATSS), post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and their comorbidities. This article outlines the prevalence of acute traumatic stress and PTSD in this population and summarises the emerging evidence base for Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing (EMDR) early-intervention protocols of this population. Doctors have higher prevalence rates of ATSS and PTSD than the general public. Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing therapy's early-intervention protocols for recent, prolonged and ongoing traumatic stress have the potential to be a widely acceptable, timely and cost-effective intervention for doctors and other healthcare workers (HCWs), as highlighted in the emerging evidence base, which has grown considerably in response to the impact of the COVID pandemic on HCWs' mental health. These evidence-based interventions could potentially be routinely offered to doctors and other HCWs within 1month of an adverse workplace experience to reduce ATSS, PTSD and other comorbidities.

Racial diversity and Black vascular surgeons in vascular surgery workforce

ObjectivesThe precise number of actively practicing vascular surgeons who self-identify as Black American and the historical race composition trends within the overall profession of vascular surgery are unknown. Limited demographic data have been collected and maintained at the societal or national board level. Vascular surgery societal reports suggest that less than 2% of vascular surgeons identify as Black American. Black Americans comprise 13.4% of the U.S. population yet for disorders such as peripheral artery disease and end-stage renal disease, Black communities are disproportionately impacted, and the prevalence of disease is greater on an age-adjusted basis. A significant body of research shows that clinical outcomes such as medication adherence, shared decision-making, and research trial participation are positively impacted by racial concordance especially for communities in whom distrust is high as a consequence of historic experiences. This survey aims to characterize practice and career variables within a network of Black American vascular surgeons. MethodsA cross-sectional survey was conducted via a questionnaire sent to all participants of the Society of Black Vascular Surgeons that began to convene monthly during the COVID-19 pandemic and experienced subsequent organic growth. The survey included 20 questions with variables quantified including the surgeon’s demographics, clinical experience, practice setting, patient demographics, and professional society engagement. ResultsFifty-nine percent of the Society of Black Vascular Surgeons members completed the survey. Males comprised 81% of the responding vascular surgeons. The majority (62%) of respondents were involved in academic practice. Less than 25% of the total medical staff were Black American in 77% of the respondents’ current work practice. The patient racial composition within their respective practice settings was as follows: White (47%), Black (34%), Hispanic (13%), Asian (3%), Middle Eastern or North African (2%), and American Indian and Alaskan Natives (0.4%). Forty-three percent of respondents had a current active membership in the Society for Vascular Surgery, and 24% had a regional society membership. Fifty-eight percent of respondents reported that they experienced a workplace event that they felt was racially or ethically driven in the 12 months before the survey. ConclusionsThis survey describes an under-represented in medicine vascular surgeon subgroup that has not heretofore been characterized. Racial and ethnic demographic data are essential to better understand the current demographic makeup of our specialty and to develop benchmark goals of race composition that mirrors our society at large. The patients of this group of Black American vascular surgeons were more likely to represent a racial minority. Efforts to increase race diversity in vascular surgery have the potential benefit of enhancing care of patients with vascular disease.

How does workplace event criticality spur employees’ proactivity? The roles of work engagement and mindfulness

This paper aims to generate insights about whether, how, and when workplace event criticality spurs employee proactivity. We conducted multilevel analyses with a three-wave time-lagged survey of 179 employees and their 55 direct leaders in China to test our proposed model. The findings indicate that workplace event criticality is conducive to stimulating proactive work behavior through improving employee engagement. Further, employee mindfulness amplifies the positive relationship between workplace event criticality and work engagement. Despite the increasingly unavoidable influence of events in the workplace on employee proactivity, empirical research around the relationship and its underlying mechanism has been rather sparse. Our event-oriented research advances this knowledge by unpacking the salient motivating role of workplace events' criticality in employee work engagement and proactivity. It also increases our understanding by illustrating that employee mindfulness will amplify and intensify the motivational potential of workplace event criticality for work engagement.

Measuring base-rate bias error in workplace safety investigators

Introduction: This study explored the magnitude of professional industrial investigators’ bias to attribute cause to a person more readily than to situational factors (i.e., human error bias). Such biased opinions may relieve companies from responsibilities and liability, as well as compromise efficacy of suggested preventative measures. Method: Professional investigators and undergraduate participants were given a summary of a workplace event and asked to allocate cause to the factors they found causal for the event. The summary was crafted to be objectively balanced in its implication of cause equally between two factors: a worker and a tire. Participants then rated their confidence and the objectivity of their judgment. We then conducted an effect size analysis, which supplemented the findings from our experiment with two previously published research studies that used the same event summary. Results: Professionals exhibited a human error bias, but nevertheless believed that they were objective and confident in their conclusions. The lay control group also showed this human error bias. These data, along with previous research data, revealed that, given the equivalent investigative circumstances, this bias was significantly larger with the professional investigators, with an effect size of dunb = 0.97, than the control group with an effect size of only dunb = 0.32. Conclusions: The direction and strength of the human error bias can be quantified, and is shown to be larger in professional investigators compared to lay people. Practical Applications: Understanding the strength and direction of bias is a crucial step in mitigating the effects of the bias. The results of the current research demonstrate that mitigation strategies such as proper investigator training, a strong investigation culture, and standardized techniques, are potentially promising interventions to mitigate human error bias.

Veterinary professionals' experiences of moral injury: A qualitative study.

Exposure to potentially morally injurious events (PMIE) has been found to be associated with negative mental health outcomes. Veterinary professionals (VPs) often experience challenging workplace events, but whether they experience PMIEs and the impact of exposure on their wellbeing is poorly understood. The objective of the study was to explore UK VPs experiences of PMIEs, the impact of PMIEs on VPs' wellbeing and beliefs about factors that influence VPs' exposure to PMIEs. Ten VPs were recruited. Semi-structured interviews were carried out, and data were analysed using thematic analysis. VPs were found to experience PMIEs, including transgressive acts of commission or omission (e.g., being involved in or witnessing convenience euthanasia) or betrayal by trusted colleagues (e.g., bullying). Experiences of PMIEs evoked considerable psychological distress, including guilt, shame and loss of confidence in one's abilities. Several risk factors for experiencing psychological distress following a PMIE were described. This study provides some of the first evidencethat VPs may be vulnerable to moral injury and illustrates the impact that PMIEs may have on VPs' wellbeing. Future studies are needed to design and evaluate effective pathways for the prevention of and intervention for VPs who experience moral injury.

Opt-in HIV testing in construction workplaces: an exploration of its suitability, using the socioecological framework

BackgroundLate diagnosis of HIV remains a challenge, despite improved testing and treatment. Testing is often targeted at high-risk groups; workplace events might normalise testing and allow access to a wider population. The construction workforce has a number of risk factors for HIV. In the Test@Work study, HIV tests were delivered within general health checks to construction employees, with high uptake and acceptability. This paper reports on the experiences of construction managers and health professionals involved in Test@Work and explores the suitability of construction worksites as a venue for opt-in HIV testing.MethodsQualitative interviews (n = 24) were conducted with construction managers who had facilitated health check/HIV testing (n = 13), and delivery partners (n = 11) including i) healthcare volunteers who had delivered general health checks (n = 7) and, ii) HIV professionals who had conducted HIV testing (n = 4) at 21 Test@Work events held on construction sites. Interviews explored their experiences of these events and views towards HIV testing in the workplace. Exit questionnaires (n = 107) were completed by delivery partners after every event, providing qualitative data identifying facilitators and barriers to effective delivery. Thematic analysis identified themes that were mapped against a socioecological framework.ResultsDelivery partners reported high engagement of construction workers with workplace HIV testing, peer-to-peer encouragement for uptake, and value for accessibility of onsite testing. HIV professionals valued the opportunity to reach an untested population, many of whom had a poor understanding of their exposure to HIV risk. Managers valued the opportunity to offer workplace health checks to employees but some identified challenges with event planning, or provision of private facilities.ConclusionsThe construction sector is complex with a largely male workforce. Providing worksite HIV testing and education to an untested population who have poor knowledge about HIV risk helped to normalise testing, encourage uptake and reduce HIV-related stigma. However, there are practical barriers to testing in the construction environment. Rapid testing may not be the most suitable approach given the challenges of maintaining confidentiality on construction worksites and alternatives should be explored.

The Impact of Pro-Social Behaviours on Workplace Performance and Sustainability of University Administration

Taking a leap from the perspective of organizational citizenship behaviour, pro-social behaviour examines how volunteering intentions such as helping or assisting colleagues, to how collaboration tendencies such as selfless or willful participation in workplace functions, events and issues can affect or influence administrative sustainability and longevity. This study examines the impact of pro-social behaviours on workplace performance and sustainability of university administration. Adopting the survey research design, respondents comprised both the academic and non-academic staff of the University of Nigeria, Enugu campus. The data collected were analyzed using the simple linear regression tools of the Statistical Package for Social Sciences, Version 20. Findings revealed that volunteering impacts the longevity development of university administration, while collaboration affects the competitive edge of university administration. The study thus concluded that pro-social behaviours influence the performance and sustainability of university administration.