This paper examines the Men's Sheds movement – an Australian innovation that is now spreading internationally. This movement has significance for human resource management, both in providing a useful alternative to paid employment for older workers, and as a research site where the human resources challenges peculiar to voluntary organisations can be observed. The paper is underpinned by social exchange theory. The paper's empirical focus is on the factors that govern the level of participation of members in the Men's Sheds movement. The research employs a case study methodology, with focus groups of 34 members in two Australian men's sheds. Predictably, we found that the decision to participate is driven primarily by altruistic motives and reciprocal relationships. However, professional HRM practices remain important. Our findings lend support for the importance of leadership and human resource practices, such as training and development, occupational health and safety, and human resource planning that are used to facilitate effective participation in the sheds.
The role of institutional factors in students' intentions to persist with or withdraw from their studies is well established in the literature. More recently, the influence of factors external to the institution has been highlighted as well. This study investigates the relationship between levels of engagement of first-year students undertaking a core business subject at a large university in Australia and their departure intentions. It was found that their propensity to persist was positively associated with their reported involvement and engagement with their studies but negatively associated with certain external factors -time spent on paid work, commuting and caring for others. One important implication of these results is that factors that sit largely outside the ambit of an institution's control may be placing significant, but perhaps unrecognised, constraints on the ability of that institution to improve retention rates.
Aims
This study examines the impact of personal resilience on the well‐being of care workers and how perceptions of the quality of care provided and the social climate in the organization influences this relationship. We examine quality of patient care as both a mediating and outcome variable to better understand if ‘doing good’ (quality of care) leads to ‘feeling good’ (personal well‐being).
Background
As an ageing population and the care for the older people has become an increasing challenge to many societies, developing and retaining a professional care workforce through effective management is vital in providing care services.
Design
A cross‐sectional regression design was used in the study.
Methods
In 2017 we surveyed care workers in 20 Australian aged care facilities. The sample consist of 194 usable questionnaires. Using regression techniques, we constructed an interaction term (resilience × social climate) and investigated its impact on well‐being (the outcome variable) and quality of care (the mediator variable).
Results
Our results reveal that quality of care is important as an outcome variable particularly in a supportive climate where high personal resilience positively influences quality of care. Quality of care is also important as a mediating variable as it provides a conduit through which high personal resilience fosters well‐being, especially in a supportive climate. Our results support the argument that ‘doing good’ leads to ‘feeling good’.
Conclusion
These findings contribute to our appreciation of the important outcomes of resilience in the aged care context and its influence on perceived performance and carer well‐being.
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