Workplace sedentary behavior has been associated with many chronic diseases. A nine-month study has been initiated to determine participation and benefits of shared treadmill workstations. It would be an advantage to understand factors that would increase the use of these types of workplace interventions aimed at reducing sedentary behavior. To address some of these factors, characteristics of nineteen office workers willing to participate in this study were investigated. Baseline anthropometric measurements were taken. Participants provided seven-day exercise and sleep logs and three-day dietary records. Accelerometers were given to measure energy expenditure, step counts and activity durations. Participants also completed the questionnaires assessing their expectations and perceptions of a workplace intervention. The willing participants were generally overweight and sedentary middle aged individuals with below average daily energy expenditures and they had low fatigue and pain levels, poor sleep quality ratings, and wanted to reduce their sedentary behavior to achieve health benefits.

The existence of workplace violence in remote and isolated nursing station settings has been an area of limited knowledge to date. This descriptive study explored the phenomena of workplace and occupational aggression (WPOA), an operational definition of workplace violence created to capture all exposures to verbal and physical aggression in the 21 First Nations and Inuit Health (FNIH) managed Nursing Stations in Manitoba. Using the Manitoba Region Occurrence Reports from 2008, it was found that nurses in nursing stations experience a range of WPOA exposures with verbal incidents being more commonly reported than physical incidents. Quantitative findings related to patterns of reported WPOA with respect to timing, type, perpetrators and concurrent substance use. Themes related to the impact of WPOA on nursing staff and responses of managers to reported incidents were generated from the qualitative analysis. Recommendations for policy, administration, education and future research were generated.

ABSTRACT Paths Towards Reconciliation in the Workplace: Exploring the Aboriginal Cultures Awareness Workshop Educational workplace initiatives to address social inequality are widely used within organizations. In the past, these workplace workshops have varied in their underlying philosophical perspectives - with goals ranging from maintaining the status quo to promoting social change. Workshop curriculum grounded in the contact hypothesis have drawn from such diverse fields as social psychology, organizational theory, feminist viewpoints, critical theory, liberatory educational philosophy, conflict resolution and Indigenous approaches. The research to date on the efficacy of these various types of workplace educational programs have been mixed. For the past ten years, the Winnipeg Regional Health Authority has offered the Aboriginal Cultures Awareness Workshop to its health care employees in hopes of addressing the differential medical care received by their Aboriginal patients. This mixed methods research project focused on the perceptions of key stakeholders and workshop participants on the most helpful, and least helpful aspects of the Aboriginal Cultures Awareness Workshop. The findings point towards a conceptual framework on the conditions needed within educational workplace initiatives that can create paths toward reconciliation between different identity groups. Addressing the need for accurate information and developing empathy within an atmosphere of joyful humour that is supported by the circle were the key findings in this research project. Specifically, the findings that informed this conceptual framework included the importance of learning about Aboriginal history from an Aboriginal perspective, the power of storytelling to bridge the divide between different identity groups, how the appropriate use of humour can both ease tension, but also be used to challenge intolerant ideas and finally, the power of sharing circles to create safety and allow for dialogue. Drawing on the contributions of the diverse fields that have historically informed these types of workplace educational programs, this research project integrated the field of peace and conflict studies, and Indigenous perspectives to make a number of recommendations for future workplace educational programs.

No description available.

Health care workers are experiencing increasingly stressful work environments related to attempts to control escalating health care costs. Researchers (Kinjerski & Skrypnek, 2004) have developed a tool to identify the unique experience of individuals who are passionate about and energized by their work, also described as spirit at work (SAW). Identification and acknowledgement of these unique experiences by health care professionals and leaders will lead to collaboration in the development and maintenance of healthy workplaces. The objectives in this study were to (a) identify the relationship between the structural empowerment and psychological empowerment of practicing health professionals in both staff and management positions; (b) develop and test a theoretical model of the relationships among resonant leadership, the components of structural empowerment, psychological empowerment, and SAW, and the demographic variables of experience, education, rank, job satisfaction and organizational commitment for nurses (RNs), occupational therapists (OTs) and physical therapists (PTs); (c) identify what the practitioners in each health profession perceived as contributing to their personal SAW in the workplace; and (d) contribute to greater clarity in current and future discussions of SAW. A systematic review of the literature validated the relationship between structural empowerment and psychological empowerment. SAW and specified workplace concepts were identified and further elucidated through a province-wide survey followed by focus group discussions. Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) analysis of the survey data demonstrated that the model originally postulated and tested fit the proposed theoretical relationships, after addition of modifications specific to each professional group. This research study makes significant contributions to existing health care workplace research that promises to create a healthier environment for staff and patients alike. Contributions include (a) the introduction of the construct of SAW and an indication of its role in the workplace, (b) an indication of the important role resonant leadership plays within the health care workplace and its multiple effects on other constructs within workplace theory, (c) further development of workplace theory through the use of real measures of concepts to support and strengthen previous research. / Rehabilitation Science

<p>The use of one form or another of team based work organization (TBWO) management policies and practices by firms with the aim of improving organizational performance and employee morale is well documented in popular literature. Empirical research has however found that the implementation of TBWO management policies and practices such as TB training, TB incentive schemes, participation in decision making, work teams etc. had minimal influence on the performance of firms (Locke and Schweiger, 1979).<br /> This research investigated the factors, which account for the effective implementation of TBWO management policies and practices with specific emphasis on three firms in the metal fabrications sector. The reason behind the choice of the three firms in the metal fabrication sector in the Western Cape was that these sites offered a rare opportunity to study the process of the implementation of TBWO. It was a rare opportunity because not many firms have embarked on implementing TBWO in South Africa. It was envisaged that the lessons that emerged from this study would be invaluable for firms that intended implementing workplace change. The level of analysis was the shop floor level at the firms as research has shown that this is the level that plays a critical role in the effectiveness of the TB management policies and practices implemented by the firms.</p>

The purpose of the thesis was to investigate the use of action research in the conceptual development of the aim of developing managers through action learning and determining the effectiveness of this in Singapore, Hong Kong and China. / The concept did not begin its practical life as an applied idea already formed; it emerged and developed naturally in something of an evolutionary process. It took on a more definitive form and spirit through a series of cycles of learning, reflection, modification and re-application. / In evolving this concept, the research was intended to provide new contributions in adapting action learning as a form of workplace managerial development. In this scenario, managers learn and develop by using their experience in solving workplace problems in project teams. / The first of three cycles of action research was conducted at Apex Technologies, Singapore, for a group of seven managers. The expected outcome was to integrate a common problem-solving framework and the action learning process into a practical process for developing managers. The second cycle took place at Intraco Limited, Singapore, for a group of 12 managers. The objective was to familiarise the managers with the action learning process and to encourage them to pass on the process in the training and development of their staff. The third cycle of the research study was at Viasystems Asia Pacific in Hong Kong and China for 120 middle managers and frontline supervisors. The objective was to apply action learning as an on-going process in developing managers to address the many issues and challenges facing the company as it expanded rapidly. / The research findings showed that the action learning process in Apex and Intraco was effective in meeting the expected outcome. In Apex, the senior management was pleased with the progress made and morale among the management team improved. At Intraco, the managers were enthusiastic and indicated that action learning was effective in helping them to become better managers. In Viasystems, the participants were recognised by senior management for developing the ability to manage change and to work together to solve problems and improve practices. Following the completion of the research study, Viasystems implemented the second phase of the Team Learning Circle process to develop 42 high-potential managers. / Overall, the thesis demonstrated that action research, involving a spiral of three research cycles-planning, acting and observing and reflecting- was effective in devising the Team Learning Circle for developing managers through action learning. From the research data, I have contributed to the theory of action learning by developing the Team Learning Circle model. This adds the team learning process to action learning and action research in managerial development. It demonstrates that managers will learn most effectively with and from each other, through regular dialogue sessions and skilful discussions, and by working on real problems or projects in the workplace. / Thesis (PhDBusinessandManagement)--University of South Australia, 2004.

Thesis (DBA(DoctorateofBusinessAdministration))--University of South Australia, 2002.

Thesis (PhDBusinessAdministration)--University of South Australia, 2003.

Thesis (PhD)--University of South Australia, 2001