Going Green Post COVID-19: Employer Perspectives on Skills Needs

Achieving a just transition to a low carbon economy and society, in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, is arguably one of the greatest policy challenges facing governments. It is also of deep concern to businesses, employees and the organisations that represent them. Much of the focus, particularly at policy level, has been on the potential of this transition to create new jobs especially through the growth of renewable energy and clean technology. In this paper, we argue that this focus on ‘green jobs', and in particular new green jobs, grossly underestimates the skills needs of a future workforce able to deliver a transition to a more sustainable low-carbon economy. The focus of this study is to gain an understanding of what skills are required to support the transition beyond these sectors. It critically reports on the results of a series of in-depth interviews with senior managers in key organisations within Cambridgeshire and Peterborough, UK. It sheds a light on the significant employment transitions taking place in organisations who are not specifically focused on delivering ‘green' products or services. It finds widespread acknowledgement of the importance of a green recovery, albeit predicated by economic growth. The key skills needs reported, at all levels were likely to be ‘soft' transferrable skills rather than ‘hard' technical skills. COVID-19 was recognised as both a disrupter and as a catalyst for a green transition.

The Evolution of the Normative Regulation in Hospital Safety and Security

The aim of the law is to ensure personal, material and organisational conditions for safe work without endangering human health, to prevent work accidents and occupational diseases by defining the rights and obligations of the state, employers and employees. Since 2003, the concept of occupational safety and health commissioning has been included in the law, which plays a prominent role in the commissioning of dangerous technology or work equipment in health care. [...]of the epidemic, not only the so-called back office area, but also in patient care, the concept of remote work appeared in the field of telemedicine, and some other areas, such as in the case of finding analysis. According to the legislation, the employer must register and Investigate all accidents at work. [...]of this, a wave of insourcing started and in several health institutions they started to employ their own doormen again, wh ich raises further problems.

Disability, workplace inclusion and organizational citizenship behavior: an exploratory study of the legal profession

PurposeMany workers with disabilities face cultures of exclusion in the workplace, which can affect their participation in decisions, workplace engagement, job attitudes and performance. The authors explore a key indicator of engagement—perceptions of organizational citizenship behavior (OCB)—as it relates to disability and other marginalized identities in the workplace.Design/methodology/approachUsing an online survey, legal professionals answered questions about their workplace experiences. Ordinary least squares (OLS) multivariate regression analysis with progressive adjustment was used to investigate the effect of demographic and organizational factors on perceptions of OCB.FindingsThe authors find that employees with disabilities have lower perceptions of OCB, both before and after controlling for other personal and job variables. The disability gap is cut nearly in half, however, when controlling for workplace culture measures of co-worker support and the presence of an effective diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) policy. Disability does not appear to interact with gender, race/ethnicity and LGBTQ + status in affecting perceptions of OCB.Originality/valueThe results point to the workplace barriers faced by people with disabilities that affect their perceptions of engagement, and the potential for supportive cultures to change these perceptions.

Exploring the impact of an industrial placement year on students' competency development: a three-cohort, longitudinal study

PurposeDrawing on human capital theory and sustainable career theory, this paper aims to explore the impact of undertaking an industrial placement on the "Great Eight" competencies as perceived by university students and line managers.Design/methodology/approach618 students and their line managers across three cohorts (pre-COVID-19) took part in a longitudinal quantitative study. Students completed a three-wave questionnaire at the placement's start, middle, and end. Line managers completed the questionnaire during waves two and three to offer 360-degree feedback. Descriptive statistics and repeated measures ANOVA were applied to the dataset.FindingsThe impacts of undertaking a placement were highly variable for different competencies at the sub-scale level, although at the eight-scale level, the nuance was less pronounced. However, students self-perceived that all eight competencies increased between the start and end of the placement. Surprisingly, line managers perceived students' competencies to be higher than perceived by the students.Originality/valueThe value of undertaking a placement is often poorly measured (e.g. satisfaction) rather than competency-based outcomes, which can lead to conclusions that are overly simplistic and difficult to use in practice. Theoretically, this study advances understanding of human capital theory and sustainable career theory by understanding the role placements can play in developing human capital and preparing university students for sustainable careers. Practically, the findings of this study can help to close the university-industry skills gap by informing curriculum and placement scheme design and supporting students to acquire personal resources and signal these to prospective employers as an antecedent to career sustainability.

Economics of a Health System's Direct-to-Consumer Telemedicine for Its Employees

Am J Manag Care. 2023;29(6):In Press _____ Takeaway Points The value of direct-to-consumer (DTC) telemedicine services offered by academic health systems is understudied. * DTC telemedicine services for low-acuity or minor illnesses are increasingly offered as an employee benefit, but any per-episode unit cost advantage may be offset by overuse of care. * DTC telemedicine staffed by an academic health system and offered to its employees resulted in lower per-episode unit costs for care within 7 days and only marginally increased the use of services. * DTC telemedicine staffed by an academic health system and offered directly to employees was cost-saving. _____ Employers in the United States have increasingly been offering a direct-to-consumer (DTC) telemedicine benefit for low-acuity or minor illnesses to their employees.1-3 By 2021, more than 95% of employers with 50 or more employees provided some coverage for DTC telemedicine in their largest health plan;more than 75% felt that offering telemedicine was important and nearly 20% either limited or eliminated cost sharing for telemedicine.4 Despite these trends among general employers, few health systems have directly provided DTC telemedicine to their own employees. [...]because these services are easy to access (often available immediately, around the clock, and without travel), they may induce overuse of care, especially for self-limited conditions such as viral upper respiratory infections for which the alternative to in-person care is no care at all, thus increasing the overall cost of care.5-11 Telemedicine will save money relative to in-person care if any unit price advantages are not overwhelmed by the increased use of care overall, induced by its convenience. Employers provide health insurance coverage for 158 million Americans or nearly 50% of the population. Since the COVID-19 pandemic began, telemedicine has represented a significantly larger portion of all medical claims—consistently more than 5% of all medical claims by mid-202112-15—and the estimated value of the global telemedicine industry is projected to reach a quarter of a trillion dollars by 2024.13 Yet, the future of telemedicine remains undetermined with reimbursement rates in debate,16-18 driven in large part because its economic value is understudied and uncertain. Penn Medicine is self-insured and more than 95% of employees use its only employer-sponsored plan—a preferred provider organization (PPO) plan—rather than insurance obtained individually or through a family member. Since 2017, these PPO-insured employees have been offered Penn Medicine OnDemand,19 a 24/7 DTC telemedicine benefit to employees and their adult (≥ 18 years) dependents.

Managerial competencies: A comparative study of US-India employer's needs

COVID-19 pandemic brought novel challenges for society and businesses. Along with psychological impact on humans, COVID-19 led to significant changes in business processes. Managerial competencies, which positively impact performance of both the employees and businesses, are influenced by changing social and business context. In this milieu, there is a call for research to understand the impact of recent changes on managerial competencies to make them future-ready. Further, in light of prior studies that present opposing findings, a related question worth exploring is—does the importance of managerial competencies differ across countries? By answering these questions, key competencies, that can boost both employee performance and business profitability, can be assessed and nurtured for a positive global impact. This paper presents theoretical background, methodology, findings and implications from a two-part study that was conducted to answer above questions. Phase 1, which included literature review, analysis of US Government's O*NET database and expert validation, yielded a unique 9 × 51 Managerial Competencies Framework. Using quantitative methodology, that involved primary survey of Indian experts and hypothesis testing on matching data-sets, Phase 2 of this cross-country study reports a broad agreement amongst US and Indian experts on the importance of key managerial competencies. Study offers many theoretical and practical implications, along with directions for future research. © 2023 Wiley Periodicals LLC.

Analysis Of the Effectiveness of Risk- Based Internal Audit Implementation: A Case Study: Acces la Success

Background: Risk Based internal audit is a control and supervision activity carried out by internal auditors using the output of risk management. Purpose: The purpose of this study was to obtain a comprehensive understanding of the implementation of risk based internal audit at BPJS Ketenagakerjaan. Internal auditors need to know about risk management and risk maturity to identify key areas that require immediate supervision and follow-up. Method: This research is a case study qualitative research with a descriptive approach. Data was collected by means of interviews, observation and documentation. The analysis technique using triangulation is to collect data, reduce and draw conclusions. Results and findings: Researchers found that Social Security Agency while in Indonesian term is Badan Penyelenggara Jaminan Sosial (BPJS) Ketenagakerjaan as an institution that is mandated to manage labor social security membership fees and implement good governance and manage business risks. The risk management output is then used as the basis for conducting an internal audit. Discussion: BPJS Ketenagakerjaan carries out risk management to identify risks, identify areas that have potential risks and carry out risk profiling. This makes it easier for internal auditors to carry out the internal audit process. Impact: The results of risk management make it easier for auditors to identify risks and identify specific areas so that internal audits can run effectively and efficiently.

Dynamics of Teleworking and Impact on Stakeholders in the Current Pandemic Context

The exponential development of information and communication technology (ICT) through computer networks, Wi-Fi systems, wireless signals, and information storage systems has contributed to the transition to the so-called new economy, which is becoming increasingly digital and global. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, teleworking has begun to dramatically change the work dynamics for all stakeholders. The aim of this research was to identify the main impacting factors and their level of influence in relation to the macroeconomic context of teleworking, public policies, and the legal framework regarding quality of life, as well as the effects of teleworking on employees and employers. Through empirical research, we explored the perspectives of employees and employers as main stakeholders who had operated in the teleworking field within Suceava County in Romania during 2020. In this regard, we undertook exploratory research, the results of which were processed using SPSS v.20. The insightful results have practical implications for the labor market, where an obvious increase in the share of teleworking in the total forms of work has already occurred, and the relations between employer and employee are expected to become based more and more on cooperation and less on subordination. The results also revealed an important tendency of employees to appreciate the positive effects of teleworking on other aspects of life.

The Employee Moonlighting - A Paradigm Shift in Socioeconomic Context

The global economy perhaps suffered the worst-ever disaster since the eruption of the COVID-19 pandemic. It hits badly both life and livelihood leaving away the mark of catastrophe across the labor market by causing harm to both employment and employ ability. The badly damaged sectors like airlines, hospitality, and retail chains fueled the crisis of loss in employment opportunities due to the total collapse of the tourism industry. However, within these bleak business situations, healthcare, and pharmaceutical (thanks to the COVID vaccine invention) sectors recorded robust growth despite huge fatalities of healthcare professionals across the globe. Despite the recessionary trend across the sectors, business growth in e-commerce was phenomenal;because the series of lockdowns, compelled households to satisfy demands at the doorstep, by using e-commerce platforms. Even after the pandemic, there was an explosion of e-commerce businesses creating value for the customers and satisfying it at their doorsteps;from trimming of hair to fumigation at households or from arranging Pandits for performing Pujas to booking accommodation for a cozy stay at remote holiday destinations made available at fingertips. The introduction of Work from Home (WFH) or Remote Working which was earlier practiced widely by IT or IT-enabled services and adopted subsequently by other businesses in the form of virtual or hybrid working has opened opportunities for individuals to explore newer sources of income to balance their financial liabilities threatened by the erosion of permanent employment, wage cut, and frizzing of increments. So, when maintaining a livelihood is important, financial insecurity created the center stage for exploring alternatives for sustenance. Therefore, the concept of moonlighting is an offshoot of changing organizational commitments and outlook toward the individual employee during and the post-pandemic period evidenced in the changes in people management policies of talent acquisition, management, and retention. The policy changes though promulgated for business continuity, negatively impacted employee morale causing the workforce, particularly the millennial and gen Z start shifting mindsets toward the workplace by leveraging expertise elsewhere without hampering primary employment. It will be the objective of the article to deep dive to understand the recent socioeconomic shifts which possibly act as an agent for the occurrence of moonlighting.

The future of work in shaping the employment inclusion of young adults with disabilities: a qualitative study

PurposeThe world of work is changing and creating challenges and opportunities for the employment inclusion of young people with disabilities. In this article, the perceptions held by young adults with disabilities regarding participation in the future of work are examined.Design/methodology/approachOne-on-one interviews were conducted with Canadian young adults (ages 18–36 years) living with a disability. Participants were asked about their thoughts regarding the impact of the changing nature of work on their labor market involvement and career aspirations. A thematic analysis was performed to identify and examine emergent salient themes.FindingsIn total, 22 young adults were interviewed;over half held secure employment. Career aspirations and work-related decisions were primarily shaped by a participant's health needs. The future of work was seen as a more proximal determinant to employment. Digital technologies were expected to impact working conditions and create barriers and facilitators to employment. Participants who indicated being securely employed held positive expectations regarding the impact of digital technology on their work. Participants working precariously held negative appraisals regarding the impact of digital technologies on employment opportunities. The role of technological and soft skills was critical to participating in a labor market reliant on advanced technology. Participants reported barriers to developing job skills related to their disability and their work arrangements.Originality/valueThis research highlights the importance of considering changes in the future of work, especially the digital transformation of the economy, in the design of initiatives which promote the employment inclusion of young adults with disabilities. Despite the significance of the changing nature of work, supporting health needs and encouraging access to secure work arrangements also remain paramount.

INDIVIDUAL HOME-WORK ASSIGNMENTS FOR STATE TAXES

The surge in work-from-home arrangements brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic threatens serious disruptions to state tax systems. Billions of dollars are at stake at this pivotal moment as states grapple with where to assign income earned through these remote work arrangements for tax purposes: the worker's home or the employer's location? Some states-intent on modernizing their income tax laws-have assigned such income to the employer's location, but have faced persistent challenges on both constitutional and policy grounds in response. This Article provides a vigorous defense against such challenges. The Supreme Court has long interpreted the Constitution to be deferential to state tax actions;new laws for the age of remote work surely satisfy constitutional demands. Moreover, assigning income from remote work to the employer's location is more equitable than assigning the income to the worker's home, justifying modernization efforts from a policy perspective. The solution to this homework assignment problem is evident: the states must revise their tax laws to face the evolving nature of work.

Does Higher Education Provide the Necessary Skills and Competencies to Succeed in the Job Market and Life?

There is a crisis in higher education. One troublesome issue is the sharp drop in higher education enrollments as well as the decline in the number of colleges in the United States. There is evidence that some college degrees are not worth the time and the money, and students would have earned more had they joined the workforce immediately after graduating high school. The authors discuss some of the problems and posit that some higher education institutions in the United States have done a poor job of teaching crucial skills, including critical thinking, ethical thinking, collaboration skills, and character development. The most vital competency of all might be inculcating in students a passion for lifelong learning, which is necessary to develop the ability to adapt swiftly to changing business conditions. Without these skills, it should be no surprise that there has been a disconnect between higher education and employability.

Disability Evaluations: Common Questions and Answers

Disability is a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits at least one major life activity. Family physicians are often asked to assess patients with disabling conditions that can impact insurance benefits, employment, and ability to access needed accommodations. Disability evaluations are needed for short-term work restrictions following a simple injury or illness and for more complex cases involving Social Security Disability Insurance, Supplemental Security Income, Family and Medical Leave Act, workers' compensation, and personal/private disability insurance claims. Using a stepwise approach built on awareness of the biologic, psychological, and social elements of disability assessment may facilitate this evaluation. Step 1 establishes the role of the physician in the disability evaluation process and the context of the request. In Step 2, the physician assesses impairments and establishes a diagnosis based on findings from an examination and validated diagnostic tools. In Step 3, the physician identifies specific participation restrictions by assessing the patient's ability to perform specific movements or activities and reviewing the employment environment and tasks. Steps 4 and 5 ensure proper documentation, billing, and coding. In complex cases, consultants such as psychiatrists and physical therapists may assist by providing insight into a patient's mental and physical impairments, activity limitations, and response to treatment. (Am Fam Physician. 2023;107(5):490–498. Copyright © 2023 American Academy of Family Physicians.)

Addressing employee turnover in retail through CSR and transformational leadership

PurposeEmployee turnover, a reality that Indian retail organizations cannot ignore, is the central theme of this paper. The authors have aimed to empirically establish corporate social responsibility initiatives (CSRI) and transformational leadership (TL) as rather unconventional predictors that can potentially influence retail employees' intention to stay (ITS) through sequential mediation by employer branding (EB) and organizational identification (OI).Design/methodology/approachData collected using a structured questionnaire from three hundred and five frontline employees working with twenty-nine Indian retail outlets in the Delhi-National Capital Region (NCR) region was tested using structural equation modelling.FindingsFindings confirmed the impact of both CSRI and TL on ITS, with sequential mediation by EB and OI. While OI partially mediated the effect of EB on ITS, TL exerted more influence than CSRI in enhancing EB.Originality/valueThis study enhances retail literature by empirically testing a unique fusion of organization and individual-level predictors that influence ITS as an individual-level outcome. Having TL and a firm corporate philosophy of CSR spending can enhance a retailer's image as a preferred employer brand and generate OI to successfully address employee turnover

In brief

Research shows that while inhaling gas and air (Entonox) in labour is safe for mothers and babies, long-term cumulative exposure may carry health risks. Work notice The right to strike The UK government's Strikes (Minimum Service Levels) Bill is, at the time of going to press, at the committee stage in the House of Lords (the first chance for line-by-line examination). Visit bit.ly/ Clementine-register Working mums Maternity leave Careers After Babies research has found that of 848 mothers interviewed, 98% want to return to work after having a child but just 13% can make it work full-time, citing the cost of childcare and lack of flexibility from businesses as the reason. Find out more at hegenbergermedical.com/training Research Healthy eating support Researchers at the University of Hertfordshire are calling for better information on diet and nutrition to be made available to expectant parents.

Effects of Spatial Characteristics on Non-Standard Employment for Canada's Immigrant Population

Using microdata from Statistics Canada's Labour Force Survey (LFS) and Population Census, this paper explores how spatial characteristics are correlated with temporary employment outcomes for Canada's immigrant population. Results from ordinary least square regression models suggest that census metropolitan areas and census agglomerations (CMAs/CAs) characterized by a high share of racialized immigrants, immigrants in low-income, young, aged immigrants, unemployed immigrants, and immigrants employed in health and service occupations were positively associated with an increase in temporary employment for immigrants. Furthermore, findings from principal component regression models revealed that a combination of spatial characteristics, namely CMAs/CAs characterized by both a high share of unemployed immigrants and immigrants in poverty, had a greater likelihood of immigrants being employed temporarily. The significance of this study lies in the spatial conceptualization of temporary employment for immigrants that could better inform spatially targeted employment policies, especially in the wake of the structural shift in the nature of work brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Sabbath Observer, the Idiosyncratist, and the Religious Organization: How the EEOC Imagines Religion at Work

Charged with enforcing Title VII of the 1964 Civil Rights Act, the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission plays an overlooked but profoundly important role in shaping American religious life. While scholars of religion, law, and American culture have devoted a great deal of energy to analyzing the ways that federal courts define religion for the purposes of protecting it, they have paid less attention to the role of administrative agencies, like the EEOC. In this article, I argue that the private workplace offers a critical site for understanding how the state regulates and manages American religious life. I look to the EEOC's regulatory guidelines and compliance manuals as important sources for understanding the shifting relationship between religion, law, and work in the United States. I identify three modes of religiosity—or three types of religious actors—existing in tension in the EEOC archive, each bearing a distinct genealogy: the Sabbath Observer, the Idiosyncratist, and the Organization. While gesturing to very different notions of what religion is, the figures of the Idiosyncratist and the Organization both assume that demands of religion and work can be neatly reconciled. They presume that religion can be seamlessly integrated into the workplace without disrupting the functioning of capitalism. However, for those concerned about economic inequality, corporate power, and neoliberal working conditions, I suggest that it may be useful to revisit the EEOC's Sabbath Observer, who insists on the right to collective forms of life and value outside of work and the market.

When the Home Is Also the Workplace: Women migrant domestic workers' experiences with the 'live-in' policy in Singapore and Hong Kong

This article examines the link between the mandatory live-in policy and the unsafe working and living conditions of women migrant domestic workers. This policy has been rationalised on the principles of the inviolability of the private home and challenges around regulating and enforcing labour protections in the homeworkplace but has, in practice, increased migrant domestic workers' precarity and exploitation. Drawing on empirical research in Singapore and Hong Kong, the article demonstrates how the live-in policy operates in tandem with inadequate labour and migration regulations to produce a situation where poor working and living conditions are an enduring part of workers' employment and everyday lives. It contributes to research that has highlighted the gendered dynamics and exclusionary bordering practices that shape waged domestic labour, and considers the implications this may have for the well-being and security of women migrant domestic workers.

What CPAs Need to Know about Employee Retention Credit Fraud: Certified Public Accountant

According to the IRS, many of these solicitations are offering credits that are "too good to be true"- in some cases, they are downright fraudulent. Eligible employers can still claim the credit currently by filing an amended payroll tax return (Form 941-X) for each quarter during which they paid qualifying wages. Because amended payroll returns may be filed up to three years alfer the deadline for the original returns, employers will be able to claim ERC credits into 2025. [...]during the midst of the pandemic, the IRS undertook efforts to publicize the credit, affirmatively "urg[ing] employers to take advantage of the newly-extended employee retention credit." According to the IRS, promoters also are failing to advise taxpayers that they cannot deduct wages covered by ERC credits on the business's income tax returns or that they cannot claim the credit for wages that formed the basis of a PPP loan application that was granted (IR-2022-183, Oct. 19, 2022, https://bit.ly/40XkCMc).

Sustainable talent pipelines and person-organisation fit: strategic insights from UK graduates

PurposeDrawing on a framework of person-organisation fit (POF) theory, this paper aims to understand how organisations can establish and maintain sustainable early-career talent pipelines. Research question one asks, "How do graduates feel that organisations can attract early-career talent?” Research question two asks, ‘What can employers learn from graduate perspectives about the retention of early-career talent?Design/methodology/approachTwenty-eight graduates from UK universities participated in semi-structured interviews in early 2022. Cohort one was composed of 15 individuals who graduated in 2008. Cohort two was composed of 13 individuals who graduated in 2020.FindingsThe findings identified two themes associated with attracting early-career talent: "Company Culture” and "Supply and Demand”. However, 2020 graduates prioritised the job role and job security, whereas 2008 graduates prioritised job location and commute duration. Three additional themes were related to the retention of early-career talent: "Career Progression”, "Health and Well-being” and "Remuneration”. Findings also highlighted how POF could evolve over time, whereby retention can be beneficial or detrimental to either party.Practical implicationsThe study identifies pragmatic approaches to attracting and retaining early-career talent and understanding how graduates' views on POF evolve over time.Originality/valueThe study extends POF research and bridges the shared sustainability themes of "person”, "context” and "time” from vocational behaviour and HRM literature streams.