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1 – 10 of 38Age-inclusive management practices are crucial for addressing the needs of the older workforce, but there is limited research on these practices. One underexplored area is how…
Abstract
Purpose
Age-inclusive management practices are crucial for addressing the needs of the older workforce, but there is limited research on these practices. One underexplored area is how workplaces can support older employees dealing with the loss of a loved one. The psychological process of loss differs for older employees and can have adverse effects on their ability to perform in the workplace. The purpose of this paper is to explore how workplaces can provide the necessary tools to support their older grieving employees.
Design/methodology/approach
This conceptual paper draws on the job-demand resource model and signaling theory to investigate how flexible work arrangements can support older employees after a bereavement and contribute to optimal employee performance.
Findings
Flexible work arrangements are theorized to lead to optimal performance via informational support. An ethical climate and stronger cultural competencies are proposed to strengthen this relationship. A theoretical framework is presented for a comprehensive research approach.
Originality/value
This paper advances the current understanding of age-inclusive management and offers a novel perspective on the benefits of flexible working arrangements.
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The article presents research on the long-term information needs of homicide bereaved individuals in the context of record-keeping practice within Major Crime Units (MCU) in…
Abstract
Purpose
The article presents research on the long-term information needs of homicide bereaved individuals in the context of record-keeping practice within Major Crime Units (MCU) in England. The research objectives were to: (1) identify the long-term information needs of individuals bereaved by homicide; (2) establish MCU officer perceptions on the provision of information to individuals bereaved by homicide; (3) establish the current practice of MCU officers in managing and providing access to homicide records and (4) explore the capability of current recordkeeping practice to move beyond the use of homicide records for their primary “policing” purpose.
Design/methodology/approach
The research objectives were met by combining findings from a literature review across policing, bereavement, death, victimology, criminology, records management and archival studies with results from a singular interview-based study with officers at the Bedfordshire, Hertfordshire and Cambridgeshire Major Crime Unit (BHCMCU).
Findings
The findings indicate that the long-term information needs of homicide bereaved individuals are ill-served by the current police recordkeeping framework which provides them with little involvement in record-keeping decision-making and limited long-term access to the information required for sensemaking/adaption in a post-homicide world. In this context, the research demonstrates a long term need for: (1) information access; (2) support for access; (3) a direct and personalised information access service and (4) trauma-informed and victim/survivor centred practice in police recordkeeping contexts.
Originality/value
The research addresses a major gap across disciplinary research literature in its focus on the ways investigative information is disclosed by the police to the bereaved following case closure.
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Nadirah Mat Pozian, Yvette D. Miller and Jenni Mays
Evidence for the availability and utilisation of family-friendly work conditions (FFWCs) in Malaysia has not been comprehensively reviewed. Whether persistent inequities are due…
Abstract
Purpose
Evidence for the availability and utilisation of family-friendly work conditions (FFWCs) in Malaysia has not been comprehensively reviewed. Whether persistent inequities are due to poor employer provision of work conditions or low employee uptake remains unknown. This scoping review to assess the scope of available evidence for availability and utilisation of specific FFWCs among women in Malaysia, and synthesise reported findings.
Design/methodology/approach
This scoping review used Arksey and O’Malley’s framework and twenty-two articles were reviewed.
Findings
Flexible work hours, telecommuting/work from home, staggered work hours, childcare centres proximal to workplaces, and childcare subsidies were reported as most commonly available work conditions. Available leave varied across organisations and sectors in provision of payment and duration. Flexible work hours, leave, and childcare centres proximal to workplaces were the conditions most used by employees. However, the validity of observed availability and utilisation of work conditions in Malaysia is questionable, due to inconsistencies in the specificity and range of work conditions assessed and heterogeneity of samples.
Practical implications
National monitoring of the accessibility and uptake of FFWCs is required to guide investment decisions about family-friendly policy initiatives to effectively advance gender equity in the Malaysian labour force.
Originality/value
This scoping review provides the first comprehensive synthesis and summary of the availability and utilisation of FFWCs in Malaysia.
Peer review
The peer review history for this article is available at: https://publons.com/publon/10.1108/IJSE-02-2024-0103
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Tiffany Cheng Han Leung, Robin Stanley Snell and Daisy Lee
We identify lessons from a project sponsored by a large charitable trust, which sought to build capability for end-of-life (EOL) care in Hong Kong through interdisciplinary and…
Abstract
Purpose
We identify lessons from a project sponsored by a large charitable trust, which sought to build capability for end-of-life (EOL) care in Hong Kong through interdisciplinary and multi-agency collaboration.
Design/methodology/approach
An in-depth case study drawing on 21 in-depth interviews with diverse stakeholders was conducted. Lyman et al.’s (2018) model of organisational learning (OL) in healthcare settings was applied to analyse the relative emphasis on particular contextual factors and mechanisms, and to identify outcomes perceived to have been achieved.
Findings
Infrastructure such as materials for assessment and education received the most emphasis among the contextual factors and deliberate learning such as training sessions received the greatest attention among the mechanisms. While perceptions indicated that desired outcomes were being achieved in terms of social impact, there were relatively few mentions of “soft” factors such as enhanced motivation, leadership or OL skills among staff.
Originality/value
This study extends the literature on how to create valuable social impact through OL. While prior studies have examined social impact in terms of solutions for social and environmental problems, ours is one of the few that examines how improvements are made to organisations’ capability to deliver such impacts in the context of healthcare.
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Katherine Brown and Laura Jenkinson
A notable number of young people self-harm, with only a minority receiving professional support. Evidence suggests that therapy can help recovery from self-harm, but little is…
Abstract
Purpose
A notable number of young people self-harm, with only a minority receiving professional support. Evidence suggests that therapy can help recovery from self-harm, but little is known about the experiences of those who self-harm and participate in therapy delivered via videoconferencing.
Design/methodology/approach
Risk assessments were examined for evidence of self-harm and used to identify two groups for analysis: young people who had self-harmed in the past six months and those who had not. A mixed methods analysis was then conducted to examine process and outcome data for these two groups. Data included a number of sessions attended, late-cancelled and missed without notice; and patient-reported outcome measure scores (Young Person-Clinical Outcomes in Routine Evaluation and Revised Children’s Anxiety and Depression Scale). End-of-treatment reports were subsequently analysed using thematic analysis.
Findings
Those with current self-harm risk appeared to start therapy with lower well-being. No notable differences in progress were found between groups on quantitative outcomes. There was greater reporting of poorer clinical outcomes in the reports of those with current self-harm risk, including two unique types of barriers to effective therapy: “general difficulties” (e.g. poor well-being limiting engagement, specific components of therapy being challenging) and “CBT was not preferred”.
Originality/value
Lower baseline well-being could explain the greater ongoing care needs and lower well-being post-therapy among those with current self-harm risk, despite both groups appearing to make similar levels of therapeutic progress quantitatively. Recent self-harm does not appear to reduce the utility of videoconferencing cognitive behavioural therapy; however, clients’ individual needs should be carefully considered.
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This chapter begins by covering four parenting styles and their effects on college students’ wellbeing. Next, the effects of parents’ divorce and parental death on college…
Abstract
This chapter begins by covering four parenting styles and their effects on college students’ wellbeing. Next, the effects of parents’ divorce and parental death on college students are explored. In addition to relationships with their parents, the chapter also examines college students’ relationships with their friends. Friendships based on utility or pleasure are contrasted with those based on virtue. Next, the chapter explores the effects of college students’ friendships on various aspects of their academic performance (e.g., dropping out of school) and social lives (e.g., drinking behaviors). The role of social media in college students’ relationships is considered as well. The chapter concludes with a focus on college students’ romantic relationships.
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Mohammad Shahadat Hossen and Siti Fatimah Binti Salleh
This research aims to analyze the primary social factors influencing the mental health and happiness of older adults. Specifically, the paper identifies the elements of social…
Abstract
Purpose
This research aims to analyze the primary social factors influencing the mental health and happiness of older adults. Specifically, the paper identifies the elements of social influences on the psychological well-being of elderly individuals.
Design/methodology/approach
Employing a quantitative research methodology, survey data were collected to examine the psychological well-being of older adults, utilizing SPSS software version 28.0 for data analysis.
Findings
Psychological well-being in the elderly is intricately linked to personal, cognitive, emotional and social aspects. Seniors experiencing reduced loneliness, ample communication opportunities, active social engagement and living with family members demonstrate higher levels of psychological well-being. Surprisingly, details of daily activities in senior age showed little impact on psychological well-being.
Research limitations/implications
The research results may lack generalizability due to the chosen approach, prompting a need for further testing of proposed propositions.
Originality/value
This study fulfills an identified need to explore how psychological well-being is established in an elderly society, shedding light on critical social determinants.
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Liam Spencer, Sam Redgate, Christina Hardy, Emma A. Adams, Bronia Arnott, Heather Brown, Anna Christie, Helen Harrison, Eileen Kaner, Claire Mawson, William McGovern, Judith Rankin and Ruth McGovern
Mental health champions (MHCs) and young health ambassadors (YHAs) are two innovative public health interventions. MHCs are practitioners who work in schools and other youth…
Abstract
Purpose
Mental health champions (MHCs) and young health ambassadors (YHAs) are two innovative public health interventions. MHCs are practitioners who work in schools and other youth settings and aim to be the “go to” person for mental health in these settings. YHAs are a linked parallel network of young people, who champion mental health and advocate for youth involvement, which was co-produced with young people across all stages of development implementation. This paper aims to identify the potential benefits, barriers and facilitators of these interventions.
Design/methodology/approach
Semi-structured qualitative interviews (n = 19) were undertaken with a purposive sample of n = 13 MHCs, and n = 6 YHAs, between June 2021 and March 2022. Interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed, anonymised and then analysed following a thematic approach. Ethical approval was granted by Newcastle University’s Faculty of Medical Sciences Ethics Committee.
Findings
The findings are organised under five key themes: motivating factors and rewards for MHCs and YHAs; outcomes for children and young people (CYP) and others; impact on youth settings and culture; facilitators of successful implementation; and implementation challenges and opportunities.
Practical implications
These findings are intended to be of relevance to practice and policy, particularly to those exploring the design, commissioning or implementation of similar novel and low-cost interventions, which aim to improve mental health outcomes for CYP, within the context of youth settings.
Originality/value
The interventions reported on in the present paper are novel and innovative. Little research has previously been undertaken to explore similar approaches, and the individual experiences of those involved in the delivery of these types of interventions.
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Rakesh Belwal, Shweta Belwal and Suhaila Ebrahim AlHashemi
Women’s employment has been a contentious issue in the Arab world. However, in today’s changing work conditions, workplaces, and the growth in education, women have increasingly…
Abstract
Purpose
Women’s employment has been a contentious issue in the Arab world. However, in today’s changing work conditions, workplaces, and the growth in education, women have increasingly occupied higher-level roles, and their presence in diverse industries has expanded. The study takes a holistic approach to female labor force participation (FLFP) in Oman, encompassing various theories and factors influencing women’s engagement in private sector jobs.
Design/methodology/approach
The research employed an exploratory design followed by a qualitative analysis based on a constructivist grounded theory approach. The study involved 170 semi-structured face-to-face interviews with women workers in Oman’s private sector. It explored work–family conflict (WFC), work–life balance (WLB), organizational and family support, and societal bias impacting female labor force participation.
Findings
The low FLFP in Oman’s private sector is a complex issue shaped by various interconnected challenges. Our qualitative analysis synthesizes a conceptual framework that highlights WFC and WLB as pivotal factors behind low FLFP, as women in the private sector face long work hours, low salaries, and high responsibilities. Our study confirms that these women receive substantial familial support in dealing with WFC but lack organizational support and family-friendly policies (FFPs).
Practical implications
Addressing the low participation of women in Oman’s private sector labor force necessitates comprehensive strategies encompassing legislative measures, cultural shifts, and organizational reforms. Implementing these strategies creates an environment where women feel empowered to participate and actively thrive in the private sector workforce.
Social implications
This study indicates the presence of some serious social issues, such as society’s bias, lack of support for working women, and the gender gap in the private sector workforce, which has broad implications and significance for Oman. The study indicates the positive role of support women receive from their families, organizations, and Oman labor law and what could improve their participation further.
Originality/value
This study addresses the limited research on challenges encountered by women in Oman’s private-sector workforce. Our research addresses this gap by answering key questions, collecting and interpreting data, and developing a comprehensive conceptual framework. This framework aims to elucidate the factors contributing to women’s reluctance to pursue private-sector employment, considering the diverse issues they confront.
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