Work - Volume 75, issue 3

Authors: Is, Enes Efe | Gudek, Kemal | Oral, Aydan | Sindel, Dilsad

Article Type: Research Article

Abstract: BACKGROUND: Upper extremity injuries may cause not only physical but also serious social and psychological problems in workers. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to compare demographic and work-related features of persons with hand injuries who sustained a work-related or a non-work-related injury to gain insights into possible predisposing factors for work-related injuries as well as psychosocial consequences of hand injuries from the social work perspective. METHODS: This case-control study was conducted on 30 work-related and 30 non-work-related hand injury patients. The patients were evaluated using a questionnaire designed by the authors based on the …principles of social work involving demographics, work-related features, thought-emotion-behaviour features, family and friend relationships, need for family support and professional psychosocial support. Survey data from both groups were statistically analysed using descriptive statistics, Chi-square and Fisher Exact test. RESULTS: When compared with the non-work-related hand injury group, the majority of the subjects of the work-related hand injury group were blue-collar workers (p  = 0.003), had a lower level of education (p  < 0.001), worked off-the-clock (p  = 0.015), held the employer responsible for the accident (p  < 0.001), needed more time to return to work (p  = 0.014), were worried about the future (p  = 0.045), and expressed loss of joy (p  = 0.004). CONCLUSION: Hand injuries, regardless of their relation to work, lead to important psychosocial problems which need to be evaluated widely and carefully focusing on the patient and patient’s environment, work environment in this case. Show more

Keywords: Occupational accidents, occupational injuries, hand injuries, social work, rehabilitation

DOI: 10.3233/WOR-211146

Citation: Work, vol. 75, no. 3, pp. 859-867, 2023

Authors: AlHeresh, Rawan | Simpson, Elizabeth | Allaire, Saralynn | Keysor, Julie

Article Type: Research Article

Abstract: BACKGROUND: The Work Experience Survey for Rheumatic Conditions (WES-RC) is a prominent feature of an evidence-based intervention to prevent premature job loss among people with arthritis. The WES-RC is used to identify client perceived barriers related to work performance. The degree to which people with arthritis and rheumatic conditions report barriers on the WES-RC has not been reported. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to characterize the barriers reported on the WES-RC. METHODS: Data from participants who completed the WES-RC in the “Work-It” study trial were included (N  = 143). Descriptive statistics were used to characterize …the sample and the frequency with which barriers on the WES-RC were reported. Responses to the top three bothersome barriers to study participants were summed. RESULTS: The mean age of the sample was 50.3 years; 73% were female, and 66% white. All WES-RC items were checked as a barrier by at least two participants; less than 10 participants checked 34 items. Barriers in the ‘getting ready for work and traveling to and from, or for work’ domain, were frequently reported. The most bothersome barriers were ‘standing or being on feet too long’ and ‘prolonged sitting’. CONCLUSION: The WES-RC is a self-reported checklist that captures a wide breadth of work-related barriers that could be experienced by people with arthritis who are currently employed. Show more

Keywords: Work disability, arthritis, occupational therapy, physical therapy

DOI: 10.3233/WOR-211147

Citation: Work, vol. 75, no. 3, pp. 869-875, 2023

Authors: Rafiq, Muhammad | Farrukh, Muhammad | Attiq, Saman | Shahzad, Fakhar | Khan, Imran

Article Type: Research Article

Abstract: BACKGROUND: The demand for innovation and satisfaction is increasing rapidly due to technological advancement and the fast-changing business environment. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this article is to investigate how job crafting augments work outputs (i.e., innovation performance and career satisfaction) through work engagement. METHODS: Data were collected from 477 workers working in the Pakistan manufacturing sector. A structural equation modeling technique was used to investigate the mediation model. RESULTS: Job crafting has a direct and indirect association with innovation performance and career satisfaction – via employees’ work engagement. Additionally, the mediating impact was stronger …for innovation performance than for career satisfaction. The findings advocate that managers should pay attention to employees’ job crafting to improve employees’ work engagement in manufacturing organizations. To improve employees’ innovation performance and career satisfaction via work engagement, it is important to improve organization-wide job crafting in traditional manufacturing organizations. Strategic and managerial actions related to job crafting might boost employees’ engagement in the organization that environments provide incessantly better outcomes. CONCLUSION: By linking job crafting and work engagement to their attitude towards career satisfaction and innovation performance in Pakistani manufacturing firms, this study adds a new dimension to the study of Pakistani manufacturing employees and typically to the best practices in career debates. This knowledge is important and unique because it accentuates that in addition to work engagement, which focuses primarily on employee growth in the organization, job crafting should also be given equal importance to advance manufacturing employees’ outcomes. Show more

Keywords: Career satisfaction, innovation performance, work engagement, job crafting, Pakistan

DOI: 10.3233/WOR-211363

Citation: Work, vol. 75, no. 3, pp. 877-886, 2023

Authors: Cevik, Celalettin | Ozdemir, Raziye | Ari, Sezgin

Article Type: Research Article

Abstract: BACKGROUND: Pesticide poisoning is a serious public health problem. OBJECTIVE: The aim was to investigate the effect of safe pesticide application training given to farmers on their behaviors towards compliance with protective measures. METHODS: In this interventional study, the target population was 9750 farmers living in Turkey. To achieve a study power of 95%, type I error and the effect size were assumed as 5% and 0.50 respectively. In the study, 61 farmers were selected using the systematic sampling method. Farmers were interviewed twice, before and after the training, and at each interview, they were asked …questions about their pesticide use-related behaviors in the last four sprayings. In the analysis, the paired t-test, repeated measures of ANOVA (post hoc: Bonferroni) were used. RESULTS: The scores the participants obtained from the Pesticide Exposure Prevention Behavior Form which questions their compliance with protective measures taken during pesticide applications at the post-interview were significantly higher than were the scores they obtained at the pre-interview (P  < 0.001). The analysis of the independent variables demonstrated that the scores obtained from the Pesticide Exposure Prevention Behavior Form at the post-interview were significantly different from those obtained at the pre-interview in almost all of the subgroups in terms of their sociodemographic characteristics. CONCLUSION: It was observed that the training given to the farmers on the safe use of pesticides encouraged the farmers to develop positive behavioral changes. The study emphasizes the importance of implementing ongoing health education programs for farmers. Show more

Keywords: Pesticide, intervention, practice, farmer, health promotion

DOI: 10.3233/WOR-211380

Citation: Work, vol. 75, no. 3, pp. 887-897, 2023

Authors: Li, Hui | Khattak, Shoukat Iqbal

Article Type: Research Article

Abstract: BACKGROUND: The domain of faculty internationalization is under-researched, especially in the context of China. Extant research does not lend itself to applied insight, despite offering theoretical and methodological precision. OBJECTIVE: Based on the motivational systems theory, this study developed a parsimonious measure of overall faculty motivation (including capacity beliefs, context beliefs, emotions, and goals) and investigated its effect on work performance through the mediating effect of engagement in internationalization among faculty in a Chinese research-centric university. METHODS: Data of 229 faculty members were analyzed using a structural equation modeling approach. RESULTS: Faculty responses indicated …that: i) the second-order overall faculty motivation scale is superior to individual items in measuring the effect of overall faculty motivation on faculty engagement and work performance; ii) overall faculty motivation positively influences faculty engagement; iii) overall faculty motivation promotes work performance; iv) faculty engagement mediates the relationship between overall faculty motivation and work performance. CONCLUSION: Faculty responses indicated that the effect of the second-order overall faculty motivation construct is superior to individual items in terms of its effect sizes on faculty engagement and work performance. More so, the measurement model showed that overall faculty motivation exerts a direct and indirect (faculty engagement) positive effect on work performance. Chinese universities should align the goals, capacity belief, context belief, and emotions of faculty with national/institutional goals to yield superior engagement for better performance. Show more

Keywords: Goals, beliefs, emotions, work performance, faculty

DOI: 10.3233/WOR-211394

Citation: Work, vol. 75, no. 3, pp. 899-915, 2023

Authors: Kanaan, Saddam F. | Abu Hanna, Annie M. | Hadoush, Hikmat | Khalil, Hanan | Almhdawi, Khader

Article Type: Research Article

Abstract: BACKGROUND: Job satisfaction among physiotherapists has been studied in many developing and developed countries, but not yet in areas recently affected by wars and refugee crises in the Middle East, including Jordan, Lebanon, West Bank, and Gaza regions. OBJECTIVES: To explore physiotherapists’ job satisfaction in Jordan, Lebanon, West Bank, and Gaza and examine differences in job satisfaction according to regions, gender, academic qualifications, and years of clinical experience. METHODS: A cross-sectional study using a self-administered online questionnaire. The questionnaire consisted of participants’ characteristics and a 17-items Likert scale of job satisfaction. RESULTS: A total …of 413 participants completed the online questionnaire. Most of the respondents were older than 27 years (55%), males (53.8%), and holding a bachelor’s degree (70.2%), and had 5–10 years of experience (70.4%). The overall job satisfaction was 66.1%. There was no significant difference in job satisfaction according to the region in all questionnaire items. Female physiotherapists reported higher satisfaction in receiving career advice (p  = .013). In many items, physiotherapists with higher qualifications and longer years of experience reported higher satisfaction (p  < 0.05). Salaries and remunerations, lack of continuing education support, and lack of evidence-based practice in the workplace were the main reasons for job dissatisfaction. CONCLUSION: To improve physiotherapy job satisfaction, healthcare administrators should increase physiotherapists’ financial rewards, support continuing education, and set evidence-based practice policies. Show more

Keywords: Work, Middle East, gender, rehabilitation

DOI: 10.3233/WOR-211408

Citation: Work, vol. 75, no. 3, pp. 917-925, 2023

Authors: Bulzacchelli, Maria T. | Bellantoni, Jenna M. | McCue-Weil, Leigh | Dzugan, Jerry

Article Type: Research Article

Abstract: BACKGROUND: Unique hazards make commercial fishing a hazardous occupation. Effective safety measures exist, but numerous barriers hinder their adoption. Two mobile apps aim to make performing crucial safety practices easier: the Small Craft Motion Program (SCraMP), which provides vessel stability information, and FVdrills, which provides checklists for running safety drills. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to obtain feedback from commercial fishing captains who tested SCraMP or FVdrills for its usefulness during typical fishing operations. METHODS: A convenience sample of commercial fishing captains with iOS devices tested either FVdrills or SCraMP. After one month, participants …provided feedback via online questionnaire. The main outcome variables were self-reported app use and perceived usefulness of the app. RESULTS: Thirty-two participants who were asked to try FVdrills (n  = 16) or SCraMP (n  = 16) completed follow-up questionnaires. Twelve participants in the FVdrills group (75.0%) reported using the app. Of these 12, eight (66.7%) rated FVdrills “Very” or “Extremely” useful, and 11 (91.7%) agreed that FVdrills is “easy to use.” Nine participants in the SCraMP group (56.3%) reported using the app. Of these nine, only one participant (11.1%) rated SCraMP “Very” or “Extremely” useful and only two (22.2%) agreed that SCraMP is “Easy to use.” CONCLUSION: Commercial fishing captains who already own a smartphone or tablet may be willing to try a new mobile app addressing safety issues related to their work. App developers and safety professionals should conduct multiple rounds of formative evaluation, field-testing, and refinement to optimize ease of use and usefulness. Show more

Keywords: Occupational safety, mHealth, mobile technology, evaluation, field-test

DOI: 10.3233/WOR-211454

Citation: Work, vol. 75, no. 3, pp. 927-937, 2023

Authors: Cajander, Niko | Reiman, A. | Tappura, Sari

Article Type: Research Article

Abstract: BACKGROUND: Current occupational safety and health (OSH) literature calls for sociotechnical, system-level approaches that increase understanding of the underlying reasons for insufficient OSH performance in nonstandard employment that is associated with lower labour and social security protection when compared with traditional forms of work. OBJECTIVE: This study focused on temporary agency work (TAW) which is a central form of nonstandard employment. The objective was to explore OSH issues in temporary agency work (TAW) in small and medium-sized multiemployer restaurants in Finland and discuss the issues from the perspectives of the agency worker, user company and agency. …METHODS: A directed content analysis method was used to examine the data obtained from semi-structured interviews (n  = 20) with agency workers, restaurant managers and experts representing the temporary work agencies, a pension insurer, and a labour union. The balanced work system theory was used as a framework for this qualitative analysis. RESULTS: A variety of OSH risks and hazards in TAW were identified. In addition, the complexity of OSH management was highlighted in this triangular employment relationship between the agency worker, the user company, and the agency. CONCLUSION: This study reveals problems related to OSH in TAW. Restaurants are entities separate from agencies, so establishing and adhering to a common process of OSH management is not simple. Show more

Keywords: Nonstandard employment, work conditions, work system

DOI: 10.3233/WOR-220033

Citation: Work, vol. 75, no. 3, pp. 939-952, 2023

Authors: Acar, Guliz Aydemir | Acımıs, Nurhan Meydan

Article Type: Research Article

Abstract: BACKGROUND: Work-related musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) of the neck and upper limbs are a common health problem among cosmetologists. Hairdressing requires bending, twisting, static postures, prolonged standing, repetitive motions, and vigorous movements of the hands and fingers. In order to determine the proper ergonomic measures, identifying the factors and hairdressing jobs that increase the risk of work-related neck and upper limb disorders is needed. OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to determine the prevalence of MSDs in the neck and upper extremities of cosmetologists and to investigate the association with ergonomic risk factors and hairdressing work. …METHODS: The cross-sectional study was conducted on cosmetologists in Denizli, Turkey province (n  = 504). Data collected through a survey included questions on sociodemographic characteristics, work organization, equipment, and hairdressing work, items on work posture, the Extended Nordic Musculoskeletal Questionnaire, and the Demand-Control-Support Questionnaire. Work posture in hairdressing was assessed using the Rapid Upper Limb Assessment (RULA). RESULTS: The prevalence of MSDs of the neck and upper limbs in the previous twelve months ranged from 7.7–55.8%. There was high, or very high, risk in 56.1% of work postures, and the median RULA score was 5.0 (4.0–6.0). The significant predictors of pain were work experience, gender, marital status, risk perception, awkward posture, psychological demand, and hair coloring. CONCLUSION: It is necessary to take control measures in hairdressing salons promptly to adopt more suitable working posture and to design workplaces ergonomically. Show more

Keywords: Occupational health, pain, posture, psychosocial factors, workload

DOI: 10.3233/WOR-220056

Citation: Work, vol. 75, no. 3, pp. 953-964, 2023

Authors: Vásquez-Trespalacios, Elsa María | Aranda-Beltrán, Carolina | López-Palomar, Ma. Del Refugio | Calderón-Mafud, José Luis | Román-Calderón, Juan Pablo | Vaamonde, Juan Diego | Leon-Cortes, Silvia

Article Type: Research Article

Abstract: BACKGROUND: Healthcare workers typically perform their work under adverse conditions, increasing their susceptibility to developing burnout syndrome (BO). The paucity of research on the relationship between organizational identification (OI) and perceptions of organizational justice has created the need to address this topic more deeply. OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to assess the relationship between OI and BO, identifying whether perceptions of organizational justice act as mediating variables. METHODS: In total, 402 healthcare workers (physicians, professionals, and nursing assistants) completed Colquitt’s (2001) Organizational Justice Scale, Mael and Ashforth’s (1992) Organizational Identification Scale, and Maslach’s (1986) Burnout Inventory. Two …competing structural equation models were evaluated. RESULTS: Our partial mediation model showed that the direct relationship between OI and BO was not significant (β = –0.16; p  = 0.07). Therefore, a total mediation model was selected, showing that the indirect effects of OI on BO through perceptions of distributive justice (β = –0.16; p  = 0.00) and interpersonal justice (β = –0.11; p  = 0.02) were significant. CONCLUSION: Adjusting the processes of health institutions considering a vision of organizational justice and increasing the worker’s sense of belonging to his or her organization and his or her work team would, in turn, result in a lower probability of experiencing burnout syndrome. Show more

Keywords: Stress, emotional exhaustion, hospital employees, identity, fairness

DOI: 10.3233/WOR-220107

Citation: Work, vol. 75, no. 3, pp. 965-974, 2023