Implementing health promotion programs in the Australian construction industry

2017 ◽  
Vol 24 (2) ◽  
pp. 260-274 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rebecca Loudoun ◽  
Keith Townsend
Keyword(s):  
Health Promotion ◽  
Construction Industry ◽  
Work Performance ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Construction Workers ◽  
Work Place ◽  
Unhealthy Lifestyle ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Health Promotion Programs ◽  
The Impact

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to identify possible agents and levers to trigger the development and implementation of work place health promotion programs (WHPPs) in the Australian construction industry. Unlike most large workplaces and most high-risk workplaces, these programs are rarely found in the construction sector. Design/methodology/approach Qualitative interviews with 80 trades workers and site-based and off-site construction managers are used to reveal perceptions of the impact of WHPPs and ill-health and poor health behaviors on site activities with a view to identifying leverage points to introduce WHPPs in construction. Findings Unhealthy lifestyle behaviors are seen as impacting on sites in three main ways: productivity (broadly defined), safety and interpersonal relations. Results also reveal specific roles and levers for different actors in the supply chain and a clear desire for a collective, industry-based response to identified health problems. Practical implications High levels of chronic diseases in the construction industry means firms within the sector must make a concerted attempt to change patterns of behavior or face significant long-term health implications for their workforce. Reducing levels of health and longevity of the workforce, mean work performance, productivity and participation is likely to decline. Originality/value Although construction workers are recognized as one of the workforces at most risk for life limiting diseases such as Type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease, relatively little work has investigated health and well-being considerations for construction workers. This study contributes by investigating possible levers and agents to create healthier workplaces in construction.

A systematic review of factors influencing the implementation of health promotion programs in the construction industry

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Tamara Fuller ◽  
Abid Hasan ◽  
Imriyas Kamardeen
Keyword(s):  
Systematic Review ◽  
Health Promotion ◽  
Construction Industry ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Construction Workers ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Successful Implementation ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Factors Influencing ◽  
Health Promotion Programs

PurposeThe construction industry has a poor reputation for an unhealthy lifestyle and a high prevalence of health problems such as obesity, stress and hypertension among construction workers. The review examines the factors influencing the design and delivery of health promotion programs implemented by construction organisations to educate workers and promote a healthy lifestyle. It also identifies gaps in research and practices and proposes directions for future research.Design/methodology/approachA systematic review of 51 relevant journal articles published during 2010–2019 was undertaken to achieve the aim of the study.FindingsThe review reveals 46 different factors grouped into four major themes related to individuals, organisations, industry and the program, influencing the successful implementation of health promotion programs. The top ten most cited factors are cost, time, facilities and resources, transient workforce, delivery method, influence from managers, long working hours, masculine culture, production pressure and interest. The review also found a noticeable lack of studies on implementing health promotion programs in the context of developing countries, small and medium-sized construction organisations, residential sector workers, and construction professionals and female workers.Research limitations/implicationsThe review's scope is limited to research on health promotion programs, and it did not investigate the factors affecting the health of construction workers in construction projects.Practical implicationsA better understanding of various influencing factors present at different decision levels will inform the future implementation of targeted workforce health promotion strategies to foster construction workers' health and well-being.Originality/valueThe review reveals bottlenecks that need to be addressed to successfully implement health promotion programs in the construction industry. It provides new insights that can improve existing health and workplace policies and health promotion programs in the construction industry. Finally, it identifies new research directions in a neglected but crucial area of workers' health and safety management.

scholarly journals Framing stress and associated behaviours at work

2019 ◽  
Vol 26 (11) ◽  
pp. 2566-2580
Author(s):  
Paul Hampton ◽  
Ezekiel A. Chinyio ◽  
Silvia Riva
Keyword(s):  
Interpersonal Relationships ◽  
Communication Systems ◽  
Work Performance ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Psychological Services ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Work Related ◽  
Related Stress ◽  
Ethnographic Methodology ◽  
The Impact

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to understand more precisely the culture and interpersonal behaviours associated with stress. Design/methodology/approach The research was conducted using a qualitative approach through an ethnographic methodology in relation to three companies. The greater part of the data collection period was structured into observations that ranged between 2 and 4 hr per day, 1–3 days per week, for a period of six months. A total of ten sites were explored; and on each site, the observations involved activities by 5–20 people. Findings The results showed the pivotal importance of interpersonal relationships in coping with the uncertainty of working conditions, the coordination of teamwork and managing responsibilities and power interactions. It was found that the impact of stress is multifaceted, affecting the physical status, interpersonal relationships, work performance and emotional well-being of construction workers. The workers who were studied emphasised five sources of support that help moderate work-related stress: additional tools such as communication systems and software, a facilitated access to professional help (e.g. psychological services), organisational changes in leadership, provision of resources for the well-being of personnel (e.g. job training) and better teamwork. Practical implications The study underlines the importance of dedicated services for stress management and specific training-related abilities devoted to reinforcing positive person–organisation dynamics. In particular, the abilities should relate to managing the impact of stress in terms of physique, interpersonal relationships, work performance and emotional well-being. Originality/value This is one of the first studies to adopt a psychological perspective for understanding construction scenarios and phenomena and was conducted by a qualified psychologist.

Wearing comfort of two construction work uniforms

2015 ◽  
Vol 15 (4) ◽  
pp. 473-492 ◽  
Author(s):  
Albert P.C. Chan ◽  
Yang Yang ◽  
Francis K.W. Wong ◽  
Daniel W.M. Chan ◽  
Edmond W.M. Lam
Keyword(s):  
Fuzzy Logic ◽  
Work Performance ◽  
Analytical Techniques ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Construction Workers ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Practical Tool ◽  
Questionnaire Surveys ◽  
Fresh Insight ◽  
Insight Into

Purpose – The aim of this study is to investigate wearing comfort of summer work uniforms judged by construction workers. Design/methodology/approach – A total of 189 male construction workers participated in a series of wear trials and questionnaire surveys in the summer of 2014. They were asked to randomly wear two types of work uniforms (i.e. uniforms A and B) in the two-day field survey and the subjective attributes of these uniforms were assessed. Three analytical techniques, namely, multiple regression, artificial neural network and fuzzy logic were used to predict wearing comfort affected by the six subjective sensations. Findings – The results revealed that fuzzy logic was a robust and practical tool for predicting wearing comfort in terms of better prediction performance and more interpretable results than the other models. Pressure attributes were further found to exert a greater effect than thermal–wet attributes on wearing comfort. Overall, the use of uniform B exhibited profound benefits on wearing comfort because it kept workers cooler, drier and more comfortable with less work performance interference than wearing uniform A. Originality/value – The findings provide a fresh insight into construction workers’ needs for work clothes, which further facilitates the improvement in the clothing tailor-made design and the enhancement of the well-being of workers.

Impact of knowledge sharing at work place on individual work performance of nurses in Pakistan

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Ghulam Murtaza Rafique ◽  
Khalid Mahmood
Keyword(s):  
Knowledge Sharing ◽  
Work Performance ◽  
Quality Care ◽  
Sampling Technique ◽  
Vital Role ◽  
Work Place ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Individual Work ◽  
The Impact

Purpose The purpose of this study is to determine the impact of knowledge sharing (KS) at work place on the individual work performance (IWP) of nurses. Design/methodology/approach A cross-sectional quantitative approach based on a survey questionnaire was used to collect data from currently working 256 nurses in 6 general public sector hospitals of Lahore, Pakistan. Equal sized convenient sampling technique was used to select the sample from the intended population. Multiple regression was applied to test the research hypotheses. Findings The results indicated that the elements of IWP (task and contextual performance) were positively correlated with and influenced by two facets of KS (KS propensity and KS behavior). A cohesive sharing culture among nurses must be established at their respective work places to foster the delivery of quality care services and to improve their performance. Practical implications The study findings suggest that health-care institutes must consider the importance of KS to boost up the sharing culture among all levels (s) of employees by establishing an interconnected learning environment for improved work performance. Originality/value KS plays a vital role in the learning and development of employees by enhancing their work performance. The extant literature showed that there was a dearth of studies that determined the impact of KS at work place on the IWP of nurses. As KS has unique and challenging factors in Pakistan, therefore, the investigation of its impact on nurses’ work performance would be worthy.

Impact of emotional intelligence on the stress and safety of construction workers' in Saudi Arabia

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Hemaid Alsulami ◽  
Suhail H. Serbaya ◽  
Ali Rizwan ◽  
Muhammad Saleem ◽  
Yassine Maleh ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Emotional Intelligence ◽  
Saudi Arabia ◽  
Construction Industry ◽  
Construction Workers ◽  
Safety Behaviors ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Safety Behavior ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Stress Levels ◽  
The Impact

PurposeIn a country like Saudi Arabia, where the construction industry is witnessing an impressive growth in the post-oil era, it is important to examine the occupational health and safety behaviors of construction workers (CWs).Design/methodology/approachThe present study aims to investigate the impact of emotional intelligence (EI) on workers' stress and safety behaviors. Data were collected from CWs (n = 265) at a major construction site in the city of Jeddah. Two questionnaires comprising 25 and 32 questions were used to measure their EI and stress levels, respectively. Furthermore, structured interviews were conducted with the managers and supervisors to inquire about the safety behavior of their respective workers. Descriptive statistics, simple and companion regression were used for data analysis.FindingsThe findings indicate that EI plays an important role to enhance the safety behaviors of the CWs besides reducing their workplace stresses. Furthermore, workers' stress levels are found to negatively impact their safety behaviors, indicating that any reduction in occupational stress can reciprocally enhance their safety compliance. The findings are further discussed with the concerned stakeholders to recommend a seven-point therapeutic role of EI for the safety of CWs.Originality/valueResults of the study can be used by managers and supervisors of the Saudi construction industry to reduce workplace accidents and improve the productivity of their organizations.

scholarly journals Implementation of workplace well-being programs in the Russian Federation: development of the on-line tools package and results of its piloting

2021 ◽  
Vol 28 (Supplement_1) ◽  
Author(s):  
AA Antsiferova ◽  
AV Kontsevaya
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Health Promotion ◽  
Workplace Health Promotion ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Workplace Health ◽  
Unhealthy Lifestyle ◽  
Planning Stage ◽  
Men And Women ◽  
Health Promotion Programs ◽  
Workplace Health Promotion Programs

Abstract Funding Acknowledgements Type of funding sources: None. Introduction. Most of the working-age population spends a significant part of their life at workplace. On the one hand, working conditions can cause stress, and therefore an increase unhealthy lifestyle, on the other hand, the workplace is a convenient organizational model for health promotion. In 2019 a big federal project "Public health" started aimed to improve population health and one of its important components is increasing implementation of effective workplace health promotion programs. Model workplace well-being programs have been developed within the framework of the Federal Project «Public Health». Purpose is to develop and pilot a package of tools for planning and implementing workplace well-being programs. Methods. Planning stage of the program has to include situation analysis with three components: available infrastructure analysis, employee interviews and comprehensive program development. We developed two types of questionnaires: for employers and for employees. After testing it in paper on limited N of participants it was corrected and electronic version was developed. The link to the instrument was distributed through the regional centers for public health who are responsible for implementation workplace health promotion programs in the regions. Results. In spring 2020, 558 completed questionnaires were received (among them 35 from employers, and 553 from employees). Among employers, 53.1% were familiar with workplace well-being programs, such programs were approved at 43.8% of enterprises. Employers believe that the most appropriate implementation of the following components are measures to increase the level of physical activity (22.9%), measures to prevent smoking (18.1%) and psychological relief (18.1%). There was a predominance of female among surveyed employees (66,5%), the average age was 39.8 ± 10.7 years and 42.6 ± 11.1 years for men and women, respectively. The following factors worried the employees on the workplace: distance from their place of residence (12.1%), continuous tension and stress (11.3%), noise (7.8%) and other factors. The level of presenteeism (measured by Copenhagen Psychosocial Questionnaire) was also analyzed, the low level of presenteeism was 38.9% and 42.4%, and the average level was 59.9% and 55.9% for men and women, respectively. Conclusion. We developed the set of instruments which must be useful for implementation of the workplace well-being programs.  Surveys of employers contribute to obtaining a snapshot of the attitudes and priorities of employers in the region to plan targeted measures to stimulate the implementation of workplace well-being programs at the regional level. Questionnaires for employees can be used for an in-depth assessment of the priorities on the concrete workplace and development of a targeted program to the needs of a particular enterprise.

Physical and cognitive demands of work in building construction

2019 ◽  
Vol 27 (3) ◽  
pp. 745-764
Author(s):  
Franciscsa S. Rodriguez ◽  
Jan Spilski ◽  
Felix Hekele ◽  
Nils Ove Beese ◽  
Thomas Lachmann
Keyword(s):  
Well Being ◽  
Construction Workers ◽  
Construction Work ◽  
Specialized Knowledge ◽  
Cognitive Demands ◽  
Physical Demands ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Construction Companies ◽  
And Performance ◽  
The Impact

Purpose Investigating demands within an occupational context has always been an essential endeavor to guarantee worker well-being and performance efficiency. In blue-collar occupations, the physical demands of manual labor have always been the major focus, but recent technological changes may come with higher demands on the intellectual capacities of workers. For this reason, the purpose of this paper is to assess physical and cognitive demands that construction workers face. Design/methodology/approach The authors conducted a quantitative study using standardized research instruments. Construction workers of three German construction companies were asked to volunteer to participate in interviews (n=35) and a survey (n=30) that assessed the extent of physical demands and a variety of cognitive demands experienced by construction workers. Findings The results suggest that construction work is demanding in physical terms as well as in perceptual, psychomotor, social and cognitive terms. Using and updating specialized knowledge, giving advice and providing consultation, friendliness, assertiveness and reliability are important demands among construction workers. Research limitations/implications Construction workers face an undervalued level of demands in their everyday work environment. As high demands can affect well-being and mental health, construction companies would greatly benefit from investing efforts into evaluating the multi-component demands profile of their workers and the impact on their health, in particular through the strongly increasing cognitive demands due to the ongoing digitization of the sector. Originality/value The study identified essential demands in construction work that are relevant for the workers’ productivity and well-being.

scholarly journals Men’s Mental Health Promotion Interventions: A Scoping Review

2017 ◽  
Vol 11 (6) ◽  
pp. 1823-1837 ◽  
Author(s):  
Cherisse L. Seaton ◽  
Joan L. Bottorff ◽  
Margaret Jones-Bricker ◽  
John L. Oliffe ◽  
Damen DeLeenheer ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Health Promotion ◽  
Work Performance ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Mental Health Promotion ◽  
Health Promotion Programs ◽  
Mental Wellness ◽  
Male Specific ◽  
Health Promotion Interventions

There is an increasing need for mental health promotion strategies that effectively engage men. Although researchers have examined the effectiveness of diverse mental wellness interventions in male-dominated industries, and reviewed suicide prevention, early intervention, and health promotion interventions for boys and men, few have focused on sex-specific program effects. The purpose of this review was to (a) extend the previous reviews to examine the effectiveness of mental health promotion programs in males, and (b) evaluate the integration of gender-specific influences in the content and delivery of men’s mental health promotion programs. A search of MEDLINE, CINAHL, PsycINFO, and EMBASE databases for articles published between January 2006 and December 2016 was conducted. Findings from the 25 included studies indicated that a variety of strategies offered within (9 studies) and outside (16 studies) the workplace show promise for promoting men’s mental health. Although stress was a common area of focus (14 studies), the majority of studies targeted multiple outcomes, including some indicators of positive well-being such as self-efficacy, resilience, self-esteem, work performance, and happiness/quality of life. The majority of programs were offered to both men and women, and six studies explicitly integrated gender-related influences in male-specific programs in ways that recognized men’s interests and preferences.

scholarly journals Constructing better health and wellbeing? Understanding structural constraints on promoting health and wellbeing in the UK construction industry

2019 ◽  
Vol 12 (3) ◽  
pp. 146-159 ◽  
Author(s):  
Esmée Sinéad Hanna ◽  
Steven Markham
Keyword(s):  
Health Promotion ◽  
Construction Industry ◽  
Qualitative Interviews ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Structural Constraints ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Work Related ◽  
Health And Wellbeing ◽  
The Uk ◽  
Health And Well Being

Purpose The construction industry has high rates of work-related ill health. Whilst there have been more recent calls for a “health like safety” narrative within the industry, health has still predominantly been viewed via health risks rather than a more holistic conceptualisation of health and well-being. The workplace is viewed as a fruitful site for health promotion work, yet we know little about the possibilities and promise of health promotion within the construction industry. The paper aims to discuss these issues. Design/methodology/approach This paper explores the views of stakeholders with health-related roles and responsibilities within the UK construction industry. From the 21 semi-structured qualitative interviews, thematic analysis was conducted and two key themes emerged: the construction industry as anti-health promoting and understanding industry-specific health issues. Findings The construction industry faces significant constraint in attempting to promote better health and well-being due to its makeup, yet the health and well-being issues of the industry notably stress, and early retirement are major issues for both the industry and individuals. Practical implications The authors argue that only through understanding the structural constraints of the industry in this way can the possibilities and potentials for undertaking health promotion work be fully embedded within the industry in order to help create meaningful change for both employees and the industry as a whole. Originality/value This paper offers insight into the challenges that exist within construction for promoting positive employee health and well-being and takes an in-depth approach to exploring why health promotion may not be occurring within the industry.

Social undermining in academia: experiences and effects

2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (4) ◽  
pp. 653-663
Author(s):  
Zara Sabeen ◽  
Faria Arshad
Keyword(s):  
Work Performance ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Subject Area ◽  
Qualitative Approach ◽  
Faculty Members ◽  
Capital City ◽  
Public And Private ◽  
Social Undermining ◽  
Content Type ◽  
The Impact

Purpose The purpose of the paper is to explore the meanings and effects of social undermining as described by the faculty members of public and private universities of Pakistan. Design/methodology/approach The study utilizes the qualitative approach using in-depth interviews of the faculty members to explore different meanings assigned to social undermining and the impact of these experiences on them. Findings The faculty members describe social undermining in terms of defamation and limiting of space for them at workplace. The impact of social undermining is directly felt on the emotional and overall well-being. It also affects the work performance of the faculty leading to behaviors like withdrawal and abstaining from voluntary activities. Research limitations/implications The research is conducted in only two universities in the capital city. The experiences and views of faculty members in other universities particularly in small cities might be different. Practical implications The study may be of help in terms of finding out the impacts of social undermining on faculty members in order to avoid such situations, hence, improving the motivation level of faculty. This will help managers to understand the phenomenon and find out appropriate strategies for a more harmonious and trustable work environment between people. Originality/value The study contributes to the literature by utilizing the qualitative approach that is not used much in this subject area. It is also one of the very first attempts of exploring the phenomenon in Pakistan, as per the best of authors’ knowledge.

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