Employee Responsibilities and Rights Journal

Esteves, Salete; Santos, Lara; Lopes, Luisa

doi: 10.1007/s10672-023-09438-5pmid: 40479450

The purpose of this study is to investigate the factors that affect the Nonprofit Organization’s (NPO) competencies and leadership in a crisis situation, specifically in the Portuguese NPOs during COVID-19. Adopting an interdisciplinary perspective, this article integrates crisis management literature with leadership literature. Highlighting the leadership perspective of both intermediate employees (technical director) and top management (executive director), this research aims to advance knowledge on the main organizational leadership competencies that NPOs need to have to better cope with crises. One hundred and seventy-four (174) NPOs representatives voluntarily participated in the study which involved a survey questionnaire based on a five-point Likert scale for 23 items included in the questionnaire. Principal component analysis using varimax rotation was applied to reduce the number of variables. Reliability tests were performed to assess the items included in the questionnaire. Tests included test-retest reliability, Cronbach alpha, and split-half reliability coefficients. Results show that the most important factors that improve the capability of a NPO to cope with a crisis are: respond to all stakeholders through accountability, plan based on identification of vulnerabilities, and build a foundation of trust through communication. Additionally, it is possible to suggest that staff and top management perceive crisis and leadership competencies differently. It is possible to conclude, that these factors can be used as important lines of action to structure the sustainable development and planning of NPOs’ strategies of other similar crisis to come in the future. Findings, the implications of this work, and avenues for future NPOs crisis management and leadership research are addressed.

Hayes, Emma E.; Levine, Kenneth J.

doi: 10.1007/s10672-023-09439-4pmid: N/A

Given the mounting social and governmental support for better paternity leave options in the United States, it is surprising that a recent national study found that “male respondents were far more likely [than female respondents] to indicate that they do not plan to take advantage of their workplace paid parental leave benefits,” (Deloitte, 2016). This finding may be explained by regulatory barriers that have risen due to the basic nature of the Family and Medical Leave Act and barriers rising from factors in the social environment, such as stigma and leader-member exchange (LMX). We built hypotheses from the social exchange perspective, emphasizing the role of communication as the primary facilitator of relational development. Data gathered from 92 fathers employed at a large midwestern university indicate that there is a statistically significant relationship between perceived paternity leave-related stigma and paternity leave intentions, and that fathers with high LMX perceived less stigma from their supervisors than those with low LMX. Implications and findings for future research are discussed.

Rajashekar, S.; Jain, Alka

doi: 10.1007/s10672-023-09440-xpmid: 40479348

Attaining sustainable competitive advantage in changing paradigms of the business world is possible through highly engaged employees, and holistic well-being is considered one of employee engagement's most important drivers (Ryder, G., & Director-General, I. (2020). World employment and social outlook—trends 2020. World Employment and Social Outlook, 108.). As per the (ILO) International Labour organization's World Employment and Social Outlook report of 2020, there are more than 630 million workforces worldwide. Employers can contribute to reaching the third Sustainable Development Goal (SDG), which is "Good Health & well-being," by implementing effective health and well-being initiatives (Martin, & United Nations- SDG. (2016). Health. United Nations Sustainable Development. https://www.un.org/sustainabledevelopment/health/). The aim of this qualitative research is investigating employee engagement practices from the perspective of holistic well-being initiatives impacting employee engagement. To assess the same, employees from various IT businesses in Bangalore City were contacted to participate in semi-structured, in-depth personal interviews for data collection. The research design employed is Thematic Analysis (Braun and Clarke, Qualitative Research in Psychology 3:77–101, 2006), in which interviews conducted over calls were transcribed and coded, leading to the development of themes. Computer-Assisted Qualitative Data Analysis Software (CAQDAS)—NVIVO has been used for data analysis. A five-dimensional framework of holistic well-being is established through the literature review, forming the analysis parameters. The five dimensions are; Physical, Psychological (Mental & Emotional), Social, Financial, and Spiritual. Then the gathered data were allocated deductively to these five overarching themes. The findings of this study accentuate substantial focus on physical, psychological, and social aspects of well-being with inadequate attention towards the spiritual dimension. A lack of proper balance among the initiatives has come to notice. It is suggested that organizations evaluate the present status of the well-being of employees through specific tools, identify gaps, and formulate strategies that encompass a holistic well-being approach to enhance employee engagement positively.

Memon, Khalid Rasheed; Ooi, Say Keat

doi: 10.1007/s10672-023-09441-wpmid: N/A

While several studies have highlighted the importance of leadership in fostering an environment where employees feel comfortable speaking up, “Relational Leadership” (RL) has received little attention when it comes to workers’ promotive voice behavior (PVB). The PVB is extra-role behavior and refers to the expressing of change-oriented ideas, opinions, and suggestions to advocate the improvement at workplace. The study of such variables & relationships is much needed in today’s recession era. Grounded on the Casual Attribution Theory, the said study aims to investigate the relationship between RL & employees’ PVB, directly as well as indirectly through psychological empowerment (PE). The study classifies RL as inclusive, empowering, caring, visionary, and ethical whereas PVB is classified as supportive and constructive voice behavior. The data were gathered from two different sources i.e., workers and supervisors, and analysed using Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) through Mplus 7. It is revealed that RL positively influences employees’ PVB. Additionally, PE of the employees mediates the relationship between RL and PVB. These results have important implications for the field of leadership and psychology.

Ludviga, Iveta; Kalvina, Agita

doi: 10.1007/s10672-023-09442-9pmid: 40479364

The purpose of this paper is to examine the mediating role of a public sector organization’s perceived strategic agility in relation to employee outcomes in times of crisis. While the need for strategic organizational agility is acknowledged as boosting organizational performance, its value and application for employees are unknown, especially during times of crisis and in the public sector context. We use survey-based quantitative methodology to capture employees’ perceptions (n = 5469) of strategic agility in public sector organizations during the COVID-19 crisis and identify the impact on work engagement and well-being. Data analysed using a structural equation modelling approach. Our results suggest that an organization’s perceived strategic agility has a positive significant effect on employee work engagement and thus on well-being. Organizational learning, leadership, and aim clarity are factors that positively contribute to public sector organizations’ strategic agility. By examining the moderating role of perceived agility, we add to job demands-resources (JD-R) theory by showing that perceived strategic agility serves as an organizational resource that is needed for employees in times of crisis. We conclude that if employees are supported by leaders who sense change, make timely decisions, and act in an agile way, they will experience higher work engagement during a crisis, thus positively contributing to their well-being and organizational performance. This paper contributes to the understanding of organizational agility and discusses the theoretical and practical implications of the results and avenues for future research.

Khan, Ali Junaid; Hameed, Waseem Ul; Ahmed, Tanveer; Iqbal, Jawad; Aplin, Matthew J.; Leahy, Sean

doi: 10.1007/s10672-023-09443-8pmid: N/A

This study aims to determine how green human resource management (GHRM), corporate social responsibility (CSR), green behavior (GB), and employees’ environmental knowledge (EEK) impact environmental performance (EP). Using the existing literature associated with each variable, we establish a testable theoretical model for evaluating the proposed relationships. This study is based on quantitative data that is collected on a Likert scale questionnaire with a cross-sectional research technique. With partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM), we tested the model with survey responses from 501 participants who worked at the Water and Power Development Authority (WAPDA) in Pakistan. Our analysis revealed that all proposed relationships significantly impacted EP whereby adding a new framework to the body of knowledge and the theoretical implications in the literature. The practical implications of this research are important for the management of WAPDA and the Government of Pakistan (GOP) in achieving the sustainable development goals (SDGs). The future directions of this research are a way to explore the further dark areas in the literature related to EP.

G. Devinatz, Victor

doi: 10.1007/s10672-024-09499-0pmid: N/A

Randev, Kadumbri Kriti

doi: 10.1007/s10672-023-09476-zpmid: N/A

Employees’ perceived fairness of their pay is critical for their satisfaction, commitment and job engagement. Women comprise nearly 50 per cent of the modern workforce;  therefore, their satisfaction with their pay is crucial for organizations. However, statistics show that the gender pay gap is still persistent all around the world, and has even widened post the Covid-19 pandemic. To move ahead, taking a few steps backwards sometimes becomes imperative. This paper is a stepping stone in that direction as it argues that the widening of the ‘gender pay gap’ is deeply rooted in the institutionalization of ‘gendered notions’ in organizations. To efficiently tackle gender-related power imbalance in organizations, it is important to understand how a ‘gendered organization’ came into being and its effects cascaded over the decades. Moreover, this area of research has numerous scholarly contributions that span more than a hundred years. This wide gamut of research not only intimidates new scholars but also makes it extremely difficult for them to extract relevant information. To bridge this gap, the main objective of this study is to present a crisp review on the evolution and institutionalization of ‘Gendered Organizations’ and discuss their impact on gender-related issues, particularly, the ‘Gender Pay Gap’. Drawing on Institutional, Human Capital and Feminist Theories, this paper sheds light on the seminal work by gender scholars and illustrates how gender pay gap is a consequence of institutionalized gendered norms and occupational sex segregation. This review enhances the comprehensive contemplation of gender-related issues in organizations and encourages practitioners to devise concrete means to battle its social impact.