scholarly journals ‘I Get Money for What I Like Doing Best’: The Class Origin of Young Blue-Collar Workers and their Commitment to Work

2020 ◽  
Vol 34 (6) ◽  
pp. 1097-1113 ◽  
Author(s):  
Carina Altreiter ◽  
Jörg Flecker
Keyword(s):  
Physical Activity ◽  
Working Class ◽  
Social Reproduction ◽  
Family Of Origin ◽  
Positive Relationship ◽  
Blue Collar ◽  
Growing Up ◽  
Manual Work ◽  
Blue Collar Workers ◽  
Class Origin

Applying Bourdieu’s theory of social reproduction, this article deals with workers’ family-of-origin class position and the associated socialisation processes as systematic influencers of individual work orientations and commitment to work. It draws on a study of young blue-collar workers in Austria to argue how growing up in a working-class setting shapes dispositions that contribute to the commitment to manual work. The results show how these dispositions influence the assessment of work and, in particular, support a positive relationship with manual work and physical activity.

Sedentary and Physical Activity Behavior in “Blue-Collar” Workers: A Systematic Review of Accelerometer Studies

2019 ◽  
Vol 16 (11) ◽  
pp. 1060-1069 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nicholas D. Gilson ◽  
Caitlin Hall ◽  
Andreas Holtermann ◽  
Allard J. van der Beek ◽  
Maaike A. Huysmans ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Physical Activity ◽  
Systematic Review ◽  
Analytical Techniques ◽  
Physical Activity Behavior ◽  
Blue Collar ◽  
Work Time ◽  
Eligibility Criteria ◽  
Blue Collar Workers ◽  
Study Protocols ◽  
Methodologic Quality

Background: This systematic review assessed evidence on the accelerometer-measured sedentary and physical activity (PA) behavior of nonoffice workers in “blue-collar” industries. Methods: The databases CINAHL, Embase, MEDLINE, PubMed, and Scopus were searched up to April 6, 2018. Eligibility criteria were accelerometer-measured sedentary, sitting, and/or PA behaviors in “blue-collar” workers (≥10 participants; agricultural, construction, cleaning, manufacturing, mining, postal, or transport industries). Data on participants’ characteristics, study protocols, and measured behaviors during work and/or nonwork time were extracted. Methodologic quality was assessed using a 12-item checklist. Results: Twenty studies (representing 11 data sets), all from developed world economies, met inclusion criteria. The mean quality score for selected studies was 9.5 (SD 0.8) out of a maximum of 12. Data were analyzed using a range of analytical techniques (eg, accelerometer counts or pattern recognition algorithms). “Blue-collar” workers were more sedentary and less active during nonwork compared with work time (eg, sitting 5.7 vs 3.2 h/d; moderate to vigorous PA 0.5 vs 0.7 h/d). Drivers were the most sedentary (work time 5.1 h/d; nonwork time 8.2 h/d). Conclusions: High levels of sedentary time and insufficient PA to offset risk are health issues for “blue-collar” workers. To better inform interventions, research groups need to adopt common measurement and reporting methodologies.

scholarly journals Perceived Stress among Different Occupational Groups and the Interaction with Sedentary Behaviour

2019 ◽  
Vol 16 (23) ◽  
pp. 4595 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dėdelė ◽  
Miškinytė ◽  
Andrušaitytė ◽  
Bartkutė
Keyword(s):  
Physical Activity ◽  
Sedentary Behaviour ◽  
Perceived Stress ◽  
White Collar ◽  
Individual Characteristics ◽  
Blue Collar ◽  
Full Time ◽  
Occupational Groups ◽  
Blue Collar Workers ◽  
The Impact

Sedentary lifestyle and low physical activity are associated with health issues, including both physical and mental health, non-communicable diseases, overweight, obesity and reduced quality of life. This study investigated differences in physical activity and other individual factors among different occupational groups, highlighting the impact of sedentary behaviour on perceived stress by occupation. Cross-sectional study included 571 full-time workers of Kaunas city, Lithuania. The outcome of this study was assessment of perceived stress. Time spent sedentary per day, occupation and other individual characteristics were self-reported using questionnaires. Two main occupational groups were analysed: white-collar and blue-collar workers. Multivariate logistic regression was used to assess the impact of sedentary behaviour on perceived stress among different occupational groups. The prevalence of high sedentary behaviour was 21.7 and 16.8 % among white-collar and blue-collar workers, respectively. Blue-collar workers had a higher risk of high perceived stress (OR 1.55, 95% CI 1.05–2.29) compared to white-collar workers; however, sedentary time did not have any impact on high perceived stress level. Meanwhile, white-collar male (OR 4.34, 95% CI 1.46–12.95) and white-collar female (OR 3.26, 95% CI 1.23–8.65) workers who spend more than three hours per day sedentary had a greater risk of high levels of perceived stress. These findings indicate sedentary behaviour effect on perceived stress among two occupational groups—white-collar and blue-collar workers—and other important factors associated with perceived stress.

Blue-collar workers, career success and innovation in manufacturing

2019 ◽  
Vol 24 (6) ◽  
pp. 529-544 ◽  
Author(s):  
Valentina Cillo ◽  
Alexeis Garcia-Perez ◽  
Manlio Del Giudice ◽  
Francesca Vicentini
Keyword(s):  
Career Success ◽  
Structural Equation ◽  
Business Performance ◽  
Dynamic Capabilities ◽  
Positive Relationship ◽  
Soft Skills ◽  
Blue Collar ◽  
High Tech ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Blue Collar Workers

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to contribute to the understanding of the relationship between employees’ knowledge and organisational performance. Design/methodology/approach Using a structural equation model, feedback received from 237 blue-collar workers from multinational high-tech manufacturing enterprises in Italy was studied to understand, from a dynamic capabilities perspective, the role of soft skills in the career success of production workers. Findings The results of the analysis indicate a positive relationship between workers’ commitment to develop their soft skills and their career success, as well as a positive relationship between an organisation’s approach to both knowledge exploration and knowledge exploitation and the prospects for career success of blue-collar workers. Research limitations/implications The research has both theoretical and practical implications, as any efforts by researchers and practitioners to find effective ways to motivate the workforce will be likely to lead to a positive attitude towards learning and, ultimately, to improved business performance. Originality/value The originality of the paper is the focus on the personality and interpersonal attributes of workforce – blue-collar workers – and how they can affect business performance in highly innovative contexts.

scholarly journals Company Satisfaction, Company Commitment and Work Involvement : An Empirical Examination of Blue Collar

2005 ◽  
Vol 31 (3) ◽  
pp. 434-447
Author(s):  
Vishwanath Baba ◽  
Muhammad Jamal
Keyword(s):  
Power Distribution ◽  
Positive Relationship ◽  
Scaling Factor ◽  
Manufacturing Industries ◽  
Blue Collar ◽  
Statistical Techniques ◽  
Empirical Examination ◽  
Blue Collar Workers ◽  
Work Involvement ◽  
Guttman Scaling

This study investigates the relationships among Company satisfaction, company commitment and work involvement for a sample of blue-collar workers drawn from packaging, power distribution and manufacturing industries in Canada. Guttman scaling, factor analysis and correlational analysis are the statistical techniques employed to analyze the data. The results confirms the hypothesized positive relationship among the three attitudes.

Objectively measured physical activity and 12-month trajectories of neck–shoulder pain in workers: A prospective study in DPHACTO

2017 ◽  
Vol 45 (3) ◽  
pp. 288-298 ◽  
Author(s):  
David M. Hallman ◽  
Marie Birk Jørgensen ◽  
Andreas Holtermann
Keyword(s):  
Physical Activity ◽  
Shoulder Pain ◽  
Leisure Time ◽  
Text Messages ◽  
Blue Collar ◽  
Mean Intensity ◽  
Blue Collar Workers ◽  
The Mean ◽  
Objectively Measured ◽  
Objectively Measured Physical Activity

Aims: This study aimed to investigate the association between objectively measured physical activity at work and leisure and the intensity (mean level and time course) of neck–shoulder pain (NSP) over 12 months among male and female blue collar workers. Methods: Data were obtained from 625 blue collar workers from the Danish cohort DPHACTO. Physical activity was measured objectively at baseline using accelerometers. The percentage of time spent in physical activity (walking, climbing stairs, running and cycling) was calculated for both work and leisure time. Longitudinal data on the intensity of NSP (numerical rating scale 0–10) were collected using text messages every fourth week over 12 months. Linear mixed models were used to investigate the associations between occupational physical activity (OPA) and leisure time physical activity (LTPA) and the trajectories of the intensity of NSP, adjusted for individual, biomechanical and psychosocial factors, and baseline pain. Results: OPA was not associated with the mean intensity of NSP over 12 months. LTPA was negatively associated with the mean intensity of NSP both among men ( B=−0.71, 95% CI −1.31 to −0.11) and women ( B=−0.85, 95% CI −1.57 to −0.13). Sex interactions on the 12-month trajectories of NSP showed that higher physical activity was associated with a slower reduction in NSP among men for OPA only ( B=0.03, 95% CI 0.01-0.05) and women for LTPA only ( B=0.05, 95% CI 0.00-0.09). Conclusions: We found that more time in LTPA was associated with a lower overall intensity of NSP over 12 months among blue collar workers. However, depending on sex and domain, high physical activity had an unfavourable effect on the course of NSP over 12 months.

scholarly journals Objectively-measured physical activity and stress levels in workers: a systematic review physical activity and stress in workers

2021 ◽  
Vol 26 ◽  
pp. 1-8
Author(s):  
Marcelo Frio Marins ◽  
Barbara Sutil da Silva ◽  
Natan Feter ◽  
Marcelo Cozzensa da Silva
Keyword(s):  
Physical Activity ◽  
Systematic Review ◽  
Vigorous Physical Activity ◽  
White Collar ◽  
Blue Collar ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Blue Collar Workers ◽  
White Collar Workers ◽  
Objectively Measured ◽  
Objectively Measured Physical Activity

To investigate the relationship between objectively measured physical activity and occupational stress in different work environments. This systematic review, registered in the PROSPERO database (CRD42020214884), followed the PRISMA methodology. The search took place in October/2020 in the following databases: Web of Science, SPORTDiscus, MedLine/PubMed, PsycINFO, EMBASE, OVID MEDLINE, Scielo and CINAHL. Keywords related to eligible participants (adults and workers), interventions (physical activity objectively measured), comparison (control group or baseline), outcome (stress), and study design (observational studies) were combined using Boolean terms. From 1,524 identified records, 12 articles were included, totaling 2,082 workers. 66.7% of the studies were carried out in Europe and 50.0% among health professionals. Blue collar workers (20.7% [n = 430]) and white collar workers (18.3% [n = 382]), medical resident (6.5% [n = 135]) and protection services (9.7% [n = 202]) were the predominant occupations. Physical activity was higher in blue-collar workers than in white-collar workers, and shift-working nurses were more active compared to non-shift workers and office workers. Increased mental workload was not associated with time spent on physical activities in most studies (10 [83.3%)]). Some studies showed that light physical activity was associated with higher levels of stress and moderate to vigorous physical activity was beneficial for reducing stress dimensions. In conclusion, most studies did not find an association between objectively measured physical activity and the level of stress in workers. Studies with robust methodologies and covering different groups of workers remain necessary.

Whose Class Is It Anyway? The “White Working Class” and the Myth of Trump

2020 ◽  
pp. 87-105
Author(s):  
Sarah Jaffe
Keyword(s):  
Working Class ◽  
Income Distribution ◽  
Popular Media ◽  
Blue Collar ◽  
People Of Color ◽  
Median Income ◽  
College Degrees ◽  
Blue Collar Workers ◽  
2016 Election ◽  
White Working Class

This chapter unpacks myths about the white working class and its support for Donald Trump in the 2016 election. Popular media wrongly suggest that millions of white, economically disadvantaged, uneducated blue-collar workers were responsible for Trump's victory. The chapter examines the evidence, showing that two-thirds of Trump voters made more than the median income but more than half of those without college degrees were in the top half of the income distribution. The chapter suggests that these voters were not motivated by enthusiasm about Trump's priorities but rather were protesting a system that had left them behind. The myth of the struggling white working-class voter, clamoring for Trump to make America great again, ignores the millions of working-class workers who are people of color and misunderstands racism. This chapter shows how important it is to listen to Trump voters, to understand why working-class people are angry, and to question the media's narrative of the white working class.

scholarly journals What is the most important determinant of cardiometabolic risk in 60–65-year-old subjects: physical activity-related behaviours, overall energy expenditure or occupational status? A cross-sectional study in three populations with different employment status in Poland

BMJ Open ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (7) ◽  
pp. e025905
Author(s):  
Bartłomiej Konrad Sołtysik ◽  
Joanna Kostka ◽  
Kamil Karolczak ◽  
Cezary Watała ◽  
Tomasz Kostka
Keyword(s):  
Physical Activity ◽  
Risk Factors ◽  
Cardiovascular Risk ◽  
Cardiovascular Risk Factors ◽  
Cardiometabolic Risk ◽  
Occupational Status ◽  
Blue Collar ◽  
Elderly Subjects ◽  
Anthropometric Indices ◽  
Blue Collar Workers

ObjectivesThe aim of the study was to determine whether cardiovascular risk factors may differ according to occupational status and whether physical activity related to total energy expenditure (PA-EE) and related to health-related behaviours (PA-HRB) is associated with common cardiovascular risk factors or metabolic syndrome in pre-elderly subjects.MethodsThree hundred subjects aged 60–65 were recruited and divided into three equal groups of white-collar, blue-collar workers and unemployed subjects; 50% were women. The subjects were tested for major cardiovascular risk factors such as smoking, anthropometric indices, blood pressure, lipid levels, glucose, uric acid and homocysteine. PA-EE and PA-HRB were assessed with PA questionnaires.ResultsBlue-collar workers displayed higher anthropometric indices, blood pressure and higher PA-EE in comparison with other two groups. PA-HRB had a positive impact on body mass indices, lipids, glucose, uric acid and the prevalence of metabolic syndrome, with no such relationship observed for PA-EE.ConclusionsThe greatest cardiovascular risk was observed in the blue-collar workers group. Only PA-HRB had a positive association with cardiometabolic risk profile. No relationship was observed for PA-EE. Thus, promoting everyday life and leisure time PA behaviours is crucial for preventing cardiometabolic risk in pre-elderly subjects, even in blue-collar workers with high work-related EE.

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