Associations of work-related factors and work engagement with mental and physical health: a 1-year follow-up study among older workers

Work engagement among older workers: a systematic review

OBJECTIVES

Given current labor force conditions, including population aging, keeping older workers engaged in work and motivated is important. Aging may alter the effects that psychological and environmental factors have on work engagement. We conducted a systematic review to understand the features of work engagement among older workers.

METHODS

A systematic search was conducted in July 2022 using 4 databases. The review included relevant articles that focused on participants aged 40 years and older.

RESULTS

Fifty articles were selected for our review, which were grouped into 5 categories: (1) studies examining the relationship between chronological age and work engagement, (2) studies investigating the moderating effects of age on the relationship between job-related psychological factors and work environment factors and work engagement, (3) studies comparing the relationship of job-related psychological factors and work environment factors with work engagement across different age groups, (4) studies exploring the relationship between work engagement and retirement intentions or continued employment beyond retirement age, and (5) other studies discussing work engagement in the context of older workers. Most articles focused on workers in Europe and the United States and used observational study designs.

CONCLUSIONS

Work engagement increases with age, and is mainly mediated by increased emotional regulation. In addition, age moderates the relationships between various job-related psychological and work-environmental factors and work engagement. Work engagement is associated with working beyond retirement age. Organizations should understand the characteristics of work engagement among older workers and make age-conscious efforts to support them in adapting to social changes.

Do supportive work environments matter for minority aging? Work stress and subjective cognitive impairment among middle-age and older lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer adults

Research has documented how people's experiences at work affect their cognitive health outcomes, but how these processes unfold for minority groups, particularly lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ+) populations, is unclear. This study builds on the nascent literature by employing generalized structural equation models to test how experiencing major problems at work and working with LGBTQ+ supportive coworkers affect subjective cognitive impairment among middle-age and older LGBTQ+ adults. We also test for mediated and indirect effects of support and problems at work operating via vascular disease, sleep problems, and depression symptoms. Experiencing major problems at work is associated with a higher likelihood of reporting cognitive symptoms consistent with mild cognitive impairment, but this relationship is mediated by depression symptoms and sleep problems. Having LGBTQ+ supportive coworkers does not have direct effects on mild cognitive impairment, but does operate indirectly by decreasing problems at work and, in turn, decreases the likelihood of reporting cognitive symptoms consistent with mild cognitive impairment. Overall, we find that workplace stressors contribute to cognitive health directly and through mediated and indirect pathways and that supportive contexts reduce exposure to problems at work. We conclude with suggested possibilities to reorganize workplaces to improve long-term cognitive health outcomes for older adults, especially those who are LGBTQ+-identified.

Biomechanical Assessments of the Upper Limb for Determining Fatigue, Strain and Effort from the Laboratory to the Industrial Working Place: A Systematic Review

Recent human-centered developments in the industrial field (Industry 5.0) lead companies and stakeholders to ensure the wellbeing of their workers with assessments of upper limb performance in the workplace, with the aim of reducing work-related diseases and improving awareness of the physical status of workers, by assessing motor performance, fatigue, strain and effort. Such approaches are usually developed in laboratories and only at times they are translated to on-field applications; few studies summarized common practices for the assessments. Therefore, our aim is to review the current state-of-the-art approaches used for the assessment of fatigue, strain and effort in working scenarios and to analyze in detail the differences between studies that take place in the laboratory and in the workplace, in order to give insights on future trends and directions. A systematic review of the studies aimed at evaluating the motor performance, fatigue, strain and effort of the upper limb targeting working scenarios is presented. A total of 1375 articles were found in scientific databases and 288 were analyzed. About half of the scientific articles are focused on laboratory pilot studies investigating effort and fatigue in laboratories, while the other half are set in working places. Our results showed that assessing upper limb biomechanics is quite common in the field, but it is mostly performed with instrumental assessments in laboratory studies, while questionnaires and scales are preferred in working places. Future directions may be oriented towards multi-domain approaches able to exploit the potential of combined analyses, exploitation of instrumental approaches in workplace, targeting a wider range of people and implementing more structured trials to translate pilot studies to real practice.

What Could Highly Engaged Workers Gain From Mental Health Promotion Programs?: An Exploratory Analysis of Secondary Outcomes of Brief Daily Workplace Well-being Programs

OBJECTIVE

The current study aims to examine the effects of mental health programs on well-being among highly engaged workers.

METHODS

Participants were randomly allocated to body-mind-spiritual or peer support program. Of the whole sample, we examined participants' work engagement and positive affect from the highest quarter and the lowest quarter of work engagement at baseline. Measures were taken at baseline and 1-month intervals during 3-month programs and 3-month follow-up.

RESULTS

The programs had decreasing effects on work engagement in the HWE subgroup. There is an increasing trend of positive affect on the HWE group only in the body-mind-spiritual program. The trajectories of work engagement in the HWE group moved toward a moderate level.

CONCLUSION

Our results suggest that the work engagement's decrease in the HWE group could be a sign of recovery and relaxation.

Emotion regulation and mental health among professionals of long-term care institutions for older adults: the mediating role of work engagement

BACKGROUND

This study examined whether work engagement mediated the association between emotion regulation and mental health of professionals working in long-term care institutions for older adults in Brazil.

PARTICIPANTS AND PROCEDURE

A cross-sectional study with a total of 104 professionals working in 13 long-term care facilities for the elderly in Brazil was conducted. Emotion regulation (expressive suppression and cognitive reappraisal), work engagement (vigor, dedication, and absorption), and mental health (depression, anxiety, and stress) were measured using self-report scales. Multiple mediation models were used to test the mediating role of engagement.

RESULTS

Expressive suppression was associated with more vigor, which in turn was associated with less anxiety and stress; cognitive reappraisal was associated with more vigor, which in turn was associated with less anxiety and stress. No indirect effects were found for depression.

CONCLUSIONS

Expressive suppression and cognitive reappraisal strategies to regulate emotions seem to be associated with more vigor in terms of resilience and persistence to deal with work demands in these professionals. These results seem to suggest that workers who are more capable of regulating their emotions (using both expressive suppression and cognitive reappraisal in a flexible way according to work demands) are more likely to be resilient, invest in their profession, and be persistent in the face of difficulties. This, in turn, contributes to protecting them from experiencing anxiety and stress.

Effects of the Collective Gratitude on Work Engagement: A Multilevel Cross-sectional Study

OBJECTIVE

Work engagement is a key concept because of its positive association with physical/mental health, job performance, and well-being. This study aims to examine the relationship between organizational-level gratitude (collective gratitude) as a work climate and work engagement.

METHODS

Utrecht Work Engagement Scale measured work engagement. Gratitude at Work Scale measured individual-level gratitude, and collective gratitude was calculated by aggregating individual-level gratitude after confirming within-group agreement and the intraclass correlations. Multilevel analysis was conducted.

RESULTS

A total of 1187 workers from 72 organizations were analyzed. The multilevel analysis showed a significant positive association between collective gratitude and work engagement while controlling for individual-level confounders.

CONCLUSIONS

The findings indicated developing collective gratitude would improve work engagement in the workplace. It would be useful for managers and occupational health staff to consider collective gratitude initiatives.

The potential association of musculoskeletal pain with presenteeism and work engagement among intensive care unit nurses: a cross-sectional study

Aim: Work-related musculoskeletal disorders and associated musculoskeletal pain among intensive care nurses are important, as these factors may be related to presenteeism and work engagement. The aim of this study was to investigate the potential association of musculoskeletal pain with presenteeism and work engagement among intensive care nurses. Material and Method: This descriptive study was carried out with members of the Turkish Society of Critical Care Nurses. All the participants completed a questionnaire, which included questions about general demographic data and occupational musculoskeletal exposures (Occupational Safety and Health Administration [OSHA] Ergonomic Assessment Checklist). To measure pain, work engagement and presenteeism, the following instruments were used: The Brief Pain Inventory Short Form (BPI SF), Utrecht Work Engagement Scale (UWES-17) and Stanford Presenteeism Scale-6 (SPS-6). This study was performed in 2021, and the questionnaire was distributed via email to the database of Turkish Society of Critical Care Nurses. Results: Our study was completed with 153 intensive care unit nurses. Among the study population, 76.5% (n=117) of the nurses had chronic musculoskeletal pain, 80% of whom had exposure to lifting heavy weights. There was a weak negative correlation between pain and work engagement, as shown by the BPI SF pain interference subscale and the vigour subscale of the UWES-17 (p=0.04, r=-.166). There was also a weak negative correlation between pain and presenteeism according to the BPI SF pain interference subscale and SPS-6 (p=0.04, r=-.193). There was no statistically significant association between workplace ergonomic exposures, presenteeism, work engagement and the presence of chronic musculoskeletal pain. Conclusion: Neither chronic musculoskeletal system pain nor pain intensity was significantly correlated with work engagement, occupational musculoskeletal exposures or presenteeism. However, musculoskeletal pain-related effects on daily activities of living had a negative impact on work engagement (vigour) and presenteeism.

Providing Safe Space for Honest Mistakes in the Public Sector Is the Most Important Predictor for Work Engagement after Strategic Clarity

Multiple studies highlight the link between engagement at work and performance, influencing organizations to put more effort into improving employee engagement levels. In this study, we begin to examine the influence of multiple psychological parameters on employees’ work engagement (WE) within the public sector. The idea is to break the concept of WE down into eight individually measurable parameters that will allow for a better understanding and development of stronger interventions. Based on this analysis, we reproduce the outcome that strategic clarity is the most connected property to WE. More importantly, we introduce a new concept, honest mistakes, and show that having a safe space for making mistakes and learning from it is the second most important property of WE. This result is of interest, as allowing mistakes, even if they were made innocently, is considered taboo in the public sector. These outcomes are based on the reports of n=7682 public sector employees from Brazil. In particular, the analysis shows that these outcomes hold for both professional and management positions across the health, administrative, justice, police, social work, and education offices.

Optimal Biomechanical Performance in Upper-Limb Gestures Depends on Velocity and Carried Load

In the last few years, there has been increased interest in the preservation of physical and mental health of workers that cooperate with robots in industrial contexts, such as in the framework of the European H2020 Mindbot Project. Since biomechanical analysis contributes to the characterization of the subject interacting with a robotic setup and platform, we tested different speed and loading conditions in a simulated environment to determine upper-limb optimal performance. The simulations were performed starting from laboratory data of people executing upper-limb frontal reaching movements, by scaling the motion law and imposing various carried loads at the hand. The simulated velocity ranged from 20% to 200% of the original natural speed, with step increments of 10%, while the hand loads were 0, 0.5, 1, and 2 kg, simulating carried objects. A 3D inverse kinematic and dynamic model was used to compute upper-limb kinematics and dynamics, including shoulder flexion, shoulder abduction, and elbow flexion. An optimal range of velocities was found in which the expended energy was lower. Interestingly, the optimal speed corresponding to lower exerted torque and energy decreased when the load applied increased. Lastly, we introduced a preliminary movement inefficiency index to evaluate the deviation of the power and expended energy for the shoulder flexion degree of freedom when not coinciding with the minimum energy condition. These results can be useful in human-robot collaboration to design minimum-fatigue collaborative tasks, tune setup parameters and robot behavior, and support physical and mental health for workers.

Teleworking, Work Engagement, and Intention to Quit during the COVID-19 Pandemic: Same Storm, Different Boats?

The ability to retain and engage employees is now, more than ever, a major strategic issue for organizations in the context of a pandemic paired with a persistent labor shortage. To this end, teleworking is among the work organization conditions that merit consideration. The purpose of this cross-sectional study is to examine the direct and indirect effects of teleworking on work engagement and intention to quit, as well as the potential moderating effect of organizational and individual characteristics on the relationship between teleworking, work engagement, and intention to quit during the COVID-19 pandemic, based on a sample of 254 Canadian employees from 18 small and medium organizations. To address these objectives, path analyses were conducted. Overall, we found that teleworking, use of emotion, skill utilization, and recognition appear to be key considerations for organizations that wish to increase work engagement and decrease intention to quit, in the context of a pandemic paired with a labor shortage. Our results extend the literature by revealing the pathways through which teleworking, use of emotion, skill utilization, and recognition are linked to work engagement and intention to quit, and by suggesting specific interventions and formation plans that are needed.

The Effect of Perceived Gratitude From Others on Work Engagement: A Cross-Sectional Study

OBJECTIVE

This study aimed to examine the effect of perceived gratitude from others on work engagement, adjusting for possible confounders: job demands, job resources (supervisor/coworker support), personal resources (resilience), and gratitude trait.

METHODS

This cross-sectional study conducted a secondary analysis of data from previously published research. Work engagement was measured using the Japanese version of the Utrecht Work Engagement Scale. An original one-item questionnaire measured perceived gratitude from others. A hierarchical linear regression analysis was conducted.

RESULTS

Hierarchical linear regression showed a significant association between perceived gratitude and work engagement even after controlling for the covariates of occupations, job demands, supervisor support, coworker support, resilience, and gratitude trait (N = 206).

CONCLUSIONS

The association between perceived gratitude and work engagement was independent of job demands, job/personal resources, and gratitude trait, suggesting the direct association.

An exploratory analysis of work engagement among women with and without disordered eating

BACKGROUND

Around 10% of the female population is estimated to have a subclinical eating disorder. Many of these women are of working age. Previous research has shown associations between unhealthy eating behaviors and occupational stress or burnout. However, no previous study has explored the association between disordered eating and work engagement, a positive, fulfilling, affective-cognitive state of mind which has been positioned as the conceptual opposite of burnout. Thus, that was the aim of the present study.

METHODS

In this cross-sectional study, a sample of 701 Swedish women completed the 9-item Utrecht Work Engagement Scale (UWES-9) and the Eating Disorder Examination Questionnaire (EDE-Q). They were divided into a Healthy Eating (HE) and a Disordered Eating (DE) group based on their EDE-Q scores. The Mann-Whitney U test was used to test the association between disordered eating and work engagement. The Kruskal Wallis test was used to assess the associations between educational level, marital status and age group, and work engagement.

RESULTS

Neither the UWES scores nor the EDE-Q scores were found to have a normal distribution. Non-parametric testing showed that the DE group reported significantly lower work engagement than the HE group (p = 0.016). There were no significant associations between education, marital status or age (independent variables) and work engagement (dependent variable) (p = 0.826, 0.309, and 0.349, respectively).

CONCLUSION

These findings indicate that work engagement may play a role in disordered eating, and that there is a need for future research to consider the workplace environment as a potential source for altering disordered eating behaviors.

Burnout and Work Engagement Among US Dentists

BACKGROUND

Burnout is a threat to patient safety. It relates to emotional exhaustion, depersonalization, and lack of personal accomplishment. Work engagement conversely composed of levels of vigor, dedication, and absorption in one's profession. The aim of this study was to examine burnout and work engagement among US dentists.

METHODS

This study used the extensively validated Maslach Burnout Inventory-Human Services Survey and Utrecht Work Engagement Scale to measure burnout in a self-administered survey of 167 US dentists who attended continuing education courses held in Boston, Pittsburg, Iowa City, and Las Vegas. The mean scores on the 3 subscales of Maslach Burnout Inventory-Human Services Survey and Utrecht Work Engagement Scale were computed. The interscale correlations between the components of burnout and work engagement were assessed using Pearson correlations. We used 1-way analysis of variance and independent 2 sample t tests to examine the relationship between burnout and work engagement across sex and various age categories. Prevalence of burnout in our study population was also computed.

RESULTS

We observed that 13.2% of our study population experienced burnout and 16.2% of our study population was highly work engaged. There was a statistically significant, unadjusted association between burnout risk and work engagement (χ2 = 22.51, P < 0.0001). Furthermore, the scores in the subscales of burnout were significantly correlated with scores in the subscales of work engagement.

CONCLUSIONS

In this preliminary study, we observed some evidence of burnout among practicing US dentists. It is imperative that the dental profession understands this and works to promote professional practices that increase work engagement and decrease burnout.

Creating a measure to operationalize engaged well-being at work

BACKGROUND

Mental well-being and work engagement are both desirable, positive states of mind that help employees to better function in the workplace. While occupational researchers have argued in favor of considering both states concurrently, it is less clear how this might be translated to provide an instrument characterizing the workforce accordingly. The present study describes empirical efforts to operationalize a construct called engaged well-being.

METHODS

We used employee-level data (n = 13,538) from three waves of the German linked personnel panel (LPP; 2012-2017). Exploratory factor analysis and a combination of hierarchical and non-hierarchical cluster analyses linked with within-sum-of-squares statistics were used to identify distinct profiles describing mental well-being and work engagement concurrently. These profiles were then used as the basis to identify cut-offs to create replicable categories of engaged well-being. Using the longitudinal data from a subgroup providing data across more than one wave, we observed whether the newly constructed indicator changed over time.

RESULTS

The exploratory factor analysis suggested that both states were two distinct factors. Cluster analysis linked with within-sum-of-squares statistics suggested a four-cluster solution: engaged well-being (46.9%), disengaged well-being (27.5%), engaged strain (8.8%), and disengaged strain (16.8%). One cut-off for each state was identified to replicate the cluster solution. Across observation periods, we could observe changes in engaged well-being.

CONCLUSIONS

Our measure of engaged well-being can be used to simultaneously characterize a workforce's mental well-being and work engagement. Changes in this measure over time suggest its potential utility in organizational interventions. Future studies are needed to further explore both the antecedents, correlates, and potential effects of engaged well-being.

Insights into the Sustainable Return to Work of Aging Workers with a Work Disability: An Interpretative Description Study

Purpose A sustainable return to work (S-RTW) following prolonged work disability poses particular challenges as workers age. This article provides a synthesis of the factors and issues involved in a S-RTW process for aging workers following such a disability. Methods Using interpretive description methods, a critical review was conducted of the literature specifying return-to-work factors and issues for aging workers with regard to four major causes of work disability (musculoskeletal disorders, common mental disorders, cancer or other chronic diseases). The initial review concerned the 2000-2016 literature, and was subsequently updated for November 2016-December 2018. To further explore and contextualise the results of this literature review, four focus groups were held with stakeholders, representing the workplace, insurance, and healthcare systems and workers. Qualitative thematic analysis was performed. Results Fifty-five articles were reviewed and 35 stakeholders participated in the focus groups. Returning to work and staying at work appear to be particularly challenging for aging workers, who face notable issues and stigma concerning their ability to meet work demands, as well as their mobilisation and engagement in these processes. Such findings echo in many ways the main assertions of the literature on aging at work, except those regarding the transformation of capacities with aging, which is not mentioned in relation to workers with a work disability. The influence of healthcare and compensation systems on the S-RTW of aging work-disabled workers has also received little attention to date. Conclusions The results underscore that aging workers with a disability are frequently vulnerable in terms of their health or their jobs. Intersectoral efforts are needed to remedy this situation to keep them at work.

Effects of a gratitude intervention program on work engagement among Japanese workers: a protocol for a cluster randomized controlled trial

BACKGROUND

Work engagement is one of the most important outcomes for both employees and employers. Although the findings to date, integrated 40 intervention studies aiming to improve work engagement, consistent results have not yet been produced, suggesting the importance of further intervention studies. This study aims to investigate the effects of gratitude intervention programs focused on two important work engagement factors among Japanese workers: personal and job resources.

METHODS

This study will be a two-arm, parallel-group cluster (organization) randomized control trial. Japanese organizations and nested employees will be recruited through the first author's acquaintances using snowball sampling. Organizations that meet the inclusion criteria will be randomly allocated to intervention or control groups in a 1:1 ratio within the company unit. The intervention groups will be provided with a 1-month long gratitude intervention program, which aims to promote reciprocal gratitude exchanges within the same organization. The program consists of psychoeducation, gratitude lists, and behavioral gratitude expression. The control groups will not receive any intervention. The primary outcome will be work engagement measured by the Japanese version of the Utrecht Work Engagement Scale at baseline and after 1 (immediate post-survey), 3, and 6 months. Multilevel latent growth modeling will be conducted to examine the effectiveness of the intervention program.

DISCUSSION

This study will be the first cluster randomized controlled trial applied to the investigation of gratitude intervention aimed at improving work engagement among Japanese workers; to promote reciprocal gratitude exchanges within a given organization; and to include both gratitude lists and behavioral gratitude expression. Gratitude interventions have several strengths in terms of implementation: the objectives of the exercises are easy to understand and implement; it does not require much time or expense; they tend to have lower dropout rates; and they do not require experts in psychology. Although implementation difficulties have been common in previous interventions targeting work engagement, gratitude intervention may be suitable even for workers who have limited time to devote to the tasks.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

This study was registered at the University Hospital Medical Information Network Clinical Trials Registry (UMIN-CTR, ID=UMIN000042546): https://upload.umin.ac.jp/cgi-open-bin/ctr/ctr_view.cgi?recptno=R000048566 on November 25, 2020.

How Do Empowered Leaders Influence the Job Satisfaction of Kindergarten Teachers in China? Evidence From Mediation Analysis

Given the current shortage of kindergarten teachers, this study examines the relationship between empowering leadership and job satisfaction among kindergarten teachers in China from the perspective of their job characteristics and the Chinese cultural context. The participants were 557 Chinese kindergarten female teachers whose average number of years of experience was 2.82 (SD = 3.02). They completed a self-report survey regarding empowering leadership, vigor, affective commitment, and job satisfaction. The study results show that vigor and affective commitment could mediate the relationship between empowering leadership and job satisfaction. Finally, we discuss the findings of this study in depth. At the same time, we suggest that administrators should focus on the empowering leadership of Chinese kindergarten teachers, strive to increase their level of dynamism, and finally, strengthen the emotional connection between the organization and the Chinese kindergarten teachers. Thus, we suggest that educational administrators should empower kindergarten teachers more, rather than allowing them to be mere enforcers. In addition, how to enhance the individual dynamics of early childhood teachers and their emotional connection to the organization may also be something for educational administrators to consider.

Occupational Exposures Associated with Life Expectancy without and with Disability

Policies to extend working lives often do not take into account potentially important health inequalities arising from differences in occupational exposures. Little is known about which occupational exposures are associated with these inequalities. This study aims to examine differences in life expectancy without and with disability by occupational exposures. Longitudinal data (1992–2016) on disability and physical and psychosocial work demands and resources of 2513 (former) workers aged ≥55 years participating in the Longitudinal Aging Study Amsterdam were used. Gender specific life expectancies without and with disability by occupational exposures were calculated using multistate survival models. Women aged 55 years with high physical work demands had a lower life expectancy without disability than those with low exposure (1.02–1.57 years), whereas there was no difference for men. Men and women with high psychosocial work demands and resources had a longer life expectancy without disability than those with low exposure (1.19–2.14 years). Life expectancy with disability did not significantly differ across occupational exposures. Workers with higher psychosocial demands and resources and lower physical demands can expect to live more disability-free years. Information on occupational exposure helps to identify workers at risk for lower life expectancy, especially without disability, who may need specific support regarding their work environment.

Factors associated with health-related quality of life in a working population in Singapore

OBJECTIVES

This study aimed to evaluate the determinants of health-related quality of life (HRQoL) among workers in Singapore.

METHODS

We analysed data from a cross-sectional study of 464 participants from 4 companies in Singapore. Physical and mental components of HRQoL were assessed using the Short-Form 36 version 2.0 survey. A generalized linear model was used to determine factors associated with the physical component summary (PCS) and mental component summary (MCS) scores of HRQoL.

RESULTS

The overall mean PCS and MCS scores were mean±standard deviation 51.6±6.7 and 50.2±7.7, respectively. The scores for subscales ranged from 62.7±14.7 for vitality to 83.5±20.0 for role limitation due to emotional problems. Ethnicity, overweight/obesity, and years working at the company were significantly associated with physical HRQoL, and age and stress at work were significantly associated with mental HRQoL. Moreover, sleep quality was significantly associated with both physical and mental HRQoL.

CONCLUSIONS

These findings could help workplaces in planning strategies and initiatives for employees to maintain a worklife balance that encompasses their physical, emotional, and social well-being.

The Mediating Effect of Unhealthy Behaviors and Body Mass Index in the Relation Between High Physical Workload and Self-Rated Poor Health in Male Construction Workers

OBJECTIVES

To examine the mediating role of unhealthy behaviors and body mass index (BMI) in the relation between high physical workload and self-rated health in male construction workers.

METHODS

Longitudinal data over 2010 to 2018 were used of 30,224 male construction workers in The Netherlands. Smoking, lack of physical activity, and alcohol consumption were self-reported. BMI was based on measured body weight and height. Multilevel modeling path analyses were used to determine the mediating role of unhealthy behaviors in the relation between physical workload and poor health.

RESULTS

A direct effect of high physical workload on poor health adjusted for unhealthy behaviors and BMI was found (odds ratio [OR] 1.49, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.38 to 1.68). Indirect effects of the unhealthy behaviors and BMI in the relation between high physical workload and poor health were small (OR varying from 0.96 to 1.04).

CONCLUSION

The pathway of high physical workload and poor health through unhealthy behaviors and BMI was not supported.

Exploratory and Confirmatory Factor Analysis of the 9-Item Utrecht Work Engagement Scale in a Multi-Occupational Female Sample: A Cross-Sectional Study

Objective

The aim of the present study was to use exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) to investigate the factorial structure of the 9-item Utrecht work engagement scale (UWES-9) in a multi-occupational female sample.

Methods

A total of 702 women, originally recruited as a general population of 7-15-year-old girls in 1995 for a longitudinal study, completed the UWES-9. Exploratory factor analysis (EFA) was performed on half the sample, and CFA on the other half.

Results

Exploratory factor analysis showed that a one-factor structure best fit the data. CFA with three different models (one-factor, two-factor, and three-factor) was then conducted. Goodness-of-fit statistics showed poor fit for all three models, with RMSEA never going lower than 0.166.

Conclusion

Despite indication from exploratory factor analysis (EFA) that a one-factor structure seemed to fit the data, we were unable to find good model fit for a one-, two-, or three-factor model using CFA. As previous studies have also failed to reach conclusive results on the optimal factor structure for the UWES-9, further research is needed in order to disentangle the possible effects of gender, nationality and occupation on work engagement.

The effects of training managers on management competencies to improve their management practices and work engagement of their subordinates: A single group pre- and post-test study

Objectives

The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of a training program for managers on their management competencies and work engagement of their subordinate workers and to investigate the mediating effect of management competencies on the subordinate work environment.

Methods

A training program, developed based on the UK Health and Safety Executive management competencies framework, was offered to managers in a finance company in Japan. Management competency was assessed at baseline and 1 month after the intervention. Work engagement was assessed at baseline and at a 1‐year follow‐up. Multilevel correlations between changes in components of management competency and changes in subordinate work engagement were analyzed.

Results

Although 6 of 12 components of management competency increased significantly following the intervention, significant intervention effect on subordinate work engagement was not found. Among 12 components of management competency, the integrity of managers showed significant multilevel correlation with work engagement of their subordinates. Subgroup analyses revealed that this multilevel correlation increased when a manager and a subordinate differed in gender.

Conclusions

The results of this study indicated that the training program developed in this study effectively improved the management competency of managers and that integrity of managers may facilitate work engagement of subordinate workers, especially when a manager and a subordinate are of different genders. Thus, a training program focused on improving the integrity of managers could enhance the work engagement of employees.

Factors influencing perceived health status among elderly workers: occupational stress, frailty, sleep quality, and motives for food choices

Purpose

The aim of this study was to investigate occupational stress, frailty, sleep quality, and motives for food choices as key factors affecting the perceived health status among elderly workers.

Methods

A cross-sectional survey was conducted involving 175 participants at the Community Senior Club in an urban area. The data was collected from November to December 2018. Pearson's correlation analyses were performed for perceived health status, occupational stress, sleep quality, and motives for food choices. Multivariate linear regression was adjusted for general characteristics such as age, gender, level of education, living arrangements, and the number of illnesses.

Results

Occupational stress (r=-0.195, p<0.001), frailty (r=-0.468, p<0.001), and sleep quality scores (r=-0.306, p<0.001) showed significant negative correlations with perceived health status. Conversely, 5 motives for food choices (health, weight control, price, sensory appeal, and mood) were positively correlated with perceived health status. Linear regression analysis showed that occupational stress (β=-0.195, p<0.001), frailty (β=-0.420, p<0.001), and motives for food choices based on sensory appeal (β=0.240, p<0.001) were significant influencing factors for perceived health status.

Conclusion

We found that occupational stress, frailty, and motives for food choices based on sensory appeal were significant factors for elderly worker health. This suggests that it is important to consider occupational stress, frailty, and motivation for food choices when examining the health of elderly workers. There is a need for more tailored health promotion interventions when considering these factors and the elderly population.

How Do Career Aspirations Benefit Organizations? The Mediating Roles of the Proactive and Relational Aspects of Contemporary Work

This paper examines how employees’ career aspirations benefit organizations, i.e., contribute to strengthening organizational capabilities and connections, by means of two aspects of contemporary work: proactive and relational. Data were collected from alumni of a public university in Amsterdam, the Netherlands, in two waves with a 1-year time lag. The results showed that employees with career aspirations strengthen: (a) organizational capabilities; and (b) organizational connections through their instrumental and psychosocial relationships. Interestingly, although employees’ career aspirations were positively associated with taking charge, we did not find that taking charge mediates the relationship between career aspirations and employees’ individual contributions to organizational capabilities. This study is the first to examine how individual career aspirations benefit organizations, and it discusses the results in light of their novel contributions to theory and practice.

Peripheral DNA methylation of HPA axis-related genes in humans: Cross-tissue convergence, two-year stability and behavioural and neural correlates

Environmental factors can influence gene expression via epigenetic modifications such as DNA methylation. DNA methylation levels of regulatory regions in Hypothalamo-Pituitary-Adrenal (HPA) axis-related genes assessed from brain tissues as well as from surrogate, peripheral tissues have been associated with vulnerability to stress-related psychopathologies. Commonly used peripheral samples to assess DNA methylation in living humans are derived from blood, saliva or buccal cells. Although psychiatric epigenetic studies are increasingly relying on peripheral measures of DNA methylation, it is still unknown to what extent methylation patterns across peripheral tissues are associated with each other and with measures of brain processes and behavioural stress. In the present study, with a sample of 51 healthy adults, we assessed cross-tissue correlations of DNA methylation patterns in the glucocorticoid receptor (NR3C1) 1 F promoter and the FK506 Binding Protein 5 (FKBP5) gene intron 7 region using saliva and buccal cell samples, and assessed two-year stability in both tissues in a male subsample (N = 14). We also investigated associations between peripherally-derived DNA methylation and measures of neural function and perceived daily stress, and compared the extent of these associations across tissue samples. DNA methylation cross-tissue correlations were highly significant for FKBP5, but not significant for NR3C1. DNA methylation in both genes remained stable for two years. Tissue- and gene-specific associations were found for brain resting state connectivity and neural responses to sadness, thereby suggesting that saliva- and buccal cell-derived DNA methylation levels of NR3C1-1 F and FKBP5 gene regions might differently capture different measures of putatively related brain processes. It was also found that greater buccal cell- (but not saliva-) derived NR3C1-1 F methylation was associated with lower perceived daily life demands. Results of the present study may inform the design of future epigenetic studies on FKBP5-intron-7 and NR3C1-1 F-promoter methylation in relation to neuro-imaging and behavioural measures, and provide insight for the development of peripheral DNA methylation correlates of stress sensitivity and resilience.

Do Work Characteristics Predict Health Deterioration Among Employees with Chronic Diseases?

Purpose In our ageing workforce, the increasing numbers of employees with chronic diseases are encouraged to prolong their working lives. It is important to prevent health deterioration in this vulnerable group. This study aims to investigate whether work characteristics predict health deterioration over a 3-year period among employees with (1) chronic diseases, and, more specifically, (2) musculoskeletal and psychological disorders. Methods The study population consisted of 5600 employees aged 45-64 years with a chronic disease, who participated in the Dutch Study on Transitions in Employment, Ability and Motivation (STREAM). Information on work characteristics was derived from the baseline questionnaire. Health deterioration was defined as a decrease in general health (SF-12) between baseline and follow-up (1-3 years). Crude and adjusted logistic regression analyses were performed to investigate prediction of health deterioration by work characteristics. Subgroup analyses were performed for employees with musculoskeletal and psychological disorders. Results At follow-up, 19.2% of the employees reported health deterioration (N = 1075). Higher social support of colleagues or supervisor predicted health deterioration in the crude analyses in the total group, and the groups with either musculoskeletal or psychological disorders (ORs 1.11-1.42). This effect was not found anymore in the adjusted analyses. The other work characteristics did not predict health deterioration in any group. Conclusions This study did not support our hypothesis that work characteristics predict health deterioration among employees with chronic diseases. As our study population succeeded continuing employment to 45 years and beyond, it was probably a relatively healthy selection of employees.

One, two or three dimensions of work engagement? Testing the factorial validity of the Utrecht Work Engagement Scale on a sample of Polish employees

Work engagement, as conceptualized by the Utrecht Work Engagement Scale (UWES), is a work-related positive state of mind that is characterized by vigour, dedication and absorption; however, it still remains unclear how many dimensions work engagement comprises. This study tested the factorial validity of 11 different UWES factorial models that are available in the literature using a confirmatory factor analysis approach on a large sample of multi-occupational Polish employees (N = 1420). The two-factor UWES-6, comprising vigour and dedication, was found to be reliable and remained invariant across samples drawn from four different organizational positions. It also presented a better fit than the three-factor UWES-9, which is a scale used as a standard in contemporary research on work engagement. The findings suggest that the three-factor UWES-9 might not be an optimal measure of work engagement in Poland.

Physical and mental health factors associated with work engagement among Finnish female municipal employees: a cross-sectional study

OBJECTIVES

Work engagement is related to mental health, but studies of physical health's association with work engagement are scarce. This study aims to evaluate the relationship between physical health, psychosocial risk factors and work engagement among Finnish women in municipal work units.

METHODS

A cross-sectional study was conducted in 2014 among 726 female employees from 10 municipal work units of the city of Pori, Finland. Work engagement was assessed with the nine-item Utrecht Work Engagement Scale. The American Heart Association's concept of ideal cardiovascular health (CVH) was used to define physical health (non-smoking, body mass index <25.0 kg/m², physical activity at goal, healthy diet, total cholesterol <5.18mmol/L, blood pressure <120/80 mm Hg, normal glucose tolerance). Psychosocial risk factors (social isolation, stress, depressive symptoms, anxiety, hostility and type D personality) were included as core questions suggested by 2012 European Guidelines on cardiovascular disease prevention.

RESULTS

Of the study subjects, 25.2% had favourable 5-7 CVH metrics. The sum of CVH metrics, healthy diet and physical activity at goal were positively associated with work engagement. In subjects without psychosocial risk factors (36.7%), work engagement was high and stable. Presence of even one psychosocial risk factor was associated with a lower level of work engagement regardless of the sum of ideal CVH metrics.

CONCLUSIONS

Both physical and mental health factors have a positive relationship with work engagement, whereas the presence of even one psychosocial risk factor has a negative association regardless of the level of classic cardiovascular risk factors.

The association between exposure to psychosocial work factors and mental health in older employees, a 3-year follow-up study

Purpose

Unfavourable exposure to psychosocial work factors threatens older employees’ mental health, and their sustained employment. This study assesses whether an improved compared to stable unfavourable and stable favourable exposure to psychosocial work factors is associated with a change in mental health in older employees at 3-year follow-up.

Methods

The current study used data from the Study on Transitions in Employment, Ability and Motivation (STREAM), in workers aged 45–65 years (n = 5249). Two-year (2010–2012) exposure was assessed for psychological demands, autonomy, support, mental load, and distributive justice. Linear regression analyses were performed to compare improved exposure to unfavourable psychosocial work factors with stable unfavourable and stable favourable exposure and mental health at follow-up (2013), corrected for confounders. Analyses were stratified for age groups (45–54 and 55–65 years) and gender.

Results

In certain subgroups, stable unfavourable exposure to psychological demands, autonomy, support, and distributive justice was associated with a significantly lower mental health score than improved exposure. Stable favourable exposure to support was associated with a higher mental health score than improved support, whereas stable favourable exposure to autonomy was associated with a lower mental health score compared to improved exposure.

Conclusions

There is a longitudinal association between changes in exposure to psychosocial work factors and mental health. Improvement in unfavourable exposure to psychosocial work factors was associated with improved mental health. This is important information for organisations that consider deploying measures to improve the psychosocial work environment of older workers.

Electronic supplementary material

The online version of this article (doi:10.1007/s00420-017-1261-8) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Leader psychological capital and employee work engagement

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the relationship between leader psychological capital and employee work engagement. Drawing on conservation of resources theory, the authors hypothesize that leader psychological capital is associated with employee work engagement through employee psychological capital. The authors further hypothesize that team collectivism moderates the relationship between leader psychological capital and employee psychological capital.

Design/methodology/approach

Multi-source data came from 44 team leaders and 307 employees in Mainland China.

Findings

The results suggest a trickle-down relationship between leader psychological capital and employee psychological capital, which in turn is linked to employee engagement. In addition, the relationship between leader psychological capital and employee psychological capital is stronger (weaker) when team collectivism is lower (higher).

Practical implications

By paying attention to the psychological capital of both employees and their leaders, organizations can increase employee engagement which is an important work outcome.

Originality/value

Work engagement is important in the workplace because it is related to a variety of employee work and life outcomes. Prior research has examined the antecedents of work engagement, but little is known about the role of leader psychological capital, a positive psychological state, in shaping employee work engagement. This research applied a resource conservation process model of leader positivity on employee engagement that is mediated by employee psychological capital. This study contributes to a better understanding of the theoretical foundation of leader psychological capital.

The role of autonomy and social support in the relation between psychosocial safety climate and stress in health care workers

Background

Health care workers are exposed to psychosocial work factors. Autonomy and social support are psychosocial work factors that are related to stress, and are argued to largely result from the psychosocial safety climate within organisations. This study aimed to assess to what extent the relation between psychosocial safety climate and stress in health care workers can be explained by autonomy and social support.

Methods

In a cross-sectional study, psychosocial safety climate, stress, autonomy, co-worker support, and supervisor support were assessed using questionnaires, in a sample of health care workers (N = 277). Linear mixed models analyses were performed to assess to what extent social support and autonomy explained the relation between psychosocial safety climate and stress.

Results

A lower psychosocial safety climate score was associated with significantly higher stress (B = −0.21, 95% CI = −0.27 – -0.14). Neither co-worker support, supervisor support, nor autonomy explained the relation between psychosocial safety climate and stress. Taken together, autonomy and both social support measures diminished the relation between psychosocial safety climate and stress by 12% (full model: B = −0.18, 95% CI = −0.25 – -0.11).

Conclusions

Autonomy and social support together seemed to bring about a small decrease in the relation between psychosocial safety climate and stress in health care workers. Future research should discern whether other psychosocial work factors explain a larger portion of this relation.

Trial registration

This study was registered in the Netherlands National Trial Register, trial code: NTR5527.

Work engagement and psychological capital in the Italian public administration: A new resource-based intervention programme

Orientation: Organisations need energetic and dedicated employees to enhance the quality of their services and products continuously. According to the Conservation of Resources Theory, it is possible to increase work engagement of employees by improving their personal resources.Research purpose: The main aim of this study was to examine the extent to which an improvement in psychological capital, as a personal resource, might enhance work engagement of employees in the public sector.Motivation for the study: This study was developed to investigate how and to what extent interventions aiming at fostering higher work engagement through the enhancement of psychological capital were certainly effective.Research design, approach and method: To improve psychological capital, a new resource-based intervention programme (FAMILY intervention) was developed and applied, in which six dimensions – namely framing, attitudes, meaningfulness, identity, leading self and yoked together – were improved. A semi-experimental research design (pre-test and post-test) was used to conduct this study. Participants were 54 employees working in an Italian public health administration. In the pre-test and post-test stages, data were collected by using the psychological capital and work engagement scales.Main findings: Results showed that there is a positive relationship between psychological capital and work engagement in the pre-test and post-test stages, considered separately. In addition, comparing pre-test and post-test results revealed that the intervention programme significantly improved both psychological capital and work engagement. This shows that an improvement in psychological capital is consistent with an increase in work engagement.Conclusion: Together, these findings prove that psychological capital can be considered as a set of personal resources which lead to increased work engagement.Contribution/value-add: This study bridged the gap found in the literature between the role of psychological capital in fostering higher work engagement and the extent to which interventions are effective among employees working in public administration.

The comparison of telerehabilitation and face-to-face rehabilitation after total knee arthroplasty: A systematic review and meta-analysis

Introduction

The objective of this study was to assess the efficacy of telerehabilitation for patients after total knee arthroplasty (TKA) compared with face-to-face rehabilitation.

Methods

Medline, SCOPUS, Google Scholar, EMBASE, Springer, Science Direct, and Cochrane databases were searched electronically. Relevant journals and references of studies included were hand-searched for randomized controlled trials (RCTs) regarding the efficacy of telerehabilitation on functional recovery in patients after TKA. Two reviewers independently performed data extraction and quality assessment. Data were analysed using RevMan 5.3 software and Stata 12.0 software.

Results

Four RCTs involving 442 patients were included in the meta-analysis. Overall, compared with face-to-face rehabilitation, telerehabilitation could achieve comparable pain relief (mean difference = 0.52; 95% confidence interval (CI) = −0.20 to 1.24; p = 0.16) and better Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index improvement (mean difference = 1.13; 95% CI = 0.23 to 2.02; p = 0.014). In addition, telerehabilitation treatment resulted in a significantly higher extension range ( p < 0.00001) and quadriceps strength ( p = 0.0002) than face-to-face rehabilitation.

Discussion

Telerehabilitation should be recommended for patients after TKA because of its comparable pain control and better improvement of functional recovery as compared to face-to-face rehabilitation.

Company Policies on Working Hours and Night Work in Relation to Older Workers' Work Ability and Work Engagement: Results From a Dutch Longitudinal Study with 2 Year Follow-Up

Purpose To longitudinally investigate (1) whether lower work ability and work engagement predict the use of company policies on reduced working hours and exemption from evening/night work among older workers, and (2) whether using such policies subsequently contribute to higher work ability and work engagement. Methods In total 6922 employees (45-64 years) participating in the first three waves of the Study on Transitions in Employment, Ability and Motivation were included. Participants yearly filled out an online questionnaires. Regression analyses were applied to study the influence of baseline work ability and work engagement on the incident use of policies during the first year of follow-up, and the incident use of these policies on work ability and work engagement during the second year of follow-up. Results Employees with a higher work ability were less likely to start using the policy 'reduced working hours' [OR 0.91 (95 % CI 0.83-0.98)]. Starting to use this policy was in turn related to lower work ability 1 year later [B -0.28 (95 % CI -0.47 to -0.08)]. Starting to use the policy 'exemption from evening/night work' was related to higher work engagement 1 year later [B 0.23 (95 % CI 0.07-0.39)]. Conclusions Low work ability precedes the use of some company policies aiming to support sustainable employability of older workers. Further research is needed to explore whether company policies result in a (longstanding) improvement, or reduced deterioration, of older workers' employability.

Engagement in Health and Safety at the Workplace

Dramatic changes in the age structure of the population have led to a rise in the age of retirement. An ageing working population may be a problem for companies and for their health and safety services that must face the long-term management of active, chronically ill workers. For sustainability reasons the discipline of occupational medicine must be replaced by occupational health, which not only combats occupational diseases, but actively works to promote the health of older workers. More in general, occupational health has a strong interest in promoting engagement in professional activities. Shifting from a reactive to a proactive logic will take time and require a big effort on the part of employers, employees and health and safety staff in order to develop participatory ergonomics and best health promotion practices in the workplace.