scholarly journals Homeworking during the COVID-19 pandemic: Lessons for research and practice for sustainable (home)working in government

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Peter Mathieu Kruyen ◽  
Rick Borst ◽  
Beatrice van der Heijden ◽  
Marjolein Missler ◽  
Stéfanie André ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Working Conditions ◽  
Contextual Factors ◽  
A Priori ◽  
Job Demands ◽  
Background Characteristics ◽  
Public Servants ◽  
Research And Practice ◽  
Work From Home ◽  
Template Analysis ◽  
New Situation

During the COVID-19 pandemic, public servants in many countries were mandated to work from home. The unprecedented nature of the situation entailed considerable challenges for providing adequate HR support. In this study, we explored how Dutch public servants experienced mandatory homeworking by conducting a template analysis. Based on in-depth analyses of 985 written accounts, we inductively expanded an a priori template derived from the Job-Demands-Resource (JD-R) framework, to understand and analyze how public servants experienced their new situation. We found that components of mandatory homeworking trigger different experienced resources and demands with divergent consequences for different employees. Our study raises awareness about the effects of contextual factors, specifically personal background characteristics and working conditions, that are important to understand their divergent experiences with mandatory homeworking. Our findings are translated into propositions that extend the JD-R model. We end with lessons to create sustainable (home)working conditions in government.

The Role of Dimensional Distinctiveness in Children's and Adults' Artifact Categorization

2005 ◽  
Vol 16 (2) ◽  
pp. 137-144 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rubi Hammer ◽  
Gil Diesendruck
Keyword(s):  
Preschool Children ◽  
Contextual Factors ◽  
A Priori ◽  
Functional Similarity ◽  
Second Stage ◽  
Functional Dimension

There are conflicting results as to whether preschool children categorize artifacts on the basis of physical or functional similarity. The present study investigated the effect of the relative distinctiveness of these dimensions in children's categorization. In a physical-distinctive condition, preschool children and adults were initially asked to categorize computer-animated artifacts whose physical appearances were more distinctive than their functions. In a function-distinctive condition, the functional dimension of objects was more distinctive than their physical appearances. Both conditions included a second stage of categorization in which both dimensions were equally distinctive. Participants in a control condition performed only this stage of categorization. Adults in all conditions and stages consistently categorized by functional similarity. In contrast, children's categorization was affected by the relative distinctiveness of the dimensions. Children may not have a priori specific beliefs about how to categorize novel artifacts, and thus may be more susceptible to contextual factors.

Public servants working from home: Exploring managers’ changing allowance decisions in a COVID-19 context

2021 ◽  
pp. 103530462110555
Author(s):  
Sue Williamson ◽  
Linda Colley ◽  
Meraiah Foley
Keyword(s):  
Employee Productivity ◽  
Public Servants ◽  
Jel Codes ◽  
Individual Level ◽  
The Public ◽  
Work From Home ◽  
Working From Home ◽  
The Individual ◽  
Organisational Level ◽  
Large Sections

Before the COVID-19 pandemic forced large sections of the workforce to work from home, the uptake of working from home in the public sector had been limited and subject to the discretion or ‘allowance decisions’ of individual managers. Allowance decisions are influenced by factors at the organisational, group and individual levels. This research examines managers’ allowance decisions on working from home at each of these levels. It compares two qualitative datasets: one exploring managerial attitudes to working from home in 2018 and another dataset collected in mid-2020, as Australia transitioned out of the initial pandemic lockdown. The findings suggest a change in the factors influencing managers’ allowance decisions. We have identified a new factor at the organisational level, in the form of local organisational criteria. At the group level, previous concerns about employee productivity largely vanished, and managers experienced an epiphany that working from home could be productive. At the individual level, a new form of managerial discretion emerged as managers attempted to reassert authority over employees working remotely. These levels intersect, and we conclude that allowance decisions are fluid and not made solely by managers but are the result of the interactions between the organisational, group and individual levels. JEL Codes J81, J32

Het belang van de context voor onderzoek binnen de organisatiepsychologie

2012 ◽  
Vol 25 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Wim van Breukelen
Keyword(s):  
Organizational Behavior ◽  
Contextual Factors ◽  
Field Studies ◽  
Cultural Factors ◽  
Organizational Characteristics ◽  
Research And Practice ◽  
Research Findings ◽  
The Individual ◽  
Underlying Processes ◽  
Voor Onderzoek

The importance of context in research on organizational behavior The importance of context in research on organizational behavior This article emphasizes the need to pay more attention to the context in field studies of organizational behavior. The context refers to factors external to the individual, which include organizational characteristics and societal and cultural factors. The context may offer additional explanations for research findings and may improve insights in underlying processes. In addition, a focus on contextual factors in a study may increase the fit between research and practice. This article describes the potential effects of contextual factors and offers possible reasons for the lack of attention to context in many studies. Finally, several recommendations are presented in order to bring contextual factors back into the study of behavior in organizations.

scholarly journals Changes in autonomy, job demands and working hours after diagnosis of chronic disease: a comparison of employed and self-employed older persons using the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing (ELSA)

2018 ◽  
Vol 72 (10) ◽  
pp. 951-957 ◽  
Author(s):  
Maria Fleischmann ◽  
Ewan Carr ◽  
Baowen Xue ◽  
Paola Zaninotto ◽  
Stephen A Stansfeld ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Longitudinal Study ◽  
Chronic Disease ◽  
Working Conditions ◽  
Older Persons ◽  
Job Demands ◽  
Working Hours ◽  
Chronically Ill ◽  
The Self ◽  
English Longitudinal Study ◽  
Physical Job Demands

BackgroundModifications in working conditions can accommodate changing needs of chronically ill persons. The self-employed may have more possibilities than employees to modify their working conditions. We investigate how working conditions change following diagnosis of chronic disease for employed and self-employed older persons.MethodsWe used waves 2–7 from the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing (ELSA). We included 1389 participants aged 50–60 years who reported no chronic disease at baseline. Using fixed-effects linear regression analysis, we investigated how autonomy, physical and psychosocial job demands and working hours changed following diagnosis of chronic disease.ResultsFor employees, on diagnosis of chronic disease autonomy marginally decreased (−0.10, 95% CI −0.20 to 0.00) and physical job demands significantly increased (0.13, 95% CI 0.01 to 0.25), whereas for the self-employed autonomy did not significantly change and physical job demands decreased on diagnosis of chronic disease (−0.36, 95% CI −0.64 to –0.07), compared with prediagnosis levels. Psychosocial job demands did not change on diagnosis of chronic disease for employees or the self-employed. Working hours did not change for employees, but dropped for self-employed (although non-significantly) by about 2.8 hours on diagnosis of chronic disease (−2.78, 95% CI −6.03 to 0.48).ConclusionImprovements in working conditions after diagnosis of chronic disease were restricted to the self-employed. This could suggest that workplace adjustments are necessary after diagnosis of chronic disease, but that the self-employed are more likely to realise these. Policy seeking to extend working life should consider work(place) adjustments for chronically ill workers as a means to prevent early exit from work.

A Social–Ecological Analysis of the Self-Determination Literature

2013 ◽  
Vol 51 (6) ◽  
pp. 496-511 ◽  
Author(s):  
Karrie A. Shogren
Keyword(s):  
Contextual Factors ◽  
People With Disabilities ◽  
Ecological Systems ◽  
The Self ◽  
Self Determination ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Ecological Analysis ◽  
Research And Practice ◽  
Social Ecological

Abstract This paper uses a social–ecological lens to examine self-determination research, attempting to organize what is known (and unknown) about contextual factors that have the potential to impact the development and expression of self-determined behavior in people with disabilities across multiple ecological systems. Identifying and categorizing the contextual factors that researchers suggest influence self-determination have the potential to allow for the development of a framework that promotes systematic consideration of contextual factors when designing, implementing, and evaluating supports to promote self-determination. Directions for future research and practice are discussed.

scholarly journals Does midwifery-led care demonstrate care ethics: A template analysis

2021 ◽  
pp. 096973302110086
Author(s):  
Kate Buchanan ◽  
Elizabeth Newnham ◽  
Deborah Ireson ◽  
Clare Davison ◽  
Sara Bayes
Keyword(s):  
Action Research ◽  
A Priori ◽  
Nominal Group Technique ◽  
Care Ethics ◽  
Information Provision ◽  
Nominal Group ◽  
Disrespect And Abuse ◽  
Action Research Project ◽  
Ethical Frameworks ◽  
Template Analysis

Background: Ethical care in maternity is fundamental to providing care that both prevents harm and does good, and yet, there is growing acknowledgement that disrespect and abuse routinely occur in this context, which indicates that current ethical frameworks are not adequate. Care ethics offers an alternative to the traditional biomedical ethical principles. Research aim: The aim of the study was to determine whether a correlation exists between midwifery-led care and care ethics as an important first step in an action research project. Research design: Template analysis was chosen for this part of the action research. Template analysis is a design that tests theory against empirical data, which requires pre-set codes. Participants and context: A priori codes that represent midwifery-led care were generated by a stakeholder consultative group of nine childbearing women using nominal group technique, collected in Perth, Western Australia. The a priori codes were applied to a predesigned template with four domains of care ethics. Ethical considerations: Ethics approval was granted by the Edith Cowan University research ethics committee REMS no. 2019-00296-Buchanan. Findings: The participants generated eight a priori codes representing ethical midwifery care, such as: 1.1 Relationship with Midwife; 1.2 Woman-centred care; 2.1 Trust women’s bodies and abilities; 2.2. Protect normal physiological birth; 3.1. Information provision; 3.2. Respect autonomy; 4.1. Birth culture of fear (midwifery-led care counter-cultural) and 4.2. Recognition of rite of passage. The a priori codes were mapped to the care ethics template. The template analysis found that midwifery-led care does indeed demonstrate care ethics. Discussion: Care ethics takes into consideration what principle-based bioethics have previously overlooked: relationship, context and power. Conclusion: Midwifery-led care has been determined in this study to demonstrate care ethics, which suggest that further research is defensible with the view that it could be incorporated into the ethical codes and conduct for the midwifery profession.

scholarly journals Working Conditions and Health of Leaders in Three Service Sectors

2021 ◽  
Vol 5 (2) ◽  
pp. 103-118
Author(s):  
Franziska Pundt ◽  
Marcel Lück
Keyword(s):  
Health Promotion ◽  
Working Conditions ◽  
Labour Force ◽  
Job Demands ◽  
Job Resources ◽  
Health Complaints ◽  
Musculoskeletal Health ◽  
Stress Theory ◽  
Service Sectors ◽  
Practical Implications

This study investigates the job demands, job resources, and health of leaders in three service sectors. The analyses are based on data of the 2018 BIBB/BAuA Employment Survey, a representative sample of the German labour force. The three service sectors trading, finance, and public services varied significantly in how leaders perceive job demands, job resources, psychosomatic health complaints, and musculoskeletal health complaints. Hardly any variation was found, however, in how demands and resources are associated with psychosomatic and musculoskeletal health complaints. These findings imply that service leaders’ perceptions provide sector-specific patterns of demands and resources, which are well reflected in stress theory. The findings further imply that there is no need for sector-specific theories predicting health complaints. The article concludes with a discussion of practical implications for health promotion in the three service sectors and the promotion of leaders’ health.

Teacher Working Conditions, Teacher Commitment, and Charter Schools

2017 ◽  
Vol 119 (6) ◽  
pp. 1-38
Author(s):  
Yongmei Ni
Keyword(s):  
Public Schools ◽  
Charter Schools ◽  
Working Conditions ◽  
Linear Models ◽  
Contextual Factors ◽  
School Teacher ◽  
Empirical Studies ◽  
Teacher Commitment ◽  
Professional Commitment ◽  
Teacher Working Conditions

Background The charter school movement relies on teachers as critical components. Teacher commitment is an important aspect of teachers’ lives, because it is an internal force for teachers to grow as professionals. It is also considered one of the crucial factors in influencing various educational outcomes, including teacher effectiveness, teacher retention, and student learning. However, no empirical studies have examined teacher commitment in charter schools. Purpose To address this knowledge gap, this study compares organizational and professional commitment of teachers in charter schools and traditional public schools (TPSs) and explores how these differences are associated with teachers’ characteristics, school contextual factors, and working conditions in the two types of schools. Research Design This study utilizes quantitative analyses of national data from the 2007– 2008 School and Staffing Survey. Hierarchical linear models were developed to examine whether teacher commitment differs between charter schools and TPSs; how teacher characteristics, school contextual factors, and teachers’ perceptions of working conditions contribute to the difference; and finally, whether these variables differentially influence teacher commitment in charter schools and TPSs. Conclusions On average, teachers in charter schools experienced lower levels of organizational commitment than teachers in TPSs, but similar levels of professional commitment. Teacher working conditions explained a large amount of the variance in between-school teacher commitment, suggesting that improving principal leadership, increasing opportunities for professional development, and alleviating teachers’ workload would be effective ways to promote teacher commitment in charter schools.

scholarly journals Health behaviours and psychosocial working conditions as predictors of disability pension due to different diagnoses: a population-based study

2020 ◽  
Vol 20 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Annina Ropponen ◽  
Jurgita Narusyte ◽  
Karri Silventoinen ◽  
Pia Svedberg
Keyword(s):  
Social Support ◽  
Musculoskeletal Disorders ◽  
Working Conditions ◽  
Disability Pension ◽  
Job Demands ◽  
Health Behaviours ◽  
Population Based ◽  
Job Control ◽  
Psychosocial Working Conditions ◽  
Unit Increase

Abstract Background To investigate whether the clustering of different health behaviours (i.e. physical activity, tobacco use and alcohol consumption) influences the associations between psychosocial working conditions and disability pension due to different diagnoses. Methods A population-based sample of 24,987 Swedish twins born before 1958 were followed from national registers for disability pension until 2013. Baseline survey data in 1998–2003 were used to assess health behaviours and psychosocial Job Exposure Matrix for job control, job demands and social support. Cox proportional hazards models were used to calculate hazard ratios (HR) with 95% confidence intervals (CI). Results During follow-up, 1252 disability pensions due to musculoskeletal disorders (5%), 601 due to mental diagnoses (2%) and 1162 due to other diagnoses (5%) occurred. In the models controlling for covariates, each one-unit increase in job demands was associated with higher (HR 1.16, 95%CI 1.01–1.33) and in job control with lower (HR 0.87, 95%CI 0.80–0.94) risk of disability pension due to musculoskeletal disorders among those with unhealthy behaviours. Among those with healthy behaviours, one-unit increase of social support was associated with a higher risk of disability pension due to mental and due to other diagnoses (HRs 1.29–1.30, 95%CI 1.04–1.63). Conclusions Job control and job demands were associated with the risk of disability pension due to musculoskeletal disorders only among those with unhealthy behaviours. Social support was a risk factor for disability pension due to mental or other diagnoses among those with healthy behaviours. Workplaces and occupational health care should acknowledge these simultaneous circumstances in order to prevent disability pension.

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