Generation Z Within the Workforce and in the Workplace: A Bibliometric Analysis

The association between appreciative management and work engagement among health- and social care professionals: A cross-sectional study

BACKGROUND

The importance of work engagement has been emphasised due to the increasing demand for health- and social care and the shortage of skilled labour. Improving organisational and managerial factors is important when enhancing professionals' work engagement. The association between management and work engagement has only been established in previous studies at a general level, but the association between appreciative management and work engagement has not received equivalent research interest.

AIM

This study aimed to describe the association between appreciative management and work engagement among health- and social care professionals.

METHODS

The study used a cross-sectional survey design. The data were collected in five health and social services centres in one city in Finland from September to October 2022 using the Appreciative Management Scale 2.0 and the Utrecht Work Engagement Scale-9. A total of 182 health- and social care professionals participated. The data were analysed using correlations, linear regression analyses, independent samples t-tests and two-way analyses of variance (ANOVAs).

RESULTS

A moderate association was found between appreciative management and work engagement and its dimensions of vigor, dedication and absorption. Systematic management had the strongest association and equality had the weakest association with work engagement. Among the dimensions of work engagement, appreciative management had the strongest association with vigour and the weakest association with absorption. Appreciative management and work type predicted 18% of the variance in work engagement. Full-time employees reported higher levels of work engagement and all its dimensions than did part-time employees.

CONCLUSION

The results indicate that appreciative management and full-time work predict work engagement among health- and social care professionals. Due to this positive association, it is important to promote managers' appreciative management skills by educating them to understand how appreciative management enables and supports professionals' vigour, dedication and absorption in health- and social care.

Teleconsultations Quality During the COVID-19 Pandemic in Poland in the Opinions of Generation Z Adults

Introduction: The aim of the study was to collect and evaluate the opinions of representatives of Generation Z on their satisfaction with medical teleconsultation services during the COVID-19 pandemic in Poland. Methods: An online survey was conducted from April to June 2021. We received replies from 424 students. The research tools used comprised a validated Doctor-Patient Communication (DPC) questionnaire, the Telehealth Satisfaction Scale (TeSS), and a self-authored questionnaire. Results: About 60% of the respondents rated communication with a doctor during the remote visit as medium, with a DPC score value in the intermediate range (36-50). Only 7.5% of students rated DPC as high (DPC score over 50). Also, satisfaction with telemedicine measured by the modified Telehealth Satisfaction Scale was assessed as intermediate by 61.3% of respondents. DPC and satisfaction with telemedicine services are better assessed by students living in large cities and those who used paid telemedicine services. Conclusions: The need to improve the quality of DPC has been observed. Also, the functioning of telemedicine platforms, with the possibility of using images in teleconsultations would be welcome, with the concomitant leveling out of the disproportions in the quality of telemedicine services and DPC between urban and rural areas, as well as between commercial and noncommercial services. This could improve the service delivery process and, consequently, be beneficial for the competitiveness of telemedicine, which will be based on medical rather than organizational aspects.

Generation Z software employees turnover intention

This study applied the social exchange and social identity theories to investigate the association among resonant leadership, self-efficacy, organizational identification, work performance, and turnover intentions in Generation-Z (Gen-Z) software professionals. The study sampled 73 leader-subordinate dyads from 10 large-scale software companies in India through an online survey. Hierarchical linear modeling, including multilevel mediation, was conducted to test the proposed model. The results of this study revealed the cross-level effect of resonant leadership on the work-related outcomes among the Gen-Z software operators based on two psychological mediators, namely, self-efficacy and organizational identification. It suggests that resonant leadership could be the potential driver to manage the predominant psychological factors of the incoming cohort group of Gen-Z software professionals, which yield positive work outcomes. Based on the empirical evidence, the software companies can devise suitable intervention mechanisms to enhance productivity and reduce turnover intentions of the Gen-Z cohort. Thus, this study is a novel attempt to establish a comprehensive theoretical framework that provides a broad scope for future research to investigate the mechanisms which manage the expectations of Gen-Z cohorts.

Graduate Employability of Business Students

The objective of the study was to examine the perceptions of business students on their employability skills at the point of graduation. The study was partially driven by past research which identified lack of soft skills as one of the main contributing factors in younger workers’ dismissal from work, and the need to understand the level of employability skills younger graduates have at graduation. An exploratory descriptive research methodology was used for the study. A survey was administered to 189 fourth-year business students. In total, 90 students filled-in the questionnaire, representing a 47.6% response rate. Based on a structured survey questionnaire administered to final-year undergraduate business students, the four most important employability skills for recruitment to entry-level positions are communication skills, learning skills, positive attitudes and behaviours, and problem-solving skills. The main prominent result was that ‘learning skills’ were ranked the second most important employability skills. In today’s fast-paced, rapidly changing work environments that are characterised by rapid knowledge obsolescence and an unknown future, willingness to learn and proactive lifelong learning are key to sustaining long-term graduate employability. Students seem to be satisfied with their perceived level of academic, personal management, and teamwork skills they possessed at the point of graduation. However, there are possible areas for further improvement regarding creativity and innovative skills, and ability to ‘resolve and management conflicts’ in teamwork. The study found that students used a combination of traditional and student-centred learning methods and pedagogies to acquire employability skills. As business students approach graduation, it is important to focus on areas they can improve and emphasise self-directed lifelong learning throughout their careers. The study confirms the role of external factors—labour market demand—in influencing perceived employability. The perceptions of students need to be systematically included in HEIs’ employability policy and discourse.