abstract: Employee wellbeing is a top concern for many organizations as its been linked to job performance and organizational commitment (Colquit, LePine, & Wesson, 2019). Research suggests that overall wellbeing is important to employees as well. Organizations are significantly investing into upgrading workplace environments, and there is a need for a clear understanding of how those improvements truly impact employee wellbeing. Current workplace research reveals that the open-office floorplan accounts for more than 70% of office layouts in the United States and is most commonly used for the benefits of collaboration and efficiency (Gallup, 2017). However, the open office layout ranks poorly in current employee wellbeing studies with a number of office environment stressors such as noise, distractions, and privacy concerns noted to impact employee wellbeing (C. Bodin-Danielsson, 2016; Haynes, Suckley, & Nunnington, 2017). The knowledge work performed in office environments require high amounts of cognitive tasks and when combined with filtering distractions in the workplace it can increase strains caused by common office stressors, thereby impacting employee wellbeing (Bridger & Brasher, 2011). This study will examine common stressors from the open office environment and compare employee’s perceptions of their work environment before and after renovations, as well as observations and behavioral mapping that record how the built environment influences the behaviors of the occupants. This research seeks to understand how wellbeing in the open office is affected by its different physical environmental settings, and how this environment influences employee’s behaviors. The end research goal is to see if there is a significant correlation of physical work environment and workplace behaviors that are common in the open office to help understand how the designed interior workplace impacts the wellbeing of its users. / Dissertation/Thesis / Masters Thesis Design 2020

Den här studien har undersökt det informella lärandet på arbetsplatsen ur ett medarbetarperspektiv.Tidigare forskning har visat att det informella lärandet är majoriteten av det lärande som sker påarbetsplatsen och därför har den här studien, genom semi strukturerade intervjuer, studerat de faktorersom påverkar informellt lärande på arbetsplatsen. Sex medarbetare har intervjuats och det empiriskamaterialet analyserades genom tematisk analys. Resultatet redovisar de teman som analysarbetetutformade och avslutas med en del som diskuterar huruvida resultatet stämmer överens med tidigareforskning och teoretiska ramverk. Resultatet belyser några av de faktorer som möjliggör det informellalärandet. Arbetsklimatet, relationer till sina kollegor, organisationens struktur och tilldelning avarbetsuppgifter är några av de faktorer som har konstaterats i den här studien. Den här studien visarbetydelsen av ämnet och än en gång att det informella lärandet på arbetsplatsen bör uppmärksammas. / This study aims to research the informal learning in the workplace from the employee’s perspective.Research has shown that informal learning is the major part for learning in the workplace and thereforthis study will, through semi structured interviews, investigate the impacts of informal learning. Theresults confirm the influencing factors from previous research. The results shows that factors like workenvironment, relationships to your colleagues and the structure of the workplace are all important forthe ability of learning in the workplace. The end of this paper discusses the different theoretical factorsand how they relate to the result of this study. Also, this study shows the value of the subject and whyit should be prioritized when it comes to workplace learning. / <p>Betygsdatum 2021-07-01</p>

The concept of social loafing is important with regard to organizational effectiveness particularly as organizations are relying on teams as a means to drive productivity. The composition of those teams is likely to reflect the current movement of racial and ethnic minorities in the work place. The primary purpose of this research was to determine the role cultural diversity plays in enhancing performance and thereby eliminating social loafing. The research study is significant because 1) it is among the first to use culturally diverse work groups while examining the social loafing phenomenon, and 2) the groups were intact project teams, rather than ad-hoc groups commonly found in social loafing experiments. It was anticipated that the members of culturally homogeneous groups would engage in social loafing when their individual efforts were "buried." However, subjects in both culturally diverse and culturally homogeneous groups resisted social loafing behaviors. Additional statistical analysis revealed that as group orientation increased, performance levels increased as well. Group orientation, then, appears to be a more powerful determinant of performance than group composition. It is expected that the time these groups had together and the performance feedback opportunities provided them, prior to the experiment, contributed significantly to these results. Future research suggestions were made that could help establish a causal relationship.

The literature claims that workplace violence (WPV) in the health care setting is among the highest, with the majority of that violence taking place in the Emergency Department (ED). The significance of WPV in reference to nursing is that it leads to burnout, absenteeism, and the risk of nurses leaving their job all together. Leaving the nursing profession intensifies the present critical shortage. With the success of an evidence-based WPV prevention program (WPVPP), hospitals could improve the quality of work for nurses, which consequently will improve retention rates, as well as provide an environment that will be more conducive to patient care. In the evaluation of the ED at the practicum site, it was found that there was an absence regarding de-escalation education, hazard assessment, and incident reporting. To address those problems, the current project examined the extent to which implementing a WPVPP would provide a safer environment as perceived by the nurses who work in the ED. Ten health care professionals with experience and knowledge related to WPV were given an evaluation tool to measure the content validity of the survey instrument and WPVPP. The evaluation tool was comprised of 12 close- and open-ended questions. The information gained from the evaluation provided the necessary support to implement the WPVPP and evaluate the nurses' perception of safety in the ED. The implementation of a WPVPP would affect social change by improving the nurses' perception of safety, hence creating a healthy work environment that includes safety, respect, and trust.

Work is a significant part of everyday life for many, so it is not surprising that it would be included in the storylines of many Hollywood films. Movies incorporate elements from everyday life, real or imagined. There is a plethora of research making connections between film and the social world, but not regarding workplace bullying. This study takes a close and in-depth look at workplace bullying as it is depicted in scenes from a sampling of 100 Hollywood films released 1994-2016. It is interpretive in nature and guided by the theoretical underpinnings of film theory, social construction of reality theory, and symbolic interaction theory. Qualitative media analysis (synonymous with ethnographic content analysis) and grounded theory, in concert with Hymes Ethnography of Communication SPEAKING Model methods, blended and facilitated data collection and analysis. The advent of a theoretical frame highlighting the delicate interplay within the depictions of workplace bullying became evident; herein named the paradoxical web of workplace bullying. Within this paradox are tragedy and comedy; from which ambivalence resilience theory emerges. This research contributes to the literature of conflict studies and more specifically the scholarly research and professional practice dedicated toward greater understanding and eradication of this horrific phenomenon, workplace bullying

This dissertation explores the lived experiences of workers who are involuntarily socially isolated in their work-places through the actions of one or more colleagues. This hermeneutic phenomenological inquiry is called by the question, "What is the lived experience of other-imposed social isolation in the work-place?" This study also explores the ways these targeted workers are lost and forgotten, by themselves and others, for the periods of time they remain in their socially isolating work-places. The tradition of hermeneutic phenomenology grounds this inquiry, guided primarily by the works of Martin Heidegger, Jean-Paul Sartre, and Martin Buber, and to lesser and varying degrees by David Abram, Hans-George Gadamer, Edmond Husserl, David Michael Levin, Emmanual Levinas, and Maurice Merleau-Ponty. Max van Manen's six methodological guidelines serve as the framework for the research activities that comprise this study. From conversations with, and written reflections from, eight work-place professionals, this study reveals what it is like to experience other-imposed, work-place social isolation. Through hermeneutic phenomenological exploration, the stories of these eight workers reveal lived experience along three primary themes. First, other-imposed social isolation is abusive power and control that is comprised of shameful, indecent acts. Second, the targets of involuntary social isolation experience relentless, wounding trauma. Third, while remaining in their socially isolating work-places, and sometimes for years after leaving, targeted workers bear the burdened weight of crushing grief. The study suggests a need to expose antiquated, yet accepted, work-place mores, that serve as unconscious barriers to work-place respect and dignity. Further, the study reveals that conscious, and conscientious, awareness and attention to abusive work-place social isolation are the responsibility of each and every work-place citizen. Finally, the study recommends meaningful citizen choices -- such as refusing silence; standing alone, if necessary; and inviting work-place community attention -- to engage with others where workers' truths and dignity are at stake. / Ph. D.

Workplace harassment is a major problem in all employment relationships. It has negative implications for employee satisfaction, performance and productivity. This in turn leads to poor organisational performance, and often causes formal grievances and labour disputes which are not in the best interest of the employee or the employer. The constitution of the Republic of South Africa and other related acts like Employment Equity Act (EEA) protect employees against any form of unfair discrimination. Harassment within the workplace is also classified as form of unfair discrimination and is clearly prohibited in the constitution and other related statutes. Immediate supervisors are the face of the employer and they play an important role in employment relationships. They are responsible for representing the employer's dealings within the workplace agreements. The immediate supervisors' can impact negatively or positively on employee behaviour within the workplace. Many labour disputes arise because supervisors and subordinates in South Africa lack the necessary knowledge, appreciation- and sensitivity for applicable legal prescriptions and acceptable behavior norms required within workplace environment. / Thesis (MBA) North-West University, Mafikeng Campus, 2013

I takt med att medellivslängden ökar och att andelen personer med utländsk bakgrund växer behöver organisationer ha kunskap om hur de ska hantera mångfald. Detta för att de ska kunna ta tillvara på alla mänskliga resurser samt för att möta framtidens arbetskraftsbehov. Piteå Kommuns socialtjänst står idag inför denna utmaning och har valt att aktivt satsa på mångfald. Syftet med denna studie var därmed att undersöka hur chefer och bemanningsassistenter beskriver begreppet mångfald, hur de praktiskt arbetar med mångfald idag samt undersöka vilka krav de upplever finns på dem i mångfaldsarbetet. Studien syfte var också att identifiera eventuella svårigheter som personer i ledande positioner upplever i bedrivandet av ett praktiskt mångfaldsarbete.   Studien är baserad på åtta semi-strukturerade intervjuer vilka har analyserats med hjälp av meningskoncentrering. I dessa framkom att det fanns en snäv bild av mångfaldsbegreppet i jämförelse med hur Piteå Kommun definierar begreppet samt hur begreppet beskrivs i tidigare forskning. Det framkom också att chefer och bemanningsassistenter i dagsläget inte bedriver något medvetet praktiskt mångfaldsarbete. De insatser som genomförs är snarare omedvetna då huvudsyftet med dessa insatser inte är att främja mångfald. Respondenterna upplever inte några direkt ställda krav från Piteå Kommun i bedrivandet av ett mångfaldsarbete men kan i vissa fall se praktiskt mångfaldsarbete som en skyldighet. I studien framkom också att personer i ledande positioner saknar tid, trygghet och kunskap i hur de praktiskt ska bedriva mångfaldsarbete i sina verksamheter. Vid vidare forskning hade det varit intressant med fler perspektiv på ämnet. Detta för att ge svar på om det finns en gemensam syn på begreppet samt hur personer på olika nivåer upplever mångfaldsarbetet.

Alkoholens påverkan på människor är vida känt och intresset för attityden till bakrus på arbetsplatser uppkom som en fortsättning av en studie som visade att alkoholkonsumtionen var mer utpräglat inom Handels men mindre i Vård och Omsorg. Syftet med den här studien var att se om attityden till bakrus på arbetsplatser skiljde sig åt och om Handels är mer accepterande till bakrus än Vård och Omsorg. Det användes en enkät med attitydskalor som skulle mäta attityd till bakrus och den delades ut på utvalda omvårdnads-boenden och butiker i Uppland, totalt svarade 103 personer på enkäten. Resultatet visade på en skillnad avseende attityder till medarbetare som kommit bakfulla till arbetet för de olika yrkeskategorierna. Personal inom handels var mer accepterande till bakrus på arbetsplatser än inom Vård och Omsorg. Ett förslag till framtida studier är att forska i om det finns ett samband mellan en faktisk alkoholkonsumtion och attityder till rus/bakrus bland medarbetare på arbetsplatser.

Thesis (MBA)--Stellenbosch University, 2015. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The research assignment was conducted to evaluate the influential dimensions for building high performing teams in virtual organisations. The new business unit, Middle East and Africa has the challenge of operating globally for the first time. The leadership has the daunting task of getting the virtual team to become a high performance team. An intensive literature review was conducted to draw on the knowledge of previous theory for both high performance teams as well as virtual organisations. A representative sample of the organisation’s leadership was interviewed by means of an online questionnaire, whilst employees were survey by means of both physical and online surveys. The results provided insights into the dimensions that strongly influence high performance teams in virtual global organisations. A deeper understanding of success factors that influence team performance and virtual organisations were learnt and recommendations was made to the company.