Human Resources Management Commons^™

Diversity Training, Megan Paul

Umbrella Summaries

What is diversity training?

Diversity training refers to a “distinct set of instructional programs aimed at facilitating positive intergroup interactions, reducing prejudice and discrimination, and enhancing the skills, knowledge, and motivation of participants to interact with diverse others” (Bezrukova, Spell, Perry, & Jehn, 2016, p. 1,228). In the absence of a standard approach, there has been significant variation in the design and context of diversity training.

The following characteristics have been identified as differing across trainings reported in the research literature (Bezrukova et al., 2016):

► Content Focus: Group-specific training focuses on learning about one or more specific groups (e.g., …

Mindfulness, Megan Paul

Umbrella Summaries

What is mindfulness?

Mindfulness is described as “paying attention in a particular way: on purpose, in the present moment, and nonjudgmentally” (Kabat-Zinn, 1994, p. 22). Instead of being on autopilot and reacting in reflexive and mindless ways, perhaps with a focus on the past or the future, it is about being fully aware of and present in the moments of our lives. The nonjudgmental aspect is about not leaping to “likes and dislikes, opinions and prejudices, projections and expectations” (Kabat-Zinn, 1994, p. 23) and instead observing without evaluating. Mindfulness is considered both a trait and a state. Trait mindfulness refers …

Psychological Safety, Rebecca Orsi, Megan Paul

Umbrella Summaries

What is psychological safety?

Psychological safety is the belief that one’s workplace is safe for interpersonal risk taking (Edmondson, 1999; Kahn, 1990). It has been suggested that psychological safety is a condition necessary for people to feel attached to and engaged in their work, when people feel they can reveal themselves without fear of negative consequences to status or career (Kahn, 1990). Psychological safety is not only an individual perception; it can also be a group-level shared belief that a team or work group is safe for interpersonal risk taking (Edmondson, 1999). The most popular way to measure psychological safety …

Considerations For Introducing, Facilitating, And Expanding Mindfulness Training In The Workplace, Laura H. Saher

Mindfulness Studies Theses

This creative thesis is designed to further the understanding of the considerations for offering mindfulness training in the workplace and to offer mindfulness practitioners a guide for introducing and facilitating mindfulness training into their workplaces. This thesis consists of two primary components: 1) a rationale paper and 2) a creative component. The rationale paper includes a literature review that focuses on the benefits and risks of offering mindfulness training in the workplace; these form the business case for bringing mindfulness to the workforce and identify the gaps in the research that prompted the questions underlying this thesis. These gaps were …

Humor, Megan Paul

Umbrella Summaries

What is humor?

There are numerous definitions of humor in the research literature, with significant variety among them. A relatively simple definition of humor is something that is said or done to elicit levity or laughter (Dubinsky, Yammarino, & Jolson, 1995). Examples of the more complex aspects of other definitions of humor include expression, recognition, or appreciation of it; the purpose, nature, or target of it; and attitudes toward it. One way of summarizing some of the different perspectives is to define humor as being either (a) positive or negative and (b) directed inward or outward (Martin, Puhlik-Doris, Larsen, Gray, …

Diversity And Inclusion In The Workplace; Benefits, Challenges And Strategies For Success, Margaret Leone

School of Professional Studies

In this case study I have explored the topic of diversity and inclusion in the workplace and learned how it can transform a business. When D&I is a serious business strategy supported by senior management it can help recruit and retain top talent, increase profits, and unleash creativity among other benefits. It is important to have leadership that is inclusive so they can set the tone for their staff

This case study evaluates the D&I culture at The Children’s Study Home (CHS) and explores best practices for improvement. CHS is a non-profit human service agency in Western MA, that’s mission …

Employer Perceptions About Addiction Recovery And Hiring Decisions, Haley Henderson, Joseph Barnet, Valerie Hoots, Andrea Clements

Undergraduate Honors Theses

Drug and alcohol addiction is a nationwide epidemic with an increasing number of Americans being affected. Individuals who seek treatment for their addiction often face barriers, such as costs, waiting time, and available support, and those who are able to receive treatment are likely to experience or anticipate stigma from others. Existing literature has found that many employers have negative perceptions of individuals in addiction recovery. However, there is limited research that has analyzed whether these negative perceptions affect hiring decisions. We predicted that employers would have negative perceptions of those in recovery, would be less likely to hire individuals …

A New Generation Of Workers: Preparing For Generation Z In The Workplace, Kendra Harris

Senior Theses

A new generational wave has begun to enter the workforce. The oldest members of Generation Z, those approximately at the age of 25 and below, have recently begun their careers. In the past few years, some changes have been made to work environments, like constructing gyms and daycares at workplaces, expanding the options for work at home programs, and firms hosting social events to attract top, young talent. Some of these actions were to appease Generation Y (Millennials), but some, whether the intent was known or not, will be very pleasing and beneficial to Generation Z. However, Generation Y and …

Weight Stigma In Different Aspects Of Life, Emanuel Noyola

Capstone Showcase

Weight stigma is discrimination or bias against any individual who is perceived to be overweight or obese. It has recently been recorded that the effects of weight discrimination have an influence on three major areas of life which include schools, the workplace, and personal relationships. This is important as weight discrimination was found to mostly have negative effects in all these areas but was also found to be sometimes beneficial in others, such as retail. Past research has also shown that the effects of weight discrimination are 37 times worse among obese females compared to obese males. One alarming setting …

Thinking Outside The Checkbox: Examining The Benefits Of Depression In The Workplace, Tyler L. Jensen

Intuition: The BYU Undergraduate Journal of Psychology

No abstract provided.

Aging In The Workplace: A Cross Case Analysis In Jamaica's Finance Sector, Malaika Tahirah Edwards

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Along with the increase in the number of older people globally, is an increase in the number of older people in the labor force. Older adults increasingly represent a large segment of the working population. The purpose of this study was therefore to explore workplace aging, with specific reference to Jamaica’s finance sector, in relation to organizational preparedness for the aging workforce.

This study examined aging from an organizational perspective, a national perspective, and an individual perspective, through the lens of Baby Boomers. The study was framed through the lens of the Four Frames Model, and the Metaperspectives Theory, which …

Technology-Aided Meditation At Work: Evaluating The Impact Of Biofeedback On A Mindfulness Program In The Workplace, Charles Morris

Mindfulness Studies Theses

The rise of secular mindfulness has been buoyed in large part by scientific research into its benefits. The availability of consumer-grade biofeedback devices promises to bring the objectivity of results seen in a research lab to personal experience. This mixed methods study examined the experience of 12 participants in a workplace mindfulness program, comparing the experience of an experimental group whose meditation practice was supported with the use of a HeartMath™ Inner Balance device to a control group who learned to meditate without it. The effects on stress, focus and motivation were captured via questionnaire, along with biofeedback data and …

Understanding Humor In Female Leadership, Lillian Hollar

Honors Projects

This research investigates the relationship between humor, gender, and leadership effectiveness. To explore the relationship between these factors, I asked individuals what they thought about the relationship between humor and their experiences with female leaders. For this research, female is defined as a person who identifies as a woman. Humor is defined as the act of making jokes to elicit a response. My research focuses on the relationship between humor and female leadership as measured by individuals’ attitudes. The results show that some people believe there is a correlation between humor and female leadership, but does not prove conclusively that …

A Study Of The Soft Skills That Contribute To The Success Of Newly Graduated Business Students In The Workplace, Promeet Jaswant Singh

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

This quantitative study is focused on assessing the soft skills that newly graduated business students possess. Using the first and only skills inventory in the United States that has been endorsed by Department of Labor, the study seeks to determine what sets employees apart based on their level of performance on the job. The main purpose was to assess and interpret the soft skills that employees bring to the workplace soon after graduating. The population for the current study was human resources professionals from a variety of industry sectors in the state of Minnesota. The businesses represented a range of …

Mindfulness At Work: Assessing The Impact Of Practising Mindfulness In The Workplace On Engagement, Wellbeing, Happiness And Positivity, Fiona Peters

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

Aim: The purpose of this study carried out in Perth, Western Australia was to examine the effect of mindfulness training on workers in a university setting, by assessing the impact of mindfulness training on their sense of wellbeing, happiness, positivity and level of engagement in their jobs.

Method: Participants (n = 54) were recruited through the Edith Cowan University staff Health and Wellness Program, Live Life Longer and randomly allocated into two groups of 27. Both groups were invited to take part in 6 weeks of mindfulness training with staggered starts, group 2 began once group 1 had completed the …

The Myth Of The Millennial, Tanner Hafen, Matthew D. Fudge

Marriott Student Review

Explores perceptions of millennials in the workplace and what is and can be done to better integrate millennials employees into the workplace.

Combating Workplace Violence: An Evidence Based Initiative, Diana L. Giordano

Evidence-Based Practice Project Reports

Patient/visitor violence against healthcare (HC) employees is a type of workplace violence (WPV) and considered a dangerous hazard within HC occupations (Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2015). Lack of recognition of the true incidence and underreporting of WPV may contribute to a false sense of security within a HC facility (HCF). Therefore, fully addressing the problem may be met with administrative resistance, resulting in poor employee perceptions of support and commitment for a zero-violence environment. A retrospective analysis was conducted on the HCF’s online incident reports, security request calls, and data from a previously deployed WPV employee survey. The emergency department …

Responsible Sales And Service Of Alcohol For The Tourism, Hospitality And Retail Industries, James Peter Murphy

Books/Book Chapters

The safe service of alcohol is of vital importance to those in the food and beverage industry - failure to act responsibly can result in fines, loss of license and the potential closure of the business. Responsible sale and service of alcohol (RSA) is important for all levels of the hospitality, tourism and retail service industries to minimise the risk of alcohol-related problems associated with the use and abuse of alcohol by any person. Management and all staff who sell or supply alcohol must promote and support a safer environment for alcohol to be consumed in a professional and responsible …

Leading Mindfully: Two Studies Of The Influence Of Supervisor Trait Mindfulness On Employee Well-Being And Performance, Jochen Reb, Jayanth Narayanan, Sankalp Chaturvedi

Research Collection Lee Kong Chian School Of Business

This research examines the influence of leaders’ mindfulness on employee well-being and performance. We hypothesized that supervisors’ trait mindfulness is positively associated with different facets of employee well-being, such as job satisfaction and need satisfaction, and different dimensions of employee performance, such as in-role performance and organizational citizenship behaviors. We also explored whether one measure of employee well-being, psychological need satisfaction, plays a mediating role in the relation between supervisor mindfulness and employee performance. We tested these predictions in two studies using data from both supervisors and their subordinates. Results were consistent with our hypotheses. Overall, this research contributes to …

Identifying The Factors That Influence Conflict Management Behavior Of Human Resource Professionals In The Workplace: An Analysis Of The Relationship Between Personality And Conflict Management Behavior, Gail Joyce Shapiro

Department of Conflict Resolution Studies Theses and Dissertations

Effective conflict management in the workplace can reduce the negative consequences of conflict. These negative outcomes can include low productivity, health-related stress, increased employee turnover, or litigation. A Human Resource (HR) professional can help mitigate these negative outcomes in the workplace when using effective conflict management behavior with employees. However, there is a void in research pertaining to HR professionals’ use of conflict management behavior.

This quantitative, correlational research study examined whether personality has an impact on assertive or cooperative conflict management behavior of HR professionals in the workplace. Statistical testing found a significant relationship between the harmonious, people-person (a …

Smartphones In The Workplace: Changing Organizational Behavior, Transforming The Future, Thiraput Pitichat

LUX: A Journal of Transdisciplinary Writing and Research from Claremont Graduate University

In the past decade, Smartphones have been developed and increasingly integrated with people’s lives not only for social use, but professional use as well. Many researchers claim that Smartphones can have negative consequences in the workplace such as lowering productivity, separating people from their realities, bringing stress from personal issues to work, and creating bad manners. Companies, however, have a difficult time mandating a policy in regards to prohibiting the use of Smartphones. Therefore, CEOs and corporate leaders should encourage their employees to use their Smartphones as tools for increasing their company’s efficiency. This research aims to examine the results …

Professional Women: The Continuing Struggle For Acceptance And Equality, Pearl Jacobs, Linda Schain

Criminal Justice Faculty Publications

During the past fifty years, the situation of professional women has changed dramatically. Women have expanded their career aspirations. They are no longer confined to traditional female fields such as education or nursing. We have seen the integration of women into previously male dominated fields such as accounting, medicine, law, etc. Integration; however, does not necessarily mean acceptance and equality nor does it mean that the stress created by work-family conflict has been resolved. This paper will examine some of the issues that continue to plague women as they attempt to progress in their professional fields.

On The Importance Of Coping: A Model And New Directions For Research On Work And Family, Cynthia A. Thompson, Steven A. Y. Poelmans, Tammy D. Allen, Jeanine K. Andreassi

WCBT Faculty Publications

In this chapter, we review empirical research evidence regarding coping and work–family conflict. Limitations and gaps associated with the existing literature are discussed. Of special note is the finding that there is little systematic research that examines the process of coping with work– family conflict. Building on the general stress and coping literature, we present a theoretical model that is specifically focused on the process of coping with work–family conflict, and highlight presumed personal and situational antecedents. Finally, the chapter concludes with an agenda for future research.

Julia's Dilemma, Andra Gumbus, Jill Woodilla

WCBT Faculty Publications

Julia, a professional woman in her mid-thirties, has had relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis as a part of her life for the last five years. Now she must decide whether to disclose her hidden illness at work. Julia disclosed her illness to her manager in a prior employment, when her MS was first diagnosed, and experienced a supportive response. But she was always mindful that her performance would likely be carefully scrutinized since she was in a job that required strict deadlines. Julia made a career change about a year ago, and did not tell anyone in her new organization that she …

Rebuilding For Success: Using Failure To Succeed In The Workplace, Deborah A. Verderosa

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

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The Introduction Of Programmes To Prevent Accidents At Work: A Strategic Analysis, David Jacobson, Ziene Mottiar

Articles

No abstract provided.

Strategic Human Resource Management (Book Review), John Chalykoff

WCBT Faculty Publications

Book review by John B. Chalykoff.

Fombrun, Charles J., Noel M. Tichy, Mary Anne Devanna. Strategic Human Resource Management. New York: Wiley, 1984.

ISBN 9780471810797