Workplace Planning Research Articles

Flexible Work in the Public Sector: A Dual Perspective on Cognitive Benefits and Costs in Remote Work Environments

The COVID-19 pandemic has accelerated the adoption of flexible work arrangements within the Italian public administration. While much of the existing research has focused on the drawbacks of such arrangements, there has been less exploration of their benefits. Cognitive demands related to the structure of work activities, planning of working hours, planning of workplaces, and coordination with others, under flexible working conditions, might be considered as job resources that act as challenging demands within the Job Demand-Resource (JD-R) model. This study aimed to explore how the “cognitive challenge of flexible work” (CCFW) impact job satisfaction through home-based performance, taking into account the role of weekly working hours on home-based performance. Furthermore, the potential moderating role of cognitive and physical job demands between CCFW and home-based performance was explored. Using structural equation modeling on data from 484 public employees, the findings confirmed the positive impact of the structure of work tasks and planning of working times on both job satisfaction and home-based performance. In addition, cognitive demands (i.e., perception of cognitive work overload) played a moderating role in the mediated relationship between coordinating with others on job satisfaction and the structure of working tasks on job satisfaction through home-based performance.

Employment Decisions of Newly Graduated Occupational Therapists.

Introduction. Employment decision-making is essential for understanding workforce trends. Current occupational therapy workforce research describes distribution disparities of occupational therapists within geographic locations, services such as acute care or community health, and private or public sectors. New graduates of occupational therapy programs are critical to meeting the demand and distribution disparities of occupational therapy services in British Columbia. However, recent employment decision-making of new occupational therapy graduates has not been well studied. Purpose. This study aimed to examine factors that influence newly graduated occupational therapists' employment decisions. Methods. This descriptive study sampled 122 occupational therapists who were registered in one province and graduated from a Canadian occupational therapy program between 2017 and 2022. Data was collected through an online survey about intrinsic factors, extrinsic factors, and past fieldwork experiences that affected participants' employment decision-making. Descriptive data analysis was used to organize participants' responses. Findings. Results identified that work-life balance and mentorship were the highest rated factors that influenced participants' current and first employment respectively. Participants agreed that the variety and number of placements they had as students were more influential to their employment decisions than the length of the fieldwork education. Conclusion. This study identified the intrinsic and extrinsic factors in employment choices that may influence recruitment, retention, and workplace planning of new graduates.

Taught postgraduate air transport management degrees in the UK: A systematic review and analysis

This paper examines the provision, structure and curriculum content of taught postgraduate (Masters’ level) Air Transport Management degree programmes in the UK. In the academic year 2022–23, 14 UK Universities offered 19 different programmes. These programmes differed in terms of their duration, the fees that were charged, the delivery models, the content and the assessment regimes. In addition to examining the content and structure of the programmes, the paper conducts a SWOT analysis of the suite of degree programmes. While the inherent advantages of having a diversity of programmes for individuals, academic institutions and the air transport sector are recognised, it is suggested that prospective students and employers are cognisant of the differences between programmes to make informed decisions about their suitability and ability to meet personal career objectives and workplace planning requirements.

Revisiting Wired to the World, Chained to the Home: Telework in Daily Life

The COVID-19 pandemic necessitated widespread remote work options. Reflecting on research from the mid-1980s to the late 1990s on telework and home-based employment that culminated in a 2001 book, Wired to the World, Chained to the Home: Telework in Daily Life, the author reviews what has and has not changed in the experience of remote workers in their homes and communities as they navigate their work and domestic responsibilities. While there are many positive bene fits to remote work, there are still difficulties in balancing home and work life. Social policies are needed that allow more options to fulfil work and household responsibilities, and an integrated approach to the planning of homes, workplaces, and communities.

Choice of medical speciality: a cross-sectional study of medical students and comparison with existing practice

Abstract Objective The objectives of this study were to determine specialty choices, influencing factors, and migration intent among medical students, and to compare this with current specialist practitioners in Trinidad and Tobago (TT). Methods A Cross-sectional study using an online survey was conducted at the School of Medicine, Faculty of Medical Sciences, University of the West Indies, St Augustine Campus, TT. Descriptive statistics were presented for choice of specialty, its predictors, and comparisons with specialists in practice were done. Results Overall, 273 (response rate 21.36%) students responded with 73.6% females and an average age of 22.5(SD3.3) The ten most popular responses for specialty of first choice were unsure (9.5%), cardiothoracic surgery (8.7%), general paediatrics (8.7%), general surgery (7.5%), neurosurgery (7.5%), obstetrics and gynaecology (6.7%), cardiology (4.8%), emergency medicine (4.4%), family medicine (4.4%) and orthopaedics (4.4%). The top three factors influencing their choices were, general interest in the field (95.9%), job security (81.3%) and job availability (70.3%), Most respondents (72%) expressed intent to migrate to specialize. Compared to specialist practitioners, significantly more students aspired to do cardiothoracic surgery, neurosurgery, pediatric surgery, and cardiology, while significantly less students chose internal medicine, anaesthesia and critical care, and ophthalmology. (P< 0.05 for all) Conclusion A minority of students was uncertain about speciality choice, however most intended to migrate to specialize. A mismatch between student aspirations and current practice was also found. These findings warrant student sensitization to specialties for which there is a need and workplace planning, if we are to retain locally trained doctors. Keywords: Medical student, specialization, cross-sectional study, postgraduate, Trinidad and Tobago.

Cross-sectional analysis of the clinical work hours of early-career general practitioners.

The clinical working hours of early-career general practitioners (GPs) are an important factor in Australian GP workforce planning. This study aimed to establish the prevalence and associations of early-career GPs working full time (nine or more sessions per week) inclinical practice. This was a cross-sectional questionnaire-based study ofalumni (from six months to two years post-Fellowship) from three regional training organisations. Multivariable logistic regression was used to establish factors associated with alumni working full time. Of 356 currently practising early-career alumni participants, 30% worked full time. Factors associated with working full time included spouse/partner employment and family structure and any examination failure. Factors associated with working less than full time included female gender, being an Australian medical graduate, provision of other medical work and having taken additional leave during training. A high proportion of early-career GPs working part time in clinical general practice has implications for workplace planning, as GPs seek workload diversity and flexibility across their career stages.

MANAGEMENT OF THE WORKPLACES BY THE FACILITIES OF OPERATIONS RESEARCH

The optimal location of workplaces plays an important role in the structure of occupational safety. The design of the workspace should ensure the optimal distribution of functions between person and machine in order to create safe working conditions, reduce the severity of work and the level of production injuries. Most often, workplace planning is carried out manually, by simple calculation, and then the rationality of workplace planning is evaluated, based on statistics of industrial accidents and occupational diseases, as well as indicators of labor productivity, for example, the ratio of compliance with norms. To solve the problem of optimal placement in the work mathematical models are built that can take into account various regulatory restrictions and are simple for further software implementation. It is proposed to choose the theory of φ-functions as a basis, which can be characterized as measures of proximity of objects. Thus, the set task of optimal placement of workplaces is reduced to the task of mathematical programming. The objective function determines the criterion of optimality – the minimization of the area or perimeter that will be occupied by the objects. This formulation of the problem is relevant because the use of the smallest production area, taking into account safety requirements, is an economic condition for effective production management. The constraint on the relative location of workplaces is set using φ-functions, which defines the decision domain. That, when formalizing restrictions, you can take into account all regulatory safety distances between workplaces, equipment, walls, etc. Thus, the work explores an approach that will allow automatic planning of the placement of a large number of technological objects, workplaces in accordance with occupational safety standards. Use of the software application, which can be implemented on the basis of the φ-functions apparatus, will significantly reduce the time of workplaces planning and increase its efficiency.

ОРГАНИЗАЦИЯ УДАЛЕННЫХ РАБОЧИХ МЕСТ НА ПРЕДПРИЯТИЯХ В ПЕРИОД ПАНДЕМИИ: РЕЗУЛЬТАТЫ ЭМПИРИЧЕСКОГО ИССЛЕДОВАНИЯ

In the context of the pandemic, the number of remote jobs has increased significantly. Many organizations have faced both difficulties and advantages of remote employment. The problematic aspect is the organization of remote workplaces. Despite the fact that there are quite a large number of scientific publications by Russian and foreign authors devoted to remote employment, today there is a shortage of research on various issues of remote workplace organization. In this regard, the purpose of the proposed study is to study the state of the organization of remote workplaces in Russian companies, taking into account the changes associated with the spread of a new coronavirus infection. The research methods were the analysis of secondary data posted on the websites of popular job search services and large analytical centers; a questionnaire survey at enterprises in various fields of Omsk. A total of 343 remote employees and 144 managers took part in the questionnaire survey. The main results of the study were the study of the advantages of remote employment and the problems of organizing remote workplaces. Among the problems, the problems of organizing communications between remote employees and their managers, equipping workplaces, and workplace planning have been studied in more depth. It was also revealed the employees' installations to work in a remote format in the future. The main conclusion was the recorded tendency to increase the scale and diversity of problems in the organization of remote workplaces due to uncontrolled processes of transition to remote employment.

Development of an intensive simulating training program in emergency medicine for medical students in China.

A national standardized emergency medicine (EM) curriculum for medical students, including specific competencies in procedural skills, are absent in many countries. The development of an intensive simulating training program in EM, based on a tight schedule, is anticipated to enhance the competency of medical students. A 3-day intensive EM training program, consisting of four procedural skills and 8-hour case-based learning (CBL), was developed by experienced physicians from the EM department in Peking Union Medical College Hospital (PUMCH). Medical students from Peking Union Medical College (PUMC) and Tsinghua University (THU) participated in the training. Three written tests were cautiously designed to examine the short-term (immediately after the program) and long-term (6 months after the program) efficacy of the training. After completion of the training program, an online personal appraisal questionnaire was distributed to the students on WeChat (a mobile messaging App commonly used in China) to achieve anonymous self-evaluation. Ninety-seven out of 101 students completed the intensive training and took all required tests. There was a significant increase in the average score after the intensive simulating training program (pre-training 13.84 vs. 15.57 post-training, P<0.001). Compared with the pre-training test, 63 (64.9%) students made progress. There was no significant difference in scores between the tests taken immediately after the program and 6 months later (15.57±2.22 vs. 15.38±2.37, P=0.157). Students rated a higher score in all diseases and procedural skills, and felt that their learning was fruitful. The introduction of a standardized intensive training program in EM focusing on key competencies can improve clinical confidence, knowledge, and skills of medical students toward the specialty. In addition, having such a program can also enhance student's interest in EM as a career choice which may enhance recruitment into the specialty and workplace planning.

Early Pandemic Experiences and Lessons Learned Within A Multinational Corporation: A Testimonial of the COVID-19 Pandemic.

Early Pandemic Experiences and Lessons Learned Within A Multinational Corporation: A Testimonial of the COVID-19 Pandemic.

WORKPLACE DESIGN AS A STRATEGIC RESOURCE—A QUALITATIVE STUDY

In these times of increasing global competition among firms and advancing technological innovation at work, firm resources have become more important than ever before. Workplace design is affected greatly by these new technologies. In this paper I draw upon the research in the management literature—specifically the Resource-Based View—to discuss the prerequisites of workplace design that can be leveraged for a sustainable competitive advantage. Based on a qualitative approach with data from four cases, I develop a framework describing six interrelated characteristics of workplace design to enable sustainable competitive advantage: Value, Overlap with Firm Strategy, Inimitability, Complementarity, Versatility, and Expression. To align the complex resource bundle of workplace design with firm strategy and to ensure its potential benefits, management should consider these characteristics during planning and implementation of workplaces. Further research is needed to understand the relevance and individual impact of these characteristics in different industries or cultures and over time.

Modern work patterns of \u201cclassic\u201d versus millennial family doctors and their effect on workforce planning for community-based primary care: a cross-sectional survey

BackgroundThere are ongoing accessibility challenges in primary care in British Columbia, Canada, with 17% of the population not having a regular source of care. Anecdotal evidence suggests that physicians are moving away from a community-based comprehensive practice model, which could contribute to shortages. Thus, we aimed to identify and describe how family physicians are currently organizing their primary care practices in a large health region in British Columbia and to examine differences between newer graduates and more established physicians.MethodsData for this cross-sectional study were drawn from an annual physician privileging survey. N = 1017 physicians were invited to participate. We categorized practice style into five distinct groupings and compared features across respondent groups, including personal and practice location characteristics, hospital and teaching work, payment and appointment characteristics, and scope of practice. We discuss the implications of styles of practice and associated characteristics on health workforce policy and planning.ResultsWe received responses from 525 (51.6%) physicians. Of these, 355 (67.6%) reported doing at least some community-based primary care. However, only 112 (21.3%) provided this care full time. Most respondents supplemented community-based work with part-time hours in focused practice, hospitals, or inpatient facilities. We found diversity in the scope and style of practice across practice models. Compared to established physicians, new graduates (in practice less than 10 years) work more weekly hours (more patient care, and paperwork in particular). However, we found no difference between new and established physicians in the odds of providing any or full-time community-based primary care.ConclusionsDespite a lack of formalized structural reform in British Columbia’s primary care system, most physicians are finding alternative ways to model their practice and shifting away from work at single-location, community-based clinics. This shift challenges assumptions that are relied on for workplace planning that is intended to ensure adequate access to longitudinal, community-based family medicine.

Holistic planning and optimization of human-centred workplaces with integrated Exoskeleton technology

The planning and optimization of human-centered workplaces requires new methodology, which allows the integration of Exoskeletons as a new manufacturing resource or working tool for overcome enormous ergonomics problems when manipulating heavy parts or working over the head. The paper presents the first steps in developing an innovative approach for planning and optimization of smart workplaces with integrated adaptive Exoskeleton. The addressed theme harmonizes three main research areas: a) production technologies and holistic planning of manufacturing processes; b) ergonomics, safety and security of workers in manufacturing environments and c) the component-based configuration of the new type of wearable robotics, Exoskeletons.

Assessing strategic social partnerships between professional sports teams and NPOs in Australian football

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to assess corporate social responsibility (CSR) implemented via social partnerships between professional sports teams and not-for-profit organizations according to current theoretical perspectives. Limited resources and outcomes often mean there is a gap between theory and practice, the implications of which are not well understood.Design/methodology/approachFive partnerships in Australian football were analyzed via case study methodology which incorporated interviews, analysis of websites, social media and annual reports.FindingsDespite being used as a CSR tool, findings showed most organizations enter these arrangements to achieve instrumental outcomes. Further, such partnerships mostly operate at a basic stage often described as philanthropic. One partnership was seen as more advanced consisting of a workplace plan to enhance diversity.Practical implicationsIt is advocated that managers adopt a more integrated partnership model consisting of formalized objectives, activity implementation, evaluation mechanisms, frequent interaction, top-level leadership involvement and promotion to sufficiently achieve CSR goals.Originality/valueAddressing calls from past research into an examination of the variation of CSR in sports, this research is one of the first to compare multiple case studies to assess the strategic implementation of social partnerships in a professional sporting context. Accordingly, the study demonstrates how such partnerships can be evaluated against a prominent theoretical model, the Collaboration Continuum, enabling more robust social partnership strategies.

Организация рабочих мест для осужденных инвалидов и лиц с ограниченной трудоспособностью

The problem of this research work is to improve the efficiency of convicts’ social adaptation through the process of effective employment, training and re-training in correctional institutions, as well as a complex of actions for post-penitentiary support. The object of the study is the existing system of organization of convicts’ work in correctional institutions. The subject of the study is the social and labour relations within the organization of jobs for a specific category of convicted disabled people and people with limited physical abilities. The aim of the study is to create an approximate mechanism for increasing the availability of correctional institutions’ production facilities for the employment of convicted disabled people. This goal predetermined the solution of the following tasks: analysis of the current state of employment of convicted disabled people at correctional facilities; analysis of international, national and departmental legal acts affecting the work organization of people with limited physical abilities; study of the main regulatory and technical requirements for the work organization of convicted disabled people; development of approximate variants of workplaces’ organization and production sites for employment of disabled people on the basis of the existing requirements.&#x0D; The method of research involves the study of general theoretical questions of work organization, the domestic theoretical literature on the problem of convicts’ work organization, normative-legal and normative-technical documents, and analysis of statistical data of the Federal penitentiary service of Russia.&#x0D; The structure of the work is typical. The first part contains a brief theoretical and statistical analysis of the problem. In the second – were covered general questions of convicted disabled people’s workplace organization on the basis of technical, ergonomic, sanitary and hygienic basic requirements. In the third – the requirements for the planning of workplaces and production facilities are analyzed in detail; the approximate options for convicted disabled people’s organization of work are given.&#x0D; The theoretical significance of the study consists in the formation of a systematic view of employment and socio-labour relations in prisons, taking into account the specifics of convicts as a social group. This formation can contribute to the improvement of state policy in the field of convicts’ employment at the federal and regional levels.&#x0D; The practical significance of the work is that the recommendations can be used in the preparation of specific projects of production sites for convicted disabled people’s work organization, in the development of monitoring programs of the existing state of convicts’ work organization, analytical and forecast materials on the employment of convicted disabled people in places of detention, for development of effective measures in the field of regulation of social and labour relations in places of imprisonment and improvement of production and economic activity by authorized bodies of the state power of Penal system, and also streamlining of normative legal and methodical base in the field of convicts’ work organization.

A Profile of Regulated Nurses Employed in Canadian Long-Term Care Facilities.

ABSTRACTRegistered nurses (RNs) and licensed practical nurses (LPNs) provide the skilled component of nursing care in Canadian residential long-term care facilities, yet we know little about this important workforce. We surveyed 309 RNs and 448 LPNs from 91 nursing homes across Western Canada and report descriptively on their demographics and work and health-related outcomes. LPNs were significantly younger than RNs, worked more hours, and had less nursing experience. LPNs also experienced significantly more dementia-related responsive behaviours from residents compared to RNs. Younger LPNs and RNs reported significantly worse burnout (emotional exhaustion) and poorer mental health compared to older age groups. Significant differences in demographics and work- and health-related outcomes were also found within the LPN and RN samples by province, region, and owner-operator model. These findings can be used to inform important policy decisions and workplace planning to improve quality of work life for nurses in residential long-term care facilities.

МЕТОДИКА РЕАЛІЗАЦІЇ СИСТЕМИ АВТОМАТИЗОВАНОГО КОНСТРУЮВАННЯ ТА ВИГОТОВЛЕННЯ ПРИСТОСУВАНЬ ПРИ ТЕХНОЛОГІЧНІЙ ПІДГОТОВЦІ ЛІТАКОБУДІВНОГО ВИРОБНИЦТВА В РЕЖИМІ ВІРТУАЛЬНОЇ РЕАЛЬНОСТІ

The technique of application and practical implementation of the technology of virtual reality in the technological preparation of the production of domestic civil aircraft has been developed. The technique is used to implement the assembly of parts, assemblies and accessories in the aggregate and assembly production on the example of the center section of the An-148 aircraft and the creation of technological planning of workplaces based on designed electronic models. The main provisions of the concepts of system design and manufacture of devices in the mode of virtual reality. The principles of its implementation on the basis of electronic design and technological layouts are proposed. The composition of the main components of the systems and the sequence of stages of stimulation of production technologies for ЗD, digital design and technological preparation of production are given.

ANALYSIS OF WORKPLACES ORGANIZATION ON THE INDUSTRIAL ENTERPRISES OF GAS INDUSTRY

Background One of the main problems for labor organization at the enterprise is improving the quality of workplace organization. Working conditions at workplaces are formed under the influence of a large number of factors, different in nature, manifestation forms and impact on a person. Improper organization of the workplace together with exposure to hazardous and harmful production factors can lead to workplace injuries or occupational diseases. Aims and Objectives Development of scientific principles of the organization of the workplace. Analysis of production activities for the compilation of a professiogram, which includes a general description of the profession and the requirements for the employee. Results Variant of the descriptive and technical part of the professiogram presents. Universal algorithm for the organization of safe workplaces, suitable for each type of work and each profession is developed. Conclusion The main provisions of this work can be used in the planning of workplaces for each type of work, the organization of workplace staff and in carrying out a special assessment of working conditions with the subsequent implementation of the proposed algorithm. The proposed recommendations can be used in the work of expert organizations and departmental bodies, labor protection services of organizations.

Emerging Workplaces in Post-Functionalist Cities

ABSTRACTThis paper explores new types of workplaces that are emerging due to the growing flexibility in work arrangements and the use of information and communication technologies. In addition to home and office, third places, such as libraries and coffee shops, are increasingly used as temporary workplaces. Moreover, there is a proliferation of co-working spaces that are designed as temporary working locations. Thus, the boundaries between traditional urban functions have become blurred; different functions co-exist in the same spaces, and new functionalities emerge as people take spaces into new uses. We may call our cities “post-functionalist,” ones that are no longer based only on predetermined and designed functions. However, there has been little research on the spatial characteristics of these new workplaces as well as on the social features within these places. These phenomena have been empirically studied through observational studies, interviews, and spatial analyses of three such sites: Café Köket, Meetingpoint, and Helsinki Think Company in the city center of Helsinki. The results reveal new forms of appropriation of public and semi-public spaces for working purposes that have not yet been analyzed in the context of existing urban policies and practices. The findings provide input for future visions and the planning of new workplaces.

Allowing States to Help Workers Save for Retirement Department of Laborrs Proposed Rulemaking That Provides a Safe Harbor for State Savings Programs under ERISA

There is a “retirement crisis” in America. Even though some would view this as hyperbole, the empirical evidence reflects that “[t]he average working household has virtually no retirement savings” and that the “collective retirement savings gap among working households age 25-64 ranges from $6.8 to $14 trillion.” Contributing to this crisis is that fact that almost 70 million Americans do not have access to a retirement savings plan through their employers. This problem is more prevalent in the small business community; more than half of small business employers do not offer a retirement plan to their employees. Research reflects that an important predictor for retirement readiness is participation in an employee benefit plan – employees save more in a workplace plan than they would on their own. For example, even though there are a number of non-employer based retirement savings options, such as IRAs, few workers utilize them. States, concerned with the economic stability of their citizens, have created laws that require private sector employers to implement in their workplaces state-administered payroll deduction savings programs. Even though many states are currently debating whether to adopt the programs, this Article will focus on California, Illinois and Oregon, who have enacted laws creating payroll deduction savings programs. One obstruction to wider adoption of such measures at the state level has been uncertainty about the effect of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act’s (ERISA) broad preemption of state laws that “relate to” private sector employee benefit plans and ERISA’s prohibition on requiring employers to offer employee benefit plans. To remedy this problem, the Department of Labor (DOL) has published a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) that would make clear “that state payroll deduction savings programs with automatic enrollment that conform to the safe harbor in [the] proposal do not establish ERISA plans.” This Article begins by discussing the current law concerning ERISA's preemption of state laws that “relate to” private sector employee benefit plans and provides a discussion of DOL’s proposed rulemaking that provides a safe harbor for state payroll deduction savings programs. The Article then transitions into an examination of the current state-based initiatives, analyzes specific state legislative proposals under the requirements of the proposed rulemaking and proposes what, if any, changes need to be made to the state payroll deduction savings programs to ensure that the programs will not run afoul of ERISA. The Article concludes by analyzing policy concerns regarding state payroll deduction savings programs, provides comment on the DOL proposed rulemaking and provides additional elements of a model state payroll deduction savings program.