Workplace For People Research Articles

Hearing Loss and Annual Earnings Over a 20-Year Period: The HUNT Cohort Study.

The association between hearing loss and income has only been examined in cross-sectional studies. We aim to study annual increase in earnings over 20 years, comparing people with and without hearing loss. We used data from a population-based hearing study in Norway (The Trøndelag Health Study, 1996-1998), including 14,825 persons (46.2% men, mean age at baseline 30.6 years, age range 20 to 40 years). Hearing loss was defined as the pure-tone average threshold of 0.5 to 4 kHz in the better hearing ear ≥20 dB HL (n = 230). Annual earnings were assessed from 1997 to 2017. Longitudinal analyses were performed with linear mixed models adjusted for age, sex, and education. People without hearing loss at baseline (before age 40) had a greater annual increase in earnings over a 20-year follow-up period compared with people with hearing loss. For people with normal hearing, annual earnings over 20 years increased by 453 Euro (EUR) (95% confidence interval [CI] = 384 to 522) or 13.2% more per year than for people with hearing loss, adjusted for age and sex. The difference in annual earnings over 20 year was greater among women (462 EUR, 95% CI = 376 to 547) than men (424 EUR, 95% CI = 315 to 533), greater among younger than older adults, and greater among lower than higher educated persons. When including adjustment for education in the model, in addition to age and sex, the difference in annual earnings over 20 years between persons with and without hearing loss was reduced (337 EUR, 95% CI = 269 to 405). The results from this large population-based study indicates that people with hearing loss experience lower long-term earnings growth compared with people with normal hearing. The findings highlight the need for increased interventions in the workplace for people with hearing loss.

A Settings and Systems Approach to Promoting the Health and Wellbeing of People with an Intellectual Disability.

Research has shown that people with an intellectual disability have higher rates of certain preventable health conditions and a higher rate of avoidable mortality relative to the general population. With respect to health behaviours, they also have lower levels of physical activity and poorer nutrition. Despite the increased health needs, this population cohort is less likely to have the opportunity to participate in health promotion programs. The interventions that have been delivered are programmatic and individual in focus and have lacked a broader ecological and settings focus, which makes them very difficult to scale. Health promotion programs designed for the general population, such as lifestyle campaigns, rarely reach people with an intellectual disability. This increases the importance of ensuring that the settings in which they live and engage with are as health promoting as possible. Interventions have been particularly absent in the workplace for people with an intellectual disability. This paper highlights gaps in a settings-and-systems-based approach to promoting the health and wellbeing of people with an intellectual disability, particularly with respect to workplace health promotion. The paper concludes with recommendations for a systems approach that integrates approaches across multiple settings to better promote the health of this population cohort.

Experience with Support at Workplaces for People with Young Onset Dementia: A Qualitative Evaluation of Being Open about Dementia.

Young-onset dementia (YOD) occurs at <65 years of age. Individuals with YOD experience social and psychological disturbances, including a loss of employment. This economic toll affects them, their families, and their caregivers. Employers have an increasing role in supporting affected employees in remaining employed, an important component of the "fight for their dignity". This study aims to clarify the workplace support experiences of employees with YOD. To assess the experiences of employers with at least one affected employee, we interviewed personnel from eight facilities for qualitative analysis. We identified 5 unique categories and 14 subcategories encompassing the following aspects: confusion at the workplace stemming from the uncertainty of the disease, sensitivity when recommending consultation and diagnosis, creating a system that considers safety and security, building consensus among employers, supporting employees with YOD and their families, and assisting the individual with YOD with activities of daily living. Employers should be open to addressing dementia-related issues in the workplace, including obtaining information from employees' physicians so that appropriate support can be provided. Appropriate support can include work accommodations, needs-based support, and meetings with families to build consensus for continued employment. This information can facilitate the creation of new training materials for employers.

The Americans with Disabilities Act, addiction, and recovery.

The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) is sweeping civil rights legislation that affords people with disabilities equality of opportunity, economic self-sufficiency, independent living, and full participation in daily life. The protections of the ADA extend to individuals with alcohol and substance abuse disorders who are in recovery. The objective of this article is to understand the ADA's definition of disability and how it applies to addiction and recovery. The reader will recognize how the ADA applies to people with addiction to alcohol and those in recovery from substance abuse. The article will describe the rights and responsibilities employers and employees have in the three stages of employment. The material in this presentation was developed based on the authors' research, training, education, knowledge, and skill of the ADA. Individuals in recovery are often unaware of their civil rights under the ADA. The ADA ensures that people with disabilities, including those with alcohol use disorder and substance use disorders, have the same rights and opportunities in the workplace. The COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in an increase in increased rates of alcoholism and substance abuse. Individuals living with addiction are unaware of the employment protections they may have under the ADA. Title I of the ADA guarantees employment protections to ensure equality in the workplace for people with disabilities. A clearer understanding of the law will ensure that job seekers and employees are treated in an ethical, valued, and courteous way when disclosing disability and the need for accommodation.

지적장애인의 직장 내 대인관계 경험에 관한 현상학적 연구

The purpose of this study is to reveal the content and structure of interpersonal experiences in the workplace of people with intellectual disabilities. To achieve this purpose, 10 workers with intellectual disabilities in their 20s and 30s were selected as research participants by applying a phenomenological research method, and data collected through in-depth interviews were analyzed based on Giorgi's five-step procedure. First, 7 components and 22 sub-components were derived from the interpersonal experience of intellectually disabled people, and 7 components were 'interpersonal relationship with non-disabled people', 'interpersonal relationship formation at work', 'resolution of interpersonal conflicts at work', and 'wish for the future'. Second, the interpersonal experience structure of people with intellectual disabilities in the workplace was identified as the structure of the experience according to the relationship object and the temporal and situational context, focusing on seven components. Accordingly, this study is meaningful in that it revealed the interpersonal experience of people with intellectual disabilities at work and derived the desire for interpersonal relationships of people with intellectual disabilities. Based on these results, it is possible to build a work structure that considers the psychological characteristics of people with intellectual disabilities in the work place in the field of vocational rehabilitation. In addition, it is expected to contribute to overall interpersonal relationships in the vocational rehabilitation training process for people with intellectual disabilities, such as using them as basic data for developing interpersonal relationship programs at counseling sites.

Workplace evaluation of computer users of the medical university; an ergonomic perspective

Background: Computer usage in the workplace had started in 1950 for commercial purposes. The study of environmental factors in the people's workplace is known as ergonomics. It is used to adjust the working stations of people using standard protocol to reduce the stress that affects people physically while spending many hours a day in front of the computer at workplace. Objective: To ergonomically evaluate workplace environment of computer users of the medical university. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted on computer users at Dr. Ziauddin University Karachi. The sample size was 100 and the sampling technique used was convenient. Ergonomic Workplace Evaluation questionnaire consisting of questions from an ergonomics perspective was used. The study duration was 6 months (from March 2019 to August 2019). Data was analyzed with aid from SPSS version 21. Results: Results showed that out of 100, 60% participants had problems with physical conditions at workplace with the environment, 69% had a problem with noise, (31% had problems with light due to letting it in during the day, 19% suffered due to equipment. Other 34% stated the cause to be the building number and 13% was due to room. Regarding postural problems, 66% had problems with working stations. The reason of absenteeism was 32% due to working posture, 30% was due to repetitive work, 21% was attributed to Lifting, and 17 % was due to other reasons regarding this perspective. In addition, 86% participants responded that their physical work environment contributes to absence due to illness. Conclusion: There is a significant effect of the workplace environment on the performance of computer users at the medical university.

Doing and undoing gender at work: The workplace experiences of trans people in Switzerland

AbstractThis article considers the effects of trans identity on people's workplace experiences. Drawing on in‐depth individual interviews with 12 trans people in Switzerland in 2014–15, the author identifies the difficulties and successes of their experiences through the perspective of three dimensions: the effects of the type of transition they undergo (towards the male or female gender), difficulties in reconciling the temporalities of transitions with those of employers, and the circumstances in which individuals “come out”. Reflecting on trans people's access to economic citizenship, the author recommends revising labour legislation and raising awareness among managers of the issues surrounding trans identity.

SAFETY AND QUALITY MANAGEMENT IN THE ORGANIZATION USING RISK ASSESSMENT AT THE WORKPLACES OF PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES

Increasing the effectiveness of safety and quality management systems is one of the most important ways to ensure the sustainable development of any organization. Employment of people with disabilities is a significant challenge for safety and quality management systems, as it can potentially increase the risk of hazards related to employee injury or property damage due to growing manufacturing defects. Therefore, the implementation of an effective risk management system is an urgent problem. The article analyzes the ways of risk management at the workplace of people with disabilities using the clauses of probability theory. Calculation of the probability of influence the level of employee's work ability on the growth of risk in the context of safety and quality showed that the most effective way to minimize risk is to develop a flexible work schedule for employees with disabilities, as well as giving to the employee with a high degree of loss of professional ability such work production tasks, characterized by the circulation of low-value products. Calculations carried out using the Bayes` formula showed that the most effective way of managing safety and quality at the workplaces of employees with disabilities is to reduce the volume of production tasks. As a result of the calculation, it was determined that reducing the volume of production tasks by 10% decreases the probability of getting injuries of an employee with persistent functional changes in the health state by 11%. These measures will allow the organization to avoid severe restrictions on the level of working ability of persons with disabilities in their employment, as well as to minimize risks in the context of safety and quality of work.

‘They Exist but They Don’t Exist’: Personal Assistants Supporting Physically Disabled People in the Workplace

Employment rates in England for disabled people are persistently lower than for non-disabled people. Support from a Workplace Personal Assistant is one way of narrowing this gap. Personal assistance is an empowerment-driven model in which the disabled person controls their support: who provides it, when, how and where. Previous research has focused on the personal assistant role in the home setting. This article draws on data from 32 qualitative interviews in the first UK study to explore personal assistance in the workplace for people with physical and /or sensory impairments. To maintain their enabling role in this external setting, Workplace Personal Assistants needed to strive for occupational invisibility when among the disabled workers’ colleagues: to ‘exist but not exist’. This article examines the Workplace Personal Assistant role as invisible work, applying Hatton’s conceptual framework. The analysis contributes to understanding of workplace personal assistance and ways in which mechanisms can intersect to produce multiple invisibility.

Challenges related to worker characteristics in the workplace for people with mental illness, as rated by employees with and without mental illness

Challenges related to worker characteristics in the workplace for people with mental illness, as rated by employees with and without mental illness

Digital Literacy Perspective: Reflections on Education

Today's society demands more and more different types of skills. These skills need to be used not only to strengthen the capacity to use information for social and personal development purposes, but also to manage potential risks associated with mass media and digital media. As a matter of fact, the rapid development of digital technologies in the digital age confronts individuals with situations that require the use of ever-growing cognitive, sociological and technical skills required to identify and solve problems in digital environments. Individuals who are digitally illiterate or who lack digital literacy face the situation of exclusion from the digital world. Therefore, in today's technology age, being digital literate is an important skill needed in people's workplace and social lives beyond educational institutions. The increased focus on the development of digital literacy should be a policy priority, especially for educational institutions. Because education, which includes the learning and teaching process, is an area where digital media are used. In this study, the concept of digital literacy, the development of digital literacy, strategic perspectives in education, the 'Ng Model' in digital literacy and the use of digital literacy in education have been examined.

Another day, another chance: Daily workplace experiences and their impact on creativity

AbstractCreative climate research shows that an employee's perception of their work environment impacts their creative performance. However, variable‐centered approaches (e.g., moderated regression) are often unable to study all climate factors interacting simultaneously, with researchers only able to focus on a few factors at a time. Further, longitudinal climate research shows these perceptions fluctuate over time. To overcome some limitations of variable‐centered approaches, we use a person‐centered approach with a longitudinal focus to (a) identify distinct daily workplace experience profiles, (b) explore the stability of people's workplace experiences over time, and (c) investigate whether daily workplace experiences relate to creativity. We used an archival dataset of 11,245 daily surveys from 221 people asking about their work environment to identify five daily workplace experience profiles. We find people have varying experiences over the course of a project, but that these experiences also appear to be stable within a one‐week period. Finally, we also found that these experiences influence creative self‐perceptions and creative performance behaviors. As such, this study helps integrate various creativity and organizational theories to develop a rich and more holistic understanding of how daily work environment perceptions impact creative work.

Self-management of vocational skills for people with significant intellectual disabilities: A systematic review.

Access to employment opportunities is associated with increased quality of life for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities; however, many adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities struggle to find employment. One reason they may have difficulty achieving employment is an inability to work independently. Self-management interventions have been used to promote independence in the workplace for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities by involving them in changing their own behavior. In this literature review, we identified 47 peer-reviewed, single-case design studies in which researchers investigated the use of self-management interventions as an intervention component to improve the vocational skills for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Visual analysis of the data indicated that most participants were successful at improving skills related to on-task behavior, task completion, independent transitions, and self-initiations. Potential directions for future research and implications for practice are discussed.

A Study of Communication Experience in the Job Adaptation Process of People with Hearing Impairment

본 연구는 청각장애인의 직업적응 과정에서 나타난 의사소통 경험을 탐색하는데 연구의 목적이 있다. 이러한 연구목적을 달성하기 위해 청각장애인의 의사소통 방식을 세 영역으로 음성언어사용자, 한국수어사용자, 이중언어(수어+음성)사용자로 구분하여 청각장애인이 직장생활을 영위하고 적응하는데 필요한 요소들을 의사소통 방식에 따라 확인하고자 하였다. 각 영역별 연구참여자들의 의사소통 방식이 청각장애인의 직장 내 소통, 취업과 직업적응, 직업유지에 어떠한 영향을 미쳤는지 살펴보고 그 과정에서 나타나는 현상들, 어려움과 적응과정, 그리고 직장생활에 미친 영향들을 탐색하는 질적연구 방법으로 연구를 진행하였다. 결론적으로 청각장애인의 의사소통방식별 직업적응 과정에 나타난 주요 요소는 첫째, 직장 내 회의, 강연, 교육을 진행할 때는 문자통역이 필요하며 중요전달사항은 글로써 전달하여야 하고 의사소통 방식에 따른 소통 배려가 필요하였다. 둘째, 청각장애인을 위한 취업준비 및 취업 지원 방안과 맞춤형 직업훈련, 직종개발이 필요하고 적절한 근무환경구성, 장애인식개선 교육이 필요하였다. 셋째, 청각장애인에 대한 이해와 동료의 배려, 소통하는 직장문화 형성, 청각장애인에게 맞는 직무와 환경이 필요하고 청각장애인 스스로 겸손하게 배우고 동료들과 원만한 관계유지를 위해 노력할 필요성이 있는 것으로 나타났다.The purpose of this study was to explore the communication experience to be shown in job adaptation of people with hearing impairment. In order to accomplish this research purpose, this study divided communication method of people with hearing impairment into three areas, those are phonetic language user, Korea sign language user, dual language user. It was to identify the required factors for people with hearing impairment to adapt and maintain work life of people with hearing impairment according to the communication method. It searched how the communication method of research participants in each area affected the communication, employment, job adaptation and maintenance in the workplace of people with hearing impairment. This study consisted by qualitative research methods. This study explored the phenomena that appear in the process of difficulties, adaptations and maintenance of work life. In conclusion, the major elements of the process of job adaptation according to people with hearing impairment communication method are as follows. First, Text message translation need when conduct meetings, lectures, and education in the workplace. Important details should be communicated by text. And they need consideration for communication according to their communication method. Second, They need the way for efficient of employment preparation and employment support, to implement customized vocational training and job development for people with hearing impairment. Also, it is necessary to construct proper working environment and to improve disability awareness. Third, They need to understand people with hearing impairment, to give consideration of colleagues, to form of workplace culture for communicate, and they construct of suitable role and environment along to their characteristics. Also, people with hearing impairment need to learn humbly and try for a good relationship with colleagues.

Recommendations for the development of measures for the professional rehabilitation or habilitation of disabled people and persons with disabilities in the conditions of their work

In this article, the authors, based on the study of normative, methodological and analytical materials, offer a number of recommendations on professionalization, employment and adaptation of persons with disabilities and HIA, as well as on equipping and organizing workplaces for people with disabilities of various nosological groups.

Disclosing a Diagnosis in the Workplace: Perspective of People With Multiple Sclerosis

Background: Early withdrawal from the workforce is associated with a diagnosis of multiple sclerosis (MS), with employment retention rates also lower than in the general population. Despite legal requirements, equality in the workplace for people with MS has not been achieved. Disclosure of multiple sclerosis at work is essential for the implementation of accommodations enabling employment retention. Method: An interpretive descriptive study explored participants’ decision to disclose or not disclose their diagnosis of multiple sclerosis and the implications this had on work participation and working relationships. Semistructured interviews were used to collect data from 6 participants. Results: Three themes were identified, using a reflective approach to analysis, from the data: (a) Accommodations; (b) Workplace Relationships; and (c) Balancing Work and Home Life. Participants had mixed experiences of disclosing their diagnosis. Findings supported the implementation of workplace accommodations including physical, cognitive, and structural supports. Concealment of MS was associated with fear of workplace stigmatisation. Conclusion: Disclosure is multidimensional and subjective. It is based on personal, systematic, and social factors. This study was limited by the small number of participants and not including stakeholders in the creation of the topic guide. The results are important for those involved in supporting people with multiple sclerosis to remain in the workplace.

ORGANIZATION AND MANAGEMENT OF WORKSTATIONS IN SOCIAL ENTERPRISES. THE CASE OF AN OCCUPATIONAL ACTIVATION COMPANY

People with disabilities in Poland can work in the open and protected labour market. Enterprises that offer work on the protected labour market are social enterprises, which include, among others, professional activation companies (PAC). PACs are created to employ people with different levels of disability, which form a bridge between a closed and open labour market. People with disabilities are ready to work in the open labour market after finishing work in PAC. The aim of the article is to assess the organization and management of workplaces for people with disabilities in a vocational activation plant which operates on the local market in Czestochowa. The application is based on the results of own research, which was conducted in 2019.

Willingness to pay for flexibility at the workplace for people with diabetes and chronic disease: a discrete choice experiment in a population of workers in Denmark

BackgroundThe number of people of working age suffering from chronic disease is increasing. Chronic diseases such as diabetes can cause negative work-related consequences in the form of early retirement or absenteeism. Providing flexible workplace accommodations may enable the person with diabetes to retain their position in the labor market. However, the successfulness of such accommodations depends largely on the perceptions of those not suffering from diabetes. The purpose of this study was to examine preferences of a population of workers in Denmark for flexibility at the workplace, for people with diabetes and for people with chronic disease in general, measured as their willingness to pay (WTP).MethodsRespondents were drawn from online panels and randomized to answer an online survey regarding flexibility at the workplace for people with diabetes or chronic disease in general. One thousand one hundred and three respondents were included in the analysis. Based on discrete choice experiments included in the survey, we analyzed WTP for five flexibility attributes: part-time, customizing job description, additional break with pay and time off for medical visits with and without pay. We further examined perceptions of the employer’s responsibility to ensure workplace flexibility for five different specific chronic diseases including diabetes. Finally, we analyzed differences in WTP for flexibility across subgroups.ResultsRespondents’ WTP was significantly higher for chronic disease in general compared to diabetes for the possibility of part-time (81€/month vs. 47€/month, p < 0.001) and customizing job description (58€/month vs. 41€/month, p = 0.018) attributes, as well as for the overall average (49€/month vs. 36€/month, p = 0.008). Ensuring workplace flexibility for patients with a specific chronic disease other than diabetes (cancer, heart disease, arthritis and COPD) was to a higher degree considered a responsibility of the employer. Average WTP for flexibility varied across subgroups, consistently yielding a larger amount for chronic disease in general.ConclusionsThe population examined in this study are willing to pay less for flexibility at the workplace for people with diabetes compared to people with chronic disease in general. This finding was evident in terms of specific flexibility attributes and on average across subgroups.

Effects of a brief workplace-centered consultation for employees with musculoskeletal pain on health outcomes: a prospective cohort study

Musculoskeletal (MSK) diseases affect a substantial proportion of the population. Specialist consultations were offered at the workplace for people with musculoskeletal (MSK)-complaints. We analyzed data on pain and well-being as well as health economic data at baseline. Lasting effects of the consultation were analyzed at a follow-up-interview after 12 months. Baseline data of 344 individuals were available. Occupations were divided into physically highly demanding (HD) or less demanding. Women reported significantly higher pain levels and less QoL than men. Sick leave days were significantly more in HD-workers. Independent of workload, significantly higher percentages of women had cervical- and upper limb-pain than men, with significantly higher pain in upper limbs in HD-workers. 235 participants were available for telephone-follow-up. QoL and MSK-pain improved significantly. Yearly out-of-pocket spendings for treatments significantly increased. NSAID use significantly decreased, whereas use of non-drug musculoskeletal-medical-services was significantly higher after one year. Regarding MSK-symptoms in gainfully employed individuals, the study showed significantly different workload-dependent differences in QoL. Significant effects of a consultation by a MSK-specialist were shown in terms of improved MSK-pain and overall well-being. This workplace-centered consultation had significant effects on beneficial health-behavior such as decreased use of NSAID and increased engagement in gymnastics and physiotherapy.

Development and Evaluation of a Life-Career Resilience Program for Finding Employment and Stability in the Workplace for People With Disabilities

障害者の就労については，支援が進められている一方で離職率も高く，障害者個人が就職をし，その後も職場で定着するための支援が必要とされている。就労継続に向け，障害者個人が就労移行支援段階で予防的に獲得すべきものの一つにライフキャリア・レジリエンスがある。本研究では，就労移行支援の中で，障害者がライフキャリア・レジリエンスを自覚しそれを活用できるようになることを目的にプログラムを開発，実施した。介入群46名，統制群48名を対象に，ライフキャリア・レジリエンスの5つの下位尺度（現実受容，多面的生活，長期的展望，楽観的思考，継続的対処）と就業効力感，精神健康度（GHQ12）を従属変数とし，時間（プレ対応，プログラム5終了後，フォローアップ2終了後）と群（介入群，統制群）の2要因の分散分析を行った結果，現実受容，長期的展望，多面的生活，継続的対処，就業効力感，精神健康度は有意差は見られなかったが，楽観的思考に交互作用が見られたことから，少なくともプログラムの参加によって楽観的思考が高まることが示唆された。今後は，リスクの回避などプログラムの更なる精緻化と長期的効果や障害者の就職や定着への影響の検証が求められる。