ReportWire

Tag: In the Workplace

  • Social workers experienced depression, PTSD, and anxiety at alarming rates during pandemic

    Social workers experienced depression, PTSD, and anxiety at alarming rates during pandemic

    [ad_1]

    Newswise — Toronto, ON — A new study published in the journal International Social Work has uncovered concerning rates of depression, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and anxiety among social workers.

    Stressors related to COVID-19 were the strongest factors associated with the negative mental health outcomes. Those who experienced a higher number of pandemic-related stressors — such as health concerns, increased caregiving responsibilities, violence in the home, family stress due to confinement, and stress associated with work-life balance — experienced mental health problems at a higher rate compared with those who were not as impacted by pandemic-related hardships.

    “Like physicians, nurses and other allied health care providers, social workers are feeling the impact of the pandemic, and it is showing up in their mental health,” says lead author Ramona Alaggia, a professor at the University of Toronto’s Factor-Inwentash Faculty of Social Work (FIFSW) and the Margaret and Wallace McCain Chair in Child and Family. “As we celebrate Social Work Week in Ontario March 6 – 12 and National Social Work Month in March, it is important to recognize the stressors that affect social workers and the well-being of those working in this essential field.”

    An alarming 40% of the sample reported depression — which is four times higher than the general population. The rate of reported depression among social workers is also substantially higher than other health care professionals working in COVID-19 related conditions, where the prevalence rate of depression has been found to be 24%. In total, one fifth of the sample reported PTSD while 15% reported anxiety. 

    “As personal stressors among social workers have increased, so too have the needs of those they serve,” says co-author Esme Fuller-Thomson, FIFSW professor and director of the Institute for Life Course and Aging at the University of Toronto. “With rising rates of domestic violence, child abuse, mental health illnesses and addictions, death rates in long-term care systems, and homelessness, social workers’ jobs have become more demanding than ever.”

    The majority of survey respondents were from Ontario and married or in common law unions. Half of the respondents had children under the age of 18, and 85% were women, which is consistent with the number of women working in the social work field.

    “Recent trends clearly indicate women have felt the most negative employment change and job loss during COVID-19,” says Carolyn O’Connor, co-author and a doctoral candidate at FIFSW. “Time studies consistently show that women are usually the ones carrying most childcare and domestic responsibilities at home. Meanwhile, COVID lockdowns made working from home even more stressful as parents juggle work demands with home-schooling, while experiencing isolation and fewer supports.”

    The study also found that the social workers most affected by mental health problems tended to be younger, less experienced and less established in their profession. Levels of resilience were also measured. Those who were older and had higher income had higher resilience scores.

    “Job instability is common early in a social worker’s career, especially when working within a neo-liberal environment that promotes precarious, contractual work conditions with fewer benefits and lower pay,” says co-author and FIFSW PhD candidate Keri West.

    Alaggia says that in her work with community-based agencies, she has observed that social workers have been leaving in high numbers since the start of 2022, with some agencies reporting as much as 30% shortfalls in staffing levels and significant problems filling those positions.

    “It seems a tipping point has been reached where-by social workers are leaving traditional settings because of low wages, job insecurity and meagre benefits,” Alaggia says. “Given the essential societal roles that social workers’ play, strategies to sustain the profession into the next generation and future generations are urgently needed. These strategies should include a trauma informed approach and strong mental health supports for staff. This may be a defining moment in the social work field and building resilience into social service systems is the way forward.”

    [ad_2]

    University of Toronto

    Source link

  • A gender perspective on the global migration of scholars – report

    A gender perspective on the global migration of scholars – report

    [ad_1]

    Newswise — International recognition is key to many successful academic careers, but research published today shows female scientific researchers are less internationally mobile than their male counterparts, although the gender gap has shrunk.

    Scientists tend to move from one country to another to advance their careers.  But  researchers from Oxford’s Leverhulme Centre for Demographic Science and the Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research in Germany, have found female researchers continue to be under-represented among internationally mobile researchers. In addition to moving less, female researchers also originate from and move to fewer countries, as well as migrating shorter distances, than their male counterparts.

    The study shows that gender inequality among mobile academic scientists varies across countries and over time on a global scale, and it reveals how it affects the demographic composition of the scientific workforce across the origin and the destination countries. The researchers provide a global and dynamic view on the global migration of scholars by gender.

    According to the paper, ‘While the US remained the leading academic destination worldwide, the shares of both female and male scholarly inflows to that country declined from around 25% to 20% over the study period, partially due to the growing relevance of China.’

    Lead author Xinyi Zhao, from the Leverhulme Centre and the Max Planck Institute adds, ‘Current literature points to gender inequality in science across countries. But a lack of relevant data on the migration of scholars has made it difficult to answer whether male and female scientists migrate equally.’

    Co-author Ridhi Kashyap  from Oxford’s Leverhulme Centre, says, ‘While gender inequalities remain, our findings support a growing feminisation of scholars migrating internationally. However, female researchers are still restricted in moving as globally and as freely as their male counterparts.’

    Gender gaps among researchers and international scholars favouring men were smaller in high-income and upper-middle income countries, than low-income countries. The US, UK, and Germany remained popular with female and male mobile scholars, but in these global hubs of international science, gender gaps nonetheless persisted.

    In a handful of countries such as Portugal, Brazil and Argentina, near gender equality among mobile researchers was seen. Others such as Japan and South Korea had significant gender gaps in favour of men.

    Co-author Emilio Zagheni, from the Max Planck Institute, concludes, ‘Our study indicates that opportunities for women to advance their academic careers through international mobility have increased. While we unveiled a key and welcome trend, we also note that more research is needed to understand underlying mechanisms, including the roles played by families and by science policies in shaping gender differences in the drivers and outcomes of relocations.’

    The team used bibliometric data on over 33 million scientific publications from Scopus, a global database of scholarly publications, to estimate the international migration of female and male researchers around the world from 1998 to 2017. This allowed the researchers to document and analyse cross-national trends in a systematic way.

    [ad_2]

    University of Oxford

    Source link

  • Einstein Appoints Reginald Hayes as Assistant Dean for Diversity Engagement

    Einstein Appoints Reginald Hayes as Assistant Dean for Diversity Engagement

    [ad_1]

    Newswise — February 24, 2023—BRONX, NY—Albert Einstein College of Medicine has named Reginald Leon Hayes, B.S., B.Mus., M.Div., the assistant dean for diversity enhancement. In this role, Mr. Hayes will focus on promoting diversity, equity, and engagement for current and prospective medical students and those in Einstein’s pathway programs. Mr. Hayes began his new role in late January.

    “We look forward to supporting Mr. Hayes as he works to advance greater diversity, equity, and inclusion at Einstein,” said Gordon F. Tomaselli, M.D., the Marilyn and Stanley M. Katz Dean at Einstein and executive vice president and chief academic officer at Montefiore Medicine.  “His appointment demonstrates our clear commitment to the principles championed by our namesake, which have been deeply held by the College of Medicine since its founding.”

    “Mr. Hayes has a wealth of experience that will help us fulfill the goals of our office,” said Lynne Holden, M.D., senior associate dean for diversity & inclusion and professor of emergency medicine at Einstein and an attending physician in the emergency department at Montefiore Health System. “His leadership in building a more equitable workforce and his personal involvement with global health will bring valuable insight, understanding, and knowledge to this critically important position. We are very pleased he is able to join us.”

    Mr. Hayes’ responsibilities will include bolstering Einstein’s pathway program consortium, recruiting diverse medical students, and creating an inclusive environment for Einstein community members.

    “It is both an honor and privilege to be back in the Bronx and to join the Einstein community,” said Mr. Hayes, who previously lived and served in a church in the Bronx and participated in a community outreach program in the borough. “I look forward to opportunities to discuss how we can engage everyone on campus and foster an inclusive and peaceable environment for our learners while advancing the mission of the College of Medicine, both in the Bronx and beyond.”

    Mr. Hayes worked most recently at the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine (NASEM), in Washington, DC, as an associate program officer for the Roundtable on Black Men and Black Women in Science, Engineering, and Medicine. This group convenes to discuss systemic issues and historic barriers to Blacks pursuing careers in SEM while sharing promising practices for increasing representation, retention, and inclusiveness.

    Before joining the roundtable, he worked as an implementation partner for the United States Agency for International Development’s Partnerships for Enhanced Engagement in Research program, focusing on cervical cancer and the high mortality rates for women in Malawi and Mozambique. In addition to these roles at NASEM, he was one of the original members of the diversity, equity and inclusion working group prior to the formal launch of the initiative at the institution.

    Mr. Hayes also served as a research analyst for diversity in clinical trials at the National Cancer Institute, where he worked with principal investigator Ted Trimble, M.D., M.P.H., researching methods to combat medical and science mistrust among historically disadvantaged populations and increase diversity in clinical trials conducted in the U.S.

    Mr. Hayes, a native of Washington, DC, was a biology and environmental science teacher in the District of Columbia public school system and in mission schools in Brazil and the Philippines. A classically trained tenor, Mr. Hayes has performed many roles including Tamino in The Magic Flute, King Kaspar in Amahl and the Night Visitors, Fenton in The Merry Wives of Windsor, and Don Ottavio from Don Giovanni, and has appeared as tenor soloist for oratorios such as the Bach Mass in B minor, Saint-Saëns’ Christmas Oratorio, Handel’s Messiah, Berlioz’s Te Deum and numerous other works.

    Mr. Hayes earned his bachelor’s degrees from Shaw University (in biology) and from Nyack College (in vocal performance), and a master’s in divinity from the Alliance Theological Seminary. This May, he will receive a master’s in business administration from Western Governors University. He is a member of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People and the National Association of Black Male Educators.

    ***

    About Albert Einstein College of Medicine
    Albert Einstein College of Medicine is one of the nation’s premier centers for research, medical education and clinical investigation. During the 2022-23 academic year, Einstein is home to 740 M.D. students, 194 Ph.D. students, 118 students in the combined M.D./Ph.D. program, and approximately 225 postdoctoral research fellows. The College of Medicine has more than 1,900 full-time faculty members located on the main campus and at its clinical affiliates. In 2022, Einstein received more than $202 million in awards from the National Institutes of Health. This includes the funding of major research centers at Einstein in cancer, aging, intellectual development disorders, diabetes, clinical and translational research, liver disease, and AIDS. Other areas where the College of Medicine is concentrating its efforts include developmental brain research, neuroscience, cardiac disease, and initiatives to reduce and eliminate ethnic and racial health disparities. Its partnership with Montefiore, the University Hospital and academic medical center for Einstein, advances clinical and translational research to accelerate the pace at which new discoveries become the treatments and therapies that benefit patients. For more information, please visit einsteinmed.edu, follow us on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and view us on YouTube. 

    [ad_2]

    Albert Einstein College of Medicine

    Source link

  • Retired Lieutenant General L. Neil Thurgood named Special Advisor to the President for Military Affairs and Technology at UAH

    Retired Lieutenant General L. Neil Thurgood named Special Advisor to the President for Military Affairs and Technology at UAH

    [ad_1]

    BYLINE: Elizabeth Gibisch

    Newswise — UAH President Charles L. Karr today announced that retired Lieutenant General L. Neil Thurgood has been named Special Advisor to the President for Military Affairs and Technology.

    “We are extremely proud to have Neil Thurgood join us at UAH,” said Dr. Karr. “He has been a great asset for the Nation, having led efforts across many areas, including hypersonics and directed energy. I am very excited to see the positive impact he will have on UAH as we continue to strive to support our Nation, Team Redstone and the North Alabama community.”

    In this position, Thurgood will help establish sustainable educational programs with entities at Redstone Arsenal, including the U.S. Army, NASA and the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and he will establish and support the development of training programs for companies that do business with government entities. In addition, Thurgood will support the development of a directed energy consortium focused on enhancing UAH’s externally funded research portfolio, leading to early development of technologies that can be utilized in the field. Finally, Thurgood will develop and implement educational and training programs at UAH that can benefit military veterans, and he may teach both undergraduate and graduate courses in fields such as leadership, logistics, directed energy or hypersonics.

    Thurgood last served as Director for Hypersonics, Directed Energy, Space and Rapid Acquisition, on Redstone Arsenal where he was responsible for fielding capabilities to deter rapidly modernizing adversaries, including overseeing development of an Army Long Range Hypersonic Weapon. He led the Army Rapid Capabilities and Critical Technologies Office mission to field critical technologies that addressed immediate, near-term and mid-term threats.

    “This is a great opportunity to give back to the community and our Nation, as we develop the next generation work force, continue the early development of critical technologies and support our National goals,” said Dr. Thurgood.

    The University of Alabama in Huntsville, a part of the University of Alabama System, has a history of partnering with companies in Huntsville and various entities at Redstone Arsenal. The addition of Thurgood will create opportunities to strengthen these partnerships both on the Arsenal and within the community.

    Thurgood holds a bachelor’s degree in business and communications from the University of Utah; a master’s degree in system management from the Naval Postgraduate School; a master in strategic studies in military and strategic leadership from the USAF Air War College; and a doctorate in strategic planning and organizational behavior from the University of Sarasota.

     

    About The University of Alabama in Huntsville

    Launched from America’s quest to conquer space, The University of Alabama in Huntsville is one of America’s premier doctoral-granting, research-intensive universities. Located in the second largest research park in the United States, UAH has robust capabilities in astrophysics, cybersecurity, data analytics, logistics and supply chain management, optical systems and engineering, reliability and failure analysis, rotorcraft and unmanned systems, severe weather, space propulsion and more. UAH prepares students for demanding positions in engineering, the sciences, business, nursing, education, the arts, humanities and social sciences. 

    [ad_2]

    University of Alabama Huntsville

    Source link

  • ‘Quiet hiring’ gives new name to old strategy in the workplace, says Virginia Tech management expert

    ‘Quiet hiring’ gives new name to old strategy in the workplace, says Virginia Tech management expert

    [ad_1]

    BYLINE: Mike Allen

    Newswise — The buzz was all about “quiet quitting” — the notion that workers are doing the absolute minimum required of them when they are on the job. Now, the trending term is “quiet hiring” — the practice of companies filling vacancies by shuffling personnel into positions they aren’t necessarily trained for and using part-time employees or contractors to make up the rest.

    “Quiet hiring isn’t really anything new,” said Eli Jamison, associate professor of practice in Virginia Tech’s Pamplin College of Business. “In many ways, this is a new label for old phenomena in a tight labor market.”

    Jamison added, “If it’s done strategically, the practice can be beneficial to both employer and employees. Companies can develop a ready pool of qualified and flexible workers, while employees can deepen their skillsets and raise their profile by building more relationships across their place of work.” Firms that carry this out properly will invest in cross-training and mentoring programs. “Alternatively, these firms may set up networks to speedily access outsourced workers with specialized skillsets,” she said.

    For employees, though, there can be risks. “An Individual job can become unmanageable if you’re asked to use your skills in new areas without relinquishing any of your original responsibilities. Also, it’s very possible that you are moved from a position with tasks and people you enjoy, to a place where you don’t like what you’re doing,” Jamison said.

    Reasons why companies would choose “quiet hiring” right now instead of filling all vacancies as they open tie into an overall trend that includes news of layoffs as companies reduce staff, “a correction from the over-hiring during the overheated economy we experienced coming out of the pandemic,” Jamison said.

    Meanwhile, unemployment remains quite low, which means that while highly skilled workers the tech sector will probably land on their feet quickly after layoffs, “more typical job candidates probably need to be more patient in their job search than they might have needed to be a year ago,” Jamison said. “Employers are likely to be attracted to candidates who can demonstrate their utility and flexibility in multiple work situations.”

    About Eli Jamison
    Jamison, an associate professor of practice in the Pamplin College of Business’ Department of Management, helped to develop the Virginia Tech Roanoke Center’s Leadership Academy that helps midcareer professionals develop new career skills. Read her full bio here.

    Schedule an interview

    [ad_2]

    Virginia Tech

    Source link

  • Five Faculty Selected for Newly Created “Rising Professorship”

    Five Faculty Selected for Newly Created “Rising Professorship”

    [ad_1]

    Newswise — Five from the Johns Hopkins School of Nursing (JHSON) have been selected as the inaugural holders of the newly established Term Professorship for Rising Faculty (Rising Professorship). The five faculty include Kamila Alexander, Teresa Brockie, Yvonne Commodore-Mensah, Laura Samuel, and Janiece Taylor.

    The Rising Professorship is a three-year period of funding for emerging and distinguished faculty to grow their research, increase their local, national, or global collaboration, strengthen their policy involvement, and advance their leadership within nursing and beyond.

    “We are delighted to announce this opportunity and to select these exceptional faculty,” says JHSON Dean Sarah Szanton, PhD, RN, FAAN. “This significant investment in faculty underscores our commitment to offering rising stars a place where they can both succeed in their careers and build the science, research, and networks needed to further nursing and improve health.”

    Kamila Alexander, PhD, MSN/MPH, RN, uses health equity and social justice lenses to examine the complex roles that intimate partner violence, HIV resilience, societal gender expectations, and economic opportunity play in the experience of intimate human relationships. Alexander is inaugural chair of the Nursing Initiative of the Mid-Atlantic Center for AIDS Research (CFAR) Consortium, lead faculty for the Violence Working Group at the Johns Hopkins Center for Injury Research and Policy, chair of the HIV/STI Committee of the Society for Adolescent Health and Medicine, and the associate director of the NIH-sponsored Interdisciplinary Research and Training in Trauma and Violence T32 Training Program at Johns Hopkins.

    Teresa Brockie, PhD, MSN, RN, FAAN, focuses on achieving health equity through community-based prevention and intervention of suicide, trauma, and adverse childhood experiences among vulnerable populations. Brockie is a member of the White Clay (A’aninin) Nation from Fort Belknap, Montana and leader of the Young Medicine Movement (YMM), which introduces Native youth to health science careers and provides mentorship by Indigenous researchers and clinicians to Fort Belknap scholars. Her intervention called Little Holy One aims to instill traditional Dakoda and Nakoda cultural values in children as a protective factor against adolescent suicide and substance use.

    Yvonne Commodore-Mensah, PhD, MHS, RN, FAHA, FPCNA, FAAN, seeks to reduce the burden of cardiovascular disease risk among Africans in the United States and in sub-Saharan Africa through community-engaged research and implementation science. She is a cardiovascular nurse epidemiologist and co-founder and president of the Ghanaian-Diaspora Nursing Alliance, a non-profit organization which advances nursing education in Ghana. Commodore-Mensah is principal investigator of the LINKED-BP and LINKED-HEARTS programs, two trials aimed to improve hypertension control and management of chronic conditions in community health centers.

    Laura Samuel, PhD, MSN, RN, FAAN, addresses socioeconomic disparities by advancing health equity for individuals and families with low incomes. Her current research examines the pathways that link low income and financial strain to physiologic aging. This includes investigating the health impact of policies and programs related to economic well-being for low-income households. Samuel’s research also looks at aspects of neighborhood and household environments that may influence health disparities. Her research interests stem from her clinical experience as a family nurse practitioner where she regularly witnessed the myriad of ways that a lack of financial resources can be detrimental to health.

    Janiece Taylor, PhD, MSN, RN, FAAN, identifies and addresses pain disparities with older women from underrepresented racial ethnic groups and helps individuals with disabilities increase social participation and independence. Taylor is principal investigator of a study that addresses unmet needs of caregivers aging with and into disabilities. She is co-associate director of JHSON’s RESILIENCE Center and principal faculty of its Center for Equity in Aging. Throughout her career, Taylor has received funding from the John A. Hartford Foundation, National Institute of Nursing Research, Mayday Foundation, the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, Henry M. Jackson Foundation, and the Harold Amos Medical Faculty Program.

    “These faculty are already making tremendous impact. We can’t wait to see what they accomplish next.”

    ***

    Located in Baltimore, the Johns Hopkins School of Nursing is a globally-recognized leader in nursing education, research, and practice. In U.S. News & World Report rankings, the school is No. 1 nationally for its master’s and DNP programs. In addition, JHSON is ranked as the No. 3 nursing school in the world by QS World University and No. 1 for total NIH funding among schools of nursing for fiscal year 2020. The school is a four-time recipient of the INSIGHT Into Diversity Health Professions Higher Education Excellence in Diversity (HEED) Award and a three-time Best School for Men in Nursing award recipient. For more information, visit www.nursing.jhu.edu.

    [ad_2]

    Johns Hopkins School of Nursing

    Source link

  • New UniSA-Teamgage initiative tackles workplace bullying from the ground up

    New UniSA-Teamgage initiative tackles workplace bullying from the ground up

    [ad_1]

    Newswise — World-first research is at the heart of a new workplace bullying prevention program, launched today by the University of South Australia and Australian software business, Teamgage.

    The new program – Healthy Workplaces by Design – identifies and mitigates the root causes of bullying, extending beyond more obvious interpersonal triggers into psychosocial hazards, such as workplace environments, workload demands, and working practices.

    As a risk audit and prevention program it will help businesses meet new work health and safety (WHS) obligations to proactively risk manage psychosocial hazards, especially workplace bullying.

    About 1.1 million Australian workers experience serious workplace bullying, with 39 percent of mental disorder claims caused by workplace bullying, harassment, or violence.

    Psychological health and safety are foremost on the agenda of Australian WHS policymakers, statutory agencies, and peak bodies, particularly since Safe Work Australia published the Model Code of Practice: Managing psychosocial hazards at work.

    UniSA researcher Professor Michelle Tuckey says the UniSA-Teamgage partnership will deliver a risk management process that uses work redesign to prevent workplace bullying and other psychosocial hazards.

    “Every employer has a legal responsibility to provide a safe workplace, but there’s an increasing pressure for businesses to better manage psychosocial risks, including workplace bullying and sexual harassment,” Prof Tuckey says.

    “Workplace bullying already causes up to $36 billion of lost productivity in each year. And with Safe Work Australia recording a 75 per cent increase in the frequency of bullying claims over the past ten years, it’s a problem that is not slowing down.

    “The amended legislation will require businesses to proactively address workplace bullying (and other psychosocial risks) with the same rigour as physical health and safety hazards, which means they’ll need to go above and beyond administrative controls like policies and training.

    “The UniSA + Teamgage partnership will enable businesses to undertake a tailored risk audit of their workplace and generate specific recommendations, actions, and evaluations to remedy any concerns.

    “It shifts the emphasis from responding to interpersonal bullying behaviour, to proactively identifying and mitigating the root causes of bullying embedded within work environments.”

    Trialled across 85 sites, Healthy Workplaces by Design has proven results, including:

    • 34 per cent reduction in exposure to bullying behaviour
    • 46 per cent reduction in workplace bullying complaints
    • 73 per cent reduction in sexual harassment complaints.

    Teamgage CEO and Co-Founder, Noelle Smit, says the UniSA-Teamgage partnership will ensure people have safer, healthier workplaces, in Australia, and around the world.

    “Teamgage is committed to helping organisations deliver strategic outcomes by creating highly effective teams,” Smit says.

    “We achieve this by empowering teams to continuously improve how they work together, and a part of this is by ensuring a safe and healthy workplace.

    “For this to happen, we need organisations to be constantly alive to the risk of workplace harassment, toxic cultures and mistrust between staff and management – all of which can affect performance, customer outcomes, profit and most importantly people’s wellbeing.

    “We’re thrilled to be partnering with the University of South Australia to deliver the new Healthy Workplaces by Design program and look forward to delivering safe, healthy workplaces for all.”

     

     

    [ad_2]

    University of South Australia

    Source link

  • For leaders, playing favorites can be a smart strategy

    For leaders, playing favorites can be a smart strategy

    [ad_1]

    Newswise — As anyone who’s worked in an office, a factory, or any other workplace can attest, sometimes bosses play favorites. Whether it’s assigning the most comfortable cubicles or the best parking spots, or deciding whose opinions take precedence during planning sessions, leaders inevitably wind up treating some employees better than others.

    That might seem unfair, especially if you aren’t your supervisor’s favorite. But now, for the first time, research shows that in some cases, biased bosses get better results — and not just from the workers they treat best.

    “For leaders, playing favorites isn’t always a bad thing,” explained Haoying (Howie) Xu, assistant professor of management at Stevens Institute of Technology. “Favoritism is a double-edged sword — it can be harmful to team dynamics, but in the right circumstances it can also help organizations to succeed.”

    In his work, reported in the February 2023 print issue of Personnel Psychology, Xu and colleagues studied more than 200 different teams, comprising over 1,100 employees, in several Chinese companies representing a cross-section of different industries. By surveying both employees and supervisors about performance and team dynamics, Xu was able to reveal the ways in which workplace favoritism interacts with other factors to elevate or impede overall team performance.

    The results were striking.

    In teams that were already well-structured, either because some employees were placed in positions of authority or because some employees had more advanced skill sets, performance dipped when leaders played favorites. In less clearly structured teams, however, having a biased boss typically led to better outcomes, with improved coordination and performance across the entire team.

    “That’s an important finding, because most previous research has focused solely on the negative impacts of workplace favoritism,” Xu said. “Now, we’re getting a more nuanced view of the way that leadership biases play out in the real world.”

    Drawing on a branch of management science known as leader-member exchange (LMX) theory, which studies the relationships between supervisors and employees, Xu argues that leadership biases operate by sending signals about the relative status of different team-members. That can be a bad thing: in teams where a social hierarchy already exists, favoritism can create dissonance and spark conflict.

    In teams that lack a clear pecking order, however, a leader’s biases impose structure and help everyone to work together more effectively. If team members don’t already have well-differentiated roles based on levels of authority or particular skills, favoritism provides a framework that reduces conflict and increases efficiency by helping employees to establish a stable dynamic instead of simply butting heads with one another.

    “In homogenous groups, playing favorites can be a way for leaders to clarify the roles that different team-members should play,” Xu explained. “When teams lack obvious hierarchies, it helps if the boss sends clear signals about who’s on top and who is expected to take a more subordinate role.”

    “The key point is that playing favorite has clear positive and negative effects, so leaders need to ensure they’re paying attention to how their favoritism is affecting their team.”

    Other factors can also influence the impact of leadership biases: more recently formed teams are more easily destabilized by workplace favoritism, for instance. Further research is needed to fully explore the way that favoritism works at different levels of organizations, and also to zoom in on the ways in which individual team-members’ interactions are influenced by their supervisor’s favoritism.

    For now, Xu’s research offers team supervisors and more senior managers clear guidance on how to optimize team performance. Managers could adjust their relationships with team-members to ensure they’re sending appropriate signals.

    [ad_2]

    Stevens Institute of Technology

    Source link

  • Kristina Hendrix selected for new position of Vice President for Strategic Communications at The University of Alabama in Huntsville

    Kristina Hendrix selected for new position of Vice President for Strategic Communications at The University of Alabama in Huntsville

    [ad_1]

    Newswise — HUNTSVILLE, Ala. (FEB. 3, 2023) – The University of Alabama in Huntsville (UAH), a part of The University of Alabama System, has selected Kristina Hendrix to fill the newly created position of Vice President for Strategic Communications. UAH’s newest VP officially began her new role on Feb. 1. She reports directly to UAH President Charles L. Karr, and her focus will be on providing leadership for a comprehensive communications strategy for the University, as well as overseeing the management of the Office of Marketing and Communications. The appointment was approved by The University of Alabama System Board of Trustees Compensation Committee.

    “The Vice President for Strategic Communications is a key member of the University’s senior leadership team,” President Karr says. “So, I’m very happy to welcome Kristina Hendrix to The University of Alabama in Huntsville. In this role, I am confident she will not only help UAH continue to grow, but also to meet the challenges and many opportunities that lie ahead for our institution.”

    Hendrix earned a master’s degree in journalism from the University of Memphis and a bachelor’s degree in public relations from The University of Alabama. During her career, she has amassed nearly 20 years of communications experience. She is an award-winning public relations executive with extensive expertise in promoting aerospace, national security and advanced manufacturing hardware programs within the Department of Defense, NASA and private industry.

    The new appointee comes to UAH from Dynetics, where she held the communications director position since 2016. Additional communication roles include stints with NASA, the Missile Defense Agency and the U.S. Army Redstone Test Center.

    “My desire is for the Office of Marketing and Communications to be a known and trusted counselor to our stakeholders and to develop and implement effective communication strategies and projects across our campus,” Hendrix says. “UAH is a preeminent research institution, and it is vital that our communication strategy plays a key role in all facets of the University’s growth and future.” 

    A longtime resident of Athens, Hendrix has been active with many state and local philanthropic and public relations organizations, such as Arts Huntsville; the Community Foundation of Greater Huntsville; Huntsville Botanical Garden; the Southern Public Relations Federation; and the Public Relations Council of Alabama. She has garnered numerous awards and recognitions for her efforts, including The University of Alabama Outstanding Alumnus Award in Public Relations; the Southern Public Relations Federation Professional Achievement Award; and the Public Relations Council of Alabama Philip R. Forrest, Jr. Professional Achievement Award.

    “When I saw this opportunity, I knew this was the time to be back in the family business! My parents, grandparents and great grandparents all worked in education,” Hendrix says. “I want to amplify the message of the University and share these stories of the priceless value of higher education, as well as the love and passion I have for the community of Huntsville. I’m thrilled about the potential for growth in the future here. The chance to be able to communicate this message is what told me this is where I need to be.”

    About The University of Alabama in Huntsville

    Launched from America’s quest to conquer space, The University of Alabama in Huntsville is one of America’s premier doctoral-granting, research-intensive universities. Located in the second largest research park in the United States, UAH has robust capabilities in astrophysics, cybersecurity, data analytics, logistics and supply chain management, optical systems and engineering, reliability and failure analysis, rotorcraft and unmanned systems, severe weather, space propulsion, and more. UAH prepares students for demanding positions in engineering, the sciences, business, nursing, education, the arts, humanities, and social sciences. 

    [ad_2]

    University of Alabama Huntsville

    Source link

  • Anna Lee Appointed AIP Foundation Executive Director

    Anna Lee Appointed AIP Foundation Executive Director

    [ad_1]

    Newswise — WASHINGTON, February 1, 2023 — AIP is pleased to announce Anna Lee as the new executive director of AIP Foundation. Starting February 1, Lee will lead the foundation as it magnifies philanthropic support of the Institute.

    “AIP Foundation was established to support the charitable, scientific, and educational mission of AIP,” said CEO Michael Moloney. “Anna’s appointment as executive director will bring valuable leadership and strategic direction to the foundation, as evidenced by her passion and past accomplishments. We are looking forward to all the success I know she and her team will achieve.”

    Prior to joining AIP, Lee played a leading role in the capital campaign to build the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture. When she began fundraising as campaign director, the building did not exist. By the time of the grand opening, her team had succeeded in raising more than $300 million— well over their original goal.

    “I really enjoy my career in fundraising because it allows me to make an impact by connecting donors to their passions and helping them make their own personal difference in the world,” said Lee. “I also love supporting the people and the programs that can change our society.

    “AIP and AIP Foundation facilitate many of those efforts, such as the TEAM-UP Together initiative,” she continued. “I am excited about joining an organization that empowers physical scientists, promotes the advancement of science, and removes barriers to learning – all things crucial for solving our grand challenges.”

    As Senior Director of Corporate and Foundation Relations at the A. James Clark School of Engineering, University of Maryland for five years, Lee brought in industry partners to invest, enhance, and create new programs in support of underrepresented minority students in STEM.

    “We are excited for Anna to lead AIP Foundation as executive director,” said the foundation’s founding chair Dr. France Córdova. “Her philanthropic expertise – demonstrated through strategic fundraising at the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History & Culture and diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts at the University of Maryland – will be invaluable as we continue our work to advance the physical sciences with a unified voice of strength from diversity.”

    Lee plans to leverage AIP Foundation’s current strengths to establish a best-in-class fundraising operation. She will lead the team as they continue to share the history of the physical sciences, motivate and encourage a new generation of scientists, attract and inspire new partners, and support AIP priorities through critical fundraising opportunities.

    “Everything I’ve done in my career up to now has prepared me for this role — the campaign fundraising, the board interactions, the corporate and foundation relations, and the theme of supporting diversity and inclusion,” she said. “So, I’m excited to get to work.”

    ###

    ABOUT AIP FOUNDATION

    AIP Foundation is an independent not-for-profit corporation, 501(c)(3) tax-exempt charitable organization, with the American Institute of Physics Inc. (AIP) as the sole member of the corporation. AIP Foundation was launched in 2020 to generate philanthropic support to deepen and share the history and importance of the physical sciences throughout the world, and to motivate and encourage a new generation of scientists. AIP Foundation provides support to three areas within AIP, focused on History Programs, Library, and Student Programs.

    ABOUT AIP 

    The mission of AIP (American Institute of Physics) is to advance, promote, and serve the physical sciences for the benefit of humanity. AIP is a federation that advances the success of our 10 Member Societies and an institute that operates as a center of excellence supporting the physical sciences enterprise. In its role as an institute, AIP uses policy analysis, social science, and historical research to promote future progress in the physical sciences. AIP is a 501(c)(3) membership corporation of scientific societies. 

    [ad_2]

    American Institute of Physics (AIP)

    Source link

  • Formerly Burned-Out Employees Through The Eyes Of Managers: Definetly Not Suitable For A Promotion

    Formerly Burned-Out Employees Through The Eyes Of Managers: Definetly Not Suitable For A Promotion

    [ad_1]

    Newswise — Earlier research indicated that former burnout patients experience unfavorable treatment when applying to a new organization. However, how would employees with a history of burnout fare in the context of a promotion in their current organization? Recently published in European Sociological Review: research from Ghent University provides answers.

    In an experiment, the researchers asked 405 British and American managers to advise whether or not they would select fictitious employees for a promotion on the job. A total of 1,620 promotion candidates was assessed and some of these employees had an interruption of their working record. The explanation for their gaps in working history varied from burnout, a parental leave to sick leave following an accident.

    Burnout is most detrimental to promotion prospects
    Of the employee profiles outlined, those with a history of burnout had the lowest chances at being selected for a promotion. Conversely, the employees without interruption in their employment record had the best prospects. Compared to the latter candidates, (ex-)burnout patients received 34 (!) percentage points lower promotion propensity scores.

    “Moreover, our data suggest that a history of burnout had the largest impact of all information provided on our promotion candidates. For instance, in their ratings of candidates, managers assigned a higher weight to a history of burnout than employees’ performance records or tenure.” Philippe Sterkens, PhD candidate (Ghent University)

    What do recruiters think of promotion candidates with a history of burnout?
    In addition to providing overall promotion ratings, managers also assessed their candidates on 10 characteristics that previous research suggested might explain the unfavorable treatment of employees with a history of burnout.

    These results confirm that there are several stigmatizing perceptions surrounding burnout syndrome. In particular, managers expect formerly burned-out employees to be less stress-resistant, possess fewer leadership capacities and set a bad example for others.

    “However, we found that other stigma could explain additional parts of the puzzle. For instance, the employees with a burnout experience received significantly lower scores for motivation and current health from the managers.” Professor Stijn Baert (Ghent University)

    Policy perspective
    We hope that these research findings will encourage employers to take employees who recovered from burnout into fair consideration when making promotion and thus pursue a more diversity-friendly policy. While there is a lot of discussion about unfavorable treatment throughout the hiring stage, this study shows that unequal treatment does not stop after entering organizations – on the contrary.

    “Furthermore, our findings argue against the implementation of labour market reintegration policies and interventions with an exclusively short-term focus, which approach return-to-work as a dichotomous variable. Clearly, burnout syndrome’s negative career impact remains a threat in the longer-term.” Philippe Sterkens, PhD candidate (Ghent University)

    This study was published in the peer-reviewed journal of European Sociological Review. It is part of the doctoral research of Philippe Sterkens, under the supervision of professors Stijn Baert and Eva Derous, and is written in collaboration with doctoral researcher Claudia Rooman.

    [ad_2]

    Ghent University

    Source link

  • Additional anesthesiology residency positions may help hospitals save costs, address projected workforce shortages of anesthesia care professionals

    Additional anesthesiology residency positions may help hospitals save costs, address projected workforce shortages of anesthesia care professionals

    [ad_1]

    Newswise — ORLANDO, Fla. — Expanding anesthesiology residency programs — even in the absence of federal funding — may help medical institutions save staffing costs and address projected shortages of anesthesia care professionals, suggests a first-of-its-kind study being presented at the American Society of Anesthesiologists’ ADVANCE 2023, the Anesthesiology Business Event.

    In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, hospital expenses are rising as health care staff leave medicine and their positions are filled often using costly temporary workers or paying other staff members for overtime or extra shifts.

    “There is a projected shortage of anesthesia care professionals in the next three to five years, and a third of the physician anesthesiologist workforce is older than 601,” said Lauren Nahouraii, M.D., lead author of the study and an anesthesiology and perioperative medicine resident physician at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center. “Adding extra anesthesiology residency positions can help address the issue, and our research suggests it also may be cost effective for the institution.”

    Physicians who graduate from medical school pursue residencies in their desired specialties at U.S. medical institutions through the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME). The federal government provides funds for those residencies, capping the positions available at each medical institution. While the U.S. Congress has made provisions for ACGME-qualified institutions to offer additional residency positions, they may not receive federal funding. Anesthesiology residency positions usually fill up every year. In the 2022 match, 1,182 medical students (44% of applicants) seeking an anesthesiology residency did not match, suggesting there aren’t enough positions, she said. 

    In the study, the researchers compared the cost of anesthesiology residents vs. nurse anesthetists, factoring in actual work hours and supervision ratios. They determined expanding the program to include more residents is financially beneficial as the cost per hour of clinical coverage for residents was $29.14, whereas paying nurse anesthetists to work overtime was $181.12 per hour of clinical coverage and paying nurse anesthetists to take on extra shifts was $255.31 per hour of clinical coverage. The researchers concluded that over three years, the addition of three residency positions resulted in a cost savings of between $440,000 and $730,000 for the first year, $840,000 and $1.4 million for the second year, and $1.2 million and $1.9 million for the third year. The analysis factored in the cost of those three additional residents, who weren’t supported by federal funding.

    “While institutions gain greater financial benefit if they can obtain federal funding for their anesthesiology residencies, our findings suggest they might consider expanding their residency positions even if they do not receive that funding,” said Dr. Nahouraii. “Given our study may be the first investigation and description of these cost savings, adding anesthesiology residency positions may quickly catch on across anesthesiology departments, as long as they are committed to maintaining the integrity of the educational mission of residency training.”

    THE AMERICAN SOCIETY OF ANESTHESIOLOGISTS

    Founded in 1905, the American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) is an educational, research and scientific society with more than 56,000 members organized to raise and maintain the standards of the medical practice of anesthesiology. ASA is committed to ensuring physician anesthesiologists evaluate and supervise the medical care of patients before, during and after surgery to provide the highest quality and safest care every patient deserves.

    For more information on the field of anesthesiology, visit the American Society of Anesthesiologists online at asahq.org. To learn more about the role physician anesthesiologists play in ensuring patient safety, visit asahq.org/MadeforThisMoment. Like ASA on Facebook, follow ASALifeline on Twitter.

    1. https://www.aamc.org/data-reports/workforce/interactive-data/active-physicians-age-specialty-2021

    [ad_2]

    American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA)

    Source link

  • Attributing the rising costs of groceries to “price gouging” is not accurate

    Attributing the rising costs of groceries to “price gouging” is not accurate

    [ad_1]

    Fact Check By:
    Craig Jones, Newswise

    Truthfulness: Mostly False

    Claim:

    Grocery stores need to be brought to heel over food prices. This isn’t ‘inflation’ because it isn’t caused by monetary oversupply. It’s just price gouging and we know that because we can literally see that they’re all reporting surplus profits.

    Claim Publisher and Date: Twitter user emmy rākete among others on 2023-01-21

    On social media, complaints regarding the rising costs of groceries are trending. It’s no surprise after all, the price of groceries has gone up around 13% compared to last year. According to the data from the Labor Department, the price of fruits and vegetables increased by 10.4 percent annually, while milk rose 15.2 percent and eggs soared 30.5 percent. Like other sectors of the economy, food prices are susceptible to supply chain complications and geopolitical unrest including the war in Ukraine. But some people have expressed their disdain for grocery store companies, accusing them of “price gouging” to increase their profits, which have been reaching exorbitant heights (corporate profits are at their highest levels in nearly 50 years, according to CBS MoneyWatch).

    For example, this tweet shared by thousands blames the rising prices of groceries on retailers engaged in price gouging: “Grocery stores need to be brought to heel over food prices. This isn’t ‘inflation’ because it isn’t caused by monetary oversupply. It’s just price gouging and we know that because we can literally see that they’re all reporting surplus profits.” 

    Is putting the blame on grocery store managers for your rising costs of orange juice accurate? It’s not quite that simple. The claim of “price gouging” at the grocery store is misleading because of the complex nature of the grocery business. Professor Lisa Jack, School of Accounting, Economics and Finance and lead of the Food Cultures in Transition (FoodCiTi) research group at the University of Portsmouth explains…

    Supermarket profits are complex and care should be taken with attributing them to any one cause. There are three main factors:

    1. Commercial income, also known as suppliers payments or back margin, contributes heavily to supermarket profits. These payments and support from suppliers to the supermarket include volume discounts and marketing fees. These can represent as much as 7% of a supermarket’s income: bottom line profits can average around 1-2% of income. Primary producers are seeing rapidly increasing costs for all inputs and having been squeezed to breaking point over the last 20 years, have no choice but to increase the prices of their output. Similarly for processors, packagers, distributors and every other business supplying supermarkets. The supermarkets themselves claim to be fighting on behalf of consumers to be keeping prices down and there is evidence that they are refusing price increase requests, which implies that commercial income is still being maintained. 
    1. In the last few years, supermarkets have been increasing profits by cutting overhead costs at head offices and in support services. Counterintuitively, the only economy of scale they have is bargaining power – see above. All their activities, including large stores, increase the overhead costs which can be as much as 75% of their spend. A significant amount of recent ‘soaring profits’ come from job losses, which are not sustainable in the long run. 
    1. Since their emergence in the 1920s, the business model for supermarkets has been to sell basics at little or no profit relying on high volumes to break even. Profits come from enticing customers to buy at least one impulse, premium item of food and non-grocery items. 8 of the 10 best sellers in supermarkets are the cheaper (but still higher profit margin) alcohol, confectionery and snacks. Since the pandemic and the cost of living crisis hit, more of us are exchanging going out for buying in ready-meals, alcohol and other treats, and buying more of our non-grocery items from supermarkets. These are where the profits come from, and they are being taken away from other sectors. Unsurprisingly, the food businesses that have the highest margins are those that produce brands of alcohol, confectionery etc – ‘Big Food’.

    Note to Journalists/Editors: The expert quotes are free to use in your relevant articles on this topic. Please attribute them to their proper sources.

    [ad_2]

    Newswise

    Source link

  • Educating California’s Workforce

    Educating California’s Workforce

    [ad_1]

    Newswise — ​When companies want to invest in their employees’ education, they turn to the CSU because it’s the best value in higher education. At only $5,742 per academic year, CSU tuition is among the lowest in the country and has not risen in more than a decade in keeping with the university’s commitment to making college affordable for all.

    The CSU works with industry partners to help employees advance their careers and foster a more educated workforce for California’s economy. Read about a few of these partnerships. 

     

    Amazon Education Partners

    Amazon’s Career Choice program provides education and training opportunities that include full college tuition, industry certifications and foundational skills, such as English language, high school diplomas​ and GEDs. Full- and part-time Amazon employees who have worked for at least 90 days are eligible.

    The e-commerce company has chosen several CSU campuses to be education partners and serve regions in which the company operates: Channel Islands, Fresno, Pomona, San Diego, San Josè and Stanislaus.

    “[Earning a degree] may be the difference between employees being in a warehouse position versus a higher-paying managerial position, so it could have tremendous benefits—life changing in some ways,” says Ron Rogers, Ph.D., San Josè State interim vice provost for academic innovation and online initiatives​. “Career Choice provides them mobility within their careers, which will ultimately contribute to their social mobility.”

    The program also provides employees with the opportunity to explore other career options at Amazon like communications and marketing, software development and more. Students receive a quality education from the university as well as strong academic and career advising.​Stanislaus State student and Amazon employee Mischelle Martin​ez. Photo credit: Stanislaus State

    As a Career Choice education partner, San Diego State University Global Campus, for example, provides access to a range​​ of SDSU degree-completion programs offered fully online or hybrid with some in-person components, giving students flexibility in how, when ​and where they learn.

    “We were very excited when Amazon reached out to us to be their first Career Choice partner in the San Diego region,” Casey Rothenberger, executive director of academic and professional programs for SDSU Global Campus, says in a press release. “This partnership allows SDSU and Amazon to provide increased access to a bachelor’s degree for the thousands of Amazon employees in our region.”​

    For Mischelle Martinez, a Stanislaus State business major who transferred from Modesto Junior College ​last spring, learning that Career Choice is available to her was a pleasant surprise.

    “I was transferring in and found out that I qualified for this program, so I decided to definitely take advantage of it,” says Martinez, who works 30 hours a week as an Amazon packer while taking a full load of classes. “It is a big help because it covers all of my educational costs.” 

    A Patterson resident and mother of two small children, Martinez says she chose to attend Stan State for its business programs and proximity to Patterson, which allows her to save money by living at home and commuting. She is considering a human resources track and plans to graduate with a bachelor’s degree in spring 2023.

     

    ‘Cal State Disneyland’

    Last summer, Cal State Fullerton joined ​Disney Aspire, The Walt Disney Company’s education investment and career development program that offers 100 percent tuition paid upfront for hourly employees.​

    Dozens of CSUF programs will be available starting spring 2023 to more than 29,500 hourly employees eligible to participate in Disney Aspire in California, more than 3,400 of whom are already enrolled at the university.

    “It’s always been a little joke that CSUF is called ‘Cal State Disneyland’ because so many Disney cast members also attend or graduated from Cal State Fullerton, so this is a natural fit,” says Elva Rubalcava, CSUF associate vice president of government and community relations. “Disney also recognizes that CSUF has an incredible impact on Orange County’s economy. In fact, nearly 80 percent of our more than 310,000 alumni have stayed within a 50-mile radius of campus.”

    In addition to covering tuition, Disney will also reimburse employees for applicable books and fees. Employees will have access to a variety of in-person and online courses at CSUF, located about seven miles from the Disneyland Resort in Anaheim.

    CSUF joins Disney Aspire as the program’s first four-year brick-and-mortar university, as all previously established educational opportunities are through online universities and programs. This will allow local employees the chance to engage in an on-campus college student experience.

     

    Serving Working Adults

    Cal State San Bernardino has established the Stater Bros. Market​ completion program to help employees advance their careers. Through this partnership, the grocery chain can​ provide a significant educational opportunity to its employees to earn a Bachelor of Arts in administration through the Jack H. Brown College of Business and Public Administration (JHBC).

    “Stater Bros. has provided startup funding for the program and is promoting the program among its own employees,” JHBC Dean Tomás Gómez-Arias, Ph.D., says. “As part of our agreement with Stater Bros., their employees get a 15 percent tuition discount and Stater Bros. provides an additional 15 percent tuition reimbursement.”

    The program resembles the curriculum of CSUSB’s regular Bachelor of Arts in Administration program but is offered fully online in a more flexible modality with eight-week courses. It is designed for students who have taken their lower division courses at community colleges or other institutions and can complete the program in 60 units.

    “Being fully online and asynchronous, it fits with people’s schedules,” Dr. Gómez-Arias says. “The short course format allows students to progress towards their degree in predictable chunks that accommodate​ changes in people’s life demands.”

    The partnership will also have a major impact in providing access to a high-quality educational program and opportunities to increase the college attainment rates of Inland Empire residents. The inland region has a population of 4.5 million residents, but less than 20 percent of the residents have a bachelor’s degree.

     

    Learn more about these programs by visiting the Amazon Career Choice, Disney Aspire​ and CSUSB Jack H. Brown College​ websites.

    [ad_2]

    California State University (CSU) Chancellor’s Office

    Source link

  • CSU Faculty and Staff Honored for Dedication to Student Success

    CSU Faculty and Staff Honored for Dedication to Student Success

    [ad_1]

    Newswise — The California State University (CSU) will honor four faculty and one staff member with the esteemed Wang Family Excellence Award ​for their unwavering commitment to student achievement and advancing the CSU mission through excellence in teaching, scholarship and service. As part of their recognition, each honoree will receive a $20,000 award that is provided through a gift from CSU Trustee Emeritus Stanley T. Wang and administered through the CSU Foundation.

    Honorees will be recognized publicly Tuesday, January 24, during the CSU Board of Trustees meeting in Long Beach, California.

    ​“As we emerge from the pandemic, it is my great honor to confer the 2023 Wang Family Excellence Award to five extraordinary individuals who are connecting students with transformational opportunities to grow, contribute and lead in our communities,” said CSU Interim Chancellor Jolene Koester. “We extend our enduring appreciation to Trustee Emeritus Stanley Wang and his family for their unparalleled generosity and for continuing to nurture a world of connection.”

    Introduced in 1998, the Wang Family Excellence Awards recognize CSU faculty members who have distinguished themselves through high-quality teaching and excellence in their area of expertise. The awards also acknowledge a staff member whose contributions go above and beyond expectations.

    The five honorees are:

    Steve Alas, Ph.D., Cal Poly Pomona (Professor of Biology, Director of SEES), Outstanding Faculty Service

    A tumor immunologist with expertise in genetics and DNA repair and a former research fellow at City of Hope National Medical Center, Dr. Steve Alas’ impact on human lives extends far beyond his research lab. The veteran biologist has provided extraordinary service and opportunities to thousands of students at his alma mater, Cal Poly Pomona, while diversifying the science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) fields and connecting California’s industries with invaluable untapped talent.

    Dr. Alas first joined the university as an assistant professor in 2005. Today, as director of CPP’s Science Educational Enhancement Services (SEES), he works tirelessly to eliminate barriers for underrepresented and first-generation students in the fields of science and engineering, serving more than 700 students each year. While establishing a community of peers, SEES provides students with professional development, peer mentoring, academic support, referrals to fellowships and scholarships and summer orientation for incoming freshmen, among many other services. His efforts have helped narrow the graduation gap for participating underrepresented students from 17.6 percent to 3.9 percent.

    Described by CPP President Soraya Coley as “the epitome of a teacher-scholar-mentor-leader,” Dr. Alas has received the Provost’s Award for Excellence in Service, as well as the CSU Faculty Innovation and Leadership Award (FILA). He holds a bachelor’s degree in biological sciences from CPP and a Ph.D. in microbiology and immunology from the University of California, Los Angeles.

     

    David Blekhman, Ph.D., Cal State LA (Professor of Technology, Technical Director of Hydrogen Research and Fueling Facility), Outstanding Faculty Scholarship

    Tapped by Cal State LA to expand its green portfolio by developing the largest hydrogen and fuel-cell research facility at any academic campus in the United States, Dr. David Blekhman jumped at the opportunity. When the Cal State LA Hydrogen Research and Fueling Facility opened in 2014, the engineering technology professor was named its technical director. The station was the first in the world to be certified to sell hydrogen by the kilogram directly to drivers, and it has hosted more than 10,000 students and industry professionals.

    Beyond his vision for clear skies and a green and healthy planet, the alternative energy expert is intent on creating a world where his diverse and talented students are prized as highly skilled practitioners, with a direct hand in advancing sustainable policies and technical solutions for California’s top research firms, businesses and government agencies. To achieve this goal, Dr. Blekhman actively develops cutting-edge courses in electric and hybrid vehicles, fuel cell applications, photovoltaics, advanced engine design and other in-demand fields, leading students to explore real-world problems and their solutions through hands-on projects, guest presentations, industry tours and attendance at local conferences. Instrumental in introducing electric vehicle charging infrastructure and solar energy projects to Cal State LA, he now employs the campus as a “living laboratory” to enhance students’ learning and professional development.

    An internationally renowned author and presenter, Dr. Blekhman holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees in thermal physics and engineering from St. Petersburg State Polytechnic University in Russia, as well as a Ph.D. in mechanical engineering from the University of Buffalo in New York.

     

    William (Bill) J. Hoese, Ph.D., Cal State Fullerton (Professor of Biological Sciences), Outstanding Faculty Innovator for Student Success

    “I allow students the freedom to learn, permission to fail, space to strive, opportunities to take risks and support to succeed. I use field experiences to take students out of their comfort zones, build community and encourage curiosity about the world around us.”

    Revered at Cal State Fullerton as “a creative, effective and rigorous classroom instructor who is universally loved, praised and admired,” Dr. William (Bill) Hoese has distinguished himself as an exceptional educator with a gift for inspiring students to delve into life science.

    A 23-year veteran at CSUF, Dr. Hoese has been nationally recognized for his efforts to transform the way biology is taught, from a fact-driven course to one that engages students in active learning and critical thinking. As just one example, Dr. Hoese has introduced 300-plus lower-division biology students each semester to Southern California’s ecosystems with an overnight trip to the Mojave Desert where—away from city lights—many reported seeing stars for the first time. His approach led to “Vision and Change in Undergraduate Biology Education,” a movement spearheaded by the American Association for the Advancement of Science with support from the National Science Foundation, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, the National Institutes of Health and the United States Department of Agriculture.

    Dr. Hoese has also designed multiple programs that increase student success beyond his classroom.

    Dr. Hoese holds a bachelor’s degree in human biology from Stanford University, a master’s degree in biology from Stanford and a Ph.D. in zoology from Duke University.

     

    Alyssa Goldstein Sepinwall, Ph.D., CSU San Marcos (History Professor and Graduate Coordinator), Outstanding Faculty Teaching

    Various pundits are credited with issuing the warning, “Those who fail to learn from history are doomed to repeat it.” CSU San Marcos history professor Dr. Alyssa Goldstein Sepinwall is determined to steer her students clear of that fateful path and instead give them a full picture and visceral connections with the people, events and challenges of our past.

    Dr. Sepinwall joined CSUSM in 1999 and was promoted to full professor in 2011. As a past winner of CSUSM’s President’s Award for Innovation in Teaching and the Harry E. Brakebill Outstanding Professor Award, she specializes in showing students how history connects to their own lives through compelling and hands-on projects, first-hand accounts such as diaries, whole-class and small-group discussion and diverse guest speakers. Her creative assignments, such as a cookoff exploring changes in eating habits for a women and Jewish history class, not only create community within the classroom, but they also allow students to see themselves in historical narratives. Her cutting-edge teaching is continuously informed by feedback from her students, and their questions shape her research.
    With a busy schedule that includes serving on university and department committees, advising graduate theses and conducting research, she has become a sought-after expert in Haitian and French history, slavery and colonization and the history of gender, as well as visual and pop cultures. Widely quoted in national media, she is also a frequent speaker and guest lecturer at the CSU and around the world.

    Dr. Sepinwall holds bachelor’s degrees in history and political science from the University of Pennsylvania, and a master’s degree and Ph.D. in history from Stanford University.

     

    Joy Stewart-James, Ed.D., Sacramento State (AVP, Student Health & Counseling Services), Outstanding Staff Performance

    After a 20-year career working for a large hospital health care system in Austin, Texas, overseeing several clinics and departments, Dr. Joy Stewart-James made the leap to higher education in 2007, landing on her feet at Sacramento State​. Since then, the seasoned public health professional has been widely credited with keeping the Sacramento State community safe, healthy and calm, even as the campus navigated the global COVID-19 public health crisis. She has become a recognized leader not only within the CSU system, but across the state and national college health communities.
    After joining Sacramento State as executive director for Student Health and Counseling Services, Dr. Stewart-James was promoted to associate vice president in 2017. In her current role, she provides strategic leadership, management, fiscal oversight and programmatic direction for a comprehensive model of health and wellness for a campus of over 30,000 students. She oversees and manages Sacramento State’s fully accredited, multidisciplinary health care services, including urgent and primary care, mental health counseling services, pharmacy, radiology, nutrition, athletic training, sports medicine, health promotion services, basic needs, case management and student peer education programs.

    She has dedicated herself to improving the patient experience and helping students to become better health care consumers. With a new paperless system that allows students to access appointments, view records and message their providers via their patient portal, use of the student health center has increased dramatically.
    Dr. Stewart-James holds a bachelor’s degree from Florida International University in Miami, a master’s degree from the University of Oregon, Eugene and an Ed.D. from the University of Texas at Austin.

     

    Excellence in teaching and a dedication to student success from faculty and staff as demonstrated by the 2023 Wang Family Excellence awardees further supports the CSU’s Graduation Initiative 2025. This key initiative is focused on increasing graduation rates for all CSU students while eliminating equity gaps and meeting California’s workforce needs.

    For more information on the awardees and their accomplishments, visit the Wang Family Excellence Award website.

     

    ###

     

    About the California State University

    The California State University is the largest system of four-year higher education in the country, with 23 campuses, nearly 460,000 students, and 56,000 faculty and staff. Nearly 40 percent of the CSU’s undergraduate students transfer from California Community Colleges. The CSU was created in 1960 with a mission of providing high-quality, affordable education to meet the ever-changing needs of California. With its commitment to quality, opportunity and student success, the CSU is renowned for superb teaching, innovative research and for producing job-ready graduates. Each year, the CSU awards more than 132,000 degrees. One in every 20 Americans holding a college degree is a graduate of the CSU and our alumni are 4 million strong. Connect with and learn more about the CSU in the CSU NewsCenter.

    [ad_2]

    California State University (CSU) Chancellor’s Office

    Source link

  • Salary Transparencies Spur Universities to Pay Females More Equitably

    Salary Transparencies Spur Universities to Pay Females More Equitably

    [ad_1]

    Newswise — Publicly available salary information prompts organizations to reduce the gender pay gap, according to a new study from the University of California San Diego’s School of Global Policy and Strategy.

    The research counters previous assumptions that salary transparency creates more equal pay because it allows individual employees to negotiate for higher compensation.

    “We find that when there is a standardization process that makes searching for compensation information very easy, then organizations as a whole have an incentive to improve equality to reduce the threat of public scrutiny,” said Elizabeth Lyons, associate professor of management at the School of Global Policy and Strategy and coauthor of the study.

    The study assesses how universities in Ontario responded to a policy—first implemented in 1996—that required all organizations to make salary information for those making over $100,000 public. The study finds these universities increased female pay by about 4%. Outside the province, where compensation data are private, female pay did not have the similar significant increase over the same time period in the study

    “Universities most likely to anticipate higher scrutiny, such as top ranked institutions, responded more aggressively and quickly to improve gender pay equality by slowing the growth of male salaries as well as by increasing female pay,” Lyons said.

    Concerns organizations have over salary transparency are that it could lower worker morale and, in the university setting, could affect how donors or students perceive the institution. For private companies, backlash from customers over unequal pay could also harm a firm’s reputation.

    The paper published in the journal Strategic Management compares compensation of 32,000 different university employees across 1,400 academic departments in Canada over a 24-year period. The authors were able to access salary information for the provinces outside Ontario through a Statistics Canada dataset available to researchers.

    “Importantly, salary transparency does influence gender pay inequality but not in the way we thought it would,” said Lyons, who coauthored the paper with Laurina Zhang, an assistant professor in strategy and innovation at Boston University. “We expected that salary transparency would reduce inequality because females were going to see what their male counterparts were making and try to negotiate for more equal pay, but the data did not reveal changes at the individual level.”

    They were also surprised that despite little media attention around gender pay equality at the time the policy in Ontario was first implemented, institutions reacted by trying to get in front of the issue to reduce the gender pay gap.

    “The strategy seemed to work because we did not see high profile news stories about gender inequality on Ontario college campuses,” Lyons and Zhang said.

    They added the results have major implications for salary transparency in the U.S., where organizations are under more pressure today to pay female and male workers equally than Canadian organizations were at the time of the study. It is estimated women in the U.S. make up to 14% less than men in the same position.

    Mandates to make salary information public have been implemented in many states across the U.S. like California, Florida and Texas.

    While some firms or governments argue salary transparency can be invasive, even dangerous, the authors conclude the findings imply that facilitating low-cost public monitoring of gender inequalities can motivate organizations to enact change.

    The full paper, “Salary Transparency and Gender Pay Inequality: Evidence from Canadian Universities,” can be accessed at this link.

    [ad_2]

    University of California San Diego

    Source link

  • New UC Davis documentary set to air on PBS

    New UC Davis documentary set to air on PBS

    [ad_1]

    Newswise — A new documentary from the UC Davis Environmental Health Sciences Center (EHSC) will premiere on PBS stations beginning Jan. 14. 

    “Dignidad: California Domestic Workers’ Journey for Justice” follows domestic workers in California as they organize for job protections during the COVID-19 pandemic. 

    Viewers in the greater Sacramento area can watch the broadcast on Thursday, Jan. 19 at 10:30 p.m. PST on KVIE. It is also available for viewing on the PBS website.

    “Domestic workers lack virtually any protections from arbitrary and unsafe working conditions. This film highlights their struggle to achieve dignity, respect, and safe and humane working environments before and throughout the unprecedented COVID public health crisis,” said Irva Hertz-Picciotto, a professor of public health sciences and director of EHSC.

    Hertz-Picciotto is the executive producer for the film. Jennifer Biddle, digital strategist at EHSC, is the producer. Paige Bierma, an award-winning filmmaker and journalist, directed the documentary.

    “Dignidad” is the second film for the team. Their previous documentary, “Waking Up to Wildfires,” premiered on PBS in 2019. Since then, it has aired more than 300 times on 160 PBS stations and is currently available on PBS Viewfinder.

    Kim Alvarenga, director of the California Domestic Workers Coalition, and domestic workers Mirna Arana and Rock Delgado are featured in the new film.

    Mirna Arana fled deadly gang violence in Guatemala and resettled in California. She started working as a cleaner, where she experienced wage theft, and is now an activist with Mujeres Unidas y Activas. Rock Delgado, a caregiver in Los Angeles, survived a severe bout of COVID-19 after being exposed on the job. He’s now an activist with the Pilipino Workers Center.

    Their stories illustrate the struggles many domestic workers face in California. Domestic workers are predominantly female and persons of color. Many are new immigrants. Laboring in other people’s homes often includes risks such as unsafe working conditions, exceedingly long hours, wage theft and other forms of abuse.

    Exclusion from Cal/OSHA

    The California Division of Occupational Safety and Health, known as Cal/OSHA, is responsible for enforcing California laws and regulations related to workplace safety. In 2020, during the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic, the California Legislature passed SB 1257. The bill was designed to extend Cal/OSHA protections to domestic workers.

    California Governor Gavin Newsom vetoed the bill. In his statement, Newsom said: “SB 1257 would extend many employers’ obligations to private homeowners and renters, including the duty to create an injury prevention plan and the requirement to conduct outdoor heat-trainings. Many individuals to whom this law would apply lack the expertise to comply with these regulations.”

    Domestic workers in the state organized in response to the veto. “Dignidad” touches on some of the EHSC research findings about the vulnerabilities faced by domestic workers during the pandemic. It also chronicles domestic workers’ efforts to pass a subsequent bill introduced by California Senator María Elena Durazo: the Health and Safety for All Workers Act (SB 321).

    In 2021, Governor Newsom, after amending the bill, signed SB 321 into law. The measure did not fully bring domestic workers under Cal/OSHA standards. However, it mandates the creation of an advisory committee comprised of members of the public and experts to develop recommendations on protecting the occupational health and safety of domestic workers.

    “It was heartening that after more than a century of having virtually no rights as workers, domestic employees are now recognized as needing occupational protections. While this new law does not actually guarantee those protections, it is a small first step toward that goal and toward the dignity domestic workers deserve,” Hertz-Picciotto said.

    Resources 

    [ad_2]

    UC Davis Health

    Source link

  • Study shows peer messaging tool can be successfully implemented in the nursing workforce

    Study shows peer messaging tool can be successfully implemented in the nursing workforce

    [ad_1]

    Newswise — A tool developed at Vanderbilt University Medical Center to address disrespectful workplace behaviors through trained peer-to-peer messaging can be successfully implemented in the nursing workforce with the appropriate support, according to a new study published in the January 2023 issue of .

    The first author of the article, “Implementation of Peer Messengers to Deliver Feedback: An Observational Study to Promote Professionalism in Nursing,” is Cindy Baldwin, MS, RN, CPHRM, senior associate for the Department of Pediatrics and School of Nursing at the Vanderbilt Center for Patient and Professional Advocacy.

    Prior research shows that unprofessional behaviors in health care settings lead to unhappy, less motivated workers and poorer outcomes for patients and families, Baldwin said. She and other researchers evaluated the feasibility of implementing for staff nurses the Co-Worker Observation System (CORS), a tool developed at VUMC in 2013. Prior to the study, CORS had been implemented for doctors and advanced practice providers at Vanderbilt, but not for staff nurses, Baldwin said.

    “We thought this was a unique opportunity to be able to give nurses an opportunity to self-regulate, as shared governance models highly support this concept,” Baldwin said. “Creating a vision for respect and inclusion for all team members aligns with organizations’ values and the nursing code of ethics.”

    Researchers implemented CORS for staff nurses at VUMC and two other academic medical centers — Keck Medicine of the University of Southern California (including USC Verdugo Hills Hospital and Norris Cancer Center) and University of Iowa Health Care — using a project bundle with 10 essential implementation elements.

    CORS promotes addressing professional behavior in the moment, but if that doesn’t happen, co-workers can use an electronic documentation system to document the observation. In the study, those reports were screened through natural language processing software, coded by trained CORS coders using the Martinez taxonomy, then referred to a trained nurse messenger who is carefully selected to be a peer, based on role and tenure.  The nurse messenger shares the observation with the nurse that offended the person who reported the incident. The name of the reporter is withheld.

    The study considered 590 reports from the three sites from Sept. 1, 2019 to Aug. 31, 2021. Most reports included more than one unprofessional behavior — a total of 1,367 unprofessional behaviors were recorded, then mapped to existing categories in the CORS system. Most unprofessional behaviors — 48.8% — were related to issues in clear and respectful communication. Another 33.3% were related to performing duties/tasks that are part of a role. A total of 6.8% were related to appropriate medical care; 5.9% to professional integrity; and 5.2% a report of concern or possibly egregious.

    Baldwin also noted that 92% of all nurses in the study’s database never received a CORS report about their behavior.

    Baldwin said the beauty of the peer-reporting system is it allows a trained peer messenger to resolve the issue with the nurse that trigged the report, and the incident is not reported to nursing leadership or human resources unless required by policy or law or requiring investigation. Most peer reports are delivered at face value, without investigation, realizing that there are two sides to every story.

    CORS data collected over 10 years show that most people listen to peer criticism and self-correct. She noted that much unprofessional behavior is not rooted in the workplace, but rather outside life stressors.

    “We want to make sure that people hear or understand how they’re being perceived, whether it’s a one-time thing or it’s a pattern, without immediately going to progressive discipline.”

    Baldwin cautioned that simply implementing a peer-to-peer reporting system isn’t enough; messengers must be trained, and the correct reporting infrastructure and leadership support must be in place. The study found that nurses would deliver CORS messages to their peers with the correct training.

    Other VUMC authors of the paper are Alice Krumm, DNP, RN, CNOR; Heather Davidson, PhD; Lynn Webb, PhD; Thomas Doub, PhD; and William Cooper, MD, MPH.

    “The findings of this study really highlight the fact that professionals will respond if we approach them in respectful, nonjudgmental ways,” said Cooper, who leads the Center for Patient and Professional Advocacy.

    Cooper expressed appreciation for VUMC nursing leadership for supporting the innovative project, which has already drawn interest from health systems around the country. “This work continues a longstanding partnership between our center and Vanderbilt’s nursing leadership in identifying innovative ways to promote professionalism,” he said.

    Executive Chief Nursing Officer Marilyn Dubree, MSN, RN, NE-BC, FAAN, noted that VUMC recently received its fourth Magnet designation from the American Nurses Credentialing Center, in part because of its commitment to shared governance.

    “Every nurse at Vanderbilt has a voice, and CORS is an innovative peer-reporting model that strengthens that voice,” she said. “I am excited about the possibilities as we expand the use of this tool to further empower our nurses.”

    [ad_2]

    Vanderbilt University Medical Center

    Source link

  • Study finds anger over COVID-19 layoffs keeping hospitality workers from returning to jobs

    Study finds anger over COVID-19 layoffs keeping hospitality workers from returning to jobs

    [ad_1]

    Newswise — Researchers at the University of Houston Conrad N. Hilton College of Global Hospitality Leadership say many skilled hospitality workers who were furloughed or laid off during the COVID-19 pandemic are angry and unlikely to return to the industry.

    During the first few months of the pandemic in 2020, travel and dining out declined rapidly putting severe financial strain on hospitality organizations, especially those in the lodging and food and beverage sectors. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the hospitality industry lost nearly 8 million hospitality jobs were lost, making it the hardest-hit industry in the U.S. by the pandemic in terms of workforce reduction.

    “I don’t think any industry was prepared, but the hospitality industry really wasn’t prepared,” said Juan Madera, the Curtis L. Carlson endowed professor at Hilton College. “Their solution to cutting costs and saving the business was to let people go and then try to rehire them when it was over.”

    Fast forward nearly three years, and the overall U.S. jobs market has surpassed pre-pandemic levels. But the hospitality industry remains far behind in its recovery with roughly 1.3 million jobs still available as of July 2022.

    Madera and his Hilton College colleague, Ph.D. candidate and teaching fellow Iuliana Popa, along with two of his former students, wanted to figure out why. In a study published in the Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Management, the team focused on two basic emotions: anger and fear. They collected data from over 300 online surveys and over 100 responses to a scenario-based experimental study. Participants included hospitality students, as well as current, former, and aspiring hospitality industry professionals.

    “Your job, your livelihood is taken away, so a natural response is fear for your future,” Madera said. “But we found anger was a bigger driver in explaining why these workers aren’t coming back. They were angry over how the industry responded to the pandemic.”

    According to Popa, the results of the study point to a problematic trend for the industry. If skilled workers switch industries due to job loss amidst another industry-wide negative event, it may be difficult for businesses to find qualified employees once the recovery and rehiring begins.

    “I think by and large, people who were laid off or furloughed during the pandemic probably moved on to different industries altogether,” she said. “Something more stable and less dependent on those in-person interactions where their skills were transferable, like business or real estate.”

    Unlike other industries, the hospitality industry already faced challenges in finding and retaining highly skilled workers due to the nature of the business, according to Popa.

    “Workers in the hospitality industry already had it hard, whether it’s low wages or having to work weekends, overnights and holidays,” Popa said. “It’s a very demanding job, so to go through all of that and then be laid off was kind of the last straw.”

    The research team came up with recommendations for businesses to consider going forward, including offering higher compensation and better benefits and doing a better job of protecting workers’ health.

    But Popa said the most important priority should be rebuilding trust with their employees.

    “It’s important that organizations understand this anger among workers and build better communication with them,” she said. “If there’s another crisis in the industry, they’ll want to know there’s a plan in place and that they’ll be protected, financially, emotionally and physically.”

    Despite the massive impact of the pandemic and the ongoing challenge to restore the workforce, Madera said not all hope is lost.

    “There are people who are still motivated to work in hospitality because it’s a unique industry,” he said. “You can travel the country or the world, you have a lot of personal interaction. Even people from outside the industry could be attracted to that.”

    [ad_2]

    University of Houston

    Source link

  • Chinese Communist Party zero-covid “volunteers” have suffered from stress and anxiety, study shows

    Chinese Communist Party zero-covid “volunteers” have suffered from stress and anxiety, study shows

    [ad_1]

    Newswise — “Volunteers” tasked with enforcing the Chinese Communist Party’s zero-covid policies have suffered from stress and anxiety, a new study shows.

    Having to act as a “buffers” between disgruntled citizens and the Party’s image has led to “grassroots fatigue”, high workloads and people being put under intense pressure, researchers have found.

    These members of residents committees are responsible for monitoring and tracing sick residents and enforcing quarantines, as well as administering vaccines and achieving centrally set vaccination targets.

    Academics conducted 37 semi-structured interviews during summer 2021 in eight Shanghai estates in three districts. This included secretaries and directors from residents committees, government officials, representatives from property management companies and people who worked in party-community and social centres, as well as social workers, volunteers and residents.

    They found an increasingly pressurized grassroots infrastructure, then exhausted after 18 months of mobilizational governance, in which party secretaries are required to shoulder ever greater workloads and manage increasingly hierarchical chains of command.

    At the pandemic’s height, government officials were also sent into communities to assist with grassroots COVID management. In the second phase they went door-to-door providing information about the vaccine, alongside working in their usual party jobs. They were expected to do this voluntary work. One party worker described the work as ‘voluntary’, but when asked if she could choose not to go, she replied, ‘it seems like we cannot”.

    One residents committee secretary told researchers: “Now it seems like the public is forcing Party members onto the moral high ground in all issues. It feels like, if you are a Party member, you have to do this. If you don’t, you will be ashamed of your title of Party member.”

    The research, by Dr Catherine Owen from the University of Exeter and Xuan Qin from Fudan University, is published in the Journal of Chinese Political Science.

    Dr Owen said: “Since Spring 2022, when Chinese citizens have become increasingly dissatisfied with the on-going commitment to zero-COVID, the high costs of resource mobilisation and the hierarchical chain of command have resulted in intensified workloads and intense pressure on local cadres, leading to grassroots fatigue.

    “Following the emergence of Omicron and the hike in public dissatisfaction with the on-going lock-down policies it was the grassroots cadres that filtered out public discontents, protecting the Party’s overall image.”

    Another residents committee secretary said: “Now the secretary and the director are under too much pressure. It’s just hard work, and the psychological pressure is too great. We have indicators for every job, including vaccination, and every residential area has a ranking every day. I’m too anxious to sleep at night. Because the city has indicators for the district, the district has indicators for the streets, and the streets have indicators for the residential areas, it is very anxiety-inducing”.

    Researchers found tensions were created because higher-level authorities have asked for compulsory enforcement of policies at grassroot levels, but citizens are not formally required to comply. Local volunteers were told to meet vaccination targets, but mandatory vaccination was prohibited. This put the grassroots cadres in the impossible position of having to meet rigid targets without the authority to enforce the policy.

    Dr Owen said: “Leeway for street-level bureaucrats to adapt or customise decisions from above during periods of campaign governance is very limited. The tension between the requirement for comprehensive compliance and the basic need for personal freedom is a result of top-level design, but it is experienced and negotiated at the grassroots level.”

    [ad_2]

    University of Exeter

    Source link