Managing job performance, social support and work-life conflict to reduce workplace stress

Comparison of Quality of Life and Coping Strategies among Firefighters and Emergency Medical Services Personnel in Saveh, Iran

Emergency medical service (EMS) personnel and firefighters (FFs) are first responders in dangerous and stressful situations. They experience high stress due to the nature of their jobs, which can affect their quality of life and various health dimensions. This study aimed to compare quality of life, job stress, and coping strategies in a sample of EMS personnel and FF employees in Iran. This cross-sectional study included 186 FFs and EMS, who were selected using a census sampling method. Our results showed that FFs had a better quality of life, lower perceived stress, and better coping skills than EMS. Individuals living in rural areas, government officials, and staff with regular work shifts also reported less perceived stress. Furthermore, our results indicated a negative and significant correlation between perceived stress and quality of life and a positive and significant correlation between stress management and quality of life in both groups. Given the inevitability of stress in EMS and FF jobs, policymakers need to take interventional measures to reduce anxiety and enhance the quality of life and work for these personnel. Occupational health policies in Iran generally follow the International Labor Organizational recommended standards, however, more attention to managerial interventions that reduce job demands and job stress combined with health promotion programs to improve coping are advised.

First validation of the technical and administrative staff quality of life at work tool (TASQ@work) in academia

Introduction

Based on the job demands-resources (JD-R) model, the present study aimed to validate "The Technical and Administrative Staff Quality of Life At Work" (TASQ@work), a new tool to assess the quality of life at work in academia focused on technical and administrative staff.

Methods

This tool was developed by the QoL@Work research team, a group of expert academics in the field of work and organizational psychology affiliated with the Italian Association of Psychologists. The TASQ@work was elaborated in different steps. The first phase was aimed at the identification of the dimensions of the tool. The second phase was aimed to assess the psychometric properties of the tool. The validation process involved confirmatory analysis and measurement invariance of the various constructs selected. The analyses were performed in a convenience sample of two Italian universities in different regions (one in the Northwest and the second in Central Italy).

Results

The sample was composed of 1820 Administrative Staff, comprising 69.4% from University 1 (N = 1,263) and 30.6% from University 2 (N = 557). The TASQ@work presented satisfactory psychometric properties (normality of the items, reliability and content, construct and nomological validity) and measurement invariance across gender, seniority, and Athenaeum.

Discussion

The results indicate that the tool can be considered a reliable and valid instrument to assess job demands, job resources, and outcomes in the working life of technical and administrative academic staff. In this perspective, the present study represents the first contribution to the debate on the psychosocial risks in academic contexts by presenting a new tool, the TASQ@work, aimed at contextualizing the JD-R model to understand the role played by psychosocial aspects in affecting the well-being of the academic employees.

Challenges and coping experiences faced by nursing staff in long-term care facilities in China: a qualitative meta-analysis

Objective

The aim of this study is to discern the challenges and coping experiences encountered by nursing staff in long-term care facilities in China. This will be achieved through the identification, evaluation, and qualitative synthesis of comprehensive data.

Design

This is a qualitative meta-analysis.

Methods

The research systematically examined relevant literature sourced from six databases, concluding the search in August 2023. The inclusion criteria encompassed qualitative and mixed-methods studies in both Chinese and English, focusing on challenges faced by nursing staff in long-term care facilities and their corresponding coping strategies. The application of the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) framework facilitated the qualitative meta-integration process. Three independent researchers meticulously screened and assessed the quality of the chosen studies. The synthesis process sought to amalgamate and structure analogous findings into novel categories through multiple readings of the original literature. These categories were subsequently distilled into comprehensive themes.

Results

Analyzed 15 articles revealed 14 sub-themes and 4 overarching analytical themes. These encompassed Sources of Challenges such as multitasking, clinical emergencies, workplace conflict, demand exceeding resources, and occupational discrimination. Psychological impacts included suppressed emotion, compassion fatigue, and self-doubt. Practical consequences involved damaged health, imbalanced life, and occupational disappointment. Coping strategies identified were self-adjusting, feeling validation and belonging, and finding support.

Conclusion

Our research identified the challenges faced by nursing staff in Chinese long-term care facilities and their coping experiences. We found that most challenges could be mitigated through appropriate adjustments in managerial strategies, such as reasonable human resources planning, and providing resource support, including material, emotional, and informational support. Similarly, institutions should have offered necessary emotional and psychological support to nursing staff to overcome the negative impacts of challenges and encourage them to adopt positive coping strategies.

Occupational stress among Generation-Y employees in the era of COVID-19: cases from universities in India

Purpose

Several organizations decided to work remotely after the Indian Government proclaimed a state of emergency on March 24, 2020, to prevent the spread of COVID-19. Employees across all industries, particularly the Generation-Y, were stressed as a result of the COVID-19 outbreak. The purpose of this study is to fills that gap by looking at the effects of occupational stress factors (such as coworker support, work–life balance [WLB] and role expectation conflict) on Generation-Y employees in the educational sector during COVID-19.

Design/methodology/approach

The causes and consequences of the three occupational stresses listed above were investigated. In total, 231 surveys from workers at private and public educational institutions in India were analyzed using partial least square-structural equation modeling analysis.

Findings

The results revealed that support from coworkers greatly reduced job stress, the WLB had a positive impact on the work and personal lives, and the lack of role specification in Generation-Y employees had a negative impact on their job performance.

Originality/value

This study has considered the occupational stress variables among Generation-Y in the era of COVID-19, which need attention to improve the performance of the academic sector.

Working from home during the COVID 19 pandemic: a longitudinal examination of employees' sense of community and social support and impacts on self-rated health

BACKGROUND

The COVID 19 pandemic resulted in the introduction of public health measures including mandated and recommended work from home orders to reduce transmission. This provided a unique opportunity to examine sense of community and social support within the workplace and self-rated general health. This paper examines employees' workplace sense of community and social support across one year of the COVID 19 pandemic and associated self-rated general health.

METHODS

Analysis of longitudinal data (October 2020, May 2021, and November 2021) from the Employees Working from Home study conducted in Victoria, Australia during the COVID 19 pandemic was undertaken. Trajectory analyses were used to describe workplace sense of community and social support over time. Multinomial logistic regression was used to determine the associations between demographics, gender, caring responsibilities, and group membership based on the Growth Mixture Modelling. Generalised Mixed Models were used to measure effects of sense of community and social support on self-rated health.

RESULTS

Increasing sense of community and social support in the workplace resulted in increased self-rated health. Trajectory analysis found two stable and distinct groups for sense of community. Social support varied with time; however, trajectory membership was not dependent on gender or caring responsibilities and had no relationship with return to the office.

CONCLUSION

Sense of community and social support in the workplace are important determinants of employees' health, and as such, workplace strategies to improve sense of community and social support are required not only for employees working from home, but also those who have returned to the office, particularly as hybrid work arrangements become more common.

Factors Contributing to Stress and Well-Being Among Trainee Psychiatrists in Victoria, Australia

Doctors in training experience stress, as they balance the demands of working and studying at the same time. As evidenced by reports of suicides among trainee doctors, it is clear that the level of stress they experience is dangerously high. Long working hours, which can lead to exhaustion, burnout, and time taken away from meaningful activities and relationships outside of work, are a large contributor to trainee stress and increase the likelihood of mental illness and suicidal ideation. For psychiatry trainees, this workload burden is also compounded by a high emotional burden associated with the nature of their work, including patient suicides, aggression, and threats. This study sought to investigate the factors that contribute to the stress and well-being of psychiatry trainees, through in-depth interviews analyzed via qualitative, template analysis. The main sources of stress identified were workload, aspects related to the psychiatry training program, and workplace-based aggression. Supervision, external supports such as family and health professionals, and distraction or "switching off" were the main sources of well-being support. Overall, this study highlighted the importance of structural factors in the workplace and training program in psychiatry trainee stress and well-being levels. Workload and training commitments limited the amount of time trainees could devote to well-being-related activities, despite their awareness of these. This study contributes useful insights into how we can better look after the mental health and well-being of psychiatry trainees, as future leaders of our mental health system.

Occupational stress and job performance among Iranian hospital nurses: A cross-sectional survey

BACKGROUND

Occupational stress is one of the most important factors affecting nurse performance. However, there is a lack of data about the association between occupational stress and performance.

OBJECTIVE

The aim of this study was to determine the occupational stress level and its association with job performance in hospital staff.

METHODS

This cross-sectional study was conducted among 400 hospital staff of Tehran University of medical sciences in 2018. Subjects completed the World Health Organization Health and Work Performance questionnaire (WHO HPQ) for demographic and occupational characteristics, and the Short Form of Copenhagen questionnaire.

RESULTS

The demand and individual interface domain received the highest and the lowest score of occupational stress respectively. We found that the median for absenteeism distribution was 16 hours and, in our study, less than 10 % of the nurses had low performance. Working in intensive care units, fewer night shifts, higher income, higher levels of vitality, and social support could decrease absenteeism. In addition, staff who felt more supported and reported lower emotional demands had higher performance.

CONCLUSION

Since higher levels of social support could have positive influences on reducing absenteeism and improving performance, it is recommended that hospital managers should be encouraged to use educational programs, coping behaviors, and effective interventions to improve social support. Financial incentives are a factor that could also be used to reduce absenteeism.

Educational performance between the human resource's theoretical paradigm and the practical mentality. Analysis at the European level

The issue of performance in education is always topical because it plays an important role in creating the most valuable resource: labor. It has been treated both from a scientific and practical point of view through numerous strategies and optimization techniques, being integrated with the strategies for educational development as a training system at a global level. This research aimed to identify the need for performance and assessed the theoretical and practical dimensions of the European gap in performance in education, given the impact of the global crisis. The analysis was based on a structured questionnaire that is part of a pilot research in which 130 teachers and school managers from Romania and 97 teachers and school managers from five other European countries participated. The results of the study will allow the identification of the human resource's theoretical paradigm and the practical mentality in the education system to improve performance, which the authors propose to use to identify concrete applicable measures in the short term.

How to improve the problem of hotel manpower shortage in the COVID-19 epidemic environment? Exploring the effectiveness of the hotel practice training system

This study aimed to examine the role of effective employee training in the sustainable growth and corporate social responsibility of hotels during the postpandemic period. An initial respondent pool was selected using purposive sampling, and 280 questionnaires were finally obtained by snowball sampling from September 2019 to February 2020. The sample was analyzed using basic statistical tests, the Pearson correlation coefficient, and multivariate regression. We then interpreted the sample data through consultation with scholars and practitioners in hotel management. Finally, the data were analyzed using multivariate verification. The results indicated that China Binhai Hotel could not foster consistent employee enthusiasm and fulfill its corporate social responsibilities during the postpandemic period due to deficiencies in its human resources training, employee benefit, job rotation, and incentive systems. We suggest for hotels to promote corporate culture, improve the system of promotion, increase employee benefits, and adjust the workplace environment and equipment provided to employees. These will improve employee attitudes toward hotel management, improve work efficiency, increase retention, and solve the problem of personnel shortage during the postpandemic period.

Facilitators for and barriers to nurses' work-related health-a qualitative study

Background

Work-related health problems, such as work stress, fatigue, and burnout constitute a global challenge within the nursing profession. Work-related health among nurses is not yet a prioritized phenomenon in Nepal. Health-promoting approaches to maintaining and sustaining nurses’ health are therefore essential. The aim of this study was to explore and thereby gain a deeper understanding of how nurses in Nepal’s hospitals experience their everyday work, with a focus on promoting and sustaining their work-related health.

Methods

A qualitative design with semi-structured individual interviews were used. Nineteen registered nurses working at hospitals in Kathmandu Valley, Nepal, were individually interviewed between October 6 and December 5, 2018. Transcribed interviews were analyzed through thematic analysis.

Results

Four main themes with belonging eight subthemes were constructed from the analysis: (1) “Sense of meaningfulness and belongingness in work culture” with subthemes; “Open environment” and “Sharing attitude and cooperating for the entire team” (2) “Support and rewards from the management team” with subthemes; “Lacking managerial support” and “Fair evaluation and job promotion opportunities”(3) “Workload and protection against work-related hazards” with subthemes; “Stressful and multitasking in workload” and “Lacking equipment for own health and caring”, and (4) “Motivation through opportunities and activities” with subthemes; “Employment benefits that motivate work”, and “Activities outside of work needed to recover”. These main themes and subthemes described nurses’ facilitators for and barriers to their work environment and health.

Conclusion

Our study highlighted nurses’ experiences with facilitators and barriers to their work-related health. Nurses’ work-related health was positively affected by support from colleagues, managers, and the organization. Conversely, less support from managers, lack of equipment, and unfair judgment were barriers to nurses’ work-related health. This study adds new knowledge about nurses’ work-related health from the context of Nepal. Hospital organizations and nursing managers in similar cultural and healthcare settings can apply the results of our study to develop strategies to promote and sustain nurses’ health and prevent work-related illness.

Hope, goal-commitment and -stress mediating between collaborative leadership, financial resources and performance

Purpose

Combining the goal-setting and job demands-resources (JD-R) theories, we examine how two project resources, collaborative project leadership and financial project resources, enhance high project performance in community-academic health partnerships.

Design/methodology/approach

With a sequential explanatory mixed-method research design, data were collected through a survey (N = 318) and semi-structured interviews (N = 21). A hypothesised three-path mediation model was tested using structural equation modelling with bootstrapping. Qualitative data were examined using thematic analysis.

Findings

Project workers’ hope, goal-commitment and -stress: (1) fully mediate the hypothesised relationship between highly collaborative project leadership and high project performance; and (2) partially mediate the relationship between financial project resources and high project performance. The qualitative data corroborate and deepen these findings, revealing the crucial role of hope as a cognitive-motivational facilitator in project workers’ ability to cope with challenges.

Practical implications

Project leaders should promote project workers’ goal commitment, reduce their goal stress and boost project performance by securing financial project resources or reinforcing workers’ hope, e.g. by fostering collaborative project leadership.

Originality/value

The findings contribute to the project management and JD-R literature by considering the joint effects of project workers’ hope and two commonly studied project resources (collaborative project leadership and financial project resources) on high project performance. Moreover, we demonstrate the importance of the goal-setting and JD-R theories for understanding complex health-promotion projects connecting academic to community work.

A formative measurement model and development of quality of work-life scale based on two-factor theory: evidence from Indian private industries

Purpose

This study examines the quality of work-life (QoWL) as a formative construct and validates the scale in an Indian context. Taking a cue from the two-factor (Herzberg) theory, the study developed and validated a formative assessment model of QoWL in the current scenario.

Design/methodology/approach

Cross-sectional data and a self-administered questionnaire were used to analyze the QoWL scale based on a sample of 841 respondents from IT/ITES, BFSI, CPG and manufacturing sectors. Indicators/items of QoWL were considered a first-order reflective construct, and factors of QoWL were considered second-order formative construct in the study. Embedded two-stage approach was used to assess the antecedent construct in the model in which QoWL was measured with seven formative indicators in stage one, and all the constructs of the QoWL are measured with a single item (Global_QWL, i.e. the essence of all constructs) in stage two.

Findings

The study found QoWL as a formative construct with seven significant dimensions; namely, hygiene factors included fairness in compensation (FC), job security (JS), interpersonal relationship (IR), health and wellbeing (HWB), where motivational factors had rewards and career growth (RG), work-life balance (WLB) and learning and development (LD). The study also indicated the strong association of a single item (global_QWL) with all constructs of QoWL. The study findings conceptualize a QoWL as a formative construct within the mentioned sector and can be generalized and extended to other sectors of the economy as well.

Research limitations/implications

Future researchers can take guidance to deal with the formative construct in the development and validation of scale in various topics in the field of HRM. Future researchers can extend the study across cities and different sectors.

Practical implications

In this VUCA world, employees have to be constantly on their toes to ensure their organization remains relevant. In this context, the least organization can do for their employees is to offer a conducive environment and favorable QoWL. This study aims to assist the key decision-makers in applying the QoWL index as a formative construct and aiding them in improving the quality of their decisions.

Social implications

Researcher believes that applying the QoWL index as a formative construct can aid decision-makers in improving the quality of their decisions by equipping them with relevant inputs and knowledge. Government can focus on the employees' welfare and introduce the current motivational and hygiene factors in the area of quality of life of the Indians.

Originality/value

Formative assessment measurement of QoWL model was validated with the two-factor theory to understand the work environment of India in the private sector across different sectors. The unique finding of the study was a single item (global_QWL) to conclude the QoWL index as a formative construct by redundancy analysis.

Shadow of cyber ostracism over remote environment: Implication on remote work challenges, virtual work environment and employee mental well-being during a Covid-19 pandemic

This study aimed to identify the influence of workplace cyber ostracism on employee online work engagement and employee mental well-being with the mediating roles of remote work challenges such as loneliness, procrastination, work-home interference, and ineffective communication. As amidst lockdown due to COVID-19, the data was collected from 303 respondents through an online questionnaire that was distributed in virtual groups among friends, relatives, and other fellows who were working in the private sector organizations of Pakistan. The hypotheses were tested using the partial least square structural equation modeling PLS-SEM technique. The findings of this study showed that workplace cyber ostracism has a positive and significant impact on employee online work engagement and employee mental well-being. Moreover, results also demonstrated that loneliness, ineffective communication, procrastination, and work-home interference positively and significantly mediate the relationship between workplace cyber ostracism, employee online work engagement, and employee mental well-being. Furthermore, discussion, implications, and limitations were also discussed in this research article.

The Effect of Employee Competency and Organizational Culture on Employees' Perceived Stress for Better Workplace

Although the meaningful relationship between organizational culture and employee performance is a widely-researched topic, there is scant research available how organizational culture impacts on employees’ perceived stress in the workplace, affecting their performance. This might cause a difficulty to guide practitioners as to what organizational elements can be applied to reduce employee perceived stress. To add the level of robustness and fill the gap in the literature, the present research explores the effect of organizational culture with employee competency on workers’ perceived stress which has emerged as a common occupational disease and affected employees psychologically and physically; thus, affecting their performance. Using 641 responses, the statistical findings of the present research insists that HR practitioners should match the type of organizational culture and employee competency situationally to reduce employee stress. The current authors suggest that organizations desiring the adaptability competencies (Professional competency) for their employees should build a clan organizational culture. In contrast, organizations should encourage a market organizational culture for their employees who possess customer orientation competency (Simply result-oriented competency). The research outcomes provide additional knowledge to the existing literature, enhance academicians’ understanding of the research topic, and serve as a significant knowledge base for further empirical research.

Signifying the Relationship between Fear of COVID-19, Psychological Concerns, Financial Concerns and Healthcare Employees Job Performance: A Mediated Model

The coronavirus pandemic (COVID-19) has undoubtedly created immense health problems in the global healthcare sector. Apart from its impact on physical health, it has devastatingly affected the psychological well-being of individuals. Based on Affective Events Theory (AET), the current study aims to contemplate the relationship between Fear of COVID-19 (CVF), psychological concerns (PC), and financial concerns (FC) while considering the impact on the healthcare employees' job performance (JP). Moreover, this study investigates the mediating role of job anxiety (ANX), stress (ST), and depression (DEP). The data were collected through an online structured questionnaire (Google Forms) from 489 employees working in the healthcare centers of Pakistan. The structured equation modeling (partial least square) approach is adopted for data analysis. The study results showed that Fear of COVID-19, psychological and financial concerns positively and significantly affect healthcare workers' job performance. Depression, anxiety, and stress mediated the relationship between Fear of COVID-19, psychological concerns, financial concerns, and job performance. The study theoretically and practically contributes to the existing literature on psychological and mental health by providing a better understanding of the individual variables that affect employees' job performance.

Remote Working for Sustainability of Organization during the COVID-19 Pandemic: The Mediator-Moderator Role of Social Support

Remote working became a widespread business practice during the COVID-19 pandemic as an organizational response to protect employees’ health and maintain business continuity. The aim of this paper is to reveal the role of social support in the relationship among NWHI, NHWI and loneliness, and work engagement and job performance. The study respondents were employees with a remote working status in Serbian companies, and a total of 226 valid surveys were collected. The PLS-SEM approach was deployed to test the hypothesized relationship between named variables. A standard bootstrapping procedure was used to reveal direct and indirect effects among latent variables. Results indicate a strong and positive direct association between social support and work engagement and job performance, while mediation and moderation of the role of social support were mostly confirmed but with some results opposite to what was expected. Social support was not able to buffer a negative home–work interaction and loneliness within remote working. The study offers insight into the role of social support and recommendations for managing the antecedents and consequences of remote working, with the aim to determine a sustainable model for extensive application, not only during the COVID-19 pandemic, but in regular times.

Social isolation and social support in good times and bad times

People who are socially isolated or lonely report having lower levels of social support. Supportive social networks help buffer individuals against the deleterious effects of negative events and stressors. Supportive social networks also help individuals maximize the benefits of positive events and accomplishments. In short, those who are socially isolated suffer more when bad things happen and gain less when good things happen than those who are more socially connected.

Impacts of Personality on Job Performance Through COVID-19 Fear and Intention to Quit

Recent studies have examined the association between personality and job performance; however, this relationship remains to be elucidated within the context of COVID-19 fear and intention to quit. Therefore, we aimed to develop a structural equation model (SEM) by exploring the effects of personality on job performance through COVID-19 fear and intention to quit. Accordingly, 447 employees participated in the study and completed the Job Performance Scale, the Scale of Intention to Quit, the COVID-19 Fear scale, and the Big Five Inventory. It was revealed that extroversion, conscientiousness, and neuroticism predicted job performance via COVID-19 fear, as well as intention to quit.

Social capital, social support and perceived stress in college students: The role of resilience and life satisfaction

The study examined whether online and offline social capital and offline social support are associated with less perceived stress in 403 undergraduate Greek college students through the mediating role of resilience and life satisfaction. Gender differences were also explored. A path analysis explored the relationships among the study variables and multi-group analysis explored gender differences. Perceived stress was predicted indirectly by offline social support and offline bonding social capital through resilience and life satisfaction and directly by online bonding. However, offline bonding was associated with reduced resilience and life satisfaction, whereas social support was associated with increased levels of both. Interestingly, whereas offline bonding was associated with reduced perceived stress through resilience for women, for men it occurred through life satisfaction, and it was primarily resilience for women and life satisfaction for men that predicted reduced perceived stress. It was concluded that different personal ties/relationships are associated with perceived stress through diversified pathways and the pathways are different for men and women. Offline social support between closely tied persons is positively associated and offline bonding is negatively associated with the inner resources for a person to cope with stress, whereas online bonding is beneficial in directly decreasing stress.

A Study of Leisure Constraints and Job Satisfaction of Middle-Aged and Elderly Health Care Workers in COVID-19 Environment

The purpose of the study was to examine the leisure constraints and job satisfaction of middle-aged and elderly health care workers. The study employed a mixed research method, utilizing SPSS 22.0 and AMOS 23.0 statistical software to analyze 260 questionnaires using basic statistical tests, t-tests, ANOVA tests, and structural equation models, and then interviewed medical and public health workers and experts in the field, and the results were analyzed using multivariate verification analysis. The results showed that there was a significant low correlation between leisure constraints and job satisfaction among middle-aged and elderly health care workers (p < 0.01); interpersonal constraints and external job satisfaction factors were the main influencing factors; improving promotion opportunities and receiving appreciation increased job satisfaction; poor working environment and facilities, as well as the lack of achievement, were the main factors that reduced satisfaction; health factors, a lack of family support, no exercise partner, and a lack of extra budget are the key to leisure constraints. If the organization can provide nearby sports facilities for middle and high-age medical workers, improve welfare, and increase willingness to participate in leisure activities, physical and mental health can be improved. Finally, interpersonal interaction in leisure obstacles is the main reason for improving job satisfaction.

Improving working conditions in an Iranian hospital: a participatory ergonomics approach

Objectives. The future workshop (FW), as a participatory ergonomics approach, is used to change the actual situation of a system into a preferable one. This study was conducted at a major hospital to identify ergonomic problems and provide appropriate solutions for improving working conditions using the FW technique. Methods. Twenty-five mid-level managers of the hospital participated in a 2-day FW. In the critique phase, the ergonomic problems were thoroughly discussed. After brainstorming followed by structuring and grouping of ideas, 75 ergonomic problems were identified and classified into four groups. Solutions and action plans were proposed to improve working conditions. Results. There were nine problems in the personnel-managerial group. Eighteen action plans were proposed to fix them. Stressful occupational factors were the worst problem in this group. Five problems were characterized in the physical space group and 10 action plans were presented. Seven problems were detected in the equipment group, for which 13 action plans were presented. In the welfare group, six problems and 12 action plans were presented. Conclusion. The results revealed that the FW was an appropriate method to find ergonomic bottlenecks in the hospital and a good basis for devising ergonomic interventions.

Employees' working life and performance of UK ethnic minority restaurants: a qualitative approach

Purpose

This paper investigates the linking between employees' working life (EWL) and job performance of ethnic minority Bangladeshi restaurants in Greater London.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors use in depth face-to-face interviews of 40 participants working in 20 Bangladeshi restaurants (BRs) following a convenience sampling method. A thematic analysis technique, with the help of QSR N10, developed two key themes related to EWL and performance.

Findings

These themes highlight several aspects of the relationship between EWL and performance. First, EWL is “beyond” the UK tradition; employers show a domineering attitude; however, employees continue to work due to lack of skills and competence. Second, employees perceive and present themselves as satisfied; however, this satisfaction is not reflected in the business performance of BRs. Third, the analysis shows that business owners “trap strategy” constrains employees to develop their skills for mobility to other industries. Hence, employees express satisfaction with their existing situation on the basis that it is the best they can hope for, given their specific skills and competence, and need for some security in the UK. Fourth, non-financial performance, for example, job autonomy, sense of fulfilment is related to EWL.

Practical implications

The paper provides a framework to promote a better understanding of the linking between employees' working life and performance of UK ethnic minority restaurants. Also, the paper makes recommendations for further research, including an examination of the applicability of the findings to SMEs operated by other ethnic groups in the UK.

Originality/value

This paper adds to the scarce literature on the working life of people in Bangladeshi restaurant businesses in the UK and the relationship between EWL and business performance.

The relationship between mental workload and job performance among Iranian nurses providing care to COVID-19 patients: A cross-sectional study

Aims

To evaluate the relationship between mental workload and job performance among nurses providing care to patients with COVID‐19, and to explain the factors predicting their performance.

Background

The increased workload of health care workers in the COVID‐19 pandemic affects their job performance, causes medical errors, contributes to patients’ mortality and is a major concern for all health care organisations in the world.

Methods

This cross‐sectional study recruited 139 nurses selected from the ICUs, infectious disease wards and emergency units of two hospitals in Iran. The NASA‐Task Load Index and Paterson's job performance questionnaire were used.

Results

Mean scores of mental workload and job performance of the nurses were 67.14 ± 30.53 and 37.37 ± 7.36, respectively. A total of 71.95% and 96.4% of the nurses had high mental workload and job performance levels, respectively. The results indicated a weak positive correlation between mental workload and the mean score of job performance(r = .057). Unlike the mental demand (r = .175, p = .04) and temporal demand (r = .307, p < .001) that had a significant positive correlation with job performance, frustration had a significant negative correlation with job performance (r = −.183, p = .032). The following variables explained 33% of the variance of nurses’ job performance: age, gender, type of ward, working shift, experience of providing care to patients with COVID‐19 and frustration.

Conclusion

The nurses’ mental workload increased during the COVID‐19 pandemic. Given the negative effect of mental workload on the nurses’ behaviour and performance, the rise in their job performance and its weak positive correlation with their mental workload should be further addressed.

Implications for Nursing Management

The present study results support the need for focusing on implementing strategies such as providing social and psychological support to moderate mental workload and improve job performance of nurses who provide care to patients with COVID‐19.

Work–family conflict, affective commitment, leadership and job satisfaction: a moderated mediation analysis

Purpose

The detrimental influence of perceived work–family conflict (WFC) on employees' job-related attitudes has been examined in individualistic cultures. However, this relationship needs to be studied in collectivist societies, where the “family” is a salient social institution with family-centric work ethics. This study empirically investigates the role of nurturant task leadership (NTL) behavior in attenuating (1) the negative direct effect of perceived WFC on job satisfaction and (2) the negative indirect effect of perceived WFC on job satisfaction, mediated through affective commitment (AC) on a sample of employees from a public sector bank in India.

Design/methodology/approach

The study adopts a cross-sectional research design, and the data were collected from 244 executives working in the banking sector of India. The direct, indirect and moderated effects were analyzed using ordinary least squares (OLS) regression.

Findings

NTL behavior was found to moderate the negative direct relationships between perceived WFC and job satisfaction as well as the negative indirect relationship between perceived WFC and job satisfaction, mediated through AC.

Research limitations/implications

The study contributes to existing literature on WFC by introducing an important boundary condition in NTL behavior, thus providing impetus to further research in this direction through research designs that allow for causal inference and generalizability.

Practical implications

Findings from this study can provide useful pointers to organizations dealing with employee performance challenges owing to WFC. Results indicate that leaders who exhibit NTL behavior are more likely to attenuate the negative influence of WFC on employee attitudes and performance.

Originality/value

This study is among the first empirical examination of the effectiveness of NTL behavior in mitigating the negative effects of perceived WFC on job satisfaction.

Does Depression Mediate the Effect of Work Organization Conditions on Job Performance?

OBJECTIVE

The present study proposes to shed light on the impact of workers' depression on their work performance.

METHODS

We implemented a path analyses adjusted for design effects resulting from cluster sampling using MPlus software on a sample of 1957 workers. These analyses allowed us to evaluate direct and indirect effects (mediation) while taking into account the nonindependence of observations due to cluster sampling (workers nested in their workplace).

RESULTS

Results indicate that three indirect associations were found to be significant. Psychological demands, work schedule, and job insecurity were indirectly associated with lower levels of professional efficacy/job performance because of their positive associations with depression.

CONCLUSIONS

The results obtained suggest that interventions targeting specific work organization conditions could be warranted.

Perceived Organizational Performance in Recruiting and Retaining Employees with Respect to Different Generational Groups of Employees and Sustainable Human Resource Management

Organizational performance is considered as the essence of an industrial enterprises’ existence. However, in terms of performance, it is important not only to achieve results, but also maintain and develop the potential of an enterprise. When assessing performance, industrial management often omits the organizational success in managing human resources and developing human resources potential. The main aim of this paper is to present the research results focused on perceived organizational performance in recruiting and retaining employees with respect to different generations of employees in industrial enterprises. For the purposes of the analysis, the authors of the paper have designed a valid and reliable collection tool (research questionnaire). The research sample consisted of N = 1471 respondents, employees of industrial enterprises in the Slovak Republic. The research result shows that different generations of employees perceive differently selected issues of organizational performance. Testing the first research hypothesis has proved that there is a significant difference between employees from different generational groups in the perception of relationships among employees. The testing of the second research hypothesis confirmed that there is a statistically significant relationship between selected issues of perceived organizational performance.