Why Work? Do We Understand What Motivates Work-Related Decisions in South Africa?

2017 ◽  
Vol 44 (1) ◽  
pp. 27-42 ◽  
Author(s):  
Christine Jeske
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Work Related

Predictors of work-related symptoms, allergic sensitisation and occupational asthma among supermarket bakery workers in South Africa

2007 ◽  
Vol &NA; ◽  
pp. S71-S72
Author(s):  
Roslynn Baatjies ◽  
Andreas Lopata ◽  
Ingrid Sander ◽  
Monika Raulf-Heimsoth ◽  
Eric Bateman ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Occupational Asthma ◽  
Work Related ◽  
Allergic Sensitisation

scholarly journals Inappropriate sexual behaviours experienced by Speech-Language Pathologists and Audiologists in South Africa

2006 ◽  
Vol 53 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Karen Levin ◽  
Loren Traub
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Clinical Practice ◽  
New Zealand ◽  
Healthcare Professionals ◽  
Family Members ◽  
Legal Rights ◽  
Speech Language Pathologists ◽  
Work Related ◽  
Sexual Behaviours ◽  
Training Institutions

The experience of inappropriate sexual behaviours (ISB) by healthcare professionals has been identified internationally as a serious issue. This study investigated the extent of ISB directed towards speech-language pathologists and/or audiologists (SLP/As) in South Africa. As well as the sources and the effects of ISB, the responses of the SLP/As, and the perceptions of the SLP/As with regard to their ability to manage ISB experiences. Fifty-six qualified SLP/As and 62 student SLP/As completed a questionnaire based on similar studies conducted in Canada and New Zealand. Most of the respondents had experienced ISB, mostly of a mild to moderate nature, at some point in their careers, and some had experienced severe ISB in the workplace. ISB occurred in a variety of work contexts. The sources of ISB included clients and/or their family members, as well as colleagues and employers. A range of personal and work-related effects resulted and the respondents took the least assertive strategy' in the management of their ISB experiences. The results reflected that SLP/As in South Africa are poorly informed with regard to their legal rights and responsibilities, as well as strategies to deal with unwanted sexually related experiences. ISB ought to be recognised as a serious issue in clinical practice in South Africa by SLP/As, professional bodies as well as training institutions. The results are in line with previous research on ISB experiences by SLP/As and other healthcare professionals.

Labour turnover and considerations around work: temporary farm workers in South Africa

2018 ◽  
Vol 38 (1/2) ◽  
pp. 2-25
Author(s):  
Anne Hilda Wiltshire
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Farm Workers ◽  
Workplace Relationships ◽  
Thick Description ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Work Related ◽  
Sequential Mixed Methods ◽  
Three Phase ◽  
Deciduous Fruit ◽  
Labour Turnover

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to delineates workers’ labour turnover and considerations around work, in a context of informalisation of work, through a case study of temporary non-resident farm workers in the deciduous fruit sector in Ceres, South Africa. Design/methodology/approach The research design is a three-phase exploratory sequential mixed-methods strategy. Findings from 29 in-depth interviews were refined, verified and ranked in four focus groups. These informed grounded indicators in a survey of 200 farm workers employed in peak season and their 887 household members. Findings Considerations are informed by work-related insecurities, interpersonal workplace relationships and reproductive insecurity in the form of care of others, social linkages and residential insecurity, seemingly hierarchical. The least important considerations most thwart workers’ ability to complete fixed-term contracts and account for over 70 per cent of labour turnover in the form of resignations. In sum, workers experience constrained considerations around work arising from their material, social and economic conditions. Originality/value This is the first study on the labour turnover of farm workers in South Africa and the fifth globally. The research gives precedence to the voice of farm workers and is a thick description of workers’ considerations around work.

scholarly journals Work Related Musculoskeletal Pain in Golf Caddies—Johannesburg, South Africa

2020 ◽  
Vol 17 (10) ◽  
pp. 3617
Author(s):  
Jennica Garnett ◽  
Felix Made ◽  
Nonhlanhla Tlotleng ◽  
Kerry Wilson ◽  
Nisha Naicker
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Musculoskeletal Pain ◽  
Health And Safety ◽  
Golf Course ◽  
Golf Courses ◽  
Contributing Factors ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Convenience Sample ◽  
Logistic Regression Models ◽  
Work Related

Golf is an important and growing industry in South Africa that currently fosters the creation of an informal job sector of which little is known about the health and safety risks. The purpose of the study is to investigate the prevalence and significance of musculoskeletal pain in male caddies compared to other golf course employees while holding contributing factors such as socioeconomic status, age, and education constant. Cross-sectional data were collected and analyzed from a convenience sample of 249 caddies and 74 non-caddies from six golf courses in Johannesburg, South Africa. Structural interviews were conducted to collect data on general demographics and musculoskeletal pain for two to three days at each golf course. On average, caddies were eight years older, had an income of 2880 rand less a month, and worked 4 h less a shift compared to non-caddies employed at the golf courses. Caddies were approximately 10% more likely to experience lower back and shoulder pain than non-caddies. Logistic regression models show a significantly increased adjusted odds ratio for musculoskeletal pain in caddies for neck (3.29, p = 0.015), back (2.39, p = 0.045), arm (2.95, p = 0.027), and leg (2.83, p = 0.019) compared to other golf course workers. The study findings indicate that caddying, as a growing informal occupation is at higher risk for musculoskeletal pain in caddies. Future policy should consider the safety of such a vulnerable population without limiting their ability to generate an income.

scholarly journals Experiences of work-related stress and coping among palliative care staff in South Africa: a qualitative study

2020 ◽  
Vol 50 (3) ◽  
pp. 425-437
Author(s):  
Paula Smith ◽  
Konstantina Vasileiou ◽  
Ashraf Kagee
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Palliative Care ◽  
Stress And Coping ◽  
Coping Resources ◽  
Care Staff ◽  
Structural Factors ◽  
Work Related Stress ◽  
Work Related ◽  
Related Stress ◽  
And Coping

Palliative care staff are exposed to a plethora of work-related stressors that negatively affect their psychological well-being and work engagement. Using qualitative interviews, this study sought to explore the experiences of work-related stress and coping among a multidisciplinary group of 12 palliative care staff employed by a non-governmental hospice in South Africa. Data were analysed using the principles of thematic analysis. Four domains of stressors were implicated in the experience of work-related stress: stressors accruing from the nature of work and were specific to palliative care; stressors relating to working in the community; those deriving from certain encounters with patients and families; and organisational stressors. Broader structural factors pertinent to the socio-political and economic context in South Africa and the perception of palliative care were interwoven with the experience of work-related stress. Receiving social support from co-workers, professionals, and family and friends; accepting limits; setting work–life boundaries; relying on personal resources and reconstructing the hospice in positive ways were coping strategies deployed by staff to manage stress. Arguably much of the experience of work-related stress and coping among palliative care staff in South Africa is similar to that reported in resource-rich contexts. However, the particularities of the broader socio-political and economic environment and its subsequent impact on palliative care organisations appear to augment and expand work-related stress for these practitioners. Deployment of intra-individual and interpersonal coping resources could be supplemented with efforts to address structural factors contributing to the subjective experience of stress.

scholarly journals Perceived religious discrimination as predictor of work engagement, with specific reference to the Rastafari religion

2016 ◽  
Vol 37 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Freda Van der Walt ◽  
Thulo S. Mpholo ◽  
Petronella Jonck
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Work Engagement ◽  
Quantitative Research ◽  
Negative Influence ◽  
Religious Group ◽  
Specific Reference ◽  
Religious Discrimination ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Work Related ◽  
The Impact

Although perceived religious discrimination has been studied in the past, much remains unknown about the topic. The focus of this study was the Rastafari religion, because this religious group has up to now been excluded from research studies. A cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted with a sample of 80 employees belonging to the Rastafari religion, chosen from organisations in two provinces in South Africa. The findings emanating from the quantitative research study indicated that, on average, the respondents perceived to be discriminated against. Furthermore, a positive relationship was established between perceived religious discrimination and work engagement. These findings advanced the understanding of perceived religious discrimination, and the impact that it may have on work engagement, particularly with reference to the Rastafari religion.Intradisciplinary and/or interdisciplinary implications: The article contributes to the interdisciplinary discourse regarding perceived religious discrimination, with specific reference to the Rastafari religion which is a minority religious group in South Africa. Perceived religious discrimination is discussed and investigated in the context of the workplace, and the aim was to establish whether perceived religious discrimination influences work-related attitudes, such as work engagement. Because previous studies have associated perceived discrimination with less job involvement and career satisfaction, fewer career prospects, greater work conflict, lower feelings of power, decreased job prestige, and less organisational citizenship behaviour (Thomas 2008:80), it was expected that perceived religious discrimination would have a negative influence on work engagement. The findings show that religion possibly provides individuals with the necessary personal resources to persevere when faced with religious discrimination, and sustain performance as well as attain success within the context of the workplace.Keywords: perceived religious discrimination; work engagement; Rastafari; discrimination; religious discrimination

scholarly journals The Relationship Between Leadership Styles And Employee Commitment At A Parastatal Company In South Africa

2013 ◽  
Vol 12 (11) ◽  
pp. 1411 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ajay K. Garg ◽  
D. Ramjee
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Leadership Styles ◽  
Leadership Style ◽  
Affective Commitment ◽  
Employee Commitment ◽  
Normative Commitment ◽  
Organisational Commitment ◽  
Continuance Commitment ◽  
Work Related ◽  
The Relationship

The influence of leadership style on employee commitment for the organisation has not been adequately addressed in the Parastatal companies in South Africa. A need therefore exists for greater understanding of the relationship between the leadership style and work-related attitudes (such as employee commitment) in order to develop a leadership style that will encourage organisational commitment. This study examined the relationship between leadership style, and employee commitment. Managers and their subordinates participated in the study. 348 questionnaires were distributed, 58 to managers and 290 to their subordinates. Final data for analysis included responses from 197 participants (34 managers, and 163 subordinates). 163 respondents rated their managers leadership behaviour on Bass and Avolios (1997) multi-factor leadership questionnaire (MLQ) and Meyer and Allens (1997) organisational commitment questionnaire (OCQ). A series of statistical procedures were followed to analyse the data. Hypotheses were tested on two levels. First, correlations among managers and subordinates with regard to the MLQ, and then the MLQ versus the OCQ. Results revealed a weak positive yet significant relationship between transformational leadership and affective commitment, normative commitment and continuance commitment. Transactional leadership had a weak but significant positive correlation with normative commitment, and Laissez-faire results indicated a weak negative yet significant correlation to affective commitment and normative commitment. Overall findings from this study suggest that leadership styles do play important roles in determining levels of affective commitment, continuance commitment and normative commitment. This study contributes to the bank of findings relating to the development of leadership and organisational commitment, not only in South Africa, but within the Parastatal organisations in particular.

A model of work-related well-being for educators in South Africa

2006 ◽  
Vol 22 (4) ◽  
pp. 263-274 ◽  
Author(s):  
Leon T. B. Jackson ◽  
Sebastiaan Rothmann ◽  
Fons J. R. van de Vijver
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Work Related

scholarly journals Employee’s Perception on Workplace Gossip in the South African Public Sectors: The Implication on Job Performance

2019 ◽  
Vol 10 (3) ◽  
pp. 48
Author(s):  
Dlamini Phakamani Irvine ◽  
Mdletshe Bonga Blessing
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Job Performance ◽  
South African ◽  
Self Efficacy ◽  
Negative Impact ◽  
Working Environment ◽  
Office Workers ◽  
Research Knowledge ◽  
Work Related ◽  
The Subject

Gossip is pervasive in any working environment. Sketching upon the existing and scant body of research knowledge surrounding the subject of gossip, the current qualitative study undertaken critically assessed how the employees protrude themselves after being victims of gossip in a workplace. This study examined the influence of workplace gossip on the job performance of employees within selected municipalities in South Africa. The researcher intended to establish the likeliest behaviour of municipality employees towards their job performance in the event of encountering workplace gossip. Interviews with twenty-five office workers were conducted and data documented and analyzed. The heuristic of this study was to equip managers or those in practice with an in-depth understanding about office gossip, by providing a new dimension about the influence workplace gossip on job performance and employees self-efficacy. Moreover, the study necessitated an in-depth understanding of several reactions that emanates from employees behavioral patterns when affected by office gossip. The study uncovered a substantial outcome, such that if gossip is work-related, rather than non-work-related, employees are more likely to improve their performance. However, unremittingly exposure to gossip can have a negative impact on employee’s self-efficacy.

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