scholarly journals What happens to the physical and psychosocial work environment when activity-based offices are introduced into academia?

2018 ◽  
Vol 20 (4) ◽  
pp. 230-243 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hanne Berthelsen ◽  
Tuija Muhonen ◽  
Susanna Toivanen
Keyword(s):  
Work Environment ◽  
Response Rate ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Psychosocial Work Environment ◽  
Psychosocial Work ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Long Run ◽  
Before And After ◽  
Cross Sectional Design

PurposeThere is an increased interest for introducing activity-based offices at universities. The purpose of this study is to contribute to the knowledge about the importance of the built environment for the psychosocial work environment within academia by analyzing how staff at a large Swedish university experienced the physical and psychosocial work environment before and after moving to activity-based offices.Design/methodology/approachA Web-based survey was distributed to all employees at two faculties at a university three months before (2015,n= 217, response rate 51 per cent) and nine months after (2016,n= 200, response rate 47 per cent) relocation to a new activity-based university building.FindingsIn the new premises, a vast majority (86 per cent) always occupied the same place when possible, and worked also more often from home. The social community at work had declined and social support from colleagues and supervisors was perceived to have decreased. The participants reported a lower job satisfaction after the relocation and were more likely to seek new jobs. No aspects in the physical or psychosocial work environment were found to have improved after the relocation.Research/limitations implicationsThe study had a two-wave cross-sectional design, which does not allow establishing causal relations.Practical implicationsThere is reason to be cautious about relocation to activity-based offices at universities. The potential savings in costs for premises may lead to may be followed by an increase in other costs. The risk that staff cannot concentrate on their work in activity-based university workplaces and lose their sense of community with colleagues are factors, which in the long run may lead to decreased efficiency, more conflicts and poorer well-being.Originality/valueThis paper contributes with new knowledge concerning changes in the physical and psychosocial work environment when relocating from cell offices to activity-based offices in a university setting.

scholarly journals Employment, psychosocial work environment and well-being among migrant and native physicians in Finnish health care

2014 ◽  
Vol 24 (3) ◽  
pp. 445-451 ◽  
Author(s):  
A.-M. Aalto ◽  
T. Heponiemi ◽  
I. Keskimaki ◽  
H. Kuusio ◽  
L. Hietapakka ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Work Environment ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Psychosocial Work Environment ◽  
Psychosocial Work

scholarly journals An effect evaluation of the psychosocial work environment of a university unit after a successfully implemented employeeship program

2018 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
pp. 31-44 ◽  
Author(s):  
Per Øystein Saksvik ◽  
Margrethe Faergestad ◽  
Silje Fossum ◽  
Oyeniyi Samuel Olaniyan ◽  
Øystein Indergård ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Work Environment ◽  
Psychosocial Work Environment ◽  
Effect Evaluation ◽  
Psychosocial Work ◽  
Empowering Leadership ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Social Community ◽  
Psychosocial Experiences ◽  
Trust In Management ◽  
The Social

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to examine whether a successful implementation of an intervention could result in an effect evaluated independently from a process evaluation. It was achieved by evaluating the effects of an intervention, the “employeeship program,” designed to strengthen the psychosocial work environment through raising employees’ awareness and competence in interpersonal relationships and increasing their responsibility for their everyday work and working environment. Design/methodology/approach An employeeship intervention program was developed to improve the psychosocial work environment through reducing conflict among employees and strengthening the social community, empowering leadership, and increasing trust in management. An earlier process evaluation of the program found that it had been implemented successfully. The present effect evaluation supplemented this by examining its effect on the psychosocial work environment using two waves of the organization’s internal survey and comparing changes in the intervention unit at two points and against the rest of the organization. Findings The intervention was effective in improving the psychosocial work environment through reducing conflicts among employees and strengthening the social community, empowering leadership, and increasing trust in management. Research limitations/implications More attention should be paid to developing and increasing positive psychosocial experiences while simultaneously reducing negative psychosocial experiences, as this employeeship intervention demonstrated. Practical implications An intervention focusing on employeeship is an effective way to achieve a healthier psychosocial work environment with demonstrable benefits for individuals and the working unit. Originality/value Although organizational-level interventions are complex processes, evaluations that focus on process and effect can offer insights into the workings of successful interventions.

Effect of a participative work conference on psychosocial work environment and well-being

2006 ◽  
Vol 15 (4) ◽  
pp. 459-476 ◽  
Author(s):  
Pauliina Mattila ◽  
Anna-Liisa Elo ◽  
Eeva Kuosma ◽  
Eeva Kylä-Setälä
Keyword(s):  
Work Environment ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Psychosocial Work Environment ◽  
Psychosocial Work

At work but ill: psychosocial work environment and well‐being determinants of presenteeism propensity

2006 ◽  
Vol 5 (4) ◽  
pp. 26-37 ◽  
Author(s):  
Caroline Biron ◽  
Jean‐Pierre Brun ◽  
Hans Ivers ◽  
Cary Cooper
Keyword(s):  
Work Environment ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Psychosocial Work Environment ◽  
Psychosocial Work

The well-being of women at work: the importance of resources across the life course

2014 ◽  
Vol 27 (4) ◽  
pp. 598-612 ◽  
Author(s):  
Roxane L. Gervais ◽  
Prudence Millear
Keyword(s):  
Women Workers ◽  
Life Course ◽  
Work Environment ◽  
Belief Systems ◽  
Influencing Factor ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Self Report ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Content Type ◽  
The Life Course

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to explore the factors that impact on the well-being of women workers, as assessed through depression, anxiety and stress, across the life course, i.e. age, marital status and parental status. Design/methodology/approach – The quantitative study was cross-sectional in nature and used an online self-report questionnaire to generate information on job/work characteristics, belief systems and demographic variables. A snowball sample was used to recruit the respondents. Findings – The results showed that the availability of resources was the influencing factor in women workers maintaining their well-being. Those respondents with resources, such as job autonomy and support from colleagues, were less likely to be depressed, anxious or stressed. The life course was not an influencing factor in the models tested suggesting that regardless of women's stage in life, they require appropriate resources to address the demands of the work environment, to maintain their well-being. Practical implications – The implications of this study are that when considering diversity in the work environment, it is important to assess if all workers have the resources they require to cope with the demands of the workplace. Originality/value – This present study outlines the importance of the life course in the context of the workplace, but highlights also that it is only one perspective and that others should be considered; such as those factors that are inherent in improving well-being and relationships within organisations.

scholarly journals Absenteeism and Presenteeism among Care Workers in Swiss Nursing Homes and Their Association with Psychosocial Work Environment: A Multi-Site Cross-Sectional Study

Gerontology ◽  
2015 ◽  
Vol 62 (4) ◽  
pp. 386-395 ◽  
Author(s):  
Suzanne Dhaini ◽  
Franziska Zúñiga ◽  
Dietmar Ausserhofer ◽  
Michael Simon ◽  
Regina Kunz ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Nursing Homes ◽  
Work Environment ◽  
Cross Sectional Study ◽  
Psychosocial Work Environment ◽  
Sectional Study ◽  
Psychosocial Work ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Environment Factors ◽  
Care Workers ◽  
Work Environment Factors

Background: Worker productivity is central to the success of organizations such as healthcare institutions. However, both absenteeism and presenteeism impair that productivity. While various hospital studies have examined the prevalence of presenteeism and absenteeism and its associated factors among care workers, evidence from nursing home settings is scarce. Objective: To explore care workers' self-reported absenteeism and presenteeism in relation to nursing homes' psychosocial work environment factors. Methods: We performed a cross-sectional study utilizing survey data of 3,176 professional care workers in 162 Swiss nursing homes collected between May 2012 and April 2013. A generalized estimating equation ordinal logistic regression model was used to explore associations between psychosocial work environment factors (leadership, staffing resources, work stressors, affective organizational commitment, collaboration with colleagues and supervisors, support from other personnel, job satisfaction, job autonomy) and self-reported absenteeism and presenteeism. Results: Absenteeism and presenteeism were observed in 15.6 and 32.9% of care workers, respectively. While absenteeism showed no relationship with the work environment, low presenteeism correlated with high leadership ratings (odds ratio [OR] 1.22, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.01-1.48) and adequate staffing resources (OR 1.18, 95% CI 1.02-1.38). Conclusion: Self-reported presenteeism is more common than absenteeism in Swiss nursing homes, and leadership and staffing resource adequacy are significantly associated with presenteeism, but not with absenteeism.

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