Work demographics and officers’ perceptions of the work environment which add to the prediction of at risk alcohol consumption within an Australian police sample

Author(s):  
Jeremy D. Davey ◽  
Patricia L. Obst ◽  
Mary C. Sheehan

This study examined aspects of the work environment, which may impact on individual police officers’ risk of harm from alcohol consumption. A self report survey containing demographic questions, the AUDIT and questions relating to perceived control over the job, overtime, pressure, boredom and job satisfaction was completed by 67 per cent of officers in an Australian state police service. The results of the current study indicate that gender, age and marital status, are individual risk factors for problem drinking, as has been shown in previous research. Within the policing context, years of service, job satisfaction, perceived control within the job and being an operational officer, also emerged as significant predictors of at risk alcohol consumption patterns. Findings further suggest that there is a strong norm of drinking at work or after a shift, which suggests a culture of acceptance of drinking within the workplace. This acceptance is strongly predictive of both risk of alcohol dependency and negative consequences from drinking within the police service. This study suggests directions for future research, which may lead to the introduction of informed interventions within the police service that could reduce officers’ risk of harm from alcohol consumption.

Author(s):  
Wendy Otory ◽  
David Kiiru

Poor work environment causes major risk to the well-being and quality of staff and job satisfaction. Job satisfaction is crucial to the organizational performance which can be affected by the environmental concerns. This research sought to evaluate the role of work environment on job satisfaction at National Police Service with reference to Directorate of Criminal Investigations Department. The specific objectives of the study included: to determine the effect of organizational justice on employee job satisfaction at National Police Service, to establish the effect of interpersonal conflict on employee job satisfaction at National Police Service, to establish the effect of organizational constraints on employee job satisfaction at National Police Service and to assess the effect of physical environment on employee job satisfaction at National Police Service. The research made use of descriptive research design. The strata included; Chief Inspectors of police, Inspector of police, Police corporal, Police sergeant and Police Constables.  The research used the approach of stratified sampling. The target population was 2000 workers, 322 respondents made up the final sample size collected. Primary data was used in the analysis. As part of the primary source, the questionnaires were used as a method of data collection. Content validity was used to determine whether the study questionnaire content contained representative samples of the field to be evaluated. The internal accuracy of the test instrument was calculated using the reliability value of the Cronbach Alpha system of 0.7 and above. The quantitative information gathered was analysed utilizing Descriptive statistics using version 21 of the Social Sciences Statistical Package (SPSS). The study established that that organizational justice, interpersonal conflict, organizational constraints and physical environment was positively related to employee job satisfaction. The study concluded on organizational justice that favorable results are likely to happen when employees perceives organizational justice, meaning that they think their business is fair to them. The research concludes on interpersonal conflict that interpersonal conflict is something that often happens in a group of staff, particularly in a high-pressure scenario such as the workplace. Interpersonal conflict inspires employees’ members to compete. The research concludes that elevated levels of human resources and infrastructure constraints influence job satisfaction of employees on organisational constraints. On the physical environment, the research concludes that an appropriate workplace climate assists to lower the absenteeism rate and can therefore boost the job satisfaction of the staff. The research advises on organizational justice that comprehension of the organization is important to the behavior and decision-making operations of its staff that affect organizational justice. The research recommends that the national police service create measures to control conflict so as to eliminate adverse effects of interpersonal conflict. It can be important for better organizational progress to maintain a good level of interpersonal disagreement. Organizational constraints it is recommended that the National Police Service know how to respond to this constantly changing environment by learning how to manage the dynamics of varied uncertainties, advocating fresh learning and leadership technologies that are both innovative and flexible, and easier to enforce. In the physical environment, the research proposes that the national police department develop a favorable job climate, pay its staff according to industry norms, use suitable reward and recognition programs to demonstrate the organization to its staff, provide training and development possibilities and offer their staff the opportunity to be creative and innovative.


2020 ◽  
pp. 105756772094459
Author(s):  
T. K. Vinod Kumar

Job satisfaction among employees is important for police organizations. Low job satisfaction may result in poor organizational commitment, unsatisfactory job performance, and absenteeism. Job satisfaction is impacted by demographic factors and characteristics of the work environment. Analyzing survey data of 6,041 police officers, the study finds that while demographic factors and job characteristics impact job satisfaction, organizational characteristics have the greatest influence. The study illuminates the similarities and differences in organizational dynamics impacting job satisfaction in police organizations in India and other countries and underlines the relevance of the theory across countries and cultures.


1989 ◽  
Vol 65 (1) ◽  
pp. 295-306 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ronald J. Burke

This study examines the career plateau by comparing police officers having 15 or more years of service who had been promoted with those who had not. Although having similar career orientations when they began policing, officers at career plateau developed a nonwork orientation. Officers at plateau also reported less job satisfaction, greater psychological burnout and greater intention to leave policing. These negative experiences were not associated with poorer emotional and physical health however. Low commitment to work may have protected the officer at career plateau from these negative consequences.


2019 ◽  
Vol 3 (III) ◽  
pp. 83-95
Author(s):  
Margret Chebet Koskey ◽  
Jane Njoroge

This study sought to establish whether there was any significant influence on employee performance owing to the existing employee retention practices put in place in the Administration Police Service within Nyandarua County. This study’s objectives were; to find out the effect of training and development on employee performance in Administration Police Service Nyandarua County, to establish the effect of compensation on employee performance in Administration Police Service, Nyandarua County and to establish the effect of work environment on employee performance in Administration Police Service Nyandarua County. The study was guided by the two factor theory of motivation and the Job embeddeddness theory. The target population comprised 673 Administration Police Officers from the seven sub counties within Nyandarua County namely, Nyandarua North, Nyandarua West, Mirangine, Nyandarua central, Kipipiri, Nyandarua South and Kinangop Sub Counties. The study sample comprised67 respondents who were selected from the seven Sub Counties using stratified random sampling technique. Data collection wasdone through issuing of questionnaires to the respondents who were selected by the researcher. Collected data was coded and analyzed through descriptive and inferential statistics with the help of the SPSS Version 21 and presentation of findings was through tables. The study found that at 95% confidence interval, training and development practices had a positive and significant relationship with performance in the Administration Police Officers of Nyandarua County at 0.317 and P=0.017< 0.05. Further findings indicated that work environment and compensation had a positive and significant relationship with performance at 0.341 and P = 0.008<0.05 and 0.321 and P = 0.016<0.05 respectively. The study recommends that the Administrative Police Service, Nyandarua County pays a lot of attention in adopting and implementing various aspects of employee retention practices to ensure that performance is improved. The research also recommends that similar study be conducted in other counties in Kenya for comparative purposes.


2021 ◽  
Vol 22 (2) ◽  
pp. 58-68
Author(s):  
Shiva Sharma ◽  
◽  
Xin Shore ◽  
Satyajit Mohite ◽  
Orrin Myers ◽  
...  

Background: Uranium workers are at risk of developing lung disease, characterized by low forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1) and/or forced vital capacity (FVC). Previous studies have found an association between decreased lung function and depressive symptoms in patients with pulmonary pathologies, but this association has not been well examined in occupational cohorts, especially uranium workers. Methods: This cross-sectional study evaluated the association between spirometric measures and depressive symptoms in a sample of elderly former uranium workers screened by the New Mexico Radiation Exposure Screening & Education Program (NM-RESEP). Race- and ethnicity-specific reference equations were used to determine predicted spirometric indices (predictor variable). At least one depressive symptom [depressed mood and/or anhedonia, as determined by a modified Patient Health Questionnaire-2 (PHQ-2)], was the outcome variables. Chi-square tests and multivariable logistic regression models were used for statistical analyses. Results: At least one depressive symptom was self-reported by 7.6% of uranium workers. Depressed mood was reported over twice as much as anhedonia (7.2% versus 3.3%). Abnormal FVC was associated with at least one depressive symptom after adjustment for covariates. There was no significant interaction between race/ethnicity and spirometric indices on depressive symptoms. Conclusions: Although depressive symptoms are uncommonly reported in uranium workers, they are an important comorbidity due to their overall clinical impact. Abnormal FVC was associated with depressive symptoms. Race/ethnicity was not found to be an effect modifier for the association between abnormal FVC and depressive symptoms. To better understand the mechanism underlying this association and determine if a causal relationship exists between spirometric indices and depressive symptoms in occupational populations at risk for developing lung disease, larger longitudinal studies are required. We recommend screening for depressive symptoms for current and former uranium workers as part of routine health surveillance of this occupational cohort. Such screening may help overcome workers’ reluctance to self-report and seek treatment for depression and may avoid negative consequences to health and safety from missed diagnoses.


2003 ◽  
Vol 33 (1) ◽  
pp. 71-90 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tara L. Kuther ◽  
Ann Higgins-D'Alessandro

A model of alcohol use based on the theory of planned behavior, expectancy theory, and the developmental literature on the influence of parents and peers was examined with 87 eleventh grade students, 105 college freshmen, and 107 college juniors. Specifically, the influence of attitudes about the positive and negative consequences of drinking, perceived parental and peer norms about alcohol consumption, and perceived control over drinking predicted self-reported alcohol use. The results suggest that, during adolescence, decisions to consume alcohol are rational, based on the consideration of the positive consequences of alcohol use and perceptions of control over drinking; however, the negative consequences of alcohol use are discounted. While perceived peer norms predicted alcohol consumption in all three age groups, the influence of perceived parental norms varied such that they predicted alcohol use only among the college juniors. Implications and avenues for future research are discussed.


2019 ◽  
Vol 28 (3) ◽  
pp. 660-672
Author(s):  
Suzanne H. Kimball ◽  
Toby Hamilton ◽  
Erin Benear ◽  
Jonathan Baldwin

Purpose The purpose of this study was to evaluate the emotional tone and verbal behavior of social media users who self-identified as having tinnitus and/or hyperacusis that caused self-described negative consequences on daily life or health. Research Design and Method An explanatory mixed-methods design was utilized. Two hundred “initial” and 200 “reply” Facebook posts were collected from members of a tinnitus group and a hyperacusis group. Data were analyzed via the LIWC 2015 software program and compared to typical bloggers. As this was an explanatory mixed-methods study, we used qualitative thematic analyses to explain, interpret, and illustrate the quantitative results. Results Overall, quantitative results indicated lower overall emotional tone for all categories (tinnitus and hyperacusis, initial and reply), which was mostly influenced by higher negative emotion. Higher levels of authenticity or truth were found in the hyperacusis sample but not in the tinnitus sample. Lower levels of clout (social standing) were indicated in all groups, and a lower level of analytical thinking style (concepts and complex categories rather than narratives) was found in the hyperacusis sample. Additional analysis of the language indicated higher levels of sadness and anxiety in all groups and lower levels of anger, particularly for initial replies. These data support prior findings indicating higher levels of anxiety and depression in this patient population based on the actual words in blog posts and not from self-report questionnaires. Qualitative results identified 3 major themes from both the tinnitus and hyperacusis texts: suffering, negative emotional tone, and coping strategies. Conclusions Results from this study suggest support for the predominant clinical view that patients with tinnitus and hyperacusis have higher levels of anxiety and depression than the general population. The extent of the suffering described and patterns of coping strategies suggest clinical practice patterns and the need for research in implementing improved practice plans.


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