The effects of psychological capital, work engagement and job autonomy on job performance in platform flexible employees.

The performance of platform flexible employees is a core element that contributes to the rapid growth of the sharing economy platform. It is crucial to explore strategies to improve employees' performance with the growing competition among these platforms. Only a handful of research evidence has been found evaluating platform flexible employees' psychological capital and work engagement to improve their performance. In order to remedy the gap, we draw on self-determination theory to develop a moderated mediation model, which examines how psychological capital affects platform flexible employees' job performance. We employed hierarchical regression analysis to test the theoretical model and carried out two rounds of surveys, resulting in 474 valid paired questionnaires. The questionnaire assessed the psychological capital, work engagement, job performance, and job autonomy of flexible platform employees. The results indicate that work engagement plays a mediating role between psychological capital affects platform flexible employees' job performance. Moreover, job autonomy moderates the mediating effect. The findings not only contribute to the literature on employees' psychological capital and job performance, but also broaden the research scope of self-determination theory, and provide new ideas for improving the job performance of platform flexible employees.

Why your help is unhelpful: A multistage mediation model exploring mechanisms linking unhelpful workplace social support to work engagement.

Recent occupational health research has begun exploring unhelpful workplace social support (UWSS). UWSS refers to actions taken by a colleague that the recipient believes are intended to be helpful but are perceived as ineffective. For example, a colleague may provide help that is not wanted or do something incorrectly while providing aid. Despite the perceived good intentions of UWSS providers, empirical research suggests that UWSS is a potent workplace demand negatively associated with occupational well-being. The mechanisms that link UWSS and reduced occupational well-being, however, have yet to receive empirical examination. We integrate the job demands-resources model, conservation of resources theory, and basic needs theory to construct a multistage model linking UWSS to reduced work engagement via the frustration of basic psychological needs and the consequent experiencing of negative emotions. We test this model across two studies-a three-wave weekly study (NLevel 1 = 960, NLevel 2 = 320) and a 5-day daily diary study (NLevel 1 = 1,680, NLevel 2 = 336)-and find several significant direct and indirect effects. Across both studies (though at different levels of analysis), partial support was linked to reduced work engagement via the frustration of both the need for competence and relatedness and the experiencing of negative affect, while in Study 2, a daily link between undependable support and work engagement through relatedness frustration and the experiencing of negative affect was found. Implications for research and practice are discussed, and future research directions are offered. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved).

Pets at work: integrating pet-friendly initiatives into human resources for enhanced workplace harmony.

AIMS: The representation of companion animals, or pets, has been changing recently. Research concerning how pets influence employees' work-related well-being has also started to take its first steps. This research aimed to analyze (1) how managers perceive pet-friendly practices and their main effects at work, and (2) the impact of such practices on employees' well-being and work engagement. Relying on the social exchange perspective and the self-determination theory it was hypothesized that pet-friendly practices would positively influence employees' well-being and work engagement by satisfying their three basic needs (autonomy, competence, and relatedness). METHODOLOGY: Two studies with mixed methods were conducted. The first and exploratory study resorted to semi-structured interviews with six managers. The second was a two-wave study conducted with a large sample of workers (N = 379). RESULTS: The first study highlighted the primary advantages and disadvantages of pet-friendly practices, along with the various obstacles and limitations, and proposed managerial strategies to overcome them. Managers generally expressed interest and enthusiasm about the topic but also pointed out challenges in implementing a pet-friendly strategy due to the limited number of empirical studies demonstrating its benefits. The second study's findings indicated that pet-friendly practices positively impacted employees' work engagement and well-being by fulfilling their needs for competence, autonomy, and relatedness. ORIGINALITY: Overall, Portugal is seen as having a conservative culture, which slows the dissemination and implementation of these measures. To overcome these challenges, several managerial recommendations have been proposed. Raising awareness and fostering discussion on the topic are crucial steps toward integrating pet-friendly policies into human resources management.

Let's talk about work: pilot study of an education program on discussing work participation with cancer patients for general practitioners in training.

BACKGROUND: Cancer patients report that they lack support from healthcare providers when it comes to returning to or maintaining employment. In the education of general practitioners (GPs) in the Netherlands, there is little attention given to discussing work participation with patients. The aim of this pilot study was to evaluate a newly developed education program for GPs in training that focuses on discussing work participation with cancer patients. METHODS: Two groups of in total twenty-one GPs in training participated in the education program. GPs were educated about the importance of discussing work participation with patients, work-related problems cancer patients can experience, and advice they can give to support cancer patients regarding work issues. In this pilot study using a mixed-method design, participants evaluated the program in two self-developed questionnaires and in a focus group discussion. RESULTS: Seventeen participating GPs (81%) indicated that the education program was suitable for implementation in the education curriculum. Eleven participants (52%) reported that they had never discussed work participation with cancer patients before. Directly after the education program, eighteen participants (86%) reported that they planned to discuss work participation more often with their patients. Four months after the program, 67% indicated they had applied their new knowledge and skills in practice by discussing work participation and by referring cancer patients to occupational health professionals or online resources. According to the GPs in training, integrating the topic of work participation into other education for GPs in training and focusing on a broader group of patients could improve the impact of the education program. CONCLUSIONS: According to the results of this pilot study, the newly developed education program increased the awareness of GPs in training on the importance of discussing work participation with cancer patients. Future studies should focus on whether cancer patients experience more support from their GPs for maintaining and returning to employment after their GP has participated in the training program.

Burnout, Engagement, and Resilience During the COVID-19 Lockdown: Keys to a Model for Teachers' Self-Efficacy.

BACKGROUND: Social isolation measures by the COVID-19 pandemic have impacted teaching work. In an "Emergency Remote Teaching" (ERT) context, it is relevant to investigate the factors that affect teachers' self-efficacy. METHODS: A total of 289 teachers from schools in southern Spain have participated in this study. They have been asked about their levels of burnout, engagement, and resilience. Comparisons were made by groups in accordance with sex, type of center they belonged to, school social context, and educational level in which the teacher taught. Using a Structural Equations Model, the multivariate relationships between the variables related to burnout, engagement, and resilience were described. RESULTS: During the ERT, teachers' self-efficacy was influenced by the 3 factors: burnout-exhaustion and cynicism-engagement, and resilience. During the ERT, the teachers in semi-private and private centers showed greater self-efficacy. In turn, the teachers in childhood and primary education showed a significantly higher level of work engagement than the teachers in compulsory and post-compulsory secondary education. CONCLUSIONS: The results in relation to ERT are discussed in the context of the exceptionality and universal globality of the pandemic phenomenon and the complex self-perception of the social value of the teaching function.

Association between perceived overqualification, work engagement, job satisfaction among nurses: a cross-sectional study.

OBJECTIVES: This cross-sectional correlational study aimed to understand nurses' perceived overqualification and work engagement, explore their effects on job satisfaction and provide a theoretical basis for hospital management policies in a public comprehensive tertiary hospital in China. DESIGN: Cross-sectional correlational study. SETTING: The study was conducted in a public comprehensive tertiary hospital in China. The specific location is not disclosed. PARTICIPANTS: 584 nurses participated in the study, with a completion rate of 97.3%. The average age of participants was 34.8±6.7 years, with 96.4% being women. 67.8% held a bachelor's degree or higher, and 71.6% had over 5 years of work experience. PRIMARY AND SECONDARY OUTCOME MEASURES: The Scale of Perceived Overqualification was used to assess nurses' perceptions of their qualifications, demonstrating a high level of reliability with a Cronbach's alpha coefficient of 0.832. Utrecht Work Engagement Scale was used to assess nurses' work engagement, showing internal consistency coefficients (Cronbach's alpha) of 0.683 for the vigour dimension, 0.693 for the dedication dimension and 0.834 for the absorption dimension. Minnesota Satisfaction Questionnaire was used to evaluate nurses' job satisfaction, with internal consistency coefficients (Cronbach's alpha) of 0.765 for the intrinsic satisfaction scale and 0.734 for the extrinsic satisfaction scale. The primary outcome measures included perceived overqualification, work engagement and job satisfaction. RESULTS: The average scores for perceived overqualification, work engagement and job satisfaction were 26.38±3.44, 65.36±14.92 and 74.29±15.04, respectively. Perceived overqualification showed negative correlations with work engagement (r=-0.562, p<0.05) and job satisfaction (r=-0.674, p<0.05). However, work engagement was positively correlated with job satisfaction (r=0.519, p<0.05). Path analysis indicated that perceived overqualification had both a direct (ß=-0.06, p<0.001) and an indirect effect (ß=-0.35, p=0.015) on job satisfaction, with work engagement partially mediating this relationship. CONCLUSION: The perception of overqualification among nurses shows a significant correlation with both their work engagement and job satisfaction. This finding suggests that hospital administrators should pay attention to nurses' perceptions of their qualifications and take measures to enhance their job satisfaction. Furthermore, work engagement acts as a mediator between the perception of overqualification and job satisfaction, emphasising the importance of increasing work engagement. Overall, hospitals can improve nurses' work engagement and job satisfaction by providing career development opportunities, establishing feedback mechanisms and fostering work-life balance. Comprehensive management measures focusing on nurses' career development opportunities and levels of work engagement are necessary. Future research could expand the sample size, employ more diverse research designs and integrate qualitative research methods to further explore the factors influencing nurses' job satisfaction and happiness.

Integrating the ESM usage and work engagement for employee agility performance: based on regulatory focus theory.

This present research aims to clarify the intricate conjunction of enterprise social media (ESM) utilization and employee agility with a main focus on uncovering the underlying mechanisms that work through the mediating influence of work engagement and the moderating influence of regulatory focus. Drawing upon regularity focus theory, 353 Chinese samples of ESM users in organizational contexts are analyzed using SPSS 23.0. The empirical findings substantiate a robust and significant positive linkage between ESM usage and worker agility. Further reinforcing the model, the mediating role of work engagement is established as it channels the impact of ESM usage on worker agility. Turning to the moderating effects, the study unveils the differential impact of prevention focus and promotion focus, wherein individuals with a lower prevention focus exhibit a more pronounced positive linkage between ESM usage and worker agility. Similarly, individuals with a higher promotion focus demonstrate a heightened positive association between ESM usage and worker agility. By comprehensively inspecting the intricate dynamics of ESM usage, work engagement, and regulatory focus, this study enhances our theoretical understanding of how these factors synergistically shape employee agility, ultimately furnishing organizations with invaluable insights to foster and cultivate an agile workforce.

Impact of heartfulness meditation practice compared to the gratitude practices on wellbeing and work engagement among healthcare professionals: Randomized trial.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate whether Heartfulness meditation practice, compared to Gratitude practice, leads to measurable changes in mental wellbeing among healthcare providers across the US. METHOD: Participants were randomly assigned to one of the following 6-week interventions: the trainer-guided virtual Heartfulness meditation program or the podcast-based self-guided gratitude practice group. The Professional Quality of Life Scale-5 (ProQOL-5) was used to determine Compassion Satisfaction (CS) and risk for Burnout (BO) and secondary traumatic stress (STS). The Utrecht Work Engagement Scale (UWES) was used to assess vigor, dedication, and absorption at work. Outcomes were collected at baseline and the end of the study period. Qualitative questions regarding the experience of learning and practicing were also offered at the end of the six weeks. RESULTS: The majority of participants were nurses (50%), followed by allied healthcare professionals (37%) and physicians (13%) (N = 83). There was a general trend towards increases in CS in the Heartfulness group compared to the gratitude group. However, this was not statistically significant. Strong evidence suggests there was a significant improvement in BO for the Heartfulness group between Week 0 and Week 6 (p = 0.002), as well as STS (p = 0.0004) and vigor (p = 0.0392). Qualitative data analysis revealed that the subjects in the Heartfulness arm reported improved sleep and decreased reactivity to stress. Subjects in the gratitude arm reported improved mood and favorable results using gratitude practices at home with family members. CONCLUSION: In our study, Heartfulness meditation practice was associated with a significant improvement in burnout and vigor at work, with a trend towards compassion satisfaction after six weeks compared with gratitude practices. Qualitative analysis indicates the benefits of both Heartfulness and Gratitude practices. Further randomized trials with a larger sample size are needed to explore these science-based practices for the wellbeing of healthcare workers.

Exploring the relationship between psychosocial factors, work engagement, and mental health: a structural equation modeling analysis among faculty in Saudi Arabia.

BACKGROUND: Psychosocial hazards in the workplace were identified as a considerable risk to employee mental health as well as their general well-being. Few studies were found to examine its relationship with work engagement and mental health. Thus, this study examines the relationships between psychosocial factors, work engagement, and mental health within the faculty in Saudi Arabia using structural equation modeling. METHODS: The cross-sectional study was conducted with a sample size of 375 faculty. Data collection was done using a self-administered online survey that included instruments such as the Copenhagen Psychosocial Questionnaire (COPSOQ), Utrecht Work Engagement Scale (UWES), and General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-12). SmartPLS 3 software facilitated data analysis and included the assessment of factors. Structural equation modelling was used to examine the interplay between psychosocial factors, work engagement, and mental health. RESULTS: The robust measurement model was characterized by high loadings (0.719 to 0.970), Cronbach's alpha (0.595 to 0.933), and composite reliability (0.807 to 0.968). Convergent and discriminant validity were confirmed using AVE and various criteria. The fit of the saturated model was superior. Burnout explained significant variance (0.585) with predictive relevance for all constructs. Notably, the impact of burnout on family conflict and the influence of stress on burnout were found to have significant effect sizes. CONCLUSION: The study uses structural equation modeling to examine the relationships between psychosocial factors, work engagement, and mental health among faculty in Saudi Arabia. The robust measurement model demonstrated high reliability and validity, while the saturated model demonstrated excellent fit. These findings contribute to our understanding of psychosocial dynamics, work engagement, and overall health among faculty in Saudi Arabia.

Oncologists' psychological flourishing: A driving force for positive attitudes at work.

OBJECTIVE: Oncologists' psychological health is a major challenge due to the consequential concerning the quality of the care they provide. However, only critical states of their health have been really examined by scientists. This study sought to plug this gap by investigating the mediating role of psychological flourishing in the relationship between the perception of the professional social context (i.e., perceived workplace isolation and organizational support) and positive attitudes at work among oncologists (i.e., work engagement, task adjustment and empathy). METHODS: The study was a cross-sectional, including 541 French oncologists. Participants completed a self-report questionnaire. Structural Equation Modeling was employed to test the hypotheses. RESULTS: The analysis revealed that workplace isolation and organizational support perceptions were related to oncologists' work engagement, task adjustment and empathy. Additionally, psychological flourishing acted as a partial mediator between these perceptions of professional social context and oncologists' work-related attitudes. CONCLUSIONS: This research underlined the potential of enhancing the psychological flourishing of oncologists by improving organizational support and mitigating their sense of isolation, and in turn, to enhance some dimensions of their positive attitudes at work.

Client and employee engagement measures predict resignations of veterinary support staff: An analysis of UK companion animal practice data.

BACKGROUND: This study aimed to identify factors associated with veterinary support staff resigning from UK companion animal veterinary practices. METHODS: Cross-sectional employment data from support staff working across a group of veterinary practices on 31 December 2020 were retrospectively analysed. The support staff were categorised as those who remained at, or resigned from, their practice over the following 12-month period. The proposed risk factors for future resignations were analysed using multivariable binary logistic regression modelling. RESULTS: In total, 398 of 2068 (19.2%) veterinary support staff resigned during the study period. Factors associated with greater odds of future resignations included lower staff engagement (employee net promoter score; odds ratio [OR] = 0.99; 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.99-1.00; p < 0.001), lower client practice engagement (net promoter score; OR = 0.98; 95% CI 0.97-1.00; p = 0.012), shorter tenure (OR = 0.92; 95% CI 0.90-0.95; p < 0.001), recent parental leave (OR = 2.37; 95% CI 1.38-4.07; p = 0.002) and younger age (OR = 0.99; 95% CI 0.98-1.00; p = 0.017). LIMITATIONS: Data were collected retrospectively and were not recorded for research purposes. CONCLUSIONS: Employee and client net promoter scores are important predictors of resignations and could be useful tools for managers. Recent parental leave is a predictor of support staff attrition, and 'return to work' interventions may present an opportunity to improve retention.

Mechanisms Explaining the Longitudinal Effect of Psychosocial Safety Climate on Work Engagement and Emotional Exhaustion among Education and Healthcare Professionals during the COVID-19 Pandemic.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, the education and healthcare sectors were severely affected. There is a need to investigate the ways in which these workers in at-risk sectors can be protected and through what mechanisms. The aims of this research are, therefore, (1) to assess the mediating role of job demands and resources in the relationship between psychosocial safety climate (PSC) and work engagement and emotional exhaustion, and (2) to test for sector-specific differences among education and healthcare professionals during the COVID-19 pandemic. In the study, which employed a longitudinal design including three measurement times, 70 education professionals and 69 healthcare professionals completed a questionnaire measuring PSC, psychological demands, social support, recognition, work engagement, and emotional exhaustion. The results show that PSC was significantly higher among education professionals than among healthcare professionals. When considering both job sectors together, mediation analyses show that social support mediates the PSC-work engagement relationship, while psychological demands mediate the PSC-emotional exhaustion relationship. Moderated mediation analyses show that job sector is a moderator: among education professionals, colleague support and recognition mediate the PSC-work engagement relationship, and psychological demands mediate the PSC-emotional exhaustion relationship. PSC is associated with more balanced job demands and resources, higher work engagement, and lower emotional exhaustion among education and healthcare professionals. The study of these two sectors, which are both vital to society but also more exposed to adverse work conditions, shows the importance that managers and executives must attach to their mental health by improving their respective working conditions.

Self-appropriation in nurse engagement: Facilitating the development of expert nurses using Benner and Lonergan.

Expert nurses, as described by the work of Patricia Benner, are at the peak of clinical nursing practice and vitally important in ensuring the best possible patient care and clinical outcomes. The development of Benner's theory and its relationship with the Dreyfus model of skill acquisition provides context for understanding the progression necessary for expert development. Contemporary healthcare challenges present implications to the development of advancing levels of nursing practice. Engagement has been identified as critical to achieving expert practice. I propose the incorporation of the philosophical framework of self-appropriation from Benard Lonergan as a strategy to develop internal engagement in nurses to facilitate expert practice. I outline the synergy between Benner's theory and the work of Lonergan, which provide overlap and opportunity to overcome barriers to developing expert nursing practice. In the challenging climate of healthcare, there is an obligation to promote engagement and facilitate expert nurse development, necessary for patient outcomes as well as clinical role models, preceptors, and leaders to guide future nurses.

Associations of clinical context-specific ambiguity tolerance with burnout and work engagement among Japanese physicians: a nationwide cross-sectional study.

PURPOSE: Ambiguity tolerance specific to the clinical context - in contrast to ambiguity tolerance as a personality trait - may vary with experience and has received considerable attention. Although this tolerance appears to be related to burnout and work engagement, few studies have examined this association among physicians. Thus, we aimed to examine the relationships between clinical context-specific ambiguity tolerance, burnout, and work engagement among physicians in Japan. METHODS: We conducted a nationwide cross-sectional study in Japan. We invited family physicians from 14 family medicine residency programs and physicians with specialties other than family medicine from monitors of an Internet survey company to participate in the study. We measured ambiguity tolerance in the clinical context using the Japanese version of the Tolerance of Ambiguity in Medical Students and Doctors (J-TAMSAD) scale, burnout using the Japanese version of the Burnout Assessment Scale (BAT-J), and work engagement using the Utrecht Work Engagement Scale (UWES). We performed a multivariable linear regression analysis to determine whether the J-TAMSAD scale score was associated with the BAT-J and UWES scores. RESULTS: 383 respondents were included in the analysis. After adjustment for possible confounders, clinical context-specific ambiguity tolerance showed a dose-dependent negative association with burnout (adjusted mean difference -0.39, 95% confidence interval (CI) -0.56 to -0.22 for the highest J-TAMSAD score quartile compared with the lowest). Ambiguity tolerance in the clinical context also showed a dose-dependent positive association with work engagement (adjusted mean difference 0.83, 95% CI 0.49 to 1.16 for the highest J-TAMSAD score quartile compared with the lowest). CONCLUSIONS: Our study showed that tolerance for ambiguity in the clinical context was negatively associated with burnout, and positively associated with work engagement. These findings will be useful in developing interventions aimed at preventing burnout and promoting work engagement among physicians.

Job demands-resources theory: Frequently asked questions.

Job demands-resources (JD-R) theory is commonly used to predict employee well-being, work behaviors, and performance. This article provides a short description of JD-R theory and discusses issues and questions that have been raised regarding the theory. These issues include the differences between conservation of resources theory and JD-R theory, whether a job resource can be a job demand, the impact of job resources on strain and health, the role of hindrance and challenge job demands in JD-R theory, the relationship between job demands and resources, and the likelihood of work engagement being a redundant concept. We also discuss whether JD-R theory can be falsified, the role of personality in the theory, within- and between-person effects in JD-R theory, the question whether there is a standard JD-R questionnaire, and the existence of loss and gain spirals. Finally, we discuss the use of JD-R theory in domains other than work and answer the question whether JD-R theory is universally applicable. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved).

The relationship between the living environment and remote working: an analysis using the SHEL model.

Objective: This study investigates the relationship of living environment factors with satisfaction, work engagement, perceived productivity, and stress among teleworkers. Background: Given the increase in telecommuting since the onset of the pandemic, the study aims to identify how to create an optimum environment for telecommuting workers. Methods: By examining the relationships among these factors via multiple regression analysis, a comprehensive investigation of the telecommuting working environment is conducted, encompassing physical aspects and facilities as well as lifestyle rhythms and relationships with housemates. In doing so, the author identifies measures to create a more favorable living environment. The work environment of remote workers is examined from various perspectives using the framework of the SHEL model: Software (work content, lifestyle, etc.), Hardware (furniture, equipment, etc.), Environment (indoor environment), and Liveware (relationships with family members who reside with the worker). Results: The results suggest that positive factors, such as satisfaction and work engagement, are strongly influenced by the degree of job autonomy and the availability of a workspace dedicated to personal use. Negative aspects, such as stress, are significantly impacted by environmental noise, interruptions due to household tasks, and the use of ergonomic furniture.

Bridging Educational Grant in Nursing (BEGIN) students' intentions for retention in long-term, home and community care: A survey protocol.

INTRODUCTION: Retention of nurses in long-term care (LTC) and home and community care (HCC) settings is a growing concern. Previous evidence underscores factors which contribute to nurses' intentions for retention in these sectors. However, perspectives of nursing students preparing to enter the workforce, and their intentions for short-term and long-term retention, remain unknown. This study aims to explore relationships between short-term and long-term intentions for retention with psychological empowerment, work engagement, career commitment, burnout, prosocial motivation, self-care and personal resilience among students enrolled in nursing educational bridging programs supported by the Bridging Educational Grant in Nursing (BEGIN) program in Ontario, Canada. METHODS AND ANALYSIS: This cross-sectional design study will use an open online survey to investigate perspectives of current nursing students enrolled in educational bridging programs on factors relating to psychological empowerment, work engagement, career commitment, resilience, burnout, prosocial motivation, self-care and intentions for retention. Additionally, the survey will collect demographic information, including age, gender, ethnicity, citizenship, income, family status, nursing role, and years of employment and/or education. Open-ended questions will elicit participants' perspectives on financial considerations for career planning and other factors impacting intentions for retention. Descriptive data will be presented for contextualisation of participants' demographic characteristics to enhance generalisability of the cohort. Descriptive statistics will be used to summarise participants' scores on various assessment measures, as well as their short-term and long-term intentions for retention in LTC and HCC after completion of BEGIN. A Pearson's product moment r correlation will determine relationships between intentions for retention and other measures, and linear regression will determine whether any potential correlations can be explained by regression. ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION: This research protocol received ethical approval from a research-intensive university research ethics board (#123211). Findings will be disseminated to nursing knowledge users in LTC and HCC through publications, conferences, social media and newsletters.

What have we learned about risk assessment and interventions to prevent work-related musculoskeletal disorders and support work participation?

OBJECTIVE: The Scandinavian Journal of Work, Environment & Health (SJWEH) was established half a century ago. This paper provides an overview of research on musculoskeletal disorders (MSD) published over these 50 years. Three themes are described: risk assessment, interventions to prevent work-related MSD, and interventions to support work participation. Finally, implications for future research are highlighted. METHODS: A systematic literature search was performed for all papers on MSD published in SJWEH. Each paper was coded on several criteria including research topic, type of MSD, risk factor(s), and number of citations. Findings were tabulated, and discussions within the author team defined the main results and future research directions. RESULTS: The search resulted in 1056 papers, of which 474 were included. The most reported-on MSD was low-back pain (LBP, 18%) and the most reported-on work-related risk factors were physically demanding work (14%) and psychosocial factors (12%). Research has contributed to improving case definitions, refining work-related exposure criteria, and recognizing the varying importance of physical and psychosocial factors across different MSD. Research on the association between work-related risk factors and LBP continues to emerge. Effective interventions for prevention of MSD are characterised by sufficient exposure reduction, while supporting work participation requires integrating health care, with multidisciplinary actions directed at factors involving the worker, employer, and workplace. CONCLUSION: Research has provided valuable insights into risk assessment, interventions for preventing work-related MSD, and supporting work participation. Intervention studies remain warranted and new areas include adopting whole-system approaches to prevent work-related MSD and promoting the concept of musculoskeletal health.

Bridging perceived organizational support with learning motivation and work engagement: the mediating role of focus on opportunity.

OBJECTIVES: Perceived organizational support (POS) represents the extent to which employees believe their organization values their contributions and well-being. Although higher POS is associated with increased work engagement and learning motivation, the intricacies of this relationship, especially the mediation by occupational future time perspective (OFTP), are not well understood. METHODS: We conducted an online survey of 2046 working individuals aged 20-69 to assess the relationships between POS and 2 outcome variables, learning goal orientation (LGO) and work engagement, with multiple regression analyses for all ages and in the younger age group (under 45). Then, the mediating effects of focus on opportunity (FOO)-a primary component of OFTP-on these relationships were examined. RESULTS: Of 2046 participants, 887 were younger than 45 years. Younger participants, predominantly more educated and inclined toward professional jobs, exhibited higher LGO but lower work engagement compared with their older counterparts. POS showed positive correlations with LGO, and FOO significantly mediated the relationship, especially in the young group. Furthermore, a positive relationship between POS and work engagement was noted, with FOO as a partial mediator. CONCLUSIONS: POS correlates positively with both LGO and work engagement across various age demographics, with FOO critically mediating this relationship. To enhance employee engagement and learning motivation, organizations should emphasize bolstering both POS and FOO.

Psychometric properties of the Persian version of the Engaged teachers Scale (ETS).

BACKGROUND & AIM: Teacher engagement can be defined as the teachers' effort and attention to teaching professional tasks, adequate emotions and commitment to relationships with students and colleagues in classroom and school. The Engaged Teacher Scale (ETS) is the frequently used scale, measuring teacher engagement developed by Klassen et al., 2013 in the UK, and consists of four dimensions: cognitive engagement (CE), emotional engagement (EE), social engagement with students (SES), and social engagement with colleagues (SEC). Therefore, the aim of this study was to measure the psychometric properties of the Persian version of the Engaged Teachers Scale (ETS). MATERIALS & METHODS: A total of 123 teachers who worked at Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran, were included in this study. The study participants were selected using the convenience sampling. The Persian version of a 16-item scale developed by Klassen et al. was validated by this study. Face and Content validity index and reliability were assessed after translation and cultural adaptation, and also construct validity was calculated by confirmatory factor analysis using the PLS22. RESULTS: Of the 123 study participants, 74 (60.01%) were females and 49 (39.9%) were males. The mean age of the subjects was about 30-40 years. The majority of the study participants were general practitioners (n = 75; 60.9%) and others were from different specialists. Content validity among 15 experts was 0.88. Confirmatory factor analysis for all 16 items loaded across four factors, and this four-factor scale showed a good fit in the Iranian community. Reliability using Cronbach's alpha was 0.79. The value of root mean square error of approximation (RMSEA) was 0.0094 with the 99% confidence interval, and also the goodness of fit index GFI value was 0.98. CONCLUSION: The Persian version of ETS had good validity and reliability in Iran and could be a useful tool for measuring the teacher engagement factors of faculty members that can be used by teachers and educational administrators.