Sonja Treven

International training: the training of managers for assignment abroad

This paper presents various approaches to studying cultures of different countries. The starting point is Hofstedes dimensions of cultural values as well as Halls approach to high‐ and low‐context cultures. After that the interaction between culture and organizational behavior is discussed. A special attention to the impact of culture on motivation of employees, communication, conflict resolution and organizational changes is given. This article concludes with the presentation of some methods that can be applied to the training of managers on various cultures.

A REQUISITELY HOLISTIC VIEW OF HUMAN RESOURCES MANAGEMENT IN INNOVATIVE ENTERPRISES

ABSTRACT This paper first briefly presents the environment and challenges that companies will encounter in the current decade, enhancing innovative society and business style. On this basis, the authors investigate the challenges that will impact the implementation of human resources management in companies as a cybernetic system. Because there exists a two-way link between the companies and the environment, this contribution also illustrates the link in the other direction and shows how a company can gain competitive advantage by effective human resources management. The point is that companies are moving from being knowledge-based to being creativity-based to be sustainable and innovative businesses. They need requisite holism in their conception and cybernetics in their action to succeed in this complex move. We suggest a cybernetic model aimed at meeting this need.

The systemic approach to the encouragement of innovativeness through employee diversity management

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to present the problem of employee diversity management (EDM) as a complex problem; the dialectical systems approach to EDM; the impact of EDM on competitive advantage; the innovativeness of employees as an outcome of EDM; and authors support to EDM by combining dialectical systems approach with de Bonos six thinking hats.Design/methodology/approach – The paper undertakes a critical literature review and a methodical evaluation of current knowledge on topics related directly and indirectly to EDM and systems theory.Findings – Findings suggest that the organizations that manage employee diversity effectively may gain a competitive advantage. An important outcome of a good EDM is increased innovativeness of employees. Effective EDM depends on systems thinking essentially. Hence, the dialectical system approach to EDM is very suitable as it supports interdisciplinary cooperation very well. Our new combination of the dialectical systems approach with De Bonos six t...

Well-being of all stakeholders in higher education – from knowledge management to knowledge-cum-values management

Application of one’s knowledge depends on one’s values. Tendency to see knowledge separated from values prevents requisite holism, including in higher education (HE); one-sidedness causes oversights diminishing success and well-being of humans. HE-organisations create innovations and require requisite holism therefore; HE should view humans’ multilayered attributes. HE stakeholders of, too, are multilayered individuals. Their success depends on their consciousness helping them attain more holism increasing their subjective well-being. This also increases creativity and innovation of employees in HE; it improves educational and research quality, which improves income and lowers costs of organisations due to values. Knowledge management must become requisitely holistic knowledge-cum-values-management.

Burnout of Older and Younger Employees – The Case of Slovenia

Abstract Background and Purpose: People spend a significant part of their lifespan working, but the role of age in job design and implementation of work have largely been ignored. The consequences can be evident in stress and burnout in different symptoms. Thus, age-diverse employees are faced with different symptoms of burnout and stress when carrying out their work. The main aim of this paper is to present burnout of older employees compared to younger employees in Slovenian companies. Design/Methodology/Approach: The paper is based on research including a survey between two age groups of employees, namely the younger employees that were classified in the group of under 50 years of age and the older employees that were classified in the group of above 50 years of age. Since the Kolmogorov-Smirnov and Shapiro- Wilk test showed that the data was not normally distributed, the noan-parametric Mann-Whitney U test was used to verify differences in the physical symptoms of burnout, emotional symptoms of burnout, and behavioral symptoms of burnout in the workplace between two groups. Results: The results show that there are significant differences in the great majority of the variables describing the physical symptoms of burnout, emotional symptoms of burnout, and behavioral symptoms of burnout in the workplace between younger and older employees. Conclusion: Well-being in the workplace of age-diverse employees is a key for long-term effectiveness of organizations. Managers and employers should apply appropriate measures to reduce burnout as well as to contribute to employees well-being and better workplace performance.

Training programs for managing well-being in companies

Abstract This paper discussed the significance of well-being (WB) and well-being management (WBM). As successful WBM requires the implementation of different training programs, such programs are presented in detail. The cause–effect relationship between training and individual/organizational performance is researched as well. The aim of the research to support this article was to present WBM, its training programs, as well as the determination of WBM activities concerning the mentioned programs implemented in Slovenian organizations.

Motivation and satisfaction of employees in the workplace

Abstract Background: The aging of the European population is a demographic trend reflected in the ever-growing number of older employees. This paper introduces the importance of motivation and satisfaction in the workplace among age diverse employees in Slovenian companies. Objectives: The goal is to investigate the differences between the motivation and satisfaction of employees from different age groups in the workplace. Methods/Approach: The paper is based on research including a survey of two age groups of employees in Slovenia. We employed the Mann-Whitney U test to verify differences in the motivation and satisfaction in the workplace between the two groups. Results: Older employees are more motivated by flexibility in the workplace; autonomy at work; good interpersonal relationships in the workplace; the possibility of working at their own pace; respect among employees; equal treatment of employees regardless of their age. They are more satisfied with interpersonal relationships in the company; their work; working hours and the distribution of work obligations; and facilitation of the self-regulation of the speed of work performed. Conclusions: Motivation and satisfaction change as individuals age. Using this information, managers and employers can apply appropriate measures to contribute to employees’ well-being and better workplace performance, better working relationships with colleagues, higher productivity, and greater creativity.

The Examination of Factors Relating to the Leadership Style of Nursing Leaders in Hospitals

Abstract Theories often describe leadership with different classifications, based on personality and behaviour, and have been used to establish the traits and behaviours that determine an effective leadership style. We used the quantitative methodology to investigate the determinants of the leadership style among nursing leaders in Slovene hospitals. Based on the results, we determined that demographic characteristics such as gender, age, length of employment, and level of education do not affect the choice of the leadership style. Internal organizational characteristics such as job position, emotional intelligence, communication, personal characteristics, and the decision-making process are positively associated with the leadership style. Personal characteristics are considered important when it comes to using specific leadership styles, regardless of the choice of the leadership style, which also depends on the situation and external influences.

Mobbing in Slovenia: Prevalence, mobbing victim characteristics, and the connection with post-traumatic stress disorder

Abstract An increasing number of organizations face the problem of mobbing, which represents a serious, widespread problem with numerous consequences for victims, organizations, and society. We also recognize the connection this phenomenon has with the emergence of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). PTSD poses one of the most critical consequences for victims of mobbing, who mostly consist of employees at lower organizational levels. Our research focuses on the prevalence of mobbing in Slovenia, its correlation to PTSD, and some differences in the subjective and objective assessments of being exposed to mobbing. We found that the prevalence of mobbing in Slovenia can be compared to some previous assessments as well as data from other countries. Among the studys participants, 24% could be classified as regular victims of mobbing. For the first time, we link mobbing with PTSD using a Slovenian sample. We also recorded some interesting differences between subjective and objective assessments of mobbing, thereby indicating the importance of subjective conceptualizations of mobbing acts, which should be investigated in greater detail in future research.

The Conceptual Model of Well-Being Management Based on Achieving Requisite Personal Holism

Organizations should look at humans as multilayered, not only as professional entities. In synergy, not only individually, we define humans as: (1) physical, (2) mental, (3) social, (4) spiritual, and (5) economic entities, marked by requisitely holistic patterns of relatively permanent characteristics, due to which individuals differ from each other; they differ also as specialized professionals. All these and other attributes form synergies. On this basis, the behavior of individuals who are willing to practice interdisciplinary cooperation becomes socially responsible and they have a high level of well-being. Individuals as well as organizations seek requisite personal holism (RPH) on the one hand and psychic well-being (PWB) on the other hand. Thus, individuals implement individual techniques and organizations implement special strategies, programs, and actions in the frame of human resource management (HRM). That is how organizations in the frame of HRM, more specifically in the frame of management well-being, are developing special programs for managing PWB. These programs are based on their RPH and organizations might help employees to feel respected and valued in their work settings, without regard to their culture, religion, ethnicity, gender, age, disability, or other individual differences. The most-often applied programs of the kind include: (1) stress management programs, (2) diversity management programs, (3) wellness programs, (4) employee assistance programs, and (5) programs for personal growth.