Protecting those who protect nature by supporting conservationists’ mental wellbeing

Biodiversity conservation work can be challenging but rewarding, with potential consequences for conservationists’ mental health. Yet, little is known about patterns of mental health among conservationists and its associated protective and risk factors. A better understanding can help improve working conditions, supporting conservationists’ job satisfaction, productivity, and engagement, while reducing costs from staff turnover, absenteeism, and presenteeism. We surveyed 2311 conservationists across 143 countries, asking about experiences of psychological distress, personal characteristics, and workplace conditions. Moderate or severe distress was reported by 27.8%. Respondents with low dispositional and conservation-specific optimism, poor physical health, limited social support, women, and early-career professionals were most at risk. Heavy workload, job demands, and organisational instability were linked to higher distress, but job stability and satisfaction with one’s contributions to conservation were associated with lower distress. We suggest ways employers and others could support conservationists’ mental health and ability to tackle the global ecological crisis.

Organisational Capability for Delayed Retirement

Throughout the industrialised world, societies are ageing. These demographic changes have created a political and societal focus on an extended working life. Unfortunately, there is a lack of systematic knowledge about how such changes can be successfully implemented within organisations. In this chapter, we discuss this lacuna and specifically focus on organisational capability. We highlight workplace conditions and practices that may inhibit or promote the retention of workers beyond the previous norm for retirement.The novelty of an organisational capability approach is that it highlights workplace conditions that enable older people to use their abilities to perform acts of value and to achieve a better quality of life and greater participation in society. Workplace resources, capabilities and functions form a dynamic pattern. Factors that influence the work abilities of older workers are related in complex interactions and not merely in the format of simple cause and effect.When looking at retirement from the perspective of older workers, we have focused on aspects such as the individual’s ability to control the retirement process. Central to Sen’s idea is that individuals have different conversion factors, which means that, even though two individuals may have access to the same resources, they do not necessarily have the capability to enjoy the same functions. For example, the probability that an older person will remain employed will partially depend on his or her health, human capital and type of job. But two seemingly similar individuals can nevertheless have very different chances of remaining employed because their employer has implemented very different age management policies, or simply because they have different attitudes towards older workers. Since organisational capability makes it possible to focus on the interaction between the individual’s resources and preferences and the opportunity structure existing at the workplace (meso level) and embodied in the retirement system (macro level), much of the discussion and many of the policies and practices concerning older people can be related to the concept of capabilities.

Emirati Parents’ Attitudes toward the Military and National Service in the United Arab Emirates

Compulsory national service for male citizens presents the United Arab Emirates (UAE) Armed Forces with an opportunity to recruit future military officers. Research showed that parental attitudes towards the military, manifested through their communication with youths, are likely to influence youths’ decision on a military career. Hence this study examined the attitudes of Emirati parents on the UAE military and national service; particularly parental perceptions of the military work environment; support of a military career for their children; and concerns about national service. Surveys, individual and focus group interviews were conducted with 59 Emirati parents. It found that most participants held the positive view that the military work environment helps attainment of professional goals but were uncertain about personal goals and workplace conditions. Also, more participants were supportive of a military career for sons than daughters. It also identified the basis for parental confidence about enlistment as patriotism and development of positive character traits but main concerns were the exposure to harsh training conditions and threat to life during enlistment. Recommendations were provided for better engagement by the UAE military with Emirati parents and the community.

Depression, Anxiety and Associated Factors among Frontline Hospital Healthcare Workers in the Fourth Wave of COVID-19: Empirical Findings from Vietnam

(1) Background: This study aims to assess the magnitude of, and factors associated with, depression and anxiety among Vietnamese frontline hospital healthcare workers in the fourth wave of COVID-19; (2) Methods: A hospital based cross-sectional study was carried out within two weeks, October 2020, at a central COVID-19 treatment hospital. Depression and anxiety were measured with PHQ-9 and GAD-7, respectively. Bivariate and multivariate logistic regression analysis were applied to recognize variables related to depression and anxiety, respectively; (3) Results: Among 208 frontline hospital healthcare workers, overall prevalence of depressive symptoms, anxiety symptoms, and both symptoms of depression and anxiety was 38.94%, 25.48% and 24.04%, respectively, in healthcare workers. In a reduced model after using multivariate stepwise logistic regression, age (OR = 0.9, p = 0.001), marital status (OR = 7.84, p = 0.027), profession (OR = 0.39, p = 0.028), having experienced traumatic stress following a work event (OR = 46.24, p < 0.001), feeling at very high risk for COVID-19 (OR = 0.02, p < 0.04), and affected by workplace conditions (OR = 5.36, p < 0.001) were associated with the symptoms of depression. With regard to symptoms of anxiety, single status (OR: 12.18, p = 0.002), being medical technician (OR: 68.89, p < 0.001), alcohol use (OR: 6.83, p = 0.014), using pain relief medications (OR: 25.50, p = 0.047), having experienced traumatic stress following a family event (OR: 130.32, p = 0.001), having experienced traumatic stress following a work event (OR: 181.55, p = 0.002), reporting at very high risk for COVID-19 (OR: 29.64, p = 0.011), treating moderate (OR: 6.46, p = 0.038) and severe (OR: 18.96, p = 0.004) COVID-19 patients, and being significantly affected by the community (OR: 6.33, p = 0.003) were increased risk factors for the symptoms of anxiety. Meanwhile, those living with 4–5 people (OR: 0.15, p = 0.011), specializing in infectious disease (OR: 0.13, p = 0.044)/resuscitation and emergency medicine (OR: 0.04, p = 0.046), and having knowledge preparation before participating in COVID-19 (OR: 0.008, p = 0.014) were less associated with the symptoms of anxiety; (4) Conclusions: There was a relatively high prevalence among Vietnamese hospital healthcare workers exhibiting symptoms of depression and anxiety during the ongoing pandemic. Greater attention to training in psychological skills should be suggested for those belonging to a younger age group, being single/widowed/divorced, treating moderate and severe COVID-19 patients, feeling at very high risk for COVID-19, being significantly affected a lot the community or workplace conditions, or experiencing traumatic stress following a family/work event in the past week.

Effects of emotional healing on organisational learning and radical innovation: a leadership-based approach

PurposeThe objective of this study was to provide empirical evidence of the relationship between emotional healing, analysed as a leader behaviour and radical innovation.Design/methodology/approachTo test the hypotheses, structural equations were used, with organisational learning capability as an explanatory variable. The study was conducted in a population of 402 Spanish companies. A sample frame of 292 questionnaires was obtained from 146 different organisations. The fieldwork took place in two stages, in 2010 and again in 2015.FindingsResults confirm the hypotheses proposed in the model. Emotional healing promotes organisational learning capability and, in turn, radical innovation.Practical implicationsOur results provide some guidelines for companies that are trying to develop radical innovations by improving the workplace conditions.Originality/valueTo our knowledge, there are no previous studies which studied the relationship between emotional healing and its effect on radical innovation. Therefore, providing empirical evidence of such a relationship is the main contribution of this paper.

Compliance issue of ready-made garments industry in Bangladesh: A case study

The aim of this research is to look into the current situation and difficulties that the compliance department faces in ensuring compliance in Bangladesh's Ready Made Garments industry. Data are gathered using a formal questionnaire from the compliance department of the garments industry, which is in charge of addressing compliance concerns in the workplace. According to the report, the garments industry faces the least difficulty in removing child labor in the workplace, followed by welfare services, workplace protection, workplace conditions, health care, and so on. The garments industry has found that freedom of association, workplace health and safety training, violence and bullying, and extended working hours are the most difficult issues to deal with inside factory premises. It also shows that the most significant obstacle for top management in implementing enforcement is a lack of top-level funding, which is accompanied by a lack of worker knowledge of their rights, a lack of government involvement, and inadequate worker literacy. The results suggest that the garment owners need to change their mindset from pure benefit to a long-term enterprise focused on justice and quality. Governments, non-governmental organizations, and labor unions all have a role to play in informing employers of their interests. Via preparation, dialogue, and fair and periodic inspections, the government should show a firm commitment to enforcing the laws.

Evaluating Occupational Morbidity Among Energy Enterprise Employees In Industrial Region Of Kazakhstan

Our research project was aimed at studying the effects of an electromagnetic field of industrial frequency (EMF-IF) on employees of an energy company in Kazakhstan. Material and Methods — The object of our study was the health status of electricians (morbidity with temporary disability – MTD), engaged in the maintenance of power lines, relay protection systems and substations (220 and 500 kV) at an energy enterprise in Kazakhstan. The interrelation and dependence of the intensive MTD indicators on the hygienic factors at the workplace were determined, and the risks were calculated from the obtained data. Results — Unfavorable workplace conditions caused an increase in disorders of the musculoskeletal system (up to 77%), blood circulation (up to 65%), nervous system (up to 52%), skin diseases (up to 46.4%), as well as the manifold rise of the likelihood of neoplasm growth and respiratory diseases. For electricians, the relationships between the nervous system disorders (r=0.792), the circulatory system diseases (r=0.573), the musculoskeletal system ailments (r=0.672) and the EMF-IF parameters were discovered. At the same time, the dependence of the incidence rates of various diseases in workers on EMF, as well as moderate to high computed relative risks, implied the occupational genesis of worklace ailments: for nervous system – R2=0.628, cardiovascular system – R2=0.709, skin – R2=0.729, and musculoskeletal system – R2=0.413. Conclusion — As preventive measures for electricians, we recommended to wear individual exposure meters, to limit work in contact with EMF, to include an oncologist in the medical commission, and for trainees, to screen for oxidative stress proteins and chaperone proteins to exclude a predisposition to oncogenesis.

Is It Because You Don’t Want to? A Content Analysis of Police Executive Leaders’ Perceptions of Policewomen’s Careers in Europe

The impediments and barriers that women face in entering and developing a police career have received relatively little attention from researchers. As of today in Europe, despite the slow progress, the 25% barrier to female representation has already been overcome in several countries. However, many areas remain closed to women within police organizations. In this context, research was conducted based on a content analysis of the perceptions of 56 police officers, 28 men and 28 women with considerable police experience, occupying executive leadership positions from a total of 26 European countries. Data was collected through a questionnaire composed of 23 open questions. The results show a considerable gap between the perceptions of male and female police executive leaders with regard to access, career development and workplace conditions faced by policepersons. According to the results, the mirage of equality, dominant in the view of male police officers, is a major barrier to achieving real equality, both horizontally and vertically. What implications these results have on the strategies that police organizations should follow to achieve the challenge of inclusion are discussed, and new ways of analysis are proposed.

Maintenance scheduling of a cheddar cheese manufacturing plant based on RAM analysis

PurposeThe purpose of this research is to calculate and enhance the cheese cheddar manufacturing plant efficiency under actual workplace conditions by measuring reliability, availability and maintainability (RAM) indices. The authors highlight how RAM analysis is important in determining periodic maintenance and in scheduling and managing the appropriate maintenance policy.Design/methodology/approachThe current work is conducted using statistical approaches to evaluate failure and repair statistics. The RAM estimation was calculated on the basis of quantitative data obtained over a span of 32 months. Descriptive statistics, Pareto analysis, as well as the presumption of independence were ensured through trend and serial correlation tests. In addition, the reliability and maintainability of the cheddar cheese processing plant and its machines were calculated at various mission periods.FindingsThe primary goal of the implementation approach is to understand the fault patterns and the accurate quantitative assessment of the reliability and maintainability of the cheddar production plant. The findings revealed the essential aspects of the line, which need improvement by an appropriate maintenance program.Originality/valueThis study is intended to serve to highlight the RAM assessment and its impact on the performance of the real-time system. The benefit of the technique is the continual control of the manufacturing process by means of acceptable indexes, whose use corresponds to a continuous improvement process.

Motivation as an indicator of performance and productivity from the perspective of employees

Motivation plays a crucial role on employees’ performance. Though organizations have an interest in keeping the employees motivated at work, they do not always have the complete picture on what indeed motivates an employee. Scholars agree that money (including employees’ wages) significantly affects employees’ performance and productivity, but they do not unanimously place it among the strongest determinants of employee motivation. The main purpose of this work was to explore the factors influencing the true motivation of employees to enhance their performance and productivity at work. This study employed a quantitative research design based on data collected during the severe period of the COVID-19 pandemic. There were 110 participants, of which 38 (34.5%) males 72 (65.5%) females working in different companies in Albania. The results showed a moderate level of satisfaction and motivation at work and a significant correlation between the motivation and success of the company. Additionally, the data indicated that most of the participants were satisfied with the financial allowances, but that they aspired to have higher wages and better workplace conditions. Therefore, higher salaries, extra bonuses and the promotion in their role at work or recognition and appreciation seem to be very important motivational factors for the employees. Finally, this study proposes recommendations for companies on how to implement different strategies to increase employees’ motivation and enhance the business effectiveness. This study analyses data collected during the global pandemic and would serve as reference for periods associated with dire financial difficulty.