Supporting the National Guard and Reservists as Civilian Employees

Members of the military’s National Guard and Reserves acquire numerous competencies and technical skills through their training that could be valuable to civilian organizations. For employers seeking to hire and retain National Guardsmen and Reservists, understanding the challenges faced while managing dual employment can aid organizations that are striving to become or improve their support of employees also serving in a Reserve component. This chapter reviews distinctions between the National Guard, Reserves, and active duty before outlining legal rights of employers and service members who work for nonmilitary organizations. The chapter then provides a business case for employing National Guardsmen and Reservists while describing prominent corresponding challenges experienced by all stakeholders. It concludes with best practices for organizations striving to be military friendly to National Guardsmen and Reservists.

Dual perspectives in autism spectrum disorders and employment: Toward a better fit in the workplace

BACKGROUND: Compared with people with other disabilities, individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) have the lowest rates of employment and switch jobs at a higher frequency. Thus, understanding how to support workplace success for people with ASD is important. OBJECTIVE: Grounded in an ecological conceptual model, this study explores the dual employment perspectives of adults with ASD and supervisors who worked with individuals with ASD. METHODS: Using participatory research methods, a purposive sample of ten adults with ASD (all verbal with high school diplomas) and ten supervisors participated in semi-structured interviews on employment experiences. Qualitative analyses were used to identify themes. RESULTS: Four major themes emerged from an ecological framework to create a strong person-environment fit in the workplace: 1) building on interest/experiences/strengths/skills, 2) reducing social demands, 3) clear communication and expectations, and 4) ASD awareness for work environment. Comparisons between the two groups of participants showed substantive differences in expectations and accommodations. CONCLUSIONS: Supervisors, although eager to employ individuals with ASD, could benefit by employing an ecological model to successful employment. Results indicate that multiple lenses on the process of employment for those with ASD can lead to better outcomes in the workplace.

A dualistic view of employment in China

Purpose This paper aims to bring to the fore some neglected implications of the dual employment systems in China, especially for the public sector. Design/methodology/approach This paper reinterprets some recent developments in understanding Chinese employments and incorporates the relevant research in arguing for a dualistic view of employment in China[1]. Findings In highlighting the unique dualistic employment contexts in China and an indigenous phenomenon of “unequal pay for equal work”, this paper finds public management studies in China to deserve a separate platform for future research. Research limitations/implications Future Chinese management studies on public sector should contextualise their findings and conclusions, taking into account the employment structure at their research settings. More studies on the public sector are needed to better understand the dualistic Chinese employment relationships, especially for better public management policies and practices in China. Social implications It calls for more scholarly attention on the social injustice embedded in the dualistic employment in China. Originality/value It extends the ongoing discussions of Chinese employment reform and its implications on organising work and employment in China, while unveils important implications of the dualistic employment for future Chinese management research, especially in the public sector.

Clarity needed in training the ‘temps’

Purpose Research shows that the risk of work-related disorders is higher among temporary agency workers than among other employees. The purpose of this paper is to describe the working conditions of temporary agency workers and explains which factors contribute towards work-related disorders for this group. Design/methodology/approach This paper is based on a survey responded to by 482 agency workers in Sweden. The dependent variable is the prevalence of work-related disorders. Independent variables include personal characteristics, job characteristics, employment characteristics and temporary agency work characteristics. Findings The study indicates several risk factors: holding a position as a blue-collar worker; being assigned to more physically demanding work tasks and having fewer opportunities to learn new things than client organization employees; lacking training for work tasks; and lacking clarity regarding which work tasks to do during an assignment. Originality/value The theoretical implications of this study are related to the dual employment–management relationship in temporary agency work where the temporary work agency and client organization follow different logics. The logic in the employment relationship is to contract temporary agency workers out to client organizations; thus, there is no time for formal training. The logic in the management relationship lies in making temporary agency workers profitable as soon as possible, encouraging shortcuts in training and instruction; thus, temporary agency workers risk being left with a lack of clarity regarding what to do and how to do it.

Primary Care Doctors’ Assessment of and Preferences on Their Remuneration

Despite numerous studies on primary care doctors’ remuneration and their job satisfaction, few of them have quantified their views and preferences on certain types of remuneration. This study aimed at reporting these views and preferences on behalf of Greek doctors employed at public primary care. We applied a 13-item questionnaire to a random sample of 212 doctors at National Health Service health centers and their satellite clinics. The results showed that most doctors deem their salary lower than work produced and lower than that of private sector colleagues. Younger respondents highlighted that salary favors dual employment and claim of informal fees from patients. Older respondents underlined the negative impact of salary on productivity and quality of services. Both incentives to work at border areas and choose general practice were deemed unsatisfactory by the vast majority of doctors. Most participants desire a combination of per capita fee with fee-for-service; however, 3 clusters with distinct preferences were formed: general practitioners (GPs) of higher medical grades, GPs of the lowest medical grade, residents and rural doctors. Across them, a descending tolerance to salary-free schemes was observed. Greek primary care doctors are dissatisfied with the current remuneration scheme, maybe more than in the past, but notably the younger doctors are not intended to leave it. However, Greek policy makers should experiment in capitation for more tolerable to risk GPs and introduce pay-for-performance to achieve enhanced access and quality. These interventions should be combined with others in primary care’s new structure in an effort to converge with international standards.