Feature Channels: In the Workplace

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A recent article in the Journal of Applied Communication Research discusses the practice of cybervetting potential employees online as part of the recruitment process. Is such surveillance an unethical invasion of privacy? Or, is it simply a way for employers to enhance their review of formal credentials to ensure a good person-environment fit? The authors explore the legitimacy and outcomes of this practice following interviews with 45 recruiting managers.

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You might want to stand up for this. Occupational sitting is associated with an increased likelihood of obesity, especially among black women, independent of occupational and leisure time physical activity, finds a new study from the School of Medicine and the Brown School at Washington University in St. Louis.

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In certain circumstances, women may be more effective than men when negotiating money matters, contrary to conventional wisdom that men drive a harder bargain in financial affairs, according to a new meta-analysis published by the American Psychological Association.

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From holiday parties to happy hours, social events with co-workers often revolve around alcohol, which can put non-drinkers in an awkward position. A new study shows that tensions in these environments lead non-drinkers to develop techniques to fit in socially without taking a drink.

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People may associate political correctness with conformity but new research finds it also correlates with creativity in work settings. Imposing a norm that sets clear expectations of how women and men should interact with each other into a work environment unexpectedly encourages creativity among mixed-sex work groups by reducing uncertainty in relationships. The study highlights a paradoxical consequence of the political correctness (PC) norm.

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A study tracking the worldwide migration of professional workers to the United States found that the nation is attracting a smaller proportional share of those workers relative to other countries - raising questions about the U.S.'s ability to remain competitive in attracting top talent.

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A new study finds that having job authority increases symptoms of depression among women, but decreases them among men.

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People whose jobs require more complex work with other people, such as social workers and lawyers, or with data, like architects or graphic designers, may end up having longer-lasting memory and thinking abilities compared to people who do less complex work, according to research published in the November 19, 2014, online issue of Neurology®, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology.

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There is no significant difference in the prevalence of verbal abuse in the workplace between men and women, according to a systematic review of the literature conducted by researchers at the Institut universitaire de santé mentale de Montréal and the University of Montreal.

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Obese workers miss more work days, and those absences carry high costs at the state and national level, according to a study in the November Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, official publication of the American College of Occupational and Environmental Medicine (ACOEM).

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Both environmental and genetic factors influence employee proactivity, according to the latest research from a Kansas State University psychology professor.

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Political correctness, loathed by some as censorship awash in leftist philosophy, actually boosts the creativity of mixed-sex work teams

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A multifaceted approach to teaching coping mechanisms may help critical care nurses better handle their stressful work environment, according to a study in the November issue of American Journal of Critical Care (AJCC).

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Overweight women are more likely to work in lower-paying and more physically demanding jobs; less likely to get higher-wage positions that include interaction with the public; and make less money in either case compared to average size women and all men, according to a new Vanderbilt study.

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Workers punching in for the graveyard shift may be better off not eating high-iron foods at night so they don’t disrupt the circadian clock in their livers.

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The 5th annual Civility in America survey from global public relations firm Weber Shandwick and public affairs firm Powell Tate with KRC Research looks at civility through a generational lens to better understand what the future holds for society. Although Americans are unanimous about the bleak state of civility, the Millennial generation seems less convinced of a more uncivil future.

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A new study shows that CEOs with extensive social connections initiate mergers and acquisitions more frequently, and these deals result in greater financial losses for both the acquiring firm and the combined entity.

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Approximately 54 million workers are targeted by a bully during their careers. Instead of reporting it, an Iowa State professor found several victims suffered silently because of the challenges they face telling their story.

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A study by a Kansas State University kinesiology researcher finds fathers experience the same exercise barriers as mothers: family responsibilities, guilt, lack of support, lack of time, scheduling constraints and work.

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Exposure to violence in the workplace can lead to serious consequences for health sector employees say Stéphane Guay and Nathalie Lanctôt of the Institut universitaire de santé mentale and the University of Montreal, who studied this issue in a systematic review of the literature.

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Although office ergonomics training programs have been shown to improve employee well-being and productivity, in many cases training occurs only after complaints are logged.

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As much as we might try to leave personal lives at home, the personality traits of a spouse have a way of following us into the workplace, exerting a powerful influence on promotions, salaries, job satisfaction and other measures of professional success, new research from Washington University in St. Louis suggests.

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New research from Concordia University and the University of Montreal proves that having an understanding partner is just as important as having a supportive boss.

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Saying thank you has been among the commonest of cultural civilities for centuries. Now new research offers the first evidence that expressions of gratitude go beyond mere etiquette and provide real social benefit.

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Higher exposure to one measure of traffic-related air pollution is associated with higher levels of the obesity-related hormone leptin in older adults, reports a study in the September Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, official publication of the American College of Occupational and Environmental Medicine (ACOEM).

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A Vanderbilt sociologist has made the surprising discovery that unsolicited job leads can increase symptoms of depression in people who are employed full-time or happy with their financial status.

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Sometimes when people get upsetting news – such as a failing exam grade or a negative job review – they decide instantly to do better the next time. In other situations that are equally disappointing, the same people may feel inclined to just give up. How can similar setbacks produce such different reactions? It may come down to how much control we feel we have over what happened, according to new research from Rutgers University-Newark. The study, published in the journal Neuron, also finds that when these setbacks occur, the level of control we perceive may even determine which of two distinct parts of the brain will handle the crisis.

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One wish many workers may have this Labor Day is for more control and predictability of their work schedules. A new report finds that unpredictability is widespread in many workers’ schedules—one reason why organized labor groups and policymakers are now focusing on work schedule reform.

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Women professors are asked to serve on university committees in such disproportionate numbers that they are deprived of research time that is essential for promotion and find their careers lagging behind their male colleagues as a result.

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A new study of more than 600 employees in both blue- and white-collar professions compared individuals more prone to think about past transgressions at work to those focusing more directly on the future.

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Report shows reasons employees leave can’t necessarily be applied across the board.

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The Great Recession of 2007-2009 had little direct effect on the health of workers who survived the waves of job cuts that took place during that period, according to a new University of Akron study.

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Many politicians see the U.S. temporary worker program as a solution to undocumented immigration from Mexico. But an Indiana U. study finds that these legal workers earn no more than their undocumented peers.

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While some suggest that flexible work arrangements have the potential to reduce workplace inequality, a new study finds these arrangements may exacerbate discrimination based on parental status and gender.

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Risky situations increase anxiety for women but not for men, leading women to perform worse under these circumstances, finds a study to be presented at the 109th Annual Meeting of the American Sociological Association.

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Is a man without a four-year college degree better off trying to land a well-paying but insecure job in traditionally male fields such as manufacturing or construction, or should he consider lower-paying but steadier employment in a female-dominated field?

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Some working parents are carrying more psychological baggage than others — and the reason has nothing to do with demands on their time and energy. The cause is their occupation.

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Research by Baylor University professor shows employers and experts where to invest resources to reverse the exodus of women from the IT workforce.

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Women tend to outperform men when it comes to collaboration and creativity in small working groups, but force teams to go head to head in highly competitive environments and the benefits of a female approach are soon reversed, suggests new research from Washington University in St. Louis.

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"Hyve-3D is a new interface for 3D content creation via embodied and collaborative 3D sketching,” explained lead researcher Professor Tomás Dorta, of the University of Montreal's School of Design

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Nearly 40 percent of women who earn engineering degrees quit the profession or never enter the field, and for those who leave, poor workplace climates and mistreatment by managers and co-workers are common reasons, according to research presented at the American Psychological Association’s 122nd Annual Convention.

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The pursuit of true happiness can lead people to lifestyles that will not only be satisfying but will be better for the environment, according to an overview of psychological research presented at the American Psychological Association’s 122nd Annual Convention.

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Over the past few decades, many companies have sought to make their workforce more diverse in an effort to attract and keep top talent. But, how successful is their strategy? In a new study, released today by Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin,, researchers explore the complexities of diversity and what causes people to feel that a team or an organization is diverse. Key findings indicate that a particular team or organization can look quite different to people depending upon their backgrounds and racial identity.

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Richard Holstein ’68, a pediatric dentist with a life-long passion for the study and practice of ethical behavior, pledges $5 million to create faculty chairs and boost programs that will help Washington College students know, and do, the right thing in their careers and communities.

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For the health and happiness of nurses – and for the best care of hospital patients – new Cornell research suggests exposure to natural light may be the best medicine.

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A study of more than 2000 companies that spanned over 13 years has found that board diversity curbs excessive risk taking and tend to pay more in dividends.

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New research from the University of Chicago Booth School of Business finds that the positive reaction one would have when succeeding is lessened if it doesn't follow the expected course.

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New engineering study conducted at Virginia Tech investigates ergonomic effects of obesity-related functional performance impairment

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NYU College of Nursing study finds architecture, interior design, and other physical aspects of their work environments can enhance early-career nurses’ job satisfaction.