Abstract

Background
Perceived organizational politics is a common phenomenon in almost every organization and is associated with undesirable employee outcomes. Despite numerous studies on this important topic, studies describing the influence of perceived organizational politics on nurses’ outcomes (job satisfaction and stress) remain underinvestigated. This study examined the impact of perceived organizational politics on job satisfaction and job stress among nurses.

Methods
A quantitative cross-sectional design was used in this study. Two hundred and thirteen (213) nurses participated. Three standardized instruments were utilized: Perception of Organizational Politics, Job Satisfaction Scale, and Job Stress Scale. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, Pearson correlation, and multiple regression analyses.

Findings
Nurses perceived a high level of organizational politics. We identified a significant correlation between perceived organizational politics, job stress, and job satisfaction in nursing. The results showed nurses’ perception of organizational politics had a positive relationship with job stress and a negative relationship with job satisfaction.

Managerial implication
Hospital management should reconsider the organizational, group, and individual situations that create perceived organizational politics to prevent any unnecessary political behaviors in the hospital. Also, strategies to enhance nursing management and healthcare provision should be directed at reducing the use of politics to promote self-interest.

Originality/value
Our study provides a novel insight into the unexplored nature and impact of perceived organizational politics on nurses’ job satisfaction and stress in Ghana. It is the first research to investigate organizational politics using nursing population in the Ghanaian context and makes significant contributions to theory and practice.

Background

Organizations are made up of people with diverse values, attitudes, ideas, beliefs, values, and these differences affect the way these people interpret issues in the organization (Delle, 2013, Khan et al., 2020, Rughoobur-Seetah, 2022). These differences project how people’s subjective interpretation is linked with organizational problems such as politics (Asrar-ul-Haq et al., 2019). Hence, scholars have described organizations as political arenas (Rughoobur-Seetah, 2022). Organizations where politics are widespread provide an unfavorable work environment for people, which is not conducive to fostering positive work-related behaviors.

Perceived organizational politics (POP) has been defined as social influence attempts directed at those who can provide rewards that will help promote or protect the self-interests of the actor (Takeuchi, Yu, & Lin, 2022). Labrague et al. (2017) described POP as purposeful actions by individuals aimed at realizing one’s self-interest while ignoring the well-being of others or their organization. Such behaviors are mostly hidden and not consistent with the organizational rules and regulations but directly or indirectly affect the organization’s bureaucracies (Landells & Albrecht, 2019). In every organization, politics exist in different ways and is used to achieve individual goals and benefits, improve one’s professional career and gain resources or advantages from the organization (Landells and Albrecht, 2019, Zibenberg, 2021). Employees often get involved in organizational politicking to enhance their position at the expense of others, such as their colleagues.

Conclusion

We investigated the nature of POP and how it impacts nurses’ job satisfaction and stress. Based on the findings of this study, it can be concluded that organizational politics is a determinant of high levels of job stress and low level of job satisfaction among nurses. Since POP negatively affects individual nurses and the organization’s productivity, investigating strategies to reduce the effect of political behavior presents a big challenge to hospital managers. This call for a well-structured measure that will enhance both horizontal and vertical interactions among nurses is eminent. Thus, hospital managers should discourage and defuse political behaviors/activities by introducing transparency and accountability in nursing management, which holds promise for enhancing nurse satisfaction. Given this, nurses should be given equal opportunities to develop in their professions.

This study has examined the impact of POP on nurse job stress and job satisfaction. The study found that POP negatively affects job stress and satisfaction in nurses. The findings strengthened the contention that the prevalence of POP within the healthcare environment can trigger a negative reaction from the staff. Increased job stress and decreased job satisfaction in nurses can halt performance and productivity resulting in poor quality and efficiency of care. Therefore, hospital management should establish precautionary procedures and policies to tackle and eliminate political behaviors within healthcare organizations. These policies should include organization-directed and person-directed measures such as continued professional development, the adequate orientation of new staff, improving the work environment, use of clinical ladders for promotions, and enhanced salary.

Abstract

Background
Job satisfaction leads to employees being more productive. However, when the job requirements do not meet the capabilities it will cause stress. Therefore, it is important to define the cause of dissatisfaction to reduce work-induced stress as this has a negative impact on the quality of healthcare services. The literature on stress and satisfaction studying medical laboratory professionals (MLPs) is still limited.

The aim of this study was to assess the relationships between stress and job satisfaction factors among MLPs in Omani hospitals, and to quantify a possible correlation between job stress and job satisfaction.

Methods
A cross sectional study involved all medical laboratory professionals in eight hospitals in Oman from different geographical areas. A survey instrument measuring job satisfaction was developed from the result of earlier qualitative studies done by the authors in the population of 101 participants. In addition, job stress was assessed using a survey based on the Nurse Stress Index (NSI).

Results
The results show a significant statistical association between stress and job satisfaction. Omanis have significantly higher stress scores compared to non-Omani citizens. The youngest MLPs at Omani Hospitals were less satisfied at work and more stressed than their older colleagues. Job satisfaction was lower and job stress higher in the Sultan Qaboos University Hospital than in all the other hospitals. The most important dissatisfaction factors, leading to job stress, are insufficient support for professional development, poor relations with supervisors and co-workers, as well as heavy workload.

Conclusion
This study emphasizes the importance of investing in measures to meet the expectations of laboratory staff, to strengthen factors that increase satisfaction and eliminate dissatisfaction factors. It gives concrete advice on what those measures should be and, consequently, guides actions on improving the work environment in medical laboratories. When implemented those would reduce job stress among medical laboratory professionals in Oman, and, possibly, more widely.

Introduction

A highly motivated staff is essential to ensure a high quality and efficient service in healthcare organizations. Motivation of health care workers can initiate them to exert and maintain an effort towards organizational goals. Motivation among professional staff is dependent on the following factors: achievement, recognition for achievement, the work itself, responsibility, and professional growth or advancement [1,2]. A person with high motivation is more likely satisfied with her or his work [3]. Job dissatisfaction, on the other hand, can induce work-related stress [4]. However, satisfied employees have positive perceptions towards their organizations and are more efficient at work [5].

Consequently, it is important to pay attention to job satisfaction in all organizations including health care providers as it has an effect on the quality of the service [6]. High job satisfaction leads to employees being more productive and providing a higher service quality [7].

Healthcare staff, including medical laboratory professionals, may not contribute to a positive patient experience if their own needs are not met. Therefore, it is the task of healthcare managers to ensure satisfaction among their staff [8].

Conclusions

There is a correlation between job satisfaction and job stress, overall and by factor, among medical laboratory professionals in Oman. These findings are corroborated by studies performed elsewhere, especially in the Mid-east and Africa. In many of those countries ex-patriates form an important part of the workforce, and they are, by and large, more satisfied than residents. More experienced and senior staff show higher levels of satisfaction also. Gender and salary levels are also of importance.

The most important dissatisfaction factor among medical laboratory professionals is health and safety in the laboratories. The satisfaction components with highest scores were professional status and relationships with co-workers and leaders.

The most important dissatisfaction factors, leading to job stress, are insufficient support for professional development, poor relations with supervisors and co-workers, as well as heavy workload.

This study emphasizes the importance of investing in measures to meet the expectations of laboratory staff, to strengthen factors that increase satisfaction and eliminate dissatisfaction factors. It gives concrete advice on what those measures should be and, consequently, guides actions on improving the work environment in medical laboratories.

Abstract

The Union Government’s New Education Policy 2020 of India is said to be a game changer and has brought many reforms into the education sector. This initiation provoked many changes in the education sector along with the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic. In this regard, there is a dire need to know the emotional status and stress among the teaching fraternity. The present study considers emotional intelligence and workplace spirituality as influencers of occupational stress. The findings of the study interpret that emotional intelligence and workplace spirituality predict occupational stress in the teaching fraternity. The mediation effect of workplace spirituality between emotional intelligence and occupational stress is nominal and very low. However, it is observed that high levels of spirituality and moderate emotional intelligence predict low-stress levels.

Introduction

Teachers’ work sheds light on the interplay between personal relationships within classrooms and the societal structures of gender and class. In their efforts to develop fresh perspectives on the nature and origins of educational inequality, Connell et al., 2020; Varghese & Mandal, 2020) assert that teachers are no longer viewed as mere knowledge providers but, rather, as mentors and facilitators of learning (Connell et al., 2020; Varghese & Mandal, 2020). The Union Government’s New Education Policy 2020 of India is a game changer, bringing many reforms into the education sector (Aithal & Aithal, 2020; Tilbury, 2011). Teachers are the most cherished assets for educational institutions. Teachers impart not only knowledge to the students but also play a significant role in shaping their bright future (Datnow, 2020). There are many research-based studies stated that beginners in the teaching profession were leaving this profession because of occupational stress (Alexandrache, 2015; Arnup & Bowles, 2016; Harmsen et al., 2018; McCarthy, 2019; Rajendran et al., 2020; Redin & Erro-Garcés, 2020; Ryan et al., 2017). It is often seen that a stressful event results in the ‘fight-or-flight’ responses caused by a rush of adrenaline hormones (Arkert et al., 2020; McEwen & Karatsoreos, 2020). Another study (Zeitlin, 2021) described the annual teacher turnover is higher in comparison with the turnover of all other occupations. Since teachers face prolonged unhealthy stress on the job, its negative consequences manifest in terms of lack of concentration, reduction of memory, increased chances of error, deterioration in planning and organization skills, irritability, problems in speech, lack of energy, etc., which consequently impact the ability with which teachers can perform and deliver their work. (Kundi, Sardar, & Badar, 2021) suggest that stress and emotional intelligence are negatively related. Individuals with emotional Intelligence have a low level of neuroticism with lower stress levels. However, the role of the psyche is generally underestimated and the role of biological factors is over-estimated in relation to occupational stress (Wadhera & Bano, 2020). Therefore, it is important to explore emotional intelligence with occupational stress. Also, Cunningham (2014) emphatically notes that the limited number of studies that have considered spirituality in examinations of work stress constitutes a major oversight (Cunningham, 2014). Researchers tend to ignore the variable of spirituality when, in fact, spirituality is a critical variable that should be considered in work stress research (Sani & Ekowati, 2021). Recent empirical studies have revealed workplace spirituality as a mechanism for managing work stress. Therefore, since college teachers work in a stressful environment, this study aims to explore the role of emotional intelligence and workplace spirituality in reducing occupational stress among teaching fraternity.

Conclusion and future implications of the study

The term workplace spirituality must not be understood as something related to religion. In the organizational context, it is viewed as mindfulness towards the work, compassion, meaningful work and perfection (Bengal & Bengal, 2016; Mahipalan & Sheena, 2019). Spirituality refers to those vital things for happy work. The study can extend to examine the other factors of workplace spirituality, such as personal beliefs at the workplace, altruism, and trust. The intrinsic sources’ role can be elevated to cope with occupational stress (Zare et al., 2021). If the research extends further to the role of emotional quotient as a job resource and workplace spirituality on job-related stress, that helps the organizations to ensure increased productivity, less absenteeism and better performance with maximum utilization of resources. The present study proves that workplace spirituality and emotional intelligence separately act as coping factors for work-related stress for teaching fraternity but not as mediating roles. Organizations can be keen on developing relationships among employees, which impacts occupational stress in terms of role ambiguity, clarity, and conflict. Many respondents feel that their roles have become a big mess recently, such as unplanned meetings and all works are framed as important without time frames.

Further research can be extended to workplace spirituality and emotional stability as coping strategies. The demographic profile impact is also examined as an impact factor on occupational stress. The same study can also be carried out in other states, as the state universities have their own policies and practices to progress. Future research will be extended with the importance of India’s National Educational Policy 2020 and its impact on the teaching fraternity. (Aithal & Aithal, 2020); Numerous researchers have looked into how different employment outcomes are impacted by workplace spirituality, but the literature is still missing on the mechanisms through which these effects occur. Occupational stress mediated between workplace spirituality and job satisfaction (Mittal et al., 2023). The significance of utilising workplace spirituality as a powerful instrument for reducing OS, improving performance and morale, and assisting in the formulation of future human resource development strategies was proved in police personnel (Jalan & Garg, 2022), but the finding study gave different results as that workplace spirituality has a negative impact on understanding the roles of the academicians.

Abstract

     In this study, we focused on four work self-efficacy dimensions and their relationship with wellbeing during the COVID-19 pandemic. We adopted a person-centered approach and investigated whether individuals with different work self-efficacy profiles would have different wellbeing experiences at 6 and 12 months from the beginning of the pandemic. Data were collected in the UK across three waves (January 2020, October 2020 and January 2021) on a sample of 393 full-time employees. Results showed that being in two at-risk profiles significantly increases the likelihood of experiencing lower wellbeing during the pandemic. In particular, the probability of belonging to the Profile 3 “low self-efficacy but high empathic” significantly increased the risk of lower wellbeing in the shorter and longer timeframe. In addition, the probability of belonging to the Profile 2 “high assertive and task self-efficacy but low emotional” also significantly increased the risk of lower wellbeing in the longer timeframe.

Introduction

     The COVID-19 pandemic constitutes a major threat to physical and mental health (Huremović, 2019). Although it can be seen as an “acute extra-organizational stressor” (Kuntz, 2021, p. 188), it has prompted major changes in the workplace and increased experiences of anxiety and depression (Restubog et al., 2020). The lack of individuals’ choice in adopting these work practices means that individuals’ resources have been crucial for thriving in the “new normal”. We argue about the importance of individual sense of control and in particular of work self-efficacy (SE) in different areas of functioning (i.e. task, emotional and social). SE is an important personal resource (Heuven et al., 2006) which could make a difference to the impact of COVID-19 on psychological wellbeing (Zhou et al., 2021): “A resilient sense of efficacy is needed to overrule emotional and psychosocial subverters of self-regulative efforts” (Bandura et al., 2003, p. 770).

     SE refers to the individual’s beliefs about their “capabilities to organize and execute the courses of action required to produce given attainments” (Bandura, 1997, p. 3). It enables individuals to perform and learn at a designated level, but it also allows them to cope with challenges and stressors including natural disaster and traumatic events (Schönfeld et al., 2016). In a yearlong study, we adopted a person-centered approach (Magnusson & Torestad, 1993; Morin et al., 2018) to investigate whether individuals with different work SE profiles would have different wellbeing experiences at 6 and 12 months from the beginning of the pandemic.

Results

Preliminary analysis

      Table 1 shows the descriptive statistics and correlations of the study variables. SE dimensions were significantly correlated with each other and with the positive indicator of wellbeing at all waves. Emotional SE was also correlated with the negative indicator of wellbeing measured; task and assertive SE were correlated with T2 and T1 negative wellbeing; empathic SE was not correlated with negative wellbeing. Only emotional SE was correlated with depressive feelings at T3.

 Abstract

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Conclusion

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Abstract

Background
The main aim of the present study was to examine the relationships among work environment, job satisfaction and burnout in dentists and to analyse the way in which certain sociodemographic variables, such as gender, professional experience and weekly working hours, predict the perception of the work environment.

Methods
A battery of online questionnaires was sent to 3876 dentists officially registered in the triple-province region of Valencia; the battery included the Survey of Organizational Attributes for Dental Care, the Warr–Cook–Wall Overall Job Satisfaction Scale, the Maslach Burnout Inventory and a series of sociodemographic questions formulated for the specific purpose of this study. To assess the relations with the independent variables, we calculated the Pearson correlation coefficient, the Z-scores were calculated to make effect sizes comparable, and the associations between the scales and the sociodemographic variables were investigated by adjusted multiple regression analysis.

Results
A total of 336 participants (9.4%) correctly completed the survey in this study. The mean (M) age was 37.6 years old (standard deviation (SD) = 9.6, median (Me) = 34). Participants reported high scores on the work environment and job satisfaction scales, with only limited experiences of burnout (3.8%). Work environment and burnout were significantly and positively predicted by years of professional experience (β = .078; p = .000 and β = .107; p = .004, respectively), and job satisfaction was significantly and positively predicted by weekly hours of work (β = .022; p = .001), without significant differences according to gender.

Conclusions
Dentists who work over 20 hours a week and have more years of professional experience report having better perceptions of well-being at work, with no significant difference according to gender. It is important to highlight the aspects that improve well-being in dentistry to reduce burnout, which would lead to greater work engagement and better attention to patients.

1- Abstract

2- Introduction

3- Conceptual framework

Employee perceived training and job satisfaction

Employee perceived training and stress

Home care background

4- Methodology

Measures

Reliability and validity

5- Findings

6- Discussion

Managerial implications

Limitations and recommendations

7- Conclusion

Abstract

Purpose
This study aims to mediate the impact of workplace stress and job satisfaction on nurses’ perception of training. It sheds light on the links between job satisfaction, Certified Nursing Assistants’ perception of training and workplace stress in nursing homes.

Design/methodology/approach
A cross-sectional questionnaire was distributed in 12 different elderly home care centres in Northern Cyprus during September to October 2017. The sampling frame consists of 317 full-time Certified Nursing Assistants who completed measures of perception of training, job satisfaction and workplace stress. This paper used structural equation modelling to test a theoretical model and hypothesis.

Findings
The findings emphasize that Certified Nursing Assistants’ perception of training has a positive impact on their job satisfaction and negative impact on workplace stress while workplace stress mediates the relationship between their perception of training and job satisfaction. The results indicate that while the motivation for training and support for training have an effect on job satisfaction, access to training and benefits for training do not yield any significant impact on it and workplace stress plays a mediating role.

Originality/value
This study confirms that the CNAs’ perception of training and job stress affect the emergence of job satisfaction, and workplace stress mediated the relation between training and satisfaction posited by social exchange theory.

1- Introduction

2- Theory and hypotheses

3- Method

4- Results

5- Discussion

6- Conclusion

References

Abstract

Most research assumes that job stressors decrease employees’ voice behavior. However, looking at research about job stressors and OCB (including voice), not all types of stressors have the same effects. The purpose of our research is to develop a new research model relating to the different effects of challenge stressors and hindrance stressors on voice behavior. Drawing on ego depletion theory, we propose that the relationship between stressors and voice behavior is mediated by employees’ ego depletion change. Further, we tested the moderating effect of leader-member exchange (LMX) on the relationship between stressors and subsequent ego depletion. We examined the hypothesized relationships using data collected in China from 346 employees on three consecutive days. As hypothesized, we found that ego depletion mediates the relationship between stressors and voice behavior. Also, LMX strengthens the positive relationship between hindrance stressors and subsequent ego depletion. We discuss implications for research and practice.

Introduction

Voice is defined as speaking up in ways that challenge the status quo towards someone with the perceived power to act (Detert & Burris, 2007). Research has shown that voice is linked to organizational performance (Perlow & Williams, 2003), managerial effectiveness (Morrison, 2011) and reduced staff turnover (McClean, Burris, & Detert, 2013). In view of these positive effects of voice in the workplace, it is important to investigate the antecedents of voice behavior. Particularly, we focus on the role of job stressors in predicting voice behavior (Morrison, 2014). Understanding how stressors facilitate or hinder voice behavior is essential for organizations, given the prevalence of job stressors. Research has consistently supported the view that job stressors are negatively related to voice behavior. For example, Li, Liang, and Farh (2018) found that perceived organizational politics, which is a type of job stressor, decrease employees’ voice behavior. Chiaburu, Marinova, and Van Dyne (2008) proposed that role overload and time pressure are negatively related to voice behavior. In a meta-analysis, Ng and Feldman (2012) found a negative relationship between various job stressors and voice behavior. However, research on the relationship between job stressors and organizational citizenship behavior (OCB), which often includes voice behavior as a key component, implies a more complex picture. The findings suggest that not all types of stressors have negative effects on organizational citizenship behavior. Whereas hindrance stressors are negatively related to OCB, stressors that challenge employees are positively related to OCB (Rodell & Judge, 2009; Wallace, Edwards, Arnold, Frazier, & Finch, 2009). Such findings suggest the relationship between some job stressors and voice behavior could be positive, and thus the previous conclusion of an exclusively negative relation might be inaccurate. Our study addresses this issue by differentiating between types of stressors, namely challenge stressors and hindrance stressors. We argue that different types of stressors have different effects on voice. We draw on ego depletion theory (Baumeister, Bratslavsky, Muraven, & Tice, 1998) to understand the effects of different job stressors on voice behavior. Baumeister et al. (1998) defined ego depletion as “a temporary reduction in the self’s capacity to engage in volitional action caused by the prior exercise of volition” (p. 1253). We argue that challenge and hindrance stressors have opposing effects on subsequent ego depletion ––the depletion of self-regulatory resources –– and that ego depletion, in turn, affects voice.

The 2011–12 Schools and Staffing Survey (SASS) was used to examine occupational stress, occupational commitment, and intention to remain in teaching in a nationally representative sample of U.S. kindergarten teachers (n = 744). Teachers who perceived classroom resources as sufficient to meet demands, tended to report they would become a teacher again (86.5%) and reported intentions to remain in the profession (87.6%). However, of teachers who perceived classroom resources as insufficient to meet classroom demands, only 50.2% reported they would become teachers again, and only 61.4% reported they intended to remain in the profession. Logistic regression was used to examine teacher responses to these items while controlling for school- and teacher-level covariates. Teachers perceiving sufficient resources were more likely to report they would become teachers again and intended to remain in teaching (odds ratios = 2.612, 1.863) while teachers perceiving insufficient resources were much less likely (odds ratios = 0.324, 0.327).

Occupational stress among U.S. kindergarten teachers

Teacher attrition, a phenomenon describing teachers who voluntarily exit the field, has emerged as a major concern for both policy makers and researchers within the United States. The exceedingly high rate of pre-retirement teacher attrition in the U.S. – approximately 5.3% of the workforce – has been well documented over the past several decades, as have the associated financial, organizational, and educational costs (Borman & Maritza, 2008; Kelly & Northrop, 2015; Sutcher, Darling-Hammond, & Carver-Thomas, 2016). Schools, school systems, and state education agencies spend large sums of scarce resources on teacher induction and initial training, on-going professional development of new teachers, and materials for recruitment and hiring. All of these costs increase as teacher turnover grows. Teacher turnover is also disruptive to the educational process and harmful to student developmental progress and achievement of instructional goals. When teachers have a more positive experience with their jobs and are less stressed, they are much more effective at supporting the growth and development of young children. Conversely, when teachers experience greater stress, they create more stressful learning environments for their students (Pakarinen et al., 2010). Recent studies have focused on the affective dimensions of young learners, suggesting that students learning under less stressful environs are more educationally productive. A growing body of evidence has shown that mindfulness training for young students can have positive benefits related to enhanced attention, self-regulation, executive functioning, and social skills (Frank, Jennings, & Greenberg, 2013; Roeser, 2013).

Background: Minimal research exists on how engagement, burnout, work-family balance, and job stressors impact advanced practice nurses and physician assistants, collectively referred to advanced practice providers (APPs). Purpose: To investigate the interrelationships among burnout, job stressors, workfamily balance, and engagement with APPs. Methods: An online questionnaire was distributed to APPs working in four healthcare systems. A total of 1,216 APPs completed the survey. A hypothesized model was tested using structural equation modeling. Findings: There was a high correlation of job stressors with development of burnout. A significant negative effect between job stress and work engagement was supported; however, indirect effects of stress through job burnout had a stronger impact on work engagement. Higher levels of work-family balance contributed to a lower level of stress experienced by providers. Discussion: Organizational leaders desiring to improve employee engagement and reduce burnout need to focus on the significance of work-family balance to job stressors.

Introduction

Burnout as a phenomenon has been well documented in nurses who provide direct care and its prevalence has been established (Aiken et al., 2001; McHugh, Kutney-Lee, Cimiotti, Sloane, & Aiken, 2011). Advanced practice providers (APPs) is a term used to describe advanced practice registered nurses (APRNs) and physician assistants (PAs) who work collaboratively with physicians. The rising concern for burnout among nurses and physicians globally (Linzer et al., 2001; Shanafelt et al., 2015) has prompted a need for a closer investigation of its possible existence in APPs who are expected to help address the projected shortage of 23,640 primary care physicians by 2025 within the United States of America (USA) (Health Resources Services Administration, 2016). However, there is very little research on the construct of burnout among APPs. The consequences of burnout within the healthcare professions include stress-related health problems, shorter careers, and turnover (Aiken et al., 2001; Bianchi, Mayor, Schonfield, & Laurent, 2018; Shanafelt et al., 2015; West, Dyrbye, & Shanafelt, 2018). It is difficult to know the degree to which burnout exists among different professionals (Helfrich et al., 2017). Retention of all providers is necessary to enhance the delivery and quality of care as access to care, particularly in rural areas, remains challenging. Emerging models of care that allow all healthcare professionals to work at the full scope and extent of their licensure are recommended as ways to improve efficiency, quality, and to meet healthcare needs; yet considerable challenges to full practice expansion of APRNs persist (Altman, Butler, & Shern, 2015). The expectations for APPs working within these new models suggest a need for consideration of their impact on job stressors. Fortney, Luchterhand, Zakletskaia, Zgierska, and Rakel (2013) proposed addressing elements of the work environment and self-care to avoid alienation and depersonalization, which are viewed as possible effects associated with an increasingly complex healthcare system.

Introduction

Methods

Results

Discussion

Conclusions

References

Abstract

Background: Health workforce turnover remains a global concern, particularly in rural and remote areas. Western rural areas are the least developed in China, where it faces the serious challenge on the rural health worker (RHW) management. This study aimed to investigate job satisfaction, work stress, and turnover intentions of RHWs, and to explore prominent factors associated with turnover intentions of RHWs in rural western China.
Methods: From June to September 2013, based on a three-stage random sampling method, a cross-sectional survey was conducted among RHWs in 11 western provinces in China. A brief, structured questionnaire filled in by RHWs was used for data collection. A total of 5046 RHWs participated in the study. The response rate was approximately 93.1%. Exploratory factor analyses, Pearson’s chi-squared tests, one-way ANOVA, binary logistic regression analyses, and mediating effect tests were performed for data analyses.
Results: Approximately 29.1% of the 5046 RHWs indicated turnover intentions. Most of the RHWs disclosed low educational levels, income levels, and professional technical titles. The RHWs expressed slight job satisfaction (mean 3. 20) and moderate work stress (mean 3.22). Age, income, medical institution, and job satisfaction (i.e., organizational management, reward, and occupation satisfaction) were significant predictors of the RHWs’ turnover intentions. The RHWs, who were younger (less than 41 years), receiving an income of $326.8–$490.1 per month, working in township hospitals, and having low job satisfaction, were more likely to have turnover intentions. Work stress had an indirect and positive effect on RHWs’ turnover intentions. Job satisfaction weakened the positive effect of work stress on turnover intentions of RHWs by playing a total mediating role. Reward satisfaction was the strongest mediator.
Conclusions: The turnover intentions of RHWs in western China are significantly associated with job satisfaction, work stress, age, income, and medical institution. Appropriate strategies should be implemented to improve RHWs’ job satisfaction and reduce their work stress. Meanwhile, providing more attractive wages and non-monetary support, improving working conditions, etc. could be effective to reduction in RHWs’ turnover intentions.

Introduction

No health without a workforce has been a universal truth [1]. However, shortage and misdistribution of qualified health workforce have become global concerns affecting nearly all counties, especially the rural and remote areas. The process of attracting additional health workforce to work in these areas has drawn considerable attention from policymakers and researchers. Besides, the retention of qualified health workers who have been working and living in these rural and remote areas has been considered another primary issue that requires attention. Various risk factors, such as low salary, lack of opportunities for career advancement and continuing educational training, and inadequate working and living conditions, etc., have been addressed [2–4]. In response to these challenges, the World Health Organization (WHO) has proposed a series of evidence-based global policy recommendations to increase access to health workers in remote and rural areas through improved retention [5]. Currently, health workforce turnover is a costly problem, which exists not only in remote rural areas but also in developed urban regions.

This study examined whether a non-human robot audience can elicit a stress response in human participants. A 90-min experimental laboratory session based on the Trier Social Stress Test (TSST) using a pre-recorded robot audience, was presented as a live on-screen simulation. Nineteen participants (female = 16) aged 21–57 years (M = 29.74) underwent a 10-min mock interview and mathematics task in front of the robot audience. Salivary cortisol was assessed at 10-min before and immediately prior to the start of the stress test, and +10-, +30- and +40-min after the start of the test. Heart rate was assessed 20 min before, at 5 min into and 40-min after the test. Perceived stress and trait coping responses were provided at entry and participants were interviewed post task about their subjective experience. Significant increases in salivary cortisol and heart rate were observed over time with no significant interactions by participant subjective report. Coping responses including active coping and planning showed significant relationships with cortisol and heart rate reactivity and recovery. Until now, a non-human robot audience has not been used in a social stress testing paradigm. This methodology offers an innovative application with potential for further in-depth evaluation of stress reactivity and adaptation.

Introduction

It is uncontested that the Trier Social Stress Test (TSST) (Kirschbaum, Pirke, & Hellhammer, 1993) offers a well validated and established acute stress experimental paradigm. A recent review cites it as the “gold standard in human experimental stress research” having been applied across a range of settings, different populations and age groups (Allen et al., 2017, p. 115). Various adaptations of this test include those that have changed the setting or other relevant parameters including the TSST-G designed for group testing (von Dawans, Kirschbaum, & Heinrichs, 2011), the inclusion of a placebo (Het, Rohleder, Schoofs, Kirschbaum, & Wolf, 2009) or friendly version (Het et al., 2009) as a control comparison and a growing number of virtual reality (VR) versions (Jonsson et al., 2010; Kotlyar et al., 2008; Shiban et al., 2016; Wallergard, Jonsson, Osterberg, Johansson, & Karlson, 2011; Kothgassner et al., 2016). Throughout these adaptations the audience has typically involved a panel or audience of two or three adults, whether in-person (termed “in vivo” by some authors e.g. Shiban et al. (2016) as in the original TSST (Kirschbaum et al., 1993) or delivered via VR. Some exceptions have also experimented with video delivery using a pre-recorded audience such as in the Leiden public speaking task (Westenberg et al., 2009). The presence or absence of an in-person audience and the degree of human authenticity differentiates within social stress testing paradigms, highlighting the importance of a key stressor characteristic, that of social evaluative threat (SET). Described by Dickerson and Kemeny (2004) in the context of their social self-preservation theory, the selfpreservation system is attuned to detect esteem or status threats to the social self, initiating psychological and physiological responses to protect against these experiences.

Cross-sectional studies suggest that Type D personality is a risk factor for work-related exhaustion and engagement, but longitudinal evidence is lacking. The present 3-wave study examined its longitudinal effects, taking into account existing job demands and resources, exhaustion, engagement, and neuroticism. Data were extracted from the LISS-panel, based on a random sample of the Dutch population. Hierarchical multiple regression analyses were conducted among respondents (N = 2273) who were employed during the 7-month study. Respondents worked in sectors varying from healthcare to industry. In the longitudinal analyses Type D personality was not a significant predictor for exhaustion/engagement over and above existing exhaustion/ engagement, neuroticism, job demands and resources, in contrast to cross-sectional analyses. Job demands and resources explained a trivial proportion of variance of exhaustion and engagement in longitudinal analyses. Using the two elements of Type D personality (negative affectivity and social inhibition) did not change main findings. Existing exhaustion and engagement were significant and dominant predictors. We found no evidence to prove that Type D personality is relevant in the development of emotional exhaustion and engagement. Findings stress the necessity of longitudinal studies controlling for corresponding variables assessed earlier to prevent overestimations of effects.

Introduction

The Job Demands-Resources (JD-R) model (Bakker & Demerouti, 2007) is the most popular framework in occupational health psychology to investigate the relationships between these job characteristics and employee well-being (Lesener, Gusy, & Wolter, 2019). It distinguishes two broad categories of antecedent factors, namely job demands and job resources. The model represents an all-encompassing theoretical framework that may be applied to all occupational environments and is used to explain both positive and negative work outcomes. The most important of these work outcomes are burnout and work engagement, which are investigated most often by the JD-R approach (Schaufeli & Taris, 2014). The present research will focus on emotional exhaustion and work engagement. Emotional exhaustion is characterized by the feeling of being emotionally overextended and worn out by one’s work. It can be considered as the core component of burnout since the other dimensions (i.e., cynicism and reduced personal accomplishment) develop as a consequence from this state of exhaustion (Taris, Le Blanc, Schaufeli, & Schreurs, 2005). Work engagement is defined as “a positive, fulfilling, work-related state of mind that is characterized by vigour dedication, and absorption” (Schaufeli, Salanova, GonzálezRomá, & Bakker, 2002, p.74).