Ernest Kissi, Evans Kwesi Mireku, Musah Labaran and Barbara Simons
The construction industry presents a particularly notable and demanding setting where sexual harassment demands special consideration. With its largely male-dominated workforce…
Abstract
Purpose
The construction industry presents a particularly notable and demanding setting where sexual harassment demands special consideration. With its largely male-dominated workforce, intense work settings and entrenched workplace norms, the construction sector provides a unique backdrop in which the complexities of sexual harassment manifest. The purpose of this study is to investigate the relationship between sexual harassment and employee performance in the construction industry, with a particular focus on examining the mediating roles of psychological distress and employee engagement.
Design/methodology/approach
A cross-sectional survey design was utilized to collect data from 188 construction industry professionals. Participants completed validated questionnaires assessing their experiences with sexual harassment, levels of psychological distress, employee engagement and self-reported performance indicators. Partial least square-structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) was conducted to examine the direct and mediated effects of sexual harassment on employee performance through psychological distress and employee engagement.
Findings
The findings reveal a lack of statistical significance in the negative relationship between sexual harassment and employee performance within the construction sector. Furthermore, there was a significant negative relationship between sexual harassment and employee engagement. Employee engagement emerged as a full mediator, buffering the negative effects of harassment on performance and suggesting that engaged employees may be better equipped to cope with and mitigate the impact of harassment.
Research limitations/implications
The study’s findings contribute to understanding workplace dynamics amidst sexual harassment in construction. Work engagement fully mediates the relationship, highlighting the need to prioritize initiatives aimed at enhancing employee engagement, such as promoting a supportive and fostering open communication channels between management and employees, can mitigate the occurrence and negative impacts of sexual harassment on employee performance. Continuous monitoring of engagement levels is crucial for sustaining positive work environments.
Originality/value
This study contributes to the existing literature by providing quantitative evidence of the relationship between sexual harassment and employee performance in the construction industry. By examining the mediating roles of psychological distress and employee engagement, the research offers a deeper understanding of the mechanisms underlying this relationship. The findings underscore the importance of addressing sexual harassment and promoting employee well-being to foster a safe and productive work environment in the construction industry.
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Keywords
Ifeyinwa Juliet Orji and Francis I. Ojadi
Extreme weather events are on the rise around the globe. Nevertheless, it is unclear how these extreme weather events have impacted the supply chain sustainability (SCS…
Abstract
Purpose
Extreme weather events are on the rise around the globe. Nevertheless, it is unclear how these extreme weather events have impacted the supply chain sustainability (SCS) framework. To this end, this paper aims to identify and analyze the aspects and criteria to enable manufacturing firms to navigate shifts toward SCS under extreme weather events.
Design/methodology/approach
The Best-Worst Method is deployed and extended with the entropy concept to obtain the degree of significance of the identified framework of aspects and criteria for SCS in the context of extreme weather events through the lens of managers in the manufacturing firms of a developing country-Nigeria.
Findings
The results show that extreme weather preparedness and economic aspects take center stage and are most critical for overcoming the risk of unsustainable patterns within manufacturing supply chains under extreme weather events in developing country.
Originality/value
This study advances the body of knowledge by identifying how extreme weather events have become a significant moderator of the SCS framework in manufacturing firms. This research will assist decision-makers in the manufacturing sector to position viable niche regimes to achieve SCS in the context of extreme weather events for expected performance gains.