International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health
The quality of work organization may be responsible not only for reduced productivity but also fo... more The quality of work organization may be responsible not only for reduced productivity but also for an increased risk of mental and physical disorders. This study was aimed at testing this hypothesis. Workers of a local health unit in Italy were asked to fill out the Work Organization Assessment Questionnaire (WOAQ) during their periodic medical examinations in the second half of 2018. On the same occasion, they also completed the Demand/Control/Support (DCS) measure of job strain, the Effort/Reward Imbalance (ERI) questionnaire, and the General Health Questionnaire (GHQ12) to assess psychological health. A total of 345 workers (85.8%) completed the survey. Linear regression analysis showed that the quality of work organization was inversely proportional to psychological health problems (p < 0.001). Occupational stress, measured both by job strain and ERI, was a moderating factor in this relationship. The relationship between the WOAQ and psychological health, moderated by job str...
Child welfare services across the world are often criticised for the quality of service and care ... more Child welfare services across the world are often criticised for the quality of service and care that they provide. Whilst the validity of some of these criticisms is debatable, critics often neglect to take into account the intense nature and working conditions of this work, staff mental health and well-being, and the range of work-related psychosocial risks in child welfare workers’ (CWW) daily work. Therefore, the aim of the present study is to explore CWW work experiences and personal capacities to conduct their work. We achieve this through the lens of positive organisational scholarship and in-depth interviews with sixteen CWW in Norway. Thematic narrative analysis yielded five distinct personal capacities: showing commitment and going the extra mile, viewing challenges as opportunities for learning and growth, demonstrating confidence and efficacy beliefs, controlling work behaviours and prioritising work tasks. These personal capacities enabled CWW to perform their work desp...
7 Editor’s Welcome Note from the Editor This, the fifth issue of the Newsletter of the Society fo... more 7 Editor’s Welcome Note from the Editor This, the fifth issue of the Newsletter of the Society for Occupational Health Psychology, covers a diverse set of topics. The series devoted to graduate pro-grams in occupational health psychology continues with an article by Rachel
Despite suggestions that work performance varies with age, the empirical evidence is inconclusive... more Despite suggestions that work performance varies with age, the empirical evidence is inconclusive and contradictory. Possible reasons for this are the lack of differentiation between different types of performance and a naive assumption of a negative linear relationship between age and task performance across the working lifespan. With this study we question and revisit these expectations. We take a lifespan perspective to explore differential and curvilinear relationships between age (measured as chronological age) and three types of task performance (task proficiency, proactivity, and adaptivity), moderated by job complexity (measured as cognitive demands). Using Bayesian polynomial regression on survey data from 903 employees, we tested the relationships between age and each performance type, with job complexity as a moderator. The data indicated a U-shaped age–adaptivity relationship (main effects for job complexity) and an S-shaped age–proactivity relationship that was more pro...
Despite the popularity of Workplace Innovation (WI) and its demonstrable utility for supporting b... more Despite the popularity of Workplace Innovation (WI) and its demonstrable utility for supporting both organizational productivity and employee well-being, there is at present no reliable and valid measure of WI practices for use in research and workplace settings. The aim of this paper is to present the development of a measure of WI climate.The study involved 855 individuals across all levels of three organizations, and a survey of WI practices that was based on four underlying elements: jobs and teams; organizational structures, management and procedures; employee-driven improvement and innovation; and co-created leadership and employee voice.The original list of items was developed in consultation with employers and practitioners. WI was assessed as climate perceptions. A series of analyses were undertaken on the measure, demonstrating good psychometric properties, including consistency of the factor structure, internal reliability, construct validity, and criterion validity. Supp...
Throughout the past decades, sickness absenteeism has received increased attention in Norway. An ... more Throughout the past decades, sickness absenteeism has received increased attention in Norway. An important motive for this has been that sickness absenteeism is relatively easily converted into costs. The term presenteeism has been the subject of growing interest in the field and is largely related to sickness absenteeism. This chapter concerns presenteeism and what this term contributes to the debate about sickness absenteeism.
DAY 1 Thursday 24th May DAY 2 Friday 25th May 9:00 – 9:30 Registration Coffee served 9:00-11:30 9... more DAY 1 Thursday 24th May DAY 2 Friday 25th May 9:00 – 9:30 Registration Coffee served 9:00-11:30 9:30 – 9:45 Welcome, purpose and structure of the meeting Purpose and structure of day 2 9:45 – 10:45 KEYNOTE 1 – Matt Egan KEYNOTE 2 – Per Øystein Saksvik 10:45 – 11:00 Coffee break Coffee break 11:00 – 12:15 Emerging knowledge • Henna Hasson: PROCOME: integration of process and outcome data • Antony Montgomery: Job burnout and quality of care in hospitals: Developing organizational interventions to address both • Myanna Duncan & Cheryl Haslam: Working Late: Enhancing productive and healthy working environments Workshop • Ray Randall & Karina Nielsen: Using process evaluation during organizational intervention processes
PurposeThis paper aims to evaluate whether training of managers at workplaces can improve organiz... more PurposeThis paper aims to evaluate whether training of managers at workplaces can improve organizational learning. Managers play a crucial role in providing opportunities to employees for learning. Although scholars have called for intervention research on the effects of leadership development on organizational learning, no such research is currently available.Design/methodology/approachThe training program consisted of theoretical and practical elements aimed to improve line managers’ transformational leadership behaviors and, in turn, improve organizational learning. The study used a pre- and post-intervention evaluation survey. Line managers’ and their subordinates’ perceptions of organizational learning were measured with the Dimensions of Organizational Learning Questionnaire and with post-intervention single items on organizational learning.FindingsComparisons between pre- and post-intervention assessments revealed that managers’ ratings ofcontinuous learningand employees’ rat...
International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health
The quality of work organization may be responsible not only for reduced productivity but also fo... more The quality of work organization may be responsible not only for reduced productivity but also for an increased risk of mental and physical disorders. This study was aimed at testing this hypothesis. Workers of a local health unit in Italy were asked to fill out the Work Organization Assessment Questionnaire (WOAQ) during their periodic medical examinations in the second half of 2018. On the same occasion, they also completed the Demand/Control/Support (DCS) measure of job strain, the Effort/Reward Imbalance (ERI) questionnaire, and the General Health Questionnaire (GHQ12) to assess psychological health. A total of 345 workers (85.8%) completed the survey. Linear regression analysis showed that the quality of work organization was inversely proportional to psychological health problems (p < 0.001). Occupational stress, measured both by job strain and ERI, was a moderating factor in this relationship. The relationship between the WOAQ and psychological health, moderated by job str...
Child welfare services across the world are often criticised for the quality of service and care ... more Child welfare services across the world are often criticised for the quality of service and care that they provide. Whilst the validity of some of these criticisms is debatable, critics often neglect to take into account the intense nature and working conditions of this work, staff mental health and well-being, and the range of work-related psychosocial risks in child welfare workers’ (CWW) daily work. Therefore, the aim of the present study is to explore CWW work experiences and personal capacities to conduct their work. We achieve this through the lens of positive organisational scholarship and in-depth interviews with sixteen CWW in Norway. Thematic narrative analysis yielded five distinct personal capacities: showing commitment and going the extra mile, viewing challenges as opportunities for learning and growth, demonstrating confidence and efficacy beliefs, controlling work behaviours and prioritising work tasks. These personal capacities enabled CWW to perform their work desp...
7 Editor’s Welcome Note from the Editor This, the fifth issue of the Newsletter of the Society fo... more 7 Editor’s Welcome Note from the Editor This, the fifth issue of the Newsletter of the Society for Occupational Health Psychology, covers a diverse set of topics. The series devoted to graduate pro-grams in occupational health psychology continues with an article by Rachel
Despite suggestions that work performance varies with age, the empirical evidence is inconclusive... more Despite suggestions that work performance varies with age, the empirical evidence is inconclusive and contradictory. Possible reasons for this are the lack of differentiation between different types of performance and a naive assumption of a negative linear relationship between age and task performance across the working lifespan. With this study we question and revisit these expectations. We take a lifespan perspective to explore differential and curvilinear relationships between age (measured as chronological age) and three types of task performance (task proficiency, proactivity, and adaptivity), moderated by job complexity (measured as cognitive demands). Using Bayesian polynomial regression on survey data from 903 employees, we tested the relationships between age and each performance type, with job complexity as a moderator. The data indicated a U-shaped age–adaptivity relationship (main effects for job complexity) and an S-shaped age–proactivity relationship that was more pro...
Despite the popularity of Workplace Innovation (WI) and its demonstrable utility for supporting b... more Despite the popularity of Workplace Innovation (WI) and its demonstrable utility for supporting both organizational productivity and employee well-being, there is at present no reliable and valid measure of WI practices for use in research and workplace settings. The aim of this paper is to present the development of a measure of WI climate.The study involved 855 individuals across all levels of three organizations, and a survey of WI practices that was based on four underlying elements: jobs and teams; organizational structures, management and procedures; employee-driven improvement and innovation; and co-created leadership and employee voice.The original list of items was developed in consultation with employers and practitioners. WI was assessed as climate perceptions. A series of analyses were undertaken on the measure, demonstrating good psychometric properties, including consistency of the factor structure, internal reliability, construct validity, and criterion validity. Supp...
Throughout the past decades, sickness absenteeism has received increased attention in Norway. An ... more Throughout the past decades, sickness absenteeism has received increased attention in Norway. An important motive for this has been that sickness absenteeism is relatively easily converted into costs. The term presenteeism has been the subject of growing interest in the field and is largely related to sickness absenteeism. This chapter concerns presenteeism and what this term contributes to the debate about sickness absenteeism.
DAY 1 Thursday 24th May DAY 2 Friday 25th May 9:00 – 9:30 Registration Coffee served 9:00-11:30 9... more DAY 1 Thursday 24th May DAY 2 Friday 25th May 9:00 – 9:30 Registration Coffee served 9:00-11:30 9:30 – 9:45 Welcome, purpose and structure of the meeting Purpose and structure of day 2 9:45 – 10:45 KEYNOTE 1 – Matt Egan KEYNOTE 2 – Per Øystein Saksvik 10:45 – 11:00 Coffee break Coffee break 11:00 – 12:15 Emerging knowledge • Henna Hasson: PROCOME: integration of process and outcome data • Antony Montgomery: Job burnout and quality of care in hospitals: Developing organizational interventions to address both • Myanna Duncan & Cheryl Haslam: Working Late: Enhancing productive and healthy working environments Workshop • Ray Randall & Karina Nielsen: Using process evaluation during organizational intervention processes
PurposeThis paper aims to evaluate whether training of managers at workplaces can improve organiz... more PurposeThis paper aims to evaluate whether training of managers at workplaces can improve organizational learning. Managers play a crucial role in providing opportunities to employees for learning. Although scholars have called for intervention research on the effects of leadership development on organizational learning, no such research is currently available.Design/methodology/approachThe training program consisted of theoretical and practical elements aimed to improve line managers’ transformational leadership behaviors and, in turn, improve organizational learning. The study used a pre- and post-intervention evaluation survey. Line managers’ and their subordinates’ perceptions of organizational learning were measured with the Dimensions of Organizational Learning Questionnaire and with post-intervention single items on organizational learning.FindingsComparisons between pre- and post-intervention assessments revealed that managers’ ratings ofcontinuous learningand employees’ rat...
This book brings together a number of experts in the field of organizational interventions for ... more This book brings together a number of experts in the field of organizational interventions for stress and well-being, and discusses the importance of process and context issues to the success or failure of such interventions. The book explores how context and process can be incorporated into program evaluation, providing examples of how this can be done, and offers insights that aim to improve working life.
Although there is a substantial body of research supporting a causal relationship between working conditions and employee stress and well-being, information on how to develop effective strategies to reduce or eliminate psychosocial risks in the workplace is much more scarce, ambiguous and inconclusive. Indeed, researchers in this field have so far attempted to evaluate the effectiveness of organizational interventions to improve workers’ health and well-being, but little attention has been paid to the strategies and processes likely to enhance or undermine interventions. The focus of this volume will help to overcome this qualitative-quantitative divide.
This book discusses conceptual developments, practical applications, and methodological issues in the field. As such it is suitable for students, practitioners and researchers in the fields of organizational psychology and clinical psychology, as well as human resources management, health & safety, medicine, occupational health, risk management and public health.
This edited work presents a collection of chapters on a range of key areas in multi- and interdis... more This edited work presents a collection of chapters on a range of key areas in multi- and interdisciplinary research. They represent some of the current thinking and practice of interdisciplinary research, and are an outcome of the 1st Cross-Disciplinary Research Conference held in November 2007 at the University of Nottingham.
This book consists of a collection of contributions on interdisciplinary theory and practice, as viewed through the experience of 'new' interdisciplinarians. It spans a variety of disciplines such as education, psychology, law, architecture, media, and health care. Its purpose is to contribute to the emerging literature and academic debate in interdisciplinary research and to give new interdisciplinarians a voice.
This edited volume does not claim to cover all areas of cross-, multi-, inter- and trans-disciplinary research. However, it represents some of the variety and exciting developments in as well as some of the challenges and problems currently facing interdisciplinary research.
In summary, the chapters presented in this book illustrate a range of approaches and applications of interdisciplinary research in different fields. The book contributes to a learned debate about the multifaceted character of interdisciplinary research and illustrates its strengths and limitations through interdisciplinarians' experiences.
In: G. Bauer & G. Jenny (Ed.s), Concepts of salutogenic organizations and change: The logics behind organizational health intervention research. Springer., 2013
Despite an accumulation of knowledge on organizational health
interventions, theoretical integra... more Despite an accumulation of knowledge on organizational health
interventions, theoretical integration and progress in the area still seems to be slow. This chapter is premised on the need to understand the nature and mechanisms of change in organizational health interventions, which can offer predictions on when change interventions will succeed or fail. To proactively manage change it is important to understand its properties and mechanisms. Indeed, latest research points to the pivotal role of process issues, or the ‘how’ and ‘why’ that need to be taken into
account when implementing interventions. Here, we expand on this line of work by harvesting current knowledge and harnessing possible properties of change. Specifically, we examine the nature of change in organizational health interventions and the forces, at the fundamental level of the individual, that can facilitate the transition between before and after an intervention, and make some propositions on the possible mechanisms of change in organizational health interventions (i.e. relating to the dimensions, direction, levels, stakeholders, psychosocial mechanisms, and
temporal patterns of change). In terms of mechanisms, we suggest a few (including diffusing, sharing, identifying, comparing, influencing, learning), based on wellestablished psychological theory. Summarizing and building on this knowledge, we offer six propositions on the nature of change in organizational health interventions. As such, we hope to stir discussion and theoretical progress in the area of organizational health interventions.
In C. Biron, M. Karanika-Murray, & C. Cooper (Eds.), Improving organizational interventions for stress and well-being: Addressing process and context. ISBN: 978-1-84872-056-5, 2012
Increasing levels of common mental health problems and musculoskeletal disorders are the major ca... more Increasing levels of common mental health problems and musculoskeletal disorders are the major causes of employee sickness absence in Britain (Black, 2008). These trends are not dissimilar to those in other developed countries and have become a challenge in today’s workplaces. Tackling these problems requires a more comprehensive approach to the management of psychological risks to workers’ health than a traditional approach can offer. In this chapter, we discuss what a comprehensive perspective may encompass, and endorse a multi-faceted, multi-level, positive, and integrated approach. First, we examine recent research into health and well-being that suggests that job characteristics should be considered from a multi-faceted perspective (interplay between work factors and individual differences) and that processes that impinge on workers’ health at multiple levels (i.e., individual, group, and organization) should be taken into account. Second, we discuss a facet of job characteristics which has been overlooked in the literature, that of the positive job features that foster individuals’ mental capital and in turn empower individuals to protect and maintain their health and well-being. Third, given that many diseases (i.e., high blood pressure, diabetes, coronary heart disease) are directly linked to lifestyle factors (i.e., smoking, drinking and obesity) (Black, 2008), we advocate that the management of psychosocial risks needs to be integrated with the promotion of health-related behaviours. This integration has also been recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO), the International Labour Organization (ILO), and the European Agency for Safety & Health at Work (EU-OSHA). The success of this comprehensive approach is dependent upon several conditions, one of which is the development of an occupational health climate. We conclude this chapter by considering some of the necessary components of such a climate.
In C. Biron, M. Karanika-Murray, & C. Cooper (Eds.), Improving organizational interventions for stress and well-being: Addressing process and context. Routledge. ISBN: 978-1-84872-056-5, 2012
The purposes of this chapter are two-fold. The first purpose is to review critically yet construc... more The purposes of this chapter are two-fold. The first purpose is to review critically yet constructively policies and guidance for organizational practice based on prescriptions for job redesign. The job or workplace as the units of analysis typify many national and supra-national monitoring systems for work-related stress, and in guidance and policy, is probably at its most sophisticated in systems such as Great Britain’s Health and Safety Executive’s (HSE) Management Standards for Work-Related Stress (MS) (www.hse.gov.uk/stress/standards/; the development of the Management Standards is presented in detail by Mackay et al., this volume). The second purpose is to suggest areas that policy makers and practitioners may explore to ensure an evolution in guidance, policies and practices that better reflects current knowledge on job design, stress and well-being.
We start by describing and evaluating the MS from the employer and practitioners’ perspective. We then look at what the MS can be expected to achieve. We do this by reviewing the historical case of a similar approach adopted in the Netherlands prior to the implementation of the MS in Great Britain. In the final part of the chapter, we explore areas in which policy, guidance and practice might be extended to reflect better the current “state-of-the-science” in respect to job design, work-related stress and well-being.
In J. Neves & S.P. Gonçalves (Eds.), Occupational Health Psychology: From burnout to well-being. Lisboa, Portugal: Scientific & Academic Publishing, 2012
This chapter presents a qualitative study that formed the first steps to conceptualizing and deve... more This chapter presents a qualitative study that formed the first steps to conceptualizing and developing a new measure of the elements in the organizational context that are pertinent to employee health and well-being. We approach this question from two complementary points of view: a top-down and a bottom-up perspective. The top-down perspective deals with organizational policies, practices and procedures for addressing employee health and well-being. The bottom-up perspective focuses on the psychological mechanisms behind the work-health relationship in order to highlight ‘softer’ aspects of the work environment that can affect well-being. Specifically we adopt a self-determination perspective to identify which aspects of the organizational context can affect individuals’ fulfilment of the three innate psychological needs for autonomy, competence and relatedness. Following a series of interviews with individuals involved in health and well-being in six organizations, we identify and propose two sets of contextual factors that reflect the top-down and bottom-up components of this framework. We discuss the theoretical implications of this study and the future development of an instrument to measure and evaluate the validity of the proposed constructs.
In: Caroline Biron, Maria Karanika-Murray & Cary Cooper (Eds.), Improving organizational interventions for stress and well-being: Addressing process and context. London: Routledge. ISBN: 978-1-84872-056-5, 2012
In J. Houdmont & S. Leka (Eds.). Contemporary occupational health psychology: Global perspectives on research, education, and practice, Vol. 1. Chichester, England: Wiley-Blackwell., 2010
Interest in work-related health and well-being has developed into a rich area of enquiry over the... more Interest in work-related health and well-being has developed into a rich area of enquiry over the last few decades. The plethora of theoretical models that aim to describe the relationships between characteristics of work and health outcomes is complemented by a large volume of empirical work that has exploded in this short period of time. At the same time, a small body of empirical work has emerged, which indicates that relationships between work and health may be more complex than initially presumed, and that they do not always or necessarily follow a stable linear pattern. A number of models from psychology’s rich theoretical repository allude to possible curvilinear effects of work characteristics on health and well-being. Evidence that such effects may be curvilinear prompts a need for a re-examination of available theory. This chapter is about the curvilinearity hypothesis in the relationships between work characteristics and health and well-being outcomes.
In A.S. Antoniou (Ed.), Health psychology in occupational settings. Athens, Greece: Paschalidis., 2007
A chief of police recently wrote, “Law enforcement is producing new challenges for both the leade... more A chief of police recently wrote, “Law enforcement is producing new challenges for both the leaders of police organizations and those who patrol the streets. These challenges are increasingly complex and appearing with unprecedented rapidity” (in Toch, 2002). Given recent reports in the media of increasing unsolved crimes, incidents of violence against the police and constant changes in legislation, anti-terrorist initiatives and performance targets, the issue of stress in policing becomes more salient than ever before. In order to fulfil their mission ‘to protect and serve’ the general public, the Police must first look within, at solutions that drive a problem-solving ethos and foster a healthy organisation. It is only when these are achieved will the Police occupy a better position than ever before to protect the public and fight crime. This chapter examines the literature on stress in policing with a view to providing an analysis of the nature and status of research in the area, key themes from the literature, and solutions to improve practice.
In: J. Houdmont & S. McIntyre (Eds.), Occupational health psychology: Key papers of the European Academy of Occupational Health Psychology, Vol. 6. Maia, Portugal: Publishmai, 2005
In: Jonathan Houdmont & Scott McIntyre (Eds.), Occupational health psychology: Key papers of the European Academy of Occupational Health Psychology, Vol. 6. Maia, Portugal: Publishmai., 2005
Aims: To develop a simple, validated questionnaire as part of the risk assessment procedure for s... more Aims: To develop a simple, validated questionnaire as part of the risk assessment procedure for stress-related hazards inherent in the design and management of work in the manufacturing sector.
Methods: Responses to the Work Organisation Assessment Questionnaire (WOAQ) were examined in a sample of 524 employees (50% were manual workers) from 5 manufacturing companies on 11 sites in the UK. Exploratory factor analysis was carried out on 38 items, which together described the most common failures of work design and management reported for this sector in past studies.
Results: Improved model modification revealed a stronger 28-item, 5 category structure comprising: ‘relationships with management’, ‘being valued’, ‘work-load issues’, ‘relationships with colleagues’, and ‘physical environment’.
Conclusions: The Work Organisation Assessment Questionnaire was shown to be reliable and appears to be a useful instrument in the evaluation of risks to health, well-being, and job satisfaction in the manufacturing sector. Feedback from companies suggested that the overall survey was both useful and appropriate for their organisations. The questionnaire was detailed enough to allow workplace interventions against each item to be identified and broad enough to facilitate intra- and inter- business benchmarking.
This Report presents an evaluative study of the processes involved in implementing the Health & S... more This Report presents an evaluative study of the processes involved in implementing the Health & Safety Executive’s Management Standards approach in a sample of organisations drawn from five priority sectors of the British economy. All the organisations had volunteered to be part of the Health & Safety Executive’s first phase of its national roll out of the Management Standards initiative: SiP1. The study is exploratory and qualitative in nature. It is framed by a review of the developing literature on models of risk management for work-related stress and on the evaluation of the processes involved in the implementation of such programmes. This review provided an a priori model to guide the research.
63 organisations, the remaining members of the HSE SiP1 group, were invited to take part in the present study. 39 organisations responded positively. They provided the study with sufficient information to allow the selection of 12 organisations for further study. These organisations were strategically drawn from the priority sectors; Finance, Local Government, Central Government, Health and Education. Interview and documentary (archival) data were then collected from 11 of the study organisations. These data were analysed using thematic and content analysis techniques. The results are presented in terms of: the main processes issues, the enablers of and barriers to progress, and the lessons to be learned from the study organisations efforts at implementation. Finally, the researchers’ offered their Ten Top Tips for stakeholders in future risk management programmes for work-related stress.
21 process issues which were grouped under 10 headings; organisational and individual in nature. The organisational issues included those concerned with: participation in the overall programme and the study, implementation of the programme, participation by employees as stakeholders, organisational capability for delivering the implementation, internal and external interference from competing projects, communication and marketing challenges, and the question of sustainability. The more individual issues concerned: preparedness and individual readiness for change, individual motivation (and buy in), and the question of roles and responsibilities. This information was re formulated in terms of the obvious enablers of and barriers to progress. Comments on the nature of these factors are provided. 11 lessons were drawn out of the study reflecting the short comings of the study organisations attempts to implement the Management Standards approach; these are not synonymous with the main process issues. Finally, the researchers’ TEN TOP TIPS were developed on the basis of their experiences during the project and in previous work in this area. The results are discussed in terms of their theoretical and practical implications
Finally, the conclusions of the study are elaborated on five fundamental issues for taking the Management Standards approach forward. These are: research, the composition of Stress Steering Groups, the nature of Dynamic Process models, work-related stress in statute and resources, training and learning.
The researchers hope that this Technical Report will prove useful to all those involved in working with or developing the risk management approach to work-related stress and, more particularly, the Management Standards initiative.
Unpublished doctoral dissertation. University of Nottingham, UK., 2006
This thesis presents a comparative study of the use of a connectionist simulation approach (artif... more This thesis presents a comparative study of the use of a connectionist simulation approach (artificial neural networks, ANN) and statistical approach (linear regression analysis, LRA) in the analysis of work and health data collected in the context risk assessment for work and organisational factors.
The precepts of this investigation were that (a) non-linear approaches can offer models of psychosocial phenomena which are superior to equivalent linear approaches, (b) the occupational health psychology field has outgrown the linearity assumption inherent in traditional methods and (c) risk management requires a methodology that is naturally fit for the nature of psychosocial data. It requires one that is appropriate to model complex emergent phenomena where non-linear relationships between predictors and outcomes are set within a systems perspective and where risk is seen as an emergent phenomenon. Theory, method and analysis should be appropriate to the nature of the phenomena.
Although theoretical notions that incorporate non-linearity in the relationship between job characteristics and health outcomes have long existed, an implicit supposition of linear forms characterises current work-health research. A view of risk and work-health as residing within a complex adaptive system is essential for the development of robust risk management tools. Use of non-linear approaches in applied psychology and organisational science has only started to flourish and has already shown that non-linear dynamic (NLD) models can explain 2-3 times more variance than the linear equivalents. The practical focus of the present study was to establish whether the use of ANN in the analysis of risk assessment data would be superior to the traditional LRA approach.
A sample of 1003 data cases was used for model development and validation. This sample was derived from studies carried out by the Institute of Work, Health and Organisations (University of Nottingham) for the Health and Safety Executive over the last decade. Outcomes included well-being, job satisfaction, turnover intention and absence. ANN and LRA were examined both qualitatively and quantitatively. Qualitative comparisons revealed differing model specifications for the relationship between job characteristics and health outcomes. The use of a non-linear technique may challenge established knowledge derived on linear approaches. The quantitative comparisons indicated superior ANN model fit. The percentage of error between observed and predicted values of the outcome variables was smaller (between 1.97% and 9.67%) and the variance explained was higher in the ANN models (for example, R2LRA=0.17 vs. R2ANN=0.27 for well-being, and R2LRA=0.27 vs. R2ANN=0.37 for job satisfaction). This may be due to the fact that ANN allowed for more predictors in the models, but also due to their ability to model non-linear and more complex relationships. ANN provide better models for a number of additional methodological reasons. Such a non-linear approach is better fitted for purpose as it conforms to best practice in work-health research and risk management.
The limitations of the study relate mostly to the available data and the qualitative findings (self-report data, cross-sectional base studies). The present findings suggest a number of interesting future research directions. Indirectly, the present thesis challenges the use of the general linear model in relation to work-health research and exemplifies its implications for theory and practice, unconstrained by the linearity assumption inherent in traditional methods.
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Although there is a substantial body of research supporting a causal relationship between working conditions and employee stress and well-being, information on how to develop effective strategies to reduce or eliminate psychosocial risks in the workplace is much more scarce, ambiguous and inconclusive. Indeed, researchers in this field have so far attempted to evaluate the effectiveness of organizational interventions to improve workers’ health and well-being, but little attention has been paid to the strategies and processes likely to enhance or undermine interventions. The focus of this volume will help to overcome this qualitative-quantitative divide.
This book discusses conceptual developments, practical applications, and methodological issues in the field. As such it is suitable for students, practitioners and researchers in the fields of organizational psychology and clinical psychology, as well as human resources management, health & safety, medicine, occupational health, risk management and public health.
This book consists of a collection of contributions on interdisciplinary theory and practice, as viewed through the experience of 'new' interdisciplinarians. It spans a variety of disciplines such as education, psychology, law, architecture, media, and health care. Its purpose is to contribute to the emerging literature and academic debate in interdisciplinary research and to give new interdisciplinarians a voice.
This edited volume does not claim to cover all areas of cross-, multi-, inter- and trans-disciplinary research. However, it represents some of the variety and exciting developments in as well as some of the challenges and problems currently facing interdisciplinary research.
In summary, the chapters presented in this book illustrate a range of approaches and applications of interdisciplinary research in different fields. The book contributes to a learned debate about the multifaceted character of interdisciplinary research and illustrates its strengths and limitations through interdisciplinarians' experiences.
interventions, theoretical integration and progress in the area still seems to be slow. This chapter is premised on the need to understand the nature and mechanisms of change in organizational health interventions, which can offer predictions on when change interventions will succeed or fail. To proactively manage change it is important to understand its properties and mechanisms. Indeed, latest research points to the pivotal role of process issues, or the ‘how’ and ‘why’ that need to be taken into
account when implementing interventions. Here, we expand on this line of work by harvesting current knowledge and harnessing possible properties of change. Specifically, we examine the nature of change in organizational health interventions and the forces, at the fundamental level of the individual, that can facilitate the transition between before and after an intervention, and make some propositions on the possible mechanisms of change in organizational health interventions (i.e. relating to the dimensions, direction, levels, stakeholders, psychosocial mechanisms, and
temporal patterns of change). In terms of mechanisms, we suggest a few (including diffusing, sharing, identifying, comparing, influencing, learning), based on wellestablished psychological theory. Summarizing and building on this knowledge, we offer six propositions on the nature of change in organizational health interventions. As such, we hope to stir discussion and theoretical progress in the area of organizational health interventions.
We start by describing and evaluating the MS from the employer and practitioners’ perspective. We then look at what the MS can be expected to achieve. We do this by reviewing the historical case of a similar approach adopted in the Netherlands prior to the implementation of the MS in Great Britain. In the final part of the chapter, we explore areas in which policy, guidance and practice might be extended to reflect better the current “state-of-the-science” in respect to job design, work-related stress and well-being.
Methods: Responses to the Work Organisation Assessment Questionnaire (WOAQ) were examined in a sample of 524 employees (50% were manual workers) from 5 manufacturing companies on 11 sites in the UK. Exploratory factor analysis was carried out on 38 items, which together described the most common failures of work design and management reported for this sector in past studies.
Results: Improved model modification revealed a stronger 28-item, 5 category structure comprising: ‘relationships with management’, ‘being valued’, ‘work-load issues’, ‘relationships with colleagues’, and ‘physical environment’.
Conclusions: The Work Organisation Assessment Questionnaire was shown to be reliable and appears to be a useful instrument in the evaluation of risks to health, well-being, and job satisfaction in the manufacturing sector. Feedback from companies suggested that the overall survey was both useful and appropriate for their organisations. The questionnaire was detailed enough to allow workplace interventions against each item to be identified and broad enough to facilitate intra- and inter- business benchmarking.
63 organisations, the remaining members of the HSE SiP1 group, were invited to take part in the present study. 39 organisations responded positively. They provided the study with sufficient information to allow the selection of 12 organisations for further study. These organisations were strategically drawn from the priority sectors; Finance, Local Government, Central Government, Health and Education. Interview and documentary (archival) data were then collected from 11 of the study organisations. These data were analysed using thematic and content analysis techniques. The results are presented in terms of: the main processes issues, the enablers of and barriers to progress, and the lessons to be learned from the study organisations efforts at implementation. Finally, the researchers’ offered their Ten Top Tips for stakeholders in future risk management programmes for work-related stress.
21 process issues which were grouped under 10 headings; organisational and individual in nature. The organisational issues included those concerned with: participation in the overall programme and the study, implementation of the programme, participation by employees as stakeholders, organisational capability for delivering the implementation, internal and external interference from competing projects, communication and marketing challenges, and the question of sustainability. The more individual issues concerned: preparedness and individual readiness for change, individual motivation (and buy in), and the question of roles and responsibilities. This information was re formulated in terms of the obvious enablers of and barriers to progress. Comments on the nature of these factors are provided. 11 lessons were drawn out of the study reflecting the short comings of the study organisations attempts to implement the Management Standards approach; these are not synonymous with the main process issues. Finally, the researchers’ TEN TOP TIPS were developed on the basis of their experiences during the project and in previous work in this area. The results are discussed in terms of their theoretical and practical implications
Finally, the conclusions of the study are elaborated on five fundamental issues for taking the Management Standards approach forward. These are: research, the composition of Stress Steering Groups, the nature of Dynamic Process models, work-related stress in statute and resources, training and learning.
The researchers hope that this Technical Report will prove useful to all those involved in working with or developing the risk management approach to work-related stress and, more particularly, the Management Standards initiative.
The precepts of this investigation were that (a) non-linear approaches can offer models of psychosocial phenomena which are superior to equivalent linear approaches, (b) the occupational health psychology field has outgrown the linearity assumption inherent in traditional methods and (c) risk management requires a methodology that is naturally fit for the nature of psychosocial data. It requires one that is appropriate to model complex emergent phenomena where non-linear relationships between predictors and outcomes are set within a systems perspective and where risk is seen as an emergent phenomenon. Theory, method and analysis should be appropriate to the nature of the phenomena.
Although theoretical notions that incorporate non-linearity in the relationship between job characteristics and health outcomes have long existed, an implicit supposition of linear forms characterises current work-health research. A view of risk and work-health as residing within a complex adaptive system is essential for the development of robust risk management tools. Use of non-linear approaches in applied psychology and organisational science has only started to flourish and has already shown that non-linear dynamic (NLD) models can explain 2-3 times more variance than the linear equivalents. The practical focus of the present study was to establish whether the use of ANN in the analysis of risk assessment data would be superior to the traditional LRA approach.
A sample of 1003 data cases was used for model development and validation. This sample was derived from studies carried out by the Institute of Work, Health and Organisations (University of Nottingham) for the Health and Safety Executive over the last decade. Outcomes included well-being, job satisfaction, turnover intention and absence. ANN and LRA were examined both qualitatively and quantitatively. Qualitative comparisons revealed differing model specifications for the relationship between job characteristics and health outcomes. The use of a non-linear technique may challenge established knowledge derived on linear approaches. The quantitative comparisons indicated superior ANN model fit. The percentage of error between observed and predicted values of the outcome variables was smaller (between 1.97% and 9.67%) and the variance explained was higher in the ANN models (for example, R2LRA=0.17 vs. R2ANN=0.27 for well-being, and R2LRA=0.27 vs. R2ANN=0.37 for job satisfaction). This may be due to the fact that ANN allowed for more predictors in the models, but also due to their ability to model non-linear and more complex relationships. ANN provide better models for a number of additional methodological reasons. Such a non-linear approach is better fitted for purpose as it conforms to best practice in work-health research and risk management.
The limitations of the study relate mostly to the available data and the qualitative findings (self-report data, cross-sectional base studies). The present findings suggest a number of interesting future research directions. Indirectly, the present thesis challenges the use of the general linear model in relation to work-health research and exemplifies its implications for theory and practice, unconstrained by the linearity assumption inherent in traditional methods.