scholarly journals The Inevitability of Workplace Romance

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (3) ◽  
pp. 53-63
Author(s):  
Dallas Bilyk
Keyword(s):  
Employee Engagement ◽  
Policy Development ◽  
Professional Organizations ◽  
Workplace Culture ◽  
Major Influence ◽  
Significant Other ◽  
Workplace Relationships ◽  
Workplace Romance ◽  
Workplace Productivity ◽  
Complex Relationships

The existence of workplace relationships poses many consequences for professional organizations. There are many factors such as motive, age, gender, and workplace culture that impact how these complex relationships are perceived by other employees of the organization. These perceptions can have a major influence on employee engagement, workplace productivity, and general cohesiveness of the organization that can be essential to its success. A proper response from management in terms of policy development is crucial in dealing with this form of intimate relationship. The existence of relationships in the workplace is inevitable as they have become very popular locations to discover a significant other.  

Co-workers with benefits

2016 ◽  
Vol 35 (3) ◽  
pp. 382-393 ◽  
Author(s):  
Brad Shuck ◽  
Jesse Owen ◽  
Megan Manthos ◽  
Kelley Quirk ◽  
Galena Rhoades
Keyword(s):  
Romantic Relationships ◽  
Employee Engagement ◽  
Romantic Relationship ◽  
Workplace Relationships ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Impact Performance ◽  
Performance Variables ◽  
Workplace Romance ◽  
Online Social Media ◽  
And Performance

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to examine the relation between employee engagement, decisions to be in a relationship with a co-worker, and commitment uncertainty in a sample of adults who identified they were currently working with their romantic partner. Design/methodology/approach – Because workplace romance can be a taboo topic among working adults, we recruited participants anonymously from online social media websites (n=68). The use of non-experimental design limits the ability to draw causal references in relation to the variables of interest. Findings – Participants who reported they were motivated to be in a romantic relationship with a co-worker to increase status also reported lower levels of engagement, even after controlling for other relationship (e.g. relationship adjustment) and workplace variables (e.g. intent to turnover). Practical implications – Romantic relationships within the workplace will most certainly transpire yet the topic remains underexplored in the management literature. This work provides scholars and practitioners insight into the psychological mechanisms that influence workplace relationships and more, explores how relationships between co-workers impact performance variables such as employee engagement. Originality/value – This is the first study to examine the influence of workplace romantic relationships in the context of employee engagement. Moreover, this is one of only a handful of studies that has documented the empirical linkage between workplace relationships and performance variables.

Love is all around us in the workplace

2016 ◽  
Vol 24 (6) ◽  
pp. 21-23 ◽  
Author(s):  
John Wheatcroft
Keyword(s):  
Romantic Relationships ◽  
Employee Engagement ◽  
Romantic Relationship ◽  
Workplace Relationships ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Performance Variables ◽  
Workplace Romance ◽  
Online Social Media ◽  
And Performance ◽  
The Relationship

Purpose The paper examines relationships in the workplace. It considers issues such as employee engagement, decisions to be in a relationship with a co-worker and its effects on commitment certainty in a sample of adults. They all said they were currently working with their romantic partner. Design/methodology/approach Bearing in mind that workplace romance can be a taboo topic, the researchers recruited participants anonymously from online social media websites. Findings Some participants said that they were motivated to be in a romantic relationship with a co-worker to increase status. They tended to report lower levels of engagement. However, when relationships hit a tricky patch and/or they felt uncertainty about the relationship, these participants tended to commit themselves more, rather than less to their work. Originality/value This is the first study to examine the influence of workplace romantic relationships in the context of employee engagement. It also documents links between workplace relationships and performance variables.

How culture, leadership and engagement helped a small business survive during the pandemic

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
John F. Blattner ◽  
William P. Karmia ◽  
Thomas J. Walter
Keyword(s):  
Organizational Culture ◽  
Employee Engagement ◽  
Value Systems ◽  
Workplace Culture ◽  
Organizational Survival ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Company Culture ◽  
Organizational Culture Inventory ◽  
Business Challenges

Purpose The purpose of this case study is to investigate how a small catering company has coped with the current Covid-19 pandemic. Initial research was performed in 2014 and repeated in 2018. Given the far reaching business challenges of the pandemic, the authors examined the viability of the organization within the current climate. Design/methodology/approach Embedded organizational components of culture, leadership and engagement are explored as key elements in the sustainability of the company during the pandemic crisis. Prior research data using the organizational culture inventory is used to assess organizational culture over a four-year period. Employee data and interview analysis within company structure is used to determine how leadership and employee engagement is impacted. Culture research is examined to determine the influence of company culture upon organizational survival. Findings This paper identifies workplace culture elements that contribute to company sustainability. Embedded core value systems, strong employee engagement mechanisms and focused leadership styles were observed to be critical influences upon company survival during the pandemic. Originality/value This research would assist industry professionals and practitioners in understanding the active workplace culture mechanisms found to be effective for organizational survival during periods of crisis. Companies that adopt similar practices may acquire sustainability advantage during the pandemic.

scholarly journals Identifying the Driving Factors of Black Bloom in Lake Bay through Bayesian LASSO

2019 ◽  
Vol 16 (14) ◽  
pp. 2492 ◽  
Author(s):  
Wang ◽  
Wang ◽  
Cheng ◽  
Cheng
Keyword(s):  
Policy Development ◽  
Sediment Concentration ◽  
Ordinary Least Squares ◽  
Complex Problem ◽  
Regression Equation ◽  
Management Policy ◽  
Major Influence ◽  
Chaohu Lake ◽  
Regression Equations ◽  
Lasso Regression

Black blooms are a serious and complex problem for lake bays, with far-reaching implications for water quality and drinking safety. While Fe(II) and S(−II) have been reported as the most important triggers of this phenomenon, little effort has been devoted in investigating the relationships between Fe(II) and S(−II) and the host of potentially important aquatic factors. However, a model involving many putative predictors and their interactions will be oversaturated and ill-defined, making ordinary least squares (OLS) estimation unfeasible. In such a case, sparsity assumption is typically required to exclude the redundant predictors from the model, either through variable selection or regularization. In this study, Bayesian least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) regression was employed to identify the major influence variables from 11 aquatic factors for Fe(II), S(−II), and suspended sediment concentration (SSC) in the Chaohu Lake (Eastern of China) bay during black bloom maintenance. Both the main effects and the interactions between these factors were studied. The method successfully screened the most important variables from many items. The determination coefficients (R2) and adjusted determination coefficients (Adjust R2) showed that all regression equations for Fe(II), S(-II), and SSC were in good agreement with the situation observed in the Chaohu Lake. The outcome of correlation and LASSO regression indicated that total phosphorus (TP) was the single most important factor for Fe(II), S(-II), and SSC in black bloom with explanation ratios (ERs) of 76.1% , 37.0%, and 12.9%, respectively. The regression results showed that the interaction items previously deemed negligible have significant effects on Fe(II), S(−II), and SSC. For the Fe(II) equation, total nitrogen (TN) × dissolved oxygen (DO) and chlorophyll a (CHLA) × oxidation reduction potential (ORP), which contributed 10.6% and 13.3% ERs, respectively, were important interaction variables. TP emerged in each key interaction item of the regression equation for S(−II). Water depth (DEP) × Fe(II) (30.7% ER) was not only the main interaction item, but DEP (5.6% ER) was also an important single factor for the SSC regression equation. It also indicated that the sediment in shallow bay is an important source for SSC in water. The uncertainty of these relationships was also estimated by the posterior distribution and coefficient of variation (CV) of these items. Overall, our results suggest that TP concentration is the most important driver of black blooms in a lake bay, whereas the other factors, such as DO, DEP, and CHLA act in concert with other aquatic factors. There results provide a basis for the further control and management policy development of black blooms.

Advancing Employee Engagement Through a Healthy Workplace Strategy

2008 ◽  
Vol 13 (1_suppl) ◽  
pp. 35-40 ◽  
Author(s):  
Andrea Seymour ◽  
Kathryne Dupré
Keyword(s):  
Risk Assessment ◽  
Health Risk ◽  
Employee Engagement ◽  
Health Risk Assessment ◽  
Employee Health ◽  
Lessons Learned ◽  
Workplace Culture ◽  
Workplace Health ◽  
Road Map ◽  
Healthy Workplace

Background In recent years, there has been increased focus on improving the quality of the working lives of staff in health care organizations. Research shows that improvements can be achieved through a comprehensive organizational approach to workplace health. Improved worker engagement is a realizable outcome of such an approach, provided that it is based on reliable and relevant data and is tailored to the specific environment in which it is being implemented. Assessment of problem An intervention project was designed to develop an organization-wide approach to employee workplace health. A comprehensive health risk assessment was undertaken, along with a staff survey on workplace culture, individual health practice and environmental effects on physical health. Results In general, the findings present a positive picture of the culture and factors that influence psychological wellbeing. However, improvement is needed in some areas: satisfaction is only marginally outweighing stress, and musculoskeletal disorders account for much absenteeism. Employee health needs include weight management, improving fitness and nutrition, and decreasing coronary risk. Strategies for change Results have prompted this organization to pursue the development of a Healthy Workplace Policy that will be used as a filter for all other policies relating to workplace culture, environment and practice, and have provided the impetus and focus to review the organization of employee health services. Lessons learned Three major administrative activities are necessary to move from planning to sustained action: ensure adherence of all staff to any policy derived from a health risk assessment; ensure staff feel proposed changes are relevant and important; and create a road map to guide the development of a strategic and an implementation plan. The findings outlined in this report can be addressed by organizations that are willing to commit to a comprehensive approach to workplace health.

Understanding New Era Workplace Relationships: Insights From Employee Engagement Research

2018 ◽  
Vol 11 (3) ◽  
pp. 523-530
Author(s):  
Patrick Hyland ◽  
Anthony W. Caputo ◽  
David Reeves
Keyword(s):  
Employee Engagement ◽  
Social Exchange ◽  
Social Exchange Theory ◽  
Exchange Theory ◽  
Workplace Relationships ◽  
Research Projects ◽  
New Era ◽  
Working Hypotheses

In their focal article, Chernyak-Hai and Rabenu (2018) argue that the foundational assumptions of social exchange theory (SET) should be revisited and revised because of recent changes in the workplace and the workforce. Using employee engagement data from recent research projects conducted in applied settings, we investigated a series of questions based on Chernyak-Hai and Rabenu's working hypotheses.

scholarly journals Hearing the voices of Australian healthcare workers during the COVID-19 pandemic

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michelle Ananda-Rajah ◽  
Benjamin Veness ◽  
Danielle Berkovic ◽  
Catriona Parker ◽  
Greg Kelly ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Lived Experience ◽  
Policy Development ◽  
Health And Safety ◽  
Control Policy ◽  
Moral Injury ◽  
Workplace Culture ◽  
Free Text ◽  
Respiratory Protection ◽  
Open Letter ◽  
Safety Standards

Background: The statistics of healthcare worker (HCW) COVID-19 infections do not convey the lived experience of HCWs during the pandemic. This study explores the working conditions and issues faced by Australian HCWs. Methods: Qualitative analysis of free-text responses from Australian HCWs from 3 August to 5 August 2020 from an open letter calling for better respiratory protection for HCWs, transparent reporting of HCW COVID-19 infections and diversity in national infection control policy development. The open letter was sent to an email list of 23,000 HCWs from a previous campaign and promoted on social media. Results: Among 2,733 HCWs who signed the open letter during the study period, 407 free-text responses were analysed. Doctors and nurses accounted for 58% and 35% of respondents, respectively. Most respondents came from Victoria (48%); New South Wales (18%); Queensland (12%) or Western Australia (12%). Dominant themes included concerns about: work health and safety standards; guidelines on respiratory protection including the omission of fit-testing of P2/N95 respirators; deficiencies in the availability, quality, appropriateness and training of personal protective equipment; a top-down workplace culture that enabled bullying in response to concerns about safety that culminated a loss of trust in leadership, self-reported COVID-19 infections in some respondents and moral injury. Conclusion: Occupational moral injury in HCWs is the consequence of lapses in leadership at policy-making and organisational levels that have violated the normative expectations of HCWs. The challenge for healthcare leaders is to address workplace culture, consultation and engagement with HCWs in order to prevent this hidden pandemic from spreading throughout the health system.

Leading through COVID-19: understanding and supporting grief and loss

2021 ◽  
Vol 7 (3) ◽  
pp. 118-124
Author(s):  
Ethan Kutanzi ◽  
Kathleen Fraser ◽  
Debrah Wirtzfeld
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Health Care Workers ◽  
Policy Development ◽  
Grief And Loss ◽  
Workplace Relationships ◽  
Anticipatory Grief ◽  
Disenfranchised Grief ◽  
Team Members ◽  
Self Reflection ◽  
Care Workers

The COVID-19 pandemic has created an environment in which grief and loss are being experienced collectively. This grief can lead to increased burnout, decreased productivity, and increased likelihood of job turnover. With health care workers already facing increased risks because of their frontline pandemic responsibilities, it is important to provide leaders with knowledge and tools to support their grieving team members. Understanding the Kübler-Ross grief model, as well as grief-related concepts such as anticipatory grief, disenfranchised grief, moral injury, and complicated grief, will help leaders provide normalizing support. This approach may include building and fostering trusting relationships, engaging in self-reflection, participating in supportive conversations, and, when appropriate, sharing information around grief-support resources. There is no universal timeline for the resolution of grief; mental health impacts can last for many months and can continue to resurface for years. During the COVID-19 pandemic, we educated health care workers around the issues of grief and loss by focusing on the relationship side of the Wheel of Change, interviewing people with expertise in the area, holding town hall meetings, and hosting online “coffee and chat” sessions for physicians. We recommend relying less on policy development and, instead, focus on strengthening workplace relationships and creating opportunities for connection and discussions.

scholarly journals Elements of a Workplace Culture of Health, Perceived Organizational Support for Health, and Lifestyle Risk

2018 ◽  
Vol 32 (7) ◽  
pp. 1555-1567 ◽  
Author(s):  
Julianne Payne ◽  
Laurie Cluff ◽  
Jason Lang ◽  
Dyann Matson-Koffman ◽  
Antonio Morgan-Lopez
Keyword(s):  
Employee Engagement ◽  
Organizational Support ◽  
Strategic Communication ◽  
Perceived Support ◽  
Workplace Culture ◽  
Coworker Support ◽  
Leadership Support ◽  
Lifestyle Risk ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Employer Support

Purpose: We investigated the impact of elements of a workplace culture of health (COH) on employees’ perceptions of employer support for health and lifestyle risk. Design: We used 2013 and 2015 survey data from the National Healthy Worksite Program, a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)-led initiative to help workplaces implement health-promoting interventions. Setting: Forty-one employers completed the CDC Worksite Health Scorecard to document organizational changes. Participants: Eight hundred twenty-five employees provided data to evaluate changes in their health and attitudes. Measures: We defined elements of a COH as environmental, policy, and programmatic supports; leadership and coworker support; employee engagement (motivational interventions); and strategic communication. Outcomes included scores of employees’ perceptions of employer support for health and lifestyle risk derived from self-reported physical activity, nutrition, and tobacco use. Analysis: We estimated effects using multilevel regression models. Results: At the employee level and across time, regression coefficients show positive associations between leadership support, coworker support, employee engagement, and perceived support for health ( P < .05). Coefficients suggest a marginally significant negative association between lifestyle risk and the presence of environmental and policy supports ( P < .10) and significant associations with leadership support in 2015 only ( P < .05). Conclusion: Relational elements of COH (leadership and coworker support) tend to be associated with perceived support for health, while workplace elements (environmental and policy supports) are more associated with lifestyle risk. Employers need to confront relational and workplace elements together to build a COH.

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