Workplace Organization Research Articles

The siren song of so-called evidence: Why the evidence for social ecology models is not as strong as we think

Ecological competition models from biology have been adopted for the study of a wide variety of social entities, including workplace organizations and voluntary associations.Despite their popularity, a number of fundamental challenges to these models have not been sufficiently recognized or addressed. As a result, it’s possible that some apparently supportive evidence for ecological competition is in fact the outcome of chance or other processes. We propose a permutation test to compare observed evidence for ecological competition against an appropriate counterfactual population. To demonstrate our approach and validate our concern about the quality of evidence for ecological competition models, we apply the permutation test to one specific case. The results indicate that K-correlation values that have been taken as evidence for a well-established model, the Ecology of Affiliation, are quite common even in the absence of ecological competition. We conclude that the existing evidence for social ecology models may not be as reliable as commonly believed due to the disconnect between theory and empirical testing.

Application of Failure Mode and Effect Analysis (FMEA) for Defect Reduction: A Case Study on Scratch Defects in Oil Separator Parts in Machining Line

This study addresses the problem of significant defect rates on Oil Separator Parts in machining line, especially focusing on scratch defects. The defect rate reached 0.495%, exceeding the company's target of 0.1%. In the approach using FMEA, potential failure modes were identified and rated based on Risk Priority Number to plan corrective actions. Effort and Impact Analysis was used to analyze the most effective action recommendations. Implementation of the 5S methodology was selected as the improvement solution, which focused on workplace organization, maintenance, and cleanliness. The results were positive, with the number of defects decreasing dramatically from 540 to 67 units in July 2023, and the defect rate dropping from 0.495% to 0.145%. Although the company's quality targets have not been fully achieved, the FMEA approach and 5S implementation have been shown to significantly improve production quality and reduce defects. This study proves that this approach has the potential to address complex quality issues, although further challenges may be required to achieve the final goals set.

FEATURES OF DESIGNING A MODERN OFFICE SPACE, ITS EQUIPMENT AND FURNITURE

The aim of the study is to identify the main factors, modern approaches and methods of creating a comfortable office space based on the analysis of modern domestic and foreign experience in designing this type of premises.
 Methodology. Critical analysis of scientific sources on the research topic, normative and reference literature, comparative analysis of advanced domestic and foreign experience in office interior design, and a synthesis of the research results have been used in the study.
 Results. Historical aspects of the development of offices and modern trends in the interior design of this type of premises are considered. The main factors of creating a comfortable office space are identified: design in accordance with modern ergonomic requirements; implementation of aesthetic principles of interior design, effective functional and planning organisation. The ergonomic criteria for workplace organisation are presented, and the main aspects of office ergonomics are highlighted. Based on the analysis of modern design experience, approaches and techniques of artistic and aesthetic, functional and planning solutions for office spaces are identified. In particular, rational planning that combines common communication spaces with individual workstations, artistic and aesthetic solutions with balanced colour palette and accents, optimal lighting and modern ergonomic equipment are becoming integral components of an effective modern office space.
 The scientific novelty lies in determining the main factors in creating a comfortable office space based on the analysis of modern interior design practice for this type of premises, identifying current trends, approaches and techniques for creating the office interior, which is a further contribution to the development of research on office environment design.
 The practical significance of the results obtained lies in the possibility of their application by designers and employers when designing office interiors.

Using Problem-Based Learning (PBL) in an Undergraduate Ergonomics Course

Ergonomics courses typically cover a range of topics related to the design and organization of workplaces to optimize human performance and well-being while minimizing injury risk and discomfort. This study introduces the PBL application steps to attract attention to the importance of noise not only in workplaces but also in daily life. The driving question is determined as “How can we assess and minimize the perceived daily noise exposure of people to sustain hearing health?”. Then, the students are asked to evaluate the PBL activities at the end of the term. Among the students who completed all activities, 60% strongly agreed, 32% agreed that PBL contributed to the understanding of the subject, and only 8% stated that PBL didn’t make a significant contribution when learning the topic of concern. The PBL framework developed for “noise” has the potential to be enhanced and adapted for other topics in this course.

Resilience in Emergency Medicine during COVID-19: Evaluating Staff Expectations and Preparedness.

The COVID-19 pandemic brought about significant challenges for health systems globally, with medical professionals at the forefront of this crisis. Understanding their organizational expectations and well-being implications is crucial for crafting responsive healthcare environments. Between 2021 and 2022, an online survey was conducted among 852 medical professionals across four provinces in Poland: Mazovia, Łódź, Świętokrzyskie, and Lublin. The survey tool, based on a comprehensive literature review, comprised dichotomous questions and specific queries to gather explicit insights. A 5-point Likert scale was implemented to capture nuanced perceptions. Additionally, the Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder Checklist-Civilian (PCL-C) was utilized to ascertain the correlation between workplace organization and post-traumatic stress symptoms. A noteworthy 84.6% of participants believed their employers could enhance safety measures, highlighting a discrepancy between healthcare workers' expectations and organizational implementations. Major concerns encompassed the demand for improved personal protective equipment (44.6%), structured debriefing sessions (40%), distinct building entrances and exits (38.8%), and psychological support (38.3%). Statistical analyses showcased significant variations in 'Avoidance' and 'Overall PTSD Score' between individuals who had undergone epidemic safety procedure training and those who had not. The results illuminate the imperative for healthcare organizations to remain agile, attentive, and deeply compassionate, especially during worldwide health emergencies. Despite showcasing remarkable resilience during the pandemic, medical professionals ardently seek an environment that underscores their safety and mental well-being. These findings reinforce the call for healthcare institutions and policymakers to champion a forward-thinking, employee-focused approach. Additionally, the data suggest a potential avenue for future research focusing on specific demographic groups, further enriching our understanding and ensuring a more comprehensive readiness for impending health crises.

Workplace Bullying

Workplace bullying is when coworkers or supervisors act aggressively and treat a worker unfairly. When this behaviour occurs regularly and for an extended period of time, it raises the employee's stress levels, which harms the organisation both directly and indirectly. Bullying at work has a history of having terrible consequences for the targets, witnesses, and organisations. Stress, worry, and poor physical and mental health are common among targets and witnesses, and these consequences might last for a while. Targets run the danger of being disqualified from the workforce due to poor health, stigma, victimisation, or damage to their reputation. The use of employer resources and time for non-work activities by perpetrators causes organisations to have low staff productivity, as targets and witnesses are likely to perform less effectively, take more vacation time, feel less devoted to the company, and be more likely to leave. Despite the serious issues that workplace bullying brings about, businesses struggle to cope with it. Policies, rules, and standards are necessary, but they rarely go far enough to address this complex psychosocial issue. Strong leadership, efficient human resource management, and a positive workplace culture are all crucial. Key words: Workplace Bullying, Unfair treatment, Discrimination, Workforce and Organisation

WORK ENVIRONMENT SAFETY MANAGEMENT PROGRAM OFFICE WORKERS

Improving the safety of the working environment through occupational risk management (informing workers about relevant risks, creating a system for identification, assessment and control) and economic motivation is a relevant issue. Working conditions that affect human health depend on the condition of buildings and structures, the design and organization of workplaces, equipment, tools and materials used to perform labor duties. Labor stress is one of the main factors which has a negative impact on the human conditions inherently reflecting the load on the central nervous system, sensory organs, emotional and intellectual spheres directly related to the job performed. The article analyzes experience of developing and implementing measures intended to ensure safe working conditions, reducing general and micro-injuries, morbidity, based on the development and implementation of an environmental management strategy and targeted programs to improve working conditions.

The perceptions of Midwives regarding the use of telehealth. A systematic review of qualitative research

Introduction: Telehealth, originally designed to serve rural and remote areas, is now increasingly utilized in urban centers. Various medical specialties widely employ it. However, its use in midwifery remains limited. The purpose of this particular study is to elucidate the perspectives of midwives regarding the utilization of telehealth resources. Methodology: A systematic review of the electronic database PubMed was conducted to identify qualitative studies pertaining to midwives' perspectives on the use of telehealth. A critical assessment of the selected studies was performed. Results: Four studies met the inclusion criteria. Telehealth modalities can complement private encounters between midwives and women during pregnancy, in the latent phase of labor, and in the postpartum period. Barriers to the integration of these technologies include midwives' lack of familiarity with them, issues related to data security, workplace organization, and the way of implementation of these technologies. Discussion: Midwives acknowledge the potential offered by modern telehealth technologies. However, legal considerations and midwives' training to familiarize them with these technologies should be taken into account.

Knowledge Management: The Value of Inter and Intra-firm Activities Towards Innovation Performance

Firms mainly depend on innovation to remain competitive in business. New knowledge is a major resource for firms on the path of achieving innovation performance. This paper seeks to examine how intra-firm and inter-firm activities promote knowledge sharing toward innovation performance. We used the variables channels of information to represent inter-firm activities and workplace organization methods to represent intra-firm knowledge-sharing activities. The proxies for innovation performance were product innovation and business process innovation. Cross-sectional country-level data from CIS 2018 for 17 countries within the EU region was used for our study. The OLS regression method was used for the analysis. While existing studies concentrate on inter-firm knowledge transfer and single country-level studies, our study focuses on a blend of intra-firm and intra-firm cross-country studies. We also emphasized the value of knowledge sharing and cognition in the knowledge transfer process toward achieving firm innovation performance. Our model was built on the knowledge-based view (KBV) and social network theory (SNT). We found that cross-functional workgroups, conferences, trade fairs and exhibitions have a positive significant impact on both product and business process innovation. Published patent had a significant impact on product innovation but was not statistically significant for business process innovation. In conclusion, we found that intra-firm knowledge-sharing activities impact more on innovation performance of firms more than inter-firm knowledge-sharing activities of firms in the EU. Our study is limited to using cross-sectional data and the number of countries within the EU involved in the study. We believe longitudinal data and the involvement of more EU countries in future studies will yield robust findings for more reliable inferences.

Reimagining real estate and facilities management outsourcing : A bp and JLL case study

In 2019 bp set out to renew its facilities and real estate contracts. What began as a typical request for proposal exercise turned into a complete reinvention of the bp workplace organisation. The team got a boost when Bernard Looney took the helm as bp’s Chief Executive Officer (CEO) in February 2020. Looney’s vision was the most far-reaching transformation in bp’s 112-year history: to transform bp from an international oil company to an integrated energy company by shifting bp’s focus from producing oil and gas resources to one that delivers energy solutions. bp’s ambition is to become a net-zero company by 2050 or sooner, and help the world get to net zero. bp’s workplace team accepted the challenge; the simple contract renewal they had started needed to be reimagined. This case study goes behind the scenes and shows how the parties pulled off what many in bp thought was impossible, especially in the middle of a pandemic when 100 per cent of the work had to be done virtually.

Occupational Morbidity of Women Associated with Working Conditions in Agriculture

Introduction. About a third of employees of medium and large agricultural enterprises work in hazardous and harmful conditions. It is worth clarifying that the situation in this area is constantly changing, information may become outdated. The presented scientific work is designed to solve this problem. New information should be considered and systematized to study current data. The work objective is to analyze recently published official statistics on the impact of working conditions on the health of agricultural sector workers and, in particular, women. In addition, the problems of the formation and development of occupational diseases of women employed in agriculture are considered.Materials and Methods. The data of the Federal State Statistics Service, the Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation, as well as the works of foreign and Russian scientists who studied the peculiarities of work in agriculture were used as research materials. Official statistics data were summarized in the form of tables, visualized as diagrams. The illustrative material allowed us, in particular, to compare the indicators, to identify the most significant risks associated with the work of women in the agro-industrial complex.Results. About 35% (that is, more than a third) of the personnel of medium and large enterprises of the agro-industrial complex are women. Many of them work in harmful and dangerous conditions. From 2015 to 2021, the corresponding minimum recorded figure was 26.4% of all women employed in agriculture, the maximum was 37%. Generalized statistical data suggested that from 2015 to 2021 the situation was not significantly improving, a downward trend was not formed. If to speak about hard work, the proportion of women performing such functions increased from 13.8 % to 17.7%, that is, by 2021 the situation noticeably worsened. We noted the progress with strenuous labor processes in agriculture. The proportion of women engaged in such jobs almost halved: from 3.5% to 1.8%. Physical overload, which functionally overstrain the organs and systems of the body, should be recognized as a particularly harmful factor for agricultural sector workers. The most problematic industry from the point of view of women's health was animal husbandry.Discussion and Conclusion. The results of the work allow us to conclude about the unsatisfactory working conditions of women in agriculture. The situation can be improved by state control, mutual interest of employers and employees in the organization of workplaces and the compliance with labor protection requirements. A systematic approach should reduce the number of occupational diseases among women, improve the health indicators of agricultural workers.

Legacies of Change: Probation Staff Experiences of the Unification of Services in England and Wales

Abstract A discourse of professionalism has proved crucial to driving recent organizational restructurings of the probation service in England and Wales. The Coalition Government argued that bureaucratic, state provision of services had stifled probation practice—for which the introduction of market logic, via the 2014 Transforming Rehabilitation (TR) reforms, would restore professional discretion. And yet, the detrimental impact of TR on practice meant that re-professionalization was an important objective of yet more restructuring. This paper explores probation staff experiences of organizational change, particularly since services were returned to the public sector, in June 2021, through three dominant modes of workplace organization around which change has been articulated: professionalism, the market and bureaucracy. Drawing on semi-structured interviews with 38 members of staff, it argues that the exercise of professionalism in probation has been, and continues to be, shaped by a legacy of organizational change that is both bureaucratic and dependent upon market(-like) mechanisms. It contends that the ongoing impact of a ‘discursive battle’ between market and bureaucratic forces has further eroded professionalism in probation.

Social Inequality in High Tech: How Gender, Race, and Ethnicity Structure the World's Most Powerful Industry

The high-tech industry is the world's most powerful and profitable industry, and it is almost entirely dominated by white, Asian American, and Asian men. This article reviews research on social inequality in the high-tech industry, focusing on gender and race/ethnicity. It begins with a discussion of alternative ways of defining the sector and an overview of its history and employment demographics. Next is an analysis of gendered and racialized pathways into high-paying jobs in the industry, followed by a review of research on workplace organization that emphasizes how sexism and racism are embedded inside the firm and beyond it, through the design of high-tech products and services. Finally, gender and racial disparities in attrition rates are discussed. The conclusion calls for future research on social inequality and the funding structure of the industry, age discrimination inside tech, effective diversity policies, and labor movement activism throughout the high-tech industry.

"Like fighting a fire with a water pistol": A qualitative study of the work experiences of critical care nurses during the COVID-19 pandemic.

To understand the experience of critical care nurses during the COVID-19 pandemic, through the application of the Job-Demand-Resource model of occupational stress. Qualitative interview study. Twenty-eight critical care nurses (CCN) working in ICU in the UK NHS during the COVID-19 pandemic took part in semi-structured interviews between May 2021 and May 2022. Interviews were guided by the constructs of the Job-Demand Resource model. Data were analysed using framework analysis. The most difficult job demands were the pace and amount, complexity, physical and emotional effort of their work. Prolonged high demands led to CCN experiencing emotional and physical exhaustion, burnout, post-traumatic stress symptoms and impaired sleep. Support from colleagues and supervisors was a core job resource. Sustained demands and impaired physical and psychological well-being had negative organizational consequences with CCN expressing increased intention to leave their role. The combination of high demands and reduced resources had negative impacts on the psychological well-being of nurses which is translating into increased consideration of leaving their profession. The full impacts of the pandemic on the mental health of CCN are unlikely to resolve without appropriate interventions. Managers of healthcare systems should use these findings to inform: (i) the structure and organization of critical care workplaces so that they support staff to be well, and (ii) supportive interventions for staff who are carrying significant psychological distress as a result of working during and after the pandemic. These changes are required to improve staff recruitment and retention. We used the COREQ guidelines for reporting qualitative studies. Six CCN provided input to survey content and interview schedule. Two authors and members of the study team (T.S. and S.C.) worked in critical care during the pandemic.

Accounting outsourcing as a modern effective tool of enterprise management

The relevance of the following article is determined by the need to elaborate on the economic benefits of using accounting outsourcing for agro-industrial enterprises. The purpose of the study is to analyze the main advantages of delegating enterprise`s accounting functions to a specialized company, as well as to prove the economic feasibility of outsourcing. The basis for the methodological approach includes: data analysis regarding the level of outsourcing, method of average values, comparison method, graphic method, generalization method. The article reveals the essence, types, main advantages and disadvantages of outsourcing, and compares the features of workplace organization and pay for full-time employees, freelance workers and outsourcing companies. Drawing from the previous experiences of the USA, Germany and Poland, the ways to apply accounting outsourcing in Ukraine were singled out, namely: enshrining in legislation the procedure for providing outsourcing services; transparency in regards of their clients from the outsourcing companies` side; determining the approximate amount of financial costs for maintaining a full-time employee performing the accountant duties. In the course of the research, the volumes of expenses for maintaining the accounting department of the enterprise and for payment for the services of an outsourcing company were compared, and the amount of economic benefit from the use of accounting outsourcing was determined, the dynamics of administrative costs of agricultural enterprises before and after the transfer of accounting functions to outsourcing were analyzed, and the expediency of using accounting outsourcing at agrarian enterprises as a way of reducing administrative costs and increasing the efficiency of accounting functions at the enterprise is substantiated. The results of the study provide recommendations on expanding the practice of using accounting outsourcing, in particular by increasing the trust of enterprises in outsourcing companies, and have a practical value for agricultural enterprises in regards of organizing the performance of accounting functions and outsourcing companies, for example, while developing a marketing policy for the promotion of services

Advocacy and Management of Diversity and Inclusivity in Organizations

Our study examines the definitions of these two terms and seeks to comprehend the significance that both Diversity and Inclusion hold in workplace organizations since the old term "Diversity" has been replaced by the new term "Inclusion". In today's organizations, diversity and inclusion (D&I) are fundamental values. Miscommunication is a constant result of people using the same words but not always meaning the same thing. Is diversity management just another popular idea like teamwork, cutting costs, or re-engineering? Diversity should be of importance to organizations since it presents a new problem for them to tackle. There is little doubt that the majority of organizations have already dealt with or will eventually deal with the issue of diversity, notably in the area of personnel diversity. Understanding and valuing individual differences is the first step in managing diversity. It improves efficient management techniques by preventing prejudice and encouraging inclusivity. Even with competent management, it may be challenging for someone to work well with a varied group. The modern definition of workplace diversity is more inclusive and takes into account character, maturity, aesthetics, aptitudes, schooling, experience, etc., in addition to conventional considerations. This is in contrast to the earlier definition, which could only be used to describe representations of various ethnic, gender, and religious origins. The current emphasis on workplace diversity is on promoting originality within an organisation and understanding that every person may offer something exceptional to the company.

Success factors in adaptation of newly graduated nurses: a scoping review

BackgroundDifficulties in adapting to the workplace can affect newly graduated nurses’ transition. Such nurses must adapt quickly, as it can affect their future career prospects. Therefore, this review aimed to identify the success factors that promote newly graduated nurses’ effective transition and adaptation.MethodsThe Joanna Briggs Institute scoping reviews methodology was used. Data were extracted from MEDLINE, Scopus, EBSCOhost, and Web of Science publications published between 2011 and 2020. A total of 23 articles were included in this review, which comprised qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methods primary research studies focusing on the contributing factors that aided newly graduated nurses’ adaptation to the work environment during their transition period. Key emerging themes were identified with thematic analysis.ResultsThree main themes were identified: (1) organisational contribution (social development, organisational culture, work characteristics, work readiness, work commitment, professional role), (2) personality traits (self-embodiment, personality masking, being proactive and confident), and (3) academic institutions (pre-entry knowledge and role of nursing faculty). Newly graduated nurses’ adaptation should begin during nursing education, be supported by the workplace organisation, and driven by the nurse’s personality. We determined that that the role of nursing education in aiding the provision of the required knowledge and actual clinical experiences to students profoundly affected developing nurses’ self-confidence levels in delivering nursing care effectively. Additionally, a warm environment supported nurses emotionally and physically.ConclusionsWhile organisations and educational institutions have undertaken numerous efforts to ensure that newly graduated nurses are adequately supported, the nurse’s personality and values are also equally important to ease adaptation during the transition process. Academic and workplace programs designed for newly graduated nurses should apply and emphasise this knowledge to develop and strengthen their personalities and values, especially to increase confidence and promote proactive values that facilitate newly graduated nurses’ rapid and effective adaptation to their new employment.

ADVANCED TECHNOLOGICAL APPLICATION AND NEW HAZARDS

Integrating a technology into a business and making it sustainable can be achieved with a good analysis and a systematic workplace organization. In today's world, where everything has become more connected (Internet of Things, industrial internet, etc.), it is more difficult to analyze risks compared to the traditional point of view. Analyzing the risks and ranking them in order of importance is closely related to the proven dangers and risks of these technologies. In the study, advanced technological applications and the risks they bring were determined using expert opinions. Accordingly, technological work accidents, occupational diseases, cyber-attacks, and accidents based on human error were determined as the main criteria. The sub-criteria were determined as automation and robot accidents, occupational diseases of chemical and biological origin, sabotage and attacks on personal data, and misinterpretation of data/shortage of qualified employees. Microsoft Excel was used in the analysis of the application and the results of each analysis were found to be consistent. According to the analysis results, the most important risk in the order of importance of advanced technological applications and the risks they bring was Occupational Diseases (Criterion 2) with 0.4755, and the most weighted sub-criteria in the paired comparisons was Sabotage and Attack Against Personal Data (Sub-Criteria 3) while 0.3518.

What shall I learn? Two-stage decision making under social influence on corporate E-learning platforms

E-learning platforms have increasingly been adopted by corporate employees in the workplace. On these platforms, users typically follow a two-stage decision-making process: they first choose which content to learn and then decide how much to continue learning. The decisions of individual employee users are influenced by members of the same workplace organization (group influence) and general users on the platform from other organizations (mass influence). Extant research has not shown how different types of social influence impact different decisions. Using data from a corporate e-learning platform, this study examines how group influence and mass influence support employees' learning decisions, from the perspective of the elaboration likelihood model (ELM). The results reveal that mass users' past choices only influence low-elaborative choice decisions but not high-elaborative engagement decisions. In contrast, workgroup members' past choices influence both the low-elaborative choice and high-elaborative engagement decisions. Furthermore, positive synergy exists between the two types of social influence for the choice decision, but the synergy dissipates for the engagement decision. These findings can help online content platforms design appropriate information-sharing systems to influence users' choice and engagement decisions. The results can also help corporates take advantage of social influence to motivate employees to engage in work-related online learning.

ASSESSMENT OF THE EFFICIENCY OF ENVIRONMENTAL COMPONENTS IN THE OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY MANAGEMENT SYSTEM AT SUGAR FACTORIES OF UKRAINE

The article considers the importance of sugar mills' environment, conditions, and occupational safety. According to modern requirements, the efficiency of an enterprise should be determined not only using the cost of outproducts but by a comprehensive strategic assessment of energy efficiency, technological safety, impact on the environment, and working conditions at workplaces. The critical driving force for the development of modern technologies is effective approaches to determine the economical components of the environmental impact assessments, as well as management systems to improve conditions and occupational safety at workplaces of sugar production. At the same time, it is necessary to optimize the use of electricity, natural gas, coal, and freshwater with the maximum quality of products at the sugar factories of Ukraine. To economically substantiate the safety and environmental components based on legal, economic, and social requirements in sugar production, these components were analyzed regarding occupational safety, identification of problems, drawbacks in the management, and the regulatory and legal systems of occupational safety. The main environmental factors of sugar production are greenhouse gases emission. These emissions result from using natural gas; the electricity produced by the energy system of Ukraine; decarbonization of limestone; and pulp storage. All these components affect the working conditions at workplaces and the environment. Considering these components and their impact on working conditions and the environment with certain features of the technological process of sugar production, the general economic and social approaches to determine the effectiveness of occupational safety and environmental safety in the system "human-machine-environment" were worked out. It was established that improving working conditions and safety and normalizing ecological impacts can reduce the consumption of natural gas (up to 17%); electricity (about 6.7%) and significantly reduce the amount of carbon dioxide and methane as the leading greenhouse gases. Furthermore, the rationalization of workplace organization in the sugar production management system can increase labor productivity by up to 20%. The introduction of the assessments that consider the safety, legal and environmental components of the system "human-machine-environment" makes it possible to increase the efficiency of sugar production management. Keywords: economic efficiency, social efficiency, environmental safety, sugar production, occupational safety, working conditions, assessment.