Kay Greasley

Employee perceptions of empowerment

Purpose – This study aims to examine how empowerment is perceived by individuals employed on construction projects. In contrast with previous research which has predominantly been conducted from a management perspective, this paper deals with employee perceptions of empowerment.Design/methodology/approach – A qualitative approach was adopted for this study employing in‐depth interviews on four major construction projects.Findings – The findings from the study indicate that there can be a gap between the employee experience and the management rhetoric. Health and Safety issues were often cited by the employees as a major barrier to empowerment. The strict Health and Safety regulations under which construction employees operate limit their freedom to influence the work that they undertake. A further factor that was found to have a strong influence on the diffusion of empowerment was the role of the employees’ immediate supervisor.Research limitations/implications – The data are based on case studies that il...

Understanding empowerment from an employee perspective: what does it mean and do they want it?

Purpose – The purpose of this article is to examine the various meanings of empowerment for employees from their own perspective, the psychological dimension of empowerment and whether employees want to be empowered.Design/methodology/approach – In order to understand how employees feel about empowerment, it is necessary to ask them directly so that one can understand their perceptions. A qualitative approach is adopted, employing 45 semi‐structured, in‐depth interviews with employees. The aim of the interviews is to provide an insight into the meanings of empowerment for these employees.Findings – The findings indicate that the employees do not recognise the term “empowerment” nor do they reference the term “power” in relation to themselves. However, they are able to relate to associated concepts, notably “personal responsibility” and “control over their work”. Empowerment for the employees was found to operate as a continuum, as the extent to which employees seek empowerment varies considerably. The inn...

Barriers to rehabilitation and return to work for unemployed chronic pain patients : a qualitative study

This paper explores the perceived barriers to return to work presented by unemployed patients with chronic musculoskeletal pain. The findings are based on one to one in depth semi‐structured interviews conducted with patients from four sites in the UK. Interview data were recorded from 38 patients (15 male, 23 female) aged between 29 and 62 years the sample included patients who had participated in a vocational rehabilitation scheme, those who had refused to participate and a naïve group. Patients were in receipt of long‐term social welfare benefits (incapacity benefits) and recruited via local Job Centres. The mean duration of work absence was over 5 years. The data was transcribed and analysed by means of thematic analysis. Several themes were identified as barriers to return to work from the data including pain related issues, uncertainty (both financial and physical), the healthcare system, interaction with benefits providers, perceptions of employers and personal limitations. The uncertainty and the pain condition itself were the overarching barriers from which other obstacles stemmed. This is the first qualitative study of long term unemployed benefit recipients with chronic pain. Others authors have reported psychosocial factors as barriers to work among disabled populations however, this qualitative study has identified barriers specific to unemployed chronic pain patients. The themes identified will help with the planning and development of future initiatives for returning chronic pain patients to employment.

A virtual learning environment for operations management:Assessing the student's perspective

This paper describes a project aimed at assessing the experience of a virtual learning environment (VLE) among students studying courses in operations management. The project was supported by the Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE) under its Teaching Quality Enhancement Fund (TQEF). The main aim of the project was through the use of a questionnaire to establish the student experience of using a VLE through an examination of the learning and technical features which they encountered. The study also examines the approaches to learning adopted by the students, through the inclusion of a shortened version of the approaches and study skills inventory for students (ASSIST) which the students were asked to complete.

The formation of public‐public partnerships: A case study examination of collaboration on a “back to work” initiative

Purpose – This article aims to explore public‐public partnership issues arising when public sector organisations work together in order to deliver a new government sponsored initiative.Design/methodology/approach – A qualitative approach was adopted for this study, employing in‐depth interviews across four UK case study sites. The rich qualitative data gathered from these interviews is analysed utilising a thematic framework.Findings – The findings indicate that most of the participants did not feel that they were involved in a partnership and had little or no contact with their partner. The key role of inter‐personal relationships amongst individual members is emphasised.Research limitations/implications – The findings presented represent the pilot sites utilised in a government sponsored initiative. As future public‐public partnerships develop, further research should be undertaken to explore this phenomenon and establish the generalisability of these findings.Practical implications – The study indicate...

The phenomenology of ‘approach to studying’: the idiographic turn

‘Approach to studying’ research focuses on the manner (deep, surface, etc.) in which studying is grasped. This is the Husserlian ‘noesis’, the mental orientation, to studying. In this article, it is argued that attention must also be given to the subjective meaning of studying and of what is studied – the Husserlian ‘noema’. However, the noema/noesis distinction, though it draws attention to the poverty of characterising approaches to studying simply as mental orientation, has certain flaws, which are discussed. It is most appropriate to develop the noema so as to bring out the human situation of studying within the lifeworld of the student. Idiographic sensibility – an awareness of the individuality of the lifeworld – is needed for anything close to a full understanding of a person’s approach to studying.

The impact of organisational change on public sector employees implementing the UK Government's “Back to work” programme

Purpose – This paper aims to examine the impact of organisational change on public sector employees utilising the implementation of the UK Governments “Back to work” programme (BTW) as a case study example. The paper seeks to explore the employee response to the changes they experience as a result of this new initiative.Design/methodology/approach – A qualitative approach was adopted for this study, employing in‐depth interviews across the UK. The interview strategy sought to focus on the individual experiences and perceptions of those involved in the operation of the programme.Findings – The findings highlight how the interviewees face organisational change as part of their everyday life, with the pace of change increasing and becoming more radical. Many of these organisational changes are related to the introduction of new initiatives that require amendments to existing working practices. It was found that a lack of permanency and constant switching of initiatives, imposed by central government, could ...

When do health and well-being interventions work?:managerial commitment and context

Health and well-being interventions are increasingly assessed as complex processes rather than randomized controlled trials. In this study the health and well-being interventions refer to voluntary actions and are not in response to any regulatory requirement. This article looks specifically at managerial commitment to these interventions and at the organizational context in which they occur. Ex-ante study predictions as to the effects of commitment in three organizations were made and then followed up. This commitment was positively associated with employee perceptions of health promotion campaigns. But broader impacts, such as commitment to the organization and a sense of autonomy, were not evident. The explanation lies in wider features of the organization of work: permanent constraints such as job design and shift systems ran against the aims of the health interventions. Relating well-intentioned interventions to such features of organizational life remains a challenge for many organizations.

Why do organisations engage in HR initiatives? A test case of a health and wellbeing intervention

Purpose – Many studies look at the effects of human resource (HR) initiatives. Yet very few consider why organisations adopt them in the first place. Health and wellbeing interventions offer a critical case because they offer apparent benefits for all. Assessing the process of engagement reveals variations in managerial commitment, which has implications for studies of “effects”. This paper seeks to address these issues.Design/methodology/approach – The study offered a free health intervention to organisations; this was separate from the research study, which aimed to assess the effects. A total of 86 organisations were approached, of which 53 indicated some interest in involvement. After further withdrawals and selection against criteria of size and sector, nine remained. The paper assesses the degree of engagement with the study, looking in detail at three organisations. The methods utilised included structured telephone interviews, qualitative interviews and observation.Findings – The organisations und...