ABSTRACT
Purpose: This study aims to find out if organizations are still practicing a hybrid workplace arrangement after COVID-19 ease of restrictions, determine the positive and negative sides of a hybrid workplace, ascertain the challenges organizations are currently facing in implementing a hybrid workplace and examine how successful team learning has been in hybrid workplaces. Design/methodology/approach: This study adopted a mixed approach. Two sets of data (quantitative and qualitative) were used to answer the research questions. Findings: This study found that most organizations within professional service firms are still implementing hybrid workplaces even though COVID-19 restrictions have been eased. This study also found that one of the advantages of implementing a hybrid work arrangement includes employees' opportunity to spend more time with their families. On the other hand, the disadvantages discovered were gradual loss of corporate identity, a feeling of loneliness and others. One of the challenges organizations are facing in implementing this working system is the lack of an ergonomic workplace and appropriate technology for remote working. With evidence, this study ends with finding out that companies are not successful as expected in terms of team learning in a hybrid workplace. Originality/value: To the best of the author's knowledge, this is among the first to look at hybrid workplace in the African setting where COVID restrictions which highlights the practice has not really been an issue. This study also combines its findings with those done on the subject before to firmly clarify attributes as they exist. © 2023, Emerald Publishing Limited.
ABSTRACT
This mixed-method dissertation examined the relationship between leaders' behavior and employee engagement in virtual work environments. For leaders, the virtual work environment, a shift caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, represents a paradigm shift, pushing them to reconsider their engagement-related actions. The literature review for the dissertation examined pre- and pandemic academic studies on virtual working, engagement, and leadership. The scarcity of research on engagement in virtual workplaces underscored the significance of this study. As a result, the key research questions focused on determining which leader behaviors promote employee engagement for virtual workers and which employee-related aspects particular to virtual working must leaders address when aiming to increase employee engagement. The exploratory sequential mixed-method approach gathered both qualitative and quantitative data, combining them to generate both a deep qualitative understanding and more specific quantitative generalizations. A new survey instrument was created using the qualitative analysis as an input for item production, and statistical processing confirmed the new instrument's validity and reliability. The quantitative analysis was able to filter, generalize and crystalize the inputs from the qualitative data. The study offers new leadership insights on the elements and behaviors that have the greatest impact on employee engagement when people work virtually. It also contributes to academic scholarship by designing and evaluating a new survey instrument that focuses solely on factors that influence virtual employee engagement. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved)
ABSTRACT
This mixed-method dissertation examined the relationship between leaders' behavior and employee engagement in virtual work environments. For leaders, the virtual work environment, a shift caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, represents a paradigm shift, pushing them to reconsider their engagement-related actions. The literature review for the dissertation examined pre- and pandemic academic studies on virtual working, engagement, and leadership. The scarcity of research on engagement in virtual workplaces underscored the significance of this study. As a result, the key research questions focused on determining which leader behaviors promote employee engagement for virtual workers and which employee-related aspects particular to virtual working must leaders address when aiming to increase employee engagement. The exploratory sequential mixed-method approach gathered both qualitative and quantitative data, combining them to generate both a deep qualitative understanding and more specific quantitative generalizations. A new survey instrument was created using the qualitative analysis as an input for item production, and statistical processing confirmed the new instrument's validity and reliability. The quantitative analysis was able to filter, generalize and crystalize the inputs from the qualitative data. The study offers new leadership insights on the elements and behaviors that have the greatest impact on employee engagement when people work virtually. It also contributes to academic scholarship by designing and evaluating a new survey instrument that focuses solely on factors that influence virtual employee engagement. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved)
ABSTRACT
This paper describes a National Science Foundation-funded Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) Site program conducted through virtual working environment. Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, REU 2021 activities were conducted online through Canvas and Zoom communication platforms. The major aim of this program is to provide undergraduate students with experiences in engineering education research (i.e., education research in the context of engineering). This paper provides an overview of the program, and briefly describes the virtual working environment, and students' research experiences during the 10-week program. A total of 11 undergraduate students, seven graduate mentors, and seven faculty mentors have actively participated in the program. The program is conducted in two phases: Phases 1 (i.e., Weeks 1-2) and 2 (i.e., Weeks 3-10). Phase 1 consists of preparatory and foundational work that is delivered to participants and will allow them to begin Phase 2 with some educational research foundation already established. The results of the project evaluation show that the program has made a positive impact on increasing education research skills and communication skills of the participating REU students. The participating REU students reported that the research projects they worked on increased their motivation and confidence for continuing to engage in engineering education research. Four participants (i.e., 36.4% of the total participants) suggested that, if available, they would prefer face-to-face over a virtual REU program. Another four participants (i.e., 36.4%) felt that both face-to-face and virtual would offer the same quality of research experiences, and 3 participants (i.e., 27.2% of the total participants) voiced their preference of virtual over face-to-face REU program. © American Society for Engineering Education, 2022.
ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Drop-out rates from evidence-based interventions for people with a diagnosis of personality disorder (PD) are high. The COVID-19 pandemic has likely exacerbated barriers to engagement with the introduction of virtual working. Virtual therapy has a good evidence-base for Axis I disorders, but limited research for Axis II disorders. AIMS: To investigate facilitators and barriers to engagement in a Tier 3 PD service virtual group programme. METHOD: A virtual group programme was developed in collaboration with service members, and analysed members' attendance rates over a 5-month period pre- and post-COVID-19. Thematic analysis of semi-structured telephone interviews with 38 members is reported, describing their experience of the virtual group programme. RESULTS: Attendance rates were significantly higher pre-COVID (72%) than post-COVID (50%). Thematic analysis highlighted key barriers to attendance were: practical issues, low motivation, challenges of working in a group online and feeling triggered at home. Main promoters of engagement were: feeling valued, continued sense of connection and maintaining focus on recovery. DISCUSSION: The results suggest that the pandemic has exacerbated relational and practical barriers to engagement in a Tier 3 PD service. Ways of enhancing engagement are discussed, as well as preliminary recommendation for services offering virtual therapy to people with a diagnosis of PD.
Subject(s)
COVID-19 , Humans , Pandemics , Personality Disorders/therapyABSTRACT
Background: Motor neurone disease (MND) is a progressive neurological condition with no known cure. Supportive management and symptom control by a multidisciplinary team forms the mainstay of treatment. Caring for patients with MND throughout the COVID-19 required service providers to think of ways to adapt the service in order to meet the acute and constantly changing needs of their service users within pandemic guidelines. Aims: This paper explores innovative changes within the occupational therapy service provision during the pandemic and how it supports the multidisciplinary team (MDT) working. It also evaluates the merits and disadvantages of using virtual technology in specific areas of occupational therapy intervention. Methods: A set of prioritisation criteria was developed to understand the rationale for virtual versus face-to-face input. A reflective process has been used to identify and evaluate innovative service provision in occupational therapy in the management of motor neurone disease. Findings: Virtual consultations were an effective way of providing certain aspects of occupational therapy input. Virtual consultations were found to be less effective during moving and handling assessments, complex environmental adaptations assessment and when managing complex cognitive presentations. During the pandemic there was a rise in referrals for cognitive behavioural management, a specialist area of expertise for occupational therapy in this clinical area. A holistic approach was paramount in meeting the evolving needs of patients across functional domains. Occupational therapy complemented the caring and supportive role of nurses and other members of the MDT in the management of MND. Conclusions: Occupational therapy input can support an MDT by providing valuable assessment of functional decline, specialist equipment, supporting cognitive-behavioural performance, restoring life roles and minimising the challenges imposed by the environment. Using virtual technology discernibly can be an invaluable approach to occupational therapy practice within an MDT setting for managing a progressive neurological condition, such as MND, during a pandemic.
ABSTRACT
The COVID-19 pandemic has changed the face of many practices throughout the world. Through necessity to minimize spread and provide clinical care to those with severe disease, focus has been on limiting face-to-face contact. Research in many areas has been put on hold. We sought to determine the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on epilepsy research from international basic science and clinical researchers. Responses to five questions were solicited through a convenience sample by direct email and through postings on the ILAE social media accounts and an ILAE online platform (utilizing Slack). Information was collected from 15 respondents in 11 countries by email or via Zoom interviews between May 19, 2020, and June 4, 2020. Several themes emerged including a move to virtual working, project delays with laboratory work halted and clinical work reduced, funding concerns, a worry about false data with regard to COVID research and concern about research time lost. However, a number of positive outcomes were highlighted, not least the efficiency of online working and other adaptations that could be sustained in the future.