Occupational Health in the Digital Age: Implications for Remote Work Environments

In this digital age, where working from home is becoming more common, the patterns of workplace health are changing in ways that require a thorough analysis of the effects on employee health. This study looks into the many parts of job health in places where people work from home, looking at how technology, human behavior, and company rules interact.The digital age has made work plans more flexible than ever before, letting workers do their jobs from anywhere. This paradigm shift has some benefits, like making things more flexible and easy to access, but it also brings a lot of problems that need to be carefully thought through. Long-term use of digital devices can be bad for your body, and being alone at work can be bad for your mental health. Remote work situations have their own health issues that need a unique approach.This study brings together different pieces of research on workplace health to highlight the new health risks that come with the digitalization of work. There is a close look at how technology can help or hurt employee health and a study of how companies can lower health risks in remote work settings.Additionally, the study looks into the possible long-term effects of long-term remote work on mental and physical health, as well as how well present workplace health systems can adapt to the changing nature of work. By critically evaluating the intersection of technology and health, this study provides valuable insights for policymakers, organizations, and individuals seeking to optimize the well-being of remote workers in the digital age

Students envisioning the future.

How can students be included as critical stakeholders in the systems and services provided by a university? To address the whole student experience, we engaged students and employees at a large Swedish university in a vision seminar process to elicit how these groups envisioned an ideal future university, and the necessary changes to technology and organisational structures required to achieve this ideal version. The process entailed six four-hour workshops with four groups consisting of six participants each. A survey instrument was used to follow up on the participants' experiences of participating in the vision seminar process and their thoughts on the future of the university. The results show that the participating students were more positive compared to the university employees. The students envisioned harmonized interdepartmental systems, seamlessly integrating a variety of services into one university-provided solution. The employees envisioned their future work as flexible, enabled by technology providing excellent support without hindering pedagogical and organisational development. Using technological frames, these visions of the future are identified, analysed and discussed in relation to the quality of university education and a holistic view on students' university experience. Finally we discuss the broader implications of the visions on the future of university education

The Differences in Stress Levels for African-Americans working in Technical Based Occupations and Non-Technical based Occupations in Mississippi

The purpose of this study was to determine if there were any differences in stress levels for African-Americans working in technical and non-technical based occupations. In order to adequately address the differences in stress levels for African-Americans, this study examined the data from an existing study called the Jackson Heart Study. Based on the weekly stress of individuals when performing their occupations, information and data were collected from 3 questionnaires that were correlated with stress and occupations of African-Americans in Mississippi. These questionnaires were the Household Enumeration Form, Personal Data and Socioeconomic Form, and the Stress Form. The research design for this study was descriptive and correlational. The study was made-up of 4451 participants (3371 females and 1935 males). The average age of the participants was 55 for females and 54 for males. 57% of the participants in this study indicated that their occupation was not stressful. After the data were collected and analyzed, this study found that there was a significant relationship between occupation traits and stress levels for African-Americans working in Mississippi. This study also found that there was a statistical relationship between stress on the job and technical occupations, which suggests higher stress was found in technical based occupations. In addition, this study found that females had a 40% higher odds of stress while working in technical occupations and men. Also, this research study found that older people had lower odds of stress on the job than younger people. Overall, Jackson Heart Study participants who identified as working in technical occupations were more stressed than participants in non-technical occupations. Based on the results of this study, it was recommended for future studies to use a broader national population of Caucasian, Asia Americans, and African-Americans in the North, East, and West that were made up of diverse occupations and backgrounds to examine if there was any difference in stress levels. Also, it was also recommended that future studies use a more in-depth investigation of health issues of employees caused by the job

What and Why of Technostress: Technology Antecedents and Implications

The Bureau of Labor Statistics (2002) reports that, on average, individuals worked seven hours per week from home in addition to regular work hours. This is made possible by advances in information and communication technologies (ICTs). While the increasing workload is not unusual, it has been related to stress, including the relatively new phenomenon of stress induced by technologies (technostress). Academic literature, popular press and anecdotal evidence suggest that ICTs are responsible for increased stress levels in individuals. However, it is not very clear as to how or why ICTs create stress. Prior research on technostress has been largely descriptive. As ICTs become ubiquitous, their stressful impact can be felt at all levels of an organization. Stress related health costs are increasing dramatically and there is evidence of decreased productivity in stressed individuals (Chilton et al., 2005; Cooper et al., 2001; Jex, 1998). So, organizations have incentives to better understand stressful situations at workplace. Based on the literature from management information systems, psychology, organizational behavior, and occupational stress, a model of technostress is developed to address the question of \u27how and why information and communication technologies enable stress in individuals\u27. Person-Environment fit model (Edwards, 1996) is used as a theoretical lens to explain technostress. The research model proposes that certain technology characteristics exacerbate stressors identified in occupational stress literature leading to the manifestation of stress, referred to as strain. Specifically, technology characteristics - usability (usefulness, complexity, and reliability), intrusive (presenteeism, anonymity), and dynamic (pace of change) are proposed to be related to stressors (work overload, role ambiguity, invasion of privacy, work-home conflict, and job insecurity). Survey design methodology is used to test the proposed research model. Field data for 692 working professionals was obtained from a market research firm (Zoomerang®). In general, the results from structural equation modeling supported the hypotheses from the model. The results suggest that technostress is prevalent (and a significant predictor of overall job strain). Specifically, work overload and role ambiguity are found to be the two most dominant stressors, whereas intrusive technology characteristics are found to be the dominant predictors of stressors. The results from this study have implications for both research and practice. It opens up new avenues for research by showing that ICTs are a source of stress - thereby addressing calls to understand the stressful impacts of ICTs (Nelson, 1990; Weber, 2004). To our knowledge, it is the first empirical study to address the phenomenon of technostress that is theoretically grounded in stress research. The implications of present research to other research streams such as resistance to technologies, value of technology investments are also highlighted. Based on research findings, this research proposes certain recommendations that can influence managerial action. Foremost among these, it brings attention to presence of technostress in organizations and also provides a framework which can be used to assess the extent to which technostress is prevalent

Towards a Better Comprehension of Adaptation to Information and Communication Technologies: A Multi-level Approach

Despite the variety of literature on ‘adaptation to technology’, the literature still witnesses a gap concerning the concept of adaptation especially about its multi-level nature. Recognizing the multilevel nature of IS adaptation, we rise the challenge of conducting an alternate template analysis of three cases of adaptation to IS in order to provide complementary explanations about the phenomenon. In order to expand the comprehension of the ‘adaptation’ concept, a multi-study dissertation model is adopted. The objective is to examine the adaptation concept on three different levels: the individual, the group level, and the organizational level. This thesis aims at 1) exploring the shaping of individual adaptive actions that knowledge workers engage towards technostress with a focus on the factors that influence their adaptation process; 2) examining the adaptive performance of a group facing an newlyimplemented technology based on the adaptive structuration theory (DeSanctis and Poole 1994) under which were puzzled the concepts of affordances (Leonardi 2011, Leonardi, Huysman et al. 2013) and the structure of usage (Burton-Jones and Straub Jr 2006, Burton-Jones and Gallivan 2007); 3) examining, through an organizational learning lens (Argyris and Schon 1978), the case of an organizational adaptation to environmental technological changes examined within a managerial cognition conceptual framework (Orlikowski and Gash 1994); (Bijker 1987, Bijker 1995). To answer the different research questions, the three studies adopt a qualitative approach falling within a critical realist perspective

Specifics of work-related stress and burnout syndrome in psychologists in clinical practice.

Tato diplomová práce se zabývá problematikou pracovních stresorů a syndromu vyhoření u psychologů působících v klinické praxi. Literárně přehledová část se věnuje konceptům pracovního stresu, stresorů a syndromu vyhoření. Dále se zaměřuje na specifikaci pozice českém zdravotnictví a popisuje aktuální výzkumné poznatky týkající se tématu diplomové práce. Empirická část předkládá výzkumný projekt, jehož cílem acovních stresorů a zkušeností se syndromem vyhoření u psychologů v praxi. Celkem bylo provedeno 10 polostrukturovaných rozhovorů a na základě tematické analýzy byla vygenerována kategorizace nejčastěji se v rozhovorech objevujících stresorů. Dále se výzkumný projekt zaměřil na exploraci zkušeností se syndromem vyhoření stresory, jejichž vlivu respondenti stav vyhoření přisuzují závěru práce byly dalšími zahraničními výzkumy a byla uvedena doporučení pro další možné výzkumné směřování i aplikace pro praxi. Výsledky výzkumu přispějí k lepšímu porozumění problematiky pracovních stresorů a syndromu vyhoření u psychologů v praxi, mohou sloužit k edukaci současných i budoucích pracovníků této pozice či pomoci ke zlepšení pracovních podmínek psychologů v českém zdravotnictví.This thesis deals with the issue of work stressors and burnout syndrome in psychologists working in clinical practice. The literature review section focuses on the concepts of job stress, stressors and burnout syndrome. It also focuses on the specification of the position of psychologists in clinical practice in the Czech health care system and describes current research findings related to the topic of the thesis. The empirical part presents a research project aimed at exploring work stressors and experiences with burnout syndrome among psychologists in clinical practice. A total of 10 semi-structured interviews were conducted and a categorisation of the most frequently occurring stressors in the interviews was generated based on thematic analysis. Furthermore, the research project focused on exploring experiences of burnout syndrome and linking it to specific stressors to which respondents attributed the burnout condition. The final section of the paper compared the results of the study with other international research and made recommendations for possible future research directions and applications for practice. The results of the research will contribute to a better understanding of the issue of work stressors and burnout syndrome in psychologists in clinical practice, may serve to educate...Katedra psychologieDepartment of PsychologyFilozofická fakultaFaculty of Art

Technological and cognitive aspects of the user interface in business intelligence systems

У истраживању које се овде приказује анализирани су однос и узајамни утицаји технолошких и когнитивних аспеката корисничког интерфејса у системима пословне интелигенције и доказана је претпоставка о добрим карактеристикама овог интерфејса на пољу употребљивости. Истраживање је започето дефиницијом кључних техничких аспеката пословне интелигенције, који су проучени из литературе и имплементирани у пракси, са циљем да се оформи приступ методологији пројектовања система пословне интелигенције. Приступ је дефинисан прегледом техника димензионог моделовања и екстракције, трансформације и пуњења, које су илустроване оригиналним примерима развијеним током истраживања и примењеним да задовоље реалне потребе организација за које су вођени пројекти. Испитан је и утицај организационих аспеката система пословне интелигенције на карактеристике корисничког интерфејса. Истраживање је настављено дефинисањем методологије евалуације корисничког интерфејса за потребе испитивања употребљивости корисничког интерфејса система пословне интелигенције. Потом је експериментом испитана употребљивост података изложених пословном кориснику технологијом ад хок упита, технологијом која припада скупу технологија пословне интелигенције. Употребљивост димензионо моделованих података је поређена са употребљивошћу података моделованих према потребама трансакционих система, пошто су такви подаци алтернатива димензионо моделованим подацима, а сматра се да су недовољно употребљиви са становишта пословних корисника...The research presented in this dissertation has analyzed relation and mutual influence of technological and cognitive aspects of the user interface in business intelligence systems and approved a presumption of high usability benefits of this user interface. The research started with the definitions of key technical aspects of business intelligence, which were studied from literature and implemented in practice, in order to shape an approach to a business intelligence system design methodology. This approach was defined though an overview of techniques of dimensional modeling and extraction, transformation and loading, which wеre illustrated by the original examples developed during the research and applied to answer the real need of several organizations for which projects were conducted. The implication of the management aspects of business intelligence systems on the characteristics of the user interface was examined as well. The research continued with a definition of a user‟s interface evaluation methodology that best suited the usability studies of the user‟s interface in business intelligence systems. Through an experiment, the usability was investigated for the data exposed to business user by ad hoc queering technology, a technology belonging to the set of business intelligence technologies. The usability of dimensionally modeled data was compared with the usability of data modeled according to the needs of transactional systems, since this data were an alternative to dimensionally modeled data, known for its insufficient usability from the point of view of business users..

Users' efficiency, effectiveness, cognitive style and emotional reactions to computer interface based on different data model

Informaciona usklađenost kompjuterskog sistema i korisnika, kao predmet kognitivne ergonomije, počiva na dobro osmišljenom korisničkom interfejsu koji strukturom i informacionim obimom treba da omogući optimalnu interakciju u složenom sistemu čovek‐računar. U osnovi vizuelne forme interfejsa stoji, pored ostalog, logika po kojoj su podaci raspoređeni, međusobno povezani i dostupni za upotrebu, a koja se definiše modelom podataka. Smatra se da je postizanje veće kompatibilnosti između predstave koju korisnik ima o sistemu i načina na koji sistem zaista funkcioniše ključ za efikasno i efektivno korišćenje interaktivnih sistema. U tom smislu, podaci koji se u bazi mogu predstaviti u obliku zvezdaste sheme (dimenziono modelovani podaci), gde su veze između objekata i hijerarhijski odnosi načelno dati u okviru jednog objekta, i podaci koji imaju strukturu u kojoj je svaki hijerarhijski nivo predstavljen posebnim objektom (transakciono modelovani podaci), za individualne korisnike mogu biti u različitoj meri upotrebljivi. Brzina i tačnost obavljanja poslovnih zahteva putem dimenziono i transakciono modelovanih podataka može zavisiti, kako od vrste i složenosti zadatka, tako i od psiholoških osobenosti korisnika. Kognitivni stil, specifičan način kognitivnog funkcionisanja, izdvojio se kao relevantan faktor. S druge strane, isticanje sve većeg značaja afektivne komponente procene sistema i veze sa objektivnim merama upotrebljivosti, uticalo je na to da se u eksperimentalni nacrt uvrste i dimenzije emocionalnih reakcija na izgled sistema. U istraživanju su se, u dva modela podataka, ispitivale brzina i tačnost rada ispitanika sa u različitom stepenu izraženim metaforičnim, racionalnim i empiričnim kognitivnim stilom, a s obzirom na izazvane emocionalne reakcije pobuđenosti, prijatnosti i dominantnosti. U eksperimentu sa ponovljenim nacrtom učestvovalo je 303 ispitanika, slučajno raspoređenih s obzirom na redosled izlaganja modela podataka, i ujednačenih po karakteristikama relevantnim za Mr Ivana Kovačević – DOKTORSKA DISERTACIJA 2 istraživanje. Rezultati govore u prilog bolje upotrebljivosti dimenzionog modela u kom ispitanici brže obavljaju zadatke. Brzina i tačnost rada nisu u očekivanoj korelaciji i nejednako variraju s obzirom na različite prediktore, te ih je smisleno odvojeno posmatrati. Manipulativna varijabla redosleda izlaganja modela se pokazala najznačajnijim prediktorom brzine rada. Ispitanici postižu mnogo bolje rezultate ukoliko prvo koriste dimenzioni model, kao pojavno manje složen, nego u situaciji kada je transakcioni model prvo korišćen. Ovaj nalaz govori u prilog tome da je brzina rada zavisna od specifičnog redosleda iskustva. U skladu sa tim su i rezultati koji pokazuju da kognitivni stil nema naročitog efekta na brzinu rada, za razliku od emocionalnih reakcija prijatnosti i kontrole koje su negativno povezane sa potrebnim vremenom da se zadaci obave. S druge strane, tačnost je relativno nezavisna od redosleda izlaganja, i konzistentna karakteristika u oba modela. Ispitanici koji teže tačnosti, to čine bez obzira na prethodna ili trenutna iskustva, stoga se čini da je tačnost rada inherentna karakteristika korisnika. Tako su nađene i veze metaforičnosti, racionalnosti i empiričnosti sa tačnošću rada. Tačnost opada pri prelasku sa transakcionog na dimenzioni model podataka, u funkciji porasta metaforičnosti (moguć efekat zamora), dok se prelaskom sa dimenzionog na transakcioni, povećava u transakcionom u funkciji povećanja skora na racionalnosti (moguć efekat uvežbanosti). Empiričnost je povezana sa slabijom tačnošću rada u transakcionom modelu, kada je on prvi model u kom se radi (moguć efekat neuvežbanosti). Pojednostavljeno rečeno, ukoliko težimo efikasnosti (većoj brzini rada), insistiraćemo na jednostavnijim ili pak postupno usložnjavajućim interfejsima. Ukoliko težimo efektivnosti (većoj tačnosti rada), rešenja ćemo tražiti u personalizaciji korisničkih interfejsa.Informational compatibility of computer system and user, as the subject of cognitive ergonomics, depends on the characteristics of user interface. Well conceived user interface, with its structure and amount of information, provides optimal interaction in complex computer‐user system. Visual form of interface is based on logics in which data are displayed (arranged), interconnected and available for use, defined by data models. It is assumed that achieving higher compatibility between user perception of the system and the manner in which it really operates is the key for effectiveness and efficacy in using interactive systems. There are at least two different data base arrangements with different usability level for individual users. Dimensionally modeled data are arranged in a shape of star schema, where all relations between objects and all hierarchical associations are given within one object. Transactionallly modeled data have structure within which every hierarchical level is represented with particular object. Speed and accuracy of performing tasks by using dimensionally or transactionally modeled data are dependent on type and complexity of tasks, as well as on psychological characteristics of users. Cognitive style, as the specific manner of cognitive functioning, and dimensions of emotional reactions on system appearance, are seen as relevant factors. Research consisted of experimentally measuring the speed and accuracy of performing tasks in two data environments (dimensional and transactional data models) by participants with different levels of metaphorical, rational and empirical cognitive styles. Emotional reactions of arousal, pleasure and dominance provoked during the experience of using data models were assessed as well. In this experiment 303 participants, balanced by relevant characteristics, were randomly assigned in groups according to the order of exposing to data models. Results proved better overall performance of dimensionally modeled data Mr Ivana Kovačević – DOKTORSKA DISERTACIJA 4 which is seen as a data model with higher usability. Speed and accuracy of performance are shown not to be in expected correlation, varying differently according to the different predictors. Therefore, it was concluded it is plausible to consider them as separate entities. Manipulative variable, the order of data model display, proved to be the most important predictor of speed performance. Participants achieved better results when using dimensionally modeled data first, with its appearance less complex, than in situation when the transactional model was primarily used. This result showed that performance speed was dependent on specific order of user experience. Accordingly, it was found that cognitive style had no particular effect on speed, while emotional reactions of pleasure and dominance were negatively related to the time required for task completion. On the other hand, accuracy was relatively independent of data model order and it is a consistent characteristic within subject in both models. Participants who tended to be accurate, did that regardless of their previous or current experience with data model, thus it appeared that performance accuracy was user`s inherent quality. Relations between accuracy and metaphorical, rational and empirical cognitive styles were also found. Accuracy of dimensionally modeled data performance was poorer when using the transactional model first, in function of higher level of metaphorical style (possible effect of fatigue). Conversely, when using the dimensional model first, accuracy is higher in the transactional model in function of increasing the score on rational dimension (possible effect of training). Empirical cognitive style is correlated with lower accuracy in the transactional model, when it was a the first model of choice (possible effect of lack of practice). Generally, abridged implications of findings were the following, if we strive to achieve efficacy (speed), we should insist on simplifying, or at least gradually building more complexity in user interfaces. Otherwise, if we are looking for effectiveness (accuracy), we should try to find a solution in the personalization of user interface

Introducing User-Centred Design: a Longitudinal Study of a Healthcare Informatics Organisation

Information System designers report increasing difficulties applying User-Centred Design (UCD) techniques effectively due to the growing complexity of the domains in which they work and the techniques’ prescriptive nature. The rapid growth of “Big Data” and associated analytical tools thus demands closer investigation of UCD activities and processes within the complex and rapidly-changing work domains in which they are designed, developed and used. This thesis reports a longitudinal case study from inside a commercial organisation, through a six-year Action Research collaboration to introduce and embed UCD techniques in the design of health informatics tools in the UK. An assessment of the initial modus operandi is followed by the development of personas with data from interviews, user-generated screen captures and database server log files; these informed the redesign, evaluation and testing of the organisation’s flagship product. Finally, stakeholder interviews explore the wider impact of UCD techniques. In so doing, this thesis shows the value of auto-ethnographic documentation, based on being embedded in a design team and collaborative reflection, for practice-led research; it found the organisation’s culture around UCD was dynamic and design practices can change this culture through, for example, training opportunities and fostering customer relations. Individuals and extrinsic factors played strikingly key roles in reshaping the organisation’s culture; the commitment and resilience of individuals was important for sustaining UCD activities across several reorganisations and changes in business strategy. Finally, this thesis comprehensively presents and evaluates an innovative approach for grounding personas in database server and user-generated content. These findings concern both research and practice by informing the scope of the designer’s role, educational programmes and Action Research collaborations. They call for further attention on the compatibility of design and development processes and suggest that design practice can not only be tailored to organisations, but organisations can be fitted to design practice with the reassessment of the value of some UCD activities. Finally, this thesis can inform approaches to practice-led research, and more effective and efficient strategies for the introduction of UCD techniques to other organisations from the base of their hierarchy