Editorial

Citation

Makrides, L. (2009), "Editorial", International Journal of Workplace Health Management, Vol. 2 No. 3. https://doi.org/10.1108/ijwhm.2009.35402caa.001

Editorial

Article Type: Editorial From: International Journal of Workplace Health Management, Volume 2, Issue 3

I am pleased to present to you Vol. 2 No. 3 of the International Journal of Workplace Health Management. In this issue, tradition is challenged by the innovative work of Ronald Burke and his colleagues who propose examining “what is right” in organizations as opposed to the traditional evaluation of identifying “what is wrong” in studies of employee work satisfaction and psychological well being. Bridget Juniper and colleagues present evidence to suggest that there is indeed another way to assess employee well being through the work and well-being assessment tool. And Jason Slaunwhite and colleagues challenge the effectiveness of generic information-based posters in increasing the stair-climbing behaviour of employees at the workplace.

Specifically in “Virtues, work satisfaction and psychological well-being among nurses”, exploratory study conducted by Ronald Burke et al. examined the relationship between virtues and indicators of work satisfaction and engagement, perceptions of hospital functioning and quality of nursing care and psychological well-being of nursing staff. They hypothesized that virtues such as optimism, gratitude and proactive behaviour would be associated with more favourable work and well-being outcomes. Findings indicated that nurses reporting higher levels of virtues were more satisfied and engaged at work, and reported higher levels of well-being and hospital functioning and performance. They discuss reasons that may explain why virtues are associated with positive outcomes and suggest that efforts to develop individual virtues show promise and should be given serious consideration in human resource management.

In “Assessing employee well-being – is there another way?”, Bridget Juniper et al. used a new type of well-being assessment, the work and well-being assessment (WWBA) that measures work-related well-being. This tool employs an alternative approach known as impact analysis commonly applied to health-related quality of life questionnaires used to assess the impact of drugs in patient populations. Comparisons between the conventional psychometric technique known as factor analysis and the alternative impact analysis revealed that impact analysis is superior to factor analysis if the overall objective is to measure how all aspects of people’s jobs impact on their well-being as perceived by the employees. Thus this approach provides a more comprehensive analysis compared to the traditionally used approach of factor analysis.

Jason Slaunwhite et al., convincingly argue the need to incorporate the Focus Theory of Normative Conduct into the design of future interventions targeting health promotion behaviours. Specifically they found that the injunctive norm, that focuses on what “ought to be done”, as opposed to the descriptive norm, that focuses on “what is done”, is more effective in altering stair-use behaviour. Of particular significance is the fact that the norm-based posters were more influential in altering stair-climbing behaviour compared to standard commonly used posters of the Public Health Agency of Canada. Comparisons between larger (11″× 17″) and smaller (8.5″×11″) posters revealed that the smaller posters were of sufficient size to attract attention. These findings have significant practical application considering the prevalence of poster use in altering behaviour.

In “Are healthy and successful organizations working accordingly to quality management?”, Ingela Bäckström et al. examined three successful Swedish organizations that have shown excellence in leadership, internal partnership, working environment and profitability to determine what methodologies they have used for their success. Although the three organizations varied in several ways, such as size, organizational form and ownership, similar methodologies were found in all three. Specifically, the authors report that established Quality Management factors such as customer focus and satisfaction, employee training, leadership and top management commitment, teamwork, employee involvement and performance measurement were found in all three organizations suggesting that these organizations are working according to the Quality Management philosophy.

Oonagh Meade et al. examined the impact of complementary and alternative medicines (CAM) improving employee well-being in “Workplace complementary and alternative therapies for hospital-site staff”. Through the use of semi-structured interviews and Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis they gained insight into participant experiences. Reasons for using the CAM therapies included help to manage illness, maintain health, gain relaxation and manage stress. Findings suggest that complementary and alternative medicines may be a beneficial addition to workplace health programs.

There is much work being done throughout the world in the field of workplace health as governments, employers and communities are attempting to manage the consequences of poor employee health. We plan to include in coming issues papers on government policies and large scale initiatives and research aimed at incorporating comprehensive workplace health strategies to improve the health of populations, increase productivity, promote wellness and combat the rising costs of unhealthy lifestyles. And as always, I invite your comments, and look forward to receiving your contributions to future issues.

Lydia MakridesEditor-in-Chief