Risk of psychological ill health and methods of organisational downsizing: a cross-sectional survey in four European countries.

BACKGROUND: The manner in which organizational downsizing is implemented can make a substantial difference as to whether the exposed workers will suffer from psychological ill health. Surprisingly, little research has directly investigated this issue. We examined the likelihood of psychological ill health associated with strategic and reactive downsizing. METHODS: A cross-sectional survey included 1456 respondents from France, Sweden, Hungary and the United Kingdom: 681 employees in stable workplaces (reference group) and 775 workers from downsized companies. Reactive downsizing was exemplified by the exposures to compulsory redundancies of medium to large scale resulting in job loss or surviving a layoff while staying employed in downsized organizations. The workforce exposed to strategic downsizing was represented by surplus employees who were internally redeployed and supported through their career change process within a policy context of "no compulsory redundancy". Symptoms of anxiety, depression and emotional exhaustion were assessed in telephone interviews with brief subscales from Hospital Anxiety Scale (HADS-A), Hopkins Symptom Checklist (SCL-CD6) and Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI-GS). Data were analyzed using logistic regression. RESULTS: We observed no increased risk of psychological ill health in the case of strategic downsizing. The number of significant associations with psychological ill health was the largest for the large-scale reactive downsizing: surviving a layoff was consistently associated with all three outcome measures; returning to work after the job loss experience was related to anxiety and depression, while persons still unemployed at interview had elevated odds of anxiety. After reactive medium-scale downsizing, unemployment at interview was the only exposure associated with anxiety and depression. CONCLUSIONS: The manner in which organizational downsizing is implemented can be important for the psychological wellbeing of workers. If downsizing is unavoidable, it should be achieved strategically. Greater attention is needed to employment and health policies supporting the workers after reactive downsizing.

Keeping an eye on at-risk patients remotely.

Sitter pay ranges from $11 to $40 an hour, while the cost to use AvaSure is under $3 an hour per patient, Brad Playford said.

Forced distribution rating systems: when does "rank and yank" lead to adverse impact?

Despite widespread use of forced distribution rating systems (FDRSs), the potential for this performance appraisal method to lead to adverse impact (AI) in a layoff context has yet to be examined empirically. Thus, the current study uses a Monte Carlo simulation to examine the likelihood of encountering AI violations when an FDRS is used in the context of layoffs. The primary research questions included an examination of how AI violations change depending on the definition of the employment action (i.e., retention vs. layoff), the length of the repeated layoffs, and whether or not laid off employees are replaced each year. The current study also examined the impact of the size of the organization, the percentage of the workforce laid off, and the type of AI calculation method used on the likelihood of AI violations. Results suggest that defining the employment action as layoffs (rather than as retentions) may result in a greater likelihood of AI violations, and AI violations are likely to peak in the 1st year of use. Further, replacing laid off employees may result in higher levels of AI over time as compared with not replacing layoffs. Additionally, the greatest risk for AI occurs when the organization size is large (i.e., N = 10,000) and when certain AI calculation methods are used. Results are discussed in terms of their practical and legal implications for organizations.

Dimensionamento de pessoal de enfermagem nos serviços hospitalares: revisão integrativa da literatura / Nursing personnel staffing in hospital services: an integrative literature review / Dimensionamiento de personal de enfermería en servicios hospitalarios: revisión integrativa de la literatura

Revisão Integrativa com o objetivo de identificar a metodologia, parâmetros e/ou instrumentos utilizados na prática para DPE nos serviços de saúde hospitalares, bem como identificar se o quantitativo destes profissionais está adequado à demanda de cuidados exigida pelos pacientes. Foram selecionados 27 artigos que atenderam os critérios de inclusão da base de dados Literatura Latino-Americana e do Caribe em Ciências da Saúde com o descritor: downsizing organizacional e a palavra-chave dimensionamento de pessoal de enfermagem nos anos de 2000 a 2012. Os estudos evidenciaram que o enfermeiro conhece os métodos de dimensionamento de pessoal, porém nem sempre os utilizam adequadamente; que os parâmetros e instrumentos existentes são apropriados para realizar tal dimensionamento; que existe uma diversidade no nível de complexidade dos pacientes e muitos campos de trabalho apresentaram escassez de pessoal. Os resultados indicam a necessidade de uso sistemático de instrumentos para o dimensionamento.

The objective of this integrative literature review was to identify the methodology, parameters and/or instruments used for nursing personnel staffing in hospital health services, and to identify if the staff number is adequate for the demand of care required by the patients. Twenty-seven articles were selected, which met the inclusion criteria, based on the Latin-American and Caribbean Health Sciences Database with the descriptor: organizational downsizing and the keyword nursing personnel downsizing in the years 2000 to 2012. Studies show that nurses know the personnel staffing methods, but they do not always follow it appropriately; the existing parameters and instruments are appropriate to perform the revered downsizing; there is a diversity of levels of complexity of patients and many fields of work presented staff shortage. The results indicate the need for a systematic use of staffing instruments.

Revisión integrativa objetivando identificar la metodología, parámetros y/o instrumentos utilizados en la práctica para la DPE en servicios de salud hospitalarios, e identificar si la cantidad de profesionales se adecua a la demanda de cuidados exigida por los pacientes. Fueron seleccionados 27 criterios atendiendo a los criterios de inclusión, en base de datos Literatura Latinoamericana y del Caribe en Ciencias de la Salud, con el descriptor "downsizing organizacional" y la palabra clave "dimensionamiento de personal de enfermería" en el período 2000 - 2012. Los estudios demostraron que el enfermero conoce los métodos de dimensionamiento de personal, no obstante, no siempre lo utiliza adecuadamente; que los parámetros e instrumentos existentes son apropiados para realizar tal dimensionamiento; que existe diversidad en el nivel de complejidad de los pacientes y varios campos de trabajo presentaron escasez de personal. Los resultados indican necesidad de usos sistemático de instrumentos para el dimensionamiento.

Rightsizing done right: the best way to handle layoffs.

The economy has slowed and the boom conditions of the 1990s are over as earnings nosedive in many business sectors. All types of organizations in all industries are performing "periodic rebalancing of the workforce" without much thought to the process. Hospitals and health-care organizations are not immune from downsizing and have experienced closures and layoffs with increasing frequency. Unfortunately, this can have tremendous ramifications to employee morale, productivity, public image, market share, and customer base, i.e., the bottom line of the business. This article explores the factors in the business decision to layoff workers from the human resource perspective and offers alternatives to layoffs. These alternatives include job sharing, cross-training, attrition, hiring freezes, early retirement, or a reduction in force as a last resort. This article also examines the wrong way to conduct a layoff and the right way using professional outplacement services and a structured planned approach. A step-by-step guide to properly notifying employees is presented, plus a topical outline of content a job seeker needs to know in this volatile labor market.

Downsizing in the public sector: Metro-Toronto's hospitals.

This study has two objectives. First, to predict the outcomes of a public sector downsizing; second to measure effects of downsizing at organizational and inter-organizational levels. Primary data to assess the organizational level effects was collected through interviews with senior executives at two of Metro-Toronto's hospitals. Secondary data, to assess the inter-organizational effects, was collected from government documents and media reports. Due to the exploratory nature of the study's objectives a case study method was employed. Most institutional downsizing practices aligned with successful outcomes. Procedures involved at the inter-organizational level aligned with unsuccessful outcomes and negated organizational initiatives. This resulted in an overall alignment with unsuccessful procedures. The implication, based on private sector downsizings, is that the post-downsized hospital system was more costly and less effective.

Where will I go? Displaced nurses relate their experiences.

Registered nurses have been experiencing displacement, the nonvoluntary transfer or reassignment of the registered nurse to another unit or position, or layoff, termination, and severing of nursing personnel as a result of the closure of hospitals and other agencies and the physical relocation of departments or units. The purpose of this qualitative study is to describe the human experience of change from the perspective of displaced nurses. Thirteen registered nurses employed at eight metropolitan New York agencies described their experiences of displacement. Their interviews were analyzed using grounded theory methodology. Five themes emerged in the displacement experience: finding out, weighing options, coping with negative emotions and loss, support, and giving advice. Implications for education, practice, and research are discussed.