Prediction of Health-Related Leave Days among Workers in the Energy Sector by Means of Genetic Algorithms

In this research, a model is proposed for predicting the number of days absent from work due to sick or health-related leave among workers in the industry sector, according to ergonomic, social and work-related factors. It employs selected microdata from the Sixth European Working Conditions Survey (EWCS) and combines a genetic algorithm with Multivariate Adaptive Regression Splines (MARS). The most relevant explanatory variables identified by the model can be included in the following categories: ergonomics, psychosocial factors, working conditions and personal data and physiological characteristics. These categories are interrelated, and it is difficult to establish boundaries between them. Any managing program has to act on factors that affect the employees’ general health status, process design, workplace environment, ergonomics and psychosocial working context, among others, to achieve success. This has an extensive field of application in the energy sector.

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The Stressful Implications of Remote E-Working: Evidence from Europe

International Journal of Business and Management ◽

10.5539/ijbm.v15n7p108 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 15 (7) ◽

pp. 108

Author(s):

Ylenia Curzi ◽

Tommaso Fabbri ◽

Barbara Pistoresi

Keyword(s):

Occupational Stress ◽

Working Conditions ◽

Adverse Impact ◽

Work Related ◽

Home Based ◽

European Working ◽

European Working Conditions Survey ◽

Work Intensification ◽

Related Stress ◽

Work Goals

This paper investigates the importance of different modes of spatial flexibility as well as of the distinction between autonomy and discretion to find plausible explanations of the so-called autonomy paradox, which maintains that the more the job autonomy that remote e-workers have the greater the effort they put into their work with adverse effects on work-related stress. Using multiple regressions, we test the hypotheses regarding the direct influence of autonomy, discretion and work intensification as well as their interaction effects on occupational stress in two subsamples of 1.380 home-based e-workers and 2.574 mobile ones drawn from the 2015 European Working Conditions Survey. The main findings are as follows. Home-based e-workers perceive that autonomy (namely over work goals) directly decreases occupational stress and buffers work intensification (i.e. autonomy over work goals and in the organizational choices of their department/company). In the context of remote e-work, discretion is more likely to boost the stressful impact of work intensification when work is mobile. At the same time, we do not find that autonomy increases work intensification, neither among mobile e-workers, nor among home-based e-workers (for whom it buffers the adverse impact of work intensification). In summary, this study does not confirm the existence of an autonomy paradox associated with remote e-work. Contrarily, it suggests that such a paradox is more likely to surface when research relies on conceptual frameworks that ambiguously define autonomy in terms of what should be more properly conceptualized as discretion.

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Association of Working Conditions with Self-Reported Work-Related Symptoms: Results from the Swiss Dataset of the European Working Conditions Survey

The Open Occupational Health & Safety Journal ◽

10.2174/1876216601103010001 ◽

2011 ◽

Vol 3 (1) ◽

pp. 1-7 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Marc Arial

Keyword(s):

Working Conditions ◽

Work Related ◽

European Working ◽

European Working Conditions Survey

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Women, work and health / Ženske, delo in zdravje

Slovenian Journal of Public Health ◽

10.2478/sjph-2013-0015 ◽

2013 ◽

Vol 52 (2) ◽

pp. 137-147 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Aleksandra Kanjuo Mrčela ◽

Miroljub Ignjatović

Keyword(s):

Gender Differences ◽

Working Conditions ◽

Mental Health Problems ◽

Work Conditions ◽

Working Environment ◽

Physical And Mental Health ◽

European Working ◽

Mental Problems ◽

European Working Conditions Survey ◽

Health Related

Abstract Background: This paper discusses gender differences in working conditions and related psychological and health risks in Slovenia. Methods: The analysis is based on the 5th European Working Conditions Survey and data from a special Module on working conditions and psychological and health risks in the working environment in Slovenia obtained in 2010. Results: Gender differences exist in the reported work conditions and work satisfaction of the employed population, and the reported physical and mental health problems in Slovenia. Analysis of the correlation between health-related problems under different work conditions also show gender differences. Conclusion: Women are more overburdened with paid and unpaid work, they report less autonomy at the workplace, are less satisfied with working conditions and they report more physical and mental problems that are associated with work.

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Evaluating working conditions in the informal economy: Evidence from the 2015 European Working Conditions Survey

International Sociology ◽

10.1177/0268580919836666 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 34 (3) ◽

pp. 281-306 ◽

Cited By ~ 6

Author(s):

Colin C Williams ◽

Ioana Alexandra Horodnic

Keyword(s):

Logistic Regression ◽

Regression Analysis ◽

Working Conditions ◽

Logistic Regression Analysis ◽

Informal Economy ◽

Mixed Effects ◽

Policy Implications ◽

Formal Economy ◽

European Working ◽

European Working Conditions Survey

Although it is widely held that working conditions in the informal economy are worse than in the formal economy, little evidence has been so far provided. The aim of this article is to fill this lacuna by comparing the working conditions of informal employees with formal employees using the 2015 European Working Conditions Survey. Multilevel mixed-effects logistic regression analysis provides a nuanced and variegated appreciation of which working conditions are worse for informal employees, which are no different, and which are better for informal than formal employees. The article concludes by discussing the theoretical and policy implications.

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Psychosocial Working Conditions Play an Important Role in the Return-to-Work Process After Total Knee and Hip Arthroplasty

Journal of Occupational Rehabilitation ◽

10.1007/s10926-021-10006-7 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Tamara Kamp ◽

Sandra Brouwer ◽

Tjerk H. Hylkema ◽

Jan van Beveren ◽

Paul C. Rijk ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Return To Work ◽

Sex Education ◽

Working Conditions ◽

Hip Arthroplasty ◽

Survey Study ◽

Related Factors ◽

Psychosocial Working Conditions ◽

Work Related ◽

Multicenter Survey ◽

Total Knee

AbstractPurpose Both personal and work-related factors affect return to work (RTW) after total knee arthroplasty (TKA) and total hip arthroplasty (THA). Little is known about work-related factors associated with the recovery process. This study aimed to determine which work-related factors are associated with time to RTW for both TKA and THA patients. Methods A prospective multicenter survey study was conducted that included patients aged 18–63, had a paid job and were scheduled to undergo primary TKA/THA. Surveys were completed preoperatively, 6 weeks, and 3, 6, and 12 months postoperatively, and included four domains of work-related factors: work characteristics, physical working conditions, psychosocial working conditions and work adjustments. Control variables included age, sex, education, and comorbidity. Time to RTW was defined as days from surgery until RTW. Multivariate linear regression analyses were conducted separately for TKA/THA patients. Results Enrolled were 246 patients (n = 146 TKA, n = 100 THA, median age 56 years, 57% female). Median time to RTW was 79 days (IQR 52.0–146.0). Mainly physical tasks (TKA: B 58.2, 95%CI 9.5–106.8; THA: B 52.1, 95%CI 14.1–90.2) and a combination of physical and mental tasks (TKA: B 50.2, 95%CI 6.4–94.0; THA B 54.0, 95%CI 24.2–83.7) were associated with longer time to RTW after both TKA and THA. More possibilities for personal job development (B − 12.8, 95%CI − 25.3–0.4) and more work recognition (B − 13.2, 95%CI − 25.5 to − 0.9) were significantly associated with shorter time to RTW after TKA. Higher quality of supervisor leadership (B − 14.1, 95%CI − 22.2 to − 6.0) was significantly associated with shorter time to RTW after THA. Conclusion The findings of this study stress the importance of psychosocial working conditions, besides type of job tasks, in RTW after TKA/THA. Further research on work-related factors is needed, as arthroplasty is being performed on an increasingly younger population of knee and hip OA patients for whom participating in work is of critical importance.

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The Nordic difference: Job quality in Europe 1995–2010

Nordic Journal of Working Life Studies ◽

10.19154/njwls.v2i4.2308 ◽

2012 ◽

Vol 2 (4) ◽

pp. 135 ◽

Cited By ~ 7

Author(s):

Tomi Oinas ◽

Timo Anttila ◽

Armi Mustosmäki ◽

Juoko Nätti

Keyword(s):

Welfare State ◽

Working Conditions ◽

Nordic Countries ◽

Job Quality ◽

The Other ◽

European Working ◽

European Working Conditions Survey ◽

Advantageous Position ◽

Nordic Welfare State ◽

The Eu

Previous empirical research has pointed out that Nordic countries are distinguished from the rest of Europe in terms of job quality. On the other hand, it has been debated whether, in the longer run, the Nordic welfare state is able to insulate workers from globalization effects. This article investigates whether Nordic countries have retained their advantageous position concerning job quality compared with other EU countries. Empirical analyses are based on the European Working Conditions Survey collected in 1995, 2000, 2005, and 2010. We use data on employees in the 15 member states of the EU prior to enlargement in 2004 (n = 61,457). The results partly confirm previous findings of high job quality in the Nordic countries. However, there are clear differences between Nordic countries. To be precise, Denmark stands out from the rest of Europe and other Nordic countries with its higher level of job quality.

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Presenteeism among workers: health-related factors, work-related factors and health literacy

Occupational Medicine ◽

10.1093/occmed/kqaa168 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 70 (8) ◽

pp. 564-569

Author(s):

E Goto ◽

H Ishikawa ◽

T Okuhara ◽

H Ueno ◽

H Okada ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Health Status ◽

Health Literacy ◽

Job Demands ◽

Job Control ◽

Related Factors ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Workplace Support ◽

Work Related ◽

Self Rated Health ◽

Health Related

Abstract Background Presenteeism is an important factor in workers’ health. However, few studies have examined how variables such as socio-economic status, health status, workplace status and health literacy correlate with and affect presenteeism. Aims To assess the correlates of presenteeism with a focus on health-related factors, work-related factors and health literacy. Methods We conducted a cross-sectional study of 2914 Japanese workers from one company. We used a self-administered questionnaire to assess socio-demographic characteristics, health status, work environment, presenteeism and health literacy. Results Forty-one per cent of participants were under 40 years of age and 70% were male. We found that 59% of the participants were at high risk of presenteeism. Presenteeism was associated with sex, age, household income, marital status, health-related factors (i.e. self-rated health status, dietary choices, exercise habits), work-related factors (i.e. workplace support, job demands, job control) and health literacy. Logistic regression analyses indicated that presenteeism was associated with self-rated health status, overtime hours, workplace support, job demands, job control and health literacy after adjusting for sex, age and income. Conclusions Health-related factors, work-related factors and health literacy are all associated with presenteeism. Improving the workplace environment, especially factors such as overtime working hours, workplace support, job demands and job control, and increasing health literacy may reduce presenteeism among general office workers.

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