Decision-making in immature projects organisational environment: A mental model approach that influences conscientious critical thinking

Hepworth Construction, a consultancy organisation for Oil and Gas project management offices, identified a decision-making problem in the project office environments and the field because of continued erroneous decisions and the processes used. Erroneous decisions led to poor project performances that impacted projects cost, time, and resource allocation. The research intervention aimed to develop a shared mental decision model to improve project performances and decision-making processes in both the project office and the field and influence critical and conscientious thinking. Moreover, a successful decision model could lead to speeding up project maturity processes and reducing project risk.The research methodology used was a qualitative, thematic analysis approach that used an action research focus using colleague participants from two action learning sets. One learning set was based in Azerbaijan the other learning set was established in Iraq. The individual sets attended cycle events using an online platform to participate and interact. Each set attended three separate action cycle events. Before the action cycle events, seven initial interviews were conducted online to develop concepts that focused on decision models. Further interview cycles were performed to authenticate action cycle data and identify new theories relating to the discussed concepts. Data was analysed between action cycles that informed the next cycle event. The data was processed using NVivo for open and thematic coding, identifying the main categories, and capturing memos and annotations. Thematic diagrams were also used to determine the linkages and relationships between critical concepts and add meaning to the theories (see Appendix K) (Corbin & Strauss, 2015). Axial coding was the output from the thematic diagrams that presented the six selected themes and interpreted them into actionable knowledge.The findings were espoused through the learning sets participant's reflections crossing three action cycles. Each learning cycle progressed with new insights and evolved the main categories. The transcribed and analysed data led to discovering the selected themes and interpretation of actionable knowledge. The selected theme findings: situation, conscience, experience, listening, confidence, and sensemaking were interpreted into actionable knowledge and the shared mental model framework and the critical components: situation, experience, priorities, prompts, proposed action, and sensemaking. The mental model framework influences practical approaches to decision-making, which logically justifies decisions. The organisation accepted the research in January 2021, and the framework was implemented in the project office and field. The research implications were the successful methodology used and drawing on participants responses and the interview data that enriched the action cycles and influenced the success and co-development of the mental model framework. Furthermore, the practical consequences of the research were the outbreak of COVID-19 forcing an online study. However, the online study approach evolved to a diverse opportunity using two learning set locations and selected interviewees worldwide. Future practice organisational change should consider a similar approach using insider empowered participants. And future research might focus on a mental model implementation's complexity, a shift of mind towards system thinking, or how organisational learning bridges both vision and system acceptance. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved)

Reducing stress in technology service company personnel during the COVID-19 pandemic by apply clustering

In recent years, companies live with generational diversity within their work environment, which is one reason that triggers various conflicts. The study's objective is to develop a web-based system that allows immediate actions to be taken to reduce stress in work teams and increase employee satisfaction within a company that provides IT consulting services located in Mexico City with a work team of 112 people. A 50-question work climate questionnaire was administered to all staff and a Nielsen usability test, using the k-means algorithm to create groups based on the generation to which each individual belongs. The results allowed the administrative area to create a strategy to reduce the stress generated by the isolation of COVID-19, identifying that this application contributes in a sensible way to prevent or reduce stress

Impacts of morally distressing experiences on the mental health of Canadian health care workers during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Background: Research is urgently needed to understand health care workers' (HCWs') experiences of moral-ethical dilemmas encountered throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, and their associations with organizational perceptions and personal well-being. This research is important to prevent long-term moral and psychological distress and to ensure that workers can optimally provide health services. Objective: Evaluate associations between workplace experiences during COVID-19, moral distress, and the psychological well-being of Canadian HCWs. Method: A total of 1362 French- and English-speaking Canadian HCWs employed during the COVID-19 pandemic were recruited to participate in an online survey. Participants completed measures reflecting moral distress, perceptions of organizational response to the pandemic, burnout, and symptoms of psychological disorders, including depression, anxiety, and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Results: Structural equation modelling showed that when organizational predictors were considered together, resource adequacy, positive work life impact, and ethical work environment negatively predicted severity of moral distress, whereas COVID-19 risk perception positively predicted severity of moral distress. Moral distress also significantly and positively predicted symptoms of depression, anxiety, PTSD, and burnout. Conclusions: Our findings highlight an urgent need for HCW organizations to implement strategies designed to prevent long-term moral and psychological distress within the workplace. Ensuring availability of adequate resources, reducing HCW risk of contracting COVID-19, providing organizational support regarding individual priorities, and upholding ethical considerations are crucial to reducing severity of moral distress in HCWs.

Antecedentes: Se necesita con urgencia investigaciones para comprender las experiencias de los dilemas éticos y morales que los trabajadores de la salud encontraron durante la pandemia de la COVID-19 y su asociación con las percepciones de la organización y el bienestar personal. Esta investigación es importante para prevenir la angustia moral y psicológica a largo plazo y para asegurar que los trabajadores de la salud puedan proveer de manera óptima los servicios de salud.Objetivo: Evaluar la asociación entre las experiencias en el lugar de trabajo durante la COVID-19, la angustia moral y el bienestar psicológico de los trabajadores de salud canadienses.Métodos: Se reclutó a un total de 1362 trabajadores de salud canadienses, que hablaban francés e inglés y que fueron contratados durante la pandemia de la COVID-19, para participar en un cuestionario en línea. Los participantes completaron mediciones que reflejaban la angustia moral, la percepción de la respuesta de la organización a la pandemia, el burnout y los síntomas de trastornos psicológicos, que incluían a la depresión, a la ansiedad y al trastorno de estrés postraumático (TEPT).Resultados: El modelo de ecuaciones estructurales mostró que cuando los predictores de la organización se consideraban en conjunto ­ los recursos adecuados, el impacto positivo en la vida laboral y un ambiente de trabajo ético ­, predijeron negativamente la gravedad de la angustia moral, mientras que la percepción del riesgo de contraer la COVID-19 predijo positivamente la gravedad de la angustia moral. La angustia moral también predijo de manera significativa y positiva los síntomas de la depresión, la ansiedad, el TEPT y el burnout.Conclusiones: Nuestros hallazgos resaltan la urgente necesidad de que las organizaciones de trabajadores de salud implementen estrategias diseñadas para prevenir la angustia moral y psicológica a largo plazo en el lugar de trabajo. El asegurar la disponibilidad de los recursos adecuados, el reducir el riesgo de que los trabajadores de salud contraigan la COVID-19, el proveer un soporte organizacional adecuado según las prioridades individuales y el respetar las consideraciones éticas son fundamentales para reducir la gravedad de la angustia moral en los trabajadores de salud.