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Simon AC, Buzás B, Rosta-Filep O, Faragó K, Pachner OC, Kiss OE. The indirect impact of the technostress subfactors on the satisfaction and desire to work from home. Front Psychol 2024; 15:1417916. [PMID: 38933584 PMCID: PMC11203091 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2024.1417916] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/15/2024] [Accepted: 05/24/2024] [Indexed: 06/28/2024] Open
Abstract
Introduction Organizational digitalization is a phenomenon that is becoming more widespread and holistic; that is responsible for more employees being affected by digital work and working from home. While introducing remote work offers numerous economic benefits for organizations, this transition must be aligned with employees' needs rather than in an authoritarian manner. Our research aimed to investigate how sub-factors of technostress, directly and indirectly, influence the satisfaction and desire to work from home. Methods We conducted a cross-sectional survey with a sample of 361 office workers with at least two years of experience who have spent some time working from home. We checked our hypotheses with a path model. Results Our research found that techno-insecurity and techno-complexity have a minimal direct influence on the desire to work from home. However, the desire to work from home significantly decreases through various mediation pathways via the status sub-factor (which can be seen as one of the latent benefits of remote work) and through satisfaction with working from home. Our model explains 33.7% of the variance in the desire to work from home. Discussion This suggests that leaders have a task of great significance: to decrease the technostress employees are exposed to and to draw the attention of researchers to the fact that technostress has more complex indirect effects than previously assumed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adél Csenge Simon
- Doctoral School of Psychology, Eötvös Loránd University, Budapest, Hungary
- Institute of Psychology, ELTE Eötvös Loránd University, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Barnabás Buzás
- Doctoral School of Psychology, Eötvös Loránd University, Budapest, Hungary
- Institute of Psychology, ELTE Eötvös Loránd University, Budapest, Hungary
| | | | - Klára Faragó
- Institute of Psychology, ELTE Eötvös Loránd University, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Orsolya Csilla Pachner
- Institute of Education and Psychology at Szombathely, ELTE Eötvös Loránd University, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Orhidea Edith Kiss
- Institute of Psychology, ELTE Eötvös Loránd University, Budapest, Hungary
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Görlich Y. Creativity and productivity during the COVID-19 pandemic. Sci Rep 2023; 13:14615. [PMID: 37669962 PMCID: PMC10480470 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-40493-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/09/2022] [Accepted: 08/11/2023] [Indexed: 09/07/2023] Open
Abstract
This study explored impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on creativity and productivity and how personality variables moderated these impacts. Two online self-report surveys were conducted. 863 (spring 2020) and 421 (spring 2021) participants were asked how the corona crisis affected their creativity and productivity. In addition, personality variables, namely the Big Five (openness, conscientiousness, extraversion, agreeableness, neuroticism), as well as interpersonal trust, need for cognition, risk-taking, and life satisfaction, were assessed. As a result of the crisis, the group of participants appeared more creative in 2020, while no significant group effect of the pandemic was found for productivity. In 2021, however, the crisis had a negative impact on creativity and productivity. In 2020, predictors for an improved creativity were openness, conscientiousness, neuroticism, and life satisfaction; predictors for improved productivity were conscientiousness, negative interpersonal trust, and life satisfaction. In 2021, only life satisfaction predicted improved creativity, while improved productivity was predicted by conscientiousness, negative neuroticism, and life satisfaction. At its beginning, the COVID-19 pandemic had, on average, a positive effect on creativity and a neutral one on productivity. Later, the impact turned negative on both creativity and productivity. Here, lower life satisfaction was particularly relevant.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yvonne Görlich
- Department of Psychology, PFH Private University of Applied Science Göttingen, 37073, Göttingen, Germany.
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Settels J, Böckerman P. The effects of COVID-19-era unemployment and business closures upon the physical and mental health of older Europeans: Mediation through financial circumstances and social activity. SSM Popul Health 2023; 23:101419. [PMID: 37223246 PMCID: PMC10191723 DOI: 10.1016/j.ssmph.2023.101419] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/14/2023] [Revised: 04/05/2023] [Accepted: 04/29/2023] [Indexed: 05/25/2023] Open
Abstract
COVID-19-era lockdown policies resulted in many older persons entering unemployment, facing financial difficulties and social restrictions, and experiencing declining health. Employing the Survey of Health, Ageing and Retirement in Europe's first COVID-19 module (summer 2020) (N = 11,231) and the Karlson-Holm-Breen method for decomposition of effects within non-linear probability models (logistic regression modelling), we examined associations of pandemic-era lost work with older Europeans' (50-80 years of age) self-assessed health, depressive symptoms, and anxiety symptoms, and mediation through households' difficulties making ends meet, loneliness, and curtailed face-to-face contact with non-relatives. We find that lost work was associated with detriments in all three health outcomes. Total mediation was 23% for worsened self-assessed health, 42% for depressive symptoms, and 23% for anxiety symptoms. In all cases, combined mediation through the two social activity variables was approximately twice the magnitude of mediation through household financial difficulties. This evidence highlights the extent of employment's value for friendship formation and sustenance, and social activity, during the pandemic-era social restrictions. This might be accentuated among older persons because of the social constrictions often concomitant to advancing age. These results emphasize that the social correlates of lost employment, beyond the financial concomitants, should receive thorough research and policy attention, perhaps especially for older adults during public health crises.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jason Settels
- University of Luxembourg, Department of Social Sciences, Institute for Research on Socio-Economic Inequality, 11, Porte des Sciences, L-4366, Esch-sur-Alzette, Luxembourg
| | - Petri Böckerman
- University of Jyväskylä, Labour Institute for Economic Research LABORE, IZA Institute of Labor Economics, Arkadiankatu 7 (Economicum), FI-00100, Helsinki, Finland
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Tayal D, Mehta AK. The Struggle to Balance Work and Family Life During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Insights Based on the Situations of Working Women in Delhi. JOURNAL OF FAMILY ISSUES 2023; 44:1423-1465. [PMID: 37252378 PMCID: PMC10214028 DOI: 10.1177/0192513x211058817] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/31/2023]
Abstract
The COVID-19 pandemic generated economic contraction across the world. In India, the stringent lockdown led to extreme distress. The unprecedented situation adversely affected the women's efforts to balance professional life with family life because of a disproportionate increase in their domestic work burden and a shift in their workstation to home. Since every job cannot be performed remotely, women employed in healthcare services, banks and media witnessed additional risks of commuting and physical interaction at the workplace. Based on personal interviews of women in the Delhi-NCR region, the study aims to explore the commonalities and variances in the challenges experienced by the women engaged in diverse occupations. Using the qualitative methodology of flexible coding, the study finds that a relatively larger section of women travelling to their office during the pandemic, rather than those working from home, had an effective familial support system that helped them navigate this tough time.
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Blank L, Hock E, Cantrell A, Baxter S, Goyder E. Exploring the relationship between working from home, mental and physical health and wellbeing: a systematic review. PUBLIC HEALTH RESEARCH 2023; 11:1-100. [PMID: 37452651 DOI: 10.3310/ahff6175] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Understanding the impact of working from home on health and wellbeing is of great interest to employers and employees alike, with a strong need for up-to-date guidance. The aim of this systematic review was to identify, appraise and synthesise existing research evidence that explores the impact of home working on health and wellbeing outcomes for working people and health inequalities in the population. Methods We conducted a systematic review of qualitative, quantitative and observational studies. We searched databases, reference lists and UK grey literature and completed citation searching of included papers. We extracted and tabulated key data from the included papers and synthesised narratively. Factors associated with the health and wellbeing of people working at home reported in the literature were displayed by constructing mind maps of each individual factor which had been identified. The findings were combined with an a priori model to develop a final model, which was validated in consultation with stakeholders. Results Of 96 studies which were found to meet the inclusion criteria for the review, 30 studies were published before the COVID-19 pandemic and a further 66 were published during the pandemic. The quality of evidence was limited by the study designs employed by the authors, with the majority of studies being cross-sectional surveys (n = 59). For the most part, for studies which collected quantitative data, measures were self-reported. The largest volume of evidence identified consisted of studies conducted during the COVID-19 pandemic which looked at factors which influence the relationship between working from home and measures relating to mental health and wellbeing. Fifteen studies which considered the potential for working at home to have different effects for different subgroups suggested that working at home may have more negative consequences during the COVID-19 pandemic for women and in particular, mothers. There was very little evidence on age (two studies), ethnicity (one study), education or income (two studies) in terms of moderating home working effects, and very limited evidence from before the COVID-19 pandemic. The concept of enforced working from home and having 'no choice' was reported in only one paper prior to the pandemic and two papers reporting on working from home as a result of COVID-19. However, the concept of lack of choice around working from home was implicit in much of the literature - even though it was not directly measured. There were no clear patterns of wellbeing measures which changed from positive to negative association (or vice versa) during the pandemic. Limitations The quality of the evidence base was very much limited by study designs, particularly for studies published during the COVID-19 pandemic, with the majority of studies consisting of data collected by cross-sectional surveys (often online). Due to the rapidly expanding nature of the evidence on this topic, it is possible that new studies were published after the final citation searches were conducted. Discussion The evidence base for the factors which influence the relationship between home working and health-related outcomes has expanded significantly as a result of the need for those whose work could be done from home to work at home during the COVID-19 pandemic. Our findings suggest that there are factors relating to the external context, the role of employers and the circumstances of the employee which contribute to determining whether someone works at home and what the associated impacts on health and wellbeing may be. Learning from the COVID-19 lockdown experience will be important to inform future policy on home and hybrid working. Future work There is a need for better-quality studies of the health impact of home working, in particularly studies which recruit a range of participants who are representative of the working population and which are designed to minimise sampling/recruitment biases and response biases. Funding This project was funded by the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) Public Health Research programme (project reference 18/93 PHR Public Health Review Team) and will be published in full in Public Health Research; Vol. 11, No. 4. See the NIHR Journals Library website for further project information. The views expressed are those of the authors and not necessarily those of the NIHR or the Department of Health and Social Care. Study registration This study is registered as PROSPERO 2021 CRD42021253474.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lindsay Blank
- School for Health and Related Research, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK
| | - Emma Hock
- School for Health and Related Research, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK
| | - Anna Cantrell
- School for Health and Related Research, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK
| | - Susan Baxter
- School for Health and Related Research, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK
| | - Elizabeth Goyder
- School for Health and Related Research, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK
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Russo D, Hanel PHP, Altnickel S, van Berkel N. Satisfaction and performance of software developers during enforced work from home in the COVID-19 pandemic. EMPIRICAL SOFTWARE ENGINEERING 2023; 28:53. [PMID: 36915711 PMCID: PMC9996595 DOI: 10.1007/s10664-023-10293-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 01/11/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
Following the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic and subsequent lockdowns, the daily lives of software engineers were heavily disrupted as they were abruptly forced to work remotely from home. To better understand and contrast typical working days in this new reality with work in pre-pandemic times, we conducted one exploratory (N = 192) and one confirmatory study (N = 290) with software engineers recruited remotely. Specifically, we build on self-determination theory to evaluate whether and how specific activities are associated with software engineers' satisfaction and productivity. To explore the subject domain, we first ran a two-wave longitudinal study. We found that the time software engineers spent on specific activities (e.g., coding, bugfixing, helping others) while working from home was similar to pre-pandemic times. Also, the amount of time developers spent on each activity was unrelated to their general well-being, perceived productivity, and other variables such as basic needs. Our confirmatory study found that activity-specific variables (e.g., how much autonomy software engineers had during coding) do predict activity satisfaction and productivity but not by activity-independent variables such as general resilience or a good work-life balance. Interestingly, we found that satisfaction and autonomy were significantly higher when software engineers were helping others and lower when they were bugfixing. Finally, we discuss implications for software engineers, management, and researchers. In particular, active company policies to support developers' need for autonomy, relatedness, and competence appear particularly effective in a WFH context.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel Russo
- Department of Computer Science, Aalborg University, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | | | | | - Niels van Berkel
- Department of Computer Science, Aalborg University, Aalborg, Denmark
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Cucolaş AA, Russo D. The impact of working from home on the success of Scrum projects: A multi-method study. THE JOURNAL OF SYSTEMS AND SOFTWARE 2023; 197:111562. [PMID: 36447955 PMCID: PMC9684095 DOI: 10.1016/j.jss.2022.111562] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/13/2021] [Revised: 11/07/2022] [Accepted: 11/17/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
With the COVID-19 pandemic, Scrum teams had to switch abruptly from a traditional working setting into an enforced working from home one. This abrupt switch had an impact on software projects. Thus, it is necessary to understand how potential future disruptive events will impact Agile software teams' ability to deliver successful projects while working from home. To investigate this problem, we used a two-phased Multi-Method study. In the first phase, we uncover how working from home impacted Scrum practitioners through semi-structured interviews. Then, in the second phase, we propose a theoretical model that we test and generalize using Partial Least Squares-Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) surveying 138 software engineers who worked from home within Scrum projects. We concluded that all the latent variables identified in our model are reliable, and all the hypotheses are significant. This paper emphasizes the importance of supporting the three innate psychological needs of autonomy, competence, and relatedness in the home working environment. We conclude that the ability of working from home and the use of Scrum both contribute to project success, with Scrum acting as a mediator.
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Hensher DA, Beck MJ. Exploring how worthwhile the things that you do in life are during COVID-19 and links to well-being and working from home. TRANSPORTATION RESEARCH. PART A, POLICY AND PRACTICE 2023; 168:103579. [PMID: 36618015 PMCID: PMC9810549 DOI: 10.1016/j.tra.2022.103579] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/14/2022] [Revised: 11/08/2022] [Accepted: 12/29/2022] [Indexed: 06/02/2023]
Abstract
The COVID-19 pandemic has had a significant impact on the way we work and live, with working from home becoming more than the occasional desire but a regular feature of work and life. While an increasing number of research studies have promoted the virtues of what is often described as the positive unintended consequences of the pandemic, there are also downsides, especially during periods of imposed restrictions on the ability to get out and about, that have broadly been described as impacting mental health and life's worth. In this paper we use data collected in New South Wales during September 2020 and June 2021, seven and 16 months after the pandemic began, to obtain an understanding of the extent to which the pandemic has impacted on how worthwhile things done in life are for workers. We investigate whether there is a systematic behavioural link with working from home, reduced commuting linked to distance to work, and various socio-economic characteristics. The evidence suggests that the opportunity to have reduced commuting activity linked to working from home and increased perceived work-related productivity have contributed in a positive way to improving the worth status of life, offsetting some of the negative consequences of the pandemic.
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Affiliation(s)
- David A Hensher
- Institute of Transport and Logistics Studies (ITLS), The University of Sydney Business School, Sydney, NSW 2006, Australia
| | - Matthew J Beck
- Institute of Transport and Logistics Studies (ITLS), The University of Sydney Business School, Sydney, NSW 2006, Australia
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9
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Gualano MR, Santoro PE, Borrelli I, Rossi MF, Amantea C, Daniele A, Moscato U. TElewoRk-RelAted Stress (TERRA), Psychological and Physical Strain of Working From Home During the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Systematic Review. Workplace Health Saf 2023; 71:58-67. [PMID: 36382962 PMCID: PMC9672980 DOI: 10.1177/21650799221119155] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Many workers shifted to working from home due to the COVID-19 pandemic. This review aims to investigate if this sudden change caused an increase in TElewoRk-RelAted stress (TERRA) which is defined as physical and mental stress caused by telework. METHODS A systematic review using the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines was performed of three scientific databases (PubMed, ISI Web of Knowledge, and Scopus), which also included a quality assessment. Articles measuring stress, psychological or physical, in remote workers, published from December 2019 through August 2021 were included in the review. Results were extracted by reporting: authors, country, study design, type of workers, sample, questionnaires and measurements, and outcomes. Data were synthesized quantitatively for country, type of workers, and outcomes. RESULTS Out of the 518 articles found in the three databases, 19 articles were included in the systematic review (10,012 participants overall), and 78.9% of these highlighted an increase in TERRA levels in remote workers. Among 85.7% of the studies considering gender as a variable, TERRA levels were higher in female workers. Twelve (63.2%) of the studies investigated psychological well-being, two (10.5%) focused on the physical well-being of remote workers, three (15.8%) investigated both, and two studies had other outcomes (10.5%). CONCLUSIONS Considering the redefinition of workplaces dictated by the COVID-19 pandemic, this review highlights the emerging issue of remote work and the use of technology in working from home, emphasizing a rapidly growing occupational health problem. Remote workers need to be provided with emotional and technical support to prevent TERRA in remote workers.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Maria Francesca Rossi
- Università Cattolica del Sacro
Cuore,Maria Francesca Rossi, Section of
Occupational Health, Department of Health Science and Public Health, Università
Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Largo Francesco Vito 1, 00168 Rome, Italy;
| | | | | | - Umberto Moscato
- Fondazione Policlinico Universitario
Agostino Gemelli IRCCS,Università Cattolica del Sacro
Cuore
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Šmite D, Moe NB, Klotins E, Gonzalez-Huerta J. From forced Working-From-Home to voluntary working-from-anywhere: Two revolutions in telework. THE JOURNAL OF SYSTEMS AND SOFTWARE 2023; 195:111509. [PMID: 36105918 PMCID: PMC9461334 DOI: 10.1016/j.jss.2022.111509] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/26/2022] [Revised: 07/11/2022] [Accepted: 09/05/2022] [Indexed: 05/26/2023]
Abstract
The COVID-19 outbreak has admittedly caused interruptions to production, transportation, and mobility, therefore, having a significant impact on the global supply and demand chain's well-functioning. But what happened to companies developing digital services, such as software? How has the enforced Working-From-Home (WFH) mode impacted their ability to deliver software, if at all? This article shares our findings from monitoring the WFH during 2020 in an international software company with engineers located in Sweden, the USA, and the UK. We analyzed different aspects of productivity, such as developer job satisfaction and well-being, activity, communication and collaboration, efficiency and flow based on the archives of commit data, calendar invites, Slack communication, the internal reports of WFH experiences, and 30 interviews carried out in April/May and September 2020. We add more objective evidence to the existing COVID-19 studies the vast majority of which are based on self-reported productivity from the early months of the pandemic. We find that engineers continue committing code and carrying out their daily duties, as their routines adjust to "the new norm". Our key message is that software engineers can work from home and quickly adjust their tactical approaches to the changes of unprecedented scale. Further, WFH has its benefits, including better work-life balance, improved flow, and improved quality of distributed meetings and events. Yet, WFH is not challenge free: not everybody feels equally productive working from home, work hours for many increased, while physical activity, socialization, pairing and opportunities to connect to unfamiliar colleagues decreased. Information sharing and meeting patterns also changed. Finally, experiences gained during the pandemic will have a lasting impact on the future of the workplace. The results of an internal company-wide survey suggest that only 9% of engineers will return to work in the office full time. Our article concludes with the InterSoft's strategy for work from anywhere (WFX), and a list of useful adjustments for a better WFH.
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Affiliation(s)
- Darja Šmite
- Blekinge Institute of Technology, Karlskrona, Sweden
- SINTEF, Trondheim, Norway
| | - Nils Brede Moe
- SINTEF, Trondheim, Norway
- Blekinge Institute of Technology, Karlskrona, Sweden
| | - Eriks Klotins
- Blekinge Institute of Technology, Karlskrona, Sweden
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Gaan N, Shin Y. Generation Z software employees turnover intention. CURRENT PSYCHOLOGY 2022; 42:1-16. [PMID: 36285291 PMCID: PMC9584236 DOI: 10.1007/s12144-022-03847-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 10/03/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
This study applied the social exchange and social identity theories to investigate the association among resonant leadership, self-efficacy, organizational identification, work performance, and turnover intentions in Generation-Z (Gen-Z) software professionals. The study sampled 73 leader-subordinate dyads from 10 large-scale software companies in India through an online survey. Hierarchical linear modeling, including multilevel mediation, was conducted to test the proposed model. The results of this study revealed the cross-level effect of resonant leadership on the work-related outcomes among the Gen-Z software operators based on two psychological mediators, namely, self-efficacy and organizational identification. It suggests that resonant leadership could be the potential driver to manage the predominant psychological factors of the incoming cohort group of Gen-Z software professionals, which yield positive work outcomes. Based on the empirical evidence, the software companies can devise suitable intervention mechanisms to enhance productivity and reduce turnover intentions of the Gen-Z cohort. Thus, this study is a novel attempt to establish a comprehensive theoretical framework that provides a broad scope for future research to investigate the mechanisms which manage the expectations of Gen-Z cohorts.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Yuhyung Shin
- School of Business, Hanyang University, Seoul, Korea
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12
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Weale V, Lambert KA, Stuckey R, Graham M, Cooklin A, Oakman J. Working From Home During COVID-19: Does Work-Family Conflict Mediate the Relationship Between Workplace Characteristics, Job Satisfaction, and General Health? J Occup Environ Med 2022; 64:848-855. [PMID: 35902340 PMCID: PMC9524521 DOI: 10.1097/jom.0000000000002635] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE The aim of the study is to investigate whether work-family conflict and/or family-work conflict mediated the relationship between workplace characteristics and general health and job satisfaction in a sample of workers working from home in a recommended/mandatory context due to COVID-19 measures. METHODS Data were collected via online questionnaire as part of the Employees Working from Home study. Analyses in this article used data collected at 2 time points 6 months apart, including 965 complete responses from the first questionnaire and 451 complete responses from the second questionnaire. RESULTS Relationships between predictor and outcome variables were in the directions expected, and both work-family conflict and family-work conflict mediated these relationships. CONCLUSIONS Work-life interaction partly explains the relationship between work characteristics and general health and job satisfaction health in a population undertaking involuntary working from home.
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De Vincenzi C, Pansini M, Ferrara B, Buonomo I, Benevene P. Consequences of COVID-19 on Employees in Remote Working: Challenges, Risks and Opportunities An Evidence-Based Literature Review. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2022; 19:11672. [PMID: 36141948 PMCID: PMC9517495 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph191811672] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/25/2022] [Revised: 09/06/2022] [Accepted: 09/09/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
The COVID-19 pandemic forced organizations across all sectors and sizes to undertake crucial changes in order to remain productive during the emergency. Among these, the shift towards remote working arrangements is still present in our workplaces, impacting employees' well-being and productivity. This systematic review aims to describe the pandemic's consequences on work organization by analyzing whether and how the shift towards remote or home-working impacted employees' productivity, performance, and well-being. Furthermore, it describes the role of individual and organizational factors in determining employees' adjustment to remote work. Sixty-seven peer-reviewed papers published from 2020 to 2022, written in English, were selected through the preferred reporting items for systematic reviews and meta-analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. Findings describe how remote working arrangements, the workplace and organizational factors, and the employees' individual traits and skills impacted employees' productivity and well-being. Furthermore, they provide a description of the organizational enforcement actions reported in the literature. Managerial and practical implications, such as enforcement actions, team management strategies, and initiatives to promote employees' physical and mental health, will be discussed in the paper.
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14
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Zhang P, Chen S. Association between workplace and mental health and its mechanisms during COVID-19 pandemic: A cross-sectional, population-based, multi-country study. J Affect Disord 2022; 310:116-122. [PMID: 35545153 PMCID: PMC9078935 DOI: 10.1016/j.jad.2022.05.038] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/16/2021] [Revised: 03/20/2022] [Accepted: 05/05/2022] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The COVID-19 pandemic worsens populations' mental health. However, little is known about the COVID-19-related mental health among remote workers. METHODS We retrieved data from survey of Health, Ageing and Retirement in Europe, covering 27 countries. Eligible people were those employed. The main outcome is the mental disorder, covering four aspects: depression, anxiety, sleep disorder, and loneliness. Country-specific weighted mixed models were fitted to estimate the association of workplaces with mental health, controlled for age, gender, education level, living alone, making ends meets, working hours, closing to suspected or confirmed COVID-19 cases, received anti-virus protection, social contact, disability, and chronic disease. Moderate analyses were conducted to explore possible mechanisms. RESULTS 11,197 participants were included, among them 29.3% suffered at least one worse mental disorder. After controlling for covariates, compared with those who worked at the usual workplace, those who worked at home only or part of the time did not associate with worse mental disorders (p-value ≥0.1395), and those who worked at neither the usual workplace nor home had a 55% higher likelihood of suffering from worse mental disorders (OR = 1.55, 95%CI 1.03-2.36). The mediation analyses identified three indirect pathways by which workplaces influence mental health, including making ends meets, social contact, and receiving anti-virus protection. Detailed results on subtypes of mental disorders were also provided. LIMITATIONS All assessments were self-reported, resulting in a risk of method bias. CONCLUSIONS During the COVID-19 pandemic, working at other places, neither at the usual workplace nor home, worsened mental health. Evidence provided in this study will contribute to more nuanced and practical public health policy strategy making.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pan Zhang
- Institute of Hospital Management, ZhongNan Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, China.
| | - Shanquan Chen
- School of Clinical Medicine, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom.
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Ågren P, Knoph E, Berntsson Svensson R. Agile software development one year into the COVID-19 pandemic. EMPIRICAL SOFTWARE ENGINEERING 2022; 27:121. [PMID: 35757145 PMCID: PMC9214195 DOI: 10.1007/s10664-022-10176-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 05/03/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, many agile practitioners had to transition into a remote work environment. Despite remote work not being a new concept for agile software practitioners, the forced or recommended nature of remote work is new. This study investigates how the involuntary shift to remote work and how social restrictions imposed by the COVID-19 pandemic have affected agile software development (ASD), and how agile practitioners have been affected in terms of ways of working. An explanatory sequential mixed methods study was performed. Data were collected one year into the COVID-19 pandemic through a questionnaire with 96 respondents and in-depth semi-structured interviews with seven practitioners from seven different companies. Data were analyzed through Bayesian analysis and thematic analysis. The results show, in general, that the aspects of ASD that have been the most affected is communication and social interactions, while technical work aspects have not experienced the same changes. Moreover, feeling forced to work remotely has a significant impact on different aspects of ASD, e.g., productivity and communication, and industry practitioners' employment of agile development and ways of working have primarily been affected by the lack of social interaction and the shift to digital communication. The results also suggest that there may be a group maturing debt when teams do go back into office, as digital communication and the lack of psychological safety stand in the way for practitioners' ability to have sensitive discussions and progress as a team in a remote setting.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Eli Knoph
- Chalmers University of Technology, Gothenburg, Sweden
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16
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Uddin G, Alam O, Serebrenik A. A qualitative study of developers' discussions of their problems and joys during the early COVID-19 months. EMPIRICAL SOFTWARE ENGINEERING 2022; 27:117. [PMID: 35692984 PMCID: PMC9166204 DOI: 10.1007/s10664-022-10156-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 03/17/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Many software developers started to work from home on a short notice during the early periods of COVID-19. A number of previous papers have studied the wellbeing and productivity of software developers during COVID-19. The studies mainly use surveys based on predefined questionnaires. In this paper, we investigate the problems and joys that software developers experienced during the early months of COVID-19 by analyzing their discussions in online forum devRant, where discussions can be open and not bound by predefined survey questionnaires. The devRant platform is designed for developers to share their joys and frustrations of life. We manually analyze 825 devRant posts between January and April 12, 2020 that developers created to discuss their situation during COVID-19. WHO declared COVID-19 as pandemic on March 11, 2020. As such, our data offers us insights in the early months of COVID-19. We manually label each post along two dimensions: the topics of the discussion and the expressed sentiment polarity (positive, negative, neutral). We observed 19 topics that we group into six categories: Workplace & Professional aspects, Personal & Family well-being, Technical Aspects, Lockdown preparedness, Financial concerns, and Societal and Educational concerns. Around 49% of the discussions are negative and 26% are positive. We find evidence of developers' struggles with lack of documentation to work remotely and with their loneliness while working from home. We find stories of their job loss with little or no savings to fallback to. The analysis of developer discussions in the early months of a pandemic will help various stakeholders (e.g., software companies) make important decision early to alleviate developer problems if such a pandemic or similar emergency situation occurs in near future. Software engineering research can make further efforts to develop automated tools for remote work (e.g., automated documentation).
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Omar Alam
- Trent University, Peterborough, Canada
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17
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Tokdemir G. Software professionals during the COVID-19 pandemic in Turkey: Factors affecting their mental well-being and work engagement in the home-based work setting. THE JOURNAL OF SYSTEMS AND SOFTWARE 2022; 188:111286. [PMID: 35250124 PMCID: PMC8885087 DOI: 10.1016/j.jss.2022.111286] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/10/2021] [Revised: 02/09/2022] [Accepted: 02/22/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
With the COVID-19 pandemic, strict measures have been taken to slow down the spread of the virus, and consequently, software professionals have been forced to work from home. However, home-based working entails many challenges, as the home environment is shared by the whole family simultaneously under pandemic conditions. The aim of this study is to explore software professionals' mental well-being and work engagement and the relationships of these variables with job strain and resource-related factors in the forced home-based work setting during the COVID-19 pandemic. An online cross-sectional survey based on primarily well-known, validated scales was conducted with software professionals in Turkey. The analysis of the results was performed through hierarchical multivariate regression. The results suggest that despite the negative effect of job strain, the resource-related protective factors, namely, sleep quality, decision latitude, work-life balance, exercise predict mental well-being. Additionally, work engagement is predicted by job strain, sleep quality, and decision latitude. The results of the study will provide valuable insights to management of the software companies and professionals about the precautions that can be taken to have a better home-based working experience such as allowing greater autonomy and enhancing the quality of sleep and hence mitigating the negative effects of pandemic emergency situations on software professionals' mental well-being and work engagement.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gul Tokdemir
- Cankaya University, Computer Engineering Department, Eskisehir Yolu 29.km. Mimar Sinan Cad. No:4, 06790, Ankara, Turkey
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18
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Smite D, Tkalich A, Moe NB, Papatheocharous E, Klotins E, Buvik MP. Changes in perceived productivity of software engineers during COVID-19 pandemic: The voice of evidence. THE JOURNAL OF SYSTEMS AND SOFTWARE 2022; 186:111197. [PMID: 34975180 PMCID: PMC8714000 DOI: 10.1016/j.jss.2021.111197] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/17/2021] [Revised: 12/12/2021] [Accepted: 12/20/2021] [Indexed: 05/12/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The COVID-19 pandemic triggered a natural experiment of an unprecedented scale as companies closed their offices and sent employees to work from home. Many managers were concerned that their engineers would not be able to work effectively from home, or lack the motivation to do so, and that they would lose control and not even notice when things go wrong. As many companies announced their post-COVID permanent remote-work or hybrid home/office policies, the question of what can be expected from software engineers who work from home becomes more and more relevant. AIMS To understand the nature of home telework we analyze the evidence of perceived changes in productivity comparing office work before the pandemic with the work from home during the pandemic from thirteen empirical surveys of practitioners. METHOD We analyzed data from six corporate surveys conducted in four Scandinavian companies combined with the results of seven published surveys studying the perceived changes in productivity in industrial settings. In addition, we sought explanations for the variation in perceived productivity among the engineers from the studied companies through the qualitative analysis of open-ended questions and interviews. RESULTS Combined results of 7686 data points suggest that though on average perceived productivity has not changed significantly, there are developers who report being more productive, and developers being less productive when working from home. Positively affected individuals in some surveys form large groups of respondents (up to 50%) and mention benefiting from a better organization of work, increased flexibility and focus. Yet, there are equally large groups of negatively affected respondents (up to 51%) who complain about the challenges related to remote teamwork and collaboration, as well as emotional issues, distractions and poor home office environment and equipment. Finally, positive trends are found in longitudinal surveys, i.e., developers' productivity in the later months of the pandemic show better results than those in the earlier months. CONCLUSIONS We conclude that behind the average "no change" lays a large variation of experiences, which means that the work from home might not be for everyone. Yet, a longitudinal analysis of the surveys is encouraging, as it shows that the more pessimistic results might be influenced by the initial experiences of an unprecedented crisis. At the end, we put forward the lessons learned during the pandemic that can inspire the new post-pandemic work policies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Darja Smite
- Blekinge Institute of Technology, Karlskrona, Sweden
- SINTEF, Trondheim, Norway
| | | | - Nils Brede Moe
- SINTEF, Trondheim, Norway
- Blekinge Institute of Technology, Karlskrona, Sweden
| | | | - Eriks Klotins
- Blekinge Institute of Technology, Karlskrona, Sweden
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Russo D, Masegosa AR, Stol KJ. From anecdote to evidence: the relationship between personality and need for cognition of developers. EMPIRICAL SOFTWARE ENGINEERING 2022; 27:71. [PMID: 35313539 PMCID: PMC8928712 DOI: 10.1007/s10664-021-10106-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 12/09/2021] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
There is considerable anecdotal evidence suggesting that software engineers enjoy engaging in solving puzzles and other cognitive efforts. A tendency to engage in and enjoy effortful thinking is referred to as a person's 'need for cognition.' In this article we study the relationship between software engineers' personality traits and their need for cognition. Through a large-scale sample study of 483 respondents we collected data to capture the six 'bright' personality traits of the HEXACO model of personality, and three 'dark' personality traits. Data were analyzed using several methods including a multiple Bayesian linear regression analysis. The results indicate that ca. 33% of variation in developers' need for cognition can be explained by personality traits. The Bayesian analysis suggests four traits to be of particular interest in predicting need for cognition: openness to experience, conscientiousness, honesty-humility, and emotionality. Further, we also find that need for cognition of software engineers is, on average, higher than in the general population, based on a comparison with prior studies. Given the importance of human factors for software engineers' performance in general, and problem solving skills in particular, our findings suggest several implications for recruitment, working behavior, and teaming.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel Russo
- Department of Computer Science, Aalborg University, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | | | - Klaas-Jan Stol
- Lero—The Science Foundation Ireland Research Centre for Software and School of Computer Science, Information Technology, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland
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20
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Kumaresan A, Suganthirababu P, Srinivasan V, Vijay Chandhini Y, Divyalaxmi P, Alagesan J, Vishnuram S, Ramana K, Prathap L. Prevalence of burnout syndrome among Work-From-Home IT professionals during the COVID-19 pandemic. Work 2022; 71:379-384. [PMID: 35095012 DOI: 10.3233/wor-211040] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Many countries adopted a complete or partial lockdown to prevent the spread of COVID-19, and various professions started to work-from-home. People who work-from-home experience constant stress which leads to burnout syndrome. Burnout can be defined as a chronic stress-induced occupational syndrome resulting in fatigue, decreased job productivity, and poor motivation towards the job. OBJECTIVE This research work primarily focuses on exploring the prevalence of burnout syndrome among IT professionals who work-from-home and to determine the impact of burnout in different gender and age-groups during the COVID-19 pandemic. METHODS Using snowball sampling method 934 IT professionals were selected based on selection criteria, explained about the study processes, and instructed to submit an online survey consist of Maslach Burnout Inventory scale (MBI) through mail, social media, or through a researcher by direct interview. RESULTS Descriptive statistics were used to interpret the data. In 25-30 years age-group, men were affected (93%) less than women (94%) and also in 31-35 years age-group, men were affected (96%) less than women (98%). Overall burnout scores of men were 94% and women were 96%. Results indicate female IT professionals were more prone experience burnout syndrome than Male population. CONCLUSIONS From the results, it is concluded that 95% of the IT professionals are suffering from burnout, where women are more prevalent to burnout when compared to male. It is also suggested that an early, routine and frequent assessment of physical status, mental status and burnout syndrome is essential to maintain mental health.
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Affiliation(s)
- A Kumaresan
- Saveetha College of Physiotherapy, SIMATS, Chennai, India
| | | | | | | | - P Divyalaxmi
- Saveetha College of Physiotherapy, SIMATS, Chennai, India
| | | | | | - K Ramana
- Saveetha College of Physiotherapy, SIMATS, Chennai, India
| | - Lavanya Prathap
- Department of Anatomy, Saveetha Dental college, SIMATS, Chennai, India
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21
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Coelho GLDH, Hanel PH, Byrne A, Hourihane J, DunnGalvin A. The food allergy COPE inventory: Adaptation and psychometric properties. World Allergy Organ J 2022; 15:100626. [PMID: 35145606 PMCID: PMC8819115 DOI: 10.1016/j.waojou.2022.100626] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/22/2021] [Revised: 12/22/2021] [Accepted: 01/09/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Food allergy (FA) has been shown to have an adverse impact on food allergy quality of life (FAQL). To more fully understand this impact, correlates and predictors of FAQL must be reliably measured. Coping is one such factor. In the present study (n = 200), we sought to adapt the widely used Coping Orientation to Problems Experienced (COPE) Inventory and its 15 distinct strategies to food allergy, named FA-COPE Inventory. More specifically, we propose a long (60-item) and short (30-item) version of the measure. Methods To examine the robustness of the newly adapted FA-COPE Inventory, we tested whether the 15-factor structure of the adapted version would present good psychometrical properties, using gold standard psychometric techniques. We used Confirmatory Factor Analysis to assess model fit, McDonald's omega, and inter-item correlations to assess reliability, and Pearson's correlation to assess convergent validity with a generic coping measure and satisfaction with FA life. Results Our results showed a good model fit (eg, CFI and TLI ≥ .94) for the 15-factor structure of the measure's long and short version. These factors also presented reliability levels aligned with the coping literature. Finally, the majority of the FA-COPE Inventory factors (eg, acceptance) were significantly associated with the generic coping measure and satisfaction with FA life. Conclusion Both the long and short adapted FA-COPE Inventory showed a good fit to food allergy issues. These measures can help facilitate the identification of the most commonly used strategies to deal with FA. Their use can lead to a more in-depth understanding of the impact of the coping strategies and how they can help improve the quality of life of those impacted by the disease.
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22
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Gaan N, Shin Y. Multilevel analysis of resonant leadership and subordinate's work performance during COVID-19: a study of the indian software industry. CURRENT PSYCHOLOGY 2022:1-16. [PMID: 35095250 PMCID: PMC8790548 DOI: 10.1007/s12144-022-02746-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 01/18/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
This study examined the multilevel model that explains how the interaction effect of resonant leadership and gender identity influences proposed outcomes through the mediating role of psychological capital. We performed a multilevel analysis by conducting an online survey using multisource data from the 104 team/project leaders and 527 team members of nine major Indian IT companies. The results demonstrated that psychological capital positively and significantly mediated the relationship between resonant leadership and work performance. The mediation role was stronger when androgynous identity attenuated the relationship between resonant leadership and psychological capital at a higher level. The study adds a unique lens to the literature of resonant leadership and proposes outcomes by validating it through the hierarchical linear modelling principle and efficient statistical procedures. This is the first study to empirically confirm the multilevel moderation mediation process wherein psychological capital mediates the relationship between resonant leadership and work performance, subject to the leader's androgynous identity level.
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Affiliation(s)
- Niharika Gaan
- Human Resource and Organizational Behavior, MDI Murshidabad, Raghunathganj, West Bengal 742235 India
| | - Yuhyung Shin
- School of Business, Hanyang University, Seoul, Korea
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23
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Relationships between Occupational Stress, Change in Work Environment during the COVID-19 Pandemic, and Depressive and Anxiety Symptoms among Non-Healthcare Workers in Japan: A Cross-Sectional Study. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2022; 19:ijerph19020983. [PMID: 35055803 PMCID: PMC8775764 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph19020983] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/06/2021] [Revised: 01/11/2022] [Accepted: 01/13/2022] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
This study aims to clarify the effect of occupational stress and changes in the work environment on non-healthcare workers’ (HCWs) mental health during the third wave of the COVID-19 pandemic in Japan. A web-based, cross-sectional survey was conducted from 16 to 17 December 2020. Data from 807 non-HCWs were included. We evaluated occupational stress using the Generic Job Stress Questionnaire (GJSQ). Depressive and anxiety symptoms were assessed using the Japanese version of the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 and the Generalized Anxiety Disorder 7-item scale, respectively. We collected demographic variables, work-related variables, and the variables associated with COVID-19. The adjusted odds ratios for depressive and anxiety groups were estimated using multivariate logistic regression analyses, adjusted for all the demographic variables, work-related variables, COVID-19-related variables, and the six subdivided GJSQ subscales. The results confirm a relationship between variance in workload, job future ambiguity, social support from coworkers, having contact with COVID-19 patients, and depressive and anxiety symptoms. Paying attention to job future ambiguity, the variance in workload at the workplace and individual perspectives, promoting contact and support among coworkers using online communication tools, and reducing contact with COVID-19 patients, will be useful for decreasing the depressive and anxiety symptoms among non-HCWs.
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24
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Dlamini G, Jolha F, Kholmatova Z, Succi G. Meta-analytical comparison of energy consumed by two sorting algorithms. Inf Sci (N Y) 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ins.2021.09.061] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
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25
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Hunter JR, Meiring RM, Cripps A, Suppiah HT, Vicendese D, Kingsley MI, Gordon BA. Relationships between Physical Activity, Work Ability, Absenteeism and Presenteeism in Australian and New Zealand Adults during COVID-19. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2021; 18:12563. [PMID: 34886290 PMCID: PMC8657020 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph182312563] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/18/2021] [Revised: 11/18/2021] [Accepted: 11/23/2021] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Public health movement and social restrictions imposed by the Australian and New Zealand governments in response to the COVID-19 pandemic influenced the working environment and may have affected health behaviours, work ability, and job performance. The aim of this study was to determine the associations between health behaviours and work ability and performance during COVID-19 restrictions and if health behaviours were related to demographic or population factors. A cross-sectional survey was used to gather responses from 433 adult employees in Australia and New Zealand between June and August 2020. The survey requested demographic information and used the International Physical Activity Questionnaire, Work Ability Index, and the World Health Organisation's Health and Work Performance Questionnaire. Multivariate regression models were used to explore relationships between the identified variables while controlling for several possible confounders. Being sufficiently physically active was associated with higher reported physical (aOR = 2.1; p = 0.001) and mental work abilities (aOR = 1.8; p = 0.007) and self-reported job performance (i.e., lower presenteeism) (median +7.42%; p = 0.03). Part-time employees were 56% less likely (p = 0.002) to report a good or very good mental work ability. Those with existing medical conditions were 14% less likely (p = 0.008) to be sufficiently active and 80% less likely (p = 0.002) to report rather good or very good physical work ability. Being sufficiently active was associated with higher physical and mental work abilities and better job performance during the COVID-19 pandemic. Employers should support opportunities for regular physical activity and provide specific support to individuals with medical conditions or in part-time employment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jayden R. Hunter
- Holsworth Research Initiative, La Trobe Rural Health School, La Trobe University, Bendigo 3552, Australia; (M.I.K.); (B.A.G.)
| | - Rebecca M. Meiring
- Department of Exercise Sciences, Faculty of Science, University of Auckland, Auckland 1023, New Zealand;
- Movement Physiology Research Laboratory, School of Physiology, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg 2193, South Africa
| | - Ashley Cripps
- School of Exercise and Health Sciences, University of Notre Dame Australia, Fremantle 6160, Australia;
| | - Haresh T. Suppiah
- Sport and Exercise Science, School of Allied Health, Human Services and Sport, La Trobe University, Melbourne 3086, Australia;
| | - Don Vicendese
- Department of Mathematics and Statistics, La Trobe University, Bundoora 3086, Australia;
- Melbourne School of Population and Global Health, University of Melbourne, Carlton 3053, Australia
| | - Michael I. Kingsley
- Holsworth Research Initiative, La Trobe Rural Health School, La Trobe University, Bendigo 3552, Australia; (M.I.K.); (B.A.G.)
- Department of Exercise Sciences, Faculty of Science, University of Auckland, Auckland 1023, New Zealand;
| | - Brett A. Gordon
- Holsworth Research Initiative, La Trobe Rural Health School, La Trobe University, Bendigo 3552, Australia; (M.I.K.); (B.A.G.)
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26
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Weitzer J, Papantoniou K, Seidel S, Klösch G, Caniglia G, Laubichler M, Bertau M, Birmann BM, Jäger CC, Zenk L, Steiner G, Schernhammer E. Working from home, quality of life, and perceived productivity during the first 50-day COVID-19 mitigation measures in Austria: a cross-sectional study. Int Arch Occup Environ Health 2021; 94:1823-1837. [PMID: 33877416 PMCID: PMC8056371 DOI: 10.1007/s00420-021-01692-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/25/2020] [Accepted: 03/06/2021] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES To explore changes in quality of life and perceived productivity, focusing on the effects of working from home during the first COVID-19 50-day mitigation period in Austria. METHODS We conducted an Austrian-representative online survey (N = 1010) of self-reported life- and work-related changes during the first COVID-19 50-day mitigation period (March 16 through May 1 2020) compared to the situation before. We used multinominal logistic regression models to identify correlates of improved/decreased quality of life in the entire sample, and of improved/decreased productivity in a subsample of the working population (N = 686). We also calculated age- and multivariable-adjusted ORs and 95% CIs of an improved/decreased quality of life and an improved/decreased productivity by work from home status. RESULTS During the COVID-19 mitigation period, quality of life improved in 17.5%, but decreased in 20.7% of the general Austrian population; perceived productivity at work increased in 12.7%, but decreased in 30.2% of the working population. Working from home during the mitigation period was associated with an increased quality of life (vs. none, partially: OR 2.07, 95% CI 1.09-3.91; all the time: 3.69, 1.86-7.29). In contrast, perceived productivity seemed to decrease when people worked from home (vs. none, partially: 1.42, 0.86-2.35; all the time: 1.48, 0.85-2.58). Working from home and related benefits were not equally distributed among gender, age, and educational attainment. CONCLUSIONS A transition to more flexibility of workplace and working hours for employees could have important positive consequences for family and professional life, for stakeholders, for public health, and ultimately for the environment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jakob Weitzer
- Department of Epidemiology, Center for Public Health, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Kyriaki Papantoniou
- Department of Epidemiology, Center for Public Health, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Stefan Seidel
- Department of Neurology, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
- Institute for Sleep-Wake-Research, Vienna, Austria
| | - Gerhard Klösch
- Department of Neurology, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
- Institute for Sleep-Wake-Research, Vienna, Austria
| | - Guido Caniglia
- Konrad Lorenz Institute for Evolution and Cognition Research (KLI), Klosterneuburg, Austria
| | - Manfred Laubichler
- School of Life Sciences, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ, USA
- Santa Fe Institute, Santa Fe, NM, USA
- Complexity Science Hub, Vienna, Austria
| | - Martin Bertau
- Institut Für Technische Chemie, TU Bergakademie Freiberg, Freiberg, Germany
| | - Brenda M Birmann
- Channing Division of Network Medicine, Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Carlo C Jäger
- Complexity Science Hub, Vienna, Austria
- Academy of Disaster Reduction and Emergency Management, School of Geography, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, 100875, China
- Global Climate Forum, 10178, Berlin, Germany
| | - Lukas Zenk
- Department for Knowledge and Communication Management, Faculty of Business and Globalization, Danube University Krems, Krems, Austria
| | - Gerald Steiner
- Complexity Science Hub, Vienna, Austria
- Department for Knowledge and Communication Management, Faculty of Business and Globalization, Danube University Krems, Krems, Austria
| | - Eva Schernhammer
- Department of Epidemiology, Center for Public Health, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria.
- Complexity Science Hub, Vienna, Austria.
- Channing Division of Network Medicine, Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.
- Department of Epidemiology, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA.
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Abstract
This article has aimed to better understand employee engagement in a post-COVID-19 workplace ecosystem. We identified a knowledge gap in the relationship between employee engagement and the physical workplace environment through an interdisciplinary literature review. We subsequently tested this gap by comparing employee engagement metrics proposed by leading academics in the field of organisational psychology with a sample of commonly used real estate industry approaches to monitoring workplace design/management. We focused specifically on industry-projected post-COVID-19 workplace ecosystem scenarios, and the results suggest that traditional employee engagement metrics and industry approaches to monitoring workplace design and management do not fully reflect the recent shift to hybrid work patterns. We shed light on the implications that this can have on our existing knowledge of “sustainable” property markets in a wider city context.
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Tool for Measuring Productivity in Software Development Teams. INFORMATION 2021. [DOI: 10.3390/info12100396] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Despite efforts to define productivity, there is no consensus in the software industry regarding what the term productivity means and, instead of having only one metric or factor that describes productivity, it is defined by a set of aspects. Our objective is to develop a tool that supports the productivity measurement of software development teams according to the factors found in the literature. We divided these factors into four groups: People, Product, Organization, and Open Source Software Projects. We developed a web system containing the factors that influence productivity identified in this work, called Productive, to support software development teams in measuring their productivity. After developed the tool, we monitored its use over eight weeks with two small software development teams. From the results, we found that software development companies can use the system to support monitoring team productivity. The results also point to an improvement in productivity while using the system, and a survey applied to users demonstrates the users’ positive perception regarding the results obtained. In future work, we will monitor the use of the tool and investigate the users’ perceptions in other project contexts.
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