Specific demands and resources in the career of the Norwegian freelance musician

Background: Research indicates that there is a higher degree of mental health problems, family/work conflicts and sleep-related problems among workers in creative occupations than in other professions. Research also reveals that musicians have to deal with a relatively high degree of occupational stress. There is, however, a lack of research investigating the qualities of freelance musicians’ psychosocial work environment, as well as possible protective factors for maintaining good mental health. Methods: Based on 12 in-depth interviews, we used a template analysis to examine the unique characteristics of the professional life of freelance pop and rock musicians. Results: Using the job demands-resources model as a conceptual framework, we found that an unpredictable future, threats to the family/work balance and significant amounts of external pressure were three broad contextual demands facing freelance musicians. Social support from family, fellow band members, audiences and their professional network, as well as having adequate personal resources such as entrepreneurial skills, value-anchored flexibility, tolerance for ambiguity and dedication to music making were described as important for managing life as a freelance musician. Conclusions: Musicians’ psychosocial work environment and health seem to be related to the three overarching protective factors also described in resilience research: namely personal dispositions, family coherence and social resources

Exploring the emotional experience of organizational change over time: The case of introducing electronic care plans in hospitals

This thesis aimed to explore employees’ emotional change-experiences from a contextual, and bottom-up, point of view as they evolved over time, from anticipation to retrospection; as well as to explore specific negative emotional change-experiences in depth. This followed the identification of two limitations which pointed to the limited acknowledgement of context in the organizational, managerial and change literature. The two limitations were: “a one-sided and biased perspective on negative emotional experiences” and “emotional experiences portrayed as predictable reactions that occur in distinct stages over time”. Furthermore, the present thesis also emerged out of the fact that there is a shortage of contributions in this literature that have empirically investigated the emotional anticipation of change and/or the evolving emotional change-experience from anticipation to retrospection. (...)

Exploring presenteeism among hospital physicians through the perspective of job crafting

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to seek a deeper understanding of presenteeism by utilising the perspective of job crafting to explore how a selected group of physicians make sense of their decision to attend work while ill and of their experience of doing so. Job crafting implies that employees not only respond to their job description, but also proactively change tasks, relationships and perceptions in order to experience work in meaningful ways. Design/methodology/approach A narrative methodological framework involving interviews was adopted to explore the ways in which a selected group of 20 Norwegian hospital physicians engaged in job crafting during presenteeism. The resulting data were analysed using theory-led thematic analysis utilizing the theoretical perspective of job crafting. Findings It was evident that physicians were indecisive and insecure when evaluating their own illness, and that, via task, relational and cognitive crafting, they trivialised, endured and showcased their illness, and engaged in presenteeism in various ways. Furthermore, physicians to some extent found themselves caught in dysfunctional circles by contributing to the creation of a work environment where presenteeism was maintained and seen as expected. Research limitations/implications Future research should address a wider range of contexts, and use longitudinal methods to explore the multifaceted, context-specific and evolving nature of presenteeism and job crafting in more depth. Interventions aimed at countering the negative implications of presenteeism should address the issue from both a social and a systemic point of view. Originality/value The findings extend the current understanding of presenteeism by demonstrating the multifaceted and evolving nature of the ways in which personal illness and presenteeism are perceived and enacted over time

Physician Parents Attending Work Despite Own Sick Children: A Qualitative Study on Caregiver Presenteeism Among Norwegian Hospital Physicians

Background: Studies have shown that physicians manifest a clear duty to work, even in the face of personal risk, and despite their own symptoms of ill health; this is termed presenteeism. We lack knowledge on their willingness to attend work when their children are sick or in times of concern for their unborn; this is termed caregiver presenteeism. To gain a comprehensive knowledge on the occurrence of presenteeism among physicians, it is important to include caregiver presenteeism. Objective: The aim of this study is to explore the perception and experience with caregiver presenteeism among hospital physicians who are parents or pregnant and to explore its foundations and its consequences. Methods: Secondary thematic analysis of semi-structured interviews of hospital physicians (N = 18). Results: Positive and negative dimensions associated with (1) situations with severe pregnancy symptoms or responsibility for sick children; (2) the perceived impact on their work commitments, personal health, and adequate care for own children; (3) accompanying moderators in the organisational structure and professional culture; and (4) proposed approaches to resolve caregiver and work responsibilities simultaneously contributing to caregiver presenteeism. Conclusions: The study underlines the impact of factors in organisational structure, professional culture, and the personal sphere affecting caregiver presenteeism. It appears that targeting factors contributing to attendance pressure in physicians, including those who are pregnant, is particularly important. This includes changing attitudes towards caregiver responsibilities among physician colleagues, department leaders, and physicians themselves, as well as simple cost-efficient organisational interventions in staffing, routines of absence, and work adjustment

Why hospital physicians attend work while ill? The spiralling effect of positive and negative factors

Background: Recurrent reports from national and international studies show a persistent high prevalence of sickness presence among hospital physicians. Despite the negative consequences reported, we do not know a lot about the reasons why physicians choose to work when ill, and whether there may be some positive correlates of this behaviour that in turn may lead to the design of appropriate interventions. The aim of this study is to explore the perception and experience with sickness presenteeism among hospital physicians, and to explore possible positive and negative foundations and consequences associated with sickness presence. Methods: Semi-structured interviews of 21 Norwegian university hospital physicians. Results: Positive and negative dimensions associated with 1) evaluation of illness, 2) organizational structure, 3) organizational culture, and 4) individual factors simultaneously contributed to presenteeism. Conclusions: The study underlines the inherent complexity of the causal chain of events affecting sickness presenteeism, something that also inhibits intervention. It appears that sufficient staffing, predictability in employment, adequate communication of formal policies and senior physicians adopting the position of a positive role model are particularly important