scholarly journals Behavioural insights into benefits claimants’ training

2018 ◽  
Vol 60 (1) ◽  
pp. 54-68
Author(s):  
Rosie Gloster ◽  
Jonathan Buzzeo ◽  
Annette Cox ◽  
Christine Bertram ◽  
Arianna Tassinari ◽  
...  

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to explore the behavioural determinants of work-related benefits claimants’ training behaviours and to suggest ways to improve claimants’ compliance with training referrals. Design/methodology/approach Qualitative interviews were conducted with 20 Jobcentre Plus staff and training providers, and 60 claimants. Claimants were sampled based on whether or not they had been mandated to training and whether or not they subsequently participated. Along with general findings, differences between these groups are highlighted. Findings Claimants’ behaviours are affected by their capabilities, opportunities, and motivations in interrelated ways. Training programmes should appreciate this to better ensure claimants’ completion of training programmes. Originality/value Whilst past papers have largely examined a limited number of factors that affect claimants’ training behaviours, this report offers a synchronised evaluation of all the behavioural factors that affect claimants’ training behaviours.

2019 ◽  
Vol 51 (2) ◽  
pp. 85-103 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nuria Gisbert-Trejo ◽  
Jon Landeta ◽  
Eneka Albizu ◽  
Pilar Fernández-Ferrín

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to explore the essential mentor characteristics for effective inter-organizational mentoring. This kind of HR development technique, where mentor and mentee belong to different organizations, is becoming increasingly popular and so far has been scarcely studied.Design/methodology/approachFirst, a rigorous literature analysis to identify primary mentor characteristics for managers and professionals has been performed; second, a Delphi analysis has determined their relevance according to the opinion of 125 experienced mentors, mentees and program coordinators that have carried out inter-organizational mentoring processes in Spain; and third, an exploratory factor analysis has reclassified the mentor characteristics into a smaller number of factors.FindingsIn total, 29 relevant mentor characteristics have been identified and valued. The foregoing characteristics are related to seven underlying dimensions or factors that serve to characterize an effective mentor for inter-organizational mentoring programs.Originality/valueThe research extends the existing literature regarding mentor characteristics of those mentors who are engaged in inter-organizational mentoring. In addition, this work offers a valuable contribution to inter-organizational mentoring research based in a Delphi method that includes both academic and practitioner perspectives in a cultural context that may have not received previous attention. The findings can be valuable for both academics who investigate this topic of growing interest, and for practitioners who must face the selection and training of mentors.


2020 ◽  
Vol 24 (2) ◽  
pp. 85-102
Author(s):  
Sandra Bergman

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to examine how communication professionals enact an educational role aimed at improving organisational communication through communication training. Furthermore, this article analyses what this implementation means for the role of the communication professionals.Design/methodology/approachQualitative interviews were conducted with seven communication professionals and ten managers in two organisations. The organisations were selected due to their involvement in developing and implementing communication training programmes. The interviews were then transcribed and analysed inductively.FindingsThis study demonstrates how communication professionals are expanding their professional role to become trainers in communication. The managers who participated reported increased awareness of the communication departments and the support they can provide. The communication departments became more visible in the organisations.Research limitations/implicationsThe study is qualitative and limited to two organisations. The managers' perspectives suggest that when communication professionals act as internal trainers, their role within an organisation is strengthened.Practical implicationsThe results of this study indicate that in-house communication professionals enable managers to improve their communication, boosting their ability to implement simultaneous large-scale training and rendering the communication department more visible and available throughout the organisation.Originality/valueThis study adds to the existing discussion regarding the new roles of communication professionals in organisations by presenting two cases in which communication professionals are successfully functioning as internal communication trainers. The findings can help both researchers and practitioners gain insights into the future role of the communication profession.


2015 ◽  
Vol 29 (7) ◽  
pp. 840-847
Author(s):  
Nicola McNeil ◽  
Sandra Leggat ◽  
Timothy Bartram

Purpose – Medical Colleges rely on the volunteer labour of their Fellows to undertake their key functions. In the Australasian context, there is anecdotal evidence to suggest that Fellow participation is declining. The purpose of this paper is to examine the main factors that influence Fellows’ participation in the activities of a Medical College. Design/methodology/approach – The authors conducted three focus groups with Fellows who exhibit varying levels of participation with the Medical College in 2012. Findings – The research identified individual and organisational factors which influence the propensity of Fellows to volunteer their time to the Medical College. At an individual level, Fellows cite a number of factors which motivate them to volunteer their time to the Medical College, including: altruistic reasons; giving back to the profession and community; and the benefits that Fellow’s receive from their participation in College activities, including enhancing their status within the profession. However, Fellows also report issues of work-family integration, balancing Medical College and work-related responsibilities as factors precluding them from participating in Medical College activities. Fellows also noted several factors related to the operation of the Medical College which inhibited their participation in the Medical College, including the perceived exclusivity of the Medical College, a lack of service orientation towards Fellows, a lack of recognition of the work of Fellows and a perceived lack of advocacy on the part of the Medical College. Originality/value – This paper highlights that the participation of Fellows in their Medical Colleges is essential to maintaining quality standards and the effective operation of Australasian healthcare. These preliminary results indicate that there are several factors which discourage Fellow participation in Medical College activities, suggesting a need for Medical Colleges to develop strategies to address these issues.


2018 ◽  
Vol 60 (4) ◽  
pp. 290-302
Author(s):  
Stan Lester ◽  
Anna Koniotaki ◽  
Jolanta Religa

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to describe a revised approach describing occupational competence, with particular reference to its application in two European countries at the level of specific occupational fields and in relation to the models used in national vocational education and training (VET) systems. Design/methodology/approach An Erasmus+ project involved partners in five countries developing and trialling competence standards, following principles developed from approaches that have recently emerged in some British self-governing professions. Findings The model used in the project avoids the narrowness that was characteristic of earlier British approaches to occupational competence. It provides a template that can be used for articulating the essentials of practice, including in emerging fields and those that cut across professions and occupations. It is also flexible enough to provide underpinnings for different types of VET system without making assumptions about the way that economies, labour markets and education systems are organised. Practical implications A number of factors are outlined that improve the applicability of practice-based competence descriptions, including starting from occupational fields rather than job roles, focussing on the ethos and core activities of the field, and using concise and precise descriptions that are not limited to specific roles and contexts. Originality/value A tested, practice-based model of competence is put forward that can be applied at the level of broad professional or occupational fields, is neutral in respect of national labour markets and educational systems, and offers a means of developing a common “language” of competence at a European level.


2017 ◽  
Vol 118 (11/12) ◽  
pp. 618-628 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tove Faber Frandsen ◽  
Dativa Tibyampansha ◽  
Glory R. Ibrahim ◽  
Megan von Isenburg

Purpose The purpose of this paper in information literacy assessment is to explore how library training can promote electronic resource usage. Increasing the usage of electronic resources is an issue of concern for many libraries all over the world. Several studies stress the importance of information literacy and instruction to increase the usage. Design/methodology/approach The present article presents the results of implementing training programmes to increase the use of the e-library. Findings Training sessions increase the usage of library e-resources significantly; however, the effect seems to be short-lived and training sessions alone may not increase the overall long-term usage. Originality/value The present paper presents a study of training sessions as means to increase awareness and usage of library e-resources. Implications for the planning of training are discussed.


2016 ◽  
Vol 23 (4) ◽  
pp. 202-217 ◽  
Author(s):  
Robert J. McQueen ◽  
Annick Janson

Purpose This paper aims to examine factors which influence how tacit knowledge is built and applied by client-facing consultants. Design/methodology/approach Qualitative methods (interviews, thematic analysis) were used to gather and analyse data from 15 consultants in an agricultural extension context. Findings Twenty-six factors about how tacit knowledge is built and applied to action emerged, and are presented grouped into four areas: tacit knowledge needed to be successful; how tacit knowledge is presently built; challenges in turning knowledge into action; and ways that building tacit knowledge might be better supported by the organization. Practical implications How the building of tacit knowledge can be accelerated for new organizational members will be of interest to those not only in agricultural extension, but more generally to those managers in organizations who must design and implement training and mentoring programmes for those who support customers and users of their products and services. Originality/value The findings provide insight into the mechanisms of building tacit knowledge in client-facing consultants. The experience-based perceptions about effective knowledge-building processes and strategies may contribute to more effective intake and training programmes for consultants.


2016 ◽  
Vol 45 (1) ◽  
pp. 29-50 ◽  
Author(s):  
Aristides Isidoro Ferreira ◽  
Joana Diniz Esteves

Purpose – Activities such as making personal phone calls, surfing on the internet, booking personal appointments or chatting with colleagues may or may not deviate attentions from work. With this in mind, the purpose of this paper is to examine gender differences and motivations behind personal activities employees do at work, as well as individuals’ perception of the time they spend doing these activities. Design/methodology/approach – Data were obtained from 35 individuals (M age=37.06 years; SD=7.80) from a Portuguese information technology company through an ethnographic method including a five-day non-participant direct observation (n=175 observations) and a questionnaire with open-ended questions. Findings – Results revealed that during a five-working-day period of eight hours per day, individuals spent around 58 minutes doing personal activities. During this time, individuals engaged mainly in socializing through conversation, internet use, smoking and taking coffee breaks. Results revealed that employees did not perceive the time they spent on non-work realted activities accurately, as the values of these perceptions were lower than the actual time. Moreover, through HLM, the findings showed that the time spent on conversation and internet use was moderated by the relationship between gender and the leisure vs home-related motivations associated with each personal activity developed at work. Originality/value – This study contributes to the literature on human resource management because it reveals how employees often perceive the time they spend on non-work related activities performed at work inaccurately. This study highlights the importance of including individual motivations when studying gender differences and personal activities performed at work. The current research discusses implications for practitioners and outlines suggestions for future studies.


2014 ◽  
Vol 19 (2) ◽  
pp. 77-84 ◽  
Author(s):  
Katja Koski ◽  
Kaisa Martikainen ◽  
Katja Burakoff ◽  
Hannu Vesala ◽  
Kaisa Launonen

Purpose – This paper aims to evaluate the role of the supervisor's support on the effectiveness of a communication training program targeted at staff members who work with individuals who have profound and multiple learning disabilities. Design/methodology/approach – The aim was to explore which aspects of supervisory support influenced the staff members to participate in the programme and the results for the on-going effects of the training. Findings – Staff members reported a need for more supervisory support to maintain the results of the training and to disseminate the new practices to non-trained staff. Originality/value – Although supervisory support seems to benefit staff members during their participation in training programmes, even careful planning and execution of this support cannot ensure its continuation after the training is finished.


2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Jean-Michel Beaudoin ◽  
Marie-Eve Dufour ◽  
Eve Desroches-Maheux ◽  
Luc Lebel

PurposeThe purpose of this study is to better understand the factors influencing the attraction of Indigenous workers to the Quebec forestry sector.Design/methodology/approachUsing a collaborative approach, 64 semi-structured interviews were conducted between 2016 and 2018 with workers and stakeholders from three Indigenous communities in Quebec, Canada.FindingsThe results highlight the motivations for choosing a job in the forestry sector, including family and friends, attachment to the territory, financial necessity, the search for a challenge and a sense of pride. They also show some of the obstacles to holding a job in forestry, namely work–life conflict, transportation, job insecurity, education and personal problems.Social implicationsIndigenous people have a lower employment rate than non-Indigenous people, which can be explained by a number of factors that hinder their integration into the labour market. They nevertheless represent an interesting labour pool for companies working in the natural resources sector. This study sheds light on the opportunities and barriers to attract this workforce.Originality/valueThe study is one of the few to use theoretical frameworks focused on motivation and a qualitative approach to data collection in order to examine to examine the attraction of Indigenous workers to the forestry sector in Quebec (Canada) from a worker's perspective.


Facilities ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 37 (11/12) ◽  
pp. 825-838 ◽  
Author(s):  
Roger Andre Søraa ◽  
Håkon Fyhn ◽  
Jøran Solli

PurposeThis paper aims to investigate the role of a particular energy calculator in enhancing the energy efficiency of existing homes by asking how this calculator was developed and how it is domesticated by craftspeople working as energy consultants.Design/methodology/approachThe study is based on qualitative interviews with users and producers of the energy calculator (n= 22), as well as participation in energy consultation training.FindingsThe paper finds that, in the energy calculator, there is a striking lack of connection between the domestication and script because of lack of energy consultants’ involvement in the design and implementation process.Practical implicationsThe enrolment of energy consultants as energy calculator users earlier in and throughout the design process could be valuable in making the transition to an energy-efficient and environmentally friendly building sector.Social implicationsThe paper argues for recognition of the role of energy consultants, especially craftspeople, as participants in the design process for tools of governance. This is a call to acknowledge the value of particular skills and experiences possessed by craftspeople doing home consultation.Originality/valueBy understanding the intricate developer–user synchronicity in tools developed for upgrading the building sector, energy mitigation can be made more effective.


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