Enrollment in master level programs has been increasing nationwide, particularly in online programs which tend to enroll older and more ethnically diverse students who are likely to be balancing work, finances, and family responsibilities with their educational pursuits. The challenges related to this balance has resulted in higher attrition rates and lower completion rates. In this quantitative study, the relationship between employer support and first-year retention for master's students enrolled in online programs at a for-profit university was examined. Bean and Metzner's model of nontraditional student attrition was used as the theoretical foundation. Archival data from the online institution were examined to determine the extent that 1st year retention is predicted by employer support when controlling for demographics, student background, external factors, integration/socialization, and intent to graduate. Findings from the logistic regression analysis showed 4 variables that significantly predict 1st year retention, employer support, household income, overall satisfaction, and importance of graduating from the institution. Students who received employer support were almost 2 times more likely to be retained at 1-year. Positive social change can result from having educational institutions encourage students to seek employee educational benefits. Having students seek these employer benefits may lead to higher graduation rates, higher pay, and job satisfaction for employees.

As the 21st century proceeds, individuals are increasingly working into later years to support themselves and maintain their quality of life. This changing pattern of employment has implications for workers, employers and society alike. Although older workers have much to contribute, individuals may experience health issues or physical, sensory or psychological changes related to ageing. Health and safety statistics indicate that older workers are a vulnerable group. Employers then, have a responsibility to examine the working environment and protect those with reduced capabilities. For society to function, older workers need to be able to remain in work, otherwise this will impact on both the economy and older individuals quality of life. This thesis aimed to understand the opportunities and challenges employers encounter when trying to protect and promote the health and safety of older workers. The research used qualitative approaches, combining interviews and focus groups to provide rich data on the circumstances of older workers. Triangulation was used, collecting data over different time periods, from different sources, to help balance out any weaknesses across the studies. Data were analysed using thematic analysis. A review of the literature found that there is no consistent definition of ageing or older worker. Many researchers have used chronological age and, therefore, this thesis used 50 as a threshold. The literature highlights that older workers have a wealth of knowledge and skills to bring to the workplace. Negative perceptions, however, regarding natural ageing and adaptability exist. Other authors have argued that organisations need to provide a safe environment for older workers and implement measures to mitigate changes in abilities, whilst recognising that there is no one size fits all strategy. First, an initial scoping study was undertaken with employers, which sought to understand their perceptions concerning the ageing workforce. The study also collected information on the health and safety age management strategies that have been implemented within the organisations. Interviews with employers (senior managers who influence health and safety management strategies) (n=41) revealed that, in line with literature, there is recognition that older workers bring benefits to the workplace. However, some comments demonstrated inaccurate stereotyping. The interviews found that these employers were uncertain how to proceed with implementing actions to protect the health and safety of their older workers. Two subsequent studies, consisting of focus groups (n=10) and interviews (n=50) were then conducted, which explored older workers experiences of working into later life and their views on the issues identified by the employer interview study. The older worker interviews also examined their perceptions regarding their health and capabilities, appropriate health and safety measures in response to this and interviewees anticipated future in the workforce. Older workers explained that they do not feel supported or engaged. They are fearful of reporting capability changes that may affect their ability to perform work tasks, as they believe this may have negative consequences for their future employment. During discussions, they suggested various measures that may help them remain in the workforce for longer. The information gathered during the literature review and the findings from the first three studies, were then used to develop examples of good practice health and safety measures that organisations could implement to help protect and promote the health and safety of older workers. A final interview study with key employer representatives (n=16) was conducted, to understand whether the health and safety good practice measures might be considered beneficial and achievable. This study found that although organisations recognised the benefits of health and safety measures tailored for older workers, the feasibility of some of the suggestions was in doubt. Budgetary constraints, insufficient time and lack of necessary knowledge were seen as particular obstacles to implementation. This thesis has identified that although research evidence exists in relation to measures to support the health and safety of older workers, e.g. the benefits of health promotion, improved work scheduling, workplace assessments etc, this is rarely translated into practice. Within organisations, there is uncertainty about age management for older workers and limited understanding of the divergent needs as workers capabilities change. The default position then becomes to cater for a typical worker. A coordinated multi-disciplinary approach between health and safety, occupational health, human resources and operational management is required. This thesis argues for an integrated age management strategy, with an emphasis on proactive prevention, in the interests of protecting and promoting the health and safety of older workers.

Organizations are increasingly supporting employee's educational pursuits, especially when continuing education is used as a strategy to achieve organizational goals or groom future executives. Fulmer and Wagner (1999) found that best-practice organizations developed their own leaders and that senior executives were products of internal leadership development systems. This quantitative study was designed to better understand deterrents to participation in formal adult education from the perspective of mid- to upper-level professional, technical, executive, administrative, and managerial employees who participated in a quasi-governmental organization's leadership development program. The program consisted of three phases. The first two took place within the confines of the organization over a one-year period, and completion rates were almost one-hundred percent. For phase three, the formal education component of the program where three years were allotted to achieve the objectives, the completion rates were much lower. As a result, fifty-nine percent of all participants failed to complete the program in its entirety. Three questions were explored in the study: (a) despite efforts of the employer to address major deterrents (time, costs, family responsibilities, access, and employer support), to what extent do employees perceive any of these deterrents still exist, (b) what other deterrents do employees face as they approach or become active in the formal adult education segment (Phase III) of the leadership development program, and (c) what do employees perceive as enablers provided by the employer? A slightly modified Deterrents to Participation Scale-General (DPS-G) augmented with three open-ended questions was used to collect data from eight hundred and thirty-three respondents. Sixty-seven percent had completed all three phases of the leadership development program. Multivariate analysis of variance and content analysis were the primary analytical methods used. Results revealed that typical deterrents to participation in formal adult education were not very problematic for the respondents in this study; however, findings here reinforce those in the literature regarding the critical need for organizational support. The results have implications for the subject organization and may also apply to smaller organizations, global enterprise, and private industry, where leadership development programs with a formal education component exist or may be implemented. / Ph. D.

Möjligheten till att uppnå balans mellan arbete och privatliv antas i framtiden bli en allt viktigare fråga och i allt högre grad påverka individen i hennes val av arbetsgivare. Studiens syfte utformade författarna tillsammans med Halmstad kommun vilka har märkt av en svårighet att rekrytera yngre kompetenta chefer och därför önskar bli mer attraktiv som arbetsgivare. Syftet med studien är att öka förståelsen för hur kvinnliga chefer mitt i livet upplever balans i livet och vad arbetsgivaren, Halmstad kommun, kan erbjuda för att de skall uppnå balans. Undersökningen är av kvalitativ karaktär och till grund för studien låg åtta djupintervjuer med kvinnliga mellanchefer. Enbart kvinnor valdes ut till studien eftersom kvinnor utöver sitt lönearbete traditionellt sett även antas utföra det mesta av hushållsarbetet. Resultatet visade att de kvinnliga cheferna ansåg sig ha balans mellan arbete och privatliv. Exempel på faktorer som kan hämma balansen är otillräckligt stöd från chef och en för hög arbetsbelastning utan möjlighet till avlastning. Arbetsgivaren kan i hög grad påverka de anställdas upplevelse och möjlighet till balans genom arbetsvillkoren. Balans i livet kan bland annat främjas av en familjevänlig personalpolitik. / The possibility to obtain a work-life balance will in the future be of greater importance in an individual’s choice of employer. The purpose of the study was drawn up in collaboration with the municipal of Halmstad who, since they have experienced some difficulties in attracting and recruiting younger qualified managers, wants to become more attractive as employer. The purpose decided upon was to enlarge the understanding of how female managers in the middle scene of life experience work-life balance and what their employer, the municipal of Halmstad, can offer their employees to facilitate a work-life balance. It is a qualitative study in which eight deep interviews with female middle managers make up the foundation. Only women were chosen to the study since women, even though they are employed outside of the home, traditionally carry out most the domestic chores. The result showed that the female middle managers felt that they today experienced a work-life balance. Some of the elements that can restrain a positive work-life balance are insufficient support from superior manager and a high degree of workload without relief. It was found that through the working conditions is the employer to a large extent able to influence the employee’s experience of work-life balance. Family-friendly organizational policies, among other factors, can foster work-life balance.

In this study an ecosystemic and social constructionist approach is used to understand the meanings and perceptions held by working mothers in relation to their experiences with the childcare and organisation settings. These meanings are described in terms of the influence of wider social discourses, personal epistemological assumptions, tacit knowledge, past experiences and current contexts. The working mothers, together with the researcher, form a linguistic system in which meanings about motherhood, employer-support and childcare arrangements are co-constructed and shared. The relationships between the working mothers and the researcher are not only observed within a linguistic context, but also within the ecosystemic view of mutual reciprocity, self-referentiality and double description. A qualitative and naturalistic research methodology is followed to describe the emergent design and the grounded theory. Based on the qualitative paradigm, the conclusions drawn at the end of the study are idiographic and reflective. / Psychology / M.A.(Clinical Psychology)

In this study an ecosystemic and social constructionist approach is used to understand the meanings and perceptions held by working mothers in relation to their experiences with the childcare and organisation settings. These meanings are described in terms of the influence of wider social discourses, personal epistemological assumptions, tacit knowledge, past experiences and current contexts. The working mothers, together with the researcher, form a linguistic system in which meanings about motherhood, employer-support and childcare arrangements are co-constructed and shared. The relationships between the working mothers and the researcher are not only observed within a linguistic context, but also within the ecosystemic view of mutual reciprocity, self-referentiality and double description. A qualitative and naturalistic research methodology is followed to describe the emergent design and the grounded theory. Based on the qualitative paradigm, the conclusions drawn at the end of the study are idiographic and reflective. / Psychology / M.A.(Clinical Psychology)