Sustainable Recruitment: Individual Characteristics and Psychosocial Working Conditions Among Swedish Police Officers

Selection research has typically focused on how to identify suitable candidates, while less is known regarding the long-term effects of various selection factors once the suitable candidates have start- ed working.The overall aim of this study was to examine the relative importance of selection fac- tors (measured during recruitment), and psychosocial working conditions (once candidates started working) for four outcomes, namely (1) job satisfaction, (2) organizational citizenship behavior, (3) occupational retention, and (4) health. Data came from a longitudinal study of newly hiredpolice officers in Sweden (N = 508), including recruitment data and a follow-up after 3.5 years.Results of hierarchical multiple regression analyses showed that psychosocial working conditionswere more important than selection factors in predicting the four outcomes.The findings suggestthat employers, to ensure sustainability, need to focus on activities that facilitate newcomers’ enter- ing in the organization and their professions by providing a sound work climat

Do gender and socioeconomic status matter when combining work and family:Could control at work and at home help? Results from the Whitehall II study

Work and family are sources of both satisfaction and conflicting demands. A challenge is to identify individuals at risk for conflict and factors that potentially reduce conflict. This study investigated how gender and socioeconomic status (SES) were associated with work–family interference (WFI) and family–work interference (FWI) and how control at work and at home related to WFI and FWI. Data from 1991–1993 and 1997–1999 of the Whitehall II study of British civil servants, including 3484 (827 women and 2657 men) employees in three SES-levels, were analysed. Women reported a higher risk for WFI and FWI. High SES employees reported higher WFI. Less control at home increased risks for WFI and FWI as did low control at work but only for WFI. This suggests that high SES women are especially at risk for conflict and that aspects from the spheres of both work and home should be considered in further research and practice

Political skill in higher military staff: Measurement properties and latent profile analysis

Social effectiveness, including political skill, reflects individuals’ ways of handling interpersonal processes at work. Most research has used a variable-oriented approach to investigate associations between political skill and key organizational factors, including performance, in civil settings. Thus, little is known of whether political skill transfers to a military context and whether there are specific profiles of political skill. Combining variable-oriented and person-oriented approaches, this study used self-reports from two samples of military student officers to: (1) investigate measurement properties of the 18-item political skill inventory; (2) explore whether it is possible to identify different profiles of political skill; and (3) investigate whether such profiles differ in demographics, personality, and job performance. Exploratory (sample 1: n = 185) and confirmatory (sample 2: n = 183) factor analyses supported a four-dimensional representation of political skill including networking ability, apparent sincerity, social astuteness, and interpersonal influence. Latent profile analysis (samples 1 and 2: N = 368) identified four distinct combinations of these dimensions, namely: (1) weak political skill; (2) weak political skill with strong sincerity; (3) moderate political skill; and (4) strong political skill. Importantly, profiles differed consistently in networking ability. Subsequent comparisons suggested potentially important differences in demographics, personality, and job performance. Despite needing additional research of how profiles of political skill develop over time, these findings may have practical implications for recruitment and training in organizational settings where social effectiveness is important.publishedVersio

Hur förhåller sig begåvning i skolåldern och psykosocial arbetsbelastning i vuxenlivet till olika aspekter av självrapporterad hälsa bland yrkesarbetande kvinnor och män?

Psykosociala arbetsmiljöfaktorer såsom höga krav, låg kontroll och bristfälligt socialt stöd har återkommande kopplats till sämre hälsa. Dock är det fortfarande oklart om individuella faktorer såsom begåvning har någon betydelse i samman-hanget. Föreliggande studie syftade till att undersöka hur tidig begåvning och psykosocial arbetsmiljö hänger samman med positiva och negativa aspekter av hälsa i en kohort yrkesarbetande kvinnor (n= 271) och män (n= 291). Begåvning i barndomen och självskattningar av krav, kontroll och socialt stöd i arbetet rela-terades till självrapporterade positiva (känsla av sammanhang och självskattad hälsa) och negativa hälsoindikatorer (muskelbesvär och oro/ångest) i medelåldern. Med hänsyn till skillnader i hälsa mellan kvinnor och män och det faktum att kvinnor och män återfinns inom olika yrken och därmed möter olika psykosociala arbetsvillkor genomfördes analyser separat för kvinnor och män. Resultat från analyser med respektive utan hänsyn till yrkesnivå visade inte på någon signifikant betydelse av begåvning i relation till de olika hälsoindikatorerna. Det fanns inte heller några signifikanta interaktionseffekter mellan begåvning och psykosociala arbetsmiljöfaktorer. Yrkesnivå hade genomgående ett lågt förklaringsvärde. Dessa resultat kan hänga samman med att denna yrkesarbetande kohort är förhållandevis homogen och att dessa medelålders kvinnor och män fortfarande uppvisar en för-hållandevis god hälsa. Psychosocial work conditions including high demands, lack of control and support have been linked to poor health. Yet, the influence of individual factors such as general mental ability (GMA) remains to be examined. The present study set out to investigate how childhood mental ability and psychosocial work characteristics relate to different health indicators in a cohort of working women (n= 271) and men (n=291). Specifically, childhood GMA and self-reports of job demands, job control and social support were linked to two positive health indicators (sense of coherence and self-rated health) and two negative health indicators (musculoske-letal problems and anxiety). In view of the gendered labor market and variations in health patterns between women and men, gender specific analyses were per-formed. Results revealed no linkages between childhood GMA and the health indicators included. Further, there were no significant interactions between GMA and the psychosocial factors. The overall impact of occupational level was low and controlling for occupational level did not change the overall results. These findings are likely to result from the study cohort being fairly homogeneous and the women and men being in good health

Validering av frågor avseende nedvarvning och återhämtning : Samband mellan salivkortisol och subjektiva skattningar

Validation of unwinding and recuperation questions : Correlations between salivary cortisol and subjective ratings The aim of this study was to validate subjective ratings of questions on unwinding and recuperation and to investigate the relationships with cortisol output. Participants were 25 white-collar workers employed at a Swedish government authority. Linear regressions and repeated measures of ANOVA were used to calculate mean levels of salivary cortisol as related to recovery/recuperation. The results show significant main effects of cortisol as related to subjective ratings (p < 0.01) and a significant interaction effect (p < 0.05) between cortisol and sex. The study indicates that high levels of morning cortisol are significantly related to failure to recuperate. Results are discussed in terms of validity, prediction, sex differences, selection and generalization. Key words: Unwinding, recuperation, validity, allostatic load model, salivary cortisol, health, subjective ratings, method.Syftet var att validera subjektiva skattningar avseende nedvarvning och återhämtning genom att undersöka sambandet med kortisolutsöndring som antas utgöra en indikator för återhämtning. Undersökningsdeltagarna utgjordes av 25 högre tjänstemän anställda vid en statlig myndighet. Med linjär regressionsanalys och variansanalys för beroendemätningar analyserades kortisolnivåer i saliv relaterat till subjektiva skattningar av återhämtning. Resultaten visade att höga nivåer av morgonkortisol var förknippat med bristande nedvarvning och återhämtning. Signifikanta huvudeffekter (p < 0,01) av kortisolnivå relaterat till subjektiva skattningar samt interaktionseffekter av kön (p < 0,05) erhölls. Resultaten diskuteras i termer av validitet, prediktionsförmåga, könsskillnader, felkällor och generaliserbarhet

Högtflygande risker. Variationer i arbetsvillkor, hälsa och säkerhetsklimat bland trafikpiloter i relation till säkerhetsklimat

Flygmarknaden har sedan slutet av 1990-talet genomgått genomgripande av-reglering och förändring och är idag hårt konkurrensdriven. Som en följd har flygbolagen utvecklat affärsmodeller med nya anställningsformer och nya sätt att organisera verksamheten. För trafikpiloterna har det inneburit förändrade och ofta försämrade anställnings- och arbetsvillkor. Myndigheter i Sverige och internationellt ser potentiella säkerhetsrisker i avregleringen och de nya affärs-modellerna som alltså kan vara förenade med försämrad flygsäkerhet. Syftet med den här studien var att undersöka trafikpiloternas uppfattning av säkerhetsklimat, samt att belysa hur olika typer av uppfattat säkerhetsklimat hänger samman med piloters arbetsvillkor, hälsa och med flygsäkerhet. Data samlades in genom självrapporter i enkät med en total svarsfrekvens på 46 %. Resultaten visar tydliga skillnader mellan olika typer av säkerhetsklimat. En klusteranalys resulterade i tre tydliga kluster av säkerhetsklimat som benämndes "Högrisk-klimat“, “Mellanriskklimat“ och ”Lågriskklimat”. Högriskklimatklustret får ses som en riskgrupp för flygsäkerhet i och med att det karaktäriserades av bristande rapporterings- och lärklimat, bristfällig kommunikation och säkerhetsengagemang, otillräckligt med olika resurser för ett gott säkerhetsarbete och brister i det systematiska säkerhetsarbetet. Resultaten visade också påtagliga variationer mellan de olika klustren vad gäller piloternas arbetsvillkor, hälsa och säkerhetsbeteende. Piloter som tillhörde Högriskklimatklustret rapporterade genomgående sämre arbetsvillkor, sämre hälsa och återhämtning, högre nivåer av ångest och depression, fler incidenter och misstag och farligare säkerhetsbeteenden än övriga piloter. Ur ett praktiskt säkerhets- och arbetsmiljöperspektiv synliggör studien en rad konkreta förhållanden som är möjliga att förändra

Gambling among employees in Swedish workplaces: A cross-sectional study

Objectives: Responsible workplaces strive to minimize the harmful effects of alcohol and drug abuse. However, gambling is still a neglected area in workplace research. This study describes workplace gambling and investigates variables associated with at-risk and problem gambling (ARPG) and knowing about colleagues who gambles during work, using cross-sectional data from a cluster-randomized controlled trial on gambling prevention in the workplace (N=3,629). Methods: Measures included ARPG and knowledge about colleagues who gamble during work. Results: Of the respondents, 168 (4.7%) knew of someone who gambles at work. Knowing about a colleague who gambles during work was more common among employees who were men (odds ratio [OR] 2.98; 95% confidence interval [CI], 2.07–4.29), aged 16–34 years (OR 1.97; 95% CI, 1.19–3.28), knew about a gambling policy (OR 1.57; 95% CI, 1.03–2.39), and who themselves were classified as ARPGs (OR 2.95; 95% CI, 1.60–5.35). Similarly, being classified as an ARPG was significantly associated with being a man (OR 2.14; 95% CI, 1.43–3.20), aged 16–34 (OR 2.35; 95% CI, 1.21–4.54) or 35–44 (OR 2.36; 95% CI, 1.30–4.27) years, being a subordinate (OR 2.53; 95% CI, 1.02–6.30), and knowing about a colleague who gambles during work (OR 4.02; 95% CI, 2.38–6.79). Conclusions: Gambling during work is a prevalent phenomenon. Organizations should consider implementing gambling policies that facilitate helping workers who are problem gamblers. To determine policy contents and measures to implement, the type of gambling and its effect on employees should be explored

How do job insecurity profiles correspond to employee experiences of work-home interference, self-rated health, and psychological well-being?

Objectives: Traditional variable-oriented research has shown that employee perceptions of job insecurity (JI) are associated with negative consequences, including more work-home interference, poorer health, and impaired well-being. Besides the negative consequences of high JI, particular combinations of JI perceptions may also be associated with different consequences. Taking a person-oriented approach, this study aimed to investigate (1) whether it is possible to distinguish different combinations of JI perceptions among working women and men and (2) whether such JI profiles involve different experiences of work-home interference, health, and well-being. Methods: Self-reports in questionnaires of JI, including both quantitative and qualitative threats of perceived job loss, work-home interference (WHI), health, and psychological well-being came from 1169 white-collar workers (52.4% women) in Sweden. Latent profile analysis was performed to identify JI profiles. Subsequent analyses included comparing profiles with respect to WHI, health, and well-being. Results: Four distinct JI profiles were identified: (1) Secure; quality-concerned, (2) Insecure: employment-concerned, (3) Insecure, and (4) Secure. Comparisons of cluster profiles showed significant differences in work-home interference (family-work conflict), self-rated health, and psychological well-being. Conclusions: Findings suggest that the Insecure profile may be most vulnerable to adverse consequences of perceived JI. Taken together, different JI profiles may be associated with differential experiences of work-home interference, health, and psychological well-being among working women and men.Nowstar