Report Writing for Technical Staff. P.R.I.D.E. People Retraining for Industry Excellence.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Burt, Lorna

This guide, part of a series of workplace-developed materials for retraining factory workers, provides teaching materials for a workplace course in report writing skills for technical staff. The course has been designed to help new engineers with all aspects of report writing. It covers the outline and structure of reports, brainstorming,…

[Violence and discrimination in the workplace. The effects on health and setting-related approaches to prevention and rehabilitation].

PubMed

Nienhaus, Albert; Drechsel-Schlund, Claudia; Schambortski, Heike; Schablon, Anja

2016-01-01

Violence in the workplace is a widespread problem that manifests itself in very different forms. The consequences for victims and companies are equally diverse. Sexual harassment is a special form of violence at the workplace. Violence may come from external perpetrators (attacks on cashiers) or from persons inside a company or establishment (colleagues, patients, people in care). Statutory accident insurance institutions in Germany (UV, "Unfallversicherungsträger") receive approximately 16,000 occupational injury reports per year that resulted from violence and led to extended incapacity to work. The numbers are increasing steadily. Particularly affected by violence are people working in healthcare and social welfare. Both psychological and physical violence can lead to severe disorders such as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). To avoid violence, technical, organisational, and personal protective measures are needed. The training of de-escalation officers in the areas affected can be helpful. For victims of psychological and physical violence in the workplace, the UV offers special psychotherapeutic support and recommends the training of first-aiders.

Determination of technical grade isocyanates used in the production of polyurethane plastics.

PubMed

Marand, Asa; Dahlin, Jakob; Karlsson, Daniel; Skarping, Gunnar; Dalene, Marianne

2004-07-01

A method for determination of technical grade isocyanates used in the production of polyurethane (PUR) is presented. The isocyanates in technical grade products were characterised as di-n-butylamine (DBA) derivatives using LC-MS and LC-chemiluminescent nitrogen detection (CLND) and the total isocyanate content was compared to a titration assay. For collection of isocyanates in air, an impinger-filter sampling technique with DBA as derivatisation reagent was used. Characterised DBA and nonadeuterium labelled DBA derivatives of isocyanates in technical products were used as calibration standards and internal standards, respectively, in the analysis of air samples. Three workplaces were studied where PUR products were produced either by spraying or by moulding. In both technical products and in air samples, a number of monomeric, oligomeric and prepolymeric isocyanates of e.g. methylenebisphenyl diisocyanate (MDI) and hexamethylene diisocyanate (HDI) were characterised. Several of these have not previously been described in workplace atmospheres. In the technical isocyanate products, between 69 and 102% of the NCO content determined by titration was accounted for by LC-CLND. Quantifications of a wide range of isocyanates in air samples were performed with correlation coefficients in the range 0.988-0.999 (n= 8) and the instrumental detection limits were 0.7-25 pg. At the two workplaces where MDI- and HDI isocyanurate-based products were sprayed, the isocyanate composition in the air reflected the composition in the technical product. At the workplace where a MDI-based product was used in a moulding process, only the monomeric isocyanates were found in the air. The advantage of using characterised technical grade isocyanates as analytical standards was clearly demonstrated and the possibility of using index compounds when monitoring isocyanate exposure is discussed.

Brief Lags in Interrupted Sequential Performance: Evaluating a Model and Model Evaluation Method

DTIC Science & Technology

2015-01-05

rehearsal mechanism in the model. To evaluate the model we developed a simple new goodness-of-fit test based on analysis of variance that offers an...repeated step). Sequen- tial constraints are common in medicine, equipment maintenance, computer programming and technical support, data analysis ...legal analysis , accounting, and many other home and workplace environ- ments. Sequential constraints also play a role in such basic cognitive processes

Substance Abuse and the Workplace. Technical Assistance Packet.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Join Together, Boston, MA.

According to the United States Department of Labor, 73% of drug users in 1997 were employed. Numerous studies, reports, and surveys suggest that substance abuse is having a negative effect on the workplace in terms of decreased productivity; increased accidents; absenteeism; turnover; and medical costs. However, workplace substance abuse is a…

Perceived Life Satisfaction of Workplace Specialist I Faculty and Mentors Participating in a First-Year STEM Teacher Training Project

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nickolich, David; Feldhaus, Charles; Cotton, Sam; Barrett, Andrew, II; Smallwood, Jim

2010-01-01

The purpose of this study was to measure perceived professional and personal life satisfaction of Indiana Workplace Specialist I (WS I) faculty and their mentors. Workplace Specialist I teachers are all first-year career and technical education (CTE) faculty who must complete the WS I training program to be eligible for the Workplace Specialist II…

Development of an indoor air quality checklist for risk assessment of indoor air pollutants by semiquantitative score in nonindustrial workplaces

PubMed Central

Syazwan, AI; Rafee, B Mohd; Hafizan, Juahir; Azman, AZF; Nizar, AM; Izwyn, Z; Muhaimin, AA; Yunos, MA Syafiq; Anita, AR; Hanafiah, J Muhamad; Shaharuddin, MS; Ibthisham, A Mohd; Ismail, Mohd Hasmadi; Azhar, MN Mohamad; Azizan, HS; Zulfadhli, I; Othman, J

2012-01-01

Background To meet the current diversified health needs in workplaces, especially in nonindustrial workplaces in developing countries, an indoor air quality (IAQ) component of a participatory occupational safety and health survey should be included. Objectives The purpose of this study was to evaluate and suggest a multidisciplinary, integrated IAQ checklist for evaluating the health risk of building occupants. This IAQ checklist proposed to support employers, workers, and assessors in understanding a wide range of important elements in the indoor air environment to promote awareness in nonindustrial workplaces. Methods The general structure of and specific items in the IAQ checklist were discussed in a focus group meeting with IAQ assessors based upon the result of a literature review, previous industrial code of practice, and previous interviews with company employers and workers. Results For practicality and validity, several sessions were held to elicit the opinions of company members, and, as a result, modifications were made. The newly developed IAQ checklist was finally formulated, consisting of seven core areas, nine technical areas, and 71 essential items. Each item was linked to a suitable section in the Industry Code of Practice on Indoor Air Quality published by the Department of Occupational Safety and Health. Conclusion Combined usage of an IAQ checklist with the information from the Industry Code of Practice on Indoor Air Quality would provide easily comprehensible information and practical support. Intervention and evaluation studies using this newly developed IAQ checklist will clarify the effectiveness of a new approach in evaluating the risk of indoor air pollutants in the workplace. PMID:22570579

Development of an indoor air quality checklist for risk assessment of indoor air pollutants by semiquantitative score in nonindustrial workplaces.

PubMed

Syazwan, Ai; Rafee, B Mohd; Hafizan, Juahir; Azman, Azf; Nizar, Am; Izwyn, Z; Muhaimin, Aa; Yunos, Ma Syafiq; Anita, Ar; Hanafiah, J Muhamad; Shaharuddin, Ms; Ibthisham, A Mohd; Ismail, Mohd Hasmadi; Azhar, Mn Mohamad; Azizan, Hs; Zulfadhli, I; Othman, J

2012-01-01

To meet the current diversified health needs in workplaces, especially in nonindustrial workplaces in developing countries, an indoor air quality (IAQ) component of a participatory occupational safety and health survey should be included. The purpose of this study was to evaluate and suggest a multidisciplinary, integrated IAQ checklist for evaluating the health risk of building occupants. This IAQ checklist proposed to support employers, workers, and assessors in understanding a wide range of important elements in the indoor air environment to promote awareness in nonindustrial workplaces. The general structure of and specific items in the IAQ checklist were discussed in a focus group meeting with IAQ assessors based upon the result of a literature review, previous industrial code of practice, and previous interviews with company employers and workers. For practicality and validity, several sessions were held to elicit the opinions of company members, and, as a result, modifications were made. The newly developed IAQ checklist was finally formulated, consisting of seven core areas, nine technical areas, and 71 essential items. Each item was linked to a suitable section in the Industry Code of Practice on Indoor Air Quality published by the Department of Occupational Safety and Health. Combined usage of an IAQ checklist with the information from the Industry Code of Practice on Indoor Air Quality would provide easily comprehensible information and practical support. Intervention and evaluation studies using this newly developed IAQ checklist will clarify the effectiveness of a new approach in evaluating the risk of indoor air pollutants in the workplace.

Building company health promotion capacity: a unique collaboration between Cargill and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

PubMed

Lang, Jason E; Hersey, James C; Isenberg, Karen L; Lynch, Christina M; Majestic, Elizabeth

2009-04-01

The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) helps protect the health and safety of all people. The workplace can be used to reach millions of workers and their families with programs, policies, and benefits that promote health. We describe a CDC-led project to build Cargill's workplace health promotion capacity and identify the importance of a company liaison in the public-private relationship. The project goals were to engage diverse Cargill personnel, conduct a workplace health assessment, aid in the development of a workplace health program action plan, and develop Cargill's internal capacity using knowledge and skill-building. CDC partnered with Cargill on a workplace health promotion project to build Cargill's capacity. A multicomponent assessment was conducted to determine priority employee health issues, stakeholder meetings were held to engage and educate Cargill management and employees, and technical assistance was provided regularly between CDC and Cargill. Identifying a company liaison to work with an external assessment team is critical to building capacity for a successful workplace health project. This relationship creates an understanding of company culture and operations, facilitates access to key stakeholders and data, and provides opportunities to enhance capacity and sustainability. Employers undertaking workplace health promotion projects should identify a senior-level person to serve as the company health leader or liaison and who can devote the time necessary to build trusting relationships with partners to ensure project success. This person is valuable in facilitating communications, data collection, logistical support, troubleshooting, and influencing employer workplace health practices.

An Internship Model for Culturally Relevant Success for Native American High School Students

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nall, J.; Graham, E. M.

2004-12-01

Culturally relevant educational practices can be challenging to implement in the workplace. In an effort to support equity in access to undergraduate internship opportunities for Native American students, NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory's (JPL) Education Office, Minority Education Initiatives offers a unique approach to supporting students from Native American reservation high schools in Washington State to participate in eight-week technical (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics related) summer internships. This talk will address the Alliance for Learning and Vision for Americans (ALVA) program's twelve years of success based on four programmatic principals, annual review and the critical support of scientists and engineers.

National Workplace Literacy Program. Final Report.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Illinois Eastern Community Colleges, Olney.

The Snap-On Tools Workplace Literacy Grant developed a curriculum for training adult workers in technical math and reading, English as a Second Language (ESL), and blueprint reading. Curriculum development was based on a workplace audit. Reading levels increased an average of 0.8 of a grade level. Flexibility and implementation of adult student…

Workplace Social Support and Behavioral Health Prior to Long-Duration Spaceflight.

PubMed

Deming, Charlene A; Vasterling, Jennifer J

2017-06-01

Preparation and training for long-duration spaceflight bring with them psychosocial stressors potentially affecting the well-being and performance of astronauts, before and during spaceflight. Social support from within the workplace may mitigate behavioral health concerns arising during the preflight period and enhance resiliency before and during extended missions. The purpose of this review was to evaluate evidence addressing the viability of workplace social support as a pre-mission countermeasure, specifically addressing: 1) the observed relationships between workplace social support and behavioral health; 2) perceived need, acceptability, and format preference for workplace social support among high-achievers; 3) potential barriers to delivery/receipt of workplace social support; 4) workplace social support interventions; and 5) delivery timeframe and anticipated duration of workplace social support countermeasure benefits. We conducted an evidence review examining workplace social support in professional contexts sharing one or more characteristics with astronauts and spaceflight. Terms included populations of interest, social support constructs, and behavioral health outcomes. Abstracts of matches were subsequently reviewed for relevance and quality. Research findings demonstrate clear associations between workplace social support and behavioral health, especially following exposure to stress. Further, studies indicate strong need for support and acceptability of support countermeasures, despite barriers. Our review revealed two general formats for providing support (i.e., direct provision of support and training to optimize skills in provision and receipt of support) with potential differentiation of expected duration of benefits, according to format. Workplace social support countermeasures hold promise for effective application during pre-mission phases of long-duration spaceflight. Specific recommendations are provided.Deming CA, Vasterling JJ. Workplace social support and behavioral health prior to long-duration spaceflight. Aerosp Med Hum Perform. 2017; 88(6):565-573.

Technology in postgraduate medical education: a dynamic influence on learning?

PubMed Central

Bullock, Alison; Webb, Katie

2015-01-01

The influence of technology in medical workplace learning is explored by focusing on three uses: m-learning (notably apps), simulation and social media. Smartphones with point-of-care tools (such as textbooks, drug guides and medical calculators) can support workplace learning and doctors’ decision-making. Simulations can help develop technical skills and team interactions, and ‘in situ’ simulations improve the match between the virtual and the real. Social media (wikis, blogs, networking, YouTube) heralds a more participatory and collaborative approach to knowledge development. These uses of technology are related to Kolb's learning cycle and Eraut's intentions of informal learning. Contentions and controversies with these technologies exist. There is a problem with the terminology commonly adopted to describe the use of technology to enhance learning. Using learning technology in the workplace changes the interaction with others and raises issues of professionalism and etiquette. Lack of regulation makes assessment of app quality a challenge. Distraction and dependency are charges levelled at smartphone use in the workplace and these need further research. Unless addressed, these and other challenges will impede the benefits that technology may bring to postgraduate medical education. PMID:26341127

Embracing "Soft Skill" Diversity in the Workplace (Invited)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Thomas, T.

2010-12-01

Embracing "Soft Skill" Diversity in the Workplace Terri Thomas, Sr. Director Global Customer Support ShoreTel INRODUCTION Truly successful diversity programs go beyond gender, age, ethnicity, race, sexual orientation and spiritual practice. They include diversity of thought, style, leadership and communication styles, the so called “soft skills”. The increasing need for global workforces is stronger than ever and high performance teams have fully embraced, successfully harnessed and put into practice robust diversity programs than include a “soft skill” focus. Managing diversity presents significant organizational challenges, and is not an easy task, particularly in organizations that are heavily weighted with highly technical professionals such as engineers, accountants etc.. The focus of this presentation is on leveraging the “Soft Skills” diversity in technical work environments to create high performance and highly productive teams. WHY DIVERSITY and WHY NOW? Due to increasing changes in the U.S. population, in order to stay competitive, companies need to focus on diversity and look for ways to become inclusive organizations because diversity has the potential of yielding greater productivity and competitive advantages . Managing and valuing diversity is a key component of effective people management, which can improve workplace productivity (Black Enterprise, 2001). Changing demographics, from organizational restructuring, women in the workplace, equal opportunity legislation and other legal issues, are forcing organizations to become more aggressive in implementing robust diversity practices. However, YOU do not need to wait for your organization to introduce a formal “Diversity” program. There are steps you can take to introduce diversity into your own workgroups. There is no “one single answer” to solve this issue, however this discussion will provide thought provoking ideas, examples of success and failure and a starting point for you to implement “soft skill” diversity practices in your work environment. Most workplaces are made up of many aspects of diversity already so why not embrace it and use it to your competitive advantage.

Career-Technical Education--The Immediate Need for Work-Based Curriculum.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nee, John G.

1994-01-01

Career-technical education may be informal on-the-job training, organized workplace education, community college or technical institute programs, or apprenticeships, internships, and cooperative agreements. Another alternative is polytechnical education: providing technical and general studies for adults in existing school facilities after school…

Wisconsin Workplace Partnership Training Program (National Workplace Literacy Program). June 1, 1992-December 31, 1993. Final Report.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wisconsin State Board of Vocational, Technical and Adult Education, Madison. Wisconsin Technical Coll. System.

The Wisconsin Workplace Partnership Training Program involved the state's technical college system board, state chapter of the AFL-CIO, Wisconsin Manufacturers and Commerce, and Madison Center on Education and Work. The state-level education-labor-management partnership was mirrored at the local level in 28 worksite education centers. Instruction…

[Contemporary solutions for better air quality at electric welders workplace].

PubMed

Markova, O L; Ivanova, E V

2015-01-01

The article deals with hygienic evaluation of electric welder's workplace, concerning chemical factor, with technical solutions on organization of supply-and-exhaust ventilation and methods to improve air quality in various welding tasks.

Washtenaw Technical Middle College--High School for the High Tech.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Vandenberg, Victoria

1996-01-01

An alternative high school, called a technical middle college, focuses on preparing students for technical careers; it is articulated with Washtenaw Community College. The curriculum integrates applied academics, especially math and science, with work-based learning, giving students technical knowledge and workplace experience. (Author/JOW)

A labor perspective of workplace violence prevention. Identifying research needs.

PubMed

Rosen, J

2001-02-01

During the past decade, labor unions have contributed to efforts to increase awareness of the importance of workplace violence as an occupational hazard. Research by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health and the U.S. Department of Justice have bolstered these efforts. This research revealed that workplace violence is the second leading cause of traumatic-injury death on the job for men, the leading cause of traumatic-injury death on the job for women, and accounts for some 2 million nonfatal injuries each year in the United States. Ten years ago, the debate focused on whether workplace violence is an occupational hazard or strictly a police and criminal justice issue. Labor unions have joined with occupational safety and health professionals in recognizing that workplace violence is a serious occupational hazard that is often predictable and preventable. They have advocated that employers establish multidimensional violence-prevention programs. Although the nature of workplace violence varies from industry to industry, implementation of the federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) Violence Prevention Guidelines for Health Care and Social Service Workers and for Late-Night Retail Establishments is a high priority to unions in the affected industries. Labor wants employers to invest in protecting workers from violence through voluntary programs and state legislation, and it supports the promulgation of a mandatory federal OSHA standard. To that end, intervention research can play a key role in demonstrating effective, technically and economically feasible prevention strategies

Perceived workplace health support is associated with employee productivity.

PubMed

Chen, Lu; Hannon, Peggy A; Laing, Sharon S; Kohn, Marlana J; Clark, Kathleen; Pritchard, Scott; Harris, Jeffrey R

2015-01-01

To examine the relationship between perceived workplace health support and employee productivity. A quantitative cross-sectional study. Washington State agencies. A total of 3528 employees from six state agencies were included in this analysis. Perceived workplace health support was assessed by two questions that queried respondents on how often they felt supported by the workplace for healthy living and physical activity. The Work Productivity and Activity Impairment Questionnaire was used to measure health-related absenteeism and presenteeism in the past 7 days. Multivariate linear regression was used to estimate the mean differences in productivity by levels of perceived health support. Most participants were between 45 and 64 years of age and were predominantly non-Hispanic white. Presenteeism varied significantly by the level of perceived workplace health support, with those who felt least supported having higher presenteeism than those who felt most supported. The difference in presenteeism by perceived workplace support remained significant in models adjusting for sociodemographic and health characteristics (mean difference: 7.1% for support for healthy living, 95% confidence interval: 3.7%, 10.4%; 4.3% for support for physical activity, 95% confidence interval: 1.7%, 6.8%). Absenteeism was not associated with perceived workplace health support. Higher perceived workplace health support is independently associated with higher work productivity. Employers may see productivity benefit from wellness programs through improved perceptions of workplace health support.

Psychosocial dimensions of solving an indoor air problem.

PubMed

Lahtinen, Marjaana; Huuhtanen, Pekka; Kähkönen, Erkki; Reijula, Kari

2002-03-01

This investigation focuses on the psychological and social dimensions of managing and solving indoor air problems. The data were collected in nine workplaces by interviews (n = 85) and questionnaires (n = 375). Indoor air problems in office environments have traditionally utilized industrial hygiene or technical expertise. However, indoor air problems at workplaces are often more complex issues to solve. Technical questions are inter-related with the dynamics of the work community, and the cooperation and interaction skills of the parties involved in the solving process are also put to the test. In the present study, the interviewees were very critical of the process of solving the indoor air problem. The responsibility for coordinating the problem-managing process was generally considered vague, as were the roles and functions of the various parties. Communication problems occurred and rumors about the indoor air problem circulated widely. Conflicts were common, complicating the process in several ways. The research focused on examining different ways of managing and resolving an indoor air problem. In addition, reference material on the causal factors of the indoor air problem was also acquired. The study supported the hypothesis that psychosocial factors play a significant role in indoor air problems.

Linking Gateway Technical College with Workforce Development: The SC Johnson-A Family Company Story.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Knudson, Edward

2004-01-01

Seven years ago, SC Johnson--A Family Company approached Gateway Technical College with a need to further strengthen their incumbent workforce's technical training and education. Retirements, brain drain, and competition for technical expertise were the forces driving SC Johnson to develop a comprehensive, flexible, and timely workplace education…

The MetSkill Program — Rapidly Developing Effective Young Engineers in the Workplace

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Drinkwater, Diana; Bianco, Nina

MetSkill is a professional development program for metallurgical engineers that integrates with normal duties in their first one or two years of service. Graduates work together on a structured technical project, facilitated by specialists and supported by formal learning, and ultimately reported to their technical managers. The program enables graduates to "fill the gaps" in their undergraduate education, which is increasingly pertinent as engineering degrees become more general. Participants report that they enjoy the focus on more challenging (rewarding) aspects of their jobs and feel more confident about problem solving. Sponsor companies add that the relationships developed with external technical specialists enhances opportunities for innovation and development. MetSkill was delivered to two major resource companies in Australia in 2012. This paper provides an outline of the program and the reasons for its success, and demonstrates how the learning model could be applied to groups of graduates in other engineering disciplines.

Should Technical Education Be More Liberal?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Heckman, Richard T.

Due to the increasing emphasis on technology and the trend toward downsizing and multiculturalism in today's workplace, graduates of technical education programs need non-technical thinking and problem solving skills to stay successfully employed. Historically, however, a dichotomy has existed between vocational and liberal education, which has…

Gender, Technology, and the History of Technical Communication.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Durack, Katherine T.

1997-01-01

Considers why women have been absent from the history of technical communication. Discusses research from the history of technology suggesting that notions of "technology,""work," and "workplace" may be gendered terms. Concludes with several suggestions for defining technical communication so that significant works of…

An Innovative Course in Technical Communication and More

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cranor, Maria B.; Price, Richard H.

2004-05-01

Several studies have shown that otherwise well-prepared physics undergraduates do not develop writing and speaking skills sufficient to the demands of graduate school or the technical workplace. To rectify this, we have developed and taught, for five semesters, a very successful course for junior and senior physics majors. Students improve their writing and speaking skills through technical projects and through a reading list which includes modules on scientific practice and ethics, pseudo science, management, and workplace collaboration. We present here an overview of this course, and discuss the pros and cons of introducing a useful, yet unusual and highly labor-intensive (for teachers and for students) class into the traditional physics curriculum.

Technology in postgraduate medical education: a dynamic influence on learning?

PubMed

Bullock, Alison; Webb, Katie

2015-11-01

The influence of technology in medical workplace learning is explored by focusing on three uses: m-learning (notably apps), simulation and social media. Smartphones with point-of-care tools (such as textbooks, drug guides and medical calculators) can support workplace learning and doctors' decision-making. Simulations can help develop technical skills and team interactions, and 'in situ' simulations improve the match between the virtual and the real. Social media (wikis, blogs, networking, YouTube) heralds a more participatory and collaborative approach to knowledge development. These uses of technology are related to Kolb's learning cycle and Eraut's intentions of informal learning. Contentions and controversies with these technologies exist. There is a problem with the terminology commonly adopted to describe the use of technology to enhance learning. Using learning technology in the workplace changes the interaction with others and raises issues of professionalism and etiquette. Lack of regulation makes assessment of app quality a challenge. Distraction and dependency are charges levelled at smartphone use in the workplace and these need further research. Unless addressed, these and other challenges will impede the benefits that technology may bring to postgraduate medical education. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://www.bmj.com/company/products-services/rights-and-licensing/

Interactive training improves workplace climate, knowledge, and support towards domestic violence.

PubMed

Glass, Nancy; Hanson, Ginger C; Laharnar, Naima; Anger, W Kent; Perrin, Nancy

2016-07-01

As Intimate Partner Violence (IPV) affects the workplace, a supportive workplace climate is important. The study evaluated the effectiveness of an "IPV and the Workplace" training on workplace climate towards IPV. IPV training was provided to 14 intervention counties and 13 control counties (receiving training 6 months delayed). Measures included workplace climate surveys, IPV knowledge test, and workplace observations. (i) Training significantly improved supervisor knowledge on IPV and received positive evaluations, (ii) training improved workplace climate towards IPV significantly which was maintained over time, and (iii) after the training, supervisors provided more IPV information to employees and more IPV postings were available in the workplace. The study provides evidence to support on-site interactive, computer based training as a means for improved workplace safety. IPV and the Workplace training effectively increased knowledge and positively changed workplace climate. Am. J. Ind. Med. 59:538-548, 2016. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Sex Differences in Technical Communication: A Perspective from Social Role Theory

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Thompson, Isabelle

2004-01-01

This article interprets technical communication research about sex differences according to social role theory, which argues that sex differences are enculturated through experiences associated with social positions in the family and the workplace. It reevaluates technical communication research about sex differences in communicative and…

Communication in the Workplace.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Shmerling, Leah

Based on the National Communication Skills Modules taught at the TAFE (Technical and Further Education) level in Australia, this book is designed to enhance written and oral business communication skills. It covers interpersonal skills, teamwork, and presentation skills in six chapters on the following topics: workplace communication, writing…

New Perspectives on the Technical Communication Internship: Professionalism in the Workplace

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bourelle, Tiffany

2014-01-01

This article argues for developing linked courses in technical communication where the instructor facilitates a service-learning curriculum and then serves as faculty advisor within subsequent internships. In these linked courses, students write technical documents before moving into internships where they write similar documents. Specifically,…

V-TECS Career Cluster Frameworks.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Vocational Technical Education Consortium of States, Decatur, GA.

This document includes 16 vocational-technical crosswalk wheels relating the 14 Vocational Technical Education Consortium of States (V-TECS) Career Families to the 16 Career Clusters developed by the U.S. Department of Education. The career clusters are based on the common academic, workplace, and technical knowledge and skills that cut across all…

Violence in the Workplace: Avoiding Institutional Liability.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Marsh, Ranaye J.; Hall, Bradley H.

This document is intended to provide career and technical education faculty and administrators with information on institutional liability relating to workplace violence as documented in court cases. The major legislation regarding violence in schools is summarized. Seventeen warning signs of violence are presented along with simple steps…

Commercial Drivers License Workplace Literacy Project. Computer Training.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Minnesota Teamsters Service Bureau, Minneapolis.

These course outlines and instructor's guides were developed for a workplace literacy project conducted cooperatively through the Minnesota Teamsters Service Bureau and Northeast Metro Technical College. They are part of the job-specific curriculum for commercial truck drivers developed during the project. The beginning computer course introduces…

Reduction of Manual Handling with Loads and Activities Causing Musculosceletal Disorders in a Selected Workplace

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Beňo, Rastislav; Lenhardtová, Zuzana; Zelenay, Tomáš

2016-06-01

The main aim of the article is to present the results from the research project which was focused on the minimisation of ergonomic risk to the musculoskeletal system. The research was conducted in a company whose core business includes the production; converting and sales of packaging materials. The first section of the article is focused on the theoretical basis of software support in ergonomics. In the second section, the authors' deal with analysis of the current situation in the selected workplace (production of printing forms for rotogravure and flexoprinting) by anthropometric measurements and research conducted in the form of a questionnaire survey. The third part is focused on the presentation of the newly created simulation model in the virtual environment of Tecnomatix Jack software. The final section of the article describes the proposed solutions (organisational and technical).

Authentic leadership, social support and their role in workplace bullying and its mental health consequences

PubMed Central

Warszewska-Makuch, Magdalena; Bedyńska, Sylwia; Żołnierczyk-Zreda, Dorota

2015-01-01

The aim of this study was to show how authentic leadership is related to social support and exposure to workplace bullying and how these variables are related to mental health. For our sample of 820 office workers employed in different Polish organizations and sectors, social support from supervisors moderated the relationship between authentic leadership and workplace bullying. Social support from co-workers moderated the relationship between workplace bullying and mental health and authentic leadership moderated the relationship between workplace bullying and mental health. PMID:26323771

Authentic leadership, social support and their role in workplace bullying and its mental health consequences.

PubMed

Warszewska-Makuch, Magdalena; Bedyńska, Sylwia; Żołnierczyk-Zreda, Dorota

2015-01-01

The aim of this study was to show how authentic leadership is related to social support and exposure to workplace bullying and how these variables are related to mental health. For our sample of 820 office workers employed in different Polish organizations and sectors, social support from supervisors moderated the relationship between authentic leadership and workplace bullying. Social support from co-workers moderated the relationship between workplace bullying and mental health and authentic leadership moderated the relationship between workplace bullying and mental health.

Policies aren't enough: the importance of interpersonal communication about workplace breastfeeding support.

PubMed

Anderson, Jenn; Kuehl, Rebecca A; Drury, Sara A Mehltretter; Tschetter, Lois; Schwaegerl, Mary; Hildreth, Marilyn; Bachman, Charlotte; Gullickson, Heidi; Yoder, Julia; Lamp, Jamison

2015-05-01

Formal policies can establish guidelines and expectations for workplace breastfeeding support. However, interpersonal communication between employees and managers is the context where such policies are explained, negotiated, and implemented. As such, this article focuses on interpersonal communication about breastfeeding support in the workplace. The objective of this article is to describe interpersonal communication related to workplace breastfeeding support. We conducted 3 focus groups with 23 business representatives from a rural city in the Midwest United States. Participants were recruited through the area chamber of commerce. We analyzed the transcripts of the focus groups and derived themes related to the study objective. Our analysis of responses from business representatives in the focus groups revealed 3 major themes about interpersonal communication concerning breastfeeding support in the workplace: (1) interpersonal communication may be more important than written communication for enacting breastfeeding support, (2) multiple factors (age, sex, and power dynamics) complicate the interpersonal communication required to enact breastfeeding support in local businesses, and (3) positive interpersonal communication strategies may improve the success of workplace breastfeeding support. Interpersonal communication between employees and managers is where the specifics of workplace breastfeeding support (eg, policies) are determined and applied. Interpersonal communication about breastfeeding can be challenging due to issues such as age, sex, and power dynamics. However, positive and open interpersonal communication can enhance workplace breastfeeding support. © The Author(s) 2015.

Hotel & Food Service Industries. Workforce & Workplace Literacy Series.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

BCL Brief, 1992

1992-01-01

This brief gives an overview of the topic of workplace literacy for the hotel and food service industries and lists program contacts. The following organizations operate employee basic skills programs for hotel and food service employees, provide technical assistance, or operate grant programs: Essential Skills Resource Center; Language Training…

Career Enhancement Program for the Industries of the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia. Performance Report.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Merlin, Shirley B.

This document contains the performance report, external evaluation, and curricula for the Career Enhancement Program, a workplace literacy partnership conducted by James Madison University and Massanutten Technical Center for five companies in Virginia. The performance report describes how the project delivered individualized workplace literacy…

Commercial Drivers License Workplace Literacy Project. Preparatory Course.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Minnesota Teamsters Service Bureau, Minneapolis.

This course syllabus was developed for a workplace literacy project conducted cooperatively through the Minnesota Teamsters Service Bureau and Northeast Metro Technical College. It is part of the job-specific curriculum for commercial truck drivers developed during the project. This guide lists the courses necessary to complete a 24-credit diploma…

Protecting posterity: the occupational physician's ethical and legal obligations to pregnant workers.

PubMed

Feitshans, Ilise L

2002-01-01

This article describes Federal and international codes and laws that relate to protection from reproductive hazards in the workplace. Occupational health practitioners are advised to shift their approach from managing the technical aspects needed to protect individual workers to the more global approach of effecting policy and supporting enforcement in the realm of reproductive health. This broader view will not only better protect women and children but will better serve the interest of society in replacing all existing workers and perpetuating civilization for posterity.

Management methodology for pressure equipment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bletchly, P. J.

Pressure equipment constitutes a significant investment in capital and a major proportion of potential high-risk plant in many operations and this is particularly so in an alumina refinery. In many jurisdictions pressure equipment is also subject to statutory regulation that imposes obligations on Owners of the equipment with respect to workplace safety. Most modern technical standards and industry codes of practice employ a risk-based approach to support better decision making with respect to pressure equipment. For a management system to be effective it must demonstrate that risk is being managed within acceptable limits.

Workplace rehabilitation and supportive conditions at work: a prospective study.

PubMed

Ahlstrom, Linda; Hagberg, Mats; Dellve, Lotta

2013-06-01

To investigate the impact of rehabilitation measures on work ability and return to work (RTW), specifically the association between workplace rehabilitation/supportive conditions at work and work ability and RTW over time, among women on long-term sick leave. Questionnaire data were collected (baseline, 6 and 12 months) from a cohort of women (n = 324). Linear mixed models were used for longitudinal analysis of the repeated measurements of work ability index (WAI), work ability score and working degree. These analyses were performed with different models; the explanatory variables for each model were workplace rehabilitation, supportive conditions at work and time. The individuals provided with workplace rehabilitation and supportive conditions (e.g. influence at work, possibilities for development, degree of freedom at work, meaning of work, quality of leadership, social support, sense of community and work satisfaction) had significantly increased WAI and work ability score over time. These individuals scored higher work ability compared to those individuals having workplace rehabilitation without supportive conditions, or neither. Additionally, among the individuals provided with workplace rehabilitation and supportive conditions, working degree increased significantly more over time compared to those individuals with no workplace rehabilitation and no supportive conditions. The results highlight the importance of integrating workplace rehabilitation with supportive conditions at work in order to increase work ability and improve the RTW process for women on long-term sick leave.

ILGWU Worker-Family Education Program. ESL/Technical Curriculum Manual.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Friedman, Judy; Friedman, Deidre

The curriculum for the International Ladies' Garment Workers' Union (ILGWU) English as a Second Language (ESL) and technical classes is a collection of instructional materials and suggestions focusing on workplace-related topics and issues. This guide is intended for use in classes where one technical and one ESL teacher are present and where…

Project T.E.A.M. (Technical Education Advancement Modules). Fundementals of Workplace Integration.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kraeling, Vicki

This module is one of a series of instructional guides developed by Project TEAM (Technical Education Advancement Modules), a cooperative demonstration program for high technology training for unemployed, underemployed, and existing industrial employees whose basic technical skills are in need of upgrading. The module is a 27-hour overview course…

Rethinking Technical Communication Pedagogy: A Poststructuralist View of Program and Course Design.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Woolever, Kristin R.

Technical communication specialists today really have to be technology experts as well as effective writers--even their titles have changed to "information designers, information engineers, or document developers." Teachers of technical communication should be up to date in the classroom to meet the changing needs of the workplace.…

Raising the Bar: Technical Assessments for Secondary CTE Programs

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Uy, Erin; Green, Kimberly

2009-01-01

Having a strong connection to the employer community, career technical education (CTE) has long understood the importance of students being armed with industry recognized credentials and certificates as they enter the workplace. The enactment of the Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education Act in 2006, commonly referred to as Perkins IV,…

Role-Playing as Critical Thinking in the Technical Writing Classroom.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wilner, Arlene

Given the affective dimension of writing in the workplace, assignments based on casebook scenarios have definite advantages in a technical or professional writing course. An English professor surveyed faculty in the Schools of Business and Education at Rider College prior to revising a course in technical writing. A majority of faculty, when asked…

Exploring the influence of workplace supports and relationships on safe medication practice: A pilot study of Australian graduate nurses.

PubMed

Sahay, Ashlyn; Hutchinson, Marie; East, Leah

2015-05-01

Despite the growing awareness of the benefits of positive workplace climates, unsupportive and disruptive workplace behaviours are widespread in health care organisations. Recent graduate nurses, who are often new to a workplace, are particularly vulnerable in unsupportive climates, and are also recognised to be at higher risk for medication errors. Investigate the association between workplace supports and relationships and safe medication practice among graduate nurses. Exploratory study using quantitative survey with a convenience sample of 58 nursing graduates in two Australian States. Online survey focused on graduates' self-reported medication errors, safe medication practice and the nature of workplace supports and relationships. Spearman's correlations identified that unsupportive workplace relationships were inversely related to graduate nurse medication errors and erosion of safe medication practices, while supportive Nurse Unit Manager and supportive work team relationships positively influenced safe medication practice among graduates. Workplace supports and relationships are potentially both the cause and solution to graduate nurse medication errors and safe medication practices. The findings develop further understanding about the impact of unsupportive and disruptive behaviours on patient safety and draw attention to the importance of undergraduate and continuing education strategies that promote positive workplace behaviours and graduate resilience. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Workplace social support in job satisfaction among veterans with posttraumatic stress symptoms: A preliminary correlational study

PubMed Central

Harris, J. I.; Strom, Thad Q.; Ferrier-Auerbach, Amanda G.; Kaler, Matthew E.; Erbes, Christopher R.

2017-01-01

For Veterans managing PTSD symptoms, returning to vocational functioning is often challenging; identifying modifiable variables that can contribute to positive vocational adjustment is critical to improved vocational rehabilitation services. Workplace social support has proven to be important in vocational adjustment in both general population and vocational rehabilitation samples, but this area of inquiry has received little attention among Veterans with PTSD symptoms. In this small correlational study, employed Veterans (N = 63) presenting for outpatient PTSD treatment at a VA Health Care System completed surveys assessing demographic variables, PTSD symptoms, workplace social support, and job satisfaction. Workplace social support contributed to the prediction of job satisfaction. It is of note that workplace social support predicted a larger proportion of the variance in employment satisfaction than PTSD symptoms. Further research on workplace social support as a vocational rehabilitation resource for Veterans with PTSD is indicated. PMID:28777812

Workplace social support in job satisfaction among veterans with posttraumatic stress symptoms: A preliminary correlational study.

PubMed

Harris, J I; Strom, Thad Q; Ferrier-Auerbach, Amanda G; Kaler, Matthew E; Hansen, Lucas P; Erbes, Christopher R

2017-01-01

For Veterans managing PTSD symptoms, returning to vocational functioning is often challenging; identifying modifiable variables that can contribute to positive vocational adjustment is critical to improved vocational rehabilitation services. Workplace social support has proven to be important in vocational adjustment in both general population and vocational rehabilitation samples, but this area of inquiry has received little attention among Veterans with PTSD symptoms. In this small correlational study, employed Veterans (N = 63) presenting for outpatient PTSD treatment at a VA Health Care System completed surveys assessing demographic variables, PTSD symptoms, workplace social support, and job satisfaction. Workplace social support contributed to the prediction of job satisfaction. It is of note that workplace social support predicted a larger proportion of the variance in employment satisfaction than PTSD symptoms. Further research on workplace social support as a vocational rehabilitation resource for Veterans with PTSD is indicated.

Social support and the working hours of employed mothers in Europe: The relevance of the state, the workplace, and the family.

PubMed

Abendroth, Anja-Kristin; van der Lippe, Tanja; Maas, Ineke

2012-05-01

This paper studies the influence of state, workplace, and family support on the working hours of employed mothers and how these different support sources interact. Data taken from the European Social Survey 2004/2005 as well as country-specific information were used to estimate several hierarchical models. We find evidence that the availability of supportive workplace arrangements and family support positively impact the working hours of employed mothers and that state policies facilitating the traditional family have a negative effect. There is weak support for a positive relationship between state policies facilitating the dual-earner family and working hours of employed mothers. In addition, most of the sources of support appear to be complementary. Supportive family role models and supportive workplace arrangements have a reinforcing relationship, as do publicly funded child care and supportive workplace arrangements. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Workplace wellness programming in low-and middle-income countries: a qualitative study of corporate key informants in Mexico and India.

PubMed

Wipfli, Heather; Zacharias, Kristin Dessie; Nivvy Hundal, Nuvjote; Shigematsu, Luz Myriam Reynales; Bahl, Deepika; Arora, Monika; Bassi, Shalini; Kumar, Shubha

2018-05-09

A qualitative study of key informant semi-structured interviews were conducted between March and July 2016 in Mexico and India to achieve the following aims: to explore corporations' and stakeholders' views, attitudes and expectations in relation to health, wellness and cancer prevention in two middle-income countries, and to determine options for health professions to advance their approach to workplace wellness programming globally, including identifying return-on-investment incentives for corporations to implement wellness programming. There is an unmet demand for workplace wellness resources that can be used by corporations in an international context. Corporations in India and Mexico are already implementing a range of health-related wellness programs, most often focused on disease prevention and management. A number of companies indicated interest is collecting return on investment data but lacked the knowledge and tools to carry out return-on-investment analyses. There was widespread interest in partnership with international non-governmental organizations (public health organizations) and a strong desire for follow-up among corporations interviewed, particularly in Mexico. As low-and middle-income countries continue to undergo economic transitions, the workforce and disease burden continue to evolve as well. Evidence suggests a there is a growing need for workplace wellness initiatives in low-and middle-income countries. Results from this study suggest that while corporations in India and Mexico are implementing wellness programming in some capacity, there are three areas where corporations could greatly benefit from assistance in improving wellness programming in the workplace: 1) innovative toolkits for workplace wellness initiatives and technical support for adaptation, 2) assistance with building partnerships to help implement wellness initiatives and build capacity, and 3) tools and training to collect data for surveillance as well as monitoring and evaluation of wellness programs.

Autobiographical Writing in the Technical Writing Course

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gellis, Mark

2011-01-01

Professionals in the workplace are rarely asked to write autobiographical essays. Such essays, however, are an excellent tool for helping students explore their growth as professionals. This article explores the use of such essays in a technical writing class.

Developing regulations for occupational exposures to health hazards in Malaysia.

PubMed

Rampal, Krishna Gopal; Mohd Nizam, J

2006-11-01

In Malaysia exposures in the workplace are regulated under the Factories and Machinery Act (FMA), 1967 and also under the more comprehensive Occupational Safety and Health Act (OSHA) enacted in 1994. With OSHA 1994 the philosophy of legislating safety and health in the workplace changed from one that was very prescriptive and containing detailed technical provisions under FMA, 1967 to one that is more flexible and encourages self-regulation under OSHA 1994. OSHA 1994 is supported by regulations, codes of practices and guidelines to further clarify the provisions in the Act. Under the FMA 1967 emphasis was on safety while with OSHA 1994 there has been equal emphasis on addressing health hazards in the workplace. Regulations for occupational exposures are developed by the Department of Occupational Safety and Health with tripartite and stakeholder consultation. When developing these regulations International Labor Organization Conventions, laws of other countries and occupational exposure standards adopted internationally are reviewed. The government also conducts surveys to collect information on both exposures and health effects in workplaces to have better understanding on specific occupational health problems. Effective law enforcement is crucial in ensuring compliance to safety and health law. The challenge at the moment is to ensure all employers and employees, particularly those in the small and medium enterprises, understand and comply with the provisions stipulated in the legislation.

Workplace Literacy Programs: Variations of Approach and Limits of Impact.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mikulecky, Larry

Six workplace literacy programs were evaluated for impact upon learners, learners' families, and learners' productivity. Site 1 was an automotive plant where learners were involved in technical preparation, the General Educational Development program, and English as a Second Language (ESL). Site 2 was a wood-processing plant with a communication…

VISIONS2 Learning for Life Initiative. Workplace Literacy Implementation Model.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Walsh, Chris L.; Ferguson, Susan E.; Taylor, Mary Lou

This document presents a model for implementing workplace literacy education that focuses on giving front-line workers or first-line workers basic skills instruction and an appreciation for lifelong learning. The introduction presents background information on the model, which was developed during a partnership between a technical college and an…

Workplace Literacy Programs: A Review of the Literature.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dunn-Rankin, Patricia; Beil, Drake

This literature review observes that (1) there is an increasing need for enhancing job literacy skills among workers; (2) workplace literacy programs cover both basic literacy and job-related technical training; (3) successful curricula use job-related tasks and materials; and (4) management needs to be heavily involved and committed if a program…

Mentoring for Retention, Morale, and Succession Planning in a Small Federal Agency

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gudewich, Claire O.

2012-01-01

The purpose of this qualitative study was to understand the perceptions and beliefs of administrative, professional, and technical staff (APTs) related to attrition rates, morale, succession planning, benefits of mentoring in the workplace, and whether a mentoring program would contribute positively. Kram's workplace mentoring model served as…

The Future at Work. An Assessment of Changing Workplace Trends.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Interstate Conference of Employment Security Agencies, Inc., Washington, DC.

Technological and demographic changes affect the nation's employment landscape. The most consistent trend of the century has been the shrinking workweek. By the year 2000, many workers will spend only 32 hours per week at work. Other workplace changes will continue the quest for more work satisfaction: technical trends (flextime/telecommuting);…

A Descriptive Study: Determining the Difference in the Perceptions of Employers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jewette, Karen P.

2013-01-01

The U.S. workforce is not prepared for the demands of today's workplace (Conference Board, 2006), Previously, workplace employers emphasized environments where the main thrust was expertise in technical skills of employees. However, a shift occurred that caused employers to realize the importance of soft skills in order to maximize business…

Culture and Workplace Communications: A Comparison of the Technical Communications Practices of Japanese and U.S. Aerospace Engineers and Scientists.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pinelli, Thomas E.; Sato, Yuko; Barclay, Rebecca O.; Kennedy, John M.

1997-01-01

Japanese (n=94) and U.S. (n=340) aerospace scientists/engineers described time spent communicating information, collaborative writing, importance of technical communication courses, and the use of libraries, computer networks, and technical reports. Japanese respondents had greater language fluency; U.S. respondents spent more time with…

Workplace Health and Safety across the Vocational/Technical Curriculum.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ryan, Thomas; Hinkley, Carl

This document contains the outcomes of a pilot project to develop materials and methods of integrating occupational health and safety into the curriculum of the technologies at a technical college. Section I is a model of how to integrate health and safety into a vocational-technical curriculum. Based on the Outcomes-Based Guidelines developed by…

Social firms: building cross-sectoral partnerships to create employment opportunity and supportive workplaces for people with mental illness.

PubMed

Paluch, Tamar; Fossey, Ellie; Harvey, Carol

2012-01-01

A major barrier to employment for people with mental illness is limited access to supportive and non-discriminatory workplaces. Social firms are businesses committed to employing up to 50% of people with a disability or other disadvantage and to providing supportive work environments that benefit workers. Little research has been conducted to understand the features and social processes that support the vocational experiences of employees with mental health issues in social firms. This ethnographic study sought to explore the experiences of nine employees at one Australian social firm. Nine employees of a social firm, with and without mental illness. Study methods used included participant observation, interviewing and document analysis. The study highlights the complexity of running a socially-invested business, and the importance of cross-sectoral partnerships to support their operational success. Natural workplace supports, adequate training and support infrastructure and enabling participation in the business, were identified as important to creating a supportive workplace. Partnerships within the workplace and in support of the workplace are discussed. Future growth and development of partnerships are recommended to support the establishment of social firms.

The role of universities in preparing graduates to use software in the financial services workplace

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tickle, Leonie; Kyng, Tim; Wood, Leigh N.

2014-02-01

The role of universities in preparing students to use spreadsheet and other technical software in the financial services workplace has been investigated through surveys of university graduates, university academics, and employers. It is found that graduates are less skilled users of software than employers would like, due at least in part to a lack of structured formal training opportunities in the workplace, and a lack of targeted, coherent learning opportunities at university. The widespread and heavy use of software in the workplace means that there is significant potential for productivity gains if universities and employers address these issues.

Workplace deviance: strategies for modifying employee behavior.

PubMed

Pulich, Marcia; Tourigny, Louise

2004-01-01

More than ever, today's health care employees must perform their jobs as efficiently and effectively as possible. Job performance must integrate both technical and necessary soft skills. Workplace deviant behaviors are counterproductive to good job performance. Various deviant behaviors are examined. Areas and strategies of managerial intervention are reviewed which will enable the prevention or modification of undesired employee behaviors.

The Workplace Know-How Skills Needed To Be Productive. Technical Report.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hollenbeck, Kevin

A study identified workplace know-how skills and characteristics that employers in Kalamazoo and St. Joseph counties in Michigan feel workers need to succeed and be productive. Employer input was obtained in fall 1993 at 12 focus group meetings during which a total of 103 of 192 invited local employers (a 53.6% attendance rate) completed…

B-WEST Regional Workforce Training Center. Building Workers Entering Skilled Trades. Employer Training Guide.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Portland Community Coll., OR.

This guide, which was developed during the B-WEST (Building Workers Entering Skilled Trades) project, includes materials for use in training and providing on-site consultations to contractors, managers, supervisors, office/technical staff, and others in two areas: diversity in the workplace and sexual harassment in the workplace. Part 1, which…

Nature and Dynamics of Industry-Based Workplace Learning for South African TVET Lecturers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

van der Bijl, Andre; Taylor, Vanessa

2016-01-01

This article reports on the findings of an industry workplace experience project involving lecturers in South Africa's technical and vocational education and training (TVET) colleges, against the backdrop of new legislation and the realization that college lecturers' industry-related skills are in question. Its focus is on the nature of TVET…

Workplace, psychosocial factors, and depressive symptoms among working people with arthritis: a longitudinal study.

PubMed

Li, Xin; Gignac, Monique A M; Anis, Aslam H

2006-09-01

To examine the role of demographic, illness-related, workplace support, workplace activity limitations, arthritis-related work changes, and psychosocial factors in predicting subsequent depressive symptoms among employed people with arthritis. In a prospective study, 366 employed individuals with arthritis were recruited from Toronto, Canada. Respondents completed a structured questionnaire assessing demographic, disease-related factors, workplace support, and employment-related transitions, as well as psychosocial variables at 2 timepoints 18 months apart. Depression was assessed using the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale. Hierarchical multiple regression was used for analyses. Individuals with greater education reported significantly less depression. Lower workplace support and greater workplace activity limitations were significantly associated with future depressive symptoms. No relationship was found between work transitions and later depression, but more work changes were strongly associated with concurrent depressive symptoms. An association was also found between greater pain catastrophizing and future depressive symptoms. Our results highlight the need to assess the influence of work-related changes, workplace support, and psychosocial variables on depressive symptoms among people with arthritis. These findings suggest that workplace interventions should address not only ways to reduce workplace activity limitations, but also ways to better manage emotional distress related to working with arthritis.

Internal dosimetry technical basis manual

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Not Available

1990-12-20

The internal dosimetry program at the Savannah River Site (SRS) consists of radiation protection programs and activities used to detect and evaluate intakes of radioactive material by radiation workers. Examples of such programs are: air monitoring; surface contamination monitoring; personal contamination surveys; radiobioassay; and dose assessment. The objectives of the internal dosimetry program are to demonstrate that the workplace is under control and that workers are not being exposed to radioactive material, and to detect and assess inadvertent intakes in the workplace. The Savannah River Site Internal Dosimetry Technical Basis Manual (TBM) is intended to provide a technical and philosophicalmore » discussion of the radiobioassay and dose assessment aspects of the internal dosimetry program. Detailed information on air, surface, and personal contamination surveillance programs is not given in this manual except for how these programs interface with routine and special bioassay programs.« less

Supporting Workplace Diversity: Emerging Roles for Employment Counselors

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Neault, Roberta A.; Mondair, Suneet

2011-01-01

Employment counselors generally understand the benefits of workplace diversity; most are actively engaged in supporting diverse clients to attach to the workforce. However, they are less likely to be involved in supporting organizations to create workplaces where diverse workers are welcomed, appreciated, and fully engaged. In this article,…

Employee experience of workplace supervisor contact and support during long-term sickness absence.

PubMed

Buys, Nicholas J; Selander, John; Sun, Jing

2017-12-07

Workplace support is an important factor in promoting successful return to work. The purpose of this article is to examine relationships between supervisor contact, perceived workplace support and demographic variables among employees on long-term sickness absence. Data were collected from 204 public employees at a municipality in Sweden who had been on long term sickness absence (60 days or more) using a 23 question survey instrument that collected information on demographic variables, supervisor contact and perceived workplace support. Most injured employees (97%) reported having contact with their supervisors during their sickness absence, with a majority (56%) reporting high levels of support, including early (58.6%) and multiple (70.7%) contacts. Most were pleased with amount of contact (68.9%) and the majority had discussed workplace accommodations (68.1%). Employees who self-initiated contact, felt the amount of contact was appropriate, had a personal meeting with their supervisors and discussed workplace adjustments reported experiencing higher levels of support from supervisors. Employees on long-term sickness absence appreciate contact from their supervisors and this is associated with perceived workplace support. However, the amount and employee experience of this contact is important. It needs to be perceived by employees as supportive, which includes a focus on strategies (e.g., work adjustment) to facilitate a return to work. Supervisor training is required in this area to support the return to work process. Implications for Rehabilitation Contact and support from workplace supervisors is important to workers on long-term sickness absence. Employees appreciate frequent contact from supervisors during long-terms sickness absence. Employees appreciate a personal meeting with supervisors and the opportunity to discuss issues related to return to work such as work adjustment. Employers should provide training to supervisors on how to communicate and assist employees on long-term sickness absence.

Relationship of maternal perceptions of workplace breastfeeding support and job satisfaction.

PubMed

Waite, Whitney M; Christakis, Dimitri

2015-05-01

Decades of research supports the health benefits of breastfeeding. Prior research has shown that unsupportive work environments are frequently cited as reasons women abandon breastfeeding early. The objective of this study is to determine if mothers' perceptions of workplace lactation support are associated with job satisfaction. Female employees of Seattle Children's Hospital (SCH) and a large corporation were e-mailed a survey to measure perceptions of workplace lactation support. Women were eligible to participate if they had a child born within the last 5 years. Questions were asked about lactation support across five domains; organization, manager, coworker, time, and physical environment. The main outcome was job satisfaction. Linear regression models were run to evaluate the association between workplace support scores and the outcome of interest. The survey was completed by 420 women at SCH and 131 women at the large corporation (response rate, 47%). Ninety-eight percent of study participants initiated breastfeeding, and most sustained breastfeeding for at least 6 months. Increased total workplace support score was associated with increased job satisfaction at both companies (p<0.001). Increased support scores within each domain were independently associated with increased job satisfaction (p values<0.005). When all domains were considered together, only manager and coworker supports were significant at SCH (p=0.04), and only time support was significant at the large corporation (p=0.01). The workplace support score was not significantly associated with breastfeeding duration at either institution. Improved lactation support in the workplace may improve new mothers' job satisfaction, which could be beneficial to businesses.

Breastfeeding Support in the Workplace: The Relationships Among Breastfeeding Support, Work-Life Balance, and Job Satisfaction.

PubMed

Jantzer, Amanda M; Anderson, Jenn; Kuehl, Rebecca A

2018-05-01

Women are increasingly faced with decisions about how to combine breastfeeding with work, but few researchers have directly measured how breastfeeding relates to the work-life interface. Research aim: The authors examined how perceptions of work enhancement of personal life and work interference with personal life were influenced by workplace breastfeeding support, including organizational, manager, and coworker support, as well as adequate time to express human milk. Then, we examined how workplace breastfeeding support predicted work-life variables and job satisfaction. Using a self-report, survey design, the authors analyzed online surveys from 87 women in a rural, community sample who indicated that they had pumped at work or anticipated needing to pump in the future. According to regression results, provision of workplace breastfeeding support, particularly providing adequate time for human milk expression, predicted work enhancement of personal life. Conversely, we found that as workplace support diminished, employees perceived greater work interference with personal life. Results of path analysis further suggested that providing time for expressing milk improved job satisfaction via a partially mediated relationship where work enhancement of personal life acted as a mediator. These results suggest that employers can enhance the lives of their breastfeeding employees both at work and at home by providing workplace breastfeeding support, especially through providing time for expressing human milk in the workplace.

Simulation of Laboratory Tests of Steel Arch Support

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Horyl, Petr; Šňupárek, Richard; Maršálek, Pavel; Pacześniowski, Krzysztof

2017-03-01

The total load-bearing capacity of steel arch yielding roadways supports is among their most important characteristics. These values can be obtained in two ways: experimental measurements in a specialized laboratory or computer modelling by FEM. Experimental measurements are significantly more expensive and more time-consuming. However, for proper tuning, a computer model is very valuable and can provide the necessary verification by experiment. In the cooperating workplaces of GIG Katowice, VSB-Technical University of Ostrava and the Institute of Geonics ASCR this verification was successful. The present article discusses the conditions and results of this verification for static problems. The output is a tuned computer model, which may be used for other calculations to obtain the load-bearing capacity of other types of steel arch supports. Changes in other parameters such as the material properties of steel, size torques, friction coefficient values etc. can be determined relatively quickly by changing the properties of the investigated steel arch supports.

The workplace and nurses with a mental illness.

PubMed

Joyce, Terry; McMillan, Margaret; Hazelton, Michael

2009-12-01

A qualitative approach was used to explore workplace experiences of nurses who have a mental illness. Interview transcripts from 29 nurses in New South Wales, Australia were subjected to discourse analysis. One significant finding was a theme depicting the need for support and trust. This superordinate theme encompassed four subelements: declaring mental illnesses, collegial support, managerial support, and enhancing support. Most of the participants portrayed their workplace as an unsupportive and negative environment. A number of colleagues were depicted as having little regard for the codes for professional nursing practice. This paper shows how nurses in the study dealt with the workplace support associated with mental illness.

Alternative Fuels Data Center: Government Champions Workplace Charging

Science.gov Websites

in over 20 states, and at the federal level, to support EVSE installation. Workplace charging occurs . Federal Workplace Charging Support In 2012, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) established an initiative offering charging to their employees. State and federal agencies also benefit from WPCC support when

Working women making it work: intimate partner violence, employment, and workplace support.

PubMed

Swanberg, Jennifer; Macke, Caroline; Logan, T K

2007-03-01

Partner violence may have significant consequences on women's employment, yet limited information is available about how women cope on the job with perpetrators' tactics and the consequences of her coping methods on employment status. This article investigates whether there is an association between workplace disclosure of victimization and current employment status; and whether there is an association between receiving workplace support and current employment status among women who disclosed victimization circumstances to someone at work. Using a sample of partner victimized women who were employed within the past year (N = 485), cross-tabulation and ANOVA procedures were conducted to examine the differences between currently employed and unemployed women. Binary logistic regressions were conducted to examine whether disclosure and receiving workplace support were significantly associated with current employment. Results indicate that disclosure and workplace support are associated with employment. Implications for clinical practice, workplace policies, and future research are discussed.

Measuring workplace social support for workers with disability.

PubMed

Lysaght, Rosemary; Fabrigar, Leandre; Larmour-Trode, Sherrey; Stewart, Jeremy; Friesen, Margaret

2012-09-01

Social support in the workplace has been has been demonstrated to serve as a contributor to a worker's ability to manage work demands and to manage stress. Research in the area of disability management indicates that interpersonal factors play an important role in the success of return-to-work interventions. The role of workplace support has received limited attention in rehabilitation, despite the salience of support to the disability management process. Prior to this study, there existed no validated quantitative measure of social support for workers who re-enter the workplace following injury or disability. A support measure prototype, the Support for Workers with Disability Scale, was tested with 152 workers in accommodated work situations. Four validation tools were used to assess criterion validity. Factor analysis was used to validate the content structure and reduce the total number of response items. Additional analysis was conducted to determine the ability of the measure to discriminate between groups, and to provide insight into how social support operates in workplaces. Based on analysis, a reduced measure consisting of 41 items and measuring supervisor, co-worker, and non-work supports was created. Secondary analysis disclosed information concerning the nature of supports in the workplace. Higher levels of support were identified for workers with fewer work role limitations and for those with one versus multiple injury claims. This tool provides a validated outcome measure for research examining the social aspects of workplace disability. It can also serve as a quality management tool for human resource professionals engaged in continuous improvement of disability management programs.

The Influence of Organizations on Writers' Texts and Training.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lutz, Jean

1986-01-01

Argues that, to succeed in the workplace, technical writers must supplement their knowledge of writing and rhetoric with an appreciation of "organizational culture." Explains how to do this and shows how technical writing classes can prepare students for this adjustment to the corporate environment. (FL)

Developing a workplace breast feeding support model for employed lactating mothers.

PubMed

Yimyam, Susanha; Hanpa, Wasana

2014-06-01

Resuming work is often considered an obstacle for continued breast feeding. The objectives of this participatory action research study were to develop a breast feeding support model in the workplace and to compare breast feeding rates before and after implementation of the breast feeding support campaign. Twenty-four women participated before the implementation of the breast feeding support campaign, whereas 31 women participated after the campaign. Data were collected by interviewing employed women about their breast feeding practices within six months post partum. Additional data were collected through interviews with the workplace administrator and head of work sections as well as observation of the breast feeding support campaigns. Qualitative data were analysed using thematic analysis, whereas quantitative data were analysed using descriptive statistics and χ(2) test. The workplace breast feeding support model was developed based on the concept of Mother-Friendly Workplace Initiatives by the World Alliance for Breastfeeding Action (WABA) and the Thai government׳s promotion of a workplace breast feeding corner. Within this model, a committee for breast feeding support was created for working with the research team to develop breast feeding activities and media for breast feeding education and breast feeding support campaigns in the workplace. Breast feeding rates at six months after implementation of the breast feeding support campaign were significantly higher than rates before, both for exclusive breast feeding and any breast feeding at levels .004 and .033, respectively. These results suggest that breast feeding should be encouraged in every workplace depending on context. Individual advice and help for employed mothers should be provided from pregnancy through weaning in the postpartum period. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Gender Differences in Workplace Disclosure and Supports for Domestic Violence: Results of a Pan-Canadian Survey.

PubMed

MacGregor, Jennifer C D; Wathen, C Nadine; Olszowy, Laura P; Saxton, Michael D; MacQuarrie, Barbara J

2016-12-01

Although domestic violence is increasingly identified as a workplace issue, little is known about workplace supports and the role of gender in workplace disclosure experiences. Using a subset of 2,831 people who experienced domestic violence, we examined (a) who discloses at work and to whom, and reasons for not disclosing; (b) helpfulness of disclosure recipients, including types of supports received; and (c) overall outcomes of disclosing, including negative consequences. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and content analysis. More than 40% of participants disclosed domestic violence at work, usually to coworkers or supervisors. They received various supports which were generally seen as helpful. Although not common, negative consequences of disclosure were reported. Men were less likely to disclose, but few other gender differences emerged. Implications for improving workplace supports are discussed.

Professional Development Capacity Building in Pennsylvania's Regional Staff Development Program: The "WorkNet" Project. Final Report [and] WorkNet Workplace Literacy Trainer's Guide.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Carman, Priscilla S.

These two documents are products of a project to improve the capability of the Pennsylvania Regional Staff Development Centers to provide current, research-based workplace literacy training and technical assistance to adult basic and literacy education programs. The final report describes these project activities: development of training materials…

Success Skills for Textile Workers. Workforce 2000 Partnership. Workplace Literacy Project. End-of-Project External Evaluation Report. November 1, 1994-October 31, 1997.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hill, Allison

A 3-year workplace literacy project combined the resources and efforts of a junior and a technical college, literacy education providers, and businesses to implement an assessment and education program for textile workers. The program included four components: (1) reading, writing, speaking, listening, and mathematics skills; (2) creative…

Generic Workplace Skills for Job Application, Employment Retention, and Career Promotion in Today's Economic Environment.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Broadbent, William A.

A study used the Vocational-Technical Education Consortium of States (V-TECS) workplace skills inventory in a validation exercise for use of the inventory in Hawaii. A facilitator reduced the size of the V-TECS instrument. The resulting document was tested using several colleagues of the principal investigator before it was used in the field. The…

The Role of Universities in Preparing Graduates to Use Software in the Financial Services Workplace

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tickle, Leonie; Kyng, Tim; Wood, Leigh N.

2014-01-01

The role of universities in preparing students to use spreadsheet and other technical software in the financial services workplace has been investigated through surveys of university graduates, university academics, and employers. It is found that graduates are less skilled users of software than employers would like, due at least in part to a…

Reducing sickness absence from work due to low back pain: how well do intervention strategies match modifiable risk factors?

PubMed

Shaw, William S; Linton, Steven J; Pransky, Glenn

2006-12-01

To assess, from the review literature, the extent to which effective strategies for reducing work absence after acute low back pain (LBP) match empirical risk factors. From 17 recent review articles (2000-2005), disability risk factors and interventions were cross-tabulated to assess levels of relative concordance. Potentially modifiable risk factors included 23 variables describing 3 workplace and 3 personal domains. Effective interventions included 25 strategies that were personal (physical or behavioral), engineering, or administrative in nature. There was a strong risk factor concordance for workplace technical and organizational interventions, graded activity exposure, and cognitive restructuring of pain beliefs. There was less risk factor concordance for exercise, back education, and RTW coordination. Few interventions focused on relieving emotional distress or improving job dissatisfaction, two well-supported risk factors. Gaps between the epidemiological and intervention research of back disability prevention could be reduced by testing mediators of intervention effects or by stratifying outcomes according to pre-intervention risk factors.

An Assessment of Language Needs for Technical Communication in a Multilingual Speech Community: Implications for Teaching LSP in Papua New Guinea.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Moody, James

A survey of 98 Papua New Guinea technical university graduates in the applied sciences, engineering fields, and forestry investigated their language skill use and language needs in the workplace. Results indicate that, as in Papua New Guinea society in general, English and Tok Pisin are the two most important languages for technical communication…

Social firms: sustainable employment for people with mental illness.

PubMed

Williams, Anne; Fossey, Ellie; Harvey, Carol

2012-01-01

Social firms or enterprises aim to offer sustainable employment in supportive workplaces for people who are disadvantaged in the labour market. Therefore, this study sought to explore employees' views in one social firm about the features of their workplace that they found supportive. Seven employees were recruited, all of whom experienced persistent mental illness, and had worked in this social firm for between eleven months and six years. A semi-structured interview, the Work Environment Impact Scale (version 2.0), was used to explore participants' views of their workplace and to rate how its physical and social characteristics impacted them. Participants also rated their job satisfaction with a modified Indiana Job Satisfaction Scale. Features of the social firm workplace identified by these employees as contributing to their sustained employment and satisfaction were the rewards, task demands, work schedule, and workplace interactions with supervisors and other co-workers. From their views, guiding principles for the development of supportive workplaces and evaluation of their capacity to afford sustainable employment were derived. This study adds to current knowledge about workplace supports from an employee perspective, and is of relevance for informing future social firm development, workplace design and evaluation.

A Tool for Supporting Communication in the Workplace for Individuals with Intellectual Disabilities and/or Autism

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pouliot, Danielle M.; Müller, Eve; Frasché, Nancy F.; Kern, Ann S.; Resti, Israelle H.

2017-01-01

Speech and language impairments can pose significant challenges to the successful workplace inclusion of young adults with intellectual disabilities (IDs) and/or autism spectrum disorders (ASD). Breakdowns are most likely to occur when support staff, workplace supervisors, or co-workers are unsure how to support effective communication.…

Effects of Age, Gender and Occupation on Perceived Workplace Learning Support

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Harteis, Christian; Billett, Stephen; Goller, Michael; Rausch, Andreas; Seifried, Jürgen

2015-01-01

The provision of workplace support is central to how and what is and can be learnt at work. Hence, the distribution of those experiences is an important factor in the quality of workplace learning experiences. The study reported and discussed here aims to identify differences in levels of support and opportunities for applying knowledge in…

The Elusiveness of Workplace Culture: Response to "Technical Communication: The Cultural Context."

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Parsons, Gerald M.

1987-01-01

Responds to C. Lipson's article on the cultural context of technical communication by criticizing her lack of definition of the term "corporate culture," and suggesting that analyzing corporations as cultures is naive, simplistic, and would probably have little value for students of business communication. (SKC)

Methodology in Seeking Stakeholder Perceptions of Effective Technical Oral Presentations: An Exploratory Pilot Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bhattacharyya, Ena; Patil, Arun; Sargunan, Rajeswary Appacutty

2010-01-01

Engineering communication studies indicate the importance of oral presentations as an indispensable component of workplace oral communication activities; however, since there is limited literature regarding stakeholder perceptions of effective presentation skills and attributes in technical oral presentations or final year engineering project…

Automation and the Workplace. Selected Labor, Education, and Training Issues. A Technical Memorandum.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Congress of the U.S., Washington, DC. Office of Technology Assessment.

This technical memorandum discusses procedures for evaluating potential employment change associated with automation and outlines associated problems. It also describes the nature and modes of delivery of education, training, and retraining for persons holding or seeking employment in manufacturing industries. An introduction provides a brief…

Workplace Skills in Practice. Case Studies of Technical Work.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stasz, Cathleen; And Others

A study was conducted to explore skills and work-related dispositions in technical work. It used a sociocultural approach to examine skills in seven target jobs in worksites representing diverse industries--health care, traffic management, transportation, and semiconductor manufacturing. It explored employers' strategies for obtaining the skills…

Educational attainment, perception of workplace support and its influence on timing of childbearing for Canadian women: a cross-sectional study.

PubMed

Metcalfe, Amy; Vekved, Monica; Tough, Suzanne C

2014-09-01

Under Canada's Employment Insurance system, parents are entitled to receive up to 50 weeks of parental leave at 55 % of salary. Despite this national policy, women with higher education are more likely to delay childbearing. This analysis aimed to assess the association between workplace support, educational attainment and the timing of first births. Women who had recently given birth to their first live-born infant and lived in Alberta, Canada, were randomly selected to participate in a telephone survey. Logistic regression was used to assess the relationship between workplace support, educational attainment and timing of first pregnancy. Among 835 women with a planned pregnancy, 26 % agreed that support or lack of support for pregnant women at their workplace affected their decision about when to begin their family. After controlling for age and income, women who had completed a post-graduate degree were three times (OR 3.39, 95 % CI 1.69-6.81) more likely to indicate that support or lack of support for pregnant women in their workplace affected their childbearing decisions. In spite of national policies, and the potential risks associated with delayed childbearing, workplace support impacts timing of pregnancy, particularly for highly educated women.

Applied Physics Education: PER focused on Physics-Intensive Careers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zwickl, Benjamin

2017-01-01

Physics education research is moving beyond classroom learning to study the application of physics education within STEM jobs and PhD-level research. Workforce-related PER is vital to supporting physics departments as they educate students for a diverse range of careers. Results from an on-going study involving interviews with entry-level employees, academic researchers, and supervisors in STEM jobs describe the ways that mathematics, physics, and communication are needed for workplace success. Math and physics are often used for solving ill-structured problems that involve data analysis, computational modeling, or hands-on work. Communication and collaboration are utilized in leadership, sales, and as way to transfer information capital throughout the organization through documentation, emails, memos, and face-to-face discussions. While managers and advisors think a physics degree typically establishes technical competency, communication skills are vetted through interviews and developed on the job. Significant learning continues after graduation, showing the importance of cultivating self-directed learning habits and the critical role of employers as educators of specialized technical abilities through on-the-job training. Supported by NSF DGE-1432578.

A longitudinal study of the effects of dual-earner couples' utilization of family-friendly workplace supports on work and family outcomes.

PubMed

Hammer, Leslie B; Neal, Margaret B; Newsom, Jason T; Brockwood, Krista J; Colton, Cari L

2005-07-01

Little research exists on the effects of the utilization of workplace supports on work-family conflict and job satisfaction. With family systems theory as a framework, 2 waves of national survey data were collected from 234 couples (N = 468) caring for children and for aging parents. Data were analyzed with structural equation modeling techniques. Longitudinal results indicate that individuals' use of workplace supports was related to work-family conflict in the direction opposite to expectations and was related to job satisfaction in the direction consistent with expectations. Differential effects for wives versus husbands were found. In addition, couples' use of workplace supports was only minimally related to wives' outcomes. Results are discussed in terms of gender differences, family systems theory, and methodological and measurement issues related to the longitudinal study of utilization of workplace supports. Copyright 2005 APA, all rights reserved.

An inaugural conference on occupational health in The Gambia: exploring the world through international occupational health programs.

PubMed

Culp, Kennith; Marquez, Shannon P; Bobb, Maram; Jagne, D M B

2005-02-01

This conference on workplace safety was a success for both the Gambians who attended and the Americans involved in planning, implementing, and funding the conference. The Americans were delighted to bring about some understanding of worker safety to a country that has struggled with labor issues for centuries. The dialogue reflected the concern that stakeholders in both countries have for labor issues, but there is a tremendous need for ongoing partnership with industrialized countries to bring these ideas and strategies to fruition. The Gambia has received some assistance in the area of economic development, but not in improving workplace safety. A wide range of economic support activities have been initiated by the ILO in The Gambia during the past 20 years. This has included providing guidance with international labor standards, assistance to the development of labor and related services, support to employer and worker organizations, vocational training, job creation and employment policy, and small enterprise development. Many challenges lie ahead for The Gambia in improving workplace safety. Serious concerns remain related to minimum safeguards in the workplace. For example, the Labor Act specifies safety equipment that an employer must provide for employees working in designated occupations, but these are rarely offered (Culp et al., 2003). Workers are plentiful and jobs are not, so workers tend to take any employment they can without regard to working conditions. The government has not formally revoked employers who have contributed to worker deaths. Industrial inspections are conducted, although there is little consequence for violations. The cycle of poverty, younger workers, and lack of education also contribute to many worker safety issues. Farm workers cannot read instructions on pesticide containers and industrial employees cannot understand workplace hazard communications. While the Gambian constitution mandates free compulsory primary education, the current state of educational opportunities is so dismal for poor families that many will not go beyond primary school and will enter the work force without technical skills. Teachers are overworked. While some young people could develop small business enterprises related to tourism and woodcarving, the vast majority continue a downward spiral into poverty (McGrath & King, 1999).

A History of Women in the Trades for Integration with the Gender Equity in Education and the Workplace Curriculum.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Grey, Morgan, Comp.

This document, which was originally intended to complement a curriculum titled "Gender Equity in Education and the Workplace," is a compilation of the historical contributions made by women in trade and technical careers that may be used as a source of materials suitable for integration into existing trade and industrial education programs.…

Northeast Texas Agricultural Literacy Network (A-Lit-NeT: A Rural College Partnership Project). Handbook for Customizing Workplace Literacy to Employer Training Needs.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Carnes, John

Problems associated with the poor academic and technical preparation of many workers can be addressed through the use of occupational analysis techniques coupled with the development of curricula based on the results of such analyses. This workplace literacy handbook describes five stages in analyzing business literacy needs and developing…

New Horizons. A National Workplace Literacy Program. Final Report. "New Horizons" External Evaluation Impact Study.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hudson, Patt; Gretes, John A.

The New Horizons project was a workplace literacy partnership during which 454 employees (53%) of Georgetown Steel attended classes provided by Horry-Georgetown Technical College in Conway, South Carolina. Of the 454 participants, 294 were white, 159 were black, 71 were female, 383 were male, 133 had been with the company for 5 years or less, and…

(Re)Kindle: On the Value of Storytelling to Technical Communication

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Small, Nancy

2017-01-01

In an effort to expand the range of ways graduate programs prepare students to be scholars and practitioners in technical and professional communication, this article argues for a fresh direct reengagement with stories, storytelling, and narrative as valuable ways of studying and effectively producing the varied texts of the workplace. The…

Work Force Education: Beyond Technical Skills. Trends and Issues Alert No. 1.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Imel, Susan

This brief suggests that during the past 2 decades, the skills needed to succeed in the workplace have changed significantly. Technical skills remain important, but, increasingly, employers recognize another category of skills crucial to a worker's ability to work "smarter, not harder." These "soft,""core,""nontechnical,""essential,""generic," and…

We Have Enough Information to Act.

PubMed

Shapiro, Jo

2018-06-01

Evidence clearly indicates that physicians are suffering. This is harming our profession, our colleagues, other health care team members, and sometimes our patients. There are efforts nationally and internationally to explore ways of promoting wellness and decreasing the high levels of burnout among physicians. While promoting wellness is a complex challenge, and the solutions will need to be multifactorial, the literature suggests that the most effective interventions are organizational. Instead of putting the burden solely on us as individuals to be able to cope with challenging environments, we should be working toward improving the culture and processes in the workplace. Some technical solutions will be needed, but the challenges will also require adaptive solutions that address issues of trust and support. Our Center for Professionalism and Peer Support offers organizational initiatives designed to foster a culture of trust and respect through professionalism, conflict management, peer support, and disclosure coaching programs.

Workplace Responses and Psychologists' Needs Following Client Suicide.

PubMed

Finlayson, Melissa; Simmonds, Janette

2017-01-01

This research aimed to explore the role of workplace responses in psychologists' adaptation to client suicides. Participants were 178 psychologists who completed an online self-report questionnaire which included both open and closed questions yielding qualitative and quantitative data. Fifty-six (31.5%) participants reported one or more client suicides. Mixed results were found in terms of perceived support from the workplace following a client suicide. Psychologists reported a need for more open communication in the workplace, peer supports, space to grieve, as well as opportunities to engage in a learning process. The findings have important implications for research and for understanding the role of the workplace postvention. It also raises the need for external support to be accessible for psychologists working in private practice.

Examining Beginning Teachers' Perceptions of Workplace Support

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fox, Alison; Deaney, Rosemary; Wilson, Elaine

2010-01-01

Purpose: This paper, taking a participatory perspective of learning, seeks to look at the interaction between individuals and their workplace, focusing on the perceptions of workplaces and self by beginning teachers in terms of support for their learning. Design/methodology/approach: The study presents an analysis of 37 interviews from 17…

Relationship between Workplace Spatial Settings and Occupant-Perceived Support for Collaboration

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hua, Ying; Loftness, Vivian; Heerwagen, Judith H.; Powell, Kevin M.

2011-01-01

The increasingly collaborative nature of knowledge-based work requires workplaces to support both dynamic interactions and concentrated work, both of which are critical for collaboration performance. Given the prevalence of open-plan settings, this requirement has created new challenges for workplace design. Therefore, an understanding of the…

Interventions in the workplace to support breastfeeding for women in employment.

PubMed

Abdulwadud, Omar A; Snow, Mary Elizabeth

2012-10-17

In recent years there has been a rise in the participation rate of women in employment. Some may become pregnant while in employment and subsequently deliver their babies. Most may decide to return early to work after giving birth for various reasons. Unless these mothers get support from their employers and fellow employees, they might give up breastfeeding when they return to work. As a result, the duration and exclusivity of breastfeeding to the recommended age of the babies would be affected.Workplace environment can play a positive role to promote breastfeeding. For women going back to work, various types of workplace support interventions are available and this should not be ignored by employers. Notably, promoting breastfeeding in a workplace may have benefits for the women, the baby and also the employer. To assess the effectiveness of workplace interventions to support and promote breastfeeding among women returning to paid work after the birth of their children, and its impact on process outcomes pertinent to employees and employers. We searched the Cochrane Pregnancy and Childbirth Group's Trials Register (2 August 2012). Two authors independently assessed all identified studies for randomised controlled trials and quasi-randomised controlled trials that compared workplace interventions with no intervention or two or more workplace interventions against each other. Two authors planned to evaluate the methodological quality of the eligible trials and extract data. There were no randomised controlled trials or quasi-randomised controlled trials identified. No trials have evaluated the effectiveness of workplace interventions in promoting breastfeeding among women returning to paid work after the birth of their child. The impact of such intervention on process outcomes is also unknown. Randomised controlled trials are required to establish the benefits of various types of workplace interventions to support, encourage and promote breastfeeding among working mothers.

Workplace Violence and Components of a Psychologically Healthy Workplace.

PubMed

Hart, Rod; Heybrock, Denise

2017-01-01

As episodes of workplace-centered violence have increased in the United States, a focus on emotional and mental health matters is more essential than ever. It is imperative for organizations to be proactive about violence prevention and have a plan that is supported by top management and understood by all managers and employees. Employers can take a number of steps in collaboration with a comprehensive violence prevention plan to promote a supportive and safe work environment. This article addresses workplace violence, risk factors and the components of a violence prevention plan as well as the importance of building a psychologically healthy workplace.

Predictors of Workplace Deviant Behaviour: HRD Agenda for Malaysian Support Personnel

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Alias, Mazni; Rasdi, Roziah Mohd; Ismail, Maimunah; Samah, Bahaman Abu

2013-01-01

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to develop a theoretical model of the determinants of workplace deviant behaviour among support personnel in Malaysian Public Service organisations. Design/methodology/approach: This study is based on reviews of past studies on workplace deviant behaviour. To conduct the literature review, several keywords…

Culture and Workplace Communications: A Comparison of the Technical Communications Practices of Japanese and U.S. Aerospace Engineers and Scientists

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Pinelli, Thomas E. (Editor); Sato, Yuko (Editor); Barclay, Rebecca O. (Editor); Kennedy, John M. (Editor)

1997-01-01

The advent of global markets elevates the role and importance of culture as a mitigating factor in the diffusion of knowledge and technology and in product and process innovation. This is especially true in the large commercial aircraft (LCA) sector where the production and market aspects are becoming increasingly international. As firms expand beyond their national borders, using such methods as risk-sharing partnerships, joint ventures, outsourcing, and alliances, they have to contend with national and corporate cultures. Our focus is on Japan, a program participant in the production of the Boeing Company's 777. The aspects of Japanese culture and workplace communications will be examined: (1) the influence of Japanese culture on the diffusion of knowledge and technology in aerospace at the national and international levels; (2) those cultural determinants-the propensity to work together, a willingness to subsume individual interests to a greater good, and an emphasis on consensual decision making-that have a direct bearing on the ability of Japanese firms to form alliances and compete in international markets; (3) and those cultural determinants thought to influence the information-seeking behaviors and workplace communication practices of Japanese aerospace engineers and scientists. In this article, we report selective results from a survey of Japanese and U.S. aerospace engineers and scientists that focused on workplace communications. Data are presented for the following topics: importance of and time spent communicating information, collaborative writing, need for an undergraduate course in technical communication, use of libraries, use and importance of electronic (computer) networks, and the use and importance of foreign and domestically produced technical reports.

NASA/DOD Aerospace Knowledge Diffusion Research Project. Paper 64: Culture and Workplace Communications: A Comparison of the Technical Communications Practices of Japanese and US Aerospace Engineers and Scientists

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Pinelli, Thomas E.; Sato, Yuko; Barclay, Rebecca O.; Kennedy, John M.

1997-01-01

The advent of global markets elevates the role and importance of culture as a mitigating factor in the diffusion of knowledge and technology and in product and process innovation. This is especially true in the large commercial aircraft (LCA) sector where the production and market aspects are becoming increasingly international. As firms expand beyond their national borders, using such methods as risk-sharing partnerships, joint ventures, outsourcing, and alliances, they have to contend with national and corporate cultures. Our focus is on Japan, a program participant in the production of the Boeing Company's 777. The aspects of Japanese culture and workplace communications will be examined: 1.) the influence of Japanese culture on the diffusion of knowledge and technology in aerospace at the national and international levels; 2.) those cultural determinants-the propensity to work together, a willingness to subsume individual interests to a greater good, and an emphasis on consensual decision making-that have a direct bearing on the ability of Japanese firms to form alliances and compete in international markets; 3.) and those cultural determinants thought to influence the information-seeking behaviors and workplace communication practices of Japanese aerospace engineers and scientists. In this article, we report selective results from a survey of Japanese and U.S. aerospace engineers and scientists that focused on workplace communications. Data are presented for the following topics: importance of and time spent communicating information, collaborative writing, need for an undergraduate course in technical communication, use of libraries, use and importance of electronic (computer) networks, and the use and importance of foreign and domestically produced technical reports.

Types of Workplace Social Support in the Prediction of Job Satisfaction

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Harris, J. Irene; Winskowski, Ann Marie; Engdahl, Brian E.

2007-01-01

Research on social support and job satisfaction has yielded mixed results, partly because studies have rarely examined different types of workplace social support, such as collegial support, task support, coaching, and career mentoring. This study identified the relative contributions of different types of social support to job satisfaction and…

Social Support in the Workplace for Working-Age Adults with Visual Impairments

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Papakonstantinou, Doxa; Papadopoulos, Konstantinos

2009-01-01

The research presented in this article investigated the social support provided in the workplace for persons with visual impairments. The results reveal the more frequently demonstrated forms of positive and negative social support, the range of social support, and the level of satisfaction with this support.

Introducing Active Learning Pedagogy into a Technical and Vocational Education and Training Academy in Kurdistan, Iraq

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dickson, Martina; Ladefoged, Svend Erik

2017-01-01

This article focuses on a teaching methodology project which investigated issues of teaching quality at a technical and vocational education and training (TVET) academy in Kurdistan, Northern Iraq. The academy was established in 2012 to provide unemployed youth with TVET, particularly workplace-relevant training. A needs analysis showed that the…

Positioning Research and Practice in Career and Technical Education: A Framework for College and Career Preparation in the 21st Century

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rojewski, Jay W.; Hill, Roger B.

2014-01-01

Workforce preparation, including Career and Technical Education (CTE), provides opportunities for people to become successful participants in the global workplace. To accomplish this purpose, people must be equipped with knowledge and skills necessary to fulfill personal interests and goals, develop leadership skills, and become qualified and…

Improving Systems Providing Education and Training throughout Life. Flexible Access to Technical and Vocational Education throughout Life.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bartram, John D.

A large majority of the world's people are denied access to learning. The link between technical and vocational education (TVE) and individual and workplace economic productivity is well documented. Many countries are experiencing combinations of increasing populations of young people and high unemployment rates. Existing traditions of training…

Teaching a "Critical Accessibility Case Study": Developing Disability Studies Curricula for the Technical Communication Classroom

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Browning, Ella R.; Cagle, Lauren E.

2017-01-01

As technical communication (TC) instructors, it is vital that we continue reimagining our curricula as the field itself is continually reimagined in light of new technologies, genres, workplace practices, and theories--theories such as those from disability studies scholarship. Here, the authors offer an approach to including disability studies in…

Australian Business Graduates' Perceptions of Non-Technical Skills within the Workplace

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Roepen, Dean

2017-01-01

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to explore non-technical skills from the perspective of Australian business graduates who had recently made the transition from higher education into full-time employment. Design/methodology/approach: A mixed-methods approach was applied through the use of an online survey containing closed and open-ended…

The Inculcation of Generic Skills among Juveniles through Technical and Vocational Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wan-Mohamed, Wan Azlinda; Yunus, Mohamed Hafis

2009-01-01

Generic skills are skills which contribute towards individual's effective and successful participation in the workplace. For juveniles, Technical and Vocational Education (TVE) is one of the platforms that provide them generic skills which enable them to compete for job market. The purpose of this study is to investigate the level of generic…

An Assessment of Workplace Skills Acquired by Students of Vocational and Technical Education Institutions

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bakar, Ab Rahim; Mohamed, Shamsiah; Hamzah, Ramlah

2013-01-01

This study was performed to identify the employability skills of technical students from the Industrial Training Institutes (ITI) and Indigenous People's Trust Council (MARA) Skills Training Institutes (IKM) in Malaysia. The study sample consisted of 850 final year trainees of IKM and ITI. The sample was chosen by a random sampling procedure from…

Rigor "and" Relevance: Enhancing High School Students' Math Skills through Career and Technical Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stone, James R., III; Alfeld, Corinne; Pearson, Donna

2008-01-01

Numerous high school students, including many who are enrolled in career and technical education (CTE) courses, do not have the math skills necessary for today's high-skill workplace or college entrance requirements. This study tests a model for enhancing mathematics instruction in five high school CTE programs (agriculture, auto technology,…

Workplace support after breast cancer treatment: recognition of vulnerability.

PubMed

Tiedtke, Corine; Dierckx de Casterlé, Bernadette; Donceel, Peter; de Rijk, Angelique

2015-01-01

Support from the workplace seems to be a key element in addressing the poor return-to-work (RTW) rate of employees with breast cancer. We aim to acquire an in-depth understanding of how Flemish employees experience their RTW after breast cancer and the support from the workplace. Fourteen in-depth interviews of women who experienced breast cancer and returned to work (high school graduates, age range 42-55 years, mean age 48 at time of surgery) were analysed using the Qualitative Analysis Guide of Leuven (QUAGOL), based on a Grounded Theory approach. The key experiences were feeling vulnerable, feeling able to work and need for support. Although little diversity in RTW experiences was found, the background of the vulnerability varied. Women experienced support (which could be emotional or practical) only as adequate if it addressed their specific vulnerability. Employees felt particularly vulnerable. Vulnerability is not the same as low-work ability and as such it should be added as theoretical concept in RTW research. Adequate workplace support addresses the specific vulnerability of an individual woman. Our study offers a nuanced insight into the RTW process of breast cancer survivors. Upon actual return-to-work (RTW) after breast cancer treatment, women feel vulnerable but able to work and, hence, have a high need for workplace support. Support from the workplace during RTW after breast cancer treatment is experienced as adequate when it expresses genuine recognition of the individual woman's vulnerability.

Conceptualizing the dynamics of workplace stress: a systems-based study of nursing aides.

PubMed

Jetha, Arif; Kernan, Laura; Kurowski, Alicia

2017-01-05

Workplace stress is a complex phenomenon that may often be dynamic and evolving over time. Traditional linear modeling does not allow representation of recursive feedback loops among the implicated factors. The objective of this study was to develop a multidimensional system dynamics model (SDM) of workplace stress among nursing aides and conduct simulations to illustrate how changes in psychosocial perceptions and workplace factors might influence workplace stress over time. Eight key informants with prior experience in a large study of US nursing home workers participated in model building. Participants brainstormed the range of components related to workplace stress. Components were grouped together based on common themes and translated into feedback loops. The SDM was parameterized through key informant insight on the shape and magnitude of the relationship between model components. Model construction was also supported utilizing survey data collected as part of the larger study. All data was entered into the software program, Vensim. Simulations were conducted to examine how adaptations to model components would influence workplace stress. The SDM included perceptions of organizational conditions (e.g., job demands and job control), workplace social support (i.e., managerial and coworker social support), workplace safety, and demands outside of work (i.e. work-family conflict). Each component was part of a reinforcing feedback loop. Simulations exhibited that scenarios with increasing job control and decreasing job demands led to a decline in workplace stress. Within the context of the system, the effects of workplace social support, workplace safety, and work-family conflict were relatively minor. SDM methodology offers a unique perspective for researchers and practitioners to view workplace stress as a dynamic process. The portrayal of multiple recursive feedback loops can guide the development of policies and programs within complex organizational contexts with attention both to interactions among causes and avoidance of adverse unintended consequences. While additional research is needed to further test the modeling approach, findings might underscore the need to direct workplace interventions towards changing organizational conditions for nursing aides.

Train Your Brain.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Salopek, Jennifer J.

1998-01-01

In an interview, Daniel Goleman, author of "Working with Emotional Intelligence," explains how emotional intelligence outweighs cognitive ability and technical skills as a contributor to success in the workplace. (Author/JOW)

[Effect of work and organizational characteristics on workers in call centers: longitudinal study in an information service company].

PubMed

Tei, Maki; Yamazaki, Yoshihiko

2005-09-01

To investigate the effect of work and organizational characteristics on workers' health status, with job dissatisfaction and intentions to leave as "organizational health", we conducted a longitudinal study using a questionnaire survey in call centers of an information service company from July to August in 2001 and 2002. The response rates were 96.2% and 92.0%, respectively. For the statistical analysis, the completed data of 296 technical support staff, which was more than 80% of the data, was used. We identified seven subscales composed of 29 items of work and organizational characteristics as scales of "organizational characteristics" and "work and workplace characteristics". The results of hierarchical multiple regression analysis showed quantitative and qualitative job-overload influenced psychological health status and poor supervisor support influenced all outcome variables. Moreover, "organizational characteristics" influenced cumulative fatigue and job dissatisfaction, showing an indirect effect with poor supervisor support and coworker support. This study suggests that measures of work and organizational characteristics are useful interventions for "organizational health".

Social support in the workplace for physicians in specialization training

PubMed Central

Mikkola, Leena; Suutala, Elina; Parviainen, Heli

2018-01-01

ABSTRACT When becoming a specialist, learning-through-service plays a significant role. The workplace affords good opportunities for learning, but the service-learning period may also impose stress on phycisians in specialization training. In medical work, social support has proved to be a very important factor in managing stress. Social support may afford advantages also for learning and professional identity building. However, little was known about how social support is perceived by doctors in specialization training. This study aimed to understand the perceptions of physicians in specialization training regarding social support communication in their workplace during their learning-through-service period. The study was conducted qualitatively by inductively analyzing the physicians’ descriptions of workplace communication. The dataset included 120 essays, 60 each from hospitals and primary healthcare centres. Physicians in specialization training explained the need of social support with the responsibilities and demands of their clinical work and the inability to control and manage their workloads. They perceived that social support works well for managing stress, but also for strengthening relational ties and one’s professional identity. A leader’s support was perceived as being effective, and both senior and junior colleagues were described as an important source of social support. Also co-workers, such as the individual nurse partner with whom one works, was mentioned as an important source of social support. The results of this study indicate that social support works at the relational and identity levels, which is due to the multi-functional nature of workplace communication. For example, consultation functions as situational problem-solving, but also the tone of social interaction is meaningful. Thus, strengthening one’s professional identity or collegial relationships requires further attention to workplace communication. Abbreviations PiST: Physician in specialization training PMID:29464988

Social support in the workplace for physicians in specialization training.

PubMed

Mikkola, Leena; Suutala, Elina; Parviainen, Heli

2018-12-01

When becoming a specialist, learning-through-service plays a significant role. The workplace affords good opportunities for learning, but the service-learning period may also impose stress on phycisians in specialization training. In medical work, social support has proved to be a very important factor in managing stress. Social support may afford advantages also for learning and professional identity building. However, little was known about how social support is perceived by doctors in specialization training. This study aimed to understand the perceptions of physicians in specialization training regarding social support communication in their workplace during their learning-through-service period. The study was conducted qualitatively by inductively analyzing the physicians' descriptions of workplace communication. The dataset included 120 essays, 60 each from hospitals and primary healthcare centres. Physicians in specialization training explained the need of social support with the responsibilities and demands of their clinical work and the inability to control and manage their workloads. They perceived that social support works well for managing stress, but also for strengthening relational ties and one's professional identity. A leader's support was perceived as being effective, and both senior and junior colleagues were described as an important source of social support. Also co-workers, such as the individual nurse partner with whom one works, was mentioned as an important source of social support. The results of this study indicate that social support works at the relational and identity levels, which is due to the multi-functional nature of workplace communication. For example, consultation functions as situational problem-solving, but also the tone of social interaction is meaningful. Thus, strengthening one's professional identity or collegial relationships requires further attention to workplace communication. Abbreviations PiST: Physician in specialization training.

Perceived Physical Availability of Alcohol at Work and Workplace Alcohol Use and Impairment: Testing a Structural Model

PubMed Central

Frone, Michael R.; Trinidad, Jonathan R.

2014-01-01

This study develops and tests a new conceptual model of perceived physical availability of alcohol at work that provides unique insight into three dimensions of workplace physical availability of alcohol and their direct and indirect relations to workplace alcohol use and impairment. Data were obtained from a national probability sample of 2,727 U.S. workers. The results support the proposed conceptual model and provide empirical support for a positive relation of perceived physical availability of alcohol at work to workplace alcohol use and two dimensions of workplace impairment (workplace intoxication and workplace hangover). Ultimately, the findings suggest that perceived physical availability of alcohol at work is a risk factor for alcohol use and impairment during the workday, and that this relation is more complex than previously hypothesized. PMID:25243831

Workplace disaster preparedness and response: the employee assistance program continuum of services.

PubMed

Paul, Jan; Blum, Dorothy

2005-01-01

Response programs for workplace critical and traumatic events are becoming an acknowledged and sought after standard of care. The current trauma literature recognizes what goes on in the workplace between the Employee Assistance Program (EAP) and management. The authors have taken this intra-organizational relationship, assimilated the information, and developed a model that recognizes and supports management throughout the continuum of response to workplace traumatic events. The model recognizes the EAP as an important workplace resource and tool in management's ability to strike the balance of managing the workforce while assisting in recovery following workplace trauma. The introduced concept defines the continuum and highlights the before, during, and after phases, showing how EAP supports management in most effectively doing their job.

A Practice-Based Approach to Student Reflection in the Workplace during a Work-Integrated Learning Placement

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sykes, Christopher; Dean, Bonnie Amelia

2013-01-01

In the Work-Integrated Learning (WIL) curriculum, reflection on workplace activities is widely used to support student learning. Recent critiques have demonstrated the limitations of current approaches to support students' reflective learning of workplace practices. By employing a practice-based approach, we seek to refocus WIL reflection on…

Elements of a Workplace Culture of Health, Perceived Organizational Support for Health, and Lifestyle Risk.

PubMed

Payne, Julianne; Cluff, Laurie; Lang, Jason; Matson-Koffman, Dyann; Morgan-Lopez, Antonio

2018-01-01

We investigated the impact of elements of a workplace culture of health (COH) on employees' perceptions of employer support for health and lifestyle risk. We used 2013 and 2015 survey data from the National Healthy Worksite Program, a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)-led initiative to help workplaces implement health-promoting interventions. Forty-one employers completed the CDC Worksite Health Scorecard to document organizational changes. Eight hundred twenty-five employees provided data to evaluate changes in their health and attitudes. We defined elements of a COH as environmental, policy, and programmatic supports; leadership and coworker support; employee engagement (motivational interventions); and strategic communication. Outcomes included scores of employees' perceptions of employer support for health and lifestyle risk derived from self-reported physical activity, nutrition, and tobacco use. We estimated effects using multilevel regression models. At the employee level and across time, regression coefficients show positive associations between leadership support, coworker support, employee engagement, and perceived support for health ( P < .05). Coefficients suggest a marginally significant negative association between lifestyle risk and the presence of environmental and policy supports ( P < .10) and significant associations with leadership support in 2015 only ( P < .05). Relational elements of COH (leadership and coworker support) tend to be associated with perceived support for health, while workplace elements (environmental and policy supports) are more associated with lifestyle risk. Employers need to confront relational and workplace elements together to build a COH.

Workplace bullying, perceived job stressors, and psychological distress: Gender and race differences in the stress process.

PubMed

Attell, Brandon K; Kummerow Brown, Kiersten; Treiber, Linda A

2017-07-01

A large body of empirical research documents the adverse mental health consequences of workplace bullying. However, less is known about gender and race differences in the processes that link workplace bullying and poor mental health. In the current study, we use structural equation modeling of survey data from the 2010 Health and Retirement Study (N = 2292) and draw on stress process theory to examine coworker support as a buffering mechanism against workplace bullying, and gender and race differences in the relationships between bullying and psychological distress. The results of the analysis indicate that coworker support serves as a protective buffer against workplace bullying, although the buffering effect is relatively small. We also find that the effects of workplace bullying more heavily impact women and persons of color. Specifically, women and African American individuals in our sample were less protected from the buffering mechanism of co-worker social support. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Workplace support, discrimination, and person-organization fit: tests of the theory of work adjustment with LGB individuals.

PubMed

Velez, Brandon L; Moradi, Bonnie

2012-07-01

The present study explored the links of 2 workplace contextual variables--perceptions of workplace heterosexist discrimination and lesbian, gay, and bisexual (LGB)-supportive climates--with job satisfaction and turnover intentions in a sample of LGB employees. An extension of the theory of work adjustment (TWA) was used as the conceptual framework for the study; as such, perceived person-organization (P-O) fit was tested as a mediator of the relations between the workplace contextual variables and job outcomes. Data were analyzed from 326 LGB employees. Zero-order correlations indicated that perceptions of workplace heterosexist discrimination and LGB-supportive climates were correlated in expected directions with P-O fit, job satisfaction, and turnover intentions. Structural equation modeling (SEM) was used to compare multiple alternative measurement models evaluating the discriminant validity of the 2 workplace contextual variables relative to one another, and the 3 TWA job variables relative to one another; SEM was also used to test the hypothesized mediation model. Comparisons of multiple alternative measurement models supported the construct distinctiveness of the variables of interest. The test of the hypothesized structural model revealed that only LGB-supportive climates (and not workplace heterosexist discrimination) had a unique direct positive link with P-O fit and, through the mediating role of P-O fit, had significant indirect positive and negative relations with job satisfaction and turnover intentions, respectively. Moreover, P-O fit had a significant indirect negative link with turnover intentions through job satisfaction.

The effects of pre-entry career maturity and support networks in workplace on newcomers' mental health.

PubMed

Kawai, Kaoru; Yamazaki, Yoshihiko

2006-11-01

The present study examined the effects of pre-entry experiences (i.e. career maturity), as well as support networks (i.e. informational and friendship), on newcomers' mental health (i.e. depression, self-esteem, psychosomatic symptoms, and work motivation). We performed a longitudinal study of 890 men and women who first entered the workplace in 2003. Surveys were distributed at two time points: just prior to entering the workplace, and two months after entering. Results indicated that career maturity related positively to newcomers' mental health, and newcomers with high career maturity were more successful in establishing positive relationships with superiors and co-workers. Although, informational support networks positively related to work motivation, friendship networks did not show any direct effects on mental health. These results underscore the crucial roles of career maturity and informational networks in facilitating the transition to the workplace. The results also provide empirical support for an expanded view of the importance of pre-entry experiences to workplace newcomers' mental health.

Skills for the 21st Century: A Report for the Maine Technical College System.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gildart, Kevin; Healy, Bridget

The Skills Commission for the 21st Century was established by the Maine Technical College System Board of Trustees to determine the critical complementary skills necessary for success in the workplace of the 1990s. This report presents the Commission's findings based on input from employers and other key groups in the state. Following introductory…

Manpower Services in the Workplace. An Employer Technical Services Program for a State Employment Service.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kirsch, Arthur W.; And Others

This report outlines a program through which a State Employment Service, using existing resources, can provide employers and their workers with a broad range of technical services in order to improve productivity and make work more tolerable. The report is based on observations and analysis by a team of participant-observers of a Skill Improvement…

Empowering Technical College Students in the Work Place.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lewis, Theodore; And Others

The purpose of this report is to describe how Minnesota technical college students can be empowered through vocational education to be full participants in the labor force and to deal with the changes that they encounter in the workplace. Chapter 1 introduces the problem of keeping up with changes in the ways in which work is performed. Chapter 2…

An investigation of predictors of successful aging in the workplace among Hong Kong Chinese older workers.

PubMed

Cheung, Francis; Wu, Anise M S

2012-03-01

We examined associations between successful aging in the workplace (adaptability and health, positive relationship, occupational growth, personal security, and continuous focus on goals) and two major factors of work stressors (work family conflict and discrimination against older workers) and coping resources (perceived organizational support, supportive human resource policies, and social support from friends and family) among Chinese older workers in Hong Kong. Furthermore, we also examined whether coping resources moderate the negative effect derived from work stressors on successful aging. A total of 242 Chinese full-time workers aged 40 years or above were recruited in a self-administered questionnaire survey study in Hong Kong. Hierarchical regression results showed that family-to-work conflict was significantly related to successful aging, except the dimension of personal security. Work-to-family conflict and discrimination, however, were not related to successful aging in the workplace. In terms of coping resources, perceived organizational support was related to all dimensions of successful aging in the workplace. We also found that training and development was a significant correlate of occupational growth. Social support from friends and family was positively related to three successful aging dimensions, including adaptability and health, personal security and continuous focus on goals. Finally, when facing discrimination in the workplace, support from organizations and from friends and family were particularly important for old-older workers (aged 55 years or above) to achieve better adaptability and health. Perceived organizational support and social support from friends and family were important correlates of successful aging in the workplace. Limitation and recommendations for organizational intervention were discussed.

The Impact of Workplace Support and Identity on Training Transfer: A Case Study of Drug and Alcohol Safety Training in Australia

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pidd, Ken

2004-01-01

Previous research has indicated that the transfer climate of work organisations is an important factor in determining the degree to which knowledge, skills and abilities gained in training transfer to the workplace. In particular, workplace social support from supervisors and coworkers is consistently cited as an important factor that can…

Workplace Support, Discrimination, and Person-Organization Fit: Tests of the Theory of Work Adjustment with LGB Individuals

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Velez, Brandon L.; Moradi, Bonnie

2012-01-01

The present study explored the links of 2 workplace contextual variables--perceptions of workplace heterosexist discrimination and lesbian, gay, and bisexual (LGB)-supportive climates--with job satisfaction and turnover intentions in a sample of LGB employees. An extension of the theory of work adjustment (TWA) was used as the conceptual framework…

Reducing occupational sitting: Workers' perspectives on participation in a multi-component intervention.

PubMed

Hadgraft, Nyssa T; Willenberg, Lisa; LaMontagne, Anthony D; Malkoski, Keti; Dunstan, David W; Healy, Genevieve N; Moodie, Marj; Eakin, Elizabeth G; Owen, Neville; Lawler, Sheleigh P

2017-05-30

Office workers spend much of their time sitting, which is now understood to be a risk factor for several chronic diseases. This qualitative study examined participants' perspectives following their involvement in a cluster randomised controlled trial of a multi-component intervention targeting prolonged workplace sitting (Stand Up Victoria). The intervention incorporated a sit-stand workstation, individual health coaching and organisational support strategies. The aim of the study was to explore the acceptability of the intervention, barriers and facilitators to reducing workplace sitting, and perceived effects of the intervention on workplace culture, productivity and health-related outcomes. Semi-structured interviews (n = 21 participants) and two focus groups (n = 7) were conducted with intervention participants at the conclusion of the 12 month trial and thematic analysis was used to analyse the data. Questions covered intervention acceptability, overall impact, barriers and facilitators to reducing workplace sitting, and perceived impact on productivity and workplace culture. Overall, participants had positive intervention experiences, perceiving that reductions in workplace sitting were associated with improved health and well-being with limited negative impact on work performance. While sit-stand workstations appeared to be the primary drivers of change, workstation design and limited suitability of standing for some job tasks and situations were perceived as barriers to their use. Social support from team leaders and other participants was perceived to facilitate behavioural changes and a shift in norms towards increased acceptance of standing in the workplace. Multi-component interventions to reduce workplace sitting, incorporating sit-stand workstations, are acceptable and feasible; however, supportive social and environmental conditions are required to support participant engagement. Best practice approaches to reduce workplace sitting should address the multiple levels of influence on behaviour, including factors that may act as barriers to behavioural change.

Physiotherapists' perceptions of workplace competency: a mixed-methods observational study.

PubMed

Sturt, Rodney; Burge, Angela T; Harding, Paula; Sayer, James

2017-06-22

Objectives Workplace-based competency is increasingly considered fundamental to patient safety and quality healthcare. The aim of the present study was to identify and describe physiotherapists' perceptions of workplace competency. Methods The present study was a mixed-methods cross-sectional observational study. Thematic and descriptive analysis of qualitative and survey data were undertaken. Forty-six physiotherapists employed at a metropolitan acute public hospital participated in interviews or focus groups; a subgroup of 31 participants also completed an online survey. Results Five main themes were identified: (1) despite the availability of workplace learning opportunities and supports, less-experienced staff reported limited confidence; (2) assessment and feedback around workplace competency was limited, predominantly informal and unstructured, with less than half of the cohort (42%) agreeing feedback received was useful for improving their workplace skills; (3) practicing within individual scope is an important aspect of workplace competency as a physiotherapist; (4) most (81%) agreed it was important for them to self-determine their learning and development goals, and they relied primarily on informal discussion to achieve these goals; and, (5) physiotherapists felt motivated regarding workplace learning, with 97% interested in developing their workplace skills however, nearly half (45%) did not feel they had sufficient time to do so. Conclusions The perceptions of physiotherapists working in a metropolitan acute public hospital are reflected in five themes. These themes elucidate how workplace competency is supported, maintained and developed among physiotherapists in this setting. These themes also highlight key challenges of workplace learning faced by this cohort of physiotherapists and allude to methods that may assist with improving feedback mechanisms and knowledge acquisition. What is known about this topic? Studies investigating employee perceptions around workplace competency, knowledge, skills and learning are found across a range of industries. Workplace-based competency is increasingly considered fundamental to patient safety and quality health care. There is little known about physiotherapists' perceptions of workplace competency. What does this paper add? This study has identified and described themes around physiotherapists' perceptions of their workplace knowledge and skills. What are the implications for practitioners? The themes identified provide support for the development, implementation and evaluation of a workplace-based competency framework for physiotherapists.

Coping with workplace minority stress: Associations between dyadic coping and anxiety among women in same-sex relationships.

PubMed

Randall, Ashley K; Totenhagen, Casey J; Walsh, Kelsey J; Adams, Caroline; Tao, Chun

2017-01-02

Sexual minorities are exposed to stressors in the workplace (workplace minority stress), which can be detrimental for well-being (e.g., levels of anxiety). The present study examined whether a particular set of relationship processes, dyadic coping, served to moderate the association between workplace minority stress and symptoms of anxiety. Using a dyadic sample of 64 female same-sex couples, we found that partner problem-focused supportive dyadic coping (DC) and emotion-focused supportive DC (marginally) buffered, whereas partner delegated DC and negative DC did not moderate, the association between workplace minority stress and symptoms of anxiety. Implications for relationship researchers and mental health practitioners are discussed.

Further examination of predictors of turnover intention among mental health professionals.

PubMed

Yanchus, N J; Periard, D; Osatuke, K

2017-02-01

WHAT IS KNOWN ON THE SUBJECT?: When mental health professionals leave organizations, detrimental effects on quality of patient care occur. Reasons for leaving include incivility, lack of autonomy, perceptions of unfair treatment and feeling psychologically unsafe at work. This paper sought to investigate additional reasons why mental health professionals intend to quit or to cognitively withdraw from their jobs. WHAT DOES THIS PAPER ADD TO EXISTING KNOWLEDGE?: Past research on this topic is limited in its scope and data. Mainly fragmented evidence is available about predictors of job satisfaction and turnover intention (i.e. different mental health occupations examined in separate studies). Only two existing studies that examined broader mental health provider groups were limited by including few workforce settings, small sample sizes and insufficiently rigorous statistical analyses. We examined four occupations (mental health nurses, social workers, psychologists and psychiatrists), each represented through a large sample in multiple settings, all within one large healthcare network with complex patients. Our contribution is finding additional predictors (supervisory support, emotional exhaustion) of job satisfaction/turnover intention. WHAT ARE THE IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE?: Organizations can consider using culture change initiatives to increase civility at work; this includes leadership support and role modelling of workplace behaviours. Leaders should monitor staffing levels and high workloads to pre-empt emotional exhaustion, which predicts turnover. Hiring and training supervisors should involve not only technical expertise, but also 'soft skills' necessary for creating civil and supportive work environments. Leaders and managers should use employee feedback data (e.g. organizational surveys) to learn about the workplace environments, and address areas of employees' concern. Introduction Given the global shortage of mental health professionals, high turnover rates within this workforce are concerning. We used United States of America Veterans Health Administration data to add to the limited knowledge about this topic. Aim We examined predictors of turnover intention, or an employee's cognitive withdrawal from their job, in a large sample of direct care mental health professionals, separating among occupations to increase the pragmatic relevance of our findings. Method Survey data from 10 997 mental health employees working in direct patient contact (2432 registered nurses, 3769 social workers, 2520 psychologists and 1276 psychiatrists) were used in a cross-sectional design with structural equation modelling techniques for model testing. Results Job satisfaction was predicted by civility (courteous and respectful workplace behaviours) and supervisory support. Job satisfaction predicted emotional exhaustion which predicted turnover intention. Job satisfaction also directly predicted turnover intention and turnover plans. Discussion Predictors of job satisfaction included civility and supervisory support. Emotional exhaustion predicted turnover intention. Results inform organizational actions to address these work environment characteristics. Implications for practice Organizations can initiate culture changes to improve civility and develop supervisors' 'soft skills' in conjunction with technical expertise. Published 2016. This article is a U.S. Government work and is in the public domain in the USA.

Workplace breastfeeding support for hospital employees.

PubMed

Dodgson, Joan E; Chee, Yuet-Oi; Yap, Tian Sew

2004-07-01

Breastfeeding initiation rates have been steadily rising in Hong Kong, but most employed women wean prior to returning to work. While health care providers promote breastfeeding, women receive little support from employers. A few health care facilities offer some workplace breastfeeding support, but little is known about the specific types and amount of support that are offered. This paper reports a study whose aim was to describe workplace supports available to breastfeeding women employed by hospitals that provide maternity services in Hong Kong, and to determine if differences in workplace supports exist based on the hospitals' numbers of employees or funding source. In late 2001, a cross-sectional survey was completed by nurse managers or lactation consultants most knowledgeable about supports to breastfeeding employees in 19 hospitals. The number of workplace breastfeeding supports or Breastfeeding Support Score (M = 7.47; sd = 3.37) varied considerably. Mean Breastfeeding Support Score for government-funded hospitals was significantly higher (t = 2.31; P = 0.03) than for private hospitals. Of the 14 hospitals that had a designated space for using a breast pump, only five (26.3%) had a private room with a door that locked. Only two hospitals (11.1%) allowed employees to take breaks as needed to use a pump; employees in 10 (55.6%) had to use their meal and regular break times. Hospitals having a hospital-wide committee that addressed workplace breastfeeding issues had a more supportive environment for breastfeeding employees. Although all surveyed hospitals returned the questionnaire, the sample size was small. It was difficult to ensure accuracy and to differentiate subtle variations in the services provided using a self-report survey. Facilitating continued breastfeeding after employees' return to work requires that employers understand the needs of breastfeeding employees. Policy at the level of the employer and government is an essential component of creating a supportive environment.

The Significance of Social Relationships in Learning to Become a Vocational and Technical Education Teacher: A Case Study of Three Individuals

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Goh, Adeline Yuen Sze

2013-01-01

This article about workplace learning examines the learning of individuals in becoming a Vocational and Technical Education (VTE) teacher in Brunei. Drawing on research findings from a group of student teachers, it presents case study accounts of three individuals to illustrate the importance of social relationships in learning to become a VTE…

Workplace Learning: The Role of Canadian Colleges and Institutes in Meeting Canada's Professional, Technical and Trade Skills Challenges = L'apprentissage en milieu de travail: Le role des colleges et instituts canadiens face aux defis canadiens en matiere des competences professionnels et techniques.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Malcolmson, Lorna, Ed.

2002-01-01

This issue examines selected topics in vocational education in Canadian community colleges. It focuses on the central themes of community college and industry partnerships, vocational education assessment, and vocational and workplace education pedagogical models. Articles include: (1) "Industry and Colleges: Key Partners in Meeting Canada's…

Why and when workplace ostracism inhibits organizational citizenship behaviors: An organizational identification perspective.

PubMed

Wu, Chia-Huei; Liu, Jun; Kwan, Ho Kwong; Lee, Cynthia

2016-03-01

Why and when do employees respond to workplace ostracism by withholding their engagement in citizenship behavior? Beyond perspectives proposed in past studies, we offer a new account based on a social identity perspective and propose that workplace ostracism decreases citizenship behavior by undermining employees' identification with the organization. We also theorize that perceived job mobility influences the extent to which employees identify with the organization when being ostracized. These hypotheses were examined in two time-lagged studies conducted in China. The proposed hypotheses were supported by results in Study 1, and findings were generally replicated in Study 2, where effects of other known mediators (i.e., organization-based self-esteem, job engagement, and felt obligation toward the organization) and moderators (i.e., collectivism, power distance, and future orientation) suggested by previous perspectives were controlled. Results of Study 2 provided further support of the hypothesized directional effect of workplace ostracism on citizenship behavior via organizational identification. Our studies support the identification perspective in understanding workplace ostracism and also strengthen the application of this perspective in understanding workplace aggression broadly. (c) 2016 APA, all rights reserved).

Do Workplace Literacy Programs Promote High Skills or Low Wages? Suggestions for Future Evaluations of Workplace Literacy Programs.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sarmiento, Tony

Workplace literacy programs can support the path toward either low wages or high skills. Instead of the "high skill" path, most U.S. companies follow the "low wage" path. Depending on who is involved, which program goals are selected, and what planning process is followed, a workplace literacy program can maintain outdated workplaces or foster…

Promoting Prevention Through the Affordable Care Act: Workplace Wellness

PubMed Central

Roffenbender, Jason S.; Goetzel, Ron Z.; Millard, Francois; Wildenhaus, Kevin; DeSantis, Charles; Novelli, William

2012-01-01

Public health in the United States can be improved by building workplace “cultures of health” that support healthy lifestyles. The Affordable Care Act (ACA), which includes the Prevention and Public Health Fund, will support a new focus on prevention and wellness, offering opportunities to strengthen the public’s health through workplace wellness initiatives. This article describes the opportunity the ACA provides to improve worker wellness. PMID:23237245

[An investigation of the application of hygienic standards for the design of industrial enterprises (GBZ 1-2010)].

PubMed

Lu, Y; Zhang, M

2016-08-20

Objective: To study the applicability, the high frequency used content, the feasibility, and issues needed to be solved of the standard of GBZ 1-2010, aiming to provide technical evidence for the revision of GBZ1. Methods: In the study, the data were collected by referring to the literature database and the questionnaire from June 2013 to June 2015. There were 2 surveys carried out in the study, with methods including questionnaire survey and specific interview. The investigation methods include the paper version of the questionnaire by mail, the electronic version of the questionnaire by e-mail, and the online survey. And 111 questionnaires were collected. Results: In total, the applicability survey (the first survey) received 156 suggestions covering 76 items from 23 facilities, and 13 key technical issues were summarized to be solved as priorities. In the application survey (the second survey) , the leading three jobs using GBZ 1-2010 were the occupational hazards evaluation for constructive project (82.0%) , lecturing/training (65.8%) , occupational hazards monitoring (64.9%) , respectively. The high frequency used contents of GBZ 1-2010 were the sixth part "the basic hygienic requirements for workplace" (90.1%) , the fifth part "site selection, overall layout and workshop design" (87.4%) , the seventh part "the basic hygienic requirements for welfare room" (85.6%) , respectively. In the results of feasibility, scores of the fourth part "the general rules" , the fifth part "site selection, overall layout and workshop design" , the sixth part "the basic hygienic requirements for workplace" , the seventh part "the basic hygienic requirements for welfare room" , the eighth "emergency rescue" , annex A "the correct use instructions" , annex B "buffer zone standards for industrial enterprises" were 2.6, 3.1, 3.5, 3.8, 3.2, 3.3, 2.6, respectively. Among 111 questionnaires, the parts needed to be modified as priories were the fifth part "site selection, overall layout and workshop design" (51.4%) , and the sixth part "the basic hygienic requirements for workplace" (51.4%) . In results of the key technical issues needed to be modified of GBZ 1-2010, the contents needed to be added as priories were the occupational prevention and control requirements of biological factors (51.4%) , technical parameters of dust in workplace (48.7%) , technical parameters of hazardous agents in workplace (46.9%) , the quality and quantity requirements of fresh air (46.0%) , the setting conditions of the emergency rescue station (46.0%) , the hygienic design requirements of joint workshops and the evidence (45.1%) , and requirements for medical emergency rescue personnel equipped and qualified (45.1%) . Conclusion: GBZ 1-2010 is feasible and practical, mainly used by occupational health technical service organizations in the occupational hazards evaluation for constructive project, lecturing/training, occupational hazards monitoring, et al. GBZ 1 plays a directive role in government decision-making, control of constructive projects from the beginning, training and capacity building of occupational health professionals, and the prevention and treatment of occupational diseases in enterprises, needing to strengthen the implementation of GBZ 1. And on the basis of the above key technical issues to be revised, international cooperation and exchanges should be strengthened, so that it is adapted to the development of the modern enterprise system.

Evaluating Academic Workplaces: The Hyper-Expansive Environment Experienced by University Lecturers in Professional Fields

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Boyd, Pete; Smith, Caroline; Ilhan Beyaztas, Dilek

2015-01-01

Academic developers need to understand the situated workplaces of the academic tribes they are supporting. This study proposes the use of the expansive--restrictive workplace learning environment continuum as a tool for evaluation of academic workplaces. The tool is critically appraised through its application to the analysis of workplace…

Thinking Beyond Numbers: Learning Numeracy for the Future Workplace. Support Document

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Marr, Beth; Hagston, Jan

2007-01-01

The use, learning and transfer of workplace numeracy skills, as well as current understandings of the term numeracy, are examined in this study. It also highlights the importance of numeracy as an essential workplace skill. "Thinking Beyond Numbers: Learning Numeracy for the Future Workplace" challenges the training system and training…

The Influence of Investment in Workplace Learning on Learning Outcomes and Organizational Performance

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Park, Yoonhee; Jacobs, Ronald L.

2011-01-01

Although the importance of workplace learning has been recognized in research and practice, there is little empirical support that describes how workplace learning, including both formal and informal learning, is linked to organizational performance. This study investigated the influence of investment in workplace learning on learning outcomes and…

Workplace social networks and their relationship with job outcomes and other employment characteristics for people with severe mental illness

PubMed Central

Rollins, Angela L.; Bond, Gary R.; Jones, Amanda M.; Kukla, Marina; Collins, Linda A.

2013-01-01

Clients with severe mental illness (SMI) often struggle in their efforts to maintain employment. One cause of early job terminations is interpersonal difficulties in the workplace. This study explored workplace social networks and their relationship with job outcomes and other employment characteristics for people with SMI. Results indicated that clients generally had positive experiences with both supervisors and coworkers. Contrary to our hypothesis, employment model was not associated with better workplace network characteristics. Also contrary to our hypothesis, clients employed in group placements did not differ in workplace network characteristics from those in competitive employment settings. Workplace network characteristics were robustly correlated with job satisfaction, but not strongly related to hourly wages or overall job tenure. Job tenure at the time of the workplace network assessment did show a few modest negative correlations with supervisor and coworker support, indicating declining perceived social network support with increasing job tenure. Study limitations and future directions for research using this methodology are discussed. PMID:24013773

`It's more flexible': persistence of women engineers in the academy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mlambo, Yeukai Angela; Mabokela, Reitumetse Obakeng

2017-05-01

The under-representation of women in engineering is an issue of concern for policy-makers. While much of the existing literature has focussed on understanding reasons for women's under-representation in engineering and related technical fields, there is a paucity of research that examines why women who are already in engineering persist. This study aims to answer the question, why do women engineers in academe persist in a discipline that is generally perceived to be inhospitable to women. Three main challenges, namely gender discrimination, lack of institutional and disciplinary support, and the rigid nature of the workplace, emerged as key impediments to women engineers in the private sector. In contrast, women engineers in the academy identified the flexibility offered by academic environments, the presence of personal support networks, and a passion for teaching and students as critical factors that influenced their decision to remain in academia.

Ergonomic guidelines for using notebook personal computers. Technical Committee on Human-Computer Interaction, International Ergonomics Association.

PubMed

Saito, S; Piccoli, B; Smith, M J; Sotoyama, M; Sweitzer, G; Villanueva, M B; Yoshitake, R

2000-10-01

In the 1980's, the visual display terminal (VDT) was introduced in workplaces of many countries. Soon thereafter, an upsurge in reported cases of related health problems, such as musculoskeletal disorders and eyestrain, was seen. Recently, the flat panel display or notebook personal computer (PC) became the most remarkable feature in modern workplaces with VDTs and even in homes. A proactive approach must be taken to avert foreseeable ergonomic and occupational health problems from the use of this new technology. Because of its distinct physical and optical characteristics, the ergonomic requirements for notebook PCs in terms of machine layout, workstation design, lighting conditions, among others, should be different from the CRT-based computers. The Japan Ergonomics Society (JES) technical committee came up with a set of guidelines for notebook PC use following exploratory discussions that dwelt on its ergonomic aspects. To keep in stride with this development, the Technical Committee on Human-Computer Interaction under the auspices of the International Ergonomics Association worked towards the international issuance of the guidelines. This paper unveils the result of this collaborative effort.

A lottery incentive system to facilitate dialogue and social support for workplace HIV counselling and testing: A qualitative inquiry

PubMed Central

Weihs, Martin; Meyer-Weitz, Anna

2014-01-01

Abstract Despite South African mid-sized companies' efforts to offer HIV counselling and testing (HCT) in the workplace, companies report relatively poor uptake rates. An urgent need for a range of different interventions aimed at increasing participation in workplace HCT has been identified. The aim of this study was to explore qualitatively the influence of a lottery incentive system (LIS) as an intervention to influence shop-floor workers' workplace HIV testing behaviour. A qualitative study was conducted among 17 shop-floor workers via convenience sampling in two mid-sized South African automotive manufacturing companies in which an LIS for HCT was implemented. The in-depth interviews employed a semi-structured interview schedule and thematic analysis was used to analyse the data. The interviews revealed that the LIS created excitement in the companies and renewed employees' personal interest in HCT. The excitement facilitated social interactions that resulted in a strong group cohesion pertaining to HCT that mitigated the burden of HIV stigma in the workplace. Open discussions allowed for the development of supportive social group pressure to seek HCT as a collective in anticipation of a reward. Lotteries were perceived as a supportive and innovative company approach to workplace HCT. The study identified important aspects for consideration by companies when using an LIS to enhance workplace HIV testing. The significance of inter- and intra-player dialogue in activating supportive social norms for HIV testing in collectivist African contexts was highlighted. PMID:25023208

A lottery incentive system to facilitate dialogue and social support for workplace HIV counselling and testing: a qualitative inquiry.

PubMed

Weihs, Martin; Meyer-Weitz, Anna

2014-01-01

Despite South African mid-sized companies' efforts to offer HIV counselling and testing (HCT) in the workplace, companies report relatively poor uptake rates. An urgent need for a range of different interventions aimed at increasing participation in workplace HCT has been identified. The aim of this study was to explore qualitatively the influence of a lottery incentive system (LIS) as an intervention to influence shop-floor workers' workplace HIV testing behaviour. A qualitative study was conducted among 17 shop-floor workers via convenience sampling in two mid-sized South African automotive manufacturing companies in which an LIS for HCT was implemented. The in-depth interviews employed a semi-structured interview schedule and thematic analysis was used to analyse the data. The interviews revealed that the LIS created excitement in the companies and renewed employees' personal interest in HCT. The excitement facilitated social interactions that resulted in a strong group cohesion pertaining to HCT that mitigated the burden of HIV stigma in the workplace. Open discussions allowed for the development of supportive social group pressure to seek HCT as a collective in anticipation of a reward. Lotteries were perceived as a supportive and innovative company approach to workplace HCT. The study identified important aspects for consideration by companies when using an LIS to enhance workplace HIV testing. The significance of inter- and intra-player dialogue in activating supportive social norms for HIV testing in collectivist African contexts was highlighted.

Wired to the Workplace: The Relationship Between Electronic Connectedness to Work and Nurse Manager Satisfaction.

PubMed

Gardner, Candace; Hailey, Amy; Nguyen, Christi; Prichard, Charlsea; Newcomb, Patricia

2017-01-01

The aim of this study is to describe the beliefs and behaviors of nurse leaders regarding electronic connectedness with their workplace and workplace support. Electronic communication enables leaders' continuous availability to the workplace. This may blur home-work boundaries and contribute to burnout. This mixed-methods study surveyed nurses in 6 acute care hospitals in north Texas. A qualitative phase employed focus groups composed of nurses from participating hospitals to validate and enrich data collected in the quantitative phase. Data showed that leader support directly influenced work-related electronic communication by influencing expectations regarding connectedness. Furthermore, leaders who frequently thought of leaving employment reported significantly lower levels of supervisor support and stronger beliefs that work interfered with home life than other respondents did. Focus group data supported survey findings. Electronic availability of nurse leaders did not directly affect satisfaction, but supervisor support and perception that work interferes with home life strongly and directly affected satisfaction.

Exploring asthma in the workplace: A triangulation of perspectives from management, employees and people with asthma.

PubMed

Zhao, Denise H; Cheung, Janet M Y; Smith, Lorraine; Saini, Bandana

2017-08-31

People with asthma spend a significant amount of time in the workplace but little is known about the current state of disease management in such contexts. The aim of the current study is to explore the experiences, attitudes and perceptions of asthma across different stakeholders in the workplace to help inform potential recommendations for workplace asthma policies. Using purposive and convenience sampling methods, in-depth semi-structured interviews were conducted in Australia with 5 human resource personnel, 10 employees with asthma and 10 employees without asthma. Interviews were guided by a schedule of questions focusing on attitudes and experiences of people with asthma in the workplace, which were audio recorded, transcribed verbatim and thematically analysed. Analysis of the qualitative dataset revealed three key themes: Beliefs and Attitudes about Asthma, Asthma Solutions in the Workplace and Workplace Obstacles. Findings suggest that employees with asthma experience problems managing their asthma at work and there is a lack of workplace support in relation to asthma emergency management. Key recommendations for workplace asthma policies have been made to provide better support for employees with asthma. However, further investigation into the experience of managing asthma is required in a wider variety of occupations and work experiences to inform the development of a workplace asthma policy.

48 CFR 3023.501 - Applicability.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-10-01

... ACQUISITION REGULATION (HSAR) SOCIOECONOMIC PROGRAMS ENVIRONMENT, ENERGY AND WATER EFFICIENCY, RENEWABLE ENERGY TECHNOLOGIES, OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY, AND DRUG-FREE WORKPLACE Drug-Free Workplace 3023.501... the Drug-Free Workplace requirements of FAR subpart 23.5 in contracts supporting undercover law...

48 CFR 3023.501 - Applicability.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-10-01

... ACQUISITION REGULATION (HSAR) SOCIOECONOMIC PROGRAMS ENVIRONMENT, ENERGY AND WATER EFFICIENCY, RENEWABLE ENERGY TECHNOLOGIES, OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY, AND DRUG-FREE WORKPLACE Drug-Free Workplace 3023.501... the Drug-Free Workplace requirements of FAR subpart 23.5 in contracts supporting undercover law...

48 CFR 3023.501 - Applicability.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-10-01

... ACQUISITION REGULATION (HSAR) SOCIOECONOMIC PROGRAMS ENVIRONMENT, ENERGY AND WATER EFFICIENCY, RENEWABLE ENERGY TECHNOLOGIES, OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY, AND DRUG-FREE WORKPLACE Drug-Free Workplace 3023.501... the Drug-Free Workplace requirements of FAR subpart 23.5 in contracts supporting undercover law...

Standing Still in a Time of Change.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stone, James R., III

2003-01-01

The needs of the workplace have changed and career and technical education has not always kept pace. Two successful programs, High Schools That Work and Automotive Youth Education Systems, suggest strategies for implementing changes. (JOW)

A serial mediation model of workplace social support on work productivity: the role of self-stigma and job tenure self-efficacy in people with severe mental disorders.

PubMed

Villotti, Patrizia; Corbière, Marc; Dewa, Carolyn S; Fraccaroli, Franco; Sultan-Taïeb, Hélène; Zaniboni, Sara; Lecomte, Tania

2017-09-12

Compared to groups with other disabilities, people with a severe mental illness face the greatest stigma and barriers to employment opportunities. This study contributes to the understanding of the relationship between workplace social support and work productivity in people with severe mental illness working in Social Enterprises by taking into account the mediating role of self-stigma and job tenure self-efficacy. A total of 170 individuals with a severe mental disorder employed in a Social Enterprise filled out questionnaires assessing personal and work-related variables at Phase-1 (baseline) and Phase-2 (6-month follow-up). Process modeling was used to test for serial mediation. In the Social Enterprise workplace, social support yields better perceptions of work productivity through lower levels of internalized stigma and higher confidence in facing job-related problems. When testing serial multiple mediations, the specific indirect effect of high workplace social support on work productivity through both low internalized stigma and high job tenure self-efficacy was significant with a point estimate of 1.01 (95% CI = 0.42, 2.28). Continued work in this area can provide guidance for organizations in the open labor market addressing the challenges posed by the work integration of people with severe mental illness. Implications for Rehabilitation: Work integration of people with severe mental disorders is difficult because of limited access to supportive and nondiscriminatory workplaces. Social enterprise represents an effective model for supporting people with severe mental disorders to integrate the labor market. In the social enterprise workplace, social support yields better perceptions of work productivity through lower levels of internalized stigma and higher confidence in facing job-related problems.

Supervisor and organizational factors associated with supervisor support of job accommodations for low back injured workers

PubMed Central

Kristman, Vicki L; Shaw, William S.; Reguly, Paula; Williams-Whitt, Kelly; Soklaridis, Sophie; Loisel, Patrick

2016-01-01

PURPOSE Temporary job accommodations contribute to the prevention of chronic work disability due to low back pain (LBP) through the facilitation of early return to work; yet, workplace dimensions of job accommodation are poorly understood. The objective of this study was to determine supervisor and organizational factors associated with supervisors’ support for temporary job accommodations for LBP injured workers. METHODS Supervisors were recruited from 19 workplaces in the USA and Canada and completed an online survey regarding job accommodation practices and potential associated factors with respect to a case vignette of a worker with LBP. Multivariable linear regression was used to identify the most parsimonious set of factors associated with supervisors’ support for accommodations. RESULTS A total of 804 supervisors participated with 796 eligible for inclusion in the analysis. The final set of factors explained 21% of the variance in supervisors’ support for temporary job accommodations. Considerate leadership style (β = .261; 95 % CI: .212, .310), workplace disability management policies and practices (β = .243; 95 % CI: .188, .298), and supervisor autonomy for designing and providing workplace accommodations (β = .156; 95 % CI: .071, .241) had the largest effect on supervisor support for accommodations. CONCLUSION Factors predicting supervisors’ likelihood to accommodate LBP injured workers include use of considerate leadership style, workplace disability management policies and practices, and supervisor autonomy. Workplace interventions targeting these factors should be developed and evaluated for their ability to improve work disability prevention outcomes. PMID:27032398

Forms of Social Support in the Workplace for Individuals with Visual Impairments

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Papakonstantinou, Doxa; Papadopoulos, Konstantinos

2010-01-01

In this study, the authors explored the forms of social support, both positive and negative, that individuals with visual impairments receive in the workplace. This study was a follow-up to the authors' previous study (Papakonstantinou & Papadopoulos, 2009) that investigated the various forms of positive and negative social support received by…

Coping with Workplace Violence in Healthcare Settings: Social Support and Strategies

PubMed Central

Zhao, Siqi; Liu, He; Ma, Hongkun; Jiao, Mingli; Li, Ye; Hao, Yanhua; Sun, Yihua; Gao, Lijun; Hong, Sun; Kang, Zheng; Wu, Qunhong; Qiao, Hong

2015-01-01

A cross-sectional survey of healthcare professionals from 19 hospitals in six cities of Heilongjiang Province, China was conducted. This study had two objectives: (1) to examine the factors influencing healthcare workers’ opinions of strategies to prevent workplace violence, using social support theory, and (2) to encourage healthcare organisations and the larger society to offer greater support to healthcare workers. The respondents exposed to workplace violence expected to receive organisational and social support. Those exposed to psychological violence had a strong opinion of the need for target training to strengthen their competence in responding to violence (OR = 1.319, 95% CI: 1.034–1.658) and enacting workplace violence legislation (OR = 1.968, 95% CI: 1.523–2.543).Those exposed to physical violence thought it might be useful to reinforce staff with back-up support (OR = 3.101, 95% CI: 1.085–8.860). Those exposed to both types of violence and those with high anxiety levels need greater support at both the organisational and societal levels. PMID:26580633

A Phenomenological Study Examining the Experiences of High School Graduates Who Participated in a Career and Technical Education Program of Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Goins, Camille Locklear

2015-01-01

Career and Technical Education (CTE) programs are designed to help prepare students to become effective workers by equipping them with college and career readiness skills needed for the 21st century workplace. Students who participate in a CTE Program of Study (POS) have the potential for greater success during and after high school because they…

[Analysis of the impact of job characteristics and organizational support for workplace violence].

PubMed

Li, M L; Chen, P; Zeng, F H; Cui, Q L; Zeng, J; Zhao, X S; Li, Z N

2017-12-20

Objective: To analyze the effect of job characteristics and organizational support for workplace violence, explore the influence path and the theoretical model, and provide a theoretical basis for reducing workplace violence. Methods: Stratified random sampling was used to select 813 medical staff, conductors and bus drivers in Chongqing with a self-made questionnaire to investigate job characteristics, organization attitude toward workplace violence, workplace violence, fear of violence, workplace violence, etc from February to October, 2014. Amos 21.0 was used to analyze the path and to establish a theoretical model of workplace violence. Results: The odds ratio of work characteristics and organizational attitude to workplace violence were 6.033 and 0.669, respectively, and the path coefficients were 0.41 and-0.14, respectively ( P <0.05). The Fitting indexes of the model: Chi-square (χ(2)) =67.835, The ratio of the chi-square to the degree of freedom (χ(2)/df) =5.112, Good-of-fit index (GFI) =0.970, Adjusted good-of-fit index (AGFI) =0.945, Normed fit index (NFI) =0.923, Root mean square error of approximation (RMSEA) =0.071, Fit criterion (Fmin) =0.092, so the model fit well with the data. Conclusion: The job characteristic is a risk factor for workplace violence while organizational attitude is a protective factor for workplace violence, so changing the job characteristics and improving the enthusiasm of the organization to deal with workplace violence are conducive to reduce workplace violence and increase loyalty to the unit.

From Community to Community of Practice: Exploring the Connection of Online Learners to Informal Learning in the Workplace

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Conrad, Dianne L.

2008-01-01

The study that informs this article investigated how online learners' participation in and perception of their sense of learning community contributed to or affected their relationship to their workplace environment and their workplace colleagues. The findings support contentions that, in the workplace, the work itself constitutes the most…

Identifying knowledge activism in worker health and safety representation: A cluster analysis.

PubMed

Hall, Alan; Oudyk, John; King, Andrew; Naqvi, Syed; Lewchuk, Wayne

2016-01-01

Although worker representation in OHS has been widely recognized as contributing to health and safety improvements at work, few studies have examined the role that worker representatives play in this process. Using a large quantitative sample, this paper seeks to confirm findings from an earlier exploratory qualitative study that worker representatives can be differentiated by the knowledge intensive tactics and strategies that they use to achieve changes in their workplace. Just under 900 worker health and safety representatives in Ontario completed surveys which asked them to report on the amount of time they devoted to different types of representation activities (i.e., technical activities such as inspections and report writing vs. political activities such as mobilizing workers to build support), the kinds of conditions or hazards they tried to address through their representation (e.g., housekeeping vs. modifications in ventilation systems), and their reported success in making positive improvements. A cluster analysis was used to determine whether the worker representatives could be distinguished in terms of the relative time devoted to different activities and the clusters were then compared with reference to types of intervention efforts and outcomes. The cluster analysis identified three distinct groupings of representatives with significant differences in reported types of interventions and in their level of reported impact. Two of the clusters were consistent with the findings in the exploratory study, identified as knowledge activism for greater emphasis on knowledge based political activity and technical-legal representation for greater emphasis on formalized technical oriented procedures and legal regulations. Knowledge activists were more likely to take on challenging interventions and they reported more impact across the full range of interventions. This paper provides further support for the concepts of knowledge activism and technical-legal representation when differentiating the strategic orientations and impact of worker health and safety representatives, with important implications for education, political support and recruitment. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Overcoming Workplace Barriers: A Focus Group Study Exploring African American Mothers' Needs for Workplace Breastfeeding Support.

PubMed

Johnson, Angela Marie; Kirk, Rosalind; Muzik, Maria

2015-08-01

Persistent racial disparities in breastfeeding show that African American women breastfeed at the lowest rates. Return to work is a critical breastfeeding barrier for African American women who return to work sooner than other ethnic groups and more often encounter unsupportive work environments. They also face psychosocial burdens that make breastfeeding at work uniquely challenging. Participants share personal struggles with combining paid employment and breastfeeding and suggest workplace and personal support strategies that they believe will help continue breastfeeding after a return to work. To explore current perspectives on ways to support African American mothers' workplace breastfeeding behavior. Pregnant African American women (n = 8), African American mothers of infants (n = 21), and lactation support providers (n = 9) participated in 1 of 6 focus groups in the Greater Detroit area. Each focus group audiotape was transcribed verbatim. Thematic analysis was used to inductively analyze focus group transcripts and field notes. Focus groups explored thoughts, perceptions, and behavior on interventions to support African American women's breastfeeding. Participants indicate that they generally believed breastfeeding was a healthy option for the baby; however, paid employment is a critical barrier to successful breastfeeding for which mothers receive little help. Participants felt breastfeeding interventions that support working African American mothers should include education and training for health care professionals, regulation and enforcement of workplace breastfeeding support policies, and support from peers who act as breastfeeding role models. Culturally appropriate interventions are needed to support breastfeeding among working African American women. © The Author(s) 2015.

Overcoming Workplace Barriers: A Focus Group Study Exploring African American Mothers' Needs for Workplace Breastfeeding Support

PubMed Central

Johnson, Angela Marie; Kirk, Rosalind; Muzik, Maria

2015-01-01

Background Persistent racial disparities in breastfeeding show that African American women breastfeed at the lowest rates. Return to work is a critical breastfeeding barrier for African American women who return to work sooner than other ethnic groups and more often encounter unsupportive work environments. They also face psychosocial burdens that make breastfeeding at work uniquely challenging. Participants share personal struggles with combining paid employment and breastfeeding and suggest workplace and personal support strategies that they believe will help continue breastfeeding after a return to work. Objective To explore current perspectives on ways to support African American mothers' workplace breastfeeding behavior. Methods Pregnant African American women (n = 8), African American mothers of infants (n = 21), and lactation support providers (n = 9) participated in 1 of 6 focus groups in the Greater Detroit area. Each focus group audiotape was transcribed verbatim. Thematic analysis was used to inductively analyze focus group transcripts and field notes. Focus groups explored thoughts, perceptions, and behavior on interventions to support African American women's breastfeeding. Results Participants indicate that they generally believed breastfeeding was a healthy option for the baby; however, paid employment is a critical barrier to successful breastfeeding for which mothers receive little help. Participants felt breastfeeding interventions that support working African American mothers should include education and training for health care professionals, regulation and enforcement of workplace breastfeeding support policies, and support from peers who act as breastfeeding role models. Conclusion Culturally appropriate interventions are needed to support breastfeeding among working African American women. PMID:25714345

"If You Don't Do Parking Management .. Forget Your Behaviour Change, It's Not Going to Work.": Health and Transport Practitioner Perspectives on Workplace Active Travel Promotion.

PubMed

Petrunoff, Nick; Rissel, Chris; Wen, Li Ming

2017-01-01

After having conducted two studies of the effectiveness of workplace travel plans for promoting active travel, we investigated health and transport practitioners' perspectives on implementing workplace travel plans to share some of the lessons learnt. The objectives of this study were to describe perceived elements of effective workplace travel plans, barriers and enablers to workplace travel planning, their experiences of working with the other profession on travel plan implementation, their recommendations for workplace travel planning, and also to explore similarities and differences in transport and health practitioner perspectives. Fourteen health and ten transport practitioners who had prior involvement in workplace travel plan programs were purposefully selected from workplaces in Australia. We conducted 20 in-depth interviews since data saturation had been reached at this point, and data were subject to framework analysis. Perceived essential elements of effective workplace travel plans included parking management; leadership, organisational commitment and governance; skills and other resources like a dedicated travel plan coordinator; and, pre-conditions including supportive transport infrastructure in the surrounds. Recommendations for promoting travel plans included supportive government policy, focusing on business benefits and working at different scales of implementation (e.g. single large worksites and business precincts). Health and transport practitioner perspectives differed, with transport practitioners believing that parking management is the key action for managing travel demand at a worksite. Health practitioners implementing travel plans may require training including concepts of travel demand management, and support from transport planners on parking management strategies. Promoting an understanding of the shared travel behaviour change skills of transport and health practitioners may assist further collaboration. For take-up by organisations to be of sufficient scale to create meaningful population level reductions in driving and increases in active travel, promotion and travel plans should be focused on the priorities of the organisations. Supportive government policy is also required.

“If You Don’t Do Parking Management .. Forget Your Behaviour Change, It’s Not Going to Work.”: Health and Transport Practitioner Perspectives on Workplace Active Travel Promotion

PubMed Central

Rissel, Chris; Wen, Li Ming

2017-01-01

Objectives After having conducted two studies of the effectiveness of workplace travel plans for promoting active travel, we investigated health and transport practitioners’ perspectives on implementing workplace travel plans to share some of the lessons learnt. The objectives of this study were to describe perceived elements of effective workplace travel plans, barriers and enablers to workplace travel planning, their experiences of working with the other profession on travel plan implementation, their recommendations for workplace travel planning, and also to explore similarities and differences in transport and health practitioner perspectives. Materials and Methods Fourteen health and ten transport practitioners who had prior involvement in workplace travel plan programs were purposefully selected from workplaces in Australia. We conducted 20 in-depth interviews since data saturation had been reached at this point, and data were subject to framework analysis. Results Perceived essential elements of effective workplace travel plans included parking management; leadership, organisational commitment and governance; skills and other resources like a dedicated travel plan coordinator; and, pre-conditions including supportive transport infrastructure in the surrounds. Recommendations for promoting travel plans included supportive government policy, focusing on business benefits and working at different scales of implementation (e.g. single large worksites and business precincts). Health and transport practitioner perspectives differed, with transport practitioners believing that parking management is the key action for managing travel demand at a worksite. Conclusions Health practitioners implementing travel plans may require training including concepts of travel demand management, and support from transport planners on parking management strategies. Promoting an understanding of the shared travel behaviour change skills of transport and health practitioners may assist further collaboration. For take-up by organisations to be of sufficient scale to create meaningful population level reductions in driving and increases in active travel, promotion and travel plans should be focused on the priorities of the organisations. Supportive government policy is also required. PMID:28135301

The effectiveness of skills training for improving outcomes in supported employment.

PubMed

Mueser, Kim T; Aalto, Steve; Becker, Deborah R; Ogden, John S; Wolfe, Rosemarie S; Schiavo, Diane; Wallace, Charles J; Xie, Haiyi

2005-10-01

This study evaluated whether a supplementary skills training program improved work outcomes for clients enrolled in supported employment programs. Thirty-five recently employed clients with severe mental illness who were receiving supported employment services at a free-standing agency were randomly assigned to participate in either the workplace fundamentals program, a skills training program designed to make work more "successful and satisfying," or treatment as usual. Knowledge of workplace fundamentals (for example, identifying workplace stressors, problem solving, and improving job performance) was assessed at baseline and at nine months; employment outcomes and use of additional vocational services were tracked for 18 months. Clients in the workplace fundamentals group (N=17) improved more in knowledge of workplace fundamentals than those in the control group (N=18) at the nine-month follow-up, but the two groups did not differ in the number of hours or days worked, salary earned, or receipt of additional vocational services over the 18-month period. In general, clients in this study had higher educational levels and better employment outcomes than clients in most previous studies of supported employment, making it difficult to detect possible effects of the skills training intervention on work. Supplementary skills training did not improve work outcomes for clients who were receiving supported employment.

Influence of partner support on an employed mother's intention to breastfeed after returning to work.

PubMed

Tsai, Su-Ying

2014-05-01

Despite the increasing number of large companies complying with the demands for a breastfeeding-friendly workplace, providing on-site lactation support, some mothers still find continuing to breastfeed a challenge. We postulated that greater support and encouragement from the partner would be independently predictive of whether the mother would take advantage of workplace milk expression breaks and lactation rooms and continue to breastfeed after returning to work. To evaluate this hypothesis, we conducted a survey at a female labor-intensive electronics manufacturer in Taiwan. Six hundred eight working mothers in an electronics manufacturing plant in Tainan Science Park in Southern Taiwan who had access to dedicated lactation rooms at the workplace were interviewed. Questionnaire content included female employee demographics, employment characteristics, partner-related characteristics, and breastfeeding behavior after returning to work following the birth of their most recently born child. The partner's initial support of the choice to breastfeed and encouragement to use the lactation room and milk expression breaks and the mother's perception of the partner's support for baby care were significant predictors of the intention to continue to breastfeed after returning to work, after adjusting for the employed mother's demographics and employment characteristics, supporting our hypothesis. These findings suggest that antenatal education or activities provided by the workplace should include the partner, which may improve workplace breastfeeding rates.

Influence of Partner Support on an Employed Mother's Intention to Breastfeed After Returning to Work

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Abstract Background: Despite the increasing number of large companies complying with the demands for a breastfeeding-friendly workplace, providing on-site lactation support, some mothers still find continuing to breastfeed a challenge. We postulated that greater support and encouragement from the partner would be independently predictive of whether the mother would take advantage of workplace milk expression breaks and lactation rooms and continue to breastfeed after returning to work. To evaluate this hypothesis, we conducted a survey at a female labor-intensive electronics manufacturer in Taiwan. Subjects and Methods: Six hundred eight working mothers in an electronics manufacturing plant in Tainan Science Park in Southern Taiwan who had access to dedicated lactation rooms at the workplace were interviewed. Questionnaire content included female employee demographics, employment characteristics, partner-related characteristics, and breastfeeding behavior after returning to work following the birth of their most recently born child. Results: The partner's initial support of the choice to breastfeed and encouragement to use the lactation room and milk expression breaks and the mother's perception of the partner's support for baby care were significant predictors of the intention to continue to breastfeed after returning to work, after adjusting for the employed mother's demographics and employment characteristics, supporting our hypothesis. Conclusions: These findings suggest that antenatal education or activities provided by the workplace should include the partner, which may improve workplace breastfeeding rates. PMID:24650363

Workplace bullying could play important roles in the relationships between job strain and symptoms of depression and sleep disturbance.

PubMed

Takaki, Jiro; Taniguchi, Toshiyo; Fukuoka, Etsuko; Fujii, Yasuhito; Tsutsumi, Akizumi; Nakajima, Kazuo; Hirokawa, Kumi

2010-01-01

The purpose of this study was to assess whether workplace bullying mediates between job strain, evaluated by the job demand-control model, and symptoms of depression and sleep disturbance. The subjects in this cross-sectional study were recruited from all the workers (N=2,634) at 50 organizations in Japan. Due to missing data, the numbers of subjects included in the analyses varied from 1,646 to 2,062 (response rates varied from 62.5% to 78.2%). Job strain and workplace social support, workplace bullying, depression, and sleep disturbance were assessed using the Japanese versions of the Job Content Questionnaire, the Negative Acts Questionnaire, the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale, and the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index, respectively. Mediation analysis followed the approach outlined by Baron and Kenny. We quantitatively estimated the mediation effects and tested their significance after adjustment for various combinations of demographic variables and workplace social support. Total effects of job strain index on depression or sleep disturbance were all positive and significant (p<0.05) in both genders. Mediation effects of workplace bullying were also all positive and significant (p<0.05) in both genders. Even after adjustment for workplace social support, the mediation effects were decreased, especially in women, but remained significant (p<0.05). Workplace bullying seems to play important roles in the relationships of job strain with depression or sleep disturbance in both genders.

Workplace accommodations for people with mental illness: a scoping review.

PubMed

McDowell, Caitlin; Fossey, Ellie

2015-03-01

Disability discrimination legislation means that employees with a disability or mental illness are legally entitled to reasonable workplace accommodations that enable them to work effectively and safely. This scoping review aims to investigate the types of workplace accommodations provided for people with mental illness, and their costs and benefits. A literature search was conducted using five electronic databases. Peer reviewed research articles published between 1993 and June 2013 were included in this scoping review and their quality was assessed. Opinion papers, reports, and case descriptions were excluded. Nine studies explored workplace accommodations for people with mental illness. The most commonly reported work-related accommodations were flexible scheduling/reduced hours, modified training and supervision, and modified job duties/descriptions. The least common type of accommodation was physical modification to the workplace. For employees with persistent mental illness who were accessing a supported employment agency, the majority of accommodations related to support from the job coach or employment specialist, such as facilitating communication with the employer during hiring or on the job. The quality of the studies varied considerably and the benefits of the accommodations are not yet well documented. There is limited evidence that a larger number of workplace accommodations are associated with longer job tenure. Workplace accommodations appear to be important to support employees with mental illness, but more accessible information about how disability discrimination legislation applies to this population is needed. Future research should address the implementation and effectiveness of mental health-related workplace accommodations.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Goke, Sarah Hayes; Elliott, Nathan Ryan

The Sandia National Laboratories’ Internal Dosimetry Technical Basis Manual is intended to provide extended technical discussion and justification of the internal dosimetry program at SNL. It serves to record the approach to evaluating internal doses from radiobioassay data, and where appropriate, from workplace monitoring data per the Department of Energy Internal Dosimetry Program Guide DOE G 441.1C. The discussion contained herein is directed primarily to current and future SNL internal dosimetrists. In an effort to conserve space in the TBM and avoid duplication, it contains numerous references providing an entry point into the internal dosimetry literature relevant to this program.more » The TBM is not intended to act as a policy or procedure statement, but will supplement the information normally found in procedures or policy documents. The internal dosimetry program outlined in this manual is intended to meet the requirements of Federal Rule 10CFR835 for monitoring the workplace and for assessing internal radiation doses to workers.« less

The Impact of Support at the Workplace on Transfer of Training: A Study of an Indian Manufacturing Unit

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chauhan, Ragini; Ghosh, Piyali; Rai, Alka; Shukla, Divya

2016-01-01

This study aims to assess the individual impacts of two components of support at the workplace, namely, support from peers and supervisor, on transfer of training in a post-training environment. Mediation by motivation to transfer in the relationship of supervisor and peer support with transfer of training has also been examined. Data on 149…

The "Big C"-stigma, cancer, and workplace discrimination.

PubMed

Stergiou-Kita, Mary; Pritlove, Cheryl; Kirsh, Bonnie

2016-12-01

Stigma and workplace discrimination have been identified as prominent challenges to employment following cancer. However, there has been limited examination of how stigma develops in work contexts and how it influences cancer survivors' return to work process and their disclosure decisions. In the broader study from which this paper emerges, we used an exploratory qualitative design to examine the return to work process (including workplace supports and accommodations) of cancer survivors. We conducted 40 semi-structured interviews with (i) cancer survivors (n = 16), (ii) health care/vocational service providers (n = 16), and (iii) employer representatives (n = 8). We used thematic analysis methods to analyze the data. In this paper, we present data related specifically to workplace stigma, discrimination, and disclosure. Contrasting perspectives were identified among our stakeholder groups regarding the existence and impact of stigma in the workplace. While most provider and employer representatives believed survivors were not likely to be stigmatized, cancer survivors themselves perceived cancer as a highly stigmatized illness in the workplace. Two inter-related elements were implicated in the development of workplace stigma following cancer: (1) ongoing misconceptions and fears associating cancer with death and (2) misperceptions regarding impacts on the workplace, including survivors' work abilities, productivity, reliability, the costs associated with their continued employment (e.g., workplace accommodations), and future impacts on the workplace related to cancer re-occurrence. Discriminatory behaviors, such as hiring discrimination, bullying, harassment, refusal of workplace accommodations, and limited career advancement opportunities, were also discussed. A supportive workplace, a desire to be open with co-workers, and a need to request supports and manage expectations were reasons provided for disclosure. Conversely, an unsupportive workplace, fear of discrimination, and a minimal need for assistance were reasons provided for not disclosing their cancer. Stigma and workplace discrimination are significant concerns for cancer survivors. Anti-stigma programs should target ongoing myths regarding cancer and survivors' right to work, work abilities and productivity, and incorporate survivors' voices to enhance understanding. Survivors, health care providers, vocational service providers, and employers should become familiar with anti-discrimination legislation and recognize stigma and discriminatory behaviors when they occur. Survivors require guidance to decide whether (or not) to disclose their cancer, how to respond to discriminatory behaviors, and how to best state their needs for workplace accommodations.

Linking Workplace Aggression to Employee Well-Being and Work: The Moderating Role of Family-Supportive Supervisor Behaviors (FSSB).

PubMed

Yragui, Nanette L; Demsky, Caitlin A; Hammer, Leslie B; Van Dyck, Sarah; Neradilek, Moni B

2017-04-01

The present study examined the moderating effects of family-supportive supervisor behaviors (FSSB) on the relationship between two types of workplace aggression (i.e., patient-initiated physical aggression and coworker-initiated psychological aggression) and employee well-being and work outcomes. Data were obtained from a field sample of 417 healthcare workers in two psychiatric hospitals. Hypotheses were tested using moderated multiple regression analyses. Psychiatric care providers' perceptions of FSSB moderated the relationship between patient-initiated physical aggression and physical symptoms, exhaustion and cynicism. In addition, FSSB moderated the relationship between coworker-initiated psychological aggression and physical symptoms and turnover intentions. Based on our findings, family-supportive supervision is a plausible boundary condition for the relationship between workplace aggression and well-being and work outcomes. This study suggests that, in addition to directly addressing aggression prevention and reduction, family-supportive supervision is a trainable resource that healthcare organizations should facilitate to improve employee work and well-being in settings with high workplace aggression. This is the first study to examine the role of FSSB in influencing the relationship between two forms of workplace aggression: patient-initiated physical and coworker- initiated psychological aggression and employee outcomes.

Welfare reform and access to family-supportive benefits in the workplace.

PubMed

Piotrkowski, C S; Kessler-Sklar, S

1996-10-01

Welfare reform has focused on the deficits of poor mothers, while ignoring inadequacies in the jobs and workplaces they will enter. This study of 2,375 pregnant women in the labor force examines the impact of job and workplace characteristics on access to workplace benefits that are important to families, while controlling statistically for women's education, marital status, and ethnicity.

Personal assistance services in the workplace: A literature review.

PubMed

Dowler, Denetta L; Solovieva, Tatiana I; Walls, Richard T

2011-10-01

Personal assistance services (PAS) can be valuable adjuncts to the complement of accommodations that support workers with disabilities. This literature review explored the professional literature on the use of PAS in the workplace. Bibliographic sources were used to locate relevant research studies on the use of PAS in the workplace. The studies in this review used both qualitative and quantitative methods to identify current definitions of work-related and personal care-related PAS, agency-directed versus consumer-directed PAS, long-term and short-term funding issues, development of PAS policy, and barriers to successful implementation of PAS. The studies uncovered issues related to (a) recruiting, training, and retaining personal assistants, (b) employer concerns, (c) costs and benefits of workplace PAS, (d) wages and incentives for personal assistants, and (e) sources for financing PAS as a workplace accommodation. The findings reveal the value and benefits of effective PAS on the job. PAS can lead to successful employment of people with disabilities when other accommodations cannot provide adequate workplace support. Additionally, the evolution of workplace PAS is dependent on development of realistic PAS policy and funding options. Published by Elsevier Inc.

NASA/DOD Aerospace Knowledge Diffusion Research Project. Paper 60: Culture and Workplace Communications: A Comparison of the Technical Communications Practices of Japanese and US Aerospace Engineers and Scientists

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Pinelli, Thomas E.; Sato, Yuko; Barclay, Rebecca O.; Kennedy, John M.

1997-01-01

The advent of global markets elevates the role and importance of culture as a mitigating factor in the diffusion of knowledge and technology and in product and process innovation. This is especially true in the Large Commercial Aircraft (LCA) sector where the production and market aspects are becoming increasingly international. As firms expand beyond their national borders, using such methods as risk- sharing partnerships, joint ventures, outsourcing, and alliances, they have to contend with national and corporate cultures. Our focus is on Japan, a 'program participant' in the production of the Boeing Company's 777; the influence of Japanese culture on the diffusion of knowledge and technology in aerospace at the national and international levels; those cultural determinants-the propensity to work together, a willingness to subsume individual interests to a greater good, and an emphasis on consensual decisionmaking-that have a direct bearing on the ability of Japanese firms to form alliances and compete in international markets; and those cultural determinants thought to influence the information- seeking behaviors and workplace communication practices of Japanese aerospace engineers and scientists. In this paper, we report selective results from a survey of Japanese and U.S. aerospace engineers and scientists that focused on workplace communications. Data are presented for the following topics: importance of and time spent communicating information, collaborative writing, need for an undergraduate course in technical communication, use of libraries, use and importance of electronic (computer) networks, and the use and importance of foreign and domestically produced technical reports.

1993 Technical Paper Contest for Women. Gear Up 2000: Women in Motion

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Orans, Robin (Editor); Duckett, Sophie (Editor); White, Susan (Editor)

1994-01-01

The NASA Ames Research Center Advisory Committee for Women (ACW) sponsored the second ACW Technical paper Contest for Ames women in order to increase the visibility of, and to encourage writing for publication by Ames women scientists, engineers, and technicians. The topics of the contest paper mirrored in the topics of the 1993 Society for Women Engineers (SWE) National Convention, which included technological, workplace, global, and family issues.

Evidence based workplace interventions to promote breastfeeding practices among Pakistani working mothers.

PubMed

Hirani, Shela Akbar Ali; Karmaliani, Rozina

2013-03-01

Breastfeeding is an essential source of nutrition for young babies; however, it is challenging for employed mothers to continue breastfeeding with employment, especially if workplace support is minimal or missing. In Pakistan, from 1983 to 2008, the prevalence of breastfeeding at 6 months has decreased from 96% to 31%. In this region, workplace barriers have been reported as one of the reasons that result in early cessation of breastfeeding among working mothers. This paper aims at reviewing global literature to explore workplace interventions that can promote the breastfeeding practices among working mothers in Pakistan. A literature search of peer reviewed databases, including CINHAL (1980-2009), MEDLINE (1980-2009), Pub Med (1980-2009), Springer Link (1980-2008), and Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews (3rd quarter, 2008), was undertaken. Considering the pre-set inclusion and exclusion criteria, out of more than 500 literature sources, 50 were shortlisted and reviewed. A review of global literature revealed that in order to promote breastfeeding practices among employed mothers, the most powerful workplace interventions include: educating working mothers about management of breastfeeding with employment; enhancing employers' awareness about benefits of breastfeeding accommodation at workplace; arranging physical facilities for lactating mothers (including privacy, childcare facilities, breast pumps, and breast milk storage facilities); providing job-flexibility to working mothers; and initiating mother friendly policies at workplace that support breastfeeding. In Pakistani workplace settings, where little attention is paid to sustain breastfeeding practices among working mothers, there is a need to initiate lactation support programmes. These programmes can be made effective by implementing composite interventions at the level of breastfeeding working mothers, employers, and workplace. Copyright © 2012 Australian College of Midwives. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Employer Family-Supportive Policies: Diverse Variations on the Theme.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Raabe, Phyllis H.; Gessner, John C.

1988-01-01

Examined the extent and nature of employer workplace initiatives based on interviews with New Orleans (Louisiana) employers. Bolstered other research findings of progress but continued limited workplace implementations of formal, family-supportive programs. Found modifications of formal and informal policies extended organizational family…

Work limitations, workplace concerns, and job satisfaction of persons with chronic disease.

PubMed

Siu, Andrew M H; Hung, Anchor; Lam, Ada Y L; Cheng, Andy

2013-01-01

This study investigates the workplace experiences of people with chronic diseases, including their work limitations, emotional health, concerns about discrimination, and support from colleagues and employer. This study identifies the factors that contribute to work adjustment (job tenure and job satisfaction). A purposive sample of 136 persons aged 18 to 60 with chronic diseases who had been employed in the past 6 months completed a survey about their workplace experience. The questionnaire included several standardized instruments: the Perceived Health and Self-efficacy in Managing Chronic Disease Scale, Work Limitations Questionnaire, Overall Job Satisfaction Scale, and the Depression Anxiety Stress Scale-21. The researchers also designed original items to measure concerns about discriminatory practices, workplace support, and self-stigma. Persons with chronic diseases were fairly satisfied with their jobs and had extended stays in those jobs. They reported a minor productivity loss and physical limitations. Most participants let co-workers, employers, and supervisors know they had chronic disease, but they were concerned about the support those people provide. Participants were more likely to be highly satisfied with their jobs if they had high self-efficacy in managing their disease, perceived more workplace support, and had less work limitations (especially output demands). Job tenure is associated age, education, and monthly income, but not clinical indicators. Persons with chronic disease who were able to maintain good work adjustment tended to be "fit" with few work limitations and little emotional distress. The key factors affecting work adjustment were efficacy in managing their disease, workplace support, and output demands.

Supervisor and Organizational Factors Associated with Supervisor Support of Job Accommodations for Low Back Injured Workers.

PubMed

Kristman, Vicki L; Shaw, William S; Reguly, Paula; Williams-Whitt, Kelly; Soklaridis, Sophie; Loisel, Patrick

2017-03-01

Purpose Temporary job accommodations contribute to the prevention of chronic work disability due to low back pain (LBP) through the facilitation of early return to work; yet, workplace dimensions of job accommodation are poorly understood. The objective of this study was to determine supervisor and organizational factors associated with supervisors' support for temporary job accommodations for LBP injured workers. Methods Supervisors were recruited from 19 workplaces in the USA and Canada and completed an online survey regarding job accommodation practices and potential associated factors with respect to a case vignette of a worker with LBP. Multivariable linear regression was used to identify the most parsimonious set of factors associated with supervisors' support for accommodations. Results A total of 804 supervisors participated with 796 eligible for inclusion in the analysis. The final set of factors explained 21 % of the variance in supervisors' support for temporary job accommodations. Considerate leadership style (β = 0.261; 95 % CI 0.212, 0.310), workplace disability management policies and practices (β = 0.243; 95 % CI 0.188, 0.298), and supervisor autonomy for designing and providing workplace accommodations (β = 0.156; 95 % CI 0.071, 0.241) had the largest effect on supervisor support for accommodations. Conclusion Factors predicting supervisors' likelihood to accommodate LBP injured workers include use of considerate leadership style, workplace disability management policies and practices, and supervisor autonomy. Workplace interventions targeting these factors should be developed and evaluated for their ability to improve work disability prevention outcomes.

Sustained Implementation Support Scale: Validation of a Measure of Program Characteristics and Workplace Functioning for Sustained Program Implementation.

PubMed

Hodge, Lauren M; Turner, Karen M T; Sanders, Matthew R; Filus, Ania

2017-07-01

An evaluation measure of enablers and inhibitors to sustained evidence-based program (EBP) implementation may provide a useful tool to enhance organizations' capacity. This paper outlines preliminary validation of such a measure. An expert informant and consumer feedback approach was used to tailor constructs from two existing measures assessing key domains associated with sustained implementation. Validity and reliability were evaluated for an inventory composed of five subscales: Program benefits, Program burden, Workplace support, Workplace cohesion, and Leadership style. Exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis with a sample of 593 Triple P-Positive Parenting Program-practitioners led to a 28-item scale with good reliability and good convergent, discriminant, and predictive validity. Practitioners sustaining implementation at least 3 years post-training were more likely to have supervision/peer support, reported higher levels of program benefit, workplace support, and positive leadership style, and lower program burden compared to practitioners who were non-sustainers.

48 CFR 1523.7002 - Waivers.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... ENVIRONMENTAL, CONSERVATION, OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY, AND DRUG-FREE WORKPLACE Energy-Efficient Computer Equipment 1523.7002 Waivers. (a) There are several types of computer equipment which technically fall under the... types of equipment: (1) LAN servers, including file servers; application servers; communication servers...

48 CFR 1523.7002 - Waivers.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-10-01

... ENVIRONMENTAL, CONSERVATION, OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY, AND DRUG-FREE WORKPLACE Energy-Efficient Computer Equipment 1523.7002 Waivers. (a) There are several types of computer equipment which technically fall under the... types of equipment: (1) LAN servers, including file servers; application servers; communication servers...

48 CFR 1523.7002 - Waivers.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... ENVIRONMENTAL, CONSERVATION, OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY, AND DRUG-FREE WORKPLACE Energy-Efficient Computer Equipment 1523.7002 Waivers. (a) There are several types of computer equipment which technically fall under the... types of equipment: (1) LAN servers, including file servers; application servers; communication servers...

Availability and Use of Workplace Supports for Health Promotion Among Employees of Small and Large Businesses.

PubMed

Dale, Ann Marie; Enke, Chris; Buckner-Petty, Skye; Hipp, James Aaron; Marx, Christine; Strickland, Jaime; Evanoff, Bradley

2018-01-01

To explore the availability and utilization of workplace health supports by employees of small and large-sized employers. Cross-sectional, telephone-based interviews collected on 16 workplace health supports for physical activity and diet. Participants selected by random-digit-dialing from 4 metropolitan areas of Missouri employees from 2012 to 2013. Two thousand fifteen working adults. We explored the availability and use of supports by employer size (<100 employees vs ≥100 employees), accounting for industry and personal factors. We examined distributions and Poisson regression models of availability for supports by employer size and by industry and use of supports by employer size and personal factors. One-fifth of the 1796 employees were employed by small-sized employers. Large employers offered more supports than small (mean: 6 vs 3), but a higher proportion of employees of small-sized employers used supports when available (59% vs 47%). The differences in offered supports between industries were not due to size alone. In regard to the determinants of participation, the personal factors of gender, age, weight, and income were associated with participation in 10 of the supports. Employer size was also associated with participation in 10 supports. No associations were found between personal factors or workplace size and participation for 3 supports. A higher proportion of employees working for smaller businesses use available supports than employees of larger businesses. Supports offered by employers should target the needs and interests of the workforce, particularly for the higher risk low-income employees.

Workplace Breastfeeding Support Varies by Employment Type: The Service Workplace Disadvantage.

PubMed

Snyder, Kailey; Hansen, Kelli; Brown, Sara; Portratz, Amy; White, Kate; Dinkel, Danae

The majority of women are returning to work full-time after childbirth, and support within their place of employment may influence intention and duration for breastfeeding, but more research is needed. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to explore the influence of employment type on breastfeeding duration upon return to work by examining informal (i.e., verbal encouragement) and direct (i.e., lactation space, flexible time) factors of support. This was a retrospective survey of women's returning-to-work experiences while breastfeeding. Survey contents included respondent demographics as well as questions surrounding perceptions of employer support, work environment, and goal/satisfaction regarding breastfeeding. Data were analyzed via crosstabs and chi-square goodness of fit tests. A total of 1,002 women completed the survey. Significant differences were seen across different employment types. Women within the professional/management industry were most likely to receive informal and direct support for breastfeeding upon return to work. Women within the service industry and production/transportation industry reported receiving the lowest levels of informal and direct support. Workplace support varies by employment type and women in the service and production/transportation industry appear to be at a disadvantage compared with other employment types. There is a need for more breastfeeding support programs to be developed that target specific workplace characteristics.

The structure of harassment and abuse in the workplace: a factorial comparison of two measures.

PubMed

Fendrich, Michael; Woodword, Paul; Richman, Judith A

2002-08-01

The structures of two measures examining negative experiences in the workplace, one focusing primarily on sexual harassment (SEQ) and one focusing on workplace abuse (GWA), were examined in detail. This article investigated whether the five subscales for the relatively unexplored measure (GWA) are reliably measured by a single underlying construct. It also investigated whether the two workplace-based measures are distinct but related constructs and the consistency of their factor structure across genders. Using a large and diverse organizational survey derived from a Midwestern university, analyses supported the distinctiveness of the two measures and showed that the factor structures for the two constructs were remarkably similar across genders. Analyses also suggested that indices of extreme behavior within each of the constructs were not reliably measured. The findings have important implications for data collection strategies in research focused on negative workplace experiences. This study provides considerable support for the continued use of both measures in research investigating the impact of adverse workplace environment on health.

Workplace Bullying Among the Nursing Staff of Greek Public Hospitals.

PubMed

Karatza, Christine; Zyga, Sofia; Tziaferi, Styliani; Prezerakos, Panagiotis

2017-02-01

In this quantitative, cross-sectional study, the authors identified the impact of workplace bullying on nursing staff employed at select Greek public hospitals. They conducted the study using the Negative Acts Questionnaire with a convenience sample of 841 participants employed by five Greek hospitals in the 1st Regional Health Authority of Attica. One third of the respondents reported having been psychologically harassed at work in the past 6 months. According to the results, the impact workplace bullying has on nursing staff varies depending on the existence of a supportive familial or friend environment and if nurses parent children. These findings demonstrate the value of family and friend support when coping with workplace bullying.

U.S. Department of Energy's EV Everywhere Workplace Charging Challenge, Mid-Program Review: Employees Plug In

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

2015-12-01

This Program Review takes an unprecedented look at the state of workplace charging in the United States -- a report made possible by U.S. Department of Energy leadership and valuable support from our partners as they share their progress in developing robust workplace charging programs. Through the Workplace Charging Challenge, more than 250 participants are accelerating the development the nation's worksite PEV charging infrastructure and are supporting cleaner, more convenient transportation options within their communities. Challenge partners are currently providing access to PEV charging stations at more than 440 worksites across the country and are influencing countless other organizations tomore » do the same.« less

Work and nonwork outcomes of workplace incivility: Does family support help?

PubMed

Lim, Sandy; Lee, Alexia

2011-01-01

This study extended incivility research beyond the confines of the workplace by exploring the relationships between incivility, work-to-family conflict and family support. Data collected from 180 employees from various organizations in Singapore showed that incivility is not a rare phenomenon in Asian cultures. Employees experienced more incivility from superiors than coworkers or subordinates, and these experiences were related to different outcomes. Coworker-initiated incivility was associated with decreased coworker satisfaction, increased perceptions of unfair treatment, and increased depression. On the other hand, superior-initiated incivility was associated with decreased supervisor satisfaction and increased work-to-family conflict. Results also revealed that employees with high family support showed stronger relationships between workplace incivility and negative outcomes, compared with employees with low family support.

Colleagues' Perception of Supported Employee Performance

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cramm, Jane-Murray; Tebra, Nelleke; Finkenflugel, Harry

2008-01-01

The authors investigated whether supported employees are perceived on an equal basis within the workplace by their nondisabled worker colleagues. Three types of social relationships were considered in a workplace context ("work acquaintances," "work friends," and "social friends") in order to examine whether the types of social relationships that…

Work-related factors associated with self-care and psychological health among people with type 2 diabetes in Japan.

PubMed

Sato, Miho; Yamazaki, Yoshihiko

2012-12-01

This study on individuals with type 2 diabetes living in Japan aimed to examine work-related factors that influence self-care and psychological health among people. A cross-sectional survey was conducted among 121 working adults with type 2 diabetes. A self-report questionnaire assessed demographics, work characteristics, self-disclosure of diabetes, support in the workplace, work-related difficulties due to diabetes, and workplace conformity. Dietary self-care, exercise, depression, and emotional distress were also evaluated. The results indicated statistically significant influence of working night shifts, self-disclosure of diabetes, and workplace conformity on dietary self-care. Work-related difficulties due to diabetes had negative effects on depression and emotional distress, and job control and support in the workplace were found to be correlated with emotional distress. These findings suggest that work-related factors have an impact on some forms of self-care activities and psychological health and that it is important to increase understanding of these issues and provide appropriate support for workers through education and counseling and adjustments in the workplace. © 2012 Wiley Publishing Asia Pty Ltd.

Hamline/3M Project: Liaison for Curricular Change

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rundquist, Andy

2002-03-01

This project was designed to catalyze curricular changes to better prepare students for the workplace. Industrial managers provided a list of 16 characteristics valued in the workplace: most were NOT related to science course content. The project formed 5 teams each including 3M professionals and students. Each team developed curricular changes in one of the 16 areas. Team goals were to improve skills in communication, data analysis, business/economics, team problem solving, and culture competency. Curricular changes realized include communication skill activities embodied in science courses and faculty communication teaching skill seminars, self learning tools in data analysis, statistics and model building, a new course developed with assistance from 3M personnel focussing on topics directly related to technological industries, high performance team problem solving training/coaching for faculty and workshops for students and faculty relative to importance of cultural competencies in the workplace, and a new course focusing on culture, team problem solving and conflict resolution in the technical workplace. Process for developing and content of curricular changes will be reported.

Comparing 2 National Organization-Level Workplace Health Promotion and Improvement Tools, 2013–2015

PubMed Central

Lang, Jason E.; Davis, Whitney D.; Jones-Jack, Nkenge H.; Mukhtar, Qaiser; Lu, Hua; Acharya, Sushama D.; Molloy, Meg E.

2016-01-01

Creating healthy workplaces is becoming more common. Half of employers that have more than 50 employees offer some type of workplace health promotion program. Few employers implement comprehensive evidence-based interventions that reach all employees and achieve desired health and cost outcomes. A few organization-level assessment and benchmarking tools have emerged to help employers evaluate the comprehensiveness and rigor of their health promotion offerings. Even fewer tools exist that combine assessment with technical assistance and guidance to implement evidence-based practices. Our descriptive analysis compares 2 such tools, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Worksite Health ScoreCard and Prevention Partners’ WorkHealthy America, and presents data from both to describe workplace health promotion practices across the United States. These tools are reaching employers of all types (N = 1,797), and many employers are using a comprehensive approach (85% of those using WorkHealthy America and 45% of those using the ScoreCard), increasing program effectiveness and impact. PMID:27685429

Developing Literacy for the Workplace.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Keeley, Meg

This paper presents a case and some ideas for integrating basic skills development with occupational training. Explaining why traditional instructional methods do not work in the workplace, the paper summarizes learning theories that support work force literacy programs. It explains how to identify the skills needed in the workplace, provides…

Workplace Lactation Support in Milwaukee County 5 Years After the Affordable Care Act.

PubMed

Lennon, Tyler; Willis, Earnestine

2017-02-01

Workplace lactation support has become increasingly important because returning to work is associated with discontinuing breastfeeding and women in the workforce are increasing. Research aim: This study examined workplace lactation support among Milwaukee County businesses 5 years after implementation of the Affordable Care Act's Break Time for Nursing Mothers provision. A cross-sectional survey of Milwaukee County businesses was conducted in the summer of 2015 that inquired about workplace policies, lactation spaces, and other lactation resources offered. Business supports were stratified based on employer sizes: large (> 500 employees), medium (50-499 employees), and small (20-49 employees). A lactation amenity score was calculated for each business based on lactation resources available. Three hundred surveys were distributed and 71 businesses voluntarily completed the survey. Small employers were excluded from statistical analysis due to fewer responses ( n = 8). Overall, 87.3% ( n = 55) of respondents reported providing access to a multiuser space for lactation and 65.1% ( n = 41) reported providing a designated lactation space. Large employers ( n = 30) were more likely than medium employers ( n = 33) to provide a designated lactation space for breastfeeding or expressing (86.7% vs. 45.5%, p < .001). Large employers' mean amenity score was significantly higher than that of medium employers (3.37 vs. 2.57, p = .014), and they were also more likely to offer additional supports including access to a lactation consultant, classes, and materials (46.7% vs. 12.1%, p < .01). Large employers provide more lactation support than medium employers in Milwaukee County. All employers, regardless of size, need to increase additional lactation support for women in the workplace.

Workplace bullying among nurses and their related factors in Japan: a cross-sectional survey.

PubMed

Yokoyama, Mami; Suzuki, Miho; Takai, Yukari; Igarashi, Ayumi; Noguchi-Watanabe, Maiko; Yamamoto-Mitani, Noriko

2016-09-01

To explore the association between workplace bullying and workplace environment factors among nurses in Japan. Workplace bullying among nurses is increasing globally and occurs more frequently than among other professions. However, there is little information on the impact of workplace environment factors on nurse bullying in Japan. A cross-sectional survey using a self-administered questionnaire. Participants were 1152 nurses recruited at seminars or training courses outside of their workplaces in Tokyo. Workplace bullying was measured using the Negative Acts Questionnaire-Revised. Participants were considered to have been 'bullied' if they reported experiencing at least one negative act on a daily or weekly basis. Workplace environment factors were measured using the Practice Environment Scale of the Nursing Work Index, which comprises five domains: nurse participation in hospital affairs; nursing foundations for quality of care; nurse manager ability, leadership and support of nurses; staffing and resource adequacy; and collegial nurse-physician relationships. A total of 898 (78·0%) questionnaires were returned, of which 825 (71·6%) were analysed. Altogether, 153 (18·5%) nurses were considered 'bullied.' The three most frequent negative acts reported as occurring on a weekly or daily basis were 'someone withholding information which affects your performance' (6·7%), 'being exposed to an unmanageable workload' (4·4%) and 'being shouted at or being the target of spontaneous anger (or rage)' (3·6%). Logistic regression analysis indicated that 'bullied' were associated with low scores on two work environment domains: nurse manager ability, leadership and support of nurses and staffing and resource adequacy. Effective nurse manager leadership and support as well as appropriate staffing management may positively influence workplace bullying among nurses in Japan. Authentic leadership styles and allowing nurses to easily request days off might also be important. Nurse managers' leadership may influence nurses' workplace bullying. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Exploring informal workplace learning in primary healthcare for continuous professional development.

PubMed

Joynes, Viktoria; Kerr, Micky; Treasure-Jones, Tamsin

2017-07-01

All health and social care professionals learn on the job through both formal and informal learning processes, which contributes to continuous professional development (CPD). This study explored workplace learning in General Practices, specifically looking at the role of informal learning and the workplace practices that appear to support or restrict that learning, as well as how technology was integrated into these learning processes. Three focus groups with general practitioners, practice nurses, managerial and administrative staff were conducted followed by twelve individual semi-structured interviews with participants drawn from the focus groups. Three observations of multi-disciplinary team meetings were used to establish potential team-based learning activities. Triggers for informal workplace learning included patients presenting challenging or unusual conditions; exposure to others' professional practice; and policy driven changes through revised guidance and protocols. By exploring how these triggers were acted upon, we identified mechanisms through which the primary care workplace supports or restricts informal learning through working practices, existing technologies and inter-professional structures. Informal workplace learning was identified as arising from both opportunistic encounters and more planned activities, which are both supported and restricted through a variety of mechanisms. Maximising informal learning opportunities and removing barriers to doing so should be a priority for primary care practitioners, managers and educators.

Is access to workplace amenities associated with leisure-time physical activity among Canadian adults?

PubMed

Watts, Allison W; Masse, Louise C

2012-11-08

The workplace represents an important setting for increasing physical activity levels. The purpose of the present study was to investigate the relationship between the workplace environment and leisure-time physical activity, using a nationally representative sample of the Canadian population. This study used cross-sectional, self-reported data from 48,916 participants who completed relevant questions on the 2008 Canadian Community Health Survey. Associations between supportive workplace environments for physical activity (e.g., perceived range of amenities available such as a pleasant place to walk, fitness facility, showers, and health program) and leisure-time physical activity level (active, moderately active, inactive) were examined using multinomial logistic regression. Approximately three quarters (n=36,216) of participants had access to at least one amenity that supported physical activity while at work. Females in the lowest age category (18-35 years) who perceived a more supportive workplace environment for physical activity had higher odds of being moderately active (AOR 1.06, 95% CI 1.04-1.08) and active (AOR 1.15, 95% CI 1.13-1.17) as compared to inactive in their leisure time. The strength of this association was slightly higher with age and for males. Since the majority of Canadian adults do not meet recommended levels of physical activity, the workplace offers a promising and modifiable target for increasing opportunities to be physically active. Employers who can provide a more supportive workplace environment for physical activity would benefit, as it can increase employees' physical activity levels and ultimately improve their productivity and overall health. These benefits may be increased for males and with employees' age.

Workplace support for employees with cancer

PubMed Central

Nowrouzi, B.; Lightfoot, N.; Cote, K.; Watson, R.

2009-01-01

Objective The aim of the present study was to survey human resources personnel about how their northeastern Ontario workplaces assist employees with cancer. Study Design and Setting This cross-sectional study was conducted from December 2007 to April 2008. Surveys were sent to 255 workplaces in northeastern Ontario with 25 or more employees, and 101 workplaces responded (39.6% response rate). Logistic regression modelling was used to identify factors associated with more or less workplace support. More or less workplace support was defined by provision of paid time to employees with medical appointments and an offer of a return-to-work meeting and reduced hours for employees with cancer. Factors considered in the model included organization size, geographic location (urban, rural), and workplace type (private sector, public sector). Results Most of the human resources staff who completed the surveys were women (67.4%), and respondents ranged in age from 25 to 70 years (mean: 45.30 ± 8.10 years). Respondents reported working for organizations that ranged in size from 25 to more than 9000 employees. In the logistic regression model, large organization size [odds ratio (or): 6.97; 95% confidence interval (ci): 1.34 to 36.2] and public sector (or: 4.98; 95% ci: 1.16 to 21.3) were associated with employer assistance. Public sector employers provided assistance at a rate 5 times that of private sector employers, and large organizations (>50 employees) provided assistance at a rate 7 times that of smaller organizations. Conclusions In the population studied, employees with cancer benefit from working in larger and public sector organizations. The data suggest a need for further support for employees with cancer in some other organizations. PMID:19862358

Retracted: Nurses learning in the workplace: a comparison of workplace attributes in acute care settings in Australia and Singapore.

PubMed

Chan, S W; Chan, M F; Lee, S-Y; Henderson, A

2014-03-01

Workplaces need to foster teaching and learning interactions so staff collaborate and learn from each other. Internationally, many countries provide support to graduates and experienced staff to foster engagement necessary for learning and quality care. Workplace attributes can differ across countries depending on managerial, contextual, social and policy issues. This study compared workplace attributes of two Australian hospitals with a Singaporean hospital. A representative sample of nurses in two acute care facilities in Australia (n = 203) and a comparable facility in Singapore (n = 154) during 2010 and 2011 responded to a survey requesting demographic data and responses about workplace attributes. Attributes were determined through validated tools that measure staff perception of support when facilitating others learning (Support Instrument for Nurses Facilitating the Learning of Others) and the clinical learning organizational culture (Clinical Learning Organizational Culture Survey). Results indicated Singaporean nurses rated perception of acknowledgement, workload management and teamwork support in facilitating learners in their hospital as significantly better than the Australian cohort despite similar provisions for support and development. There were no significant differences across the two sites in the clinical learning culture. Analysis across three health facilities only provides a snapshot. Targeting more facilities would assist in confirming the extent of reported trends. Findings indicate differences in nurses' perceptions of support when facilitating learners. Further exploration of Singaporean nurses' increased perceptions of support is worthy. Clinical learning organizational culture findings across Australian and Singaporean acute care facilities suggest common attributes within the nursing profession that transcend contextual factors, for example, a strong sense of task accomplishment. Nurses across both countries demonstrate strengths in accomplishing tasks but less so in recognizing nurses' contributions that may also impact nurses' influence in the practice context. As these attributes are common, nursing can collectively lobby and develop policy, thereby strengthening their cause to be recognized. © 2014 International Council of Nurses.

Interventions in the workplace to support breastfeeding for women in employment.

PubMed

Abdulwadud, O A; Snow, M E

2007-07-18

In recent years there has been a rise in the participation rate of women in employment. Some may become pregnant while in employment and subsequently deliver their babies. Most may decide to return early to work after giving birth for various reasons. Unless these mothers get support from their employers and fellow employees, they might give up breastfeeding when they return to work. As a result, the duration and exclusivity of breastfeeding to the recommended age of the babies would be affected. Workplace environment can play a positive role to promote breastfeeding. For women going back to work, various types of workplace support interventions are available and this should not be ignored by employers. Notably, promoting breastfeeding in a workplace may have benefits for the women, the baby and also the employer. To assess the effectiveness of workplace interventions to support and promote breastfeeding among women returning to paid work after the birth of their children, and its impact on process outcomes pertinent to employees and employers. We searched the Cochrane Pregnancy and Childbirth Group's Trials Register (November 2006), CINAHL (1982 to November week 1 2006), LILACS (2 August 2006), Social Services Abstracts (1979 to November 2006), Sociological Abstracts (1952 to November 2006), Australian Public Affairs Information Service (2003 to 2006), Australian Family and Society Abstracts (2003 to 2006), International Bibliography of the Social Sciences (1951 to 2006), ProQuest Social Science Journals (1994 to 2006), Middle Eastern and Central Asian Studies (1900 to 2006) and the Campbell Collaboration Register (C2-SPECTR) (November 2006). Two authors independently assessed all identified studies for randomised controlled trials and quasi-randomised controlled trials that compared workplace interventions with no intervention or two or more workplace interventions against each other. Two authors planned to evaluate the methodological quality of the eligible trials and extract data. There were no randomised controlled trials or quasi-randomised controlled trials identified. No trials have evaluated the effectiveness of workplace interventions in promoting breastfeeding among women returning to paid work after the birth of their child. The impact of such intervention on process outcomes is also unknown. Randomised controlled trials are required to establish the benefits of various types of workplace interventions to support, encourage and promote breastfeeding among working mothers.

The relationship of positive work environments and workplace injury: evidence from the National Nursing Assistant Survey.

PubMed

McCaughey, Deirdre; McGhan, Gwen; Walsh, Erin M; Rathert, Cheryl; Belue, Rhonda

2014-01-01

With estimates of a 51% growth in the number of nursing assistants needed by 2016, there is a critical need to examine workplace factors that negatively contribute to the recruitment and retention of nursing assistants. Studies have shown that high demands, physical stress, and chronic workforce shortages contribute to a working environment that fosters one of the highest workforce injury rates in the United States. The aim of this study was to explore the relationship between nursing assistant injury rates and key outcomes, such as job satisfaction and turnover intent, while exploring workplace environment factors, such as injury prevention training, supervisor support, and employee engagement, that can decrease the rates of workplace injury. Data from the 2004 National Nursing Assistant Survey were used to examine the negative effects of workplace injury on nursing assistants and the workplace environment factors that are related to the rate of worker injury. Nursing assistants who experience job-related injuries have lower levels of job satisfaction, increased turnover intentions, and are less likely to recommend their facility as a place to work or seek care services. It was also found that nursing assistant injury rates are related to employee ratings of injury prevention training, supervisor support, and employee engagement. NAs with multiple injuries (>2) were 1.3-1.6 times more likely to report being injured at work than NAs who had not been injured when supervisor support, employee engagement, and training ratings were low. Evidence that health care organizations can use to better understand how workplace injuries occur and insight into ways to reduce the current staggering rate of on-the-job injuries occurring in health care workplaces were offered in this study. The findings also offer empirical support for an extension of the National Institute for Occupational Health and Safety/National Occupational Research Agenda Work Organization Framework for Occupational Illness and Injury.

Workplace violence: differences in perceptions of nursing work between those exposed and those not exposed: a cross-sector analysis.

PubMed

Hegney, Desley; Tuckett, Anthony; Parker, Deborah; Eley, Robert M

2010-04-01

Nurses are at high risk of incurring workplace violence during their working life. This paper reports the findings on a cross-sectional, descriptive, self-report, postal survey in 2007. A stratified random sample of 3000 of the 29 789 members of the Queensland Nurses Union employed in the public, private and aged care sectors resulted in 1192 responses (39.7%). This paper reports the differences: between those nurses who experienced workplace violence and those who did not; across employment sectors. The incidence of workplace violence is highest in public sector nursing. Patients/clients/residents were the major perpetrators of workplace violence and the existence of a workplace policy did not decrease levels of workplace violence. Nurses providing clinical care in the private and aged care sectors experienced more workplace violence than more senior nurses. Although workplace violence was associated with high work stress, teamwork and a supportive workplace mitigated workplace violence. The perception of workplace safety was inversely related to workplace violence. With the exception of public sector nursing, nurses reported an inverse relationship with workplace violence and morale.

Linking Workplace Aggression to Employee Well-Being and Work: The Moderating Role of Family-Supportive Supervisor Behaviors (FSSB)

PubMed Central

Demsky, Caitlin A.; Hammer, Leslie B.; Van Dyck, Sarah; Neradilek, Moni B.

2018-01-01

Purpose The present study examined the moderating effects of family-supportive supervisor behaviors (FSSB) on the relationship between two types of workplace aggression (i.e., patient-initiated physical aggression and coworker-initiated psychological aggression) and employee well-being and work outcomes. Methodology Data were obtained from a field sample of 417 healthcare workers in two psychiatric hospitals. Hypotheses were tested using moderated multiple regression analyses. Findings Psychiatric care providers’ perceptions of FSSB moderated the relationship between patient-initiated physical aggression and physical symptoms, exhaustion and cynicism. In addition, FSSB moderated the relationship between coworker-initiated psychological aggression and physical symptoms and turnover intentions. Implications Based on our findings, family-supportive supervision is a plausible boundary condition for the relationship between workplace aggression and well-being and work outcomes. This study suggests that, in addition to directly addressing aggression prevention and reduction, family-supportive supervision is a trainable resource that healthcare organizations should facilitate to improve employee work and well-being in settings with high workplace aggression. Originality This is the first study to examine the role of FSSB in influencing the relationship between two forms of workplace aggression: patient-initiated physical and coworker- initiated psychological aggression and employee outcomes. PMID:29563665

Beginning Teachers' Workplace Experiences: Perceptions of and Use of Support

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fox, Alison; Wilson, Elaine; Deaney, Rosemary

2011-01-01

This paper illuminates the experiences of beginning teachers using a participatory perspective approach and drawing on some of these teachers' perceptions. We place the "subject" of workplace learning research centrally in understanding the relatedness between workplaces and novice employees/trainees. This paper builds on previous work…

48 CFR 3023.501 - Applicability.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

...-FREE WORKPLACE Drug-Free Workplace 3023.501 Applicability. (d) The head of any Component may issue a determination under (FAR) 48 CFR 23.501(d) to exclude the Drug-Free Workplace requirements of FAR subpart 23.5 in contracts supporting undercover law enforcement operations. [71 FR 25770, May 2, 2006, as amended...

A National Policy for Workplace Training. Lessons from State and Local Experiments.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Batt, Rosemary; Osterman, Paul

Selected state and local experiments in developing/supporting workplace-centered training programs were analyzed to identify issues relevant to developing a national policy for workplace training. Intensive case studies of state economic development/training programs in California and Illinois and the employment and training programs provided by…

Diversity to Inclusion: Expanding Workplace Capability Thinking around Aboriginal Career Progression

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Morris, Kaye

2015-01-01

Optimally all individuals should contribute fully to the collective spirit and human capital within the workplace, supporting and enabling the development of a mature workforce. Human resource policies endeavour to address diversity and inclusion in the workplace through a variety of methodologies including training and professional development…

Construction and Validation of the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgendered Climate Inventory

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Liddle, Becky J.; Luzzo, Darrell Anthony; Hauenstein, Anita L.; Schuck, Kelly

2004-01-01

Workplace climate refers to formal and informal organizational characteristics contributing to employee welfare. Workplace climates for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgendered (LGBT) employees range from actively supportive to openly hostile. An instrument measuring LGBT workplace climate will enable research on vocational adjustment of LGBT…

Bias in the nursing workplace: implications for Latino(a) nurses.

PubMed

Moceri, Joane T

2012-01-01

The nursing shortage coupled with health inequities makes it imperative to retain nurses from diverse backgrounds in the workplace. Since Latinos are the fastest growing racial/ethnic group in the U.S., the issue is of particular importance. Thus, the purpose of this study was to measure the prevalence of bias in the nursing workplace as experienced by Latino(a) nurses. This descriptive study of Latino(a) nurses measured the prevalence of bias, its relationship to nurse retention in the nursing workplace, and additional factors in the workplace that were associated with bias. Results included that Latino(a) nurses both experienced and witnessed bias on a regular basis, along with negative comments by peers about their ethnicity. Significant correlations were found between experiences of bias and the study variables of witnessing bias, perceived levels of support, and time planning to remain in the workplace. As the nursing shortage continues and increases in severity, retaining nurses becomes as important as creating new nurses. Nurse managers, hospital administrators, and nurse educators must develop strategies to educate staff and promote non-biased interactions between nurses in the workplace, as well as to support nurses from diverse backgrounds.

Taking the stairs instead: The impact of workplace design standards on health promotion strategies.

PubMed

McGann, Sarah; Jancey, Jonine; Tye, Marian

2013-01-01

Comprehensive health promotion in Western Australia has been conducted from the point of views of policy development, promotion, education and service delivery. Much of this recent work has been focused on supporting workplaces - but there has yet to be any real focus on the design of the actual physical workplace environment from a health promotion perspective. This paper is aimed at highlighting the gap in health promotion knowledge by addressing how the disciplines of architecture and health promotion can work together to challenge the regulations that dictate design practice and ultimately bridge that gap for long-term change. The overarching aim is to undertake further evidenced-based research that will inform best practice in the planning and design of workplaces to reduce sedentary behaviour and increase opportunities for physical activity. Within this wide objective this paper focuses in particular on the idea of stairs-versus-lift movement strategies within office buildings. By examining building design guidelines from a health promotion perspective we expose a central dichotomy, where health promotion posters say "Take the stairs instead" whereas the language of building design suggests that the lift is best. From a design point of view, the National Codes of Construction (NCC), formally known as the Building Codes of Australia (BCA), the essential technical regulation for all building design and construction, primarily addresses the concepts of 'egress' and 'travel distance' for escape in the event of fire, and building access in terms of universal access. Additionally, The Property Council of Australia's Guide to Office Building Quality prioritises lift performance criteria along with the quality and experience of lift use as a major grading factor. There is no provision in either set of standards for staircase quality and experience. The stairs, despite being promoted as better life choice for better health, is not promoted through these building codes nor, consequently, through the building design in actuality. It is proposed that health promotion strategies could be coupled with design-led movement strategies in workplace design so that the promotional language, such as "take the stairs instead", is balanced by the design language of the building.

[Fostering a breastfeeding-friendly workplace].

PubMed

Chen, Yi-Chun; Kuo, Shu-Chen

2013-02-01

Creating supportive environments that encourage mothers to breastfeed their children has emerged in recent years as a key health issue for women and children. Taiwan has a large and still growing number of new mothers in the workplace. Early postpartum return to work and inconvenient workplace conditions often discourage women from breastfeeding or cause early discontinuation. This study describes the current status of worksite breastfeeding-friendly policies in Taiwan and selected other countries and assesses the effects of work-related factors on working mother breastfeeding behavior. Although maternity leave has been positively correlated with breastfeeding duration, maternity leave in Taiwan remains significantly shorter than in other countries. Flexible working conditions, the provision of lactation rooms, and support from colleagues are critical components of promoting breastfeeding in the workplace.

22 CFR 210.605 - Award.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-04-01

... Relations AGENCY FOR INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT GOVERNMENTWIDE REQUIREMENTS FOR DRUG-FREE WORKPLACE... includes: (1) A Federal grant or cooperative agreement, in the form of money or property in lieu of money... award does not include: (1) Technical assistance that provides services instead of money. (2) Loans. (3...

22 CFR 1008.605 - Award.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-04-01

... Relations INTER-AMERICAN FOUNDATION GOVERNMENTWIDE REQUIREMENTS FOR DRUG-FREE WORKPLACE (FINANCIAL... or cooperative agreement, in the form of money or property in lieu of money. (2) A block grant or a...) Technical assistance that provides services instead of money. (2) Loans. (3) Loan guarantees. (4) Interest...

22 CFR 1008.605 - Award.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-04-01

... Relations INTER-AMERICAN FOUNDATION GOVERNMENTWIDE REQUIREMENTS FOR DRUG-FREE WORKPLACE (FINANCIAL... or cooperative agreement, in the form of money or property in lieu of money. (2) A block grant or a...) Technical assistance that provides services instead of money. (2) Loans. (3) Loan guarantees. (4) Interest...

22 CFR 1509.605 - Award.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-04-01

... Relations AFRICAN DEVELOPMENT FOUNDATION GOVERNMENTWIDE REQUIREMENTS FOR DRUG-FREE WORKPLACE (FINANCIAL... Federal grant or cooperative agreement, in the form of money or property in lieu of money. (2) A block...) Technical assistance that provides services instead of money. (2) Loans. (3) Loan guarantees. (4) Interest...

22 CFR 1509.605 - Award.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-04-01

... Relations AFRICAN DEVELOPMENT FOUNDATION GOVERNMENTWIDE REQUIREMENTS FOR DRUG-FREE WORKPLACE (FINANCIAL... Federal grant or cooperative agreement, in the form of money or property in lieu of money. (2) A block...) Technical assistance that provides services instead of money. (2) Loans. (3) Loan guarantees. (4) Interest...

22 CFR 1008.605 - Award.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-04-01

... Relations INTER-AMERICAN FOUNDATION GOVERNMENTWIDE REQUIREMENTS FOR DRUG-FREE WORKPLACE (FINANCIAL... or cooperative agreement, in the form of money or property in lieu of money. (2) A block grant or a...) Technical assistance that provides services instead of money. (2) Loans. (3) Loan guarantees. (4) Interest...

22 CFR 1509.605 - Award.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... Relations AFRICAN DEVELOPMENT FOUNDATION GOVERNMENTWIDE REQUIREMENTS FOR DRUG-FREE WORKPLACE (FINANCIAL... Federal grant or cooperative agreement, in the form of money or property in lieu of money. (2) A block...) Technical assistance that provides services instead of money. (2) Loans. (3) Loan guarantees. (4) Interest...

22 CFR 210.605 - Award.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... Relations AGENCY FOR INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT GOVERNMENTWIDE REQUIREMENTS FOR DRUG-FREE WORKPLACE... includes: (1) A Federal grant or cooperative agreement, in the form of money or property in lieu of money... award does not include: (1) Technical assistance that provides services instead of money. (2) Loans. (3...

22 CFR 1509.605 - Award.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-04-01

... Relations AFRICAN DEVELOPMENT FOUNDATION GOVERNMENTWIDE REQUIREMENTS FOR DRUG-FREE WORKPLACE (FINANCIAL... Federal grant or cooperative agreement, in the form of money or property in lieu of money. (2) A block...) Technical assistance that provides services instead of money. (2) Loans. (3) Loan guarantees. (4) Interest...

22 CFR 1008.605 - Award.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-04-01

... Relations INTER-AMERICAN FOUNDATION GOVERNMENTWIDE REQUIREMENTS FOR DRUG-FREE WORKPLACE (FINANCIAL... or cooperative agreement, in the form of money or property in lieu of money. (2) A block grant or a...) Technical assistance that provides services instead of money. (2) Loans. (3) Loan guarantees. (4) Interest...

22 CFR 1509.605 - Award.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-04-01

... Relations AFRICAN DEVELOPMENT FOUNDATION GOVERNMENTWIDE REQUIREMENTS FOR DRUG-FREE WORKPLACE (FINANCIAL... Federal grant or cooperative agreement, in the form of money or property in lieu of money. (2) A block...) Technical assistance that provides services instead of money. (2) Loans. (3) Loan guarantees. (4) Interest...

22 CFR 1008.605 - Award.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... Relations INTER-AMERICAN FOUNDATION GOVERNMENTWIDE REQUIREMENTS FOR DRUG-FREE WORKPLACE (FINANCIAL... or cooperative agreement, in the form of money or property in lieu of money. (2) A block grant or a...) Technical assistance that provides services instead of money. (2) Loans. (3) Loan guarantees. (4) Interest...

Workplace Climate and Peer Support as Determinants of Training Transfer

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Martin, Harry J.

2010-01-01

Although billions of dollars are spent annually on training and development, much about the transfer processes is not well understood. This study investigated the interaction of workplace climate and peer support on the transfer of learning in a corporate field setting. Supervisor ratings of performance on several skill dimensions were obtained…

The Professional Development Requirements of Workplace English Language and Literacy Programme Practitioners: Support Document

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Berghella, Tina; Molenaar, John; Wyse, Linda

2006-01-01

This support document was produced by the authors based on their research for the report, "The Professional Development Requirements of Workplace English Language and Literacy Programme Practitioners," [ED495200] and is an added resource for further information. The original report examines the extent and nature of professional development…

Talent Development Environment and Workplace Adaptation: The Mediating Effects of Organisational Support

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kunasegaran, Mageswari; Ismail, Maimunah; Rasdi, Roziah Mohd; Ismail, Ismi Arif; Ramayah, T.

2016-01-01

Purpose: This study aims to examine the relationship between talent development environment (TDE) variables of job focus and long-term development with the workplace adaptation (WA) of Malaysian professional returnees as mediated by the organisational support. Design/methodology/approach: A total of 130 respondents who are Malaysian professional…

Experiences and psychological distress of fertility treatment and employment.

PubMed

Payne, Nicola; Seenan, Susan; van den Akker, Olga

2018-04-16

This study examined experiences and psychological distress about fertility treatment in people combining work and treatment. Five hundred and sixty-three participants in the UK completed an online survey asking about difficulties in combining work and treatment; workplace disclosure, support, absence and policy; and psychological distress about treatment. Absence from work and perceptions that treatment has an impact on work and career prospects were reported by the majority of participants and this was related to the psychological distress of treatment. Around three quarters of participants disclosed to their employer and colleagues. The key reason for disclosure was needing to ask for absence from work and the main reason for non-disclosure was privacy. Workplace policy relating to managing fertility treatment and support from colleagues and their employer was related to reduced psychological distress but workplace policy was reported by less than one quarter of participants. Difficulties experienced in combining work and treatment suggest that support is needed. Specific workplace policy, guidance for supervisors and flexibility in fertility clinic times should help support employees during treatment and reduce psychological distress, thereby potentially influencing physical health and treatment outcomes.

Perceptions of the software skills of graduates by employers in the financial services industry

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kyng, Tim; Tickle, Leonie; Wood, Leigh N.

2013-12-01

Software, particularly spreadsheet software, is ubiquitous in the financial services workplace. Yet little is known about the extent to which universities should, and do, prepare graduates for this aspect of the modern workplace. We have investigated this issue through a survey of financial services employers of graduates, the results of which are reported in this paper, as well as surveys of university graduates and academics, reported previously. Financial services employers rate software skills as important, would like their employees to be more highly skilled in the use of such software, and tend to prefer 'on-the-job' training rather than university training for statistical, database and specialized actuarial/financial software. There is a perception among graduates that employers do not provide adequate formal workplace training in the use of technical software.

The Workplace and Mental Health.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pierre, Karin Domnick

1986-01-01

Findings of the Canadian Mental Health and the Workplace Project are that (1) the quality of interpersonal relations in the workplace is a major factor in emotional well-being and (2) work must be balanced with other parts of one's life. These findings imply the need for social support networks and alternative work patterns. (SK)

Working Smarter: The Skill Bias of Computer Technologies. The Evolving Workplace Series

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wannell, Ted; Ali, Jennifer

2002-01-01

This document provides data from the new Workplace and Employee Survey (WES) conducted by Statistics Canada with the support of Human Resources Development Canada. The survey consists of two components: (1) a workplace survey on the adoption of technologies, organizational change, training and other human resource practices, business strategies,…

The Academic Workplace Audit.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Austin, Ann E.; And Others

This book is designed to accompany "A Good Place to Work: Sourcebook for the Academic Workplace" and represents a tool for colleges interested in supporting faculty morale and the quality of the academic workplace. The Audit, developed from a study by the Council of Independent Colleges, is organized into nine sections, each one focusing on an…

Wellness in the Workplace: Building a More Productive Institution.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Crazy Bull, Cheryl; Prue, Alex Sr.

2003-01-01

Discusses the challenges unique to Native Americans in the workplace. Asserts that the effects of high rates of poverty, health problems, and violence in Native communities are often visible at the office. Offers suggestions for using cultural healing strategies in the workplace to create an environment of respect and support. (NB)

Managers' social support: Facilitators and hindrances for seeking support at work.

PubMed

Lundqvist, Daniel; Fogelberg Eriksson, Anna; Ekberg, Kerstin

2018-01-01

Previous research has shown that social support is important for health and performance at work, but there is a lack of research regarding managers' social support at work, and if it needs to be improvedOBJECTIVE:To investigate managers' perception of work-related social support, and facilitators and hindrances that influence their seeking of social support at work. Semi-structured interviews with sixty-two managers in two Swedish organizations. Work-related support, which strengthened their managerial image of being competent, was sought from sources within the workplace. Sensitive and personal support, where there was a risk of jeopardizing their image of being competent, was sought from sources outside the workplace. Access to arenas for support (location of the workplace, meetings, and vocational courses) and the managerial role could facilitate their support-seeking, but could also act as hindrances. Because attending different arenas for support were demanding, they refrained from seeking support if the demands were perceived as too high. Different supportive sources are distinguished based on what supportive function they have and in which arenas they are found, in order to preserve the confidence of the closest organization and to maintain the image of being a competent and performing manager.

Job strain and psychological distress among employed pregnant Thai women: role of social support and coping strategies.

PubMed

Sanguanklin, Natthananporn; McFarlin, Barbara L; Finnegan, Lorna; Park, Chang Gi; Giurgescu, Carmen; White-Traut, Rosemary; Engstrom, Janet L

2014-08-01

Most Thai women continue to work throughout their pregnancy; however, little is known about job strain and its relation to psychological distress. This study aimed to examine: (1) the direct effects of job strain, perceived workplace support, perceived family support, and coping strategies on psychological distress and (2) the moderating effect of perceived workplace support, perceived family support, and coping strategies on the relationship between job strain and psychological distress. Lazarus and Folkman's transactional model of stress and coping guided this cross-sectional study. Full-time employed pregnant women (N = 300) were recruited from three antenatal clinics in Thailand. Thai versions of the following instruments were used: the State-Anxiety Inventory and Center for Epidemiological Studies-Depression Scale (psychological distress), the Job Content Questionnaire (job strain and perceived workplace support), the Medical Outcome Study Social Support Survey (perceived family support), and the Ways of Coping Checklist-Revised (coping strategies). Job strain with other predictors explained 54% of the variance in psychological distress. In the separate hierarchical multiple linear regression models, two types of coping strategies, seeking social support and wishful thinking, moderated the effects of job strain on psychological distress. Perceived family support had a direct effect in reducing psychological distress. Job strain is a significant contributor to psychological distress. The average levels of seeking social support and wishful thinking were most beneficial in moderating the negative impact of job strain on psychological distress. Since perceived workplace and family support did not have moderating effects, stress management programs for decreasing the levels of job strain should be developed.

Workplace violence, job satisfaction, burnout, perceived organisational support and their effects on turnover intention among Chinese nurses in tertiary hospitals: a cross-sectional study.

PubMed

Liu, Wenhui; Zhao, Shihong; Shi, Lei; Zhang, Zhong; Liu, Xinyan; Li, Li; Duan, Xiaojian; Li, Guoqiang; Lou, Fengge; Jia, Xiaoli; Fan, Lihua; Sun, Tao; Ni, Xin

2018-06-09

Our aims were to assess the relationship between workplace violence, job satisfaction, burnout, organisational support and turnover intention, and to explore factors associated with turnover intention among nurses in Chinese tertiary hospitals. The purposive sampling method was used to collect data from August 2016 through January 2017. A total of 1761 nurses from 9 public tertiary hospitals in 4 provinces (municipalities) located in eastern (Beijing), central (Heilongjiang, Anhui) and western (Shaanxi) regions of China completed the questionnaires (effective response rate=85.20%). A cross-sectional study was conducted using the Workplace Violence Scale, Chinese Maslach Burnout Inventory General Survey, Minnesota Job Satisfaction Questionnaire Revised Short Version, Perceived Organizational Support-Simplified Version Scale and Turnover Intention Scale. A total of 1216 of 1706 (69.1%) participants had high turnover intention. During the previous 12 months, the prevalence of physical violence and psychological violence towards nurses was 9.60% and 59.64%, respectively. As expected, the level of turnover intention was negatively correlated with participants' scores on job satisfaction (r=-0.367, p<0.001) and perceived organisational support (r=-0.379, p<0.001), respectively. Burnout was positively associated with turnover intention (r=0.444, p<0.001). Workplace violence was positively associated with turnover intention (β=0.035, p<0.001) in linear regression analysis. The total effect (β=0.53) of workplace violence on turnover intention comprised its direct effect (β=0.36) and its indirect effect (β=0.17). Perceived organisational support served as a mediator between workplace violence, job satisfaction, burnout and turnover intention, and it had a significantly negative impact on turnover intention. Therefore, nursing managers should understand the importance of the organisation's support and establish a reasonable incentive system to decrease turnover intention. © Article author(s) (or their employer(s) unless otherwise stated in the text of the article) 2018. All rights reserved. No commercial use is permitted unless otherwise expressly granted.

Workplace violence, job satisfaction, burnout, perceived organisational support and their effects on turnover intention among Chinese nurses in tertiary hospitals: a cross-sectional study

PubMed Central

Zhang, Zhong; Liu, Xinyan; Li, Li; Duan, Xiaojian; Li, Guoqiang; Lou, Fengge; Jia, Xiaoli; Fan, Lihua; Sun, Tao; Ni, Xin

2018-01-01

Objectives Our aims were to assess the relationship between workplace violence, job satisfaction, burnout, organisational support and turnover intention, and to explore factors associated with turnover intention among nurses in Chinese tertiary hospitals. Methods The purposive sampling method was used to collect data from August 2016 through January 2017. A total of 1761 nurses from 9 public tertiary hospitals in 4 provinces (municipalities) located in eastern (Beijing), central (Heilongjiang, Anhui) and western (Shaanxi) regions of China completed the questionnaires (effective response rate=85.20%). A cross-sectional study was conducted using the Workplace Violence Scale, Chinese Maslach Burnout Inventory General Survey, Minnesota Job Satisfaction Questionnaire Revised Short Version, Perceived Organizational Support-Simplified Version Scale and Turnover Intention Scale. Results A total of 1216 of 1706 (69.1%) participants had high turnover intention. During the previous 12 months, the prevalence of physical violence and psychological violence towards nurses was 9.60% and 59.64%, respectively. As expected, the level of turnover intention was negatively correlated with participants’ scores on job satisfaction (r=−0.367, p<0.001) and perceived organisational support (r=−0.379, p<0.001), respectively. Burnout was positively associated with turnover intention (r=0.444, p<0.001). Workplace violence was positively associated with turnover intention (β=0.035, p<0.001) in linear regression analysis. The total effect (β=0.53) of workplace violence on turnover intention comprised its direct effect (β=0.36) and its indirect effect (β=0.17). Conclusions Perceived organisational support served as a mediator between workplace violence, job satisfaction, burnout and turnover intention, and it had a significantly negative impact on turnover intention. Therefore, nursing managers should understand the importance of the organisation’s support and establish a reasonable incentive system to decrease turnover intention. PMID:29886440

Discrimination, work outcomes, and mental health among women of color: The protective role of womanist attitudes.

PubMed

Velez, Brandon L; Cox, Robert; Polihronakis, Charles J; Moradi, Bonnie

2018-03-01

With a sample of employed women of color (N = 276), we tested the associations of sexist and racist discrimination with poor work outcomes (job-related burnout and turnover intentions) and mental health outcomes (i.e., psychological distress). Drawing from the Theory of Work Adjustment, Organizational Support Theory, and scholarship on discrimination, we tested perceived person-organization (P-O) fit, perceived organizational support, and self-esteem as mediators of the associations of workplace discrimination with the outcomes. Based on intersectionality scholarship, womanist attitudes were tested as a moderator. Participants provided cross-sectional data via an online survey. Latent variable structural equation modeling results indicated that a second-order latent workplace discrimination variable yielded better fit to the data than modeling sexist and racist discrimination separately. Workplace discrimination was directly and indirectly (via the mediating role of self-esteem) associated with higher psychological distress. Furthermore, workplace discrimination was indirectly associated with poor work outcomes through the mediating roles of perceived P-O fit, perceived organizational support, and self-esteem. Last, moderation analyses indicated that higher womanist attitudes weakened the direct association of workplace discrimination with psychological distress. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2018 APA, all rights reserved).

An exploratory study of barriers to inclusion in the European workplace.

PubMed

Moody, Louise; Saunders, Janet; Leber, Marjan; Wójcik-Augustyniak, Marzena; Szajczyk, Marek; Rebernik, Nataša

2017-10-01

The European Disability Strategy (2010-2020) seeks to significantly raise the proportion of people with disabilities working in the open labour market. The ERGO WORK project is a collaboration of academic and industrial partners in six European countries, focused on understanding and tackling barriers to workplace inclusion for workers with disabilities. This study sought to explore the perceptions and needs of stakeholders in terms of workplace adaptation to the needs of employees with disabilities. An exploratory online survey was completed by 480 participants across six countries. The analysis suggests that workplaces could be further improved to meet the needs of employees with considerable scope for training within companies to raise awareness about employees' needs, employers' obligations and workplace adaptation. This snapshot suggests there is still a gap between intent and reality in workplace inclusion and further strategies are needed to improve the opportunities for employees with disabilities. The paper argues that ergonomics may have a key role to play in tackling these challenges and adapting the workplace environment and job design to suit the needs of individual employees. Implications for rehabilitation This study suggests there is considerable scope for workplace adaptation and improvements to meet the needs of employees with disabilities. Employers need and want further specialist practitioner guidance to facilitate workplace inclusion and support adaptation to individual needs. Organisations would benefit from training to raise awareness about potential solutions and approaches that would support more widespread employment of people with disabilities.

Health, supervisory support, and workplace culture in relation to work-family conflict and synergy.

PubMed

Beutell, Nicholas J

2010-08-01

This research examined health, supervisory support, and workplace culture as predictors of work interfering with family, family interfering with work, and work-family synergy. The analysis of data from 2,796 respondents from the 2002 National Study of the Changing Workforce yielded significant relations among measures of mental health, self-rated health, supervisory support, and work-family culture with a focus on career concerns. Support was found for a measure of work-family synergy. Implications and directions for research are discussed.

Challenges and opportunities for preventing depression in the workplace: a review of the evidence supporting workplace factors and interventions.

PubMed

Couser, Gregory P

2008-04-01

To explore the literature regarding prevention of depression in the workplace. Literature review of what the author believes are seminal articles highlighting workplace factors and interventions in preventing depression in the workplace. Employees can help prevent depression by building protective factors such as better coping and stress management skills. Employees may be candidates for depression screening if they have certain risk factors such as performance concerns. Organizational interventions such as improving mental health literacy and focusing on work-life balance may help prevent depression in the workplace but deserve further study. A strategy to prevent depression in the workplace can include developing individual resilience, screening high-risk individuals and reducing that risk, improving organizational literacy, and integrating workplace and health care systems to allow access to proactive quality interventions.

Project TIME. Final Evaluation Report.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Schroyer, Connie J.; Payne, David L.

Project TIME (Training Initiative for Manufacturing Employees) was an 18-month National Workplace Literacy Program conducted by Lord Fairfax Community College in conjunction with an automotive parts plant and Triplett Technical and Business Institute in Virginia. Project TIME had three primary objectives: to help employees obtain the basic…

21 CFR 1405.605 - Award.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-04-01

... OFFICE OF NATIONAL DRUG CONTROL POLICY GOVERNMENTWIDE REQUIREMENTS FOR DRUG-FREE WORKPLACE (FINANCIAL...: (1) A Federal grant or cooperative agreement, in the form of money or property in lieu of money. (2... include: (1) Technical assistance that provides services instead of money. (2) Loans. (3) Loan guarantees...

43 CFR 43.605 - Award.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

...: Interior Office of the Secretary of the Interior GOVERNMENTWIDE REQUIREMENTS FOR DRUG-FREE WORKPLACE...) A Federal grant or cooperative agreement, in the form of money or property in lieu of money. (2) A...) Technical assistance that provides services instead of money. (2) Loans. (3) Loan guarantees. (4) Interest...

21 CFR 1405.605 - Award.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-04-01

... OFFICE OF NATIONAL DRUG CONTROL POLICY GOVERNMENTWIDE REQUIREMENTS FOR DRUG-FREE WORKPLACE (FINANCIAL...: (1) A Federal grant or cooperative agreement, in the form of money or property in lieu of money. (2... include: (1) Technical assistance that provides services instead of money. (2) Loans. (3) Loan guarantees...

21 CFR 1405.605 - Award.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-04-01

... OFFICE OF NATIONAL DRUG CONTROL POLICY GOVERNMENTWIDE REQUIREMENTS FOR DRUG-FREE WORKPLACE (FINANCIAL...: (1) A Federal grant or cooperative agreement, in the form of money or property in lieu of money. (2... include: (1) Technical assistance that provides services instead of money. (2) Loans. (3) Loan guarantees...

21 CFR 1405.605 - Award.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-04-01

... OFFICE OF NATIONAL DRUG CONTROL POLICY GOVERNMENTWIDE REQUIREMENTS FOR DRUG-FREE WORKPLACE (FINANCIAL...: (1) A Federal grant or cooperative agreement, in the form of money or property in lieu of money. (2... include: (1) Technical assistance that provides services instead of money. (2) Loans. (3) Loan guarantees...

2 CFR 182.605 - Award.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... GOVERNMENTWIDE REQUIREMENTS FOR DRUG-FREE WORKPLACE (FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE) Definitions § 182.605 Award. Award... includes: (1) A Federal grant or cooperative agreement, in the form of money or property in lieu of money... include: (1) Technical assistance that provides services instead of money. (2) Loans. (3) Loan guarantees...

21 CFR 1405.605 - Award.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... OFFICE OF NATIONAL DRUG CONTROL POLICY GOVERNMENTWIDE REQUIREMENTS FOR DRUG-FREE WORKPLACE (FINANCIAL...: (1) A Federal grant or cooperative agreement, in the form of money or property in lieu of money. (2... include: (1) Technical assistance that provides services instead of money. (2) Loans. (3) Loan guarantees...

Robotics/Automated Systems Technicians.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Doty, Charles R.

Major resources exist that can be used to develop or upgrade programs in community colleges and technical institutes that educate robotics/automated systems technicians. The first category of resources is Economic, Social, and Education Issues. The Office of Technology Assessment (OTA) report, "Automation and the Workplace," presents analyses of…

Rationalizing the Promotion of Non-Rational Behaviors in Organizations.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Smith, Peter A. C.; Sharma, Meenakshi

2002-01-01

Organizations must balance rational/technical efficiency and emotions. Action learning has been proven to be effective for developing emotional openness in the workplace. Facilitators of action learning should draw upon the disciplines of counseling, Gestalt, psychodynamics, and Eastern philosophies. (Contains 23 references.) (SK)

Role ambiguity, employee gender, and workplace friendship.

PubMed

Chen, Chien-Yu; Mao, Hsiao-Yen; Hsieh, An-Tien

2012-06-01

The importance of workplace friendship is recognized by researchers and practitioners, but its antecedents with respect to work roles are not well understood. Employees' gender might moderate a relationship between work roles and friendships. Data from a survey of 221 international tourist hotel employees showed that a key aspect of job support, role ambiguity, was negatively related to having workplace friendships. However, employees' gender did not moderate this relationship. Role clarity (the opposite of role ambiguity) may facilitate workplace friendships.

Workplace violence against homecare workers and its relationship with workers health outcomes: a cross-sectional study.

PubMed

Hanson, Ginger C; Perrin, Nancy A; Moss, Helen; Laharnar, Naima; Glass, Nancy

2015-01-17

Consumer-driven homecare models support aging and disabled individuals to live independently through the services of homecare workers. Although these models have benefits, including autonomy and control over services, little evidence exists about challenges homecare workers may face when providing services, including workplace violence and the negative outcomes associated with workplace violence. This study investigates the prevalence of workplace violence among homecare workers and examines the relationship between these experiences and homecare worker stress, burnout, depression, and sleep. We recruited female homecare workers in Oregon, the first US state to implement a consumer driven homecare model, to complete an on-line or telephone survey with peer interviewers. The survey asked about demographics and included measures to assess workplace violence, fear, stress, burnout, depression and sleep problems. Homecare workers (n = 1,214) reported past-year incidents of verbal aggression (50.3% of respondents), workplace aggression (26.9%), workplace violence (23.6%), sexual harassment (25.7%), and sexual aggression (12.8%). Exposure was associated with greater stress (p < .001), depression (p < .001), sleep problems (p < .001), and burnout (p < .001). Confidence in addressing workplace aggression buffered homecare workers against negative work and health outcomes. To ensure homecare worker safety and positive health outcomes in the provision of services, it is critical to develop and implement preventive safety training programs with policies and procedures that support homecare workers who experience harassment and violence.

I wanted you to know: Breast cancer survivors' control of workplace communication about cancer.

PubMed

Robinson, Lynne; Kocum, Lucie; Loughlin, Catherine; Bryson, Lindsay; Dimoff, Jennifer K

2015-10-01

Of working women diagnosed with cancer, approximately one-third will have breast cancer. Communicating about their cancer plays an important role in their workplace experience. It is challenging but helpful in eliciting needed social support and accommodations. Fully understanding such communication experiences is important in order to facilitate the well-being and success of such women in their workplaces. A qualitative study permits a richer account of the details of these workplace communications, and a deeper understanding of how women manage the complex and multifaceted communication process. This study used thematic analysis of semistructured interviews from 19 women working full time at the time of their breast cancer diagnosis. We found 3 themes that encapsulated unfolding individual experiences, representing a complex interplay of challenges to maintaining a sense of personal control in workplace responses: challenges to control posed by the experience of sharing information in the workplace about the woman's cancer, women's very individual attempts to control how information about their cancer was shared, and the mixed responses of those who were told. The result was unique individual trajectories in which empathic responses tailored to the individual's needs and preferences were most helpful. These findings can provide guidance on managing cancer communication for survivors, and on how to best support and accommodate women workers with breast cancer, facilitating their ability to control how their cancer impacts their work experience. Our website (http://www.iwantedyoutoknow.ca/) provides a video, tip sheet, and other resources for facilitating supportive communication in the workplace. (c) 2015 APA, all rights reserved).

Postincident Support for Healthcare Workers Experiencing Occupational Violence and Aggression.

PubMed

Shea, Tracey; Cooper, Brian; De Cieri, Helen; Sheehan, Cathy; Donohue, Ross; Lindsay, Sarah

2018-05-10

To investigate the relative contributions of workplace type, occupational violence and aggression (OVA) strategies and interventions along with perceptions of the occupational health and safety (OHS) environment on the likelihood of receiving postincident support following the experience of OVA. We used a cross-sectional study design with an online survey to collect data from employees in nursing and midwifery in Victoria, Australia. Survey data collected from 3,072 members of the Australian Nursing and Midwifery Federation (Victorian branch) were analyzed using logistic regression. Of the 3,072 respondents who had experienced OVA in the preceding 12 months, 1,287 (42%) reported that they had received postincident support. Hierarchical logistic regression revealed that the OHS environment was the dominant factor that predicted the likelihood of workers receiving postincident support. Working in a positive OHS environment characterized by higher levels of leading indicators of OHS, prioritization of OHS, supervisor support for safety, and team psychological safety was the stronger predictor of postincident support. Being employed in a workplace that offered training in the management and prevention of OVA also increased the likelihood of receiving postincident support. While training in the management and prevention of OVA contributed to the likelihood of receiving postincident support, a greater emphasis on the OHS environment was more important in predicting the likelihood that workers received support. This study identifies workplace practices that facilitate the provision of postincident support for healthcare workers. Facilitating effective postincident support could improve outcomes for workers, their patients and workplaces, and society in general. © 2018 Sigma Theta Tau International.

Examining the impact of worker and workplace factors on prolonged work absences among Canadian nurses.

PubMed

Franche, Renée-Louise; Murray, Eleanor; Ibrahim, Selahadin; Smith, Peter; Carnide, Nancy; Côté, Pierre; Gibson, Jane; Koehoorn, Mieke

2011-08-01

To evaluate the impact of worker and workplace factors and of their relationships on work absence duration. Structural equation modeling of 11,762 female, Canadian nurses from the 2005 National Survey of the Work and Health of Nurses. Worker and workplace factors were associated with prolonged work absence. Key proximal predictors were pain-related work interference, depression, pain severity, and respect and support at work. More distal predictors were multimorbidity, abuse at work, and organizational culture. Worker health and workplace factors are important in explaining work absence duration. Self-management for pain and mood, adapted to the work context, may be useful for nurses with chronic pain or depression. Policy makers and administrators should focus on creating respect and support at work, and improving organizational culture.

Moving from Student to Professional: Industry Mentors and Academic Internship Coordinators Supporting Intern Learning in the Workplace

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kramer-Simpson, Elisabeth

2018-01-01

This article offers empirical data to explore ways that both industry mentors and academic internship coordinators support student interns in ways that optimize the workplace experience. Rich description of qualitative data from case studies and interviews shows that to optimize the internship, both the industry mentor and the academic internship…

Invited Reaction: Influences of Formal Learning, Personal Learning Orientation, and Supportive Learning Environment on Informal Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cseh, Maria; Manikoth, Nisha N.

2011-01-01

As the authors of the preceding article (Choi and Jacobs, 2011) have noted, the workplace learning literature shows evidence of the complementary and integrated nature of formal and informal learning in the development of employee competencies. The importance of supportive learning environments in the workplace and of employees' personal learning…

A Systematic Review of Assistive Technology for Individuals with Intellectual Disability in the Workplace

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Morash-Macneil, Virginia; Johnson, Friggita; Ryan, Joseph B.

2018-01-01

Research has shown that assistive technology (AT) can help support employment skills for individuals with intellectual disabilities (IDs). The authors of this review examined the effectiveness of various types of AT support for individuals with ID in the workplace with a focus on the participant's independent ability to demonstrate a specific…

Improving access to learning in the workplace using technology in an accredited course.

PubMed

Munro, Kathleen M; Peacock, Susi

2005-03-01

This article gives an account of a case study which seeks to explore the potential for using technology to deliver learning in the workplace: a syringe driver course for nurses. We provide a brief overview of workplace learning, continuing professional development and learning technology in the health sciences. The paper then draws upon a three-year project that involved the transition of a traditionally taught, institution-based face-to-face course to work-based learning using technology. Through the evaluation and discussion of the case study we address key issues that have emerged, such as, marketing of the product; in our case it was decided that the most cost-effective way to provide the course and recuperate some costs was to accredit the course by the Institution. Registered practitioners in the workplace assess learning and are linked to the quality assurance mechanisms of the Institution. We also consider some of the major barriers to implementation, highlighting critical areas for consideration for those undertaking a similar project. These include the lack of technical knowledge in the Group, which resulted in a steep learning curve for all members. This and numerous iterations of materials (including video and animations) lengthened the project considerably whilst technological advances meant other more sophisticated technological solutions that became available during the production process were incorporated. A cost benefit analysis would show that the product has been delivered across Scotland and production costs covered and that there have been unquantifiable gains, including improving the external profile of the academic institution and the NHS Trust, developing the technical skills of the Group and providing invaluable experience of working in a cross-disciplinary collaborative working environment.

Exploring the Relation between Teachers' Perceptions of Workplace Conditions and Their Professional Learning Goals

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Louws, Monika L.; Meirink, Jacobiene A.; van Veen, Klaas; van Driel, Jan H.

2017-01-01

Schools' structural workplace conditions (e.g. learning resources and professional development policies) and cultural workplace conditions (e.g. school leadership, teachers' collaborative culture) have been found to affect the way teachers learn. It is not so much the objective conditions that support or impede professional learning but the way…

Influence of Teamwork Behaviors on Workplace Incivility as It Applies to Nurses

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Logan, Todd R.

2016-01-01

Workplace incivility, or bullying, experienced by nurses has been shown to have negative consequences on nurses and the care they provide patients. Nurses' roles are being challenged in the healthcare environment because of incivility in the workplace. These negative outcomes exist despite the support provided by teams on which these nurses work.…

Sexual Harassment: A Common Sample for the University and the Workplace.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Beauregard, Terri Kinion

The sexual harassment experienced by a sample of women (N=154) in a university setting was compared with the sexual harassment experienced by them in a workplace setting. Results appeared to support the following generalizations: (1) there is greater gender harassment, unwanted sexual attention, and sexual coercion in the workplace setting than in…

Developing Skilled Doctor-Patient Communication in the Workplace: A Qualitative Study of the Experiences of Trainees and Clinical Supervisors

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Giroldi, Esther; Veldhuijzen, Wemke; Geelen, Kristel; Muris, Jean; Bareman, Frits; Bueving, Herman; van der Weijden, Trudy; van der Vleuten, Cees

2017-01-01

To inform the development of recommendations to facilitate learning of skilled doctor-patient communication in the workplace, this qualitative study explores experiences of trainees and supervisors regarding how trainees learn communication and how supervisors support trainees' learning in the workplace. We conducted a qualitative study in a…

The Influence of Job Characteristics and Self-Directed Learning Orientation on Workplace Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Raemdonck, Isabel; Gijbels, David; van Groen, Willemijn

2014-01-01

Given the increasing importance of learning at work, we set out to examine the factors which influence workplace learning behaviour. The study investigated the influence of the job characteristics from Karasek's Job Demand Control Support model and the personal characteristic self-directed learning orientation on workplace learning. A total…

Kodak Skills Enhancement Program. U.S. Department of Education National Workplace Literacy Project. Final Report.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Beaudin, Bart P.

The Kodak Skills Enhancement program was a workplace literacy project funded through the U.S. Department of Education's National Workplace Literacy Program. The project goals were as follows: (1) establish a positive climate within the Kodak corporate environment to ensure program effectiveness by garnering support at all levels; (2) determine the…

Factors Affecting Self-Referral to Counselling Services in the Workplace: A Qualitative Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Athanasiades, Chrysostomos; Winthrop, Allan; Gough, Brendan

2008-01-01

The benefits of psychological support in the workplace (also known as workplace counselling) are well documented. Most large organisations in the UK have staff counselling schemes. However, it is unclear what, if any, factors affect employee decisions to use such schemes. This study has used a qualitative methodology to explore the reasons that…

Workplace culture in psychiatric nursing described by nurses.

PubMed

Kurjenluoma, K; Rantanen, A; McCormack, B; Slater, P; Hahtela, N; Suominen, T

2017-12-01

This study looks to describe the workplace culture from the viewpoints of stress, job satisfaction and practice environment. Data were collected from nurses (n = 109) using a web-based survey, The Person-Centred Nursing Index, from two purposefully selected hospital districts in Finland. Data were statistically analysed. Nurses described their workplace culture in slightly positive terms. Nurses only occasionally experienced stress (mean = 2.56, SD = 0.55) and were fairly satisfied with their job (mean = 4.75, SD = 0.66) and their practice environment (mean = 4.42, SD = 0.81). Demographic variables such as the nurses' age, length of time in nursing, time at their present hospital, working shifts and their use of patient restriction were more frequently associated with their perceived workplace culture. Older nurses and those with a longer work history in the nursing profession tended to be more satisfied with their workplace culture in psychiatric nursing. Young and/or newly graduated nurses felt more negatively on their workplace culture; this issue should be recognised and addressed with appropriate support and mentoring. Nurses who used restrictive measures were more often less satisfied with their workplace culture. Continuous efforts are needed to reduce the use of coercive measures, which challenge also the managers to support nursing practice to be more person-centred. © 2017 Nordic College of Caring Science.

Australian midwives' experiences of their workplace culture.

PubMed

Catling, Christine J; Reid, Fiona; Hunter, Billie

2017-04-01

A number of adverse events in Australia and overseas have highlighted the need to examine the workplace culture in the maternity environment. Little attention has been paid to the midwifery workplace culture in Australia. The study aimed to explore the midwifery workplace culture from the perspective of midwives themselves. A qualitative descriptive design was used. Group and individual interviews were undertaken of urban, regional and rural-based midwives in Australia. Data were analysed thematically. The study showed that both new and experienced midwives felt frustrated by organisational environments and attitudes, and expressed strategies to cope with this. Five themes were identified from the data. These were: Bullying and resilience, Fatigued and powerless midwives, Being 'hampered by the environment', and The importance of support for midwifery. The study discusses the themes in depth. In particular, discussion focusses on how midwifery practise was affected by midwives' workplace culture and model of care, and the importance of supportive relationships from peers and managers. This study illuminated both positive and negative aspects of the midwifery workplace culture in Australia. One way to ensure the wellbeing and satisfaction of midwives in order to maintain the midwifery workforce and provide quality care to women and their families is to provide positive workplace cultures. Copyright © 2016 Australian College of Midwives. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Anxiety and Depression Mediate the Relationship Between Perceived Workplace Health Support and Presenteeism: A Cross-sectional Analysis.

PubMed

Laing, Sharon S; Jones, Salene M W

2016-11-01

This study investigates the mediation effect of anxiety and depression on the relationship between perceived health-promoting workplace culture and presenteeism. Paper surveys were distributed to 4703 state employees. Variables included symptoms of depression (Patient Health Questionnaire-2 [PHQ-2]); anxiety (General Health Questionnaire-12 [GHQ-12]); perceived workplace support for healthy living and physical activity; and presenteeism (Work Productivity and Activity Impairment Questionnaire). Correlational analyses assessed relationships among culture, mental health, and productivity. Indirect effects of workplace culture on productivity, mediated by anxiety and depression symptoms were significant (P's = 0.002). Healthy living culture and anxiety were significantly associated (r = -0.110, P < 0.01), and anxiety and presenteeism were significantly associated (r = +0.239, P < 0.01). Anxiety and depression determine the impact of perceived health promotive workplace culture on employee productivity. The paper highlights importance of health promotive practices targeting employee mental well-being.

Education Trends, Norms and Development.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Abdel-Magid, Isam Mohammed; Elsadig, Elsadig Hassan

The impact of globalization on vocational-technical education (VTE) and human resource development (HRD) in Sudan was examined. Special attention was paid to the following issues: the purpose of education in the 21st century; learning for the workplace; national culture and technological advances; the globalization of education; education and…

Credentials for All: An Imperative for SREB States

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Southern Regional Education Board (SREB), 2015

2015-01-01

Southern Regional Education Board's (SREB's) Commission on Career and Technical Education challenges states to build bridges from high school to postsecondary attainment and career advancement by developing rigorous, relevant career pathways that align secondary, postsecondary, and workplace learning and lead to high-skill, high-wage jobs in…

2 CFR 1401.205 - Award.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

... DRUG-FREE WORKPLACE (FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE) Definitions § 1401.205 Award. Award means an award of...) A Federal grant or cooperative agreement, in the form of money or property in lieu of money. (2) A...: (1) Technical assistance that provides services instead of money. (2) Loans. (3) Loan guarantees. (4...

2 CFR 1401.205 - Award.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

... DRUG-FREE WORKPLACE (FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE) Definitions § 1401.205 Award. Award means an award of...) A Federal grant or cooperative agreement, in the form of money or property in lieu of money. (2) A...: (1) Technical assistance that provides services instead of money. (2) Loans. (3) Loan guarantees. (4...

2 CFR 1401.205 - Award.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-01-01

... DRUG-FREE WORKPLACE (FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE) Definitions § 1401.205 Award. Award means an award of...) A Federal grant or cooperative agreement, in the form of money or property in lieu of money. (2) A...: (1) Technical assistance that provides services instead of money. (2) Loans. (3) Loan guarantees. (4...

Hamline/3M Corp. Project: Liason for Curricular Change*

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Artz, Jerry L.

2002-04-01

This project was designed to catalyze curricular changes to better prepare students for the workplace. Industrial managers provided a list of 16 characteristics valued in the workplace; most were NOT related to science course content. The project formed 5 teams each including 3M professionals and students. Each team developed curricular changes in one of the 16 areas. Team goals were to improve skills in communication, data analysis, business/economics, team problem solving, and cultural competency. Curricular changes realized include communication skill activities embodied in science courses and faculty communication teaching skill seminars; self learning tools in data analysis, statistics and model building; a new course developed with assistance from 3M personnel focusing on topics directly related to technological industries; high performance team problem solving training/coaching for faculty; workshops for students and faculty relative to importance of cultural competencies in the workplace; and a new course focusing on culture, team problem solving and conflict resolution in the technical workplace. Process for developing and content of curricular changes will be reported. *Thanks to: NSF GOALI CHE-99010782

Racial/ethnic differences in report of drug testing practices at the workplace level in the U.S.

PubMed

Becker, William C; Meghani, Salimah; Tetrault, Jeanette M; Fiellin, David A

2014-01-01

It is unknown whether racial/ethnic differences in report of workplace drug testing persist when analyzed within and across various occupations. We sought to examine the association between worker demographics, workplace characteristics, and report of employment in a workplace that performs drug testing. We performed a cross-sectional study of the 2008-2010 National Survey on Drug Use and Health examining the relationship between race/ethnicity and report of workplace drug testing among employed, white, black, or Hispanic respondents ≥18 years old. In logistic regression analysis, we adjusted for demographic, occupational, and other relevant variables and performed stratified analyses among three specific occupations. Among 69,163 respondents, 48.2% reported employment in a workplace that performs drug testing. On multivariable analysis, younger age, male sex, black race, income greater than $20,000, completion of high school and non-urban residence were associated with report of drug testing at one's workplace among the full sample as were non-white collar occupation, work in medium or large workplace, and absence of other substance abuse/dependence. In stratified analyses, black race was associated with report of workplace level drug testing among executive/administrative/managerial/financial workers and technicians/related support occupations; Hispanic ethnicity was associated with the outcome among technicians/related support occupations. Racial/ethnic differences in report of workplace drug testing exist within and across various occupations. These differences have important public health implications deserving further study. Increased report of drug testing where racial/ethnic minorities work highlights the potential bias that can be introduced when drug testing policies are not implemented in a universal fashion. © American Academy of Addiction Psychiatry.

Effects of early support intervention on workplace ergonomics--a two-year followup study.

PubMed

Turja, Johanna; Kaleva, Simo; Kivistö, Marketta; Seitsamo, Jorma

2012-01-01

The purpose of the controlled longitudinal study was to determine the effect of a tailored early support intervention method on workers' workplace ergonomics. The main areas of the early support intervention were training, guidance and support for supervisors in finding weak signals of impaired ergonomics. Supervisors were also trained to bring up these weak signals in discussion with employees and to make necessary changes at the workplace. The data consisted of 301 intervention subjects and 235 control subjects working in the field of commerce. The questionnaires were carried out in 2008 and in 2010, and the response rates among both groups were 45%. We used multivariate repeated measures analysis of variance (MANOVA) to test the difference in the groups at two points of time. The main result was that in the areas of work environment, the interaction between group and time was statistically significant (p=0.0004). The work environment improved in the intervention group, but deteriorated in the control. Working methods improved due to the interventions, but physical load factors increased over time in both groups. According to the study, tailored early support intervention has a generally beneficial impact on workers' workplace ergonomics in the areas of work methods, work environment and accident factors.

Co-Occurring Disorders

MedlinePlus

... Life on Campus Minority Mental Health Workplace Wellness Work-Life Balance Mental Illness and Work Support an Employee Workplace ... Programs Care For Your Health For Providers For Family & Friends Person-Centered Language Psychiatric Advance Directives Creating ...

Workplace-related smoking in New South Wales: extent of bans, public attitudes and relationships with relapse.

PubMed

Walsh, Raoul A; Paul, Christine L; Paras, Lorraine; Stacey, Fiona; Tzelepis, Flora

2011-08-01

Little research has examined issues surrounding employee smoking outside smoke-free workplaces. The study's aims were to: 1) document the proportion of NSW indoor employees covered by total workplace smoking bans; 2) examine community perceptions of employee smoking during working hours; 3) identify the characteristics of having a supportive attitude toward tobacco control in the workplace; and 4) describe relationships between smoking relapse and workplace-related smoking. Two cross-sectional, computer-assisted telephone interview surveys of randomly selected adults were conducted. Consent rates were 49.1% in 2004 and 45.8% in 2006, with sample sizes of 1,158 and 2,393 respectively. Total workplace bans were reported by 92.9% of indoor employees. Community attitudes to smoking in working hours were highly negative: 77.7% agreed smoking breaks waste too much time and 85.1% opposed smoking near workplace doorways. Being female, born in Australia and a non-smoker were associated with more negative attitudes. A higher proportion of smokers (78.3%) perceived smoking was more common outside their place of work or study than at five other locations: rail/bus stop (60.2%), friends' houses (59.3%), own street (35.2%), parks (34.3%), and outside school (22.6%). Of smokers making a quit attempt in the past year, 42.1% relapsed at home, 22.1% at licensed premises and 18.7% at work. Findings emphasise the low support for smoking during or near work. Smoking outside workplaces is highly visible. Data on relapse suggest a modest relationship with workplace-related smoking.

Women's experiences of developing musculoskeletal diseases: employment challenges and policy recommendations.

PubMed

Crooks, Valorie A

2007-07-30

To answer three specific questions: (i) How do women experience the workplace after the onset of a musculoskeletal disease; (ii) What employment policy and programme suggestions can they offer for ways to better support chronically ill women in their abilities to maintain workforce participation; and (iii) How are these women's employment policy and programme recommendations informed by their own lived experiences and desires? In-depth interviews were conducted with 18 women who had developed musculoskeletal diseases while involved in the labour market. Data were coded and analysed thematically. Participants identified three common workplace barriers experienced and three types of workplace accommodations commonly requested. They offered four specific employment policy and programme recommendations for ways to better support women who develop musculoskeletal diseases in maintaining labour market participation. It is found that their employment policy and programme recommendations are informed by their own experiences in the workplace and desires for being supported in maintaining involvement in paid labour. Creating employment programmes and policies that support chronically ill women in their attempts to remain involved in the workforce based on how much paid labour they are able to perform and where they are best able to work is of the utmost importance.

Operationalizing workplace accommodations for individuals with disabilities: A scoping review.

PubMed

Sundar, Vidya

2017-01-01

The provision of workplace accommodations is a proven strategy in supporting individuals with disabilities at work. Accommodations include a wide range of supports and strategies that are not very well defined beyond the Americans with Disabilities Act in the United States. Understanding the landscape of accommodations is important to measure the impact of programs that support employment of individuals with disabilities. To conduct a scoping review and thematic analysis of research literature to identify how workplace accommodations are operationalized and to identify knowledge gaps in its conceptualization. Keywords searches were conducted in seven electronic databases. Title, abstract, and full text screening was conducted followed by a thematic analysis of the content to identify how workplace accommodations are operationalized. Overall, 47 studies were selected for review. 433 different types of accommodations were identified, of which assistive technology and specialized equipment represented the most frequently reported type of accommodation (40%). A very small percentage of studies included policy changes (9%) and human assistance (5%) as an accommodation strategy. This scoping review aims to clarify how accommodations are operationalized in the research literature. Key knowledge gaps identified include the systematic exclusion of certain types of supports or disability types.

Implementation of Workplace-Based Smoking Cessation Support Activities and Smoking Cessation Among Employees: The Finnish Public Sector Study

PubMed Central

Kivimäki, Mika; Oksanen, Tuula; Pentti, Jaana; Heponiemi, Tarja; Väänänen, Ari; Virtanen, Marianna; Vahtera, Jussi

2012-01-01

Objectives. We investigated the relationship between implementation of workplace smoking cessation support activities and employee smoking cessation. Methods. In 2 cohort studies, participants were 6179 Finnish public-sector employees who self-reported as smokers at baseline in 2004 (study 1) or 2008 (study 2) and responded to follow-up surveys in 2008 (study 1; n = 3298; response rate = 71%) or 2010 (study 2; n = 2881; response rate = 83%). Supervisors’ reports were used to assess workplace smoking cessation support activities. We conducted multilevel logistic regression analyses to examine changes in smoking status. Results. After adjustment for sociodemographic characteristics, number of cigarettes smoked per day, work unit size, shift work, type of job contract, health status, and health behaviors, baseline smokers whose supervisors reported that the employing agency had offered pharmacological treatments or financial incentives were more likely than those in workplaces that did not offer such support to have quit smoking. In general, associations were stronger among moderate or heavy smokers (≥ 10 cigarettes/day) than among light smokers (< 10 cigarettes/day). Conclusions. Cessation activities offered by employers may encourage smokers, particularly moderate or heavy smokers, to quit smoking. PMID:22594722

Implementation of a tobacco-free workplace program at a local mental health authority.

PubMed

Correa-Fernández, Virmarie; Wilson, William T; Shedrick, Deborah A; Kyburz, Bryce; L Samaha, Hannah; Stacey, Timothy; Williams, Teresa; Lam, Cho Y; Reitzel, Lorraine R

2017-06-01

Tobacco-free workplace policies that incorporate evidence-based practices can increase the reach and effectiveness of tobacco dependence treatment among underserved populations but may be underutilized due to limited knowledge about implementation processes. This paper describes the implementation of a comprehensive tobacco-free workplace program at a behavioral healthcare community center in Texas. The center participated in a tobacco-free workplace program implementation project that provided guidance and resources and allowed center autonomy in implementation. Six employee-based subcommittees guided implementation of program components including consumer and staff surveys, policy development, signage, tobacco use assessments, communication, and nicotine replacement distribution. Timeline development, successes, challenges, lessons learned, and sustainability initiatives are delineated. Concerns about the tobacco-free workplace policy from the center's staff and consumers were gradually replaced by strong support for the initiative. Program success was enabled by consistent support from the center's leadership, publicity of program efforts, and educational campaigns. The center surpassed the program expectations when it adopted a tobacco-free hiring policy, which was not an initial program goal. This center's path to a tobacco-free workplace provides an implementation and sustainability model for other behavioral health community centers and other organizations to become tobacco free.

Work stress among newly graduated nurses in relation to workplace and clinical group supervision.

PubMed

Blomberg, Karin; Isaksson, Ann-Kristin; Allvin, Renée; Bisholt, Birgitta; Ewertsson, Mona; Kullén Engström, Agneta; Ohlsson, Ulla; Sundler Johansson, Annelie; Gustafsson, Margareta

2016-01-01

The aim was to investigate occupational stress among newly graduated nurses in relation to the workplace and clinical group supervision. Being a newly graduated nurse is particularly stressful. What remains unclear is whether the workplace and clinical group supervision affect the stress. A cross-sectional comparative study was performed in 2012. Data were collected by means of a numerical scale measuring occupational stress, questions about workplace and clinical group supervision. One hundred and thirteen nurses who had recently graduated from three Swedish universities were included in the study. The stress was high among the newly graduated nurses but it differed significantly between workplaces, surgical departments generating the most stress. Nurses who had received clinical group supervision reported significantly less stress. The stress between workplaces remained significant also when participation in clinical group supervision was taken into account. Newly graduated nurses experience great stress and need support, especially those in surgical departments. Nurses participating in clinical group supervision reported significantly less stress. It is important to develop strategies that help to adapt the work situation so as to give nurses the necessary support. Clinical group supervision should be considered as an option for reducing stress. © 2014 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Aversive workplace conditions and absenteeism: taking referent group norms and supervisor support into account.

PubMed

Biron, Michal; Bamberger, Peter

2012-07-01

Past research reveals inconsistent findings regarding the association between aversive workplace conditions and absenteeism, suggesting that other, contextual factors may play a role in this association. Extending contemporary models of absence, we draw from the social identity theory of attitude-behavior relations to examine how peer absence-related norms and leader support combine to explain the effect of aversive workplace conditions on absenteeism. Using a prospective design and a random sample of transit workers, we obtained results indicating that perceived job hazards and exposure to critical incidents are positively related to subsequent absenteeism, but only under conditions of more permissive peer absence norms. Moreover, this positive impact of peer norms on absenteeism is amplified among employees perceiving their supervisor to be less supportive and is attenuated to the point of nonsignificance among those viewing their supervisor as more supportive. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2012 APA, all rights reserved).

Paranoia and Delusional Disorders

MedlinePlus

... Life on Campus Minority Mental Health Workplace Wellness Work-Life Balance Mental Illness and Work Support an Employee Workplace ... Programs Care For Your Health For Providers For Family & Friends Person-Centered Language Psychiatric Advance Directives Creating ...

Organizational Supports for Research Evidence Use in State Public Health Agencies: A Latent Class Analysis.

PubMed

Hu, Hengrui; Allen, Peg; Yan, Yan; Reis, Rodrigo S; Jacob, Rebekah R; Brownson, Ross C

2018-05-30

Use of research evidence in public health decision making can be affected by organizational supports. Study objectives are to identify patterns of organizational supports and explore associations with research evidence use for job tasks among public health practitioners. In this longitudinal study, we used latent class analysis to identify organizational support patterns, followed by mixed logistic regression analysis to quantify associations with research evidence use. The setting included 12 state public health department chronic disease prevention units and their external partnering organizations involved in chronic disease prevention. Chronic disease prevention staff from 12 US state public health departments and partnering organizations completed self-report surveys at 2 time points, in 2014 and 2016 (N = 872). Latent class analysis was employed to identify subgroups of survey participants with distinct patterns of perceived organizational supports. Two classify-analyze approaches (maximum probability assignment and multiple pseudo-class draws) were used in 2017 to investigate the association between latent class membership and research evidence use. The optimal model identified 4 latent classes, labeled as "unsupportive workplace," "low agency leadership support," "high agency leadership support," and "supportive workplace." With maximum probability assignment, participants in "high agency leadership support" (odds ratio = 2.08; 95% CI, 1.35-3.23) and "supportive workplace" (odds ratio = 1.74; 95% CI, 1.10-2.74) were more likely to use research evidence in job tasks than "unsupportive workplace." The multiple pseudo-class draws produced comparable results with odds ratio = 2.09 (95% CI, 1.31-3.30) for "high agency leadership support" and odds ratio = 1.74 (95% CI, 1.07-2.82) for "supportive workplace." Findings suggest that leadership support may be a crucial element of organizational supports to encourage research evidence use. Organizational supports such as supervisory expectations, access to evidence, and participatory decision-making may need leadership support as well to improve research evidence use in public health job tasks.This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-Non Commercial-No Derivatives License 4.0 (CCBY-NC-ND), where it is permissible to download and share the work provided it is properly cited. The work cannot be changed in any way or used commercially without permission from the journal.

The influence of workplace injuries on work-family conflict: job and financial insecurity as mechanisms.

PubMed

Lawrence, Ericka R; Halbesleben, Jonathon R B; Paustian-Underdahl, Samantha C

2013-10-01

Research examining the outcomes of workplace injuries has focused on high costs to the organization. In this study, we utilize conservation of resources theory to develop and test a model that explains how and under what circumstances workplace injuries impact employees' perceptions of how their work interferes with their family. Results from 194 registered nurses (along with 85 of their spouses), using path analytic tests of moderated mediation, provide support for the prediction that the mediated effect of workplace injury severity on work-family conflict (through job and financial insecurity) is weaker when employees perceive high levels of supervisor support. We discuss the implications of these findings for the study of job and financial insecurity and work-family conflict. Limitations of this study and directions for future research are also presented.

The effectiveness of interventions targeting the stigma of mental illness at the workplace: a systematic review.

PubMed

Hanisch, Sabine E; Twomey, Conal D; Szeto, Andrew C H; Birner, Ulrich W; Nowak, Dennis; Sabariego, Carla

2016-01-06

The majority of people experiencing mental-health problems do not seek help, and the stigma of mental illness is considered a major barrier to seeking appropriate treatment. More targeted interventions (e.g. at the workplace) seem to be a promising and necessary supplement to public campaigns, but little is known about their effectiveness. The aim of this systematic review is to provide an overview of the evidence on the effectiveness of interventions targeting the stigma of mental illness at the workplace. Sixteen studies were included after the literature review. The effectiveness of anti-stigma interventions at the workplace was assessed by examining changes in: (1) knowledge of mental disorders and their treatment and recognition of signs/symptoms of mental illness, (2) attitudes towards people with mental-health problems, and (3) supportive behavior. The results indicate that anti-stigma interventions at the workplace can lead to improved employee knowledge and supportive behavior towards people with mental-health problems. The effects of interventions on employees' attitudes were mixed, but generally positive. The quality of evidence varied across studies. This highlights the need for more rigorous, higher-quality evaluations conducted with more diverse samples of the working population. Future research should explore to what extent changes in employees' knowledge, attitudes, and supportive behavior lead to affected individuals seeking help earlier. Such investigations are likely to inform important stakeholders about the potential benefits of current workplace anti-stigma interventions and provide guidance for the development and implementation of effective future interventions.

Five Years of Research Into Technology-Enhanced Learning at the Faculty of Materials Science and Technology

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Svetský, Štefan; Moravčík, Oliver; Rusková, Dagmar; Balog, Karol; Sakál, Peter; Tanuška, Pavol

2011-01-01

The article describes a five-year period of Technology Enhanced Learning (TEL) implementation at the Faculty of Materials Science and Technology (MTF) in Trnava. It is a part of the challenges put forward by the 7th Framework Programme (ICT research in FP7) focused on "how information and communication technologies can be used to support learning and teaching". The empirical research during the years 2006-2008 was focused on technology-driven support of teaching, i. e. the development of VLE (Virtual Learning Environment) and the development of database applications such as instruments developed simultaneously with the information support of the project, and tested and applied directly in the teaching of bachelor students. During this period, the MTF also participated in the administration of the FP7 KEPLER project proposal in the international consortium of 20 participants. In the following period of 2009-2010, the concept of educational activities automation systematically began to develop. Within this concept, the idea originated to develop a universal multi-purpose system BIKE based on the batch processing knowledge paradigm. This allowed to focus more on educational approach, i.e. TEL educational-driven and to finish the programming of the Internet application - network for feedback (communication between teachers and students). Thanks to this specialization, the results of applications in the teaching at MTF could gradually be presented at the international conferences focused on computer-enhanced engineering education. TEL was implemented at a detached workplace and four institutes involving more than 600 students-bachelors and teachers of technical subjects. Four study programmes were supported, including technical English language. Altogether, the results have been presented via 16 articles in five countries, including the EU level (IGIP-SEFI).

Learning experience of Chinese nursing students in an online clinical English course: qualitative study.

PubMed

Tang, Anson C Y; Wong, Nick; Wong, Thomas K S

2015-02-01

The low English proficiency of Chinese nurse/nursing students affects their performance when they work in English-speaking countries. However, limited resources are available to help them improve their workplace English, i.e. English used in a clinical setting. To this end, it is essential to look for an appropriate and effective means to assist them in improving their clinical English. The objective of this study is to evaluate the learning experience of Chinese nursing students after they have completed an online clinical English course. Focus group interview was used to explore their learning experience. 100 students in nursing programs at Tung Wah College were recruited. The inclusion criteria were: (1) currently enrolled in a nursing program; and (2) having clinical experience. Eligible participants self-registered for the online English course, and were required to complete the course within 3 months. After that, semi-structured interviews were conducted on students whom completed the whole and less than half of the course. One of the researchers joined each of the interviews as a facilitator and an observer. Thematic analysis was used to analyze the data. Finally, 7 themes emerged from the interviews: technical issues, adequacy of support, time requirement, motivation, clarity of course instruction, course design, and relevancy of the course. Participants had varied opinions on the 2 themes: motivation and relevancy of the course. Overall, results of this study suggest that the online English course helped students improve their English. Factors which support their learning are interactive course design, no time constraint, and relevancy to their work/study. Factors which detracted from their learning are poor accessibility, poor technical and learning support and no peer support throughout the course. Copyright © 2014. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Representations in Simulated Workplaces

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

van Schaik, Martijn; Terwel, Jan; van Oers, Bert

2014-01-01

In vocational education students are to be prepared to participate in communities of practice. Hence they need technical skills as well as content knowledge e.g. science and mathematics. Research has shown that the instructional strategy of guided co-construction may lead to deeper understandings within a practice. The research questions in this…

VISIONS2 Learning for Life Initiative. Final Report.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Orangeburg-Calhoun Technical Coll., Orangeburg, SC.

During the Learning for Life Initiative, a technical college and an adult education center partnered with two area businesses to develop and deliver job-specific workplace literacy and basic skills training to employees. Major activities of the initiative included the following: comprehensive staff development program for all project instructors,…

Measurement for Work. Teaching Guide and Sample Learning Activities.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Angel, Margo; Bolton, Chris

This document is intended to help Australian technical and further education instructors in New South Wales (TAFE NSW) identify teaching principles and learning activities that they can use to help adult learners master the mathematics processes, knowledge, and skills needed to perform basic measurement tasks in today's workplace. The materials…

Coordinating Technological Resources in a Non-Technical Profession: The Administrative Computer User Group.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rollo, J. Michael; Marmarchev, Helen L.

1999-01-01

The explosion of computer applications in the modern workplace has required student affairs professionals to keep pace with technological advances for office productivity. This article recommends establishing an administrative computer user groups, utilizing coordinated web site development, and enhancing working relationships as ways of dealing…

High School Mathematics at Work: Essays and Examples for the Education of All Students.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

National Academy of Sciences - National Research Council, Washington, DC. Mathematical Sciences Education Board.

Traditionally, vocational mathematics and precollege mathematics have been separate in schools. This book illuminates the interplay between technical and academic mathematics. This collection of essays by mathematicians, educators, and other experts is enhanced with illustrative tasks from workplace and everyday contexts that suggest ways to…

Distant yet Near: Promoting Interdisciplinary Learning in Significantly Diverse Teams through Socially Responsible Projects

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Adya, Monica; Temple, Bryan K.; Hepburn, Donald M.

2015-01-01

With global specialization of work units within organizations, interdisciplinary work practices comprised of collaborative efforts between technical and business teams are increasingly common in today's workplace. While higher education has responded by creating opportunities for remote teams to learn from collaborative work, occasions for…

Flexible Delivery Is Not Simply a Question of Technology.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Goodear, Lyn

In 1997, the South West Institute of TAFE (Technical and Further Education) in Victoria, Australia, and Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology jointly developed an online workplace delivery model for administrative and clerical workers. The model was aligned with national standards encompassing the formal qualifications for four certificates in…

24 CFR 21.605 - Award.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-04-01

... GOVERNMENTWIDE REQUIREMENTS FOR DRUG-FREE WORKPLACE (GRANTS) Definitions § 21.605 Award. Award means an award of... of money or property in lieu of money. (2) A block grant or a grant in an entitlement program... include: (1) Technical assistance that provides services instead of money. (2) Loans. (3) Loan guarantees...

40 CFR 36.605 - Award.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... REQUIREMENTS FOR DRUG-FREE WORKPLACE (FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE) Definitions § 36.605 Award. Award means an award of...: (1) A Federal grant or cooperative agreement, in the form of money or property in lieu of money. (2... include: (1) Technical assistance that provides services instead of money. (2) Loans. (3) Loan guarantees...

24 CFR 21.605 - Award.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... GOVERNMENTWIDE REQUIREMENTS FOR DRUG-FREE WORKPLACE (GRANTS) Definitions § 21.605 Award. Award means an award of... of money or property in lieu of money. (2) A block grant or a grant in an entitlement program... include: (1) Technical assistance that provides services instead of money. (2) Loans. (3) Loan guarantees...

Technical Communication in the International Workplace: Some Implications for Curriculum Development.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Barclay, Rebecca O.; And Others

1991-01-01

Reports survey results of U.S. and European aerospace engineers concerning the kinds of communication products they actually use, the kinds they produce, and recommendations they would offer designers of academic courses. Recommends relevant faculty work and educational background, advisory boards, professional contacts, research, and feedback as…

Spinning the Web

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wiggins, Alexis

2014-01-01

Skills in communication and collaboration can be just as important as content knowledge and technical skills in the workplace. So what are schools doing to foster these skills? English language arts teacher Alexis Wiggins adapted the Socratic seminar model to make it student-led and collaborative. Under her new approach, the Spider Web…

Are Agricultural Graduates Meeting Employers' Expectations? A Perspective from Iran

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Alibeigi, Amir Hossein; Zarafshani, Kiumars

2006-01-01

A high level of personal capacity, the relevant professional competence and technical skills are essential for a graduate's successful transition to the workplace. The purpose of this survey was to identify the main competencies that higher agricultural education graduates should possess, based on the perceptions of potential agricultural…

A Wider Vision of Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Washor, Elliot

2018-01-01

The Harbor Freight Fellows Initiative gives students who have demonstrated outsized competence in a trade--but who may be struggling in a traditional high school or career and technical education (CTE) program--opportunities to learn a trade with a mentor in a workplace. The author describes how this program requires educators to deepen their…

Efficacy of Dual Enrollment in Rural Southwest Virginia

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Carter, Karen Glass

2009-01-01

The intent of this dissertation was to determine if enrollment into a career and technical education dual enrollment program encouraged students to continue their education into postsecondary education and if workplace readiness skills were increased. This study completed a factorial analysis of student demographic and factorial data as associated…

Growing Pains: An Evaluation of the SUCCEED Coalition.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brawner, Catherine E.; Serow, Robert C.

The SUCCEED coalition, one of the NSF Engineering Education Coalitions, was founded on a vision in which all engineering graduates will possess not only highly developed technical skills, but also the attitudes and awareness needed to prosper in the contemporary workplace. This vision manifested itself within SUCCEED by the development of…

Personnel Performance Assessment in Information Systems Outsourcing Environments

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Casado-Lumbreras, Cristina; Soto-Acosta, Pedro; Colomo-Palacios, Ricardo; de Pablos, Patricia Ordonez

2011-01-01

Purpose: The aim of this paper is to present a tool which uses semantic technologies for personnel performance and workplace learning assessment in outsourced information technology environments. Design/methodology/approach: The paper presents the tool from a technical perspective and introduces a use case that depicts the main features related to…

An Examination of the Relationship between SkillsUSA Student Contest Preparation and Academics

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Threeton, Mark D.; Pellock, Cynthia

2010-01-01

Career and Technical Student Organizations (CTSOs) assert they are assisting students in developing leadership, teamwork, citizenship, problem solving, communication, and academic skills for workplace success, but with limited research on their outcomes, are these empty claims? With integration of academics being a major Career and Technical…

HIV / AIDS, STDs and the workplace.

PubMed

Jackson, H

1995-01-01

Even though the workplace is ideal for promoting HIV/STD (sexually transmitted disease) prevention to benefit workers and employers, many workplaces are not convinced that they should be involved in HIV/AIDS and STD education, prevention, and support. They do not realize that time and money spent on health programs save them money. Perhaps they do not feel obligated to protect the health of their employees. The AIDS epidemic adversely affects society and the economy at both the macro and micro level. AIDS tends to strike the productive age group, thereby seriously affecting the workplace. In many Sub-Saharan African countries, at least 20% of the urban workforce may be infected with HIV. Persons living with HIV include top management, skilled professionals, general hands, and farm laborers. HIV/AIDS costs for formal employment are assumed through reduced productivity; increased costs of occupational benefits and social security measures; loss of skilled labor, professionals, and managerial expertise as well as the experience among workers; increased costs of training and recruitment; and low morale from stigmatization, discrimination, and subsequent industrial relation problems. Needed are comprehensive HIV/AIDS and STD workplace programs that ensure the rights of persons with HIV and compassionate treatment of these persons. Trade union or other labor representatives, management, and appropriate government departments should work together and build on existing health legislation and policy to bring about effective negotiation and policy development concerning AIDS and employment. Training of peer educators, support services (counseling, STD referral and/or treatment), community action, management commitment, monitoring and evaluation, and supportive workplace conditions make for effective comprehensive workplace programs. Successful programs operate in fishing villages in Tanzania, tea plantations in India, the University of Papua New Guinea, and Ugandan army camps.

Designing equitable workplace dietary interventions: perceptions of intervention deliverers.

PubMed

Smith, Sarah A; Visram, Shelina; O'Malley, Claire; Summerbell, Carolyn; Araujo-Soares, Vera; Hillier-Brown, Frances; Lake, Amelia A

2017-10-16

Workplaces are a good setting for interventions that aim to support workers in achieving a healthier diet and body weight. However, little is known about the factors that impact on the feasibility and implementation of these interventions, and how these might vary by type of workplace and type of worker. The aim of this study was to explore the views of those involved in commissioning and delivering the Better Health at Work Award, an established and evidence-based workplace health improvement programme. One-to-one semi-structured interviews were conducted with 11 individuals in North East England who had some level of responsibility for delivering workplace dietary interventions. Interviews were transcribed verbatim and analysed using thematic framework analysis. A number of factors were felt to promote the feasibility and implementation of interventions. These included interventions that were cost-neutral (to employee and employer), unstructured, involved colleagues for support, took place at lunchtimes, and were well-advertised and communicated via a variety of media. Offering incentives, not necessarily monetary, was perceived to increase recruitment rates. Factors that militate against feasibility and implementation of interventions included worksites that were large in size and remote, working patterns including shifts and working outside of normal working hours that were not conducive to workers being able to access intervention sessions, workplaces without appropriate provision for healthy food on site, and a lack of support from management. Intervention deliverers perceived that workplace dietary interventions should be equally and easily accessible (in terms of cost and timing of sessions) for all staff, regardless of their job role. Additional effort should be taken to ensure those staff working outside normal working hours, and those working off-site, can easily engage with any intervention, to avoid the risk of intervention-generated inequalities (IGIs).

The relationships among workplace stressors, coping methods, demographic characteristics, and health in Australian nurses.

PubMed

Chang, Esther M; Daly, John; Hancock, Karen M; Bidewell, John W; Johnson, Amanda; Lambert, Vickie A; Lambert, Clinton E

2006-01-01

Nursing is known to be stressful. Stress detrimentally can influence job satisfaction, psychological well-being, and physical health. There is a need for increased understanding of the stress that nurses experience and how best to manage it. Three hundred twenty Australian acute care public hospital nurses participated in a study by completing four questionnaires that examined (a) how various workplace stressors relate to ways of coping, demographic characteristics, and physical and mental health and (b) which workplace stressors, coping mechanisms, and demographic characteristics were the best predictors of physical and mental health. Significant correlations were found between stressors and physical and mental health. Multiple regression showed age to be the only significant predictor of physical health. The best coping predictors of mental health were escape-avoidance, distancing, and self-control. Other significant predictors of mental health were support in the workplace, the number of years worked in the unit, and workload. Mental health scores were higher for nurses working more years in the unit and for those who used distancing as a way of coping. Mental health scores were lower for nurses who used escape-avoidance, lacked workplace support, had high workload, and used self-control coping. The findings have implications for organizational management, particularly in terms of recommendations for stress management, social support, and workload reduction.

Development and validity of a scale to measure workplace culture of health.

PubMed

Kwon, Youngbum; Marzec, Mary L; Edington, Dee W

2015-05-01

To describe the development of and test the validity and reliability of the Workplace Culture of Health (COH) scale. Exploratory factor analysis and confirmatory factor analysis were performed on data from a health care organization (N = 627). To verify the factor structure, confirmatory factor analysis was performed on a second data set from a medical equipment manufacturer (N = 226). The COH scale included a structure of five orthogonal factors: senior leadership and polices, programs and rewards, quality assurance, supervisor support, and coworker support. With regard to construct validity (convergent and discriminant) and reliability, two different US companies showed the same factorial structure, satisfactory fit statistics, and suitable internal and external consistency. The COH scale represents a reliable and valid scale to assess the workplace environment and culture for supporting health.

Associations between work environment and psychological distress after a workplace terror attack: the importance of role expectations, predictability and leader support.

PubMed

Birkeland, Marianne Skogbrott; Nielsen, Morten Birkeland; Knardahl, Stein; Heir, Trond

2015-01-01

Experiencing terrorism is associated with high levels of psychological distress among survivors. The aim of the present study was to examine whether work environmental factors such as role clarity and predictability, role conflicts, and leader support may protect against elevated levels of psychological distress after a workplace terrorist attack. Data from approximately 1800 ministerial employees were collected ten months after the 2011 Oslo bombing attack which targeted the Norwegian ministries. The results show that after a traumatic event, lower role conflicts, higher role clarity, higher predictability, and higher leader support were independently associated with lower psychological distress. These findings suggest that the workplace environment may be a facilitator of employees' mental health after stressful events.

Breastfeeding policies and breastfeeding support programs in the mother's workplace.

PubMed

Bettinelli, Maria Enrica

2012-10-01

Women should never be forced to make a choice between mother-work and other work. Many women mistakenly think they cannot breastfeed if they plan to return to work, and thus they may not talk with their employers about their intention to breastfeed or how breastfeeding might be supported at their workplace. All breastfeeding policies and strategies underline the importance of providing support for lactating mothers and highlight the need to promote specific interventions in the workplace. Possible strategies for working mothers include having the mother keep the baby with her while she works, allowing the mother to go to the baby to breastfeed during the workday, telecommuting, offering flexible work schedules, maintaining part-time work schedules, and using on-site or nearby child care centres.

Resonant leadership and workplace empowerment: the value of positive organizational cultures in reducing workplace incivility.

PubMed

Laschinger, Heather K Spence; Wong, Carol A; Cummings, Greta G; Grau, Ashley L

2014-01-01

Nursing leaders are indispensable in creating positive nursing work environments that retain an empowered and satisfied nursing workforce. Positive and supportive leadership styles can lower patient mortality and improve nurses' health, job satisfaction, organizational commitment, emotional exhaustion, and intent to stay in their position. The results of this study support the role of positive leadership approaches that empower nurses and discourage workplace incivility and burnout in nursing work environments. The findings also provide empirical support for the notion of resonant leadership, a relatively new theory of relationship-focused leadership approaches. This research adds to the growing body of knowledge documenting the key role of positive leadership practices in creating healthy work environments that promote retention of nurses in a time of a severe nursing shortage.

Workplace Ostracism Seen through the Lens of Power

PubMed Central

Fiset, John; Al Hajj, Raghid; Vongas, John G.

2017-01-01

Drawing on approach/inhibition theory of power, we investigated two factors that influence the manner by which victims react to workplace ostracism: the hierarchical status of the ostracizer and the level of an ostracizee’s external social support including family, friends, and significant others. Across an experimental vignette study (Study 1) and a field study (Study 2), we found support for a three-way interaction with felt ostracism, ostracizee external social support, and ostracizer status influencing victims’ organizational citizenship behavior and deviance directed toward other individuals. In addition, felt ostracism and ostracizee external social support interacted to predict turnover intentions. Overall, victims who were ostracized by a legitimate higher-status authority (e.g., manager) and whose external social support network was limited experienced the most negative outcomes across both studies. Our findings suggest that contextual factors both inside and outside the organization jointly impact the way in which individuals react to perceived workplace ostracism. Implications and future research directions are discussed. PMID:28928702

The Effect of a Mechanical Arm System on Portable Grinder Vibration Emissions.

PubMed

McDowell, Thomas W; Welcome, Daniel E; Warren, Christopher; Xu, Xueyan S; Dong, Ren G

2016-04-01

Mechanical arm systems are commonly used to support powered hand tools to alleviate ergonomic stressors related to the development of workplace musculoskeletal disorders. However, the use of these systems can increase exposure times to other potentially harmful agents such as hand-transmitted vibration. To examine how these tool support systems affect tool vibration, the primary objectives of this study were to characterize the vibration emissions of typical portable pneumatic grinders used for surface grinding with and without a mechanical arm support system at a workplace and to estimate the potential risk of the increased vibration exposure time afforded by the use of these mechanical arm systems. This study also developed a laboratory-based simulated grinding task based on the ISO 28927-1 (2009) standard for assessing grinder vibrations; the simulated grinding vibrations were compared with those measured during actual workplace grinder operations. The results of this study demonstrate that use of the mechanical arm may provide a health benefit by reducing the forces required to lift and maneuver the tools and by decreasing hand-transmitted vibration exposure. However, the arm does not substantially change the basic characteristics of grinder vibration spectra. The mechanical arm reduced the average frequency-weighted acceleration by about 24% in the workplace and by about 7% in the laboratory. Because use of the mechanical arm system can increase daily time-on-task by 50% or more, the use of such systems may actually increase daily time-weighted hand-transmitted vibration exposures in some cases. The laboratory acceleration measurements were substantially lower than the workplace measurements, and the laboratory tool rankings based on acceleration were considerably different than those from the workplace. Thus, it is doubtful that ISO 28927-1 is useful for estimating workplace grinder vibration exposures or for predicting workplace grinder acceleration rank orders. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the British Occupational Hygiene Society 2015.

The Effect of a Mechanical Arm System on Portable Grinder Vibration Emissions

PubMed Central

McDowell, Thomas W.; Welcome, Daniel E.; Warren, Christopher; Xu, Xueyan S.; Dong, Ren G.

2016-01-01

Mechanical arm systems are commonly used to support powered hand tools to alleviate ergonomic stressors related to the development of workplace musculoskeletal disorders. However, the use of these systems can increase exposure times to other potentially harmful agents such as hand-transmitted vibration. To examine how these tool support systems affect tool vibration, the primary objectives of this study were to characterize the vibration emissions of typical portable pneumatic grinders used for surface grinding with and without a mechanical arm support system at a workplace and to estimate the potential risk of the increased vibration exposure time afforded by the use of these mechanical arm systems. This study also developed a laboratory-based simulated grinding task based on the ISO 28927-1 (2009) standard for assessing grinder vibrations; the simulated grinding vibrations were compared with those measured during actual workplace grinder operations. The results of this study demonstrate that use of the mechanical arm may provide a health benefit by reducing the forces required to lift and maneuver the tools and by decreasing hand-transmitted vibration exposure. However, the arm does not substantially change the basic characteristics of grinder vibration spectra. The mechanical arm reduced the average frequency-weighted acceleration by about 24% in the workplace and by about 7% in the laboratory. Because use of the mechanical arm system can increase daily time-on-task by 50% or more, the use of such systems may actually increase daily time-weighted hand-transmitted vibration exposures in some cases. The laboratory acceleration measurements were substantially lower than the workplace measurements, and the laboratory tool rankings based on acceleration were considerably different than those from the workplace. Thus, it is doubtful that ISO 28927-1 is useful for estimating workplace grinder vibration exposures or for predicting workplace grinder acceleration rank orders. PMID:26628522

Does Organizational and Coworker Support Moderate Diabetes Risk and Job Stress Among Employees?

PubMed

Wolff, Marilyn B; Gay, Jennifer L; Wilson, Mark G; DeJoy, David M; Vandenberg, Robert J

2018-05-01

Examine the moderating role of perceived organizational and coworker support on the relationship between job stress and type 2 diabetes risk among employees. A cross-sectional survey was administered to employees at the workplace. One national retail organization. Baseline data were obtained from 1595 employees in 21 retail stores. Self-reported organizational and coworker support to encourage and fulfill job responsibilities and job stress. Diabetes risk was calculated using age, gender, race/ethnicity, blood pressure, physical activity, weight status, and self-reported diagnosed type 2 diabetes. Multilevel multiple regression was conducted to test the interaction effect of support on the association between job stress and diabetes risk. Mean age was 37.95 years (±12.03) and body mass index was 26.72 (±4.95). Three percent of participants reported diagnosed diabetes. Organizational support was positively associated with coworker support. Both were negatively associated with job stress. Organizational support, but not coworker support, moderated the relationship of job stress with diabetes risk. Participants with greater perceived organizational support had lower diabetes risk scores compared to those with lower perceived organizational support. Organizational support may be a key factor for workplaces to reduce stress and diabetes risk. Further testing of organizations' supportive role on employee health may be helpful in developing future workplace programs.

Barriers to and facilitators of implementing complex workplace dietary interventions: process evaluation results of a cluster controlled trial.

PubMed

Fitzgerald, Sarah; Geaney, Fiona; Kelly, Clare; McHugh, Sheena; Perry, Ivan J

2016-04-21

Ambiguity exists regarding the effectiveness of workplace dietary interventions. Rigorous process evaluation is vital to understand this uncertainty. This study was conducted as part of the Food Choice at Work trial which assessed the comparative effectiveness of a workplace environmental dietary modification intervention and an educational intervention both alone and in combination versus a control workplace. Effectiveness was assessed in terms of employees' dietary intakes, nutrition knowledge and health status in four large manufacturing workplaces. The study aimed to examine barriers to and facilitators of implementing complex workplace interventions, from the perspectives of key workplace stakeholders and researchers involved in implementation. A detailed process evaluation monitored and evaluated intervention implementation. Interviews were conducted at baseline (27 interviews) and at 7-9 month follow-up (27 interviews) with a purposive sample of workplace stakeholders (managers and participating employees). Topic guides explored factors which facilitated or impeded implementation. Researchers involved in recruitment and data collection participated in focus groups at baseline and at 7-9 month follow-up to explore their perceptions of intervention implementation. Data were imported into NVivo software and analysed using a thematic framework approach. Four major themes emerged; perceived benefits of participation, negotiation and flexibility of the implementation team, viability and intensity of interventions and workplace structures and cultures. The latter three themes either positively or negatively affected implementation, depending on context. The implementation team included managers involved in coordinating and delivering the interventions and the researchers who collected data and delivered intervention elements. Stakeholders' perceptions of the benefits of participating, which facilitated implementation, included managers' desire to improve company image and employees seeking health improvements. Other facilitators included stakeholder buy-in, organisational support and stakeholder cohesiveness with regards to the level of support provided to the intervention. Anticipation of employee resistance towards menu changes, workplace restructuring and target-driven workplace cultures impeded intervention implementation. Contextual factors such as workplace structures and cultures need to be considered in the implementation of future workplace dietary interventions. Negotiation and flexibility of key workplace stakeholders plays an integral role in overcoming the barriers of workplace cultures, structures and resistance to change. Current Controlled Trials: ISRCTN35108237. Date of registration: 02/07/2013.

Mentoring disadvantaged nursing students through technical writing workshops.

PubMed

Johnson, Molly K; Symes, Lene; Bernard, Lillian; Landson, Margie J; Carroll, Theresa L

2007-01-01

Recent studies have identified a problematic gap for nursing students between terse clinical writing and formal academic writing. This gap can create a potential barrier to academic and workplace success, especially for disadvantaged nursing students who have not acquired the disciplinary conventions and sophisticated writing required in upper-level nursing courses. The authors demonstrate the need for writing-in-the-discipline activities to enhance the writing skills of nursing students, describe the technical writing workshops they developed to mentor minority and disadvantaged nursing students, and provide recommendations to stimulate educator dialogue across disciplines and institutions.

Examining the Impact of Workplace Supports: Work-Family Fit and Satisfaction in the U.S. Military

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McFadyen, Jennifer M.; Kerpelman, Jennifer L.; Adler-Baeder, Francesca

2005-01-01

The current study sought to discover whether workplace support provided by Army Family Team Building (AFTB) of the Department of the Army was associated with changes in individual knowledge of basic Army lifestyle information, and whether such changes influenced a sense of fit and satisfaction with the Army. Data were collected from 69 Army wives.…

Outdoor workers and sun protection strategies: two case study examples in Queensland, Australia.

PubMed

Sendall, Marguerite C; Stoneham, Melissa; Crane, Phil; Fleming, MaryLou; Janda, Monika; Tenkate, Thomas; Youl, Philippa; Kimlin, Michael

2016-01-01

Outdoor workers are at risk of developing skin cancer because they are exposed to high levels of harmful ultraviolet radiation. The Outdoor Workers Sun Protection Project investigated sun protection strategies for high risk outdoor workers in rural and regional Australia. Fourteen workplaces (recruitment rate 37%) across four industries in rural and regional Queensland, Australia were recruited to the OWSPP. In 2011-2012, data were collected using pre- and post-intervention interviews and discussion groups. This article presents two workplaces as case study examples. The flat organisational structure of workplace 1 supported the implementation of the Sun Safety Action Plan (SSAP), whilst the hierarchical organisational nature of workplace 2 delayed implementation of the SSAP. Neither workplace had an existing sun protection policy but both workplaces adopted one. An effect related to the researchers' presence was seen in workplace 1 and to a lesser degree in workplace 2. Overt reciprocity was seen between management and workers in workplace 1 but this was not so evident in workplace 2. In both workplaces, the role of the workplace champion was pivotal to SSAP progression. These two case studies highlight a number of contextually bound workplace characteristics related to sun safety. These issues are (1) the structure of workplace, (2) policy, (3) an effect related to the researchers' presence, (4) the workplace champion and (5) reciprocity. There are several recommendations from this article. Workplace health promotion strategies for sun safety need to be contextualised to individual workplaces to take advantage of the strengths of the workplace and to build capacity.

Social Support and Supervisory Quality Interventions in the Workplace: A Stakeholder-Centered Best-Evidence Synthesis of Systematic Reviews on Work Outcomes.

PubMed

Wagner, S L; White, M I; Schultz, I Z; Williams-Whitt, K; Koehn, C; Dionne, C E; Koehoorn, M; Harder, H G; Pasca, R; Wärje, O; Hsu, V; McGuire, L; Lama, I; Schulz, W; Kube, D; Wright, M D

2015-10-01

There is controversy surrounding the impact of workplace interventions aimed at improving social support and supervisory quality on absenteeism, productivity and financial outcomes. To determine the value of social support interventions for work outcomes. Databases were searched for systematic reviews between 2000 and 2012 to complete a synthesis of systematic reviews guided by the PRISMA statement and the IOM guidelines for systematic reviews. Assessment of articles for inclusion and methodological quality was conducted independently by at least two researchers, with differences resolved by consensus. The search resulted in 3363 titles of which 3248 were excluded following title/abstract review, leaving 115 articles that were retrieved and underwent full article review. 10 articles met the set inclusion criteria, with 7 focusing on social support, 2 on supervisory quality and 1 on both. We found moderate and limited evidence, respectively, that social support and supervisory quality interventions positively impact workplace outcomes. There is moderate evidence that social support and limited evidence that supervisory quality interventions have a positive effect on work outcomes.

Workplace spirituality as a moderator in relation between stress and health: An exploratory empirical assessment.

PubMed

Kumar, Vineet; Kumar, Sandeep

2014-06-01

The present study explores the role of workplace spirituality in moderating the relationship between occupational stress and the health of managerial personnel in India. A sample of 150 managers working in different public and private organizations was used to measure workplace spirituality, occupational stress, and health using the Spirituality at Work scale, the Occupational Stress Index and the 28-item General Health Questionnaire, respectively. The findings reveal that workplace spirituality moderates the negative relationship of stress and health. The study also found that stress has a negative impact on health while workplace spirituality positively correlated with health. The findings also support the practical importance of spirituality in the workplace for improving health conditions by providing a healthy atmosphere and meaningful work for employees. This exploratory study encourages future research to understand the role of spirituality in the workplace.

Investigation of students' experiences of gendered cultures in engineering workplaces

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Male, Sally A.; Gardner, Anne; Figueroa, Eugenia; Bennett, Dawn

2018-05-01

Women remain severely under-represented in engineering in Australia as in all Western countries. This limits the pool of talent, standpoints and approaches within the profession. Furthermore, this under-representation equates to restriction of the benefits of being an engineer mainly to men. Gendered workplace experiences have been found to contribute to women leaving the profession. In this study we explore students' experiences of gendered cultures in engineering workplaces, using interviews with a purposive sample of 13 students (4 male) recruited following a previous survey. Although the overall experience of workplace learning is positive for many students, male and female engineering students reported experiences consistent with masculine cultures. Educators and employers must proactively lead improvements to the culture in engineering workplaces, prepare students for gendered workplaces and support students to reflect during and after workplace experiences. The experiences presented here could be adapted to enhance inclusivity training.

41 CFR 102-79.10 - What basic assignment and utilization of space policy governs an Executive agency?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... must provide a quality workplace environment that supports program operations, preserves the value of... fitness facilities in the workplace when adequately justified. An Executive agency must promote maximum...

Workplace Safety and Health Topics: Safety & Prevention

MedlinePlus

... Health Records (EHRs) and Patient Work Information Engineering Controls Equipment Design in Mining Falls in the Workplace Green, Safe, and Healthy Jobs – Prevention through Design Hierarchy of Controls Industry and Occupation Coding and Support Logging Safety ...

How do employees and managers perceive depression: a worksite case study.

PubMed

Hauck, Katelyn; Chard, Gill

2009-01-01

The impact of depression in the workplace is significant. If managers and employees understood depression better they could assist those with depression to achieve optimal work performance. The case study was a medium-sized, privately owned forest products company located in western Canada. Individual interviews were used to explore the views of employees and managers about depression and its impact on work performance. Suggest that how one perceives workplace support for depression is influenced by the interaction of the following factors: a) knowledge and understanding of depression, b) roles and responsibilities within the work environment, and c) perceptions of work role boundaries. Better links are needed between employees and managers to enhance workplace collaborations and achieve optimal work performance. The implementation of mental health support programs and the vocational role of occupational therapy in addressing the impact of depression in the workplace are discussed.

Workplace culture and the practice experience of midwifery students: A meta-synthesis.

PubMed

Arundell, Fiona; Mannix, Judy; Sheehan, Athena; Peters, Kath

2018-04-01

To describe midwifery students' practice experience and to explore facilitators and barriers to positive clinical learning experiences. Practice experience is a vital component of every midwifery course. Course dissatisfaction and attrition of midwifery students has been attributed to sub-optimal practice experiences. Events or actions experienced by midwifery students that trigger dissatisfaction and attrition need to be identified. A meta-synthesis was based on that developed by Noblit and Hare. Students perceive workplaces as poorly prepared for their arrival and subsequent support. Students' experience in the practice setting is influenced by the existing workplace culture. Workplace culture influences institutional functioning and individuals within the culture. Enculturation of students into the midwifery culture and subsequent learning is affected by the support received. The practice experience of midwifery students was profoundly influenced by workplace culture. Students tended to have polarized accounts of their experience that were predominantly negative. To provide an optimal environment for midwifery students; midwifery managers and individual midwives need to be aware of the facilitators and barriers to midwifery student development in the practice setting. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Reciprocal relations between workplace bullying, anxiety, and vigor: a two-wave longitudinal study.

PubMed

Rodríguez-Muñoz, Alfredo; Moreno-Jiménez, Bernardo; Sanz-Vergel, Ana Isabel

2015-01-01

Workplace bullying has been classified as an extreme social stressor in work contexts and has been repeatedly linked to several negative consequences. However, little research has examined reversed or reciprocal relations of bullying and outcomes. We conducted a two-wave longitudinal study with a time lag of six months. The study sample consisted of 348 employees of the Spanish workforce. The present study examined longitudinal relationships between workplace bullying, psychological health, and well-being. On the basis of conservation of resources theory, we hypothesized that we would find reciprocal relations among study variables over time. Results of cross-lagged structural equation modeling analyses supported our hypotheses. Specifically, it was found that Time 1 (T1) workplace bullying was negatively related to Time 2 (T2) vigor and positively related to T2 anxiety. Additionally, T1 anxiety and vigor had an effect on T2 workplace bullying. Overall, these findings support the validity of the theoretical models postulating a reciprocal bullying-outcome relationship, rather than simple one-way causal pathways approaches.

Workplace Policies and Mental Health among Working-Class, New Parents

PubMed Central

Perry-Jenkins, Maureen; Smith, JuliAnna Z.; Wadsworth, Lauren Page; Halpern, Hillary Paul

2017-01-01

Little research has explored linkages between workplace policies and mental health in working-class, employed parents, creating a gap in our knowledge of work-family issues across social class levels. The current U.S. study addresses this gap by employing hierarchical linear modeling techniques to examine how workplace policies and parental leave benefits predicted parents' depressive symptoms and anxiety in a sample of 125, low-income, dual-earner couples interviewed across the transition to parenthood. Descriptive analyses revealed that, on average, parents had few workplace policies, such as schedule flexibility or child care supports, available to them. Results revealed, however, that, when available, schedule flexibility was related to fewer depressive symptoms and less anxiety for new mothers. Greater child care supports predicted fewer depressive symptoms for fathers. In terms of crossover effects, longer maternal leave predicted declines in fathers' anxiety across the first year. Results are discussed with attention to how certain workplace policies may serve to alleviate new parents' lack of time and resources (minimize scarcity of resources) and, in turn, predict better mental health during the sensitive period of new parenthood. PMID:29242705

Do gender differences matter to workplace bullying?

PubMed

Wang, Mei-Ling; Hsieh, Yi-Hua

2015-01-01

Workplace bullying has become an omnipresent problem in most organizations. Gender differences have recently received increasing attention in the workplace bullying domain. Integrating social dominance theory with gender role theory, this study explores whether male minority and supervisor gender are related to the incidence of workplace bullying. Data from 501 public servants employed in the tax administration institute of Taiwan was collected via a questionnaire and analyzed using hierarchical regression. Male minority reported more workplace bullying than did the female majority. Subordinates working with male supervisors had more exposure to bullying than those working with female supervisors. However, male supervisors did not exacerbate the relationship between male minority and workplace bullying, while females exposure to workplace bullying was attenuated when working with male supervisors. These findings confirm the important role of gender differences when predicting bullying at work and support the view that gender is not merely an individual antecedent of bullying, but rather acts as a social factor to influence the incidence of workplace bullying.

Workplace Discrimination: An Additional Stressor for Internationally Educated Nurses.

PubMed

Baptiste, Maria M

2015-08-18

Discrimination against internationally educated nurses (IENs) remains a seldom-explored topic in the United States. Yet, the literature describing experiences of IENs indicates that some do experience workplace discrimination as an additional workplace stressor. IENs view this discrimination as an obstacle to career advancement and professional recognition. Consequences of workplace discrimination affect IENs' physical and psychological well being, the quality of patient care, and healthcare organizational costs. In anticipation of future nursing shortages, understanding and minimizing workplace discrimination will benefit nurses, patients, and healthcare organizations. In this article the author addresses motivation and challenges associated with international nurse migration and immigration, relates these challenges to Roy's theoretical framework, describes workplace discrimination, and reviews both consequences of and evidence for workplace discrimination. Next, she considers the significance of this discrimination for healthcare agencies, and approaches for decreasing stress for IENs during their transition process. She concludes that workplace discrimination has a negative, multifaceted effect on both professional nursing and healthcare organizations. Support measures developed to promote mutual respect among all nurses are presented.

Dimensions of support among abused women in the workplace.

PubMed

Yragui, Nanette L; Mankowski, Eric S; Perrin, Nancy A; Glass, Nancy E

2012-03-01

The authors draw on social support theory to examine supervisor support match (support wanted and received), support mismatch (support not wanted and received) and work outcomes for abused low-wage working women, and to determine if supervisor support match and mismatch are more strongly associated with work outcomes than global supervisor support Face-to-face interviews were conducted with a community sample of abused, employed women who have experienced intimate partner violence (IPV) in the past year (N = 163). Using hierarchical regression, we found, after accounting for global supervisor support; a higher level of supervisor support match was associated with greater job satisfaction, fewer job reprimands and less job termination. Findings from the study inform theories of social support and have practical implications for workplace interventions for IPV.

When employees strike back: investigating mediating mechanisms between psychological contract breach and workplace deviance.

PubMed

Bordia, Prashant; Restubog, Simon Lloyd D; Tang, Robert L

2008-09-01

In this article, psychological contract breach, revenge, and workplace deviance are brought together to identify the cognitive, affective, and motivational underpinnings of workplace deviance. On the basis of S. L. Robinson and R. J. Bennett's (1997) model of workplace deviance, the authors proposed that breach (a cognitive appraisal) and violation (an affective response) initiate revenge seeking. Motivated by revenge, employees then engage in workplace deviance. Three studies tested these ideas. All of the studies supported the hypothesized relationships. In addition, self-control was found to be a moderator of the relationship between revenge cognitions and deviant acts; the relationship was weaker for people high in self-control.

Effectiveness of Workplace Lactation Interventions on Breastfeeding Outcomes in the United States: An Updated Systematic Review.

PubMed

Kim, Julia H; Shin, Jong C; Donovan, Sharon M

2018-06-01

Background Returning to work is one of the main barriers to breastfeeding duration among working mothers in the United States. However, the impact of workplace lactation programs is unclear. Research Aim The aim of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of workplace lactation programs in the United States on breastfeeding practices. Methods A systematic search was conducted of seven databases through September 2017. Articles ( N = 10) meeting the inclusion criteria of describing a workplace lactation intervention and evaluation in the United States and measuring initiation, exclusivity, or duration using an experimental or observational study design were critically evaluated. Two reviewers conducted quality assessments and reviewed the full-text articles during the analysis. Results Common services provided were breast pumps, social support, lactation rooms, and breastfeeding classes. Breastfeeding initiation was very high, ranging from 87% to 98%. Several factors were significantly associated with duration of exclusive breastfeeding: (a) receiving a breast pump for one year (8.3 versus 4.7 months), (b) return-to-work consultations (40% versus 17% at 6 months), and (c) telephone support (42% versus 15% at 6 months). Each additional service (except prenatal education) dose-dependently increased exclusively breastfeeding at 6 months. Sociodemographic information including older maternal age, working part-time, longer maternity leave, and white ethnicity were associated with longer breastfeeding duration. Conclusion Workplace lactation interventions increased breastfeeding initiation, duration, and exclusive breastfeeding, with greater changes observed with more available services. More evidence is needed on the impact of workplace support in low-income populations, and the cost-effectiveness of these programs in reducing health care costs.

What's gender got to do with it? Examining masculinities, health and safety and return to work in male dominated skilled trades.

PubMed

Stergiou-Kita, Mary; Mansfield, Elizabeth; Colantonio, Angela; Moody, Joel; Mantis, Steve

2016-06-16

Electrical injuries are a common cause of work-related injury in male dominated skilled trades. In this study we explored how issues of gender, masculinities and institutional workplace practices shape expectations of men and their choices when returning to work following a workplace electrical injury. Twelve workers, who suffered an electrical injury, and twelve employer representatives, completed semi-structured interviews. Using thematic analysis we identified key themes related to how masculinities influenced men's health and safety during the return to work process. Strong identification with worker roles can influence injured workers decisions to return to work 'too early'. A desire to be viewed as a strong, responsible, resilient worker may intersect with concerns about job loss, to influence participants' decisions to not report safety issues and workplace accidents, to not disclose post-injury work challenges, and to not request workplace supports. Institutionalized workplace beliefs regarding risk, de-legitimization of the severity of injuries, and the valorization of the "tough" worker can further re-enforce dominant masculine norms and influence return to work processes and health and safety practices. Workplaces are key sites where gender identities are constructed, affirmed and institutionalized. Further research is warranted to examine how established masculine norms and gendered workplace expectations can influence workplace health and safety in male dominated high risk occupations. Future research should also evaluate strategies that encourage men to discuss post-injury work challenges and request supports when work performance or health and safety issues arise during the return to work process.

Preparing Workers for Successful Careers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Reese, Susan

2010-01-01

No doubt career and technical education (CTE) is integral in preparing a skilled workforce for today's jobs. Hands-on training is an important element of the CTE classroom, and when that occurs in an actual workplace setting, it may be called internship, apprenticeship or cooperative education. Whatever term is applied, it is another way in which…

Twenty-First Century Literacy. Technical Report No. 624.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bruce, Bertram C.

Important and dramatic changes are occurring in five broad areas of literacy: the movement toward universal literacy; the changing demands for literacy in the workplace; the creation of a global society; how languages are evolving; and the way literacy practices are becoming immersed in new technologies. Future literacy needs will demand a…

Applied Workplace Literacy for the Facilities Maintenance Industry. Performance Report and Third Party Evaluation Report.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Texas State Technical Coll., Waco.

A project was conducted to determine if interactive video programs could produce positive results in literacy programs. During the project, staff from a technical college developed a task analysis, curriculum, and evaluation measures for the training of facilities maintenance workers in mathematical concepts. From this activity, an instructional…

Work Ethics Training: Reflections of Technical College Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wilson, Sandy

2017-01-01

Ample research exists on ethics in the workplace and skills college graduates should have to seek and attain long-term gainful employment. The literature has provided some insight into the understanding of ethical behavior as reported by students and employers; however a gap exists in research which documents college student experiences during…

Culture and Workplace Communications: A Comparison of the Technical Communications Practices of Japanese and U.S. Aerospace Engineers and Scientists

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1997-01-01

The advent of global markets elevates the role and importance of culture as a mitigating factor in the diffusion of knowledge and technology and in product and process innovation. This is especially true in the large commercial aircraft (LCA) sector ...

Displaced Worker Transition Programs: Leading the Workforce Back to Community Colleges.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Walters, Greg; And Others

In response to the increasing numbers of displaced workers due to corporate downsizing, Pellissippi State Technical Community College, in Tennessee, has initiated the Workplace Innovation (WIN) Project to help adults gain prerequisite academic and personal skills to re-enter the workforce or enter college for eventual placement in higher-paying…

Diversity in the Work Force. The Highlight Zone: Research @ Work No. 4.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wentling, Rose Mary

A literature review was conducted to identify critical work force diversity issues in today's changing workplace and identify ways organizations and career and technical education (CTE) practitioners can increase work force diversity. A broad, all-inclusive definition of diversity was developed that focuses on how diversity affects individuals and…

Organizational Change, Informal Learning, and Adaptation: Emerging Trends in Training and Continuing Education.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kozlowski, Steve W. J.

1995-01-01

Trends such as technological innovation, downsizing, self-managed teams, and continuous learning imply that in continuing education technical content must be considered in the context in which skills are used. Knowledge of learning processes and workplace socialization suggests that formal training and informal learning must be integrated to…

Integrating Soft Skill Competencies through Project-Based Learning across the Information Systems Curriculum

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Woodward, Belle S.; Sendall, Patricia; Ceccucci, Wendy

2010-01-01

Contemporary Information Systems graduates will be more marketable in the workplace upon graduation if they have combined competencies in both technical and soft skills: interpersonal communication, teamwork, time management, planning and organizational skills. Team and project-based learning can be used to incorporate soft skill competencies with…

A Curriculum Guide for Achieving Equity in Education and the Workplace.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Vocational Curriculum Resource Center of Maine, Fairfield.

This curriculum guide provides instructional materials that offer suggestions and strategies to change mindsets and remove barriers in order to pave the way for a gender-equitable, technically trained work force. A DACUM (Developing a Curriculum) chart forms the basis for the task performance guides provided for five audiences: students,…

Health Behaviors and Overweight in Nursing Home Employees: Contribution of Workplace Stressors and Implications for Worksite Health Promotion.

PubMed

Miranda, Helena; Gore, Rebecca J; Boyer, Jon; Nobrega, Suzanne; Punnett, Laura

2015-01-01

Many worksite health promotion programs ignore the potential influence of working conditions on unhealthy behaviors. A study of nursing home employees (56% nursing aides) utilized a standardized questionnaire. We analyzed the cross-sectional associations between workplace stressors and obesity, cigarette smoking, and physical inactivity. Of 1506 respondents, 20% reported exposure to three or more workplace stressors (physical or organizational), such as lifting heavy loads, low decision latitude, low coworker support, regular night work, and physical assault. For each outcome, the prevalence ratio was between 1.5 and 2 for respondents with four or five job stressors. Individuals under age 40 had stronger associations between workplace stressors and smoking and obesity. Workplace stressors were strongly associated with smoking, obesity, and physical inactivity, even among the lowest-status workers. Current working conditions affected younger workers more than older workers. Although this study is cross-sectional, it has other strengths, including the broad range of work stressors studied. Strenuous physical work and psychosocial strain are common among low-wage workers such as nursing home aides. Workplace health promotion programs may be more effective if they include measures to reduce stressful work environment features, so that working conditions support rather than interfere with employee health.

Maternal perspectives on postpartum return to the workplace.

PubMed

Nichols, Mary R; Roux, Gayle M

2004-01-01

To describe maternal perceptions about postpartum return to the workplace. The research framework was McCubbin and McCubbin's Resiliency Model of Family Stress, Adjustment, and Adaptation. Employed, postpartum women, who resided in six different states, were recruited from day care and primary care settings to participate in this descriptive study. Seventy-four employed, married women, who returned to the workplace within one year after childbirth. As part of a larger study, perceptions about combining multiple roles after return to the workplace are the focus for this report. Participants responded to open-ended questions about their return to the workplace during the first months after giving birth. Content analysis of those responses resulted in two major categories, Resiliency Challenges: Negative Aspects (role conflict/overload, family stress, family/child issues, finances, psychosocial issues) and Resiliency Building: Positive Aspects (social support, maternal role satisfaction, positive adaptation, career role satisfaction). The data support the premise that employed women view returning to the workforce as having more challenges than they expected because the experience was viewed as being mostly negative. Preparing for return to the workplace is an important, but neglected, topic that needs to be addressed and defined more clearly in the literature. Therefore, future research is needed to identify resources and interventions that will help women experience fewer challenges associated with postpartum employment.

Health Behaviors and Overweight in Nursing Home Employees: Contribution of Workplace Stressors and Implications for Worksite Health Promotion

PubMed Central

Miranda, Helena; Gore, Rebecca J.; Boyer, Jon; Nobrega, Suzanne; Punnett, Laura

2015-01-01

Background. Many worksite health promotion programs ignore the potential influence of working conditions on unhealthy behaviors. Methods. A study of nursing home employees (56% nursing aides) utilized a standardized questionnaire. We analyzed the cross-sectional associations between workplace stressors and obesity, cigarette smoking, and physical inactivity. Results. Of 1506 respondents, 20% reported exposure to three or more workplace stressors (physical or organizational), such as lifting heavy loads, low decision latitude, low coworker support, regular night work, and physical assault. For each outcome, the prevalence ratio was between 1.5 and 2 for respondents with four or five job stressors. Individuals under age 40 had stronger associations between workplace stressors and smoking and obesity. Conclusions. Workplace stressors were strongly associated with smoking, obesity, and physical inactivity, even among the lowest-status workers. Current working conditions affected younger workers more than older workers. Although this study is cross-sectional, it has other strengths, including the broad range of work stressors studied. Strenuous physical work and psychosocial strain are common among low-wage workers such as nursing home aides. Workplace health promotion programs may be more effective if they include measures to reduce stressful work environment features, so that working conditions support rather than interfere with employee health. PMID:26380373

The Moderating Effects of Work-Family Role Combinations and Work-Family Organizational Culture on the Relationship between Family-Friendly Workplace Supports and Job Satisfaction

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sahibzada, Khatera; Hammer, Leslie B.; Neal, Margaret B.; Kuang, Daniel C.

2005-01-01

This study determined whether work-family role combinations (i.e., work and elder care, work and child care, work and elder care and child care) and work-family culture significantly moderate the relationship between availability of workplace supports and job satisfaction. The data were obtained from the Families and Work Institute's 1997 archival…

Interest of workplace support for returning to work after a traumatic brain injury: a retrospective study.

PubMed

Bonneterre, V; Pérennou, D; Trovatello, V; Mignot, N; Segal, P; Balducci, F; Laloua, F; de Gaudemaris, R

2013-12-01

To analyse usefulness of the SPASE programme, a coordinated facility programme to assist traumatic brain injury (TBI) persons in returning to work and retaining their job in the ordinary work environment. A retrospective study including 100 subjects aged over 18 who had suffered traumatic brain injury (GOS 1 or 2). The criterion for return to work (RTW) success was the ability to return to the job he/she had before the accident or to a new professional activity. Factors associated with RTW success were at short-term (2-3 years): the presence of significant workplace support OR=15.1 [3.7-61.7], the presence of physical disabilities OR=0.32 [0.12-0.87] or serious traumatic brain injury OR=0.22 [0.07-0.66]. At medium-term (over 3 years) these factors were: significant workplace support OR=3.9 [1.3-11.3] and presence of mental illness OR=0.15 [0.03-0.7]. This study suggests that a case coordination vocational programme may facilitate the return and maintain to work of TBI persons. It reveals that the workplace support is a key factor for job retention in the medium-term. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

Survey on Intelligent Assistance for Workplace Learning in Software Engineering

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ras, Eric; Rech, Jörg

Technology-enhanced learning (TEL) systems and intelligent assistance systems aim at supporting software engineers during learning and work. A questionnaire-based survey with 89 responses from industry was conducted to find out what kinds of services should be provided and how, as well as to determine which software engineering phases they should focus on. In this paper, we present the survey results regarding intelligent assistance for workplace learning in software engineering. We analyzed whether specific types of assistance depend on the organization's size, the respondent's role, and the experience level. The results show a demand for TEL that supports short-term problem solving and long-term competence development at the workplace.

The New South Wales Allied Health Workplace Learning Study: barriers and enablers to learning in the workplace.

PubMed

Lloyd, Bradley; Pfeiffer, Daniella; Dominish, Jacqueline; Heading, Gaynor; Schmidt, David; McCluskey, Annie

2014-03-25

Workplace learning refers to continuing professional development that is stimulated by and occurs through participation in workplace activities. Workplace learning is essential for staff development and high quality clinical care. The purpose of this study was to explore the barriers to and enablers of workplace learning for allied health professionals within NSW Health. A qualitative study was conducted with a purposively selected maximum variation sample (n =46) including 19 managers, 19 clinicians and eight educators from 10 allied health professions. Seven semi-structured interviews and nine focus groups were audio-recorded and transcribed. The 'framework approach' was used to guide the interviews and analysis. Textual data were coded and charted using an evolving thematic framework. Key enablers of workplace learning included having access to peers, expertise and 'learning networks', protected learning time, supportive management and positive staff attitudes. The absence of these key enablers including heavy workload and insufficient staffing were important barriers to workplace learning. Attention to these barriers and enablers may help organisations to more effectively optimise allied health workplace learning. Ultimately better workplace learning may lead to improved patient, staff and organisational outcomes.

The New South Wales Allied Health Workplace Learning Study: barriers and enablers to learning in the workplace

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Background Workplace learning refers to continuing professional development that is stimulated by and occurs through participation in workplace activities. Workplace learning is essential for staff development and high quality clinical care. The purpose of this study was to explore the barriers to and enablers of workplace learning for allied health professionals within NSW Health. Methods A qualitative study was conducted with a purposively selected maximum variation sample (n = 46) including 19 managers, 19 clinicians and eight educators from 10 allied health professions. Seven semi-structured interviews and nine focus groups were audio-recorded and transcribed. The ‘framework approach’ was used to guide the interviews and analysis. Textual data were coded and charted using an evolving thematic framework. Results Key enablers of workplace learning included having access to peers, expertise and ‘learning networks’, protected learning time, supportive management and positive staff attitudes. The absence of these key enablers including heavy workload and insufficient staffing were important barriers to workplace learning. Conclusion Attention to these barriers and enablers may help organisations to more effectively optimise allied health workplace learning. Ultimately better workplace learning may lead to improved patient, staff and organisational outcomes. PMID:24661614

Predictive validity of a selection centre testing non-technical skills for recruitment to training in anaesthesia.

PubMed

Gale, T C E; Roberts, M J; Sice, P J; Langton, J A; Patterson, F C; Carr, A S; Anderson, I R; Lam, W H; Davies, P R F

2010-11-01

Assessment centres are an accepted method of recruitment in industry and are gaining popularity within medicine. We describe the development and validation of a selection centre for recruitment to speciality training in anaesthesia based on an assessment centre model incorporating the rating of candidate's non-technical skills. Expert consensus identified non-technical skills suitable for assessment at the point of selection. Four stations-structured interview, portfolio review, presentation, and simulation-were developed, the latter two being realistic scenarios of work-related tasks. Evaluation of the selection centre focused on applicant and assessor feedback ratings, inter-rater agreement, and internal consistency reliability coefficients. Predictive validity was sought via correlations of selection centre scores with subsequent workplace-based ratings of appointed trainees. Two hundred and twenty-four candidates were assessed over two consecutive annual recruitment rounds; 68 were appointed and followed up during training. Candidates and assessors demonstrated strong approval of the selection centre with more than 70% of ratings 'good' or 'excellent'. Mean inter-rater agreement coefficients ranged from 0.62 to 0.77 and internal consistency reliability of the selection centre score was high (Cronbach's α=0.88-0.91). The overall selection centre score was a good predictor of workplace performance during the first year of appointment. An assessment centre model based on the rating of non-technical skills can produce a reliable and valid selection tool for recruitment to speciality training in anaesthesia. Early results on predictive validity are encouraging and justify further development and evaluation.

[Protection of working mothers: operational guide document. The Marche Regional Section of the Italian Society of Occupational Health and Industrial Hygiene (SIMLII) ].

PubMed

Alessandroni, Morena; Balzani, Barbara; Cancellieri, Francesca; Colao, Annamaria; Comai, M; Elezi, Lindita; Mengucci, Rosella; Montesi, Simona; Olivi, Cinzia; Perticaroli, Patrizia; Pettinari, A; Ruschioni, Angela

2013-01-01

Protection of working mothers: operational guide document. The aim of this operational guide document is to protect the health of working mothers and their babies during pregnancy, puerperium and breastfeeding. The project was developed by a technical working group which included professionals in the pertinent fields from the Workplace Prevention and Safety Services of the local Vasta-2 Area of the Marche Regional Health Service:physicians, health assistants, and nurses. It is considered to be a useful tool for risk assessment at the workplace aimed at professionals who are involved, with various duties and responsibilities, in the health care of the working mother. This paper consists of two functionally related sections, "Table of risks" and "Technical specifications". In the "Table of Risks" section, the occupational hazards for women during pregnancy or postpartum were analyzed with the highest possible degree of care. To this end the technical group provided, for each occupational hazard, its own operational suggestions, in relation to legislation, current scientific knowledge and Guidelines of other Italian Regions. The Marche Regional Section of the Italian Society of Occupational Health and Industrial Hygiene (SIMLII) participated in the final draft of the entire document. The second section, "Technical Specifications", illustrates the main tasks and any risks involved in the 34 manufacturing sectors most prevalent in this area. This operational guide document is intended to be the beginning of a common strategy in public health to achieve a wider field of action in promotion and information aimed at protecting the reproductive health of working mothers.

Examining the antecedents of engaged nurses in Italy: perceived organisational support (POS); satisfaction with training and development; discretionary power.

PubMed

Trinchero, Elisabetta; Brunetto, Yvonne; Borgonovi, Elio

2013-09-01

This paper used Social Exchange Theory to empirically examine whether perceived organisational support, satisfaction with training and development and perception of discretionary power are antecedents of engagement for registered nurses working in Italian public and private hospitals (n = 827). According to Social Exchange Theory, effective workplace relationships support employees and encourage nurses to use training to enhance their workplace outcomes. This research used a cross-sectional design. Data were collected from registered nurses working in six Italian hospitals using a survey-based, self-report strategy. Regression analysis found that the variance of process-oriented supervision accounted for 6.9% of Italian registered nurse's perception of engagement, training and development accounted for 26.8% and discretionary power accounted for 2.1%. Workplace relationships enhance autonomy and engagement. Effective workplace relationship impacts positively on nurses' outcome. This paper confirms the relevance of training to enhance engagement of nurses. It also confirms the importance of workplace relationships in enhancing autonomy and engagement. Previous research has identified the importance of nurses' autonomy in an environment where there are shortages of nurses. This study confirms a similar situation for Italian nurses. The findings underline the relevance of investments in continuous professional development to enhance nurses' engagement in private and public health-care settings. © 2013 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Building expert agreement on the importance and feasibility of workplace health promotion interventions for nurses and midwives: A modified Delphi consultation.

PubMed

Perry, Lin; Nicholls, Rachel; Duffield, Christine; Gallagher, Robyn

2017-11-01

To use a Delphi panel to determine the relative importance and feasibility of workplace health promotion interventions to promote and support the health of the Australian nursing and midwifery workforce. The nursing workforce experiences rates of ill health above that of other workforces, yet there is little investment in workplace health promotion. The study used a modified Delphi design conducted between September and November 2015. Eleven of 19 purposively selected expert panellists discussed, rated and provided feedback through two rounds of an electronic questionnaire about the relative importance and feasibility of 46 workplace health promotion interventions and processes for nurses and midwives. Scores for importance and feasibility were calculated and ranked and a composite score of importance multiplied by feasibility. Mental health strategies were prioritized as the most important and feasible of the intervention topics, followed closely by healthy eating and physical activity interventions; smoking cessation ranked lowest. The most highly ranked interventions targeted healthy eating, stress management and resilience training. Highest ranked processes to support development of a healthy work environment included intersectoral collaboration and employee wellness groups. Study findings prompt consideration of health promotion opportunities to support nurses' health and well-being. Findings identified key workplace health promotion priorities and provide direction for policy makers and managers to promote nursing and midwifery workforce health. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Development, content validity, and piloting of an instrument designed to measure managers' attitude toward workplace breastfeeding support.

PubMed

Chow, Tan; Wolfe, Edward W; Olson, Beth H

2012-07-01

Manager attitude is influential in female employees' perceptions of workplace breastfeeding support. Currently, no instrument is available to assess manager attitude toward supporting women who wish to combine breastfeeding with work. We developed and piloted an instrument to measure manager attitudes toward workplace breastfeeding support entitled the "Managers' Attitude Toward Breastfeeding Support Questionnaire," an instrument that measures four constructs using 60 items that are rated agree/disagree on a 4-point Likert rating scale. We established the content validity of the Managers' Attitude Toward Breastfeeding Support Questionnaire measures through expert content review (n=22), expert assessment of item fit (n=11), and cognitive interviews (n=8). Data were collected from a purposive sample of 185 front-line managers who had experience supervising female employees, and responses were scaled using the Multidimensional Random Coefficients Multinomial Logit Model. Dimensionality analyses supported the proposed four-construct model. Reliability ranged from 0.75 to 0.86, and correlations between the constructs were moderately strong (0.47 to 0.71). Four items in two constructs exhibited model-to-data misfit and/or a low score-measure correlation. One item was revised and the other three items were retained in the Managers' Attitude Toward Breastfeeding Support Questionnaire. Findings of this study suggest that the Managers' Attitude Toward Breastfeeding Support Questionnaire measures are reliable and valid indicators of manager attitude toward workplace breastfeeding support, and future research should be conducted to establish external validity. The Managers' Attitude Toward Breastfeeding Support Questionnaire could be used to collect data in a standardized manner within and across companies to measure and compare manager attitudes toward supporting breastfeeding. Organizations can subsequently develop targeted strategies to improve support for breastfeeding employees through efforts influencing managerial attitude. Copyright © 2012 Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Policy to Foster Civility and Support a Healthy Academic Work Environment.

PubMed

Clark, Cynthia M; Ritter, Katy

2018-06-01

Incivility in academic workplaces can have detrimental effects on individuals, teams, departments, and the campus community at large. Alternately, healthy academic workplaces generate heightened levels of employee satisfaction, engagement, and morale. This article describes the development and implementation of a comprehensive, legally defensible policy related to workplace civility and the establishment of a healthy academic work environment. A detailed policy exemplar is included to provide a structure for fostering a healthy academic work environment, a fair, consistent, confidential procedure for defining and addressing workplace incivility, a mechanism for reporting and subsequent investigation of uncivil acts if indicated, and ways to foster civility and respectful workplace behavior. The authors detail a step-by-step procedure and an incremental approach to address workplace incivility and reward policy adherence. [J Nurs Educ. 2018;57(6):325-331.]. Copyright 2018, SLACK Incorporated.

Gender and venture capital decision-making: the effects of technical background and social capital on entrepreneurial evaluations.

PubMed

Tinkler, Justine E; Bunker Whittington, Kjersten; Ku, Manwai C; Davies, Andrea Rees

2015-05-01

Research on gender and workplace decision-making tends to address either supply-side disparities between men's and women's human and social capital, or demand-side differences in the status expectations of women and men workers. In addition, this work often relies on causal inferences drawn from empirical data collected on worker characteristics and their workplace outcomes. In this study, we demonstrate how tangible education and work history credentials - typically associated with supply-side characteristics - work in tandem with cultural beliefs about gender to influence the evaluative process that underlies venture capital decisions made in high-growth, high-tech entrepreneurship. Using an experimental design, we simulate funding decisions by venture capitalists (VCs) for men and women entrepreneurs that differ in technical background and the presence of important social ties. We demonstrate the presence of two distinct aspects of VCs' evaluation: that of the venture and that of the entrepreneur, and find that the gender of the entrepreneur influences evaluations most when the person, rather than the venture, is the target of evaluation. Technical background qualifications moderate the influence of gendered expectations, and women receive more of a payoff than men from having a close contact to the evaluating VC. We discuss the implications for future research on gender and work. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Effects of workplace, family and cultural influences on low back pain: what opportunities exist to address social factors in general consultations?

PubMed

Shaw, William S; Campbell, Paul; Nelson, Candace C; Main, Chris J; Linton, Steven J

2013-10-01

Social factors are widely acknowledged in behavioural models of pain and pain management, but incorporating these factors into general medical consultations for low back pain (LBP) can be challenging. While there is no compelling evidence that social factors contribute to LBP onset, these factors have been shown to influence functional limitation and disability, especially the effects of organisational support in the workplace, spousal support, family conflict and social disadvantage. A number of barriers exist to address such social factors in routine medical encounters for LBP, but there is emerging evidence that improving social and organisational support may be an effective strategy to reduce the negative lifestyle consequences of LBP. For clinicians to address these factors in LBP treatment requires a clearer psychosocial framework in assessment and screening, more individualised problem-solving efforts, more patient-centred interventions involving family, peers and workplace supports and a less biomechanical and diagnostic approach. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Psychosocial employment characteristics and postpartum maternal mental health symptoms.

PubMed

Schwab-Reese, Laura M; Ramirez, Marizen; Ashida, Sato; Peek-Asa, Corinne

2017-01-01

For new mothers returning to work, the role of the workplace psychosocial environment on maternal mental health has not been fully described. The purpose of this study was to identify the relationship between psychosocial employment characteristics and mothers' postpartum depression, anxiety, and stress symptoms. Ninety-seven women answered survey questions regarding employment, job demand, control, and support, and postpartum depression, anxiety, and stress symptoms soon after live birth and 6 months later. Working and nonworking mothers reported similar mental health symptoms. Psychological characteristics of employment were not associated with increased odds of mental health symptoms. Increased social support provided by coworkers, supervisors, and the organization was associated with reduced odds of anxiety symptoms. Our findings identified lack of workplace social support as a modifiable risk factor for postpartum anxiety. Future evaluations of workplace social support interventions may be explored to improve postpartum mental health symptoms. Am. J. Ind. Med. 60:109-120, 2017. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Home and workplace smoking bans in Italy, Ireland, Sweden, France, and the Czech Republic

PubMed Central

Heck, Julia E.; Stücker, Isabelle; Allwright, Shane; Gritz, Ellen R.; Haglund, Margaretha; Healton, Cheryl G.; Králíková, Eva; Del Mazo, Sara Sanchez; Tamang, Elizabeth; Dresler, Carolyn M.; Hashibe, Mia

2015-01-01

The purpose of this study was to report predictors and prevalence of home and workplace smoking bans in 5 European countries. We conducted a population-based telephone survey of 4977 women, ascertaining factors associated with smoking bans. Odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) were derived using unconditional logistic regression. A complete home smoking ban was reported by 59.5% of French, 63.5% of Irish, 61.3% of Italian, 74.4% of Czech, and 87.0% of Swedish women. Home smoking bans were associated with younger age and being bothered by secondhand smoke, and among smokers, inversely associated with greater tobacco dependence. Among nonsmokers, bans were also related to believing smoking is harmful (OR=1.20, CI: 1.11, 1.30) and having parents who smoke (OR=0.62, CI: 0.52, 0.73). Workplace bans were reported by 92.6% of French, 96.5% of Irish, 77.9% of Italian, 79.1% of Czech, and 88.1% of Swedish women. Workplace smoking bans were reported less often among those in technical positions (OR=0.64, CI: 0.50, 0.82) and among skilled workers (OR=0.53, CI: 0.32, 0.88) than among professional workers. Workplace smoking bans are in place for most workers in these countries. Having a home smoking ban was based on smoking behavior, demographics, beliefs, and personal preference. PMID:19926747

Supporting Breastfeeding Moms at Work: How a Doctor's Note Can Make the Difference.

PubMed

Lee, Jessica

2017-10-01

One of the most critical junctures for community support of breastfeeding is the mother's return to work. When breastfeeding workers have access to both time and space for expressing breast milk, they are more likely to breastfeed for the recommended term, yet many mothers still struggle to access these simple accommodations in their workplace. Healthcare providers can and should aid nursing mothers in accessing these accommodations. One tangible way to offer support for continued breastfeeding upon return to work is to provide notes for lactation accommodation in the workplace.

76 FR 64949 - Notice of the Award of a Single-Source Grant to The WorkPlace, Inc., in Bridgeport, CT

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-10-19

.... The city of Bridgeport, CT, faces high levels of unemployment. The WorkPlace, Inc., proposes working... life skills training, supportive services, and occupational skills training. If performance by the...

Supplementing supported employment with workplace skills training.

PubMed

Wallace, Charles J; Tauber, Robert

2004-05-01

Introduction by the column editors: Supported employment, as designed for persons with serious and persistent mental illness, has been termed individual placement and support. In two randomized controlled trials (1,2), clients who received individual placement and support services were more likely to obtain at least one job in the competitive sector, to work more hours, and to have a higher total income than their counterparts who received more traditional types of vocational rehabilitation. However, individual placement and support did not improve the length of time the employed participants kept their jobs. An adjunctive or additional element of individual placement and support, aimed at improving the job tenure of individuals with mental illness, would be a constructive contribution to the vocational rehabilitation for this population. In a previous Rehab Rounds column, Wallace and colleagues (3) described the development of the workplace fundamental skills module, a highly structured and user-friendly curriculum designed to teach workers with mental illness the social and workplace skills needed to keep their jobs. The workplace fundamental skills module supplements individual placement and support by conveying specific skills that enable workers to learn the requirements of their jobs, anticipate the stressors associated with their jobs, and cope with stressors by using a problem-solving process. The earlier report described the production and validation of the module's content. The purpose of this month's column is to present the preliminary results of a randomized comparison of the module's effects on job retention, symptoms, and community functioning when coupled with individual placement and support. To enable wide generalization of the findings of the study, the program was conducted in a typical community mental health center.

Supporting work for people with multiple sclerosis.

PubMed

Doogan, Catherine; Playford, E Diane

2014-05-01

People with multiple sclerosis experience some of the highest rates of unemployment among groups of individuals with severe and chronic disabilities. While unpredictable relapses, physical and cognitive symptoms all may play a role in job loss, it is more likely that job loss can be attributed to a complex interaction between disease-related factors and contextual factors, such as the working environment, and employer attitudes. This interaction leads to the concept of work instability, that is, the mismatch between work demands and the individual's capacity to meet these demands. Vocational rehabilitation services aim to provide people with multiple sclerosis vocational assessment, rehabilitation and support to enable them to find, regain or remain in work and access other occupational and educational opportunities. Such services consist of a multidisciplinary team with the ability to provide education around disclosure, and work-place accommodations, offer emotional support, maintain work performance, liaise with employers, and support to re-enter the workplace. Helpful interventions include early disclosure, proper workplace accommodation, education of employers, and government-funded initiatives to support disabled employees. Future research needs to agree on methods of recording outcomes and evaluate specific vocational rehabilitation interventions.

Babies and Briefcases: Creating a Family-Friendly Workplace for Fathers. Hearing before the Select Committee on Children, Youth, and Families. House of Representatives, One Hundred Second Congress, First Session.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Congress of the U.S., Washington, DC. House Select Committee on Children, Youth, and Families.

Hearings on family-friendly workplaces for fathers were held in an effort to help create a corporate culture that allows fathers to take advantage of and support different workplace policies. Fathers' impact on children's development, and the reasons why it is important for fathers to be part of the parenting process, are examined. Representative…

Workplace Bullying and Work Engagement: A Self-Determination Model.

PubMed

Goodboy, Alan K; Martin, Matthew M; Bolkan, San

2017-06-01

This study modeled motivational mechanisms that explain the negative effects of workplace bullying on work engagement. Guided by self-determination theory, workplace bullying was predicted to decrease worker engagement indirectly, due to the denial of employees' basic psychological needs and their intrinsic motivation to work. From a sample of 243 full-time employees, serial multiple mediation models revealed that the indirect relationships between workplace bullying and work engagement (i.e., vigor, dedication, absorption) were serially mediated by basic psychological needs and intrinsic motivation to work. In support of self-determination theory, this study revealed that workplace bullying indirectly disengages employees from their work by denying them of their autonomy and relatedness needs and thwarting their motivation to perform work in a fulfilling way.

Workplace violence: impact, causes, and prevention.

PubMed

Dillon, Bobbie L

2012-01-01

Using a variety of sources, the author explores the complex reasons for aggression and violence in workplace settings, as well as suggesting means of prevention and intervention. Literature Review. Studies indicate workplace violence affects more than half of U.S. organizations, yet nearly 70 percent have no programs or policies to deal with this problem. Research indicates that aggressive behavior of a psychological nature often precedes physical violence in the workforce, yet employers regularly ignore warning signs even when reported by employees. Costs to U.S. employers are estimated in the millions due to employee absences, medical costs, theft, and costs related to litigation. Organizations with cultures which support fair working conditions and zero-tolerance for workplace aggression have been shown to help mitigate workplace violence.

Reducing hazardous cleaning product use: a collaborative effort.

PubMed

Pechter, Elise; Azaroff, Lenore S; López, Isabel; Goldstein-Gelb, Marcy

2009-01-01

Workplace hazards affecting vulnerable populations of low-wage and immigrant workers present a special challenge to the practice of occupational health. Unions, Coalition for Occupational Safety and Health (COSH) groups, and other organizations have developed worker-led approaches to promoting safety. Public health practitioners can provide support for these efforts. This article describes a successful multiyear project led by immigrant cleaning workers with their union, the Service Employees International Union (SEIU) Local 615, and with support from the Massachusetts COSH (MassCOSH) to address exposure to hazardous chemicals. After the union had identified key issues and built a strategy, the union and MassCOSH invited staff from the Massachusetts Department of Public Health's Occupational Health Surveillance Program (OHSP) to provide technical information about health effects and preventive measures. Results included eliminating the most hazardous chemicals, reducing the number of products used, banning mixing products, and improving safety training. OHSP's history of public health practice regarding cleaning products enabled staff to respond promptly. MassCOSH's staff expertise and commitment to immigrant workers allowed it to play a vital role.

The influence of individual and organisational factors on nurses' behaviour to use lifting devices in healthcare.

PubMed

Koppelaar, E; Knibbe, J J; Miedema, H S; Burdorf, A

2013-07-01

This study evaluates the influence of individual and organisational factors on nurses' behaviour to use lifting devices in healthcare. Interviews among nurses were conducted to collect individual characteristics and to establish their behaviour regarding lifting devices use. Organisational factors were collected by questionnaires and walk-through-surveys, comprising technical facilities, organisation of care, and management-efforts. Generalised-Estimating-Equations for repeated measurements were used to estimate determinants of nurses' behaviour. Important determinants of nurses' behaviour to use lifting devices were knowledge of workplace procedures (OR = 5.85), strict guidance on required lifting devices use (OR = 2.91), and sufficient lifting devices (OR = 1.92). Management-support and supportive-management-climate were associated with these determinants. Since nurses' behaviour to use lifting devices is influenced by factors at different levels, studies in ergonomics should consider how multi-level factors impact each other. An integral approach, addressing individual and organisational levels, is necessary to facilitate appropriate implementation of ergonomic interventions, like lifting devices. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd and The Ergonomics Society. All rights reserved.

A work-based educational intervention to support the development of personal resilience in nurses and midwives.

PubMed

McDonald, Glenda; Jackson, Debra; Wilkes, Lesley; Vickers, Margaret H

2012-05-01

A work-based educational programme was the intervention used in a collective case study aiming to develop, strengthen and maintain personal resilience amongst fourteen nurses and midwives. The participants attended six, monthly workshops and formed a participatory learning group. Post-intervention, participants reported positive personal and professional outcomes, including enhanced self-confidence, self-awareness, communication and conflict resolution skills. They strengthened relationships with their colleagues, enabling them to build helpful support networks in the workplace. The intervention used new and innovative ways of engaging nurses and midwives exhibiting the effects of workplace adversity - fatigue, pressure, stress and emotional labour. Participants were removed from their usual workplace environment and brought together to engage in critical reflection, experiential learning and creativity whilst also learning about the key characteristics and strategies of personal resilience. Participants' experiences and skills were valued and respected; honest airing of the differences within the group regarding common workplace issues and concerns was encouraged. The new contribution of this intervention for nursing and midwifery education was supporting the learning experience with complementary therapies to improve participants' wellbeing and reduce stress. Copyright © 2011. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Networking grassroots efforts to improve safety and health in informal economy workplaces in Asia.

PubMed

Kawakami, Tsuyoshi

2006-01-01

Many workers in Asia are in the informal economy. They often work in substandard conditions, exposed to hazards in the workplace. Learning from the recent successes of participatory training programmes to improve safety and health in Asia, the ILO has strengthened its partnership efforts with local people to improve safety and health of informal economy workplaces. The target groups were: (1) home workplaces in Cambodia and Thailand, (2) salt fields and fishing villages in Cambodia where many young workers are working, and (3) small construction sites in Cambodia, Laos, Mongolia, Thailand and Vietnam. The walk-through survey results showed that the workers and owners in the target informal economy workplaces had the strong will to improve safety and health at their own initiatives and needed practical support. In the participatory, action-oriented training workshops carried out, the participated workers and owners were able to identify their priority safety and health actions. Commonly identified were clear and safe transport ways, safer handling of hazardous substances, basic welfare needs such as drinking water and sanitary toilets, and work posture. The follow-up visits confirmed that many of the proposed actions were actually taken by using low-cost available materials. These positive changes were possible by applying the participatory training tools such as illustrated checklists and extensive use of photographs showing local good examples and placing emphasis on facilitator roles of trainers. In conclusion, the target informal economy workplaces in Asia made positive changes in safety and health through the participatory, action-oriented training focusing on local initiative and low-cost improvement measures. Local network support mechanisms to share lessons from good practices played essential roles in encouraging the voluntary implementation of practical improvement actions. It is important to increase our joint efforts to reach more informal economy workplaces in industrially developing countries and provide practical support measures focusing on local self-help initiatives.

She's supporting them; who's supporting her? Preschool center-level social-emotional supports and teacher well-being.

PubMed

Zinsser, Katherine M; Christensen, Claire G; Torres, Luz

2016-12-01

Preschool teachers across the country have been charged to prepare children socially and emotionally for kindergarten. Teachers working in preschool centers are supporting children's social and emotional learning (SEL) within a rich ecology of emotion and social relationships and the present study considers how the supports implemented for children's SEL at the center-level are associated with teachers' psychological health and workplace experiences. Hierarchical linear models were constructed using data from the Head Start Family and Child Experiences Survey 2009 cohort. Results indicate that although teachers work in individual classrooms, they share common perceptions at the center-level of their workplace climate, access to support, and, although to a lesser extent, experience commonalities in psychological health and job satisfaction. Furthermore, in centers that had implemented more supports for children's SEL (including access to mental health consultants, classroom curriculum, and training and resources for teachers) teachers were less depressed, more satisfied with their jobs, felt more supported in managing challenging behavior, and viewed the workplace climate of their center as more positive. Findings are discussed in light of the national efforts to increase and retain a high-quality early childhood workforce. Copyright © 2016 Society for the Study of School Psychology. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Disruption, disbelief and resistance: A meta-synthesis of disability in the workplace.

PubMed

Gewurtz, Rebecca; Kirsh, Bonnie

2009-01-01

This article presents the findings from a meta-synthesis of qualitative research on the experiences of persons with disabilities in the workplace. The purpose of this review was to explore how organizational culture influences the experiences of people with disabilities in the workplace, and the impact of disability on organizational culture. Findings from seven qualitative peer-reviewed studies on the experiences of people with disabilities at work and organizational culture published between 1995 and 2006 were synthesized using the meta-ethnography approach. The findings highlight how experiences of people with disabilities and organizational culture intersect in the workplace. Specifically, accessibility in the workplace involves more than removing physical barriers. People with disabilities are affected by the degree of acceptance and flexibility in the workplace, and relationships with co-workers and supervisors. However, the presence of disability may be perceived as disruptive to the organization, operation and structure of the workplace, resulting in disbelief and resistance. The findings suggest that attention and resources should be directed supporting the implementation of disability and human rights legislation and increasing tolerance for diversity in the workplace.

Workplace violence in healthcare settings: risk factors and protective strategies.

PubMed

Gillespie, Gordon Lee; Gates, Donna M; Miller, Margaret; Howard, Patricia Kunz

2010-01-01

This article describes the risk factors and protective strategies associated with workplace violence perpetrated by patients and visitors against healthcare workers. Perpetrator risk factors for patients and visitors in healthcare settings include mental health disorders, drug or alcohol use, inability to deal with situational crises, possession of weapons, and being a victim of violence. Worker risk factors are gender, age, years of experience, hours worked, marital status, and previous workplace violence training. Setting and environmental risk factors for experiencing workplace violence include time of day and presence of security cameras. Protective strategies for combating the negative consequences of workplace violence include carrying a telephone, practicing self-defense, instructing perpetrators to stop being violent, self- and social support, and limiting interactions with potential or known perpetrators of violence. Workplace violence is a serious and growing problem that affects all healthcare professionals. Strategies are needed to prevent workplace violence and manage the negative consequences experienced by healthcare workers following violent events.

A cross-sectional study of workplace social capital and blood pressure: a multilevel analysis at Japanese manufacturing companies.

PubMed

Fujino, Yoshihisa; Kubo, Tatsuhiko; Kunimoto, Masamizu; Tabata, Hidetoshi; Tsuchiya, Takuto; Kadowaki, Koji; Nakamura, Takehiro; Oyama, Ichiro

2013-01-01

We examined the contextual effect of workplace social capital on systolic blood pressure (SBP). Cross-sectional. A conglomerate from 58 workplaces in Japan. Of the 5844 workers at a Japanese conglomerate from 58 workplaces, 5368 were recruited. Individuals who received drugs for hypertension (n=531) and who lacked information on any variable (n=167) were excluded from the analyses, leaving 4735 individuals (3281 men and 1454 women) for inclusion. Systolic blood pressure. The contextual effect of workplace social capital on SBP was examined using a multilevel regression analysis with a random intercept. Coworker support had a contextual effect at the workplace level (coefficient=-1.97, p=0.043), while a lack of trust for coworkers (coefficient=0.27, p=0.039) and lack of helpfulness from coworkers were associated with SBP (coefficient=0.28, p=0.002). The present study suggested that social capital at the workplace level has beneficial effects on SBP.

Exposure to infrasonic noise in agriculture.

PubMed

Bilski, Bartosz

2017-03-21

Although exposure to audible noise has been examined in many publications, the sources of infrasound in agriculture have not been fully examined and presented. The study presents the assessment of exposure to infrasound from many sources at workplaces in agriculture with examples of possible ergonomic and health consequences caused by such exposure. Workers'-perceived infrasonic noise levels were examined for 118 examples of moving and stationary agricultural machines (modern and old cab-type tractors, old tractors without cabins, small tractors, grinders, chargers, forage mixers, grain cleaners, conveyors, bark sorters and combine-harvesters). Measurements of infrasound were taken with the use of class 1 instruments (digital sound analyzer DSA-50 digital and acoustic calibrator). Noise level measurements were performed in accordance with PN-Z-01338:2010, PN-EN ISO 9612:2011 and ISO 9612:2009. The most intense sources of infrasound in the study were modern and old large size types agricultural machinery (tractors, chargers and combined-harvesters, and stationary forage mixers with ventilation). The G-weighted infrasound levels were significant and at many analyzed workplaces stayed within or exceeded the occupational exposure limit (LG eq, 8h = 102 dB) when the duration of exposure is longer than 22 min./8-hours working day (most noisy - modern cab-type tractors), 46 min./8 hours working day (most noisy - old type cab-tractors), 73 min./8 hours working day (most noisy - old tractors without cabins), 86 min./8-hours working day (most noisy - combine-harvesters) and 156 min./8 hours working day (most noisy - stationary forage mixers with ventilation). All measured machines generated infrasonic noise exceeded the value LG eq, Te = 86 dB (occupational exposure limit for workplaces requiring maintained mental concentration). A very important harmful factor is infrasound exposure for pregnant women and adolescents at workplaces in agriculture. Very valuable work can be technical limiting exposure to infrasound from new and used agricultural machinery. The technical limitation of infrasound caused by both old and new agricultural machinery can be invaluable from the work point of view.

Longitudinal Mediation Modeling of Unhealthy Behaviors as Mediators between Workplace Demands/Support and Depressive Symptoms

PubMed Central

Magnusson Hanson, Linda L.; Peristera, Paraskevi; Chungkham, Holendro Singh; Westerlund, Hugo

2016-01-01

Lifestyle has been regarded as a key pathway through which adverse psychosocial working characteristics can give rise to long-term health problems. The purpose of this study was to estimate the indirect/mediated effect of health behaviors in the longitudinal work characteristics-depression relationship. The analyses were based on the Swedish Longitudinal Occupational Survey of Health, including 3706 working participants with repeat survey measures on four occasions (2008, 2010, 2012 and 2014). Psychosocial work characteristics including demands and social support were analyzed in relation to depressive symptoms. Autoregressive longitudinal mediation models using structural equation modeling were used to estimate the intermediate effects of unhealthy behaviors including current smoking, excessive alcohol consumption, unhealthy diet and physical inactivity. Both workplace demands and social support were related to later depressive symptoms. In bivariate models we found no significant paths from workplace demands to health behaviors, but two out of three significant time-specific paths from workplace support to excessive drinking and from excessive drinking to depressive symptoms. Social support was also associated with subsequent unhealthy diet, and one path from unhealthy diet to depressive symptoms was found. However, despite indications of certain longitudinal relationships between psychosocial working conditions and health behaviors as well as between health behaviors and depressive symptoms, no significant intermediate effects were found (p>0.05). We conclude that changes in unhealthy behaviors over a period of two years are unlikely to act as strong intermediaries in the longitudinal relationship between job demands and depressive symptoms and between social support and depressive symptoms. PMID:28036376

Longitudinal Mediation Modeling of Unhealthy Behaviors as Mediators between Workplace Demands/Support and Depressive Symptoms.

PubMed

Magnusson Hanson, Linda L; Peristera, Paraskevi; Chungkham, Holendro Singh; Westerlund, Hugo

2016-01-01

Lifestyle has been regarded as a key pathway through which adverse psychosocial working characteristics can give rise to long-term health problems. The purpose of this study was to estimate the indirect/mediated effect of health behaviors in the longitudinal work characteristics-depression relationship. The analyses were based on the Swedish Longitudinal Occupational Survey of Health, including 3706 working participants with repeat survey measures on four occasions (2008, 2010, 2012 and 2014). Psychosocial work characteristics including demands and social support were analyzed in relation to depressive symptoms. Autoregressive longitudinal mediation models using structural equation modeling were used to estimate the intermediate effects of unhealthy behaviors including current smoking, excessive alcohol consumption, unhealthy diet and physical inactivity. Both workplace demands and social support were related to later depressive symptoms. In bivariate models we found no significant paths from workplace demands to health behaviors, but two out of three significant time-specific paths from workplace support to excessive drinking and from excessive drinking to depressive symptoms. Social support was also associated with subsequent unhealthy diet, and one path from unhealthy diet to depressive symptoms was found. However, despite indications of certain longitudinal relationships between psychosocial working conditions and health behaviors as well as between health behaviors and depressive symptoms, no significant intermediate effects were found (p>0.05). We conclude that changes in unhealthy behaviors over a period of two years are unlikely to act as strong intermediaries in the longitudinal relationship between job demands and depressive symptoms and between social support and depressive symptoms.

Learning in the Workplace for Garage Mechanics and Technicians

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jans, Ruben, Bollen, Ria,

2008-01-01

Employees in technical firms, like garages, need more and more formations. Due to the very fast innovation in technology, lifelong learning is a real need for these labour forces. On the other hand, there are the needed formations very specialized and expensive. Another problem employers faced in these economical sectors in Western Europe is the…

Learning the Job: Juggling the Messages in On- and Off-the-Job Training.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Harris, Roger; Willis, Peter; Simons, Michele

This report is an interpretative examination of on- and off-job sites as learning environments. It explores meanings that apprentices, workplace mentors, and technical and further education (TAFE) teachers develop and place on integrated training. Key insights from research on 32 apprentices, 21 host employers, and 6 TAFE teachers in South…

Introducing New Technology into the Workplace: Retraining Issues and Strategies. Background Paper No. 8b.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kearsley, Greg

Technological advances necessitate the continuous retraining of the work force. Three technologies are having greatest impact on the labor force: (1) the scope and depth of computer skills required by most jobs continue to expand; (2) robotics in manufacturing means that certain new jobs are more technical and require postsecondary education; and…

An Exploratory Study of Indian University Students' Use of Social Networking Web Sites: Implications for the Workplace

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Agarwal, Shailja; Mital, Monika

2009-01-01

Social networking Web sites (SNWs) are online tools that have transformed the virtual encounters of the past that were technical and impersonal to today's virtual socialization that is truly nontechnical, social, and interpersonal. This article presents an exploratory study of Indian University students' use of SNWs. The results indicated that…

Cross-Cultural Analysis of HPT: An Empirical Investigation of HPT Competencies in the Workplace in the United States and South Asia

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Vadivelu, Ramaswamy N.; Klein, James D.

2008-01-01

Recent research in the areas of human performance technology (HPT), organizational development, and cross-cultural training has suggested the need for developing managerial competencies that are effective in diverse cultural settings. Some competencies such as technical proficiency, knowledge of company systems, adaptability, and the ability to…

Advocacy on the Front Lines of CTE

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Reese, Susan

2011-01-01

Career and technical education (CTE) in the 21st century is more relevant and rigorous than ever before. It prepares students to compete in the global workplace, it inspires lifelong learning, and it helps prevent at-risk students from dropping out of school because it keeps them engaged in the learning process. Those who work on the front lines…

Sights and Insights: Vocational Outdoor Students' Learning through and about Reflective Practice in the Workplace

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hickman, Mark; Stokes, Peter

2016-01-01

Outdoor leader and adventure sport education in the United Kingdom has been characterized by an over-emphasis on technical skills at the expense of equally important, but often marginalized intra- and inter-personal skills necessary for contemporary outdoor employment. This study examined the lived experience of vocational outdoor students in…

Working Words: A User's Guide to Written Communication at Work.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hagston, Jan

Writing a document that is clear and easy to understand is difficult. This resource book is a guide to making written material easier to read, understand, and use. The guide is targeted at those who write work-place documents--industry or TAFE (Technical and Further Education) trainers, managers, supervisors, union representatives or writers of…

The Impact of an Interdisciplinary Space Program on Computer Science Student Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Straub, Jeremy; Marsh, Ronald; Whalen, David

2015-01-01

Project-based learning and interdisciplinary projects present an opportunity for students to learn both technical skills and other skills which are relevant to their workplace success. This paper presents an assessment of the educational impact of the OpenOrbiter program, a student-run, interdisciplinary CubeSat (a type of small satellite with…

Learning as Becoming in Vocational Education and Training: Class, Gender and the Role of Vocational Habitus

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Colley, Helen; James, David; Tedder, Michael; Diment, Kim

2003-01-01

Official accounts of learning in vocational education and training emphasise the acquisition of technical skills and knowledge to foster behavioural competence in the workplace. However, such accounts fail to acknowledge the relationship between learning and identity. Drawing on detailed case studies of three vocational courses--in childcare,…

Have a Heart: Challenges for Lead Vocational Teachers in the Changing VET Landscape. Occasional Paper

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Davids, Jennifer

2012-01-01

This paper investigates the personal and career development needs of TAFE (Technical And Further Education) Queensland's lead vocational teachers through the conceptual framework of Spirituality at Work (SAW), which is a framework for looking at workplace relations. This research was conducted through four focus group meetings held in November…

Executive Perceptions of the Top 10 Soft Skills Needed in Today's Workplace

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Robles, Marcel M.

2012-01-01

Hard skills are the technical expertise and knowledge needed for a job. Soft skills are interpersonal qualities, also known as people skills, and personal attributes that one possesses. Business executives consider soft skills a very important attribute in job applicants. Employers want new employees to have strong soft skills, as well as hard…

Re-Placing Lit in Comp II: Pragmatic/Humanistic Benefits

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Raymond, Richard C.

2010-01-01

As a teacher of technical writing, the author applauds the emphasis on the strategies of research and on documented, problem-solving writing across the curriculum and on bringing writing-for-the-workplace into the first-year writing classroom. However, as a teacher of literature, he rejects the notion that responding to literature has no practical…

Experiences of Educational Content in Swedish Technical Vocational Education: Examples from the Energy and Industry Programmes

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kilbrink, Nina; Bjurulf, Veronica; Olin-Scheller, Christina; Tengberg, Michael

2014-01-01

In this study, teachers and workplace supervisors in two vocational programmes at a Swedish upper secondary school were interviewed about their experiences of what is important to teach and learn during vocational education. The interviews were analysed thematically by the qualitative method analysis of narratives concerning what the informants…

Educating Nursing Students with Disabilities: Replacing Essential Functions with Technical Standards for Program Entry Criteria

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Matt, Susan B.; Maheady, Donna; Fleming, Susan E.

2015-01-01

Across the globe, students with disabilities have been increasing in prevalence in higher education settings. In the twenty-first century the struggle to include individuals with disabilities into nursing schools and workplaces continues in different parts of the world. Historically, entry criteria in nursing schools have been based on essential…

Towards a Gender Inclusive Information and Communications Technology Curriculum: A Perspective from Graduates in the Workforce

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Koppi, Tony; Sheard, Judy; Naghdy, Fazel; Edwards, Sylvia L.; Brookes, Wayne

2010-01-01

An online survey was conducted of recent information and communications technology (ICT) graduates from 21 Australian universities. A range of abilities including personal/interpersonal, cognitive, business and technical were examined in relation to importance in the workplace and university preparation of those abilities. In addition, a set of…

Virginia's Academic and Career Plan Emphasizes Middle School

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jones, Virginia R.

2010-01-01

To have a meaningful, fulfilling career in the 21st century workplace, students need technical and academic skills as well as the ability to think and work collaboratively with others. Career education must begin in middle school or earlier to allow students time to develop the aptitudes, skills and attitudes necessary to develop an awareness of…

Resisting the Lure of Technology-Driven Design: Pedagogical Approaches to Visual Communication

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Northcut, Kathryn M.; Brumberger, Eva R.

2010-01-01

Technical communicators are expected to work extensively with visual texts in workplaces. Fortunately, most academic curricula include courses in which the skills necessary for such tasks are introduced and sometimes developed in depth. We identify a tension between a focus on technological skill vs. a focus on principles and theory, arguing that…

Perceptions of Memo Quality: A Case Study of Engineering Practitioners, Professors, and Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Amare, Nicole; Brammer, Charlotte

2005-01-01

One goal of college technical writing courses is to prepare students for real-world writing situations. Business writing textbooks function similarly, using guidelines, sample assignments, and model documents to help students develop rhetorical strategies to use in the workplace. Students attend class, or read and perform exercises in a textbook,…

Career Guidance--Now and Then: High Tech and High Touch

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Newell, Eugenia

2010-01-01

There is a lot new in career guidance. Technology is a driving force in the workplace, and it has changed how educators teach and what they teach. The digital age has provided new depth to career awareness and exploration and new responsibilities for career guidance professionals. As career and technical teachers must be current with software and…

Developing Intercultural Competence through Blended Learning: The Role of Peer Interaction

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Risner, Mary E.

2011-01-01

The need to increase US competitiveness in the world economy is a driving factor in the recent push to internationalize university campuses across the country. Technical and subject area expertise are no longer sufficient to succeed in the 21st-century global workplace. Intercultural competence is becoming more valued as part of the desired…

Workplace bullying in risk and safety professionals.

PubMed

Brewer, Gayle; Holt, Barry; Malik, Shahzeb

2018-02-01

Previous research demonstrates that workplace bullying impacts the welfare of victimized employees, with further consequences for the organization and profession. There is, however, a paucity of information relating to the bullying directed at risk and safety professionals. The present study was conducted to address this issue. Risk and safety professionals (N=420) completed the Negative Acts Questionnaire - Revised and Brief Cope, and reported the extent to which they had been pressured to make or amend a risk or safety based decision. Those experiencing workplace bullying were more likely to engage in a range of coping behaviors, with exposure to work-related and personal bullying particularly influential. Workplace bullying also predicted pressure to make or change a risk or safety based decision. Work related and physically intimidating bullying were particularly important for this aspect of professional practice. Findings are discussed with regard to current practice and the support available to risk and safety professionals. Risk and safety professionals require additional support in relation to workplace bullying and specifically guidance to resist pressure to make or change a risk or safety based decision. Copyright © 2017 National Safety Council and Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The effects of workplace psychosocial factors on whether Japanese dual-earner couples with preschool children have additional children: a prospective study.

PubMed

Eguchi, Hisashi; Shimazu, Akihito; Fujiwara, Takeo; Iwata, Noboru; Shimada, Kyoko; Takahashi, Masaya; Tokita, Masahito; Watai, Izumi; Kawakami, Norito

2016-12-07

This study explored the effect of workplace psychosocial factors (job demand, job control, and workplace social support) on dual-earner couples in Japan having additional children, using a prospective study design. We conducted a 2-year prospective cohort study with 103 dual-earner couples with preschool children in Japan, as part of the Tokyo Work-Family Interface Study II. We used multivariable logistic regression analyses to evaluate the prospective association of job strain (categorized into low-strain job, active job, passive job, and strain job groups) and workplace social support (high and low) with couples having additional children during the follow-up period, adjusting for age, for men and women separately. Men in the active job group (i.e., with high job demands and high job control) had a significantly higher odds ratio (OR) of having additional children during the follow-up period, after controlling for age (OR 9.07, 95% confidence interval: 1.27-64.85). No significant association between any workplace psychosocial factor and having additional children was confirmed among women. Having an active job may have a positive influence on having additional children among men in dual-earner couples.

The prospective relationship between role stressors and new cases of self-reported workplace bullying.

PubMed

Reknes, Iselin; Einarsen, Ståle; Knardahl, Stein; Lau, Bjørn

2014-02-01

In line with the "Work environment hypothesis," role stressors have been proposed as important antecedents of bullying in the workplace. Only a few longitudinal studies on the relationship between role stressors and bullying exist, however, and earlier studies have largely been cross-sectional. The aim of the present prospective study was to determine whether role stressors at baseline predict new cases of workplace bullying at follow-up. A total of 2,835 Norwegian employees participated at both baseline and follow-up, with an interval of two years between the measurements. The study supports the hypotheses that role ambiguity and role conflict, independently, contribute to subsequent new reports of workplace bullying. However, there was a weak reverse effect: reporting being bullied at work at baseline predicted reporting increased levels of role ambiguity and role conflict at follow-up. Even though the results may indicate a circular relationship between the variables at hand, the weak reverse relationship seems to have little practical impact compared to the stronger relationship from role stressors to bullying. Hence, the results mainly support the hypotheses stating that role ambiguity and role conflict, independently, predict subsequent exposure to workplace bullying.

College student mental health and quality of workplace relationships.

PubMed

Vaughn, Allison A; Drake, Richard R; Haydock, Sarah

2016-01-01

The goal of this study was to examine the effect of quality of workplace relationships on the mental health of employed undergraduates, with work-related variables as a potential mechanism. Participants were 170 employed students (76% female, average age = 19.9) recruited in March 2011. Most worked part-time and had been at their jobs over a year. Students were recruited from an undergraduate introductory psychology course and completed online surveys about the quality of workplace relationships, mental health (ie, somatic stress symptoms, depression, anxiety, and life satisfaction), and work-related variables (ie, job satisfaction, support, turnover and burnout). Students who reported having workplace relationships with co-occurring positivity and negativity had worse self-reported mental health outcomes than students reporting having wholly positive relationships. The relationship between workplace relationship quality and mental health was mediated by negative work-related variables. Workplace relationships-even in part-time employment settings-influence college students' mental health.

Effects of workplace bullying on how women work.

PubMed

MacIntosh, Judith; Wuest, Judith; Gray, Marilyn Merritt; Aldous, Sarah

2010-11-01

Work is central to well-being but working is problematic when people experience workplace bullying, which includes psychological, physical, and sexual abuse or harassment. The purpose of the present grounded theory study was to extend current understanding, from the perspective of women, of how workplace bullying affects their work and how they engage in the workforce. The study was conducted in eastern Canada with 36 English-speaking women who had been bullied in the workplace. They reported mainly psychological bullying. The central problem for women is they cannot continue working as they had before the workplace bullying. The authors named a four-stage process of how women address this problem as "Doing Work Differently." The four stages are Being Conciliatory, Reconsidering, Reducing Interference, and Redeveloping Balance. The process is influenced by women's support systems, the effects on their health, and financial circumstances. There are implications for public education, workplace policies, and health care workers.

[Association between psychosocial work environment and workplace bullying among office workers].

PubMed

Hua, Y J; Dai, J M; Gao, J L; Lu, X Y; Liu, J Y; Fu, H

2016-04-20

To assess the prevalence of bullying in companies and health care center and identify the association between psychosocial environment and workplace bullying. A total of 847 employees at in business building companies and 146 employees at one community health service center were invited to this survey by cluster sampling during October to December 2014, using anonymous questionnaires including the general demographic information, job characteristics, job stress core scale, the social capital scale, and NAQ-R. The rate of targets of bullying in the two kinds of workplaces were 13.1% and 5.6% respectively. Workplace bullying was associated with employee's education level(χ(2)=11.17, P=0.019)and the area his or her families live in(χ(2)=5.66, P=0.017). In addition, workplace bullying was significantly associated with psychosocial work environment. Job demand was positively correlated with workplace bullying (OR=2.24, 95% CI=1.34~3.74), and workplace social support was negatively associated with workplace bullying (OR= 0.33, 95% CI=0.18~0.60). Workplace bullying can be reduced by adjusting certain working conditions that negatively affect employees who are susceptible to being bullied, giving their individual and job characteristic. Moreover, workplace bullying could also be reduced if job demands are limited and job control and social capital are increased.

Exploring Environmental Factors in Nursing Workplaces That Promote Psychological Resilience: Constructing a Unified Theoretical Model.

PubMed

Cusack, Lynette; Smith, Morgan; Hegney, Desley; Rees, Clare S; Breen, Lauren J; Witt, Regina R; Rogers, Cath; Williams, Allison; Cross, Wendy; Cheung, Kin

2016-01-01

Building nurses' resilience to complex and stressful practice environments is necessary to keep skilled nurses in the workplace and ensuring safe patient care. A unified theoretical framework titled Health Services Workplace Environmental Resilience Model (HSWERM), is presented to explain the environmental factors in the workplace that promote nurses' resilience. The framework builds on a previously-published theoretical model of individual resilience, which identified the key constructs of psychological resilience as self-efficacy, coping and mindfulness, but did not examine environmental factors in the workplace that promote nurses' resilience. This unified theoretical framework was developed using a literary synthesis drawing on data from international studies and literature reviews on the nursing workforce in hospitals. The most frequent workplace environmental factors were identified, extracted and clustered in alignment with key constructs for psychological resilience. Six major organizational concepts emerged that related to a positive resilience-building workplace and formed the foundation of the theoretical model. Three concepts related to nursing staff support (professional, practice, personal) and three related to nursing staff development (professional, practice, personal) within the workplace environment. The unified theoretical model incorporates these concepts within the workplace context, linking to the nurse, and then impacting on personal resilience and workplace outcomes, and its use has the potential to increase staff retention and quality of patient care.

Evaluating Workplace English Language Programs

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ekkens, Kristin; Winke, Paula

2009-01-01

Companies across the United States provide workplace English classes to non-native-English-speaking employees to increase productivity, retention, and on-the-job safety. Institutions that financially support the programs often require evidence of learning through standardized tests as a prerequisite for continued funding. However, the tests…

Small Businesses. Workforce & Workplace Literacy Series.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

BCEL Brief, 1992

1992-01-01

This brief presents summary information and contacts/references for a sampling of programs and resources that have been developed to support small business workplace literacy projects. Twenty-two contacts are included: Finger Lakes Regional Education Center for Economic Development; Development Assistance Corporation; Wayne Community College;…

Factors related to intention to stay in the current workplace among long-term care nurses: A nationwide survey.

PubMed

Eltaybani, Sameh; Noguchi-Watanabe, Maiko; Igarashi, Ayumi; Saito, Yumiko; Yamamoto-Mitani, Noriko

2018-04-01

Keeping long-term care nurses employed is necessary to sustain the current and future demand for high-quality long-term care services. Understanding the factors relating to intention to stay among long-term care nurses is limited by the scarcity of studies in long-term care settings, lack of investigation of multiple factors, and the weakness of existing explanatory models. To identify the factors associated with long-term care nurses' intention to stay in their current workplace. A cross-sectional questionnaire survey. Two hundred and fifty-seven hospitals with long-term care wards across Japan. A total of 3128 staff nurses and 257 nurse managers from the long-term care wards of the participating hospitals. The questionnaire assessed nurses' intention to continue working in the current workplace as well as potential related factors, including individual factors (demographic data, reason for choosing current workplace, burnout, work engagement, somatic symptom burden) and unit factors (unit size, nurse-manager-related data, patients' medical acuity, average number of overtime hours, recreational activities, social support, perceived quality of care process, educational opportunities, feeling of loneliness, and ability to request days off). Multilevel logistic regression analysis was used to determine which variables best explained nurses' intention to stay in their workplace. Only 40.1% of the respondents reported wanting to continue working at their current workplace. The regression analysis revealed that long-term care nurses' intention to stay was positively associated with nurses' age (odds ratio [95% confidence interval]: 1.02 [1.01-1.03]), work engagement (1.24 [1.14-1.35]), getting appropriate support from nurse managers (2.78 [1.60-4.82]), perceived quality of care process (1.04 [1.01-1.06]), educational opportunities (1.06 [1.0-1.13]), and various specific reasons for choosing their workplace (e.g., a good workplace atmosphere, being interested in gerontological nursing, and a high salary). By contrast, intention to stay was negatively associated with emotional exhaustion (0.93 [0.91-0.95]) and depersonalization (0.91 [0.89-0.93]). Intention to stay was associated with neither nurses' qualifications nor patient medical acuity. Reason for choosing the workplace, work engagement, getting support from the nurse manager, and perceived quality of care process are significant predictors of long-term care nurses' intention to stay in the workplace. Promoting such nurses' work engagement, provision of high-quality care, and access to educational opportunities might augment long-term care nurses' intention to stay. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

A theoretical understanding of sickness absence among women who have experienced workplace bullying.

PubMed

O'Donnell, Sue; MacIntosh, Judith; Wuest, Judith

2010-04-01

Historically, we have assumed that workplaces, where employed individuals spend approximately one third of their days, provide safe and supportive environments and opportunities to enhance women's capacities. Unfortunately, workplace bullying and consequent sickness absence are prevalent and costly realities that significantly influence women's health. In this study, sickness absence among 18 Canadian women who were targets of workplace bullying was explored using a grounded theory secondary analysis. Findings show that although sickness absence is critical in attenuating the health consequences of being bullied, it is a partial solution because rehabilitation and successful return to work is challenged when working conditions remain unchanged. This problem is addressed using is a three-stage process of discerning a path that involves gaining space, making sense, and moving forward. Organizational support is critical to all stages of the process; it can reduce the risk of declines in health and sickness absence, and is essential for successful return to work.

Work-related stress in the veterinary profession in New Zealand.

PubMed

Gardner, D H; Hini, D

2006-06-01

To investigate sources of work-related stress in the veterinary profession in New Zealand, perceptions of levels of stress being experienced, and the social support that veterinarians are using to manage work-related stress. A postal survey was distributed to 1,907 veterinarians registered with the Veterinary Council of New Zealand (VCNZ). The survey collected information on respondents' age, gender, type and number of people in the workplace, stress levels, depression, suicidal thoughts and attempts, causes of stress and sources of support. Nine hundred and twenty-seven (48.6%) veterinarians returned useable responses. Veterinarians who were retired, working overseas or did not provide information about their type of work were excluded from the analysis, leaving data from 849 (44.5%) veterinarians. Women experienced more work-related stress and depression than men, veterinarians in small animal/mixed practice reported more stress and depression than those in other types of work, and younger veterinarians experienced higher levels of stress than older veterinarians. The main sources of stress were hours worked, client expectations, and unexpected outcomes. Respondents were also stressed by the need to keep up their knowledge and technical skills, and by personal relationships, finances and their expectations of themselves. Most respondents reported that they had good networks of family and friends to help them deal with stress. In general, respondents tended to rely on informal networks such as family and friends, other veterinarians and workmates to provide support. The small proportion of respondents who reported clinical depression or suicidal thoughts or attempts were more likely than respondents in general to have used health professionals, counselling, pastoral/spiritual support and the Vets in Stress phone line, but less likely to have sought support from employers and workmates. There is a need for a wide range of strategies to manage work-related stress among veterinarians. Sources of stress in the workplace must be identified and strategies developed to control those which present a significant hazard. Strategies may include attention to workloads and working hours, design of work processes, and increasing social support. Training in work-related skills such as communication, conflict management and stress management may be helpful where lack of these skills is contributing to stress. Support services such as help lines and mentor schemes are also available and information about these needs to be more accessible.

Age differences in workplace intervention effects on employees’ nighttime and daytime sleep

PubMed Central

Lee, Soomi; Almeida, David M.; Berkman, Lisa; Olson, Ryan; Moen, Phyllis; Buxton, Orfeu M.

2017-01-01

Objectives To examine the effects of a workplace flexibility/support intervention on employees’ sleep quantity and quality during nights and days and whether the effects differ by employee age. Design Cluster-randomized controlled trial. Setting Information technology industry workplaces. Participants US employees (Mage = 46.9 years) at an information technology firm who provided actigraphy at baseline and a 12-month follow-up (N = 396; n = 195 intervention, n = 201 control). Intervention The Work, Family, and Health Study intervention aimed to increase workplace flexibility and support. The intervention consisted of facilitated discussions to help employees increase control over when and where they work as well as manager-specific training sessions to increase manager support for employees’ work-family issues. Measurements Nighttime sleep duration, wake after sleep onset (WASO), and nap duration were measured with wrist actigraphy. Day-to-day variability in these variables (min2) was also estimated. Results Intervention employees increased nighttime sleep duration at 12 months, by 9 minutes per day, relative to control employees. There were interaction effects between the intervention and age on daytime nap duration and day-to-day variability in WASO. Older employees (56–70 years) in the intervention condition decreased nap duration at 12 months relative to older employees in the control condition. Older employees in the intervention condition also exhibited a greater decrease in day-to-day variability of WASO at 12 months compared with their baseline. Conclusions The workplace flexibility/support intervention was effective in enhancing employees’ sleep health by increasing nighttime sleep duration. Furthermore, the intervention was particularly effective for older employees in decreasing their daytime nap duration and day-to-day variability in WASO. PMID:28105463

Association among components of resilience and workplace violence-related depression among emergency department nurses in Taiwan: a cross-sectional study.

PubMed

Hsieh, Hsiu-Fen; Chen, Yao-Mei; Wang, Hsiu-Hung; Chang, Shu-Chen; Ma, Shu-Ching

2016-09-01

This correlation study examined the relationship among recently workplace violence, depressive tendency, social support, and resilience of victimised nurses, and we also tried to identify protective factors and potential targets for preventive interventions for these nurses. Workplace violence in hospitals negatively affects occupational health and safety of medical professionals, especially for emergency department nurses. A cross-sectional, correlation research design was applied. Hierarchical regression was used to examine data which were collected from June 2013 to December 2013 from emergency departments in Taiwan. One hundred and eighty nurses were recruited from two hospitals. Structured interviews and questionnaires were applied to collect data, including the Social Support Scale, the Resilience Scale and the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression. A total of 159 (88·33%) nurses had suffered from physical or verbal violence by patients or their family. Resilience and peer support were significantly higher in the group without depressive tendency. Components of resilience of personal strength, social competence, structure style and religious beliefs were significant factors which accounted for 46·0% of variance in depressive tendency. Three of the five components of resilience: personal strength, social competence and structured style were found to have profounder effects against depressive tendency than peer support. Hospital managers should establish a safer working environment for emergency department nurses and reinforce their resilience against depression when they encounter workplace violence. This study showed that three of the five components of resilience: personal strength, social competence and structured style are protective factors against depressive tendency in victimised nurses. Improving these three components with coping and problem-solving skills by healthcare manager would be effective measures for enhancing their resilience in situations of workplace violence. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Importance of social capital at the workplace for return to work among women with a history of long-term sick leave: a cohort study.

PubMed

Rydström, Ingela; Dalheim Englund, Lotta; Dellve, Lotta; Ahlstrom, Linda

2017-01-01

The workplace is an essential source of social capital for many people; it provides mutual support and gives meaning to life. However, few prospective studies have thoroughly investigated the importance of aspects of social capital in the workplace. The aim of this study was to investigate the associations between aspects of social capital (social support, sense of community, and quality of leadership) at the workplace, and work ability, working degree, and vitality among women with a history of long-term sick leave from human service organizations. A longitudinal cohort study was performed among women with a history of long-term sick leave. The study started in 2005, and the women were followed up at 6 months, 1 year, and 6 years using self-reported questionnaires (baseline n  = 283). Linear mixed models were used for longitudinal analysis of the repeated measurements of prospective degree of work ability, working degree, and vitality. Analyses were performed with different models; the explanatory variables for each model were social support, sense of community, and quality of leadership and time. Social capital in terms of quality of leadership (being good at solving conflicts and giving high priority to job satisfaction), sense of community (co-operation between colleagues) and social support (help and support from immediate superiors and colleagues) increased the women's work ability score (WAS) as well as working degree over time. Additionally, social capital in terms of quality of leadership increased the women's vitality score over time. A sustainable return-to-work process among individuals with a history of long-term sick leave, going in and out of work participation, could be supported with social support, good quality of leadership, and a sense of community at the workplace. The responsibility for the rehabilitation process can not be reduced to an individual problem, but ought to include all stakeholders involved in the process, such as managers, colleagues, health care services, and the social security agency.

Nature contact and organizational support during office working hours: Benefits relating to stress reduction, subjective health complaints, and sick leave.

PubMed

Bjørnstad, Siv; Patil, Grete G; Raanaas, Ruth K

2015-01-01

Improving social support, and providing nature contact at work are potential health promoting workplace interventions. The objective was to investigate whether nature contact at work is associated with employee's health and participation, and to study whether the possible associations between nature contact and health can be explained by perceived organizational support. Data were collected through a web-based, cross-sectional survey of employees in seven public and private office workplaces in Norway (n = 707, 40% response rate). Multiple linear and logistic regression analysis were performed on 565 participants fulfilling inclusion criteria. A greater amount of indoor nature contact at work was significantly associated with less job stress (B = -0.18, CI = -0.318 to -0.042), fewer subjective health complaints (B = -0.278, CI = -0.445 to -0.112) and less sickness absence (B = -0.061, CI = -0.009 to -0.002). Perceived organizational support mediated the associations between indoor nature contact and job stress and sickness absence, and partly mediated the association with subjective health complaints. Outdoor nature contact showed no reliable association with the outcomes in this study. Extending nature contact in the physical work environment in offices, can add to the variety of possible health-promoting workplace interventions, primarily since it influences the social climate on the workplace.

Non-smoking worksites in the residential construction sector: using an online forum to study perspectives and practices.

PubMed

Bondy, Susan J; Bercovitz, Kim L

2011-05-01

Blue-collar workers are a recognised priority for tobacco control. Construction workers have very high smoking rates and are difficult to study and reach with interventions promoting smoke-free workplaces and cessation. The objectives of this study were to explore the smoking-related social climate in the North American residential construction sector and to identify potential barriers and facilitators to creating smoke-free worksites. The data source used was a popular internet forum on home building. Participants included a broad and unselected population of employers, employees and freelance tradespersons working in residential construction. The forum archive contained 10 years of discourse on the subjects of smoking, workplace secondhand smoke and smoking restrictions on construction sites. Qualitative data analysis methods were used to describe major and minor discussion themes relevant to workplace smoking culture and policies in this sector. Participants described considerable tension between smoking and non-smoking tradespersons, but there was also much interpersonal support for cessation and support for non-smokers' rights. Employers and employees described efforts to make construction sites smoke free, and a movement towards preferential hiring of non-smoking tradespersons was discussed. Board participants wanted detailed scientific evidence on secondhand smoke exposure levels and risk thresholds, particularly in open-air workplaces. Experience with success of smoking bans in other challenging workplaces can be applied to the construction sector. Potential movement of smokers out of the workforce represents a challenge for public health systems to ensure equitable access to cessation supports and services.

Implementing information technology to improve workplace health: a web-based information needs assessment of managers in Fraser Health, British Columbia.

PubMed

Sandhu, Jag S; Anderson, Keith; Keen, Dave; Yassi, Annalee

2005-01-01

A web-based questionnaire-survey was administered primarily to determine what information is useful to managers in Fraser Health, of British Columbia to support decision-making for workplace health and safety. The results indicated that managers prefer electronic quarterly reports, with targets, goals, and historical trends rated as "very important." Over 85.7% "agree" that if information was readily available in the "most beneficial" format, they would be able to improve workplace health. Recommendations include that managers be presented with clear and concise workplace health reports that facilitate analysis for decision-making.

Socioeconomic determinants of bullying in the workplace: a national representative sample in Japan.

PubMed

Tsuno, Kanami; Kawakami, Norito; Tsutsumi, Akizumi; Shimazu, Akihito; Inoue, Akiomi; Odagiri, Yuko; Yoshikawa, Toru; Haratani, Takashi; Shimomitsu, Teruichi; Kawachi, Ichiro

2015-01-01

Bullying in the workplace is an increasingly recognized threat to employee health. We sought to test three hypotheses related to the determinants of workplace bullying: power distance at work; safety climate; and frustration related to perceived social inequality. A questionnaire survey was administered to a nationally representative community-based sample of 5,000 residents in Japan aged 20-60 years. The questionnaire included questions about employment, occupation, company size, education, household income, and subjective social status (SSS). We inquired about both the witnessing and personal experience of workplace bullying during the past 30 days. Among 2,384 respondents, data were analyzed from 1,546 workers. Multiple logistic regression analyses were used to examine the social determinants of workplace bullying. Six percent and 15 percent of the total sample reported experiencing or witnessing workplace bullying, respectively. After adjusting for gender and age, temporary employees (Odds Ratio [OR]: 2.45 [95% Confidence Interval (CI) = 1.03-5.85]), junior high school graduates (OR: 2.62 [95%CI: 1.01-6.79]), workers with lowest household income (OR: 4.13 [95%CI:1.58-10.8]), and workers in the lowest SSS stratum (OR: 4.21 [95%CI:1.66-10.7]) were at increased risk of experiencing workplace bullying. When all variables were entered simultaneously in the model, a significant inverse association was observed between higher SSS and experiencing bullying (p = 0.002). Similarly in terms of witnessing bullying; SSS was significantly inversely associated (p = 0.017) while temporary employees reported a significantly higher risk of witnessing bullying compared to permanent workers (OR: 2.25 [95%CI:1.04 to 4.87]). The significant association between SSS and experiencing/witnessing workplace bullying supports the frustration hypothesis. The power distance hypothesis was also partly supported by the finding that temporary employees experienced a higher prevalence of workplace bullying.

What are the working mechanisms of a web-based workplace sitting intervention targeting psychosocial factors and action planning?

PubMed

De Cocker, Katrien; De Bourdeaudhuij, Ilse; Cardon, Greet; Vandelanotte, Corneel

2017-05-03

Office workers demonstrate high levels of sitting on workdays. As sitting is positively associated with adverse health risks in adults, a theory-driven web-based computer-tailored intervention to influence workplace sitting, named 'Start to Stand,' was developed. The intervention was found to be effective in reducing self-reported workplace sitting among Flemish employees. The aim of this study was to investigate through which mechanisms the web-based computer-tailored intervention influenced self-reported workplace sitting. Employees (n = 155) participated in a clustered randomised controlled trial and reported socio-demographics (age, gender, education), work-related (hours at work, employment duration), health-related (weight and height, workplace sitting and physical activity) and psychosocial (knowledge, attitudes, self-efficacy, social support, intention regarding (changing) sitting behaviours) variables at baseline and 1-month follow-up. The product-of-coefficients test of MacKinnon based on multiple linear regression analyses was conducted to examine the mediating role of five psychosocial factors (knowledge, attitudes, self-efficacy, social support, intention). The influence of one self-regulation skill (action planning) in the association between the intervention and self-reported workplace sitting time was investigated via moderation analyses. The intervention had a positive influence on knowledge (p = 0.040), but none of the psychosocial variables did mediate the intervention effect on self-reported workplace sitting. Action planning was found to be a significant moderator (p < 0.001) as the decrease in self-reported workplace sitting only occurred in the group completing an action plan. Future interventions aimed at reducing employees' workplace sitting are suggested to focus on self-regulatory skills and promote action planning when using web-based computer-tailored advice. Clinicaltrials.gov NCT02672215 ; (Archived by WebCite at https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT02672215 ).

Junior physicians' workplace experiences in clinical fields in German-speaking Switzerland.

PubMed

Buddeberg-Fischer, Barbara; Klaghofer, Richard; Abel, Thomas; Buddeberg, Claus

2005-01-08

To date, there have been several prospective cohort studies investigating the workplace experiences of junior physicians, but with limited focus on gender issues. The objective of the present study is to explore the workplace experiences of first-year residents according to gender, type of training hospital, and clinical field. Data reported are from the second assessment of the longitudinal Swiss physicians' career development study, begun in 2001. In 2003, 497 residents (54.7% females, 45.3% males) assessed their workplace conditions, social support at work, and effort-reward imbalance. There are few, but relevant, gender related differences in workplace experiences, with female physicians experiencing less mentoring and higher over-commitment, yet more positive social relationships at work. In a multivariate model, significant differences in some workplace variables with regard to type of training hospital and/or clinical field are found: workplace conditions are rated worse in type "A" hospitals (university and cantonal hospitals) than in type "B"/"C"/"D" hospitals (regional hospitals and highly specialised units), and in surgical fields than in internal medicine. In "A" hospitals mentoring is assessed as better, but positive social relationships as worse. Both scales are rated worse in surgical fields than in internal medicine. The effort-reward imbalance (ERI) is rated significantly higher (unfavourable) in "A" hospitals than in "B"/"C"/"D" hospitals, regardless of gender and clinical field. Significantly more subjects with an ERI quotient above 1 (which is unfavourable) work in "A" hospitals, and in surgical fields regardless of hospital type. Of the total sample, 81 subjects (16.3%), 41 males and 40 females, show an ERI quotient above 1. The greater the workload, the worse the rating of workplace conditions, effort-reward imbalance, and over-commitment. Institutional determinants are crucial factors for the workplace experiences and first career steps of junior physicians. Medical educators, especially those in "A" hospitals, should become more involved in structured residency programs and be aware of potential gender inequalities in the career support of female physicians.

Socioeconomic Determinants of Bullying in the Workplace: A National Representative Sample in Japan

PubMed Central

Tsutsumi, Akizumi; Shimazu, Akihito; Inoue, Akiomi; Odagiri, Yuko; Yoshikawa, Toru; Haratani, Takashi; Shimomitsu, Teruichi

2015-01-01

Bullying in the workplace is an increasingly recognized threat to employee health. We sought to test three hypotheses related to the determinants of workplace bullying: power distance at work; safety climate; and frustration related to perceived social inequality. A questionnaire survey was administered to a nationally representative community-based sample of 5,000 residents in Japan aged 20–60 years. The questionnaire included questions about employment, occupation, company size, education, household income, and subjective social status (SSS). We inquired about both the witnessing and personal experience of workplace bullying during the past 30 days. Among 2,384 respondents, data were analyzed from 1,546 workers. Multiple logistic regression analyses were used to examine the social determinants of workplace bullying. Six percent and 15 percent of the total sample reported experiencing or witnessing workplace bullying, respectively. After adjusting for gender and age, temporary employees (Odds Ratio [OR]: 2.45 [95% Confidence Interval (CI) = 1.03–5.85]), junior high school graduates (OR: 2.62 [95%CI: 1.01–6.79]), workers with lowest household income (OR: 4.13 [95%CI:1.58–10.8]), and workers in the lowest SSS stratum (OR: 4.21 [95%CI:1.66–10.7]) were at increased risk of experiencing workplace bullying. When all variables were entered simultaneously in the model, a significant inverse association was observed between higher SSS and experiencing bullying (p = 0.002). Similarly in terms of witnessing bullying; SSS was significantly inversely associated (p = 0.017) while temporary employees reported a significantly higher risk of witnessing bullying compared to permanent workers (OR: 2.25 [95%CI:1.04 to 4.87]). The significant association between SSS and experiencing/witnessing workplace bullying supports the frustration hypothesis. The power distance hypothesis was also partly supported by the finding that temporary employees experienced a higher prevalence of workplace bullying. PMID:25751252

The "Total Worker Health" Concept: A Case Study in a Rural Workplace.

PubMed

Watkins, Cecilia; Macy, Gretchen; Golla, Vijay; Lartey, Grace; Basham, Jacqueline

2018-05-01

This case study was conducted to identify barriers of integration of health protection and health promotion in rural workplaces with tailored interventions that address the identified barriers. Data on a workplace's ability to integrate wellness programs and health protection programs were collected through a questionnaire along with a seven-question interview. Descriptive statistics were used to analyze the quantitative data. Qualitative measures were assessed using thematic analysis. Based off the results of the assessments, the company received tailored training sessions. The largest hindrance to organizational support was time. However, improved knowledge about the need and importance of integration helped the participants to conceptualize and plan for more collaboration between departments. New ways to increase integration at workplaces, especially rural workplaces are needed. More comprehensive interventions that include management are also needed.

What are the Facilitators and Obstacles to Participation in Workplace Team Sport? A Qualitative Study

PubMed Central

Brinkley, Andrew; Freeman, Josie; McDermott, Hilary; Munir, Fehmidah

2017-01-01

Working age adults are failing to meet physical activity recommendations. Inactive behaviours are increasing costs for diminished individual and organisational health. The workplace is a priority setting to promote physical activity, however there is a lack of evidence about why some employees choose to participate in novel workplace activities, such as team sport, whilst others do not. The aim of this study was to explore the complexity of facilitators and obstacles associated with participation in workplace team sport. Twenty-nine semi-structured face-to-face and telephone interviews were conducted with office workers (58% female) (36 ± 7.71) from manufacturing, public services, and educational services. Data was analysed through template analysis. Five sub-level (i.e., intrapersonal, interpersonal, organisational, community and societal influences) facilitate participation or create obstacles for participants. Participants were challenged by a lack of competence, self-efficacy, negative sporting ideals and amotivation. Unhealthy competition, an unstable work-life balance and unsupportive colleagues created obstacles to participation. An unsupportive organisation and workplace culture placed demands on workplace champions, funding, facilities and communication. Healthy competitions, high perceptions of competence and self-efficacy, and being motivated autonomously enabled participation. Further, relatedness and social support created a physical activity culture where flexible working was encouraged and team sport was promoted in accessible locations within the organisation. Researchers should consider accounting for complexity of these influences. A participatory approach may tailor interventions to individual organisations and the employees that work within them. Interventions whereby autonomy, competence and relatedness are supported are recommended. This may be achieved by adapting sports and training workplace champions. PMID:29922705

Factors Influencing Worker Morale: Evaluating Provider Demographics, Workplace Environment and Using ESTs

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Patterson-Silver Wolf, David A.; Dulmus, Catherine N.; Maguin, Eugene; Cristalli, Maria

2013-01-01

Objectives: Mental health organizations are strongly encouraged to implement empirically supported treatments (ESTs); however, little is known about their working environments. The present study investigated how provider demographics, workplace environment, and whether ESTs were used affected the worker morale. Method: Frontline workers…

42 CFR 85.7 - Conduct of investigations.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... investigation, the employer should precisely identify information which can be obtained in the workplace or workplaces to be inspected as trade secrets. If the NIOSH officer has no clear reason to question such... provide additional information in support of the trade secret designation. The Director, NIOSH, shall...

41 CFR 102-79.105 - What is the Integrated Workplace?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... organization's strategic business goals and work processes, and have the flexibility to accommodate the changing needs of the occupants and the organization. Integrated Workplace concepts support the objectives of Executive Order 13327, “Federal Real Property Asset Management,” which calls for the enhancement...

41 CFR 102-79.105 - What is the Integrated Workplace?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... organization's strategic business goals and work processes, and have the flexibility to accommodate the changing needs of the occupants and the organization. Integrated Workplace concepts support the objectives of Executive Order 13327, “Federal Real Property Asset Management,” which calls for the enhancement...

Workforce Diversity: Status, Controversies, and an Interdisciplinary Approach.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bond, Meg A.; Pyle, Jean L.

Labor force participation rates, pay inequities, occupational segregation, positions in the hierarchy, interactions between diverse groups, and organizational culture all demonstrate that diversity in the workplace has not been fully achieved. Existing approaches to supporting workplace diversity have not worked, and, in many cases, have resulted…

Feasibility trial of GP and case-managed support for workplace sickness absence.

PubMed

Rannard, Anne; Gabbay, Mark; Sen, Dil; Riley, Richard; Britt, David

2014-07-01

Aim Our aim was to compare the return-to-work rates between individuals supported by their GP plus workplace health advisers (intervention group) and those supported by their GP alone. Workplace sickness absence places a significant cost burden on individuals and the wider economy. Previous research shows better outcomes for individuals if they are supported while still in employment, or have been on sick leave for four weeks or less. Those helped back to work at an early stage are more likely to remain at work. A non-medicalised case-managed approach appears to have the best outcomes and can prevent or reduce the slide onto out-of-work benefits, but UK literature on its effectiveness is sparse. The design was a feasibility-controlled trial in which participants were sickness absentees, or presentees in employment with work-related health problems. Individuals completed health status measures (SF-36; EQ-5D) and a Job Content Questionnaire at baseline and again at four-month follow-up. Findings In the intervention group, 29/60 participants completed both phases of the trial. GP practices referred two control patients, and, despite various attempts by the research team, GPs failed to engage with the trial. This finding is of concern, although not unique in primary care research. In earlier studies, GPs reported a lack of knowledge and confidence in dealing with workplace health issues. Despite this, we report interesting findings from the case-managed group, the majority of whom returned to work within a month. Age and length of sickness absence at recruitment were better predictors of return-to-work rates than the number of case-managed contacts. The traditional randomised controlled trial approach was unsuitable for this study. GPs showed low interest in workplace sickness absence, despite their pivotal role in the process. This study informed a larger Department for Work and Pensions study of case-managed support.

Managing work-related stress in the district nursing workplace.

PubMed

Burke, Michelle

2013-11-01

This article aims to highlight the issue of work-related stress within the district nursing workplace. It will acknowledge how the management of work-related stress has previously been discussed within nursing literature and will consider the emerging relationship between staff working conditions, staff wellbeing and quality of patient care. It will reintroduce the Health and Safety Executive's (HSE's) Management Standards approach to tackling work-related stress, which provides management support to reduce environmental work stressors and encourage enabling work environments and a positive workplace culture.

Assessing engineering students' demonstration of workplace competencies in experiential learning environments through internships and cooperative work experiences

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Laingen, Mark A.

This study investigates the relationships between supervisor assessments and internship students' self-assessments for 15 workplace competencies, demonstrated in an internship or cooperative work environment. The 15 workplace competencies were developed by Iowa State University in collaboration with over 200 constituents comprised of Iowa State University COE alumni, engineering employers, COE faculty, partnering international faculty, and COE students, to provide clear, independent, and assessable measures for the eleven learning outcomes identified in the ABET Criterion 3 (a-k) outcomes. The study investigated workplace competency assessment data collected over ten years, commencing with the fall 2001 internship assessment term and concluding with the fall 2011 assessment term. The study used three separate methodologies to analyze workplace competency assessments in the COE. Part 1 analyzed data across the fifteen workplace competencies, and across ten programs in the College of Engineering, that have been involved with the workplace competency assessment of internship and cooperative students from the beginning of data collection in 2001. Supervisor assessment ratings were compared to internship student self-assessment ratings across the ten-year span from 2001-11using the non-parametric equivalent of the paired t-test; the Wilcoxon singed rank test for paired data. Part 2 of the study investigated the relationship between supervisor and student self-assessment data across assessment terms related to the 2001-05 and 2006-11 ABET accreditation cycles. The third part investigated how data tracking workplace competency strengths and weaknesses and ABET outcomes achievement percentages have changed between the assessment terms across accreditation cycles. Part 3 included an on-line survey sent to program curriculum committee members involved with workplace competency assessment data that investigated how the engineering programs are utilizing this data in support of continuous improvement of the program curricula. Results of the analysis demonstrate how paired supervisor assessment and student self-assessment ratings for assessment of the internship students' demonstration of workplace competencies can be useful in evaluating student demonstration of competency in COE learning outcomes through the experiential learning environment, and support continuous improvement practices for program curriculum development.

Acceptability and feasibility of a low-cost, theory-based and co-produced intervention to reduce workplace sitting time in desk-based university employees.

PubMed

Mackenzie, Kelly; Goyder, Elizabeth; Eves, Francis

2015-12-24

Prolonged sedentary time is linked with poor health, independent of physical activity levels. Workplace sitting significantly contributes to sedentary time, but there is limited research evaluating low-cost interventions targeting reductions in workplace sitting. Current evidence supports the use of multi-modal interventions developed using participative approaches. This study aimed to explore the acceptability and feasibility of a low-cost, co-produced, multi-modal intervention to reduce workplace sitting. The intervention was developed with eleven volunteers from a large university department in the UK using participative approaches and "brainstorming" techniques. Main components of the intervention included: emails suggesting ways to "sit less" e.g. walking and standing meetings; free reminder software to install onto computers; social media to increase awareness; workplace champions; management support; and point-of-decision prompts e.g. by lifts encouraging stair use. All staff (n = 317) were invited to take part. Seventeen participated in all aspects of the evaluation, completing pre- and post-intervention sitting logs and questionnaires. The intervention was delivered over four weeks from 7th July to 3rd August 2014. Pre- and post-intervention difference in daily workplace sitting time was presented as a mean ± standard deviation. Questionnaires were used to establish awareness of the intervention and its various elements, and to collect qualitative data regarding intervention acceptability and feasibility. Mean baseline sitting time of 440 min/workday was reported with a mean reduction of 26 ± 54 min/workday post-intervention (n = 17, 95 % CI = -2 to 53). All participants were aware of the intervention as a whole, although there was a range of awareness for individual elements of the intervention. The intervention was generally felt to be both acceptable and feasible. Management support was perceived to be a strength, whilst specific strategies that were encouraged, including walking and standing meetings, received mixed feedback. This small-scale pilot provides encouragement for the acceptability and feasibility of low-cost, multi-modal interventions to reduce workplace sitting in UK settings. Evaluation of this intervention provides useful information to support participatory approaches during intervention development and the potential for more sustainable low-cost interventions. Findings may be limited in terms of generalisability as this pilot was carried out within a health-related academic setting.

How to use coaching and action learning to support mentors in the workplace.

PubMed

Nash, Sue; Scammell, Janet

Using the example of mentoring preregistration student nurses, this article explores facilitation of learning in the workplace and examines the use of coaching and action learning to support mentors and the wider clinical team. A case study, where a mentor has difficulties with an underperforming student, is considered. Action learning and coaching are then explored, with the aim of maximising personal and team learning. These strategies can be easily transferred to other work based learning situations.

A prospective study of psychosocial work characteristics and long sick leave of Japanese male employees in multiple workplaces.

PubMed

Ishizaki, Masao; Kawakami, Norito; Honda, Ryumon; Yamada, Yuichi; Nakagawa, Hideaki; Morikawa, Yuko

2013-01-01

The aim of this study was to identify psychosocial work characteristics associated with long sick leave in a large population of male Japanese employees in multiple workplaces. We examined various psychosocial work characteristics (job overload, job control, supervisor support, coworker support, support by family and friends, role ambiguity, role conflict, intragroup conflict and intergroup conflict) of employees in six factories at the base line. We then conducted a follow-up survey on the recorded long sick leaves of ≥ 30 continuous days taken by the employees due to any medical condition. We found 574 cases of long sick leave out of 15,531 subjects during an average 5.07-yr follow-up. The results showed that high supervisor support was significantly associated with a decrease in the hazard ratio (HR) of long sick leave after adjustment for several confounding factors (95%CI; 0.69-0.97). High role ambiguity also tended to increase HR, but without reaching significance (95%CI; 0.99-1.41). The results suggest that supervisor support in the workplace may be important to reduce long sick leave in Japanese male employees.

Making Judgments on the Basis for Workplace Learning: Towards an Epistemology of Practice.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Beckett, David; Hager, Paul

2000-01-01

Interviews illustrating professional judgment support characteristics of informal workplace learning: contingent, practical, process, particular, and affective-social. Growth in the capacity to make judgments occurs in three ways (1) ability to separate initial need from actualization of judgment; (2) ability to interpret conative-emotive and…

Self-Entrustment: How Trainees' Self-Regulated Learning Supports Participation in the Workplace

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sagasser, Margaretha H.; Kramer, Anneke W. M.; Fluit, Cornelia R. M. G.; van Weel, Chris; van der Vleuten, Cees P. M.

2017-01-01

Clinical workplaces offer postgraduate trainees a wealth of opportunities to learn from experience. To promote deliberate and meaningful learning self-regulated learning skills are foundational. We explored trainees' learning activities related to patient encounters to better understand what aspects of self-regulated learning contribute to…

The Effects of Organizational Learning Environment Factors on E-Learning Acceptance

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cheng, Bo; Wang, Minhong; Moormann, Jurgen; Olaniran, Bolanle A.; Chen, Nian-Shing

2012-01-01

Workplace learning is an important means of employees' continuous learning and professional development. E-learning is being recognized as an important supportive practice for learning at work. Current research on the success factors of e-learning in the workplace has emphasized on employees' characteristics, technological attributes, and training…

How Leaders Cultivate Spirituality in the Workplace: What the Research Shows.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Groen, Janet

2001-01-01

A study of five adult educators identified internal and external leadership qualities that support a spirituality-infused workplace, including a sense of vocation, a culture that encourages creativity and risk and balances work and home life, and leaders' willingness to express and implement an organization's values. (SK)

Contextual Antecedents of Informal Feedback in the Workplace

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

van der Rijt, Janine; van de Wiel, Margje W. J.; Van den Bossche, Piet; Segers, Mien S. R.; Gijselaers, Wim H.

2012-01-01

This study brings together findings from different research angles on informal feedback in the workplace. We explore the individual and joint influences of three contextual antecedents of seeking feedback: support for learning, psychological safety, and work pressure. Based on our survey of 138 employees from various organizations, hierarchical…

Anger Management in the Workplace.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Yazak, Daniel L.

This presentation offered counselors and therapists an opportunity to comment on the invisible aspects of anger in the workplace. An argument is made that anxiety is a foundational construct that supports rage, violence, and anger. An audience of 35 participants were asked to describe the one situation that best illustrated the most anger observed…

Examining Informal Learning in Commercial Airline Pilots' Communities of Practice

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Corns, Kevin M.

2014-01-01

A pragmatic sequential mixed methods research methodology was used to examine commercial airline pilots' (N =156) types and frequencies of informal learning activities, perceptions of workplace informal learning, and opinions on how organizations should support workplace informal learning outside of the formal learning environment. This study…

Factors Which Facilitate Workplace Learning: Confidence, Challenge and Support.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Alderton, Jane

The midcareeer learning of 120 professionals in 12 contrasting business, engineering, and health care organizations was examined to identify factors facilitating workplace learning. Individuals were interviewed regarding their current work and ways they acquired the necessary know-how and knowledge for their jobs and improved or extended their…

Workplace Discrimination and the Perception of Disability

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Draper, William R.

2012-01-01

Decisions by the EEOC in favor of claimants perceived to have disabilities disproportionately exceeded those in favor of claimants with documented disabilities. This finding lends support to the assertion that unconscious/implicit bias is persistent in the workplace. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of…

The Supervisor's Influence on Workplace Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hughes, Chris

2004-01-01

Supervisors are often urged by the workplace learning literature to take active roles as facilitators of the learning of their staff. The role that is envisaged is similar to the facilitative role developed in the humanistic traditions of adult education, in which facilitation is supportive but also proactive, challenging and interventionist.…

Workplace Energy Conservation at Michigan State University

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Allen, Summer; Marquart-Pyatt, Sandra T.

2018-01-01

Purpose: This research contributes to the literature on workplace energy conservation by examining the predictors of individual employee behaviors and policy support in a university. The purpose of this research is to better understand what factors influence energy conservation behaviors in this setting to inform programs and interventions.…

Banding the world together; the global growth of control banding and qualitative occupational risk management.

PubMed

Zalk, David M; Heussen, Ga Henri

2011-12-01

Control Banding (CB) strategies to prevent work-related illness and injury for 2.5 billion workers without access to health and safety professionals has grown exponentially this last decade. CB originates from the pharmaceutical industry to control active pharmaceutical ingredients without a complete toxicological basis and therefore no occupational exposure limits. CB applications have broadened into chemicals in general - including new emerging risks like nanomaterials and recently into ergonomics and injury prevention. CB is an action-oriented qualitative risk assessment strategy offering solutions and control measures to users through "toolkits". Chemical CB toolkits are user-friendly approaches used to achieve workplace controls in the absence of firm toxicological and quantitative exposure information. The model (technical) validation of these toolkits is well described, however firm operational analyses (implementation aspects) are lacking. Consequentially, it is often not known if toolkit use leads to successful interventions at individual workplaces. This might lead to virtual safe workplaces without knowing if workers are truly protected. Upcoming international strategies from the World Health Organization Collaborating Centers request assistance in developing and evaluating action-oriented procedures for workplace risk assessment and control. It is expected that to fulfill this strategy's goals, CB approaches will continue its important growth in protecting workers.

Is it a Case of "Work-Anxiety" When Patients Report Bad Workplace Characteristics and Low Work Ability?

PubMed

Muschalla, Beate

2017-03-01

Aims Work-anxiety may produce overly negative views of the workplace that impair provider efforts to assess work ability from patient self-report. This study explores the empirical relationships between patient-reported workplace characteristics, work-anxiety, and subjective and objective work ability measures. Methods 125 patients in medical rehabilitation before vocational reintegration were interviewed concerning their vocational situation, and filled in a questionnaire on work-anxiety, subjective mental work ability and perceived workplace characteristics. Treating physicians gave independent socio-medical judgments concerning the patients' work ability and impairment, and need for supportive means for vocational reintegration. Results Patients with high work-anxiety reported more negative workplace characteristics. Low judgments of work ability were correlated with problematic workplace characteristics. When controlled for work-anxiety, subjective work ability remained related only with social workplace characteristics and with work achievement demands, but independent from situational or task characteristics. Sick leave duration and physicians' judgment of work ability were not significantly related to patient-reported workplace characteristics. Conclusions In socio-medical work ability assessments, patients with high work-anxiety may over-report negative workplace characteristics that can confound provider estimates of work ability. Assessing work-anxiety may be important to assess readiness for returning to work and initiating work-directed treatments.

Evaluating the Development of Science Research Skills in Work-Integrated Learning through the Use of Workplace Science Tools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McCurdy, Susan M.; Zegwaard, Karsten E.; Dalgety, Jacinta

2013-01-01

Concept understanding, the development of analytical skills and a research mind set are explored through the use of academic tools common in a tertiary science education and relevant work-integrated learning (WIL) experiences. The use and development of the tools; laboratory book, technical report, and literature review are examined by way of…

Aligning Classroom Instruction with Workplace Skills: Equipping CTE Students with the Math Skills Necessary for Entry-Level Carpentry

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mohr, Cory

2008-01-01

With approximately 2,500 students dropping out of U.S. high schools every day, there exists a need to align classroom instruction with corresponding "real world" applications. In order to keep students' motivation high and help ensure high levels of validity in instruction, core curriculum instructors and career and technical education (CTE)…

Manpower Advisory Services in the Workplace: A Missing Link in National Manpower Policy. Volume I.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hansen, Gary B.; Bentley, Marion T.

This first volume of a two-volume final report contains description and findings of a 3-year research and demonstration project in which a small human resource diagnostic and consulting service was established at a State land-grant institution (Utah State University) to provide a broadly based technical assistance program directed toward improving…

And Then There Was One: Investigating ARIS, the Victorian Adult Education and Resource Information Service.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hazell, Pat

The field of adult literacy and numeracy provision in Australia has developed and grown over the past 20 years. From a focus on student-centered learning and meeting community needs, it has evolved into a multi-faceted field incorporating community, technical and further education institutional, and workplace provision. Through ebbs and flows of…

Teacher Perceptions of the Indiana Workplace Specialist I Licensure Training Program during the 2011-2012 Academic Year

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lazaros, Edward J.; Cotton, Samuel; Brown, Paul B.

2012-01-01

Alternative teacher licensure, also known as alternative teacher certification, is a growing national trend in education, and it has long been common in the field of career and technical education. Alternatively licensed teachers often enter teaching with a wealth of subject area knowledge due to their previous work experience. Mentorship programs…

The Labor Market Imperative for CTE: Changes and Challenges for the 21st Century

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stringfield, Sam; Stone, James R., III.

2017-01-01

The labor market in the United States is evolving in unexpected ways following the 2007 recession. Career and technical education (CTE) has historically linked young people to the workplace. In this article we examine the U.S. labor market and provide multiple perspectives on its growth and direction and implications for future directions for CTE.…