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1 – 10 of over 3000K.A. Gunasekara, B.A.K.S. Perera and I.N. Kurukulasooriya
The construction industry is one of the most stressful industries. Thus, quantity surveyors (QSs) who work at sites frequently experience high levels of occupational stress. The…
Abstract
Purpose
The construction industry is one of the most stressful industries. Thus, quantity surveyors (QSs) who work at sites frequently experience high levels of occupational stress. The gender of a QS also has a significant impact on his/her occupational stress. Hence, this study aims to investigate the management of occupational stress in QSs working at sites for contractors (hereinafter referred to as CQSs).
Design/methodology/approach
The study adopted a mixed approach using semi-structured interviews and a questionnaire survey for female and male CQSs to identify, validate and rank the stressors and symptoms of occupational stress in CQSs and the strategies of managing that stress based on their significance levels. Manual content analysis and the mean weighted rating were used to analyse the data collected.
Findings
Heavy workload was the most significant occupational stressor of CQSs, whereas sleeping disorders were their primary symptom of occupational stress. Establishing a proper work programme was identified as the most effective stress management strategy for male and female CQSs. This study shows that many site QSs are stressed owing to their heavy workloads and work obligations and that their stress-related attributes significantly depend on their genders.
Originality/value
This study is significant because no previous studies have been conducted on managing occupational stress in CQSs in male and female CQSs. The study findings can be used to identify the stressors and symptoms of occupational stress in CQSs early and use appropriate management strategies to enhance the work satisfaction and productivity of CQSs suffering from occupational stress.
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Daniela Andrea Romagnoli, David L. Pumphrey, Bassem E. Maamari and Elissa Katergi
This exploratory research aims to identify the effect of perceived stress level and self-efficacy on management quality and what practices and theories need to be enhanced to…
Abstract
Purpose
This exploratory research aims to identify the effect of perceived stress level and self-efficacy on management quality and what practices and theories need to be enhanced to improve management quality under volatility business environments.
Design/methodology/approach
The study surveyed 291 working women, using the Perceived Stress Scale and the General Self-Efficacy Scale. Latent class analysis (LCA) for classifications of respondents, using categorical observed variables and MANCOVA, are applied to determine the relationship between stress and self-efficacy on the assigned classes.
Findings
The study suggests that in a highly volatile business environment, where stress is high, affecting management quality, managers as individuals fall into one of four classes that describe their techniques of coping with the stress, namely Uncommitted Experimenters, Try Anything, Intrinsically Motivated and Externally Motivated. Techniques of stress management classification are significantly related to the combined perceived stress and self-efficacy measures, with Externally Motivated respondents as the classification with a significant mean difference.
Research limitations/implications
The main limitation of the study at hand refers to the sample size versus the number of potential factors of stress. This limitation highlights the need for further data gathering and research in this area, as stress is a critical factor of performance and often ignored in traditional management theories. Another limitation of this study is the lack of in-depth analysis of the use of meditation; its benefits and how to best use this practice in traditional work settings.
Practical implications
The outcome of the study could have significant implications for quality of management in business, private and social sectors by providing meditation as a tool for employees and stakeholders to handle stress in conflict zones.
Social implications
Using stress management techniques might prove to be a low-cost tool for better quality management of human assets.
Originality/value
The authors study focuses on women in volatile economic turmoil, natural devastations, conflict areas and politically insecure environments. This socioeconomic segment was rarely scrutinized despite its direct effect on a large number of economies hosting a sizeable portion of the world’s population. Interesting potential results highlight the relationship between the respondents in the Intrinsically Motivated class and stress reduction for the benefit of management quality.
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Zhijiang Wu, Yongxiang Wang and Mengyao Liu
The negative effects of job stress and burnout on construction professionals (CPs) at the construction site have been widely concern in the construction industry. The purpose of…
Abstract
Purpose
The negative effects of job stress and burnout on construction professionals (CPs) at the construction site have been widely concern in the construction industry. The purpose of this study is committed to explore the impact of job stress on CPs on the construction site, especially in the context of the widespread use of social media to express their emotions.
Design/methodology/approach
This study developed a job-related stress-burnout-health conditions-turnover intention (S-B-HT) framework to explore the direct and lagged effects of job stress, we also examined the moderating effects of online emotions, operationalized in terms of emotional intensity and expression pattern, on the relationship between job stress with job burnout under two evolution paths (i.e. health conditions or turnover intention). This study collected 271 samples through a survey questionnaire for empirical testing, and introduced structural equation models to validate the proposed conceptual model.
Findings
The results show that job stress has a significant positive effect on job burnout, and job burnout maintains a positive relationship with health conditions (or turnover intention) under the interference mechanism. Simultaneously, the online emotions expressed in social media have a positive moderating effect in two stages of the evolution path.
Practical implications
The findings of this study remind the project manager need to timely find and solve the job burnout characteristics of CPs due to excessive job stress, especially to prevent the accidental consequences caused by job burnout.
Originality/value
On this basis, this study provides an important value of using social media to express emotions for the project team to alleviate the adverse of professionals under job stress.
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Hina Khan, Jawad Abbas, Kalpina Kumari and Hina Najam
Perception of organizational politics is one of the key factors of the organization's performance. Based on the principles of Game Theory, this study aims to examine the impact of…
Abstract
Purpose
Perception of organizational politics is one of the key factors of the organization's performance. Based on the principles of Game Theory, this study aims to examine the impact of management's and employee's politics within an organization on the psychological and organizational stress levels of workers, followed by their task and contextual performance.
Design/methodology/approach
Following the non-probability convenience sampling technique, the data was collected from the managerial and non-managerial staff of public, private and semi-government services organizations in Rawalpindi, Islamabad, Lahore, Faisalabad, Gujranwala, Abbottabad and Karachi cities in Pakistan.
Findings
The structural analyses indicate that organizational politics is a major cause of stress among workers and has a significant positive impact on the psychological and organizational stress of workers. Moreover, both organizational politics and job stress hinder workers' performance.
Originality/value
The findings of the current research provide valuable insights into the management of firms about the destructive role of politics with a special focus on psychological and organizational stress, followed by job and contextual performance, particularly in the context of Pakistan. It also proposes strategies to counter this issue, improving worker's performance. Furthermore, the findings also suggest whether management or employees are more involved in organizational politics.
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Dephanie Cheok Ieng Chiang, Maxwell Fordjour Antwi-Afari, Shahnawaz Anwer, Saeed Reza Mohandes and Xiao Li
Given the growing concern about employees' well-being, numerous researchers have investigated the causes and effects of occupational stress. However, a review study on identifying…
Abstract
Purpose
Given the growing concern about employees' well-being, numerous researchers have investigated the causes and effects of occupational stress. However, a review study on identifying existing research topics and gaps is still deficient in the extant literature. To fill this gap, this review study aims to present a bibliometric and science mapping approach to review the state-of-the-art journal articles published on occupational stress in the construction industry.
Design/methodology/approach
A three-fold comprehensive review approach consisting of bibliometric review, scientometric analysis and in-depth qualitative discussion was employed to review 80 journal articles in Scopus.
Findings
Through qualitative discussions, mainstream research topics were summarized, research gaps were identified and future research directions were proposed as follows: versatile stressors and stress model; an extended subgroup of factors in safety behavior; adaptation of multiple biosensors and bio-feedbacks; evaluation and comparison of organizational stress interventions; and incorporation of artificial intelligence and smart technologies into occupational stress management in construction.
Originality/value
The findings of this review study present a well-rounded framework to identify the research gaps in this field to advance research in the academic community and enhance employees' well-being in construction.
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Irina de la Flor, Maria Sarabia, Fernando Crecente and Maria Teresa del Val
This study seeks to enhance productivity, motivation and well-being of workers by improving decision-making processes. Using inner knowledge management (IKM), this study aims to…
Abstract
Purpose
This study seeks to enhance productivity, motivation and well-being of workers by improving decision-making processes. Using inner knowledge management (IKM), this study aims to identify, manage and transform unconscious beliefs and negative emotions that limit decision-making processes.
Design/methodology/approach
The methodology used is empirical research, analyzing multiple cases qualitatively and using the T-test statistical model to analyze the hypotheses. The study tests the relation between different limiting beliefs and negative emotions that influence decision-making processes.
Findings
This study shows that IKM is positively related to the productivity, motivation and well-being of workers.
Research limitations/implications
The study is limited to workers who are mentally healthy, who work in teams and who seek professional help to achieve their goals.
Practical implications
The results indicate that there is a lot of potential to be explored applying IKM in companies and organizations. Specifically, this study proves that there are several inner knowledge assets that constrain the workers’ potential and therefore affect the efficiency of businesses.
Social implications
The results have strong implications for how companies and organizations can create great value for themselves and their workers.
Originality/value
To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the first data-based study using an IKM model. The importance of this study opens the door to further exploration of the effects on IKM on productivity, motivation and the general well-being of workers.
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Rebecca Martland, Lucia Valmaggia, Vigneshwar Paleri, Natalie Steer and Simon Riches
Clinical staff working in mental health services experience high levels of work-related stress, burnout and poor well-being. Increased levels of stress, burnout, depression and…
Abstract
Purpose
Clinical staff working in mental health services experience high levels of work-related stress, burnout and poor well-being. Increased levels of stress, burnout, depression and anxiety and poorer mental well-being among health-care workers are associated with more sick days, absenteeism, lower work satisfaction, increased staff turnover and reduced quality of patient care. Virtual reality (VR) relaxation is a technique whereby experiences of pleasant and calming environments are accessed through a head-mounted display to promote relaxation. The purpose of this paper is to describe the design of a study that assesses the feasibility and acceptability of implementing a multi-session VR relaxation intervention amongst mental health professionals, to improve their relaxation levels and mental well-being.
Design/methodology/approach
The study follows a pre–post-test design. Mental health staff will be recruited for five weeks of VR relaxation. The authors will measure the feasibility and acceptability of the VR relaxation intervention as primary outcomes, alongside secondary outcomes evaluating the benefits of VR relaxation for mental well-being.
Findings
The study aims to recruit 20–25 health-care professionals working in both inpatient and specialist community mental health settings.
Originality/value
Research indicates the potential of VR relaxation as a low-intensity intervention to promote relaxation and reduce stress in the workplace. If VR relaxation is shown to be feasible and acceptable, when delivered across multiple sessions, there would be scope for large-scale work to investigate its effectiveness as an approach to enable health-care professionals to de-stress, relax and optimise their mental well-being. In turn, this may consequently reduce turnover and improve stress-related sick leave across health-care services.
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Adrien Faure-Carvallo, Sergio Nieto-Fernández, Caterina Calderon and Josep Gustems
The objectives of this research are to analyze the sociodemographic and personality profiles most related to good academic time management among 845 students from different…
Abstract
Purpose
The objectives of this research are to analyze the sociodemographic and personality profiles most related to good academic time management among 845 students from different faculties at the University de Barcelona (UB) and to identify the explanatory factors of effective academic time management.
Design/methodology/approach
Poor time management is a common behavior among university students and an explanatory factor for academic failure. A sociodemographic questionnaire, the Procrastination Assessment Scale-Student (PASS), the Academic Time Management (ATM), the Brief Symptom Inventory (BSI-18) and the Big Five Inventory-10 (BFI-10) were administered.
Findings
The results reveal that female students, education majors and those with high academic performance show better time management than the rest of the student body. Additionally, students who have better academic time management are also more neurotic, more open to experience, more responsible and less prone to procrastination. The factors established as explanatory of good academic time management are neuroticism, openness to experience and low procrastination.
Originality/value
The implications of the results for promoting academic time management in university studies through specific actions are discussed.
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Maria Mouratidou, William E. Donald, Nimmi P. Mohandas and Yin Ma
Drawing on a framework of conservation of resources theory, the purpose of this paper is to explore the relationship between self-perceived academic performance and individual…
Abstract
Purpose
Drawing on a framework of conservation of resources theory, the purpose of this paper is to explore the relationship between self-perceived academic performance and individual entrepreneurial intention and consider the potential moderating role of (1) participation in serious leisure, (2) perceived stress and/or (3) gender.
Design/methodology/approach
A total of 405 UK-based undergraduates completed the questionnaire, with a representative gender split of 57% women and 43% men.
Findings
The positive relationship between self-perceived academic performance and individual entrepreneurial intention was moderated by serious leisure (stronger when participation in serious leisure increased) and by perceived stress (stronger when levels of perceived stress were lower). However, contrary to our expectations, gender had no statistically significant moderating role.
Practical implications
The practical contribution comes from informing policy for universities and national governments to increase individual entrepreneurial intention in undergraduates.
Originality/value
The theoretical contribution comes from advancing conservation of resources theory, specifically the interaction of personal resources, resource caravans and resource passageways.
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The study aims to look at the link between horizontal violence (HV) and organizational culture aspects. Bullying and hostility including intergroup conflict are referred to as…
Abstract
Purpose
The study aims to look at the link between horizontal violence (HV) and organizational culture aspects. Bullying and hostility including intergroup conflict are referred to as HV. HV is a significant issue that is encountered in various professions. The different cultural typologies of group, developmental, hierarchical and rational culture have been addressed in this study. Additionally, it is identified that the prevalence of HV in organizations with different cultural dimensions.
Design/methodology/approach
Using a non-probability multistage sampling strategy, a quantitative method was used and questionnaires were circulated to collect data from the information technology sector. The data were analyzed using multiple regression analysis.
Findings
The findings demonstrated that HV has a positive and substantial association with the group and developmental culture, whereas HV has a negative link with hierarchical and rational culture.
Research limitations/implications
These results provide a valuable tool for human resource managers and policymakers in promoting a healthy work environment and employee interpersonal collaboration, which will improve the organization’s overall performance.
Originality/value
This study is a novel work exploring the HV among employees in technological firms, and also combining the concepts of HV and organizational culture and also assists future researchers in many folds.
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