Trust me, I'm your boss: Trust and power in supervisor-supervisee communication

This study examined employees' perceptions of trust, power and mentoring in manager-employee relationships in a variety of sectors, including health care, education, hospitality and retail. The main theoretical frameworks used were communication accommodation theory and social identity theory, in examining the manager-employee relationships from an in-group/out-group perspective. Computer-aided content analyses revealed a number of emergent communication and relationship themes that impact upon the level of 'in-groupness' and therefore trust in supervisor-supervisee relationships. While it may be illusory to believe that any organization can enjoy complete trust among its workforce, it is clear that certain communication characteristics can result in greater trust in manager-employee relationships, even within the context of organizational constraints. It is argued that the results of the study could be used to inform human resource management academics of key aspects of managerial communication that should be further researched, and also provide insights into the main communication skills that managers should focus upon to improve trust in the workplace.

A comparative analysis of entrepreneurial approaches within public healthcare organisations

This article examines the development of two distinct models of organising allied health professionals within two public sector health service organisations in Australia. The first case illustrated a mode of organising that facilitated a culture that focused on asset protection and whose external orientation was threat oriented because its disparate multiple identities operated as a fractured, fragmented and competitive set of profession disciplines. In this milieu, there was no evidence of entrepreneurial approaches being used. In contrast, the second case study illustrated a mode of organising that facilitated an entrepreneurial culture that focused on asset growth and an external orientation that was opportunity oriented because of the evolution of a strong superordinate allied health identity that operated as a single united health services stakeholder. This evolution was coupled with the emergence of a corporate boardroom model of management that is consonant with Savage et al. (1997) IDS/N model of management. Once this structure and strategy were in place, corporate entrepreneur ship became the modus operandi. Consequently, because the case study was a situation where corporate entrepreneurship existed in the public sector, it was possible to compare the factors that stimulate corporate entrepreneurship in Sadler's (2000) study with factors that were observed in our study.

Adverse Health Effects of Chronic Exposure to Low-Level Cadmium in Foodstuffs and Cigarette Smoke

Cadmium is a cumulative nephrotoxicant that is absorbed into the body from dietary sources and cigarette smoking. The levels of Cd in organs such as liver and kidney cortex increase with age because of the lack of an active biochemical process for its elimination coupled with renal reabsorption. Recent research has provided evidence linking Cd-related kidney dysfunction and decreases in bone mineral density in nonoccupationally exposed populations who showed no signs of nutritional deficiency. This challenges the previous view that the concurrent kidney and bone damage seen in Japanese itai-itai disease patients was the result of Cd toxicity in combination with nutritional deficiencies, notably, of zinc and calcium. Further, such Cd-linked bone and kidney toxicities were observed in people whose dietary Cd intakes were well within the provisional tolerable weekly intake (PTWI) set by the Joint Food and Agriculture Organization/World Health Organization Expert Committee on Food Additives of 1 mug/kg body weight/day or 70 mug/day. This evidence points to the much-needed revision of the current PTWI for Cd. Also, evidence for the carcinogenic risk of chronic Cd exposure is accumulating and Cd effects on reproductive outcomes have begun to emerge.

Perceptions of organisational subculture and their significance for organisational commitment

This paper investigates the relationship between perceptions of organisational culture, organisational subculture, leadership style, and commitment. The impact of culture and leadership style on commitment has been previously noted, but there is a lack of detail regarding how different types of culture and leadership styles relate to commitment. The paper particularly addresses the notion of organisational subcultures and how the perception of those cultures relates to commitment, subculture being a neglected variable in the commitment literature. These issues were addressed in a survey of 258 nurses drawn from a range of hospital settings and wards within the Sydney metropolitan region. Results indicate that perceived organisational subculture has a strong relationship with commitment. Furthermore, the results identify the relative strength of specific types of leadership style and specific types of subculture with commitment. Both innovative and supportive subcultures have a clear positive relationship, while bureaucratic subcultures have a negative relationship. In terms of leadership style, a consideration style had a stronger relationship with commitment than a structuring style. Regression analysis was used to investigate the possible role of subculture as a mediator for the influence of leadership on commitment. Both direct and indirect effects of leadership on commitment were found. Implications for practice and for further research are discussed.

Extending a model of shift-work tolerance

The present study contributes to theory and practice through the development of a model of shift-work tolerance with the potential to indicate interventions that reduce nurses' intention toward turnover and increase job satisfaction in hospital-based settings. Survey data from 1257 nurses were used to conduct structural equation modeling that examine the direct and indirect effects of supervisor and colleague support, team identity, team climate, and control over working environment on time-based work/life conflict, psychological well-being, physical symptoms, job satisfaction, and turnover intention. The analysis of the proposed model revealed a good fit The chi-square difference test was non-significant (χ2(26)=338.56), the fit indices were high (CFI=.923, NFI=.918, and NNFI=.868), the distribution of residuals was symmetric and approached zero, the average standardized residual was low (AASR=.04), and the standardized RMR was .072. In terms of the predictor variable, the final model explained 48% of the variance in turnover intention. The data revealed considerable evidence of both direct effects on adjustment and complex indirect links between levels of adjustment and work-related social support, team identity, team climate, and control. Nurses with high supervisor and coworker support experienced more positive team climates, identified more strongly with their team, and increased their perceptions of control over their work environment. This in turn lowered their appraisals of their time-based work/life conflict, which consequently increased their psychological well-being and job satisfaction and reduced their physical health symptoms and turnover intention. The type of shift schedule worked by the nurses influenced levels of turnover intention, control over work environment, time-based work/life conflict, and physical symptoms.

Conceptions of health held by Aboriginal, Torres Strait Islander and Papua New Guinea health care students

Health is considered to be a fundamental human right. Concurrently health is assumed to be a global social goal (Bloom, 1987) yet many third-world countries and some sub-populations within developed countries do not enjoy a healthy existence. The research reported in this paper examined the conceptions of health, conceptions of illness and health practices for a group of Aboriginal, Torres Strait Islander, and Papua New Guinea university students studying health science courses. Results found three conceptions of health and three conceptions of illness that showed these students held traditional/cultural and Western beliefs about health and health practices. These findings may contribute to the development of health care courses that are more specific to how these students understand health. This may also serve to improve the educational status of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and potentially improve the health status within these communities (author abstract)

Feel it and deal with it: mental health practitioners' experiences of exposure to the trauma of survivor clients

Empathic engagement by the trauma therapist with another person's traumatic experiences is believed to create risks for the helping professional. Much attention has been focused upon the mental health professional experiencing symptoms of distress as a result of their exposure to the material of clients who survive traumatic incidents. This thesis contains the findings of a qualitative study that centres on a group of male mental health professionals and their experiences of exposure to the trauma material of survivor clients. The participants of the study practise within an internal Employee Assistance Program that provides, among other duties, a 24 hour, 7 day response to critical incidents to a heavy transport industry. Using semi-structured, in-depth interviews, the effects on the trauma therapists are explored by analysing their reactions to their survivor clients' accounts, the impact of these experiences upon their psychological schema, the organisational culture in which they practise and its influence upon their experiences and the methods participants use to cope with the psychological effects of exposure to trauma material. Participants' experiences are closely examined for critical comparisons with vicarious traumatization. Therapists' responses reveal their continued ability and motivation to empathically engage with the trauma material of survivor clients despite the potential risks.

UMA VISÃO BASEADA EM RECURSOS COM DIRECIONAMENTO ESTRATÉGICO: UMA PROPOSTA ÀS INSTITUIÇÕES DE SAÚDE HOSPITALARES PÚBLICAS

Este trabalho investiga a utilização da Visão Baseada em Recursos, tendo por objetivo propor um modelo de gestão de pessoas que atenda a exigibilidade da qualidade de prestação de serviços à saúde. São observadas as relações de trabalho nesses serviços nas diversas modalidades, a sistematização do conhecimento sobre os elementos que figuram na gestão de pessoas e a verificação da necessidade de Gestão Operacional e Estratégica de Pessoas para trabalhadores das Instituições de Saúde Hospitalares Públicas. Trata-se de pesquisa de natureza empírico-exploratória, apoiada em múltiplos casos de hospitais públicos, entrevistando e registrando fatos observados nos locais pesquisados, aplicando-se o Protocolo de Observações. Para atingir o objetivo principal, são utilizados os fundamentos das obras de Marras (2001; 2003 e 2005): Relações Trabalhistas no Brasil: administração e estratégia; Administração de Recursos Humanos: do operacional ao estratégico; e Gestão de Pessoas em Empresas Inovadoras, respectivamente. Além das observações participantes, utilizaram-se entrevistas e questionários com os usuários e profissionais dos hospitais, com instrumentos adaptados para o contexto da instituição e dado tratamento estatístico para análise dos resultados, que se apresentam em tabelas para melhor visualização dos dados e análise. A Gestão de Pessoas nas ISHP permanecem no modelo tradicional e longe de qualquer movimento que possa torná-la estratégica. O nível de satisfação dos pacientes para com os profissionais de saúde é ótimo, mas quanto aos recursos e infra-estrutura, é baixo. Os profissionais de saúde na quase sua totalidade trabalham por vocação, espírito de humanização e por acharem gratificante, embora o nível de insatisfação com a remuneração recebida seja elevado.(AU)

RESILIÊNCIA, VALORES HUMANOS E PERCEPÇÃO DE SUPORTE SOCIAL EM PROFISSIONAIS DA SAÚDE

A perspectiva atual da ciência psicológica, somada aos aspectos da psicologia positiva e da saúde, permite estudar o fenômeno da resiliência, transformando velhas questões em novas possibilidades de compreensão, permitindo um olhar positivo dos seres humanos, focando ao invés de aspectos negativos, os aspectos virtuosos, tais como: resiliência, felicidade, otimismo, altruísmo, esperança, como sendo recursos favoráveis para manutenção e promoção da saúde. A percepção do suporte social protege os indivíduos contra a desestabilização, e os valores humanos contribuem na tomada de decisão e nas escolhas para a resolução de conflitos. O objetivo deste estudo foi verificar se valores humanos e percepção de suporte social predizem resiliência em profissionais da saúde. Participaram 127 brasileiros, profissionais da saúde, sendo 76% do sexo feminino, com idade média de 38 anos, em sua maioria, casados. Os instrumentos utilizados para a coleta de dados foram um questionário de dados sociodemográficos, a Escala de Avaliação de Resiliência, o Questionário de Perfis de Valores QPV e Escala de Percepção de Suporte Social EPSS. Foram calculadas estatísticas descritivas, testes t e análises de regressão lineares múltiplas padrão. Os resultados revelaram que os participantes possuem bons níveis de resiliência, percebem que recebem mais suporte afetivo e movem e guiam suas ações e comportamentos pelo bem-estar dos outros. Resultados das análises de regressão revelaram que apenas valores humanos são preditores de resiliência. Estes achados contribuem para a compreensão do constructo de resiliência como um estado ou processo, portanto, como um fenômeno dinâmico que leva em consideração o contexto onde o ser humano está inserido, mas revela também a importância das características individuais na explicação deste fenômeno. Tendo em vista as limitações deste estudo e considerando que não foi encontrado nenhum estudo empírico acerca da influencia dos valores humanos sobre a resiliência, os resultados indicam a necessidade de desenvolvimentos de mais estudos para melhor compreensão dos preditores de resiliência e uma agenda de pesquisa é sugerida ao final das conclusões.

AS RELAÇÕES ENTRE INTELIGÊNCIA EMOCIONAL E BEM-ESTAR NO TRABALHO

Estudos em ambiente laboral acerca do comportamento humano e saúde no trabalho, bem como a melhor forma de se aplicar as competências e habilidades do trabalhador, vêm ganhando maior corpo devido à crescente busca por melhores resultados organizacionais, ao aumento da competitividade no mercado e à necessidade empresarial de atingir melhor desempenho de suas equipes. Gestores procuram por recursos e inovações a fim de tornar possível o alcance das metas organizacionais. Empregados mais capacitados, satisfeitos e envolvidos com seu trabalho são também aqueles que têm maior comprometimento afetivo com a organização. Para a empresa, isto pode significar um aumento da produtividade, o rebaixamento do número de absenteísmo e turnover. A dimensão saúde no trabalho ganha relevância porque bem-estar no trabalho significa também empregado mais feliz, com menor probabilidade de adoecimento físico, psíquico ou moral, reduzindo custos relativos à restituição da saúde do trabalhador. Por outro lado, estudo realizado sobre a inteligência emocional em gestores sugere que pessoas com alto nível deste tipo de inteligência são capazes de ter relacionamentos mais profundos e constituir uma rede social mais segura, ajudar os outros de seu grupo, bem como desenvolver uma liderança onde se possa construir uma equipe coesa e uma comunicação mais efetiva com os outros e levar a cabo planos estratégicos empresariais com mais eficiência. Este estudo teve como objetivo geral analisar as relações entre as habilidades da inteligência emocional e as dimensões de bem-estar no trabalho. A pesquisa foi realizada em uma empresa do setor de plásticos e metalurgia, em uma amostra constituída por 386 participantes dos sexos masculino e feminino, com faixa etária entre 18 e 58 anos. Foi utilizado para a coleta de dados um questionário composto de quatro escalas que mediram os três componentes de bem-estar no trabalho e as habilidades da inteligência emocional. Os resultados do estudo revelaram que apenas três habilidades da inteligência emocional tiveram correlações significativas com as dimensões de bem-estar no trabalho: empatia, sociabilidade e automotivação. Foram observadas correlações mais significativas entre sociabilidade e bem-estar no trabalho. Portanto, o bem-estar no trabalho parece associar-se às habilidades intelectuais e emocionais dos trabalhadores de serem empáticos, manterem-se automotivados e, especialmente, de estabelecerem e conservarem suas amizades (sociabilidade)