The Predictive Validity of the Danish Psychosocial Work Environment Questionnaire With Regard to Onset of Depressive Disorders and Long-Term Sickness Absence

OBJECTIVES

To investigate the predictive validity of 32 measures of the Danish Psychosocial Work Environment Questionnaire (DPQ) against two criteria variables: onset of depressive disorders and long-term sickness absence (LTSA).

METHODS

The DPQ was sent to 8958 employed individuals in 14 job groups of which 4340 responded (response rate: 48.4%). Depressive disorders were measured by self-report with a 6-month follow-up. LTSA was measured with a 1-year follow-up in a national register. We analyzed onset of depressive disorders at follow-up using logistic regression models, adjusted for age, sex, and job group, while excluding respondents with depressive disorders at baseline. We analyzed onset of LTSA with Cox regression models, adjusted for age, sex, and job group, while excluding respondents with previous LTSA.

RESULTS

The general pattern of the results followed our hypotheses as high job demands, poorly organized working conditions, poor relations to colleagues and superiors, and negative reactions to the work situation predicted onset of depressive disorders at follow-up and onset of LTSA during follow-up. Analyzing onset of depressive disorders and onset of LTSA, we found risk estimates that deviated from unity in most of the investigated associations. Overall, we found higher risk estimates when analyzing onset of depressive disorders compared with onset of LTSA.

CONCLUSIONS

The analyses provide support for the predictive validity of most DPQ-measures. Results suggest that the DPQ constitutes a useful tool for identifying risk factors for depression and LTSA in the psychosocial work environment.

Association between work characteristics and epigenetic age acceleration: cross-sectional results from UK - Understanding Society study

Occupation-related stress and work characteristics are possible determinants of social inequalities in epigenetic aging but have been little investigated. Here, we investigate the association of several work characteristics with epigenetic age acceleration (AA) biomarkers. The study population included employed and unemployed men and women (n = 631) from the UK Understanding Society study. We evaluated the association of employment and work characteristics related to job type, job stability; job schedule; autonomy and influence at work; occupational physical activity; and feelings regarding the job with four epigenetic age acceleration biomarkers (Hannum, Horvath, PhenoAge, GrimAge) and pace of aging (DunedinPoAm, DunedinPACE). We fitted linear regression models, unadjusted and adjusted for established risk factors, and found the following associations for unemployment (years of acceleration): HorvathAA (1.51, 95% CI 0.08, 2.95), GrimAgeAA (1.53, 95% CI 0.16, 2.90) and 3.21 years for PhenoAA (95% CI 0.89, 5.33). Job insecurity increased PhenoAA (1.83, 95% CI 0.003, 3.67), while working at night was associated with an increase of 2.12 years in GrimAgeAA (95% CI 0.69, 3.55). We found effects of unemployment to be stronger in men and effects of night shift work to be stronger in women. These results provide evidence of associations between unemployment with accelerated ageing and suggest that insecure employment and night work may also increase age acceleration. Our findings have implications for policies relating to current changes in working conditions and highlight the utility of biological age biomarkers in studies in younger populations without long-term health information.

Testing a model of Thai nurses' intent to stay in employment

AIM

To test the causal model of intent to stay in employment of nurses in regional medical centers.

BACKGROUND

Effectiveness and quality of nursing care are determined by an adequate number of nursing staff; however, there is an ongoing challenge of nursing shortage. Improving nurses' intention to remain in employment is an effective way to address the problem of nursing shortage.

METHODS

This study employed a cross-sectional design. The sample was 1224 registered nurses from nine regional medical centers across Thailand, selected using multistage random sampling. Data were collected between January and July 2019 and analyzed with structural equation modeling.

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

The final model could explain 40.3% of the variance in intent to stay. Transformational leadership, coworker support, professional autonomy, opportunities for promotion, marital status, and job satisfaction positively affected intent to stay, while burnout negatively affected intent to stay. This indicates that seven factors that should be considered by nurse managers in developing a framework for constructing interventions to increase nurses' intention to continue working in their organization.

IMPLICATION FOR NURSING AND NURSING POLICY

Nurse managers should strengthen the intent to stay of nurses by providing consultations, building a positive work atmosphere, and encouraging nurse leaders to apply transformational leadership behaviors to the organizational administration. Policymakers should consider enacting policies and regulations for nurses' benefits, such as allocating civil servant positions to temporary nursing staff, expanding the framework of career advancement to a senior professional position, and considering salary and overtime pay, to increase nurses' intent to stay in an organization.

Are Work Demand, Support and Control Associated with Work Ability and Disability during Back Pain Treatment? A Prospective Explorative Study

Background: Low back pain is a multifactorial disease with consequences for work ability and social participation. Improved integration of the work domain in health care management is needed. The aim of this study was to explore the relation between working conditions with outcome of low back pain treatment. Methods: Observational study of 41 patients attending physiotherapy for low back pain. Work demands, support and control were registered at baseline and work ability and disability also at baseline, with follow up after three and nine months. We used mixed-effects models to estimate the longitudinal associations between working conditions and outcome. Results: Higher work demands were related to reduced work ability (−1.1 points, 95% CI: −2.1 to −0.1) and slightly increased disability (5.6 points, 95% CI: 0.5 to 10.7). Lack of social support from colleagues was associated with reduced work ability (−2.7 points, 95% CI: −0.2 to 1.5) and disability (14.0 points, 95% CI: 4.9 to 23.1). Conclusions: This explorative study found associations between work demands and support, and work ability and disability outcome. Screening for psychosocial working conditions may influence the work ability and disability treatment outcome. The results need replication in larger samples and may indicate that patients seeking primary care management for low back pain should be screened for work demands, support and control.

The Mediating Effects of Work Characteristics on the Relationship between Transformational Leadership and Employee Well-Being: A Meta-Analytic Investigation

Evidence points to an indirect relationship between transformational leadership (TFL) and employee well-being, and numerous work characteristics have been identified as mediators. However, the relative mediating effect of different types of job resources and job demands on the TFL-well-being relationship remains unclear, rendering it impossible to determine which ones are the most influential. This study aims to provide a comprehensive analysis of the relative mediation potential of different work characteristics in the TFL-well-being relationship in multiple three-level meta-analytical structural equation models of 243 samples. Based on the JD-R Model, this study extends this theoretical framework by suggesting TFL as a predisposing variable that influences both job resources and job demands, leading to changes in indicators of both positive and negative employee well-being. The results show that, while all the examined job resources and demands mediated the TFL-well-being relationship, organizational resources were identified as the strongest mediators. Furthermore, job demands had a strong mediating effect on the relationship between TFL and negative well-being, while job resources more strongly mediated TFL and positive well-being. We present a differentiated picture of how transformational leaders can influence their employees' well-being at the workplace, providing valuable knowledge for future research and practice.

Association Among Work Characteristics, Role Transition, and Job Burnout in Nurse Practitioners in Taiwan

Workplace burnout is common among nurse practitioners (NPs) and often occurs during role transition from a registered nurse to an NP. This study aimed to explore the predictors of job burnout in nurse practitioners (NPs). A quantitative cross-sectional design was conducted on 361 convenience sample of NPs from four hospitals in central Taiwan. Data on the demographic and working characteristics (hospital grade, years of experience as an RN and NP, practice setting, working shifts, working hours, average number of patients take care, salary, and performance bonus), Chinese version of the Nurse Practitioner Role Transition Scale, and Occupational Burnout Inventory were used. The enrolled NPs showed medium-level role transition scores (mean = 65.73, SD = 9.59), and the prevalence of personal burnout, client-related burnout, and over-commitment was 51.2%, 19.4%, and 49.9%, respectively. Role transition, hospital grade, practice setting, working hours, and number of patients take care were significant predictors of personal burnout, client-related burnout, and over-commitment after adjusting for cofounding variables, possibly explaining 52.8%, 42.1%, and 36.3% of variance, respectively. Hospital administrators should provide necessary assistance to help NPs transition to new role and ensure a positive work environment and reasonable workload so as to prevent the impact of job burnout on NPs.

Gender Differences in Insomnia and Role of Work Characteristics and Family Responsibilities Among Healthcare Workers in Taiwanese Tertiary Hospitals

BACKGROUND

Insomnia is common among healthcare workers (HCWs), especially those working in tertiary hospitals. This study aimed to clarify whether gender differences in insomnia could be explained by gender differences in work characteristics and family responsibilities among HCWs in tertiary hospitals in Taiwan.

METHODS

This cross-sectional study was conducted in 22 departments of two tertiary hospitals in Northern Taiwan from December 2018 to March 2019. All data were obtained by a self-administered questionnaire given when participants underwent annual health check-ups. Insomnia was evaluated using the Chinese Athens Insomnia Scale. Work characteristics and family responsibilities were as follows: department, working hours, shift work, visual display terminals used at work, demand-control-support model, burnout level, breadwinner status, living conditions, and caregiver status. Data of 2,811 participants (317 men, 11.3%; 2,494 women, 88.7%) were analyzed (response rate: men, 85%; women, 88%). Logistic regression analysis examined howwork characteristics and family responsibilities explained gender differences in insomnia.

RESULTS

The prevalence of insomnia in women (61.7%) was significantly higher than that in men (52.7%), and gender differences strengthened after adjusting for work characteristics and family responsibilities [odds ratio: 1.45 (1.11-1.90) and 1.62 (1.18-2.22), p < 0.01]. Stratified analyses revealed that significant gender differences were found among HCWs with comparatively unfavorable work and family conditions. Furthermore, women had a higher association of insomnia owing to these factors.

CONCLUSION

These results suggest that gender differences in insomnia among HCWs are mainly explained by gender differences in work characteristics and family responsibilities.

Analysis of the Sense of Occupational Stress and Burnout Syndrome among Working Physiotherapists-A Pilot Study

Background and Objectives: As medical service employees, physiotherapists are prone to suffer from job-related stress and are at great risk of experiencing occupational burnout. Therefore, the aim of this pilot study was to evaluate the level of generalized stress, occupational burnout syndrome and occupational stress in a group of professionally active physiotherapists and to answer the question: which psychosocial and physical factors (work characteristics) present at the given workplace were perceived as the most stress-inducing in the study group and in various subgroups? Materials and Methods: This study included 70 physiotherapists, mean age 40.1 ± 11.6, employed in sanatoria and outpatient clinics. An authorial survey, the Subjective Assessment Work Questionnaire, the Oldenburg Burnout Inventory, the Perceived Stress Scale, and the Inventory to Measure Coping Strategies with Stress Mini-COPE were used. Results: The study group of physiotherapists was characterized by a moderate level of stress, a high level of occupational stress and a moderate level of occupational burnout. The most common stressors reported by the participants included the lack of rewards at work, the sense of uncertainty resulting from workplace organization, the sense of threat, social interaction, and the lack of control. Conclusions: The knowledge of the level of occupational stress among health care professionals (including physiotherapists) and, most importantly, the assessment of stress-inducing psychosocial and physical factors present at the given workplace may prove useful while designing a prevention and health protection strategy.

Wellbeing and Work Design in Brazilian Teleworkers

Studies suggest that work characteristics may be related to workers' wellbeing. However, little is known about how these work characteristics may influence telework wellbeing in the face of the long period of social isolation and restrictions imposed by COVID-19. This study aimed to relate work characteristics in remote work to wellbeing using a two-stage multi-method approach. The general hypothesis is that different work characteristics will be organized into different groups and related to wellbeing. In Step 1, 108 teleworkers who participated in compulsory telework conditions answered the Work Design Questionnaire (WDQ) and Wellbeing at Work scale. A cluster analysis was conducted in which two clusters emerged based solely on their valence. The variables that contributed most to the cluster were: feedback from the job, social support, problem-solving, and decision and execution autonomy. Cluster 1 aggregated higher scores on work characteristics, and Cluster 2, lower scores. Cluster 1 presented significantly higher scores on wellbeing. In Step 2, 27 of these workers were blindly interviewed. Five classes of words emerged from the interviews: Class 1 - wellbeing, Class 2 - work dissatisfaction lexicon, Class 3 - role clarity, Class 4 - job demands, and Class 5 - job resources, including receiving feedback, conversations, praise, and support. Chi-square analysis suggests significant differences in classes 2, 3, 4, and 5. Cluster 1 appears more frequently in the role clarity class and less frequently in the work dissatisfaction and job demands classes. Cluster 2 is more frequent in the job dissatisfaction and job demands classes, however, less frequent in the job resources class. Class 1 shows no significant difference. These results partially support the general hypothesis that different work characteristics will be organized into different clusters and related to the teleworker's wellbeing, but in the sense that it prevents suffering but does not necessarily promote wellbeing. The results contribute to the understanding of the relationship between work characteristics and wellbeing during the pandemic by using a different methodological approach, describing that work feedback, social support, skill variety, and problem-solving are the most significant in differentiating the perception of the groups. Social support and feedback from the job differentiate cluster 1 from cluster 2, but social support is not able to increase wellbeing, unless buffering unwellness.

The Effects of Work Characteristics Related to Work-Life Imbalance on Presenteeism among Female Workers in the Health and Social Work Sectors: Mediation Analysis of Psychological and Physical Health Problems

This study is a multigroup path analysis aiming to create a theoretical model of presenteeism among female workers in the health and social work sectors, assess the mediating effects of mental health problems (sleeping trouble and psychological wellbeing), and physical health problems (fatigue and muscle aches) on the relationship between work characteristics (demands at work and social community at work) and presenteeism, and identify the differences between the effects of variables on those who reported low work-life imbalance and high work-life imbalance. Raw data from the fifth Korean Working Conditions Survey (KWCS) were analyzed. From the total sample of 50,205 people, 2209 women in health and social work were included in the study sample. The results were as follows: the demands at work had a significant and positive indirect effect on presenteeism (B = 0.0023, p < 0.001), mediated by trouble sleeping, fatigue, and muscle aches, in that order. Demands at work were also found to have a significant and negative indirect effect on presenteeism (B = -0.0017, p < 0.001), mediated by psychological wellbeing, fatigue, and muscle aches, in descending order. Social community at work had a significant and negative indirect effect on presenteeism (B = -0.0022, p < 0.001), mediated by trouble sleeping, fatigue, and muscle aches, in that order. Social community at work also had a significant and negative effect on presenteeism, mediated by psychological wellbeing, fatigue, and muscle aches, in descending order (B = -0.0097, p < 0.001). Demands at work did not have a significant effect on psychological wellbeing in the low work-life imbalance group, whereas its effect was significant and positive (β = 0.198, p < 0.001) in the high work-life imbalance group. In conclusion, in the path model of the low work-life imbalance group, demands at work did not influence psychological wellbeing. Therefore, strategies to ameliorate work-life imbalance may be helpful components of interventions to reduce presenteeism.

Variables that predict burnout in professional drivers

Objectives. Stress maintained over time leads to a state of exhaustion known as burnout syndrome. This syndrome constitutes an occupational health problem, leading to high absenteeism. It can also mean that workers come to the workplace feeling unwell, which increases occupational collisions and injuries at work. In this study, we developed a predictive model of burnout in professional drivers using the following indicators: age, hours worked, seniority, educational level, fatigue, personality, attitudes toward driving, safety behaviors in the vehicle, and work characteristics and content. Method. A total of 523 professional drivers from different transport sectors, obtained through non-probability sampling, participated in the study. We used SPSS version 25.0 to analyze the data. Results. We determined the predictive capacity of certain variables that affect drivers and cause burnout. Exhaustion can be predicted with fatigue (48.8%), professional efficiency with emotional stability (39.8%) and cynicism with lack of motivation (28%) as the best predictors. Conclusions. The results contribute to a better knowledge of those factors that cause burnout in professional drivers. It is important to design individual interventions to reduce burnout, which would help reduce sick leave and possible collisions, in addition to providing greater well-being for drivers.

Work Characteristics, Body Mass Index, and Risk of Obesity: The National Quality of Work Life Survey

OBJECTIVES

To examine work characteristics in relation to body mass index (BMI) and risk of obesity.

METHODS

We analyzed data from 1150 participants working 20+ h week-1 from the 2014 National NIOSH Quality of Work Life Survey, based on a representative sample of US workers. We used multiple linear regression for BMI and multiple logistic regression for obesity to estimate associations with 19 different work characteristics plus one set of occupational categories controlling for age, gender, race/ethnicity, education, marital status, job physical exertion, and television watching.

RESULTS

We found significant positive linear associations between BMI and night shift (versus day shift) schedule (B = 2.28, P = 0.008) and blue-collar (versus management/professional) work (B = 1.75, P = 0.008). Night shift schedule [odds ratio (OR) = 2.19, P = 0.029], sales/office work (OR = 1.55, P = 0.040), and blue-collar work (OR = 2.63, P = 0.006) were associated with increased risk of obesity versus 'healthy weight'. No other statistically significant associations between work characteristics and BMI or obesity were observed.

CONCLUSIONS

Night shift schedule and blue-collar work were related to increased BMI and obesity risk in US workers in 2014. Identifying risk factors in blue-collar work and redesigning jobs to reduce those risk factors, and reducing night shift work, could play a role in reducing the prevalence of obesity in the USA.

The Impact of Work Characteristics on Social Distancing: Implications at the Time of COVID-19

The coronavirus disease (COVID-19) continues to spread globally. While social distancing has attracted attention as a measure to prevent the spread of infection, some occupations find it difficult to implement. Therefore, this study aims to investigate the relationship between work characteristics and social distancing using data available on O*NET, an occupational information site. A total of eight factors were extracted by performing an exploratory factor analysis: work conditions, supervisory work, information processing, response to aggression, specialization, autonomy, interaction outside the organization, and interdependence. A multiple regression analysis showed that interdependence, response to aggression, and interaction outside the organization, which are categorized as ”social characteristics,” and information processing and specialization, which are categorized as “knowledge characteristics,” were associated with physical proximity. Furthermore, we added customer, which represents contact with the customer, and remote working, which represents a small amount of outdoor activity, to our multiple regression model, and confirmed that they increased the explanatory power of the model. This suggests that those who work under interdependence, face aggression, and engage in outside activities, and/or have frequent contact with customers, little interaction outside the organization, and little information processing will have the most difficulty in maintaining social distancing.

Is Stress in Contact Centers Inevitable?

It is broadly acknowledged that contact center employees are subject to high levels of stress. In this profession, there is a distinction between back-office and front-office employees. In addition, employees may perform duties in various companies with different characteristics (i.e., human resources practices, job characteristics, social support, work–personal life relationship, among others). Thus, this study focuses on the analysis of the contact centers’ (CC) psychosocial work environment and employees’ levels of stress and well-being, seeking to understand whether they change due to the specific nature of the duties they perform and the characteristics of the company. This study involved 1440 participants from 15 companies. The results indicate that front-office and back-office duties influence the perception of some job characteristics and their environment and, consequently, the stress and well-being of these employees. Furthermore, the exhaustion and general well-being of employees are seemingly independent of the duties performed and common to all companies. However, the job characteristics, psychosocial environment and employees’ levels of cynicism, work engagement and general stress were found to change according to the company in which they worked, thus highlighting the need for action in the psychosocial environment of these work duties.

How Digital Technologies Modify The Work Characteristics: A Preliminary Study

New technologies with unprecedented agentic capabilities (i.e., action selection, protocol development) are now introduced in organizations such as Big Data, 3D printing or artificial intelligence. Because they are endowed with novel capabilities that might compete with human agency, they might disrupt the way employees work. Based on the work design model, this study aims to examine their introduction in the daily work activities and the consequent perceptions of the work characteristics. Building on Murray's et al. (2020) proposal, we offer a classification of the digital technologies to conceptualize their relationship with the work characteristics. To explore the changes induced by two digital technologies (i.e., drones, robotic automation process), we interviewed 3 types of employees (i.e., experts, managers, users) from an organization which has started a digitalization process and we conducted a thematic analysis. Our analysis revealed three main themes that are discussed: A technological theme (arresting, assisting), a work characteristic theme and a theme about the human-technology relationship (agentic, non-agentic). Results showed that employee autonomy has not been reduced when digital technologies executed repetitive and unmotivated tasks and that jobs in the digital work context may be marked by a high level of knowledge characteristics. Moreover, technologies with agentic capabilities may be perceived as a non-human agent. Theoretical contributions for the work design model are then examined.

The influence of supervisory support, work effectiveness, work empowerment and stress secondary to residents' responsive behaviours on job satisfaction of nursing staff: A multisite cross-sectional study

AIM

To examine the association between stress secondary to residents' responsive behaviours and job satisfaction of nurses and nursing assistants working in nursing homes. To test whether supervisory support, work effectiveness and work empowerment confound this relationship.

BACKGROUND

Understanding how the stress secondary to residents' responsive behaviours influences job satisfaction for staff and determining the factors influencing this relationship are important for retention of staff in nursing homes. The term 'responsive behaviours' refers to the subset of behavioural and psychological symptoms of dementia.

METHODS

Survey responses from 191 nursing assistants and 81 nurses in five nursing homes in Ontario were analysed.

RESULTS

Staff's stress attributed to residents' responsive behaviours was negatively associated with job satisfaction. This direct effect was weakened by more than a third through the confounding net effects of supervisory support, work effectiveness and work empowerment.

CONCLUSION

The work environment created by leaders in nursing homes can lessen the influence of stress secondary to residents' responsive behaviours on staffs' job satisfaction.

IMPLICATIONS FOR NURSING MANAGEMENT

Supervisors need training and education to support and mentor their staff effectively, and to guide their use of evidence-based practices that integrate the patient-centred care approach in order to effectively respond and minimize responsive behaviours.

Factors associated with burnout and job satisfaction in Chinese hospital pharmacists

Pharmacists with long experience and low personal satisfaction from work are at higher risk of burnout, but the role of specific personality traits is less well understood. In addition, the medical system in China is different from that of other countries, and the characteristics of pharmacist burnout might be different from that of other countries. This study evaluated the roles played by personality, working environment, and work characteristics on burnout and job satisfaction among Chinese hospital pharmacists.This was a cross-sectional study undertaken between April 28 and 30, 2017. The questionnaires were completed at the "National Academic Conference of the Chinese Society of Clinical Pharmacy". Questionnaires were handed out to 1786 pharmacists, and 1394 valid questionnaires were analyzed using structural equation modeling techniques.The final structural model showed that, as expected, personality and working environment factors directly or indirectly predicted burnout dimensions (emotional exhaustion, depersonalization, and reduction of personal accomplishment) and job satisfaction variables. The analyses were consistent with the features of pharmacists' work characteristics, including job demands, job control, and workload playing mediating roles between antecedent variables (personality and working environment) and emotional outcomes (burnout and job satisfaction). On the other hand, job control and workload did not predict emotional exhaustion.This study indicates that personality is a negative predictor of 2 dimensions of burnout (emotional exhaustion and depersonalization), while the working environment, especially job demand, is a predictor of burnout and greater emotional exhaustion. Work characteristics are positively related to job satisfaction and play a protective role against burnout.

Working toward a purpose: Examining the cross-sectional and longitudinal effects of work characteristics on sense of purpose

OBJECTIVE

Employment appears to influence employees' sense of purpose, insofar as work roles can provide life direction and allow individuals to fulfill meaningful aims or have regular goal-related activity engagement. However, research is needed on which specific characteristics of the work predict employees' sense of purpose. The current study sought to quantitate the degree to which specific work characteristics, including skill variety, autonomy, coworker support, and supervisor support, were associated with initial levels and changes in purpose. Additionally, we examine positive and negative work-home spillover as moderators of these relationships.

METHODS

We examined hypothesized relationships in a subsample (N = 4,963) of a nationally representative panel study which included between two and three assessments of work characteristics, spillover, and sense of purpose, each roughly 10 years apart.

RESULTS

Using multilevel models to assess within-person associations and lagged effects, we found that greater skill variety and coworker support but not autonomy or supervisor support, were associated with higher levels of purpose. Moreover, increases in purpose were associated with higher initial levels of skill variety. These relationships were not moderated by spillover.

CONCLUSION

Individuals with skill variety and coworker support at work appear to experience the strongest levels of sense of purpose.

The Effects of Technological Developments on Work and Their Implications for Continuous Vocational Education and Training: A Systematic Review

Technology is changing the way organizations and their employees need to accomplish their work. Empirical evidence on this topic is scarce. The aim of this study is to provide an overview of the effects of technological developments on work characteristics and to derive the implications for work demands and continuous vocational education and training (CVET). The following research questions are answered: What are the effects of new technologies on work characteristics? What are the implications thereof for continuous vocational education and training? Technologies, defined as digital, electrical or mechanical tools that affect the accomplishment of work tasks, are considered in various disciplines, such as sociology or psychology. A theoretical framework based on theories from these disciplines (e.g., upskilling, task-based approach) was developed and statements on the relationships between technology and work characteristics, such as complexity, autonomy, or meaningfulness, were derived. A systematic literature review was conducted by searching databases from the fields of psychology, sociology, economics and educational science. Twenty-one studies met the inclusion criteria. Empirical evidence was extracted and its implications for work demands and CVET were derived by using a model that illustrates the components of learning environments. Evidence indicates an increase in complexity and mental work, especially while working with automated systems and robots. Manual work is reported to decrease on many occasions. Workload and workflow interruptions increase simultaneously with autonomy, especially with regard to digital communication devices. Role expectations and opportunities for development depend on how the profession and the technology relate to each other, especially when working with automated systems. The implications for the work demands necessary to deal with changes in work characteristics include knowledge about technology, openness toward change and technology, skills for self- and time management and for further professional and career development. Implications for the design of formal learning environments (i.e., the content, method, assessment, and guidance) include that the work demands mentioned must be part of the content of the trainings, the teachers/trainers must be equipped to promote those work demands, and that instruction models used for the learning environments must be flexible in their application.

The Effect of Subjective Perception of Work in Relation to Occupational and Demographic Factors on the Mental Health of Polish Nurses

Introduction: Nursing is considered one of the most stressful professions in the world. The high emotional burden associated with excessive workload in qualitative and quantitative terms, exposure to existing and emerging infectious diseases, daily confrontation with the suffering of individuals and their families and low social support leads to the development of numerous stress reactions among nurses, resulting in the development of anxiety, insomnia, social dysfunction and depression. Indeed, somatic and mental stress-related disease rates are higher among nurses than in the general population. Aim: To determine the impact of subjective work characteristics on the mental health of nurses in relation to demographic and occupational factors. Material and method: The research was carried out among 558 nurses working in hospitals in Podlaskie Voivodeship, and used the Subjective Work Evaluation Questionnaire (SWEQ) and Goldberg's GHQ-28 Questionnaire. Results: As measured by SWEQ, and as self-assessed by means of the GHQ-28 questionnaire, overall stress negatively affects the nurses' health (R ² = 18.7%). Among the partial measures of the SWEQ questionnaire, work overload had strong and the lack of rewards, social relations and lack of support had weak negative effect on the overall mental health assessment of nurses (R ² = 19.2%). The responsibility measure was an exception that had a positive impact on the nurses' well-being. Among occupational and demographic factors, only higher education in relation to secondary education in interactions with the overall stress measure and unpleasant work conditions had a positive effect on the overall mental health self-assessment of nurses (R ² = 20.7%). Conclusions: The results of our study provide a clear message to the hospital management that improving the work organization and atmosphere of nurses by reducing perceived work overload and increasing the responsibility of nurses can have a positive impact on their mental health. Encouraging nurses to improve their education can result not only in an obvious improvement in staff qualifications, but also in better resistance to stressors in the workplace and, consequently, in better staff well-being. Both measures can have a positive impact on the quality of care provided by nurses and on reducing staff turnover.

Changes in work characteristics over 12 years: Findings from the 2002-2014 US National NIOSH Quality of Work Life Surveys

OBJECTIVES

To assess changes in work characteristics, socioeconomic status inequalities in changes in work characteristics, and whether US workplaces are becoming more stressful.

METHODS

We analyzed data from 5361 employed participants from the 2002, 2006, 2010, and 2014 NIOSH Quality of Work Life Surveys, based on representative samples of US workers. We used regression analyses to assess changes in job characteristics, adjusting for age, sex, race/ethnicity, education, work hours, and unemployment rate. For the regression analyses with continuous job characteristics, we created standardized variables allowing for the magnitude of changes to be directly compared between job characteristics.

RESULTS

Over the period 2002-2014, we observed statistically significant increases in job strain (+0.09 standard deviations (SD), P = 0.02), low job control (+0.10 SD, P = 0.03), and work-family conflict (+0.15 SD, P = 0.001). No significant changes were observed for high job demand, low social support, and low reward. The largest increase in low job control was seen among service workers.

CONCLUSIONS

The increase in two cardiovascular disease risk factors, job strain, and low job control, might partially explain the slowing of the decline in US heart disease and stroke mortality rates.

Burnout Among Nursing Staff in Ziaeian Hospital

Introduction:

Occupational burnout among nurses is a major factor affecting the quality of nursing care. Assessing the prevalence of burnout and its related factors is necessary for discouraging the development of burnout.

Aim:

The aim of this study is determining the burnout among nurses of Ziaeian Hospital, which has not done before.

Methods:

In this cross-sectional study, all the nursing staff (287 people) was included after filling the informed consent. Occupational burnout was detected using the Maslach occupational burnout inventory tool. Data were analyzed by SPSS software and the significance threshold was set at p < 0.05.

Results:

Most of the subjects were female, married, had a bachelor’s degree, worked as a nurse, and had less than 5 years of work experience. The mean score of emotional exhaustion was 29.25 ± 12.64, personal performance was 37.31 ± 7.9, and depersonalization was 14.7 ± 5.1. Altogether, 75% of the population had severe emotional exhaustion and depersonalization and mild personal dysfunction. The severity of emotional exhaustion, depersonalization and individual performance impairment weregreater in staff with higher degree. Job position also affected the intensity of emotional exhaustion and depersonalization. Additionally, there was a significant association between marital status and depersonalization.

Conclusion:

Nurses of Ziaeean Hospital have severe emotional exhaustion and depolarization; and mild personal function impairment. The findings of this research are a guide for the next steps to solve burnout in this hospital.

The trajectory of coparenting relationship quality across early adolescence: Family, community, and parent gender influences

This study examined longitudinal change in coparenting support and conflict for married parents during their child's adolescence, and the links between financial, work, and community factors and coparenting support and conflict. We utilized an ecological perspective, drawing on five waves of data from 635 dual-earner families with adolescents (M = 11.29, SD = .48 years old at Time 1). Applying a multilevel modeling approach and using reports from mothers and fathers we examined: (a) change in coparenting support and conflict over six years; (b) correlated change in contextual factors (financial strain, work hours and satisfaction, and community cohesion) with change in coparenting; and (c) differences in associations for mothers versus fathers. Findings revealed a decline over six years in perceptions of partner coparenting support for mothers and fathers, but no significant change in perceived coparenting conflict. Changes in financial strain, work characteristics, and community cohesion were associated with change in coparenting support and conflict in expected directions; interactions by parent gender suggest that mothers' reports of coparenting quality are more closely linked to some contextual influences than fathers' reports. Discussion centers on the implications of social contexts for coparenting at a critical period in youth development. (PsycINFO Database Record

Ethnicity, work-related stress and subjective reports of health by migrant workers: a multi-dimensional model

OBJECTIVES

This study integrates different aspects of ethnicity and work-related stress dimensions (based on the Demands-Resources-Individual-Effects model, DRIVE [Mark, G. M., and A. P. Smith. 2008. "Stress Models: A Review and Suggested New Direction." In Occupational Health Psychology, edited by J. Houdmont and S. Leka, 111-144. Nottingham: Nottingham University Press]) and aims to test a multi-dimensional model that combines individual differences, ethnicity dimensions, work characteristics, and perceived job satisfaction/stress as independent variables in the prediction of subjectives reports of health by workers differing in ethnicity.

DESIGN

A questionnaire consisting of the following sections was submitted to 900 workers in Southern Italy: for individual and cultural characteristics, coping strategies, personality behaviours, and acculturation strategies; for work characteristics, perceived job demands and job resources/rewards; for appraisals, perceived job stress/satisfaction and racial discrimination; for subjective reports of health, psychological disorders and general health. To test the reliability and construct validity of the extracted factors referred to all dimensions involved in the proposed model and logistic regression analyses to evaluate the main effects of the independent variables on the health outcomes were conducted.

RESULTS

Principal component analysis (PCA) yielded seven factors for individual and cultural characteristics (emotional/relational coping, objective coping, Type A behaviour, negative affectivity, social inhibition, affirmation/maintenance culture, and search identity/adoption of the host culture); three factors for work characteristics (work demands, intrinsic/extrinsic rewards, and work resources); three factors for appraisals (perceived job satisfaction, perceived job stress, perceived racial discrimination) and three factors for subjective reports of health (interpersonal disorders, anxious-depressive disorders, and general health). Logistic regression analyses showed main effects of specific individual and cultural differences, work characteristics and perceived job satisfaction/stress on the risk of suffering health problems.

CONCLUSION

The suggested model provides a strong framework that illustrates how psychosocial and individual variables can influence occupational health in multi-cultural workplaces.

A Comparison of Two Age Groups

This study aimed to analyze the mechanisms through which work characteristics are related to psychological well-being, exploring the mediational role of work meaningfulness and job satisfaction, and investigating differences in the patterns of relationships between two age groups. The sample was composed of 36,896 workers from the 5th European Working Conditions Survey. Structural equation modeling analyses and multiple group analyses were performed. The results revealed a parallel mediational model, in which work meaningfulness and general job satisfaction mediate the relationships between work characteristics and well-being. Additionally, job satisfaction partially mediates the relationship between meaningfulness and well-being. These results were confirmed in both age groups (under 55 years old and older workers), but age moderates the relationships between social support and the mediating variables and the relationships between the mediating variables and general well-being. The present study uncovers significant pathways through which time pressure, decision latitude, and social support are related to psychological well-being, depicting an important step in better understanding how and when work characteristics are related to positive outcomes. It provides important clues for promoting psychosocial health at work at the European level.

Organizational uncertainty and stress among teachers in Hong Kong: work characteristics and organizational justice

A growing literature now exists examining the relationship between organizational justice and employees' experience of stress. Despite the growth in this field of enquiry, there remain continued gaps in knowledge. In particular, the contribution of perceptions of justice to employees' stress within an organizational context of uncertainty and change, and in relation to the new and emerging concept of procedural-voice justice. The aim of the current study was to examine the main, interaction and additive effects of work characteristics and organizational justice perceptions to employees' experience of stress (as measured by their feelings of helplessness and perceived coping) during an acknowledged period of organizational uncertainty. Questionnaires were distributed among teachers in seven public primary schools in Hong Kong that were under threat of closure (n = 212). Work characteristics were measured using the demand-control-support model. Hierarchical regression analyses observed perceptions of job demands and procedural-voice justice to predict both teachers' feelings of helplessness and perceived coping ability. Furthermore, teacher's perceived coping was predicted by job control and a significant interaction between procedural-voice justice and distributive justice. The addition of organizational justice variables did account for unique variance, but only in relation to the measure of perceived coping. The study concludes that in addition to 'traditional' work characteristics, health promotion strategies should also address perceptions of organizational justice during times of organizational uncertainty; and, in particular, the value and importance of enhancing employee's perceived 'voice' in influencing and shaping justice-related decisions.

[Work-related stress and mental health - can work lead to mental disorders?]

In the past two decades, special attention was paid to mental health issues. The available literature suggests, for example, the relationship between the workload and mental discomfort and the occurrence of myocardial infarction. This article focuses mainly on the issue of work-related stress and its impact on mental health. In this context, it must be acknowledged that possible psychological problems due to work are not only employees problem. These difficulties can significantly affect performance - and thus they should be the concern of the employer, but also of customers, clients and patients who come into contact with the worker who might develop some mental problems, due to the nature of his work and working conditions. This article provides an overview of the various factors affecting the mental health of employees. These are, for example, work demands, working hours and workplace relations. In conclusion, it brings results of Czech study examining job stress among working population.

Burnout and Engagement as Mediators in the Relationship between Work Characteristics and Turnover Intentions across Two Ibero-American Nations

This study examines the mediating effects of burnout and engagement on the relationships between work characteristics (work overload and social support) and turnover intentions in the nursing community of two Ibero-American countries within the job demands-resources model. The sample consists of 316 registered nurses employed in Uruguay and 502 employed in Spain. We used multiple structural equation modelling analyses. The proposed model fit the data for both nursing samples. Burnout was found to fully mediate the relationship between work overload and turnover intention, whereas work engagement partially mediates the relationship between social support and turnover intention. The results contribute to our understanding of the potential applicability of two leading empirical models and of the dynamic relationship between work characteristics and turnover intentions through work engagement and burnout. Researchers should continue to focus on gaining a broader understanding of the effects of work characteristics in healthcare facilities and the associated organizational outcomes. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Work Characteristics and Occupational Well-Being: The Role of Age

Based on a lifespan perspective on work design, person-environment interaction and fit theories, models of successful aging at work, and role theory, we review research on the role of worker age in relationships between work characteristics and occupational well-being. We first focus on interaction effects of work characteristics and age on occupational well-being. Research has found that age can moderate associations between work characteristics and occupational well-being indicators, and that work characteristics can moderate associations between age and occupational well-being indicators. Next, we describe research showing that work characteristics can mediate associations between age and occupational well-being indicators. The relationships of age with specific work characteristics and occupational well-being indicators can be linear or non-linear. We conclude our literature review by discussing implications for future research.

Leader-Member Exchange across two hierarchical levels of leadership: concurrent influences on work characteristics and employee psychological health

Leader-Member Exchange (LMX) theory suggests that the quality of the leader–employee relationship is linked to employee psychological health. Leaders who reside at different hierarchical levels have unique roles and spheres of influence and potentially affect employees' work experiences in different ways. Nevertheless, research on the impact of leadership on employee psychological health has largely viewed leaders as a homogeneous group. Expanding on LMX theory, we argue that (1) LMX sourced at the levels of the line manager (LM) and senior management (SM) team will be differentially linked to employee psychological health (assessed as worn-out) and that (2) these relationships will be mediated by perceived work characteristics (reward and recognition, workload management, quality of relationships with colleagues and physical environment). Structural equation modelling on data from 337 manual workers partially supported the hypotheses. Perceptions of the physical environment mediated the relationship between LMX at the LM level and employee psychological health, whereas perceptions of workload management mediated the relationship between LMX at the SM level and psychological health. These findings corroborate arguments that leaders are not a uniform group and as such the effects of LMX on employees will depend on leadership hierarchy. Implications for expanding leadership theory are discussed.

Influence of work-related characteristics and work ability on changing employer or leaving the profession among nursing staff

AIM

To investigate how work-related characteristics and work ability influence nursing staff decisions to change employer or leave the profession.

BACKGROUND

Previous cross-sectional studies have indicated that decreased work ability and unfavourable work-related characteristics are important determinants for the intention to leave the profession among nursing staff.

METHODS

A 1-year longitudinal study, using data from the European Nurses' Early Exit Study. The study population consisted of 9927 (66%) members of the eligible nursing staff of which 345 left their current employer. Work-related characteristics, work ability and employment status were assessed by questionnaires.

RESULTS

Nursing staff with a low work ability were more likely to either change employer or leave the profession. Among nursing staff with a low work ability the risk of changing employer increased significantly with unfavourable work-related characteristics. However, among nursing staff with a good work ability the risk of changing employer barely changed with unfavourable work-related characteristics.

CONCLUSION

The negative effects of decreased work ability on changing employer and leaving the profession are partly counterbalanced by favourable psychological and physical work-related characteristics.

IMPLICATIONS FOR NURSING MANAGEMENT

Managers should implement strategies that focus on promoting the work ability of nursing staff in combination with improving work-related characteristics in order to prevent unnecessary changes of employment.

Work characteristics, socioeconomic position and health: a systematic review of mediation and moderation effects in prospective studies

Social inequalities in health persist in modern societies. The contribution of adverse work and employment conditions towards their explanation is analysed by two approaches, mediation and moderation. Yet the relative significance of each approach remains unclear in respective research. We set out to study this question by conducting a systematic literature review. We included all original papers based on prospective observational studies of employed cohorts that were published between January 1980 and October 2012 meeting our search criteria, by using major databases and by observing established quality criteria. 26 reports were included after quality assessment. 17 studies examined the mediation hypothesis and nine studies tested the moderation hypothesis. Moderate support was found for the mediation hypothesis where OR or HR of health according to socioeconomic position (SEP) were reduced in a majority of analyses after introducing work characteristics in multivariate models. Evidence in favour of the moderation hypothesis was found in some studies, demonstrating stronger effects of adverse work on health among people with low SEP. Despite some support in favour of the two hypotheses future research should aim at reducing the heterogeneity in defining and measuring core variables and at applying advanced statistical analyses. Policy recommendations would benefit from a higher degree of consistency of respective research evidence.

Toward standardized, comparable public health systems data: a taxonomic description of essential public health work

OBJECTIVE

To identify taxonomy of task, knowledge, and resources for documenting the work performed in local health departments (LHDs).

DATA SOURCES

Secondary data were collected from documents describing public health (PH) practice produced by organizations representing the PH community.

STUDY DESIGN

A multistep consensus-based method was used that included literature review, data extraction, expert opinion, focus group review, and pilot testing.

DATA EXTRACTION METHODS

Terms and concepts were manually extracted from documents, consolidated, and evaluated for scope and sufficiency by researchers. An expert panel determined suitability of terms and a hierarchy for classifying them. This work was validated by practitioners and results pilot tested in two LHDs.

PRINCIPAL FINDINGS

The finalized taxonomy was applied to compare a national sample of 11 LHDs. Data were obtained from 1,064 of 1,267 (84 percent) of employees. Frequencies of tasks, knowledge, and resources constitute a profile of PH work. About 70 percent of the correlations between LHD pairs on tasks and knowledge were high (>0.7), suggesting between-department commonalities. On resources only 16 percent of correlations between LHD pairs were high, suggesting a source of performance variability.

CONCLUSIONS

A taxonomy of PH work serves as a tool for comparative research and a framework for further development.