The health of employees is so paramount for employee productivity. While emphasis is often placed on the physical health of employees, less emphasis is placed on the psychological or mental health of the employees. Similarly, it seems as if health challenges are more occurring in manufacturing industries, but the service organizations employees are as well susceptible to mental health challenges. Understanding the predictive factors to mental health challenges therefore becomes imperative. It is on this note that the present research examines how employee mental health is predicted by work safety measures like perceived workplace safety, work overload and pay satisfaction. The workplace safety variables include perception of job, co-worker, supervisor, management, and safety programs. A cross sectional survey method was adopted, using ex-post-facto research design. Data were gathered from 258 employees, including 150 (58.1%) females and 108 (41.9%) males of a non-governmental organization. Correlation and regression analyses were used to analyze data obtained from the standardized psychological scales that were administered. The results showed that mental health correlated positively with perceived job safety, but negatively with perceived co-worker, supervisor, management, safety programs and pay satisfaction. Workplace safety variables jointly predicted mental health, accounting for 23% variance, but only perceived job safety and supervisor safety were significant. The higher employees perceived job safety, the lower their mental health challenges. Similarly, the higher they perceived supervisor safety, the lower their mental health issues. Pay satisfaction accounted for 3% variance in mental health, and the higher the pay satisfaction, the lower the level of employee mental health issues. It is implied that the human resource unit of service organizations should intermittently examine their organizations to identify and prevent possible job and supervisor safety threats. Supervisors should be trained on how to be discrete in communicating safety measures to subordinates so that it will not boomerang to hamper mental health. The human resources unit should also intermittently organize workshop, training, and employee-assisted programs for younger and lower grade employees on adaptive mechanisms for reducing mental health challenges.
Introduction: Many detrimental effects on employees’ health and wellbeing might result from inadequate illumination in the workplace. Headaches and trouble focusing can result from eye strain brought on by inadequate illumination. The purpose of this study was to simulate and optimize workplace illumination in the ceramic industry. Materials and methods: A common Luxmeter ST-1300 was used to measure the illumination in seven workplaces at a height of 100 cm above the floor. DIALux evo version 7.1 software was used to simulate the illumination of workplaces. To optimize the illumination conditions, a numerical experiment design consisting of 16 scenarios was used for each of the workplaces. Four factors were considered for each scenario: luminaire height, number of luminaires, luminous flux, and light loss factor. The Design-Expert program version 13.0.5.0 was applied for developing the scenarios. Finally, by developing quadratic models for each workplace, the optimization process was implemented. Results: Every workplace had illumination levels that were measured to be between 250 and 300 lux. Instead of using compact fluorescent luminaires, LED technology was recommended to maximize the illumination conditions for the workers. Following optimization, 376 lux of illumination were visible at each workstation in every workspace. For the majority of the workspaces, the simulated illumination was expected to have a desirability degree greater than 0.9. The uniformity and illumination of the workplace were significantly impacted by the two factors of luminaire height and luminaire count. Conclusion: The primary outcomes of this optimization were the environmental, political, and socioeconomic ones, including reduced consumption power, high light flux, and environmental compatibility. Nonetheless, the optimization technique applied in this work can be applied to the design of similar situations, such as residential infrastructure.
Nomophobia, the anxiety experienced when individuals are separated from their mobile phones, is becoming increasingly prevalent in modern workplaces. This study investigates the role of organizational commitment in mitigating nomophobia, with a focus on the mediating influence of the ethical environment. Data were collected from 600 participants and analyzed using Structural Equation Modeling (SEM). The findings show that a strong sense of organizational commitment significantly reduces nomophobia among employees. Additionally, an ethical environment within organizations further mitigates this anxiety by fostering a workplace culture that encourages psychological well-being. This research provides practical insights for organizations looking to reduce the psychological strain associated with digital dependency, emphasizing the importance of both commitment and a strong ethical climate.
This research explores the necessity and the effect of job resources for undergraduates’ career satisfaction during work experience in an apprenticeship program. Additionally, we examine the extent to which a supportive environment enhances apprentice career satisfaction by providing access to valuable learning experiences. We propose PLS equation modelling with a sample of 81 students who completed a dual apprenticeship degree in Business Administration and Management at Spanish University. The study finds that all three workplace job resources are necessary for career satisfaction among apprentices. Learning opportunities and social relations have significant effects, while job control contributes only marginally. It highlights that learning opportunities enhance social relations, emphasizing the importance of feedback. The study extends job resource research to university level apprenticeships, showing that without these resources, apprentices lack career satisfaction. It highlights that learning opportunities are crucial for satisfaction through social relations and offers guidance for designing effective workplace training programs.
A serious problem in the workplace is incivility, which impacts especially vulnerable groups like single mothers who hold jobs and experience subtle unfair or damaging treatment. As the number of single working mothers continues to rise in today’s workforce, this study aims to clarify third-party perceptions about incivility against them at work and subsequent influences on individuals as well as the organization. Because the analysis is embedded in theories of social role expectations and organizational justice, it explores third-party observers’ perceptions (such as coworkers or supervisors) of whether incivility directed at single working mothers differs from that experienced by their comparison group—professionally equivalent peers who do not share equal caregiver responsibilities. The researchers employed a mixed-methods approach, incorporating both quantitative surveys and in-depth qualitative interviews to collect rich data from participants who represented several fields. They report their results that third-party observers are less likely to experience vicarious justification of incivility against single working mothers but may be equally unlikely or even more reluctant than in the case of other employees and furthermore find this data account for these differences. The results illustrate the intricate interplay of gender, family structure and work dynamics on workplace outcomes—all leading to lower job satisfaction rates, a high level of stress or even stagnation in career progression for single working mothers. Our findings also extend the workplace incivility literature by demonstrating ways in which single working mothers are particularly vulnerable to this form of mistreatment and a broader need for organizational policies that cultivate an inclusive, supportive environment. Implications for human resource management, organizational culture and policy based on these findings are discussed as it may provide some recommendations for handling incivility in the workplace environment.
Purpose: This research paper aims to assess the proficiency of tertiary education providers in engaging with online learning environments, especially in the context of the post-COVID-19 transition. The COVID-19 pandemic accelerated the adoption of online learning platforms, it is essential to understand how educational institutions have adapted and evolved in their approach to virtual education. The central research question explores how Continuous Professional Development (CPD), Technological Infrastructure (TI), and Support Systems (SS) collectively influence educators’ proficiency in online teaching (POT). Study design/methodology/approach: A comparative study was performed, comparing data collected during the COVID-19 pandemic with post-pandemic data from higher education institutions in Uzbekistan. In-depth interviews were conducted with 15 education facilitators representing both public and international educational institutions. This purposive sampling approach allows for a holistic exploration of the experiences, challenges, strategies, and preparedness of these facilitators during the transition to online learning. Manual qualitative data classification and content analysis were employed to understand themes in respondent experiences and identified actions. Findings: The study reveals the significant role of CPD, robust TI, and effective SS in enhancing the Proficiency of tertiary education providers in engaging with Online Teaching. These elements were found to be significant determinants of how well institutions and educators adapted to the shift to virtual education. The research offers valuable insights for educators, policymakers, and students, aiding in decision-making processes within academia and guiding the development and implementation of effective online teaching strategies. Originality/value: This study contributes to the existing literature by providing an in-depth understanding of the adjustments education facilitators make in response to the pandemic. It emphasizes the importance of ongoing preparation for online learning and highlights the role of digital workplace capabilities in ensuring successful interaction in virtual educational environments.
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