Workplace Organization Research Articles

Ergonomic risk factors for the development of disorders of the musculoskeletal system in adolescents

Prevention of health disorders and sexual development of society is a priority area of hygiene and preventive medicine. The introduction of information and communication technologies into the educational process is a new risk factor for the development of disorders of the musculoskeletal system in adolescents. Purpose of the study: assessment of ergonomic risk factors for the development of disorders of the musculoskeletal system in adolescents using personal electronic computers as teaching aids. Objects of research: sanitary-hygienic and ergonomic factors of learning conditions with the use of personal computers and the state of the musculoskeletal system of college students. Research in accordance with the requirements of bioethics, after signing the informed consent and their parents. The hygienic factors of the learning environment and the ergonomic characteristics of furniture (tables, work chairs) in computer science classes of the Saratov college were studied. Their assessment is given for compliance with sanitary and epidemiological requirements and anthropometric indicators of students. A questionnaire survey and physical examination of 308 adolescents were carried out to identify complaints and assess the condition of the musculoskeletal system. It has been established that the organization and ergonomic characteristics of workplaces equipped with electronic computers fully comply with hygienic and ergonomic requirements. This is the cause of postural disorders and the development of disorders of the condition of the musculoskeletal system of students. A high prevalence of clinical signs of disorders of the musculoskeletal system among adolescents was revealed. It has been established that compliance with ergonomic requirements in the organization of workplaces when using personal electronic computers is a prerequisite for the primary prevention of disorders of the musculoskeletal system in adolescents. To solve this problem, first of all, it is necessary to provide educational institutions with modern furniture that meets ergonomic requirements.

Antecedents of safety behavior in construction: A literature review and an integrated conceptual framework

There has been no scarcity in the literature of suggested antecedents of employee safety behavior, and this paper brings together the disaggregated antecedents of safety behavior in the construction field. In total, 101 eligible empirical articles are obtained. Bibliometric and context analyses are combined to identify the influential journals, scholars, keywords, use of theory, research methods, and countries or regions of the empirical samples. The 83 factors that are identified are divided into five groups, namely (a) individual characteristics, (b) workgroup interactions, (c) work and workplace design, (d) project management and organization, and (e) family, industry, and society. This indicates that the causes of safety behavior are manifold. Various factors from different systems likely work in concert to create situations in which an individual chooses to comply with safety rules and participate voluntarily in safety activities. Given this, we propose that safety behavior is only an ostensible symptom of more complex “The Self–Work–Home–Industry/Society” systems and establish a safety behavior antecedent analysis and classification model. Based on this model, we develop a resource flow model, illustrating why, how, and when the flow of resources between the five systems—namely the self system, work system, home system, work–home interface system, and industry/society system—either promotes or inhibits safety behavior. The safety behavior antecedent analysis and classification model and resource flow model are based mainly on bioecological system theory and resources theories. Avenues for future theoretical development and method designs are suggested based on the reviewed findings and the two conceptual models. The intention with this systematic review together with the two integrated conceptual models is to advance theoretical thinking on how safety behavior can be promoted, or instead, inhibited.

A Dyadic Examination of Drinking Behaviors within Military-Connected Couples

High rates of alcohol use have been documented within military personnel and spouses. However, scant research has investigated alcohol consumption behaviors in matched couples or nonclinical veteran samples. The manner in which couples influence one another’s drinking remains unclear. The current study examined hazardous drinking scores and drinking behaviors in a sample of post-9/11 separated service members (most of whom were veterans) and active duty reservists and their spouse/partners; 260 military-connected couples participated in the Study for Employment Retention of Veterans (SERVe) and were recruited from 35 workplace organizations in the Pacific Northwest. Participants completed baseline and daily surveys on alcohol consumption over the span of 32 days. Among study highlights, Actor–Partner Interdependence Models (APIM) revealed actor effects for psychological distress predicting alcohol use variables. Significant partner effects were also revealed for hazardous drinking (AUDIT) scores predicting subsequent alcohol use, over and above actor (i.e., within-person) effects of those relationships. Higher levels of subsequent drinking frequency and quantity were evident among partners of veterans with higher hazardous drinking scores. Spouses with higher hazardous drinking scores were associated with veteran partners who drank more frequently. Results shed light on how military-connected couples, particularly those engaging in hazardous drinking, uniquely influence one another’s alcohol consumption behaviors. Ultimately, findings highlight the importance of including spouses of veterans to elucidate the interplay of drinking behaviors within military-connected couples.

Gender Differences in Responses to Organizational Creativity Pressure: The Mediating Role of P-O Fit

Creativity is increasingly valued at the modern workplace and many organizations have increased pressure for employees to perform tasks creatively. Yet, researchers have neglected the importance of studying how employees respond to the pervasive creativity pressure at the workplace. This paper introduces the concept of “organizational creativity pressure” and differentiates the concept from other similar constructs. In addition, using gender self-schema theory (Ruble & Martin, 1998) and Person-Organization fit theory (Chatman, 1989), we extend prior research on gender and creativity to examine gender differences in experienced P-O fit and burnout when working for organizations with high creativity pressure. A large- scale field survey and an experimental study involving working professionals provide evidence that women tend to experience more burnout than men when working for organizations with high creativity pressure and a lower level of P-O fit among women explains this relationship. Our research suggests that women’s own reactions to organizational creativity pressure may in part contribute to the persistent gender gap in fields marked by creativity and innovation.

Barriers and bridges to implementing a workplace wellness project in Alaska.

The vast, rugged geography and dispersed population of Alaska pose challenges for managing chronic disease risk. Creative, population-based approaches are essential to address the region's health needs. The American Cancer Society developed Workplace Solutions, a series of evidence-based interventions, to improve health promotion and reduce chronic disease risk in workplace settings. To adapt Workplace Solutions for implementation in eligible Alaskan businesses, research teams with the University of Washington and the Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium collaborated to address various geographic, intervention, and workplace barriers. Terrain, weather, and hunting seasons were frequent geographic challenges faced over the entire course of the pilot study. Coordinating several research review boards at the university, workplace, and regional tribal health organizations; study staff turnover during the entire course of the study; and difficulties obtaining cost-effective intervention options were common intervention barriers. Few workplaces meeting initial study eligibility criteria, turnover of business contacts, and a downturn in the state economy were all significant workplace barriers. Flexibility, organization, responsiveness, communication, and collaboration between research staff and businesses were routinely required to problem-solve these geographic, intervention, and workplace barriers.

The Role of Spatial Organization in Resurrection City and Other Protest Camps

Social and political organizing and organization has a spatial dimension, and there is increasing interest in academic studies of organization to understand better how space and organization relate, interact, and conflict. There is a range of studies that look at business and workplace organization, but little evidence from social movement organization or what is sometimes referred to as alternative organization studies. This article addresses this gap by observing and analyzing the effects of spatial organization in social movements. It focuses particularly on protest camps, a form of social movement organization in which spatial organization is particularly important. It looks at the Resurrection City protest camp of 1968 to identify the development of spatial organization practices. They are carried onwards across social movements, as they resolve organizational desires for the social movement organization, such as enabling mass organization without resorting to formal membership or hierarchical structures. In summary, the article provides insight into the relationship between spatial and social organization.

Business Cycle and Occupational Accidents in Korea.

BackgroundOccupational accidents occur for a variety of reasons, such as unsafe behaviors of workers and insufficient safety equipment at the workplace, but there are also various economic and social factors that can impact working conditions and working environment. This study analyzed the relationship between changes in economic factors and the occurrence of occupational accidents in Korea.MethodsMultilinear regression analysis was used as the analysis model. The general to specific method was also used, which consecutively removes statistically insignificant variables from a general model that includes dependent variables and lagged variables of dependent variables.ResultsThe frequency of occupational accidents was found to have a statistically significant relationship to economic indicators. The monthly number of cases of occupational injury and disease and fatal occupational injuries were found to be closely related to manufacturing capacity utilization, differences in the production index in the services sector, and commencements of building construction. The increase in equipment investment indicators was found to reduce fatal occupational injuries.ConclusionThe results of this study may be used to develop occupational accident trends or leading indicators, which in turn can be used by organizations that manage and monitor occupational accidents toward taking administrative action designed to reduce occupational accidents. The results also imply that short-term and mid- to long-term economic and social changes that can impact workers, workplaces and working conditions, and workplace organizations must be taken into account if more effective government policies are to be established and implemented toward further prevention of occupational accidents.

Analytical Study on Teams Ethnic Diversity and Workplace Organization

Analytical Study on Teams Ethnic Diversity and Workplace Organization

Worker Productivity in Operations Management

From Frederick Taylor's study of brick laying manual laborers in the early 20th century, to the multi-year benchmarking of automotive plant productivity as part of the International Motor Vehicle Program, the systematic observation, measurement, and analysis of work has a strong tradition in operations management. Traditional manufacturing provided the setting for much of the early research on worker productivity. However as we have now seen an inexorable shift towards more service driven economic output, especially in the industrialized economies, the research in operations management on worker productivity has also increasingly focused on services. This monograph will take stock of the literature in operations management on worker productivity. The research is not exhaustive, but is meant to showcase some of the interesting and relevant papers that fall into a few key themes. Mainly, the individual worker is the focal unit of analysis, and the goal is to explore the various operational factors that allow the worker to become more productive. Key areas of emphasis include the behavioral microfoundations of productivity, the effect of peers and workplace dynamics, the design and organization of work, and ways to improve human capital. Although much is known about the drivers of worker productivity, much remains unexplored. Furthermore, looming changes to the modern workplace call for new ways to think about worker productivity. For example, artificial intelligence, new models of business, and novel workplace arrangements, all have important implications for the design and organization of the modern workplace, and for the roles and responsibilities of the knowledge worker. Collectively, these developments will continue to make worker productivity a rich and exciting area of research.

Ergonomic approaches to the organization of workplaces of teenagers at school

The ergonomics of workplaces in the educational environment makes a significant effect on adolescents’ health, may create risk factors for disorders of the musculoskeletal system and the visual analyzer, which affect the work ability and quality of future life.

The Impact of Shift-Work and Night Shift-Work on Thyroid: A Systematic Review.

Thyroid hormones are regulated by the pituitary thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH), whose secretion presents a circadian rhythmicity. Indeed, it is conceivable that shift- and night shift-work, affecting sleep-wake rhythms, may impact thyroid functionality. Therefore, the aim of the present review was to provide an overview on the association between shift- and night shift-work and thyroid hormonal changes and disease development. A systematic review of studies available in PubMed, Scopus, and ISI Web of Science databases was performed. A positive association between night shift-work and increased TSH concentrations was reported by most of the reviewed investigations. Inconclusive evidence was available on thyroid diseases. However, the limited number of studies, the noticeable heterogeneity in the shift-work scheduling, in terms of amount, duration, type of shift- or night shift-work, prevents easily integrating findings and extrapolating definite conclusions. Further investigation seems necessary to better define the relationship between shift schedules and different thyroid outcomes, and possible long-term implications of early functional changes. Overall, this may support the adoption of advanced risk assessment and management strategies aimed to achieve a safer workplace organization and a timely, responsible realization of all the benefits of a 24-h economy.

Spatially organizing future genders: An artistic intervention in the creation of a hir-toilet

Toilets, a neglected facility in the study of human relations at work and beyond, have become increasingly important in discussions about future experiences of gender diversity. To further investigate the spatial production of gender and its potential expressions, we transformed a unisex single-occupancy toilet at Uppsala University into an all-gender or ‘hir-toilet’.1With the aim to disrupt and expose the dominant spatial organization of the two binary genders, we inaugurated the hir-toilet with the help of a performance artist. We describe and analyse internal and external responses thereto, using Lefebvre’s work on dialectics and space. Focusing on how space is variously lived, conceived and perceived, our analysis questions the very rationale of gender categorizations. The results contribute to a renewed critique of binary thinking in the organization of workplaces by extending our understanding of how space and human relations mutually constitute each other.

Openness and staff training as antecedents of administration and management innovation: a cross-country study

A firm's ability to innovate has gained continuously increasing attention among scholars and practitioners. This study aims to discuss the relationship of a firm's openness as an element of organisational culture and staff training as an element of organisational learning to its activity in introducing administration and management innovation in two countries. Data collection was conducted in Latvia and Russia. To make the research more specific, organisational innovation is broken down into two categories: innovation in management practices; and innovation in workplace organisation. The result obtained demonstrated the positive impact of staff training on innovation activities and openness on staff trading, though the values were found significantly different for the two countries. The study has also shown that the roots of traditions in doing business were deeply related to a nation's originality, and no external impact could ruin them completely. At the practical level, in terms of comparable management theory, this means that cultural traditions persist in a society, regardless of any circumstances artificially created for business by outside forces over a long period.

Openness and staff training as antecedents of administration and management innovation: a cross-country study

A firm's ability to innovate has gained continuously increasing attention among scholars and practitioners. This study aims to discuss the relationship of a firm's openness as an element of organisational culture and staff training as an element of organisational learning to its activity in introducing administration and management innovation in two countries. Data collection was conducted in Latvia and Russia. To make the research more specific, organisational innovation is broken down into two categories: innovation in management practices; and innovation in workplace organisation. The result obtained demonstrated the positive impact of staff training on innovation activities and openness on staff trading, though the values were found significantly different for the two countries. The study has also shown that the roots of traditions in doing business were deeply related to a nation's originality, and no external impact could ruin them completely. At the practical level, in terms of comparable management theory, this means that cultural traditions persist in a society, regardless of any circumstances artificially created for business by outside forces over a long period.

Workplace Spirituality and Organisation Citizenship Behaviour: Exploring Mediating Effect of Job Satisfaction

Workplace Spirituality and Organisation Citizenship Behaviour: Exploring Mediating Effect of Job Satisfaction

Workplace Spirituality and Organisation Based Self Esteem as Mechanisms Linking Spiritual Leadership with Organisational Citizenship Behaviour: Perceived Organisational Support as a Moderator

The aim of this study is to investigate the correlation among spiritual leadership (SL) and organisational citizenship behaviour (OCB) with two mediating variables workplace spirituality (WPS) and organisation based self-esteem (OBSE). In addition, this study also investigated perceived organisational support (POS) as a moderator in the correlation between SL and WPS. This study used the survey method to collection data from respondents using a questionnaire. To measure variables items, a 5-point Likert type scale is used. Partial least squares-structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM) technique was used for data analysis. The survey included 220 participants from the Islamic educational institute in Thailand, including educational staff and teachers. Five out of eight hypotheses proposed were supported by the results. The OBSE played a partial mediating role as a motivational concept for the followers in SL and OCB relationship. The lack of existing literature on the spiritual leadership adoption in Islamic educational institutions limits the scope of the study system debate. The insights derived from this research into the relationship and understanding between SL and organisational citizenship behaviour among Muslim educators. While a wide variety of research in leadership has embraced a number of leadership theories, the findings have changed the emphasis to spiritual leadership as a core determinant of power in a religious organization. Although extensive research literature on leadership has followed a number of leadership theories, the findings have changed the emphasis on following SL in religious institutions as a key determinant of discretionary behaviour. Teachers with discretionary behaviours are in dire need of Islamic institutions. As a result, SL has shown an important correlation with OCB and OBSE. This helps promote follower's intrinsic wellbeing by developing a shared vision through which people help society by serving others and can achieve their highest life goals and give people a sense of appreciation. This research improves academic knowledge about the role of SL that is a growing area of interest and relatively new to academicians and management in influencing academic staff and teachers’ organisational citizenship behaviour in both theory and practice.

Прогнозування майбутніх змін на ринку праці України внаслідок пандемії COVID-19

The article is devoted to assessing of the state of the labor market and forecasting future changes in the field of labor under the influence of the coronavirus pandemic. As a result of analysis of foreign and domestic sources of information, statistics on planned layoffs, registered and actual unemployment in Ukraine, it was concluded that the COVID-19 pandemic will lead to global changes in the labor market and the nature of labor, and therefore employers and employees need to adapt to new living conditions. The main directions of these changes are outlined and the best practices of adaptation of enterprises to them are demonstrated in this research. It is proved that quarantine measures have led to a more intensive reduction of low-skilled personnel, mainly working professions, and irreversible processes of spreading the remote form of workplace organization. This will require further regulation of distance work, intensification of retraining programs of released human resources, strengthening their social protection, support of employers, especially small businesses, during the coronary crisis

Introduction

Introduction

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.

Textual artefacts at the centre of sensemaking: The use of discursive-material resources in constructing joint understanding in organisational workshops

The article examines the role of discourse in organisational sensemaking. By building links between the theorising undertaken within organisational studies and the empirical analysis of multimodal social interaction, it argues for a relational view of sensemaking and investigates how sense is made in and through social interaction in real organisational situations where language use intertwines with embodied actions and the manipulation of artefacts. In particular, the article studies the use of discourse technologies of textual artefacts in sensemaking processes. The data come from training workshops of a Finnish workplace organisation, conducted in order for the employees to delineate the history and future of their organisation with the help of writable papers. The results show how the papers exert agency in the situation by facilitating three specific discursive practices and by enabling and restricting the actions employed in constructing a shared understanding of the organisational reality.