Embedding the provision of information and consultation in the workplace: a longitudinal analysis of employee outcomes in 1998 and 2004

Based on an analysis of the Workplace Employment Relations Survey, this report finds strong positive links between the ‘breadth’ and ‘depth’ of some information and consultation practices and employee commitment. Employee ratings of the helpfulness of some consultation and communication methods are positively linked to job satisfaction and commitment. Employee ratings of managers’ effectiveness in consulting employees and employees’ satisfaction with their involvement in decision-making are also positively linked with job satisfaction and commitment, suggesting that the way in which information and consultation methods are implemented is just as important as the type of practices used.This report was commissioned by DTI under the Workplace Employment Relations Survey (WERS) 2004 Grants Fund. The Fund is a Department of Trade and Industry initiative to develop the evidence base in areas of policy interest, raise awareness of this survey and encourage advanced data analysis based on the WERS 2004 datasets

The impact of extended shifts on strain‐based work–life conflict: A qualitative analysis of the role of context on temporal processes of retroactive and anticipatory spillover

Twelve‐h shifts can facilitate 24‐h service provision and are often implemented in pursuit of financial goals. Existing evidence on the benefits of extended shifts is mixed. This study examines the impact of extended shifts on employee strain in a large mental healthcare organisation in England. Semi‐structured interviews were conducted with nurses and healthcare assistants at 6 and 12 months intervals(n=70). Findings illustrate how extended shift patterns have a profound negative effect on high demands already confronting mental health staff, shaping spillover of strain. Analysis contributes to development of strain‐based work–life conflict theory by conceptualising spillover as temporal and iterative. We argue theory should differentiate between retroactive (backward facing) and anticipatory (forward facing) spillover processes. Using context as a lens and identification of new dimensions to strain‐based spillover aids interpretation of differential effects of extended shifts across settings. The study discusses implications for organisations, recovery and scheduling of shift work

Managing mental health problems in the workplace : are small businesses different?

Purpose This study addresses a gap in evidence on small employer experiences of managing mental health problems in the workplace. The authors gathered first-hand experiences of small business managers to empirically investigate how the small business context affects the management and support of mental health problems in the workplace, and the practice implications that arise. Design/methodology/approach Qualitative interviews, combining semi-structured and narrative approaches, with 21 small business managers with experience of managing employees with mental health difficulties. The 21 managers recounted a total of 45 employee cases, which were analysed thematically, using a case-based matrix. Study participants were drawn from small businesses within England and Scotland (UK). Interviews were conducted between November 2019 and February 2020. Findings Support aligned with current understanding of effective practice, yet was often informal, instinctive and flexible. Accommodating employees with mental health problems impacted the workload of managers and co-workers, and business operation and growth. Challenges and tensions reflected the difficult balancing act faced by managers in organisations of all sizes. However, the intensity and immediacy of cross-pressures was enhanced for small businesses, due to their smaller workforce and lack of dedicated Human Resource Management and occupational health expertise. Practical implications Guidance should address the navigation of day-to-day management and support for employees with mental health difficulties, including approaches to balancing the needs of the wider workforce and business operation. Access to HR and occupational health expertise is valuable. Financial subsidies may be of lesser concern to small businesses. Originality/value This study offers originality in focusing exclusively on small business managers with first-hand experience of supporting employees with mental health problems. Findings challenge the perception that small firms have unique experiences, whilst highlighting contextual features that exacerbate intensity and immediacy of impacts

Juggling on a tightrope: Experiences of small and micro business managers responding to employees with mental health difficulties

This article presents findings from an in-depth qualitative study focused exclusively on the first-hand experiences of small and micro businesses managers who have responded to employees with mental health difficulties. Despite growing policy focus on workplace mental health, empirical research evidence on management experiences of responding to mental health issues in a small or micro business context is rare. Drawing on in-depth interviews with 21 UK-based small and micro business managers who described 45 individual employee cases, we examine how managers traverse a support-performance continuum, and use a tension-based lens to analyse the tensions that managers experienced. We examine three key tensions for small and micro business managers that surfaced when responding to employees with mental health problems: (1) Individual vs Collective; (2) Confidence vs Caution; (3) Informal vs Formal. Our analysis exposes how managers handle tensions when managing at the nexus of support and performance and contributes a deeper understanding of the dynamics and challenges of managing mental health problems in small and micro businesses

Conformational effects of nucleotide exchange in ras p21 proteins as studied by fluorescence spectroscopy

AbstractThe intrinsic fluorescence properties of the oncogene protein p21N-ras, p21H-ras and one of its transforming mutants, p21N-ras (Va1112), have been investigated. A mutant containing a single tryptophan at position 28 in p21H-ras (Trp28) has been specifically engineered to provide a probe of protein conformation on nucleotide binding. The proteins produced essentially similar circular dichroism spectra typical of alpha/beta proteins. A decrease in the intensity of the fluorescence emission spectrum due to tyrosine occurred on GDP/GTP nucleotide exchange in the native and mutant proteins. Selective excitation of the single tryptophan in p21 produced a decrease in fluorescence intensity which was accompanied by a blue shift in the wavelength of maximum emission on nucleotide exchange. A reduction in the residual Mg2+ ion concentration enhanced this effect

Managing Mental Health in Small and Micro Businesses

In recent decades, the social and economic impact of mental health problems among working age people has risen up the agenda across the western economies. Common mental health problems, including stress, anxiety and depression, are a leading cause of workplace absence and productivity loss. To date, few empirical studies address, directly and in-depth, the first-hand experiences of small and micro employers in managing mental health problems among their staff. The vast majority of research on managing workplace mental health has been conducted within larger organisations with employer guidance arising from this research inevitably shaped around the experiences and needs of larger organisations, whose resources and capacities are likely to differ from small and micro firms. The aim of this research is to begin to address this gap in evidence. Using in-depth qualitative interviews, we explore the lived experiences of managers within small and micro businesses who had first-hand experience of supporting employees through mental health problems

Cell-Cycle Dependence of Transcription Dominates Noise in Gene Expression

The large variability in mRNA and protein levels found from both static and dynamic measurements in single cells has been largely attributed to random periods of transcription, often occurring in bursts. The cell cycle has a pronounced global role in affecting transcriptional and translational output, but how this influences transcriptional statistics from noisy promoters is unknown and generally ignored by current stochastic models. Here we show that variable transcription from the synthetic tetO promoter in S. cerevisiae is dominated by its dependence on the cell cycle. Real-time measurements of fluorescent protein at high expression levels indicate tetO promoters increase transcription rate ~2-fold in S/G2/M similar to constitutive genes. At low expression levels, where tetO promoters are thought to generate infrequent bursts of transcription, we observe random pulses of expression restricted to S/G2/M, which are correlated between homologous promoters present in the same cell. The analysis of static, single-cell mRNA measurements at different points along the cell cycle corroborates these findings. Our results demonstrate that highly variable mRNA distributions in yeast are not solely the result of randomly switching between periods of active and inactive gene expression, but instead largely driven by differences in transcriptional activity between G1 and S/G2/M.GM095733BBBE 103316MIT Startup Fun

Effect of Deutetrabenazine on Chorea Among Patients With Huntington Disease A Randomized Clinical Trial

Importance Deutetrabenazine is a novel molecule containing deuterium, which attenuates CYP2D6 metabolism and increases active metabolite half-lives and may therefore lead to stable systemic exposure while preserving key pharmacological activity. Objective To evaluate efficacy and safety of deutetrabenazine treatment to control chorea associated with Huntington disease. Design, Setting, and Participants Ninety ambulatory adults diagnosed with manifest Huntington disease and a baseline total maximal chorea score of 8 or higher (range, 0-28; lower score indicates less chorea) were enrolled from August 2013 to August 2014 and randomized to receive deutetrabenazine (n = 45) or placebo (n = 45) in a double-blind fashion at 34 Huntington Study Group sites. Interventions Deutetrabenazine or placebo was titrated to optimal dose level over 8 weeks and maintained for 4 weeks, followed by a 1-week washout. Main Outcomes and Measures Primary end point was the total maximal chorea score change from baseline (the average of values from the screening and day-0 visits) to maintenance therapy (the average of values from the week 9 and 12 visits) obtained by in-person visits. This study was designed to detect a 2.7-unit treatment difference in scores. The secondary end points, assessed hierarchically, were the proportion of patients who achieved treatment success on the Patient Global Impression of Change (PGIC) and on the Clinical Global Impression of Change (CGIC), the change in 36-Item Short Form– physical functioning subscale score (SF-36), and the change in the Berg Balance Test. Results Ninety patients with Huntington disease (mean age, 53.7 years; 40 women [44.4%]) were enrolled. In the deutetrabenazine group, the mean total maximal chorea scores improved from 12.1 (95% CI, 11.2-12.9) to 7.7 (95% CI, 6.5-8.9), whereas in the placebo group, scores improved from 13.2 (95% CI, 12.2-14.3) to 11.3 (95% CI, 10.0-12.5); the mean between-group difference was –2.5 units (95% CI, –3.7 to –1.3) (P < .001). Treatment success, as measured by the PGIC, occurred in 23 patients (51%) in the deutetrabenazine group vs 9 (20%) in the placebo group (P = .002). As measured by the CGIC, treatment success occurred in 19 patients (42%) in the deutetrabenazine group vs 6 (13%) in the placebo group (P = .002). In the deutetrabenazine group, the mean SF-36 physical functioning subscale scores decreased from 47.5 (95% CI, 44.3-50.8) to 47.4 (44.3-50.5), whereas in the placebo group, scores decreased from 43.2 (95% CI, 40.2-46.3) to 39.9 (95% CI, 36.2-43.6), for a treatment benefit of 4.3 (95% CI, 0.4 to 8.3) (P = .03). There was no difference between groups (mean difference of 1.0 unit; 95% CI, –0.3 to 2.3; P = .14), for improvement in the Berg Balance Test, which improved by 2.2 units (95% CI, 1.3-3.1) in the deutetrabenazine group and by 1.3 units (95% CI, 0.4-2.2) in the placebo group. Adverse event rates were similar for deutetrabenazine and placebo, including depression, anxiety, and akathisia. Conclusions and Relevance Among patients with chorea associated with Huntington disease, the use of deutetrabenazine compared with placebo resulted in improved motor signs at 12 weeks. Further research is needed to assess the clinical importance of the effect size and to determine longer-term efficacy and safety