BackgroundJob crafting, an employee-initiated job design/redesign, has become important for employees’ well-being such as work engagement. This study examined the effectiveness of a newly developed job crafting intervention program on work engagement (as primary outcome), as well as job crafting and psychological distress (as secondary outcomes), using a pretest-posttest study design among Japanese employees.MethodsParticipants were managers of a private company and a private psychiatric hospital in Japan. The job crafting intervention program consisted of two 120-min sessions with a two-week interval between them. Outcomes were assessed at baseline (Time 1), post-intervention (Time 2), and a one-month follow-up (Time 3). The mixed growth model analyses were conducted using time (Time 1, Time 2, and Time 3) as an indicator of intervention effect. Effect sizes were calculated using Cohen’s d.ResultsThe program showed a significant positive effect on work engagement (t = 2.20, p = 0.03) in the mixed growth model analyses, but with only small effect sizes (Cohen’s d = 0.33 at Time 2 and 0.26 at Time 3). The program also significantly improved job crafting (t = 2.36, p = 0.02: Cohen’s d = 0.36 at Time 2 and 0.47 at Time 3) and reduced psychological distress (t = −2.06, p = 0.04: Cohen’s d = −0.15 at Time 2 and −0.31 at Time 3).ConclusionsThe study indicated that the newly developed job crafting intervention program was effective in increasing work engagement, as well as in improving job crafting and decreasing psychological distress, among Japanese managers.Trial registrationUMIN Clinical Trials Registry UMIN000024062. Retrospectively registered 15 September 2016.

This study reveals a strong positive association between work-related psychosocial factors and an elevated risk of metabolic syndrome onset. The effects of job strain and shift work on metabolic syndrome appear to be significant.

IntroductionDue to an increasing demand for healthcare in low-income and middle-income countries in Asia, it is important to develop a strategy to manage work-related stress in healthcare settings, particularly among nurses in these countries. The purpose of this three-arm randomised controlled trial (RCT) is to examine the effects of a newly developed smartphone-based multimodule stress management programme on reducing severity of depressive and anxiety symptoms as primary outcomes at 3-month and 7-month follow-ups among hospital nurses in Vietnam.Methods and analysisThe target study population will be registered nurses working in a large general hospital (which employs approximately about 2000 nurses) in Vietnam. They will be invited to participate in this study. Participants who fulfil the eligibility criteria will be randomly allocated to the free-choice, multimodule stress management (intervention group A, n=360), the internet cognitive behavioural therapy (iCBT), that is, fixed-order stress management (intervention group B, n=360), or a treatment as usual control group (n=360). Two types (free-choice and fixed sequential order) of smartphone-based six-module stress management programmes will be developed. Participants in the intervention groups will be required to complete one of the programmes within 10 weeks after the baseline survey. The primary outcomes are depressive and anxiety symptoms, measured by using the Depression Anxiety and Stress Scales (DASS) at 3-month and 7 month follow-ups.Ethics and disseminationThe study procedures have been approved by the Research Ethics Review Board of Graduate School of Medicine/Faculty of Medicine, the University of Tokyo (no 11991) and the Ethical Review Board for Biomedical Research of Hanoi University of Public Health (no 346/2018/YTCC-HD3). If a significant effect of the intervention programmes will be found in the RCT, the programmes will be made available to all nurses in the hospital including the control group. If the positive effects are found in this RCT, the e-stress management programmes will be disseminated to all nurses in Vietnam.Trial registration numberUMIN000033139; Pre-results.

Background Work engagement is important for employee well-being and work performance. However, no intervention study has investigated the effect of an eMental Health intervention on work engagement among workers in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). Objective The aim of the study was to examine the effects of a newly developed smartphone-based stress management program (ABC Stress Management) on improving work engagement among hospital nurses in Vietnam, an LMIC. Methods Full-time registered nurses (n=949) were randomly assigned to one of 2 intervention groups or a control group. The intervention groups were a 6-week, 6-lesson program offering basic cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT-based stress management skills), provided in either free-choice (program A) or fixed order (program B). Work engagement was assessed at baseline and 3-month and 7-month follow-ups in each of the 3 groups. Results The scores of work engagement in both intervention groups improved from baseline to 3-month follow-up, and then decreased at the 7-month follow-up, while the score steadily increased from baseline to 7-month follow-up in the control group. Program B showed a significant intervention effect on improving work engagement at the 3-month follow-up (P=.049) with a small effect size (Cohen d= 0.16; 95% CI 0.001 to 0.43]). Program A showed nonsignificant trend (d=0.13; 95% CI –0.014 to 0.41; P=.07) toward improved engagement at 3 months. Neither program achieved effectiveness at the 7-month follow-up. Conclusions The study demonstrated that a fixed order (program B) delivery of a smartphone-based stress management program was effective in improving work engagement in nurses in Vietnam. However, the effect was small and only temporary. Further improvement of this program is required to achieve a greater effect size and more sustained, longer lasting impact on work engagement. Trial Registration University Hospital Medical Information Network Clinical Trials Registry UMIN000033139; tinyurl.com/55gxo253 International Registered Report Identifier (IRRID) RR2-10.1136/bmjopen-2018-025138

BackgroundJob crafting, an employee-initiated job design/redesign, has become important for employees’ well-being. However, most studies on the relationship between job crafting and employees’ well-being have been conducted in western countries; thus, it is unclear whether job crafting can be effectively applied to Asian cultures, such as Japan, which emphasizes group harmony. The aim of this study was to examine the cross-sectional associations of self-reported job crafting with work engagement and psychological distress among employees in Japan.MethodA questionnaire survey through the internet was conducted among all employees of a manufacturing company in Japan. We analyzed the data from 894 respondents, all employees with regular employment. Job crafting, work engagement, and psychological distress were assessed using the Japanese version of the Job Crafting Questionnaire, the Japanese version of the Utrecht Work Engagement Scale (UWES), and the Brief Job Stress Questionnaire (BJSQ), respectively.ResultHierarchical multiple regression showed that increasing structural job resources, social job resources, and challenging job demands was significantly and positively associated with work engagement (β = 0.31, p < 0.001; β = 0.14, p < 0.001; β = 0.36, p < 0.001, respectively). For psychological distress, increasing structural job resources was significantly and negatively associated with psychological distress (β = -0.15, p < 0.001).ConclusionOur study suggests that increasing structural job resources is associated with higher work engagement and lower psychological distress. In addition, increasing social job resources and challenging job demands are also associated with higher work engagement.

There are growing concerns on stress among nurses in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) in South-East Asia. It is important to improve mental health among nurses in these countries. The objective of this study was to examine the efficacy of two types of newly developed smartphone-based stress management programs in improving depressive and anxiety symptoms among hospital nurses in Vietnam. This study was a three-arm (including two intervention groups and one control group) randomized trial. Participants were recruited from nurses in a large general hospital in Hanoi, Vietnam. Two types (free-choice and fixed sequential order) of smartphone-based stress management programs were developed. Participants were randomly allocated to Program A (a free-choice, multimodule stress management), Program B (a fixed-order, internet cognitive behavioral therapy, iCBT), or a control group (treatment as usual). The depressive and anxiety symptoms were measured by using the Depression Anxiety and Stress Scales at baseline, 3-, and 7-month follow-up surveys. 951 participants were randomly allocated to each of the three groups. Program B showed a statistically significant effect on improving depressive symptoms at 3-month (p = 0.048), but not at 7-month (p = 0.92); Cohen’s d was − 0.18 (95% CI − 0.34 to − 0.02) and 0.03 (95% CI − 1.00 to 1.05), respectively. Program A failed to show a significant intervention effect on any of the outcomes at 3- or 7-month follow-up (p > 0.05). Despite the small effect size, the present fixed-order iCBT program seems effective in improving depression of hospital nurses in Vietnam. A public health impact of the intervention can be scalable, when considering its accessibility and minimal cost.Trial registration number: The study protocol is registered at the UMIN Clinical Trials Registry (UMINCTR; ID = UMIN000033139). Registered date of the protocol is 1st Jul. 2018. https://upload.umin.ac.jp/cgi-open-bin/ctr_e/ctr_view.cgi?recptno=R000037796

Objectives: This study aimed to conduct a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) to improve subjective well-being (SWB), including evaluative, hedonic, and eudemonic well-being, and the mental component of quality of life (QOL) of working population.Methods: A literature search was conducted, using PubMed, Embase, PsycINFO, and PsycARTICLES. Eligible studies included those that were RCTs of any intervention, conducted among healthy workers, measured SWB as a primary outcome, and original articles in English. Study characteristics, intervention, outcomes, and results on SWB outcomes were extracted by the investigators independently. After a brief narrative summarizing and classifying the contents of the interventions, the included outcomes were categorized into each aspect of SWB (evaluative, hedonic, and eudemonic well-being, and the mental component of QOL). Finally, the characteristics of the effective interventions for increasing each aspect were summarized, and the pooled effect of interventions on SWB was investigated by a meta-analysis. Publication bias was investigated by drawing a funnel plot and conducting Egger's test.Results: From the 5,450 articles found, 39 met the inclusion criteria for the systematic review. The interventions included in this review were classified into six categories (physical activity, ergonomics, psychological, environmental, multicomponent intervention, and others). The meta-analysis from 31 studies showed that the pooled effect of included interventions on SWB was significantly positive (standardized mean difference (SMD) = 0.51; standard error (SE) = 0.10). A funnel plot showed there were extremely large or small SMDs, and Egger's test was significant. Thus, we conducted sensitivity analysis, excluding these extreme SMDs, and confirmed that the estimated pooled effect was also significantly positive. Subgroup analyses for separate types of interventions showed the effects of psychological interventions (e.g., mindfulness, cognitive behavioral based approach, and other psychological interventions) were also significantly positive.Conclusion: The current study revealed the effectiveness of interventions for increasing SWB. Specifically, psychological interventions (e.g., mindfulness, cognitive behavioral based approach, and other psychological interventions) may be useful for improving SWB.

The current randomized controlled trial investigated the effectiveness of a job crafting intervention program on work engagement as the primary outcome and job crafting as the secondary outcome among Japanese employees. Methods: Participants who met the inclusion criteria were randomly assigned to an intervention group (n = 138) or a control group (n = 143). The job crafting intervention program provided only to the intervention group consisted of two 120-minute group sessions with e-mail or letter follow-up. Outcomes were assessed at baseline and at 3-month and 6-month follow-up in both groups. Results: In the total sample, the job crafting intervention program showed a nonsignificant effect on work engagement at both 3-month and 6-month follow-up. Also, job crafting did not improve significantly. However, the program showed a significant intervention effect on work engagement (p = 0.04) with small effect size (Cohen's d = 0.33 at 3-month follow-up) of workers in a lower job crafting subgroup. Conclusion: The job crafting intervention program may not be sufficiently effective to improve work engagement and job crafting for the entire sample of participants. However, it may be effective for workers in lower job crafting subcategories.