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Turunen J, Karhula K, Ropponen A, Koskinen A, Shiri R, Sallinen M, Ervasti J, Pehkonen J, Härmä M. The Time-Varying Effect of Participatory Shift Scheduling on Working Hour Characteristics and Sickness Absence: Evidence from a Quasi-Experiment in Hospitals. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2022; 19:14654. [PMID: 36429372 PMCID: PMC9690287 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph192214654] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2022] [Revised: 11/02/2022] [Accepted: 11/03/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Participatory shift scheduling for irregular working hours can influence shift schedules and sickness absence. We investigated the effects of using participatory shift scheduling and shift schedule evaluation tools on working hour characteristics and sickness absence. We utilized a panel data for 2015-2019 with 16,557 hospital employees (6143 in the intervention and 10,345 in the control group). Difference-in-differences regression with ward-level clustered standard errors was used to estimate the average treatment effect on the treated coefficients relative to timing of the intervention with 95% confidence intervals (CI). Using participatory scheduling tool increased long working hours and weekend work and had delayed effects on the short (1-3 days) sickness absences. Increased effects were observed: 0.2 [95% CI 0.0-0.4] days for the second, and 0.8 [95% CI 0.5-1.0] for the third year after the onset of intervention. An average increase of 0.5 [95% CI 0.1-0.9] episodes on all sickness absence episodes was observed for the third year. Using the shift schedule evaluation tool with the participatory shift scheduling tool attenuated the adverse effects. To conclude, participatory shift scheduling increased some potentially harmful working hour characteristics but its effects on sickness absence were negligible, and further attenuated by using the shift schedule evaluation tool.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jarno Turunen
- Finnish Institute of Occupational Health, P.O. Box 40, FI-00032 Helsinki, Finland
- Jyväskylä University School of Business and Economics, FI-40014 Jyväskylä, Finland
| | - Kati Karhula
- Finnish Institute of Occupational Health, P.O. Box 40, FI-00032 Helsinki, Finland
| | - Annina Ropponen
- Finnish Institute of Occupational Health, P.O. Box 40, FI-00032 Helsinki, Finland
- Division of Insurance Medicine, Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet, 171 77 Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Aki Koskinen
- Finnish Institute of Occupational Health, P.O. Box 40, FI-00032 Helsinki, Finland
| | - Rahman Shiri
- Finnish Institute of Occupational Health, P.O. Box 40, FI-00032 Helsinki, Finland
| | - Mikael Sallinen
- Finnish Institute of Occupational Health, P.O. Box 40, FI-00032 Helsinki, Finland
| | - Jenni Ervasti
- Finnish Institute of Occupational Health, P.O. Box 40, FI-00032 Helsinki, Finland
| | - Jaakko Pehkonen
- Jyväskylä University School of Business and Economics, FI-40014 Jyväskylä, Finland
| | - Mikko Härmä
- Finnish Institute of Occupational Health, P.O. Box 40, FI-00032 Helsinki, Finland
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Shiri R, Turunen J, Kausto J, Leino-Arjas P, Varje P, Väänänen A, Ervasti J. The Effect of Employee-Oriented Flexible Work on Mental Health: A Systematic Review. Healthcare (Basel) 2022; 10:883. [PMID: 35628020 PMCID: PMC9141970 DOI: 10.3390/healthcare10050883] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/07/2022] [Revised: 05/04/2022] [Accepted: 05/06/2022] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
The effect of flexible work on mental health is not well known. The aim of this systematic review was to assess the effects of employee-oriented flexible work on mental health problems and associated disability. Literature searches were conducted in the PubMed, Scopus, Web of Sciences, Cochrane Library, PsycINFO, ProQuest and EconPapers databases from their inception through October-November 2020. Sixteen studies on the associations of worktime control, working from home, or flexible working arrangements with mental health related outcomes were included in the review: one cluster randomized controlled trial, two non-randomized controlled trials, two cross-over studies, and 11 prospective cohort studies. Three reviewers independently assessed the met-hodological quality of the included studies and extracted the data. The included studies differed in design, intervention/exposure, and outcome, so meta-analysis was not carried out and qualitative results were reported. A few prospective cohort studies found that low employees' control over worktime increases the risk of depressive symptoms, psychological distress, burnout, and accumulated fatigue. One cross-over and a few cohort studies found small beneficial effects of working partly from home on depressive symptoms, stress, and emotional exhaustion. A small number of controlled trials, cross-over or cohort studies found that flexible working arrangements increase employees' control over working hours, but have only modest beneficial effects on psychological distress, burnout, and emotional exhaustion. This systematic review suggests that employee-oriented flexible work may have small beneficial effects on mental health. However, randomized controlled trials and quasi-experimental studies are needed to identify the health effects of flexible work.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rahman Shiri
- Finnish Institute of Occupational Health, P.O. Box 18, Työterveyslaitos, FI-00032 Helsinki, Finland; (J.T.); (J.K.); (P.L.-A.); (P.V.); (A.V.); (J.E.)
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Shiri R, Karhula K, Turunen J, Koskinen A, Ropponen A, Ervasti J, Kivimäki M, Härmä M. The Effect of Using Participatory Working Time Scheduling Software on Employee Well-Being and Workability: A Cohort Study Analysed as a Pseudo-Experiment. Healthcare (Basel) 2021; 9:healthcare9101385. [PMID: 34683065 PMCID: PMC8544422 DOI: 10.3390/healthcare9101385] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/02/2021] [Revised: 10/05/2021] [Accepted: 10/12/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Shift workers are at increased risk of health problems. Effective preventive measures are needed to reduce the unfavourable effects of shift work. In this study we explored whether use of digital participatory working time scheduling software improves employee well-being and perceived workability by analysing an observational cohort study as a pseudo-experiment. Participants of the Finnish Public Sector cohort study with payroll records available between 2015 and 2019 were included (N = 2427). After estimating the propensity score of using the participatory working time scheduling software on the baseline characteristics using multilevel mixed-effects logistic regression and assigning inverse probability of treatment weights for each participant, we used generalised linear model to estimate the effect of using the participatory working time scheduling software on employees’ control over scheduling of shifts, perceived workability, self-rated health, work-life conflict, psychological distress and short sleep (≤ 6 h). During a 2-year follow-up, using the participatory working time scheduling software reduced the risk of employees’ low control over scheduling of shifts (risk ratio [RR] 0.34; 95% CI 0.25–0.46), short sleep (RR 0.70; 95% CI 0.52–0.95) and poor workability (RR 0.74; 95% CI 0.55–0.99). The use of the software was not associated with changes in psychological distress, self-rated health and work-life conflict. In this observational study, we analysed as a pseudo-experiment, the use of participatory working time scheduling software was associated with increased employees’ perceived control over scheduling of shifts and improved sleep and self-rated workability.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rahman Shiri
- Finnish Institute of Occupational Health, 00250 Helsinki, Finland; (K.K.); (J.T.); (A.K.); (A.R.); (J.E.); (M.K.); (M.H.)
- Correspondence:
| | - Kati Karhula
- Finnish Institute of Occupational Health, 00250 Helsinki, Finland; (K.K.); (J.T.); (A.K.); (A.R.); (J.E.); (M.K.); (M.H.)
| | - Jarno Turunen
- Finnish Institute of Occupational Health, 00250 Helsinki, Finland; (K.K.); (J.T.); (A.K.); (A.R.); (J.E.); (M.K.); (M.H.)
| | - Aki Koskinen
- Finnish Institute of Occupational Health, 00250 Helsinki, Finland; (K.K.); (J.T.); (A.K.); (A.R.); (J.E.); (M.K.); (M.H.)
| | - Annina Ropponen
- Finnish Institute of Occupational Health, 00250 Helsinki, Finland; (K.K.); (J.T.); (A.K.); (A.R.); (J.E.); (M.K.); (M.H.)
- Division of Insurance Medicine, Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Karolinska Institute, 171 77 Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Jenni Ervasti
- Finnish Institute of Occupational Health, 00250 Helsinki, Finland; (K.K.); (J.T.); (A.K.); (A.R.); (J.E.); (M.K.); (M.H.)
| | - Mika Kivimäki
- Finnish Institute of Occupational Health, 00250 Helsinki, Finland; (K.K.); (J.T.); (A.K.); (A.R.); (J.E.); (M.K.); (M.H.)
- Department of Public Health, University of Helsinki, 00014 Helsinki, Finland
| | - Mikko Härmä
- Finnish Institute of Occupational Health, 00250 Helsinki, Finland; (K.K.); (J.T.); (A.K.); (A.R.); (J.E.); (M.K.); (M.H.)
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Roodbari H, Axtell C, Nielsen K, Sorensen G. Organisational interventions to improve employees' health and wellbeing: A realist synthesis. APPLIED PSYCHOLOGY-AN INTERNATIONAL REVIEW-PSYCHOLOGIE APPLIQUEE-REVUE INTERNATIONALE 2021. [DOI: 10.1111/apps.12346] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Hamid Roodbari
- Institute for Work Psychology, Sheffield University Management School University of Sheffield Sheffield UK
| | - Carolyn Axtell
- Institute for Work Psychology, Sheffield University Management School University of Sheffield Sheffield UK
| | - Karina Nielsen
- Institute for Work Psychology, Sheffield University Management School University of Sheffield Sheffield UK
| | - Glorian Sorensen
- Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health Boston Massachusetts USA
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Fox KE, Johnson ST, Berkman LF, Sianoja M, Soh Y, Kubzansky LD, Kelly EL. Organisational- and group-level workplace interventions and their effect on multiple domains of worker well-being: A systematic review. WORK AND STRESS 2021. [DOI: 10.1080/02678373.2021.1969476] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Kimberly E. Fox
- Harvard Center for Population and Development Studies, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Department of Sociology, Bridgewater State University, Bridgewater, MA, USA
| | - Sydney T. Johnson
- Harvard Center for Population and Development Studies, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Lisa F. Berkman
- Harvard Center for Population and Development Studies, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Marjaana Sianoja
- MIT Sloan School of Management, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Faculty of Social Sciences/Psychology, University of Tampere, Tampere, Finland
| | - Yenee Soh
- Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Laura D. Kubzansky
- Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA
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Wynendaele H, Gemmel P, Peeters E, Myny D, Trybou J. The effect of self-scheduling on organizational justice and work attitudes through leader-member exchange: A cross-sectional study using propensity scores. Int J Nurs Stud 2021; 122:104032. [PMID: 34329916 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijnurstu.2021.104032] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/30/2020] [Revised: 06/02/2021] [Accepted: 07/01/2021] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Nurses have a very stressful and demanding job, which probably affects their health and well-being. This has resulted in a search for an optimal nurse schedule. Self-scheduling is one method to enhance flexibility and give more control to the employee. Literature on self-scheduling is scarce and mainly focused on the implementation process. So far, little is known about the long-term effects of self-scheduling. OBJECTIVE The comparison of effects of self-scheduling versus fixed scheduling on three dimensions of organizational justice (distributive, procedural, interactional justice) and three work attitudes (job satisfaction, affective commitment, global empowerment). This total effect is decomposed into direct and indirect effects via hypothesised mediators (leader-member exchange and organizational justice). DESIGN A cross-sectional multisite-matched study. SETTING A questionnaire was distributed to nurses and nurse assistants of twelve nursing homes in Flanders (Belgium). Six matched pairs of nursing homes were formed, each containing a nursing home that uses self-scheduling (for at least one year) and one that uses fixed scheduling. PARTICIPANTS The study sample included 308 nurses and nurse assistants, of which 160 surveys were from nursing homes using fixed scheduling, versus 148 surveys from nursing homes using self-scheduling. METHODS Using a double robust fixed effects regression model adjusted for the propensity score, the total effect of self-scheduling compared to fixed scheduling was analysed on the proposed outcomes. Subsequently, a (multiple) mediation analysis was performed. RESULTS If all people would have used self-scheduling instead of fixed scheduling, on average a significant decrease in the mean procedural justice score (estimated mean difference = -0.20, 95% CI -0.36 to -0.05) would be found. There is a significant negative direct effect (estimated mean difference = -0.12, 95% CI -0.21 to -0.03) and indirect effect via the mediator leader-member-exchange (estimated mean difference = -0.08, 95% CI -0.15 to -0.01) on procedural justice. In addition, significant negative indirect effects of self-scheduling were found via the mediator leader-member exchange on all the investigated outcomes. CONCLUSION Drawing up the work schedule is perceived as less fair in the case of self-scheduling. Furthermore, self-scheduling has a negative indirect effect on several work attitudes as a result of the changed relationship between the head nurse and the employees. The increase in task variety and decision-making autonomy for the employees and the altered leadership role of the head nurse can have a major impact on the dynamics of the entire team.
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Affiliation(s)
- Herlinde Wynendaele
- Department of Public Health and Primary Care, Ghent University, Corneel Heymanslaan, Ghent 10 9000, Belgium.
| | - Paul Gemmel
- Department of Marketing, Innovation and Organization, Ghent University, Tweekerkenstraat 2, Ghent 9000, Belgium.
| | - Ellen Peeters
- Department Organization of the Faculty of Management Sciences, Open University, Valkenburgerweg 177, 6419 AT Heerlen, the Netherlands.
| | - Dries Myny
- Department of Public Health and Primary Care, Ghent University, Corneel Heymanslaan, Ghent 10 9000, Belgium.
| | - Jeroen Trybou
- Department of Public Health and Primary Care, Ghent University, Corneel Heymanslaan, Ghent 10 9000, Belgium.
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Wynendaele H, Gemmel P, Pattyn E, Myny D, Trybou J. Systematic review: What is the impact of self-scheduling on the patient, nurse and organization? J Adv Nurs 2020; 77:47-82. [PMID: 33016472 DOI: 10.1111/jan.14579] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/26/2020] [Revised: 07/29/2020] [Accepted: 08/07/2020] [Indexed: 01/24/2023]
Abstract
AIM To systematically review and evaluate the literature on the impact of self-scheduling on patient, nurse and organization-related outcomes. DESIGN A systematic review. DATA SOURCES PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, Cinahl, Scopus, Google Scholar, ERIC and Cochrane Library were screened until October 2019 (week 40) for peer-reviewed, empirical articles, written in English, Dutch or French. REVIEW METHODS Two reviewers screened title and abstract using predetermined eligibility criteria and one reviewer screened the full texts of relevant hits. Quality was assessed with the Mixed Methods Appraisal Tool. RESULTS Studies (N = 23) were retained and classified into explanatory and descriptive studies. The articles reported on a range of outcomes: patient- and nurse-reported quality of care, job satisfaction, satisfaction with scheduling, work/life balance, planning involvement, interaction with colleagues, health and well-being, psychosocial factors, professional development, nurse manager's scheduling time, general working conditions, turnover, temporary employment agency use and absenteeism, recruitment and retention. CONCLUSION The evidence base is limited. Several studies confirmed the positive impact of self-scheduling on the nurse and the organization. However, other studies found negative outcomes or no change. These outcomes should be interpreted in the light of contextual factors and the implementation process, which was often not without difficulties. Future research should use a multimethod longitudinal design, bear in mind the possibilities of quantitative research (e.g. for studying psychosocial factors) and employ a theoretical framework. IMPACT This review informs about the inconsistent evidence on the association between self-scheduling and patient, nurse and organization-related outcomes and includes enablers and barriers to a successful implementation. These outcomes are influenced by the implementation process and the sustainability of the self-scheduling system, which are still major challenges for healthcare management. This demonstrates the urgent need for further research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Herlinde Wynendaele
- Department of Public Health and Primary Care, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Paul Gemmel
- Department of Marketing, Innovation and Organization, Department of Public Health and Primary Care, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Eva Pattyn
- Department of Public Health and Primary Care, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Dries Myny
- Department of Public Health and Primary Care, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Jeroen Trybou
- Department of Public Health and Primary Care, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
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Rydenfält C, Holgersson C, Östlund B, Arvidsson I, Johansson G, Persson R. Picking low hanging fruit - A scoping review of work environment related interventions in the home care sector. Home Health Care Serv Q 2020; 39:223-237. [PMID: 32538305 DOI: 10.1080/01621424.2020.1772936] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/24/2022]
Abstract
Home care for elderly people is an important part of the social welfare system. The sector employs many people, especially women, and work environment issues are common. This review explores the scientific literature on organizational interventions that target the home care work environment. Altogether, 16 studies of varying quality met the inclusion criteria. The interventions identified involved organizational change, education and training, digitalization and scheduling. Many interventions were concerned with changing specific behaviors or with introducing new technology rather than tackling complex issues such as sick leave, stress or gender inequality. Employee participation increased the likelihood of success.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Charlotte Holgersson
- Department of Industrial Economics and Management, KTH Royal Institute of Technology , Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Britt Östlund
- Department of Biomedical Engineering and Health Systems, KTH Royal Institute of Technology , Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Inger Arvidsson
- Division of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Lund University , Lund, Sweden
| | - Gerd Johansson
- Department of Design Sciences, Lund University , Lund, Sweden
| | - Roger Persson
- Department of Psychology, Lund University , Lund, Sweden
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Albrecht SC, Kecklund G, Leineweber C. The mediating effect of work-life interference on the relationship between work-time control and depressive and musculoskeletal symptoms. Scand J Work Environ Health 2020; 46:469-479. [PMID: 32118284 PMCID: PMC7737796 DOI: 10.5271/sjweh.3887] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Objectives Evidence shows that work-time control (WTC) affects health but underlying mechanisms are still unclear. Work-life interference (WLI) might be a step on the causal pathway. The present study examined whether WLI mediates effects on mental and physical health and contrasted these to other causal pathways. Methods Four biennial waves from the Swedish Longitudinal Occupational Survey of Health (SLOSH, N=26 804) were used. Cross-lagged analyses were conducted to estimate if WLI mediated effects from WTC (differentiating between control over daily hours and time off) to subsequent depressive and musculoskeletal symptoms. Other causal directions (reversed mediation, direct and reversed direct effects) and robustness of mediation (by including covariates) were examined. Results WLI partially mediated the relationship of WTC (control over daily hours/time off) with both health outcomes. Indirect effect estimates were small for depressive symptoms (-0.053 for control over time off and -0.018 for control over daily hours) and very small for musculoskeletal symptoms (-0.007 and -0.003, respectively). While other causal directions were generally weaker than causal mediational pathways, they played a larger role for musculoskeletal compared to depressive symptoms. Estimates relating to control over time off were in general larger than for control over daily hours. Conclusions Our results suggest that WLI mediates part of the effect from WTC to mental/musculoskeletal symptoms, but small estimates suggest that (i) WTC plays a small but consistent role in effects on health and (ii) particularly regarding musculoskeletal disorders, other causal directions and mediators need to be further examined.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sophie C Albrecht
- Stress Research Institute, Stockholm University, 106 91 Stockholm, Sweden.
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10
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Rasmussen CDN, Højberg H, Bengtsen E, Jørgensen MB. Identifying knowledge gaps between practice and research for implementation components of sustainable interventions to improve the working environment - A rapid review. APPLIED ERGONOMICS 2018; 67:178-192. [PMID: 29122189 DOI: 10.1016/j.apergo.2017.09.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/03/2017] [Revised: 06/09/2017] [Accepted: 09/24/2017] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
In a recent study, we involved all relevant stakeholders to identify practice-based implementation components for successful implementation and sustainability in work environment interventions. To understand possible knowledge gaps between evidence and practice, the aim of this paper is to investigate if effectiveness studies of the 11 practice-based implementation components can be identified in existing scientific literature. PubMed/MEDLINE, PsycINFO, and Web of Science were searched for relevant studies. After screening, 38 articles met the inclusion criteria. Since some of the studies describe more than one practice-based implementation concept a total of 125 quality criteria assessments were made. The overall result is that 10 of the 11 practice-based implementation components can be found in the scientific literature, but the evaluation of them is poor. From this review it is clear that there are knowledge gaps between evidence and practice with respect to the effectiveness of implementation concepts.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Helene Højberg
- National Research Centre for the Working Environment, Lersø Parkallé 105, 2100 Copenhagen Ø, Denmark
| | - Elizabeth Bengtsen
- National Research Centre for the Working Environment, Lersø Parkallé 105, 2100 Copenhagen Ø, Denmark
| | - Marie Birk Jørgensen
- National Research Centre for the Working Environment, Lersø Parkallé 105, 2100 Copenhagen Ø, Denmark
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11
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Leineweber C, Kecklund G, Lindfors P, Magnusson Hanson LL. Change in Work-Time Control and Work-Home Interference Among Swedish Working Men and Women: Findings from the SLOSH Cohort Study. Int J Behav Med 2017; 23:670-678. [PMID: 27126580 PMCID: PMC5118396 DOI: 10.1007/s12529-016-9565-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Purpose The aim is to study the influence of change in work–time control (WTC) on work–home interference (WHI) while adjusting for other work-related factors, demographics, changes at work and WHI at baseline among women and men. An additional aim was to explore sex differences in the relation between change in WTC and WHI. Methods The study included working participants of the Swedish Longitudinal Occupational Survey of Health (SLOSH) study of the third (2010) and fourth (2012) waves (n = 5440). Based on a seven-item index, four groups of WTC were formed: stable high (40 %), stable low (42 %), increasing (9 %), or decreasing (9 %) WTC over the 2 years. WHI was measured by four items and individuals were categorised in whether suffering or not suffering of WHI. Sex-stratified logistic regression analyses with 95 % confidence intervals (CI) were used to estimate the odds of experiencing WHI by change in WTC. Results Controlling for demographics and work-related factors, women with stable low (OR = 1.46; 95 % CI 1.14–1.88) and women and men with decreasing WTC (women OR = 1.99; 95 % CI 1.38–2.85; men OR = 1.80; 95 % CI 1.18–2.73) had higher odds of WHI than those with a stable high WTC. Additionally, adjusting for changes at work and WHI at baseline did not alter the results substantially. Interaction analysis did not reveal any significant sex difference in the relation between WTC and WHI. Conclusions For both women and men decreased and for women only, low control over working hours resulted in WHI also after adjusting for work-related factors and demographics.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Göran Kecklund
- Stress Research Institute, Stockholm University, SE-106 91, Stockholm, Sweden.,Behavioural Science Institute, Radboud University, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Petra Lindfors
- Department of Psychology, Stockholm University, Stockholm, Sweden
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12
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Weiß EE. Worktime control and work stress: the moderating effect of self-comparisons and social comparisons. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGEMENT 2017. [DOI: 10.1080/09585192.2017.1365747] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Eva-Ellen Weiß
- Faculty of Business Administration and Economics, Heinrich-Heine-University of Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf, Germany
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13
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ROPPONEN A, VANTTOLA P, KOSKINEN A, HAKOLA T, PUTTONEN S, HÄRMÄ M. Effects of modifications to the health and social sector's collective agreement on the objective characteristics of working hours. INDUSTRIAL HEALTH 2017; 55:354-361. [PMID: 28420807 PMCID: PMC5546844 DOI: 10.2486/indhealth.2016-0166] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/23/2016] [Accepted: 04/10/2017] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
This study aimed to evaluate the effects of an intervention on objective working-hour characteristics. The intervention involved making modifications to the collective agreement that would limit employees' entitlement to time off as compensation. The intervention group consisted of 493 and the control group of 2,303 health and social care shift workers, respectively. We analysed the objective pay roll-based working-hour data for 2012-2013, which we obtained from employers' records, using the repeated measures mixed model. The changes in objective working-hour characteristics were small, but systematic. The intervention had some positive effects: the amount of short recovery periods (<28 h) after the last night shift decreased from 5% to 3%, and the amount of working weeks of over 48 h decreased from 19% to 17%. The realization of employees' shift preferences increased from 18% to 20%. However, in contrast, consecutive work shifts and the number of scheduled absences increased and days off decreased, suggesting less time for recovery and thus a negative trend in shift ergonomics. When planning shifts, nursing management should avoid regulations that promote specific unhealthy shift characteristics, that is, consecutive work shifts and less days off.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Aki KOSKINEN
- Finnish Institute of Occupational Health, Finland
| | - Tarja HAKOLA
- Finnish Institute of Occupational Health, Finland
| | | | - Mikko HÄRMÄ
- Finnish Institute of Occupational Health, Finland
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14
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Kullberg A, Bergenmar M, Sharp L. Changed nursing scheduling for improved safety culture and working conditions - patients' and nurses' perspectives. J Nurs Manag 2016; 24:524-32. [DOI: 10.1111/jonm.12352] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 11/11/2015] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Anna Kullberg
- Department of Oncology-Pathology; Karolinska Institutet; Stockholm Sweden
| | - Mia Bergenmar
- Department of Oncology-Pathology; Karolinska Institutet; Stockholm Sweden
- Center for Digestive Diseases; Karolinska University Hospital; Stockholm Sweden
| | - Lena Sharp
- Department of Learning, Informatics, Management and Ethics; Karolinska Institutet; Stockholm Sweden
- Regional Cancer Centre; Stockholm-Gotland Sweden
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15
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Steffgen G, Kohl D, Reese G, Happ C, Sischka P. Quality of Work: Validation of a New Instrument in Three Languages. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2015; 12:14988-5006. [PMID: 26703634 PMCID: PMC4690894 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph121214958] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/23/2015] [Revised: 11/10/2015] [Accepted: 11/19/2015] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Introduction and objective: A new instrument to measure quality of work was developed in three languages (German, French and Luxembourgish) and validated in a study of employees working in Luxembourg. Methods and results: A representative sample (n = 1529) was taken and exploratory factor analysis revealed a six-factor solution for the 21-item instrument (satisfaction and respect, mobbing, mental strain at work, cooperation, communication and feedback, and appraisal). Reliability analysis showed satisfying reliability for all six factors and the total questionnaire. In order to examine the construct validity of the new instrument, regression analyses were conducted to test whether the instrument predicted work characteristics’ influence on three components of well-being—burnout, psychological stress and maladaptive coping behaviors. Conclusion: The present validation offers a trilingual inventory for measuring quality of work that may be used, for example, as an assessment tool or for testing the effectiveness of interventions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Georges Steffgen
- Institute for Health and Behavior, University of Luxembourg, Esch-sur-Alzette L-4365, Luxembourg.
| | - Diane Kohl
- Institute for Health and Behavior, University of Luxembourg, Esch-sur-Alzette L-4365, Luxembourg.
| | - Gerhard Reese
- Department of Social Psychology, Friedrich Schiller University Jena, Jena 07743, Germany.
| | - Christian Happ
- Department of Business Psychology, University of Trier, Trier 54286, Germany.
| | - Philipp Sischka
- Institute for Health and Behavior, University of Luxembourg, Esch-sur-Alzette L-4365, Luxembourg.
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16
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Nabe-Nielsen K, Jørgensen MB, Garde AH, Clausen T. Do working environment interventions reach shift workers? Int Arch Occup Environ Health 2015; 89:163-70. [PMID: 26002271 DOI: 10.1007/s00420-015-1060-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/28/2015] [Accepted: 05/12/2015] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE Shift workers are exposed to more physical and psychosocial stressors in the working environment as compared to day workers. Despite the need for targeted prevention, it is likely that workplace interventions less frequently reach shift workers. The aim was therefore to investigate whether the reach of workplace interventions varied between shift workers and day workers and whether such differences could be explained by the quality of leadership exhibited at different times of the day. METHODS We used questionnaire data from 5361 female care workers in the Danish eldercare sector. The questions concerned usual working hours, quality of leadership, and self-reported implementation of workplace activities aimed at stress reduction, reorganization of the working hours, and participation in improvements of working procedures or qualifications. RESULTS Compared with day workers, shift workers were less likely to be reached by workplace interventions. For example, night workers less frequently reported that they had got more flexibility (OR 0.5; 95 % CI 0.3-0.7) or that they had participated in improvements of the working procedures (OR 0.6; 95 % CI 0.5-0.8). Quality of leadership to some extent explained the lack of reach of interventions especially among fixed evening workers. CONCLUSIONS In the light of the evidence of shift workers' stressful working conditions, we suggest that future studies focus on the generalizability of results of the present study and on how to reach this group and meet their needs when designing and implementing workplace interventions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kirsten Nabe-Nielsen
- Section of Social Medicine, Department of Public Health, Center for Health and Society, University of Copenhagen, Øster Farimagsgade 5, 1014, Copenhagen, Denmark.
| | - Marie Birk Jørgensen
- The National Research Centre for the Working Environment, Lersø Parkallé 105, 2100, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Anne Helene Garde
- The National Research Centre for the Working Environment, Lersø Parkallé 105, 2100, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Thomas Clausen
- The National Research Centre for the Working Environment, Lersø Parkallé 105, 2100, Copenhagen, Denmark
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17
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Hurtado DA, Nelson CC, Hashimoto D, Sorensen G. Supervisors’ Support for Nurses’ Meal Breaks and Mental Health. Workplace Health Saf 2015; 63:107-15. [DOI: 10.1177/2165079915571354] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Meal breaks promote occupational health and safety; however, less is known about supervisors’ support for nurses’ meal breaks. In this study, the researchers tested whether the frequency of meal breaks was positively related to supervisors’ support of nurses’ meal breaks, and whether more frequent meal breaks were associated with less psychological distress. This study is based on a cross-sectional survey of 1,595 hospital nurses working on 85 units supervised by nursing directors. Specific meal-break support was measured at the nursing director level; frequency of meal breaks and psychological distress were measured at the individual nurse level. Multilevel adjusted models showed a positive association between supervisors’ support for meal breaks and the frequency of nurses’ meal breaks (β = .16, p < .001). Moreover, nurses who took meal breaks more frequently reported lower psychological distress (β = −.09, p < .05). Meal breaks might be daily opportunities to promote mental health and fatigue recovery and provide downtime.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Glorian Sorensen
- Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health
- Dana-Farber Cancer Institute
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18
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Hansen ÅM, Nabe-Nielsen K, Albertsen K, Hogh A, Lund H, Hvid H, Garde AH. Self-rostering and psychosocial work factors - a mixed methods intervention study. APPLIED ERGONOMICS 2015; 47:203-210. [PMID: 25479989 DOI: 10.1016/j.apergo.2014.10.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/19/2013] [Revised: 07/04/2014] [Accepted: 10/05/2014] [Indexed: 06/04/2023]
Abstract
This study aims at 1) examining the effect of self-rostering on emotional demands, quantitative demands, work pace, influence, social community at work, social support from leaders and colleagues, job satisfaction, and negative acts, 2) examining whether this effect was mediated through increased influence on the scheduling of working hours, and interpreting the results in light of the different implementation processes that emerged in the study and by including qualitative data. We conducted a 12 months follow-up, quasi-experimental study of self-rostering among 28 workplaces out of which 14 served as reference workplaces. We also interviewed 26 employees and 14 managers about their expectations of introducing self-rostering. In the present study implementation of self-rostering had a positive effect on job demands and the social environment of the workplace, especially if the intervention does not comprise drastic changes of the organisation of the employees' work and private life.
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Affiliation(s)
- Åse Marie Hansen
- National Research Centre for the Working Environment, Copenhagen, Denmark; Department of Public Health, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark.
| | | | - Karen Albertsen
- Department of Public Health, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark; Team Working Life, Trekronergade 15, 1, 2500 Valby, Denmark
| | - Annie Hogh
- Department of Psychology, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Henrik Lund
- The Department of Environmental, Social and Spatial Change, Roskilde University, Universitetsvej 1, P.O. Box 260, 4000 Roskilde, Denmark
| | - Helge Hvid
- The Department of Environmental, Social and Spatial Change, Roskilde University, Universitetsvej 1, P.O. Box 260, 4000 Roskilde, Denmark
| | - Anne Helene Garde
- National Research Centre for the Working Environment, Copenhagen, Denmark
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19
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Hadzibajramovic E, Ahlborg G, Grimby-Ekman A, Lundgren-Nilsson Å. Internal construct validity of the stress-energy questionnaire in a working population, a cohort study. BMC Public Health 2015; 15:180. [PMID: 25885917 PMCID: PMC4349768 DOI: 10.1186/s12889-015-1524-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/17/2014] [Accepted: 02/11/2015] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Psychosocial stress at work has been recognised as one of the most important factors behind the increase in sick leave due to stress-related mental disorders. It is therefore important to be able to measure perceived work stress in a way that is both valid and reliable. It has been suggested that the Stress-Energy Questionnaire (SEQ) could be a useful tool for measuring mood (stress and energy) at work and it has been used in many Scandinavian studies. The aim of the study is to examine the internal construct validity of the SEQ in a working population and to address measurement issues, such as the ordering of response categories and potential differences in how women and men use the scale – what is termed differential item functioning (DIF). Methods The data used in the present study is baseline data from a longitudinal cohort study aimed at evaluating psychosocial working conditions, stress, health and well-being among employees in two human service organisations in Western Sweden. A modern psychometric approach for scale validations, the Rasch model, was used. Results Stress items showed a satisfactory fit to the model. Problems related to unidimensionality and local dependence were found when the six stress items were fitted to the model, but these could be resolved by using two testlets. As regards the energy scale, although the final analysis showed an acceptable fit to the model some scale problems were identified. The item dull had disordered thresholds and DIF for gender was detected for the item passive. The items were not well targeted to the persons, with skewness towards high energy. This might explain the scale problems that were detected but these problems need to be investigated in a group where the level of energy is spread across the trait, measured by the SEQ. Conclusion The stress scale of the SEQ has good psychometric properties and provides a useful tool for assessing work-related stress, on both group and individual levels. However, the limitations of the energy scale make it suitable for group evaluations only. The energy scale needs to be evaluated further in different settings and populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emina Hadzibajramovic
- The Institute of Stress Medicine, Region Västra Götaland, Gothenburg, Sweden. .,Department of Public Health and Community Medicine, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden.
| | - Gunnar Ahlborg
- The Institute of Stress Medicine, Region Västra Götaland, Gothenburg, Sweden. .,Department of Public Health and Community Medicine, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden.
| | - Anna Grimby-Ekman
- Department of Public Health and Community Medicine, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden.
| | - Åsa Lundgren-Nilsson
- Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology, Department of Clinical Neuroscience and Rehabilitation, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden.
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20
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Pisarski A, Barbour JP. What roles do team climate, roster control, and work life conflict play in shiftworkers' fatigue longitudinally? APPLIED ERGONOMICS 2014; 45:773-779. [PMID: 24210672 DOI: 10.1016/j.apergo.2013.10.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/03/2012] [Revised: 08/16/2013] [Accepted: 10/17/2013] [Indexed: 06/02/2023]
Abstract
The study aimed to examine shiftworkers fatigue and the longitudinal relationships that impact on fatigue such as team climate, work life conflict, control of shifts and shift type in shift working nurses. We used a quantitative survey methodology and analysed data with a moderated hierarchical multiple regression. After matching across two time periods 18 months apart, the sample consisted of 166 nurses from one Australian hospital. Of these nurses, 61 worked two rotating day shifts (morning & afternoon/evening) and 105 were rotating shiftworkers who worked three shifts (morning afternoon/evening and nights). The findings suggest that control over shift scheduling can have significant effects on fatigue for both two-shift and three-shift workers. A significant negative relationship between positive team climate and fatigue was moderated by shift type. At both Time 1 and Time 2, work life conflict was the strongest predictor of concurrent fatigue, but over time it was not.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anne Pisarski
- Queensland University of Technology, QUT, School of Management, Gardens Point Campus, Alice Street, Brisbane 4000, Australia.
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21
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Montano D, Hoven H, Siegrist J. Effects of organisational-level interventions at work on employees' health: a systematic review. BMC Public Health 2014; 14:135. [PMID: 24507447 PMCID: PMC3929163 DOI: 10.1186/1471-2458-14-135] [Citation(s) in RCA: 152] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/28/2013] [Accepted: 02/06/2014] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Organisational-level workplace interventions are thought to produce more sustainable effects on the health of employees than interventions targeting individual behaviours. However, scientific evidence from intervention studies does not fully support this notion. It is therefore important to explore conditions of positive health effects by systematically reviewing available studies. We set out to evaluate the effectiveness of 39 health-related intervention studies targeting a variety of working conditions. Methods Systematic review. Organisational-level workplace interventions aiming at improving employees’ health were identified in electronic databases and manual searches. The appraisal of studies was adapted from the Cochrane Back Review Group guidelines. To improve comparability of the widely varying studies we classified the interventions according to the main approaches towards modifying working conditions. Based on this classification we applied a logistic regression model to estimate significant intervention effects. Results 39 intervention studies published between 1993 and 2012 were included. In terms of methodology the majority of interventions were of medium quality, and four studies only had a high level of evidence. About half of the studies (19) reported significant effects. There was a marginally significant probability of reporting effects among interventions targeting several organisational-level modifications simultaneously (Odds ratio (OR) 2.71; 95% CI 0.94-11.12), compared to those targeting one dimension only. Conclusions Despite the heterogeneity of the 39 organisational-level workplace interventions underlying this review, we were able to compare their effects by applying broad classification categories. Success rates were higher among more comprehensive interventions tackling material, organisational and work-time related conditions simultaneously. To increase the number of successful organisational-level interventions in the future, commonly reported obstacles against the implementation process should be addressed in developing these studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Diego Montano
- Senior Professorship "Work Stress Research", Faculty of Medicine, Duesseldorf University, Duesseldorf, Germany.
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Nabe-Nielsen K, Lund H, Ajslev JZ, Hansen ÅM, Albertsen K, Hvid H, Garde AH. How do employees prioritise when they schedule their own shifts? ERGONOMICS 2013; 56:1216-1224. [PMID: 23826655 DOI: 10.1080/00140139.2013.815804] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/02/2023]
Abstract
UNLABELLED We investigated how employees prioritised when they scheduled their own shifts and whether priorities depended on age, gender, educational level, cohabitation and health status. We used cross-sectional questionnaire data from the follow-up survey of an intervention study investigating the effect of self-scheduling (n = 317). Intervention group participants were asked about their priorities when scheduling their own shifts succeeded by 17 items covering family/private life, economy, job content, health and sleep. At least half of the participants reported that they were giving high priority to their family life, having consecutive time off, leisure-time activities, rest between shifts, sleep, regularity of their everyday life, health and that the work schedule balanced. Thus, employees consider both their own and the workplace's needs when they have the opportunity to schedule their own shifts. Age, gender, cohabitation and health status were all significantly associated with at least one of these priorities. PRACTITIONER SUMMARY Intervention studies report limited health effects of self-scheduling. Therefore, we investigated to what extent employees prioritise their health and recuperation when scheduling their own shifts. We found that employees not only consider both their health and family but also the workplace's needs when they schedule their own shifts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kirsten Nabe-Nielsen
- a Department of Public Health , University of Copenhagen , Øster Farimagsgade 5, 1014 , Copenhagen K , Denmark
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Nabe-Nielsen K, Garde AH, Aust B, Diderichsen F. Increasing work-time influence: consequences for flexibility, variability, regularity and predictability. ERGONOMICS 2012; 55:440-449. [PMID: 22423676 DOI: 10.1080/00140139.2011.646321] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/31/2023]
Abstract
UNLABELLED This quasi-experimental study investigated how an intervention aiming at increasing eldercare workers' influence on their working hours affected the flexibility, variability, regularity and predictability of the working hours. We used baseline (n = 296) and follow-up (n = 274) questionnaire data and interviews with intervention-group participants (n = 32). The work units in the intervention group designed their own intervention comprising either implementation of computerised self-scheduling (subgroup A), collection of information about the employees' work-time preferences by questionnaires (subgroup B), or discussion of working hours (subgroup C). Only computerised self-scheduling changed the working hours and the way they were planned. These changes implied more flexible but less regular working hours and an experience of less predictability and less continuity in the care of clients and in the co-operation with colleagues. In subgroup B and C, the participants ended up discussing the potential consequences of more work-time influence without actually implementing any changes. PRACTITIONER SUMMARY Employee work-time influence may buffer the adverse effects of shift work. However, our intervention study suggested that while increasing the individual flexibility, increasing work-time influence may also result in decreased regularity of the working hours and less continuity in the care of clients and co-operation with colleagues.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kirsten Nabe-Nielsen
- Section of Social Medicine, Department of Public Health, University of Copenhagen, Øster Farimagsgade 105, 1014 Copenhagen K, Denmark.
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