Do flexible work schedules reduce turnover in U.S. federal agencies?

Agency theory suggests that when agencies adopt flexible work schedules, employees will be more likely to remain with the organization, because these programs demonstrate that the organization cares about their well-being in that flexible work schedules give them more flexibility regarding when, where, and how they perform their work. To test this proposition, cross-sectional panel data at the agency level were obtained from two federal government sources: Federal Employee Viewpoint Survey and FedScope. Furthermore, transfers and quits were the two forms of turnover examined. After lagging the independent variables behind turnover over several years so as to provide a robust test of causality, the results show only limited support for agency theory. Specifically, teleworking was found to lower quits. However, teleworking was not found to reduce transfers or turnover, in general. Furthermore, alternative work schedules were not found to have an impact on quits, transfers, or turnover generally.     

Supportive organizational environment,work-life enrichment,trust and turnover intention: A national survey of PRSA membership

Based on an online survey of a national random sample of the PRSA membership (n?=?650), this study is among the first to explore public relations employees’ own turnover intention and propose three contributing factors for employers to keep top talent in PR industry: a family-supportive organizational environment; the positive, enriching impact of professional work upon practitioners’ life; and PR practitioners’ trust toward employers. Theoretical and practical implications are discussed.     

Stepping stones: Principal career paths and school outcomes

More than one out of every five principals leaves their school each year. In some cases, these career changes are driven by the choices of district leadership. In other cases, principals initiate the move, often demonstrating preferences to work in schools with higher achieving students from more advantaged socioeconomic backgrounds. Principals often use schools with many poor or low-achieving students as stepping stones to what they view as more desirable assignments. We use longitudinal data from one large urban school district to study the relationship between principal turnover and school outcomes. We find that principal turnover is, on average, detrimental to school performance. Frequent turnover of school leadership results in lower teacher retention and lower student achievement gains. Leadership changes are particularly harmful for high poverty schools, low-achieving schools, and schools with many inexperienced teachers. These schools not only suffer from high rates of principal turnover but are also unable to attract experienced successors. The negative effect of leadership changes can be mitigated when vacancies are filled by individuals with prior experience leading other schools. However, the majority of new principals in high poverty and low-performing schools lack prior leadership experience and leave when more attractive positions become available in other schools.     

Turning Over Turnover

Abstract

Human service programs often have major problems ensuring that all direct-care staff positions are filled and keeping staff members after they are hired. Work schedules may have an effect on maintaining the longevity of staff. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of a revised direct-care staff-scheduling system in community homes serving adults with developmental disabilities. The revised direct-care staffing system, which used shift-style schedules, was compared on a variety of measures to existing staffing systems and to a staffing model using married couples and adaptations of the Teaching-Family Model (called Family-Teaching homes). The revised staff-scheduling system was evaluated before and after its implementation and then compared to the Family-Teaching homes using direct-care employee measures of: (1) turnover; (2) position vacancies; (3) number of different employees paid within a pay period; (4) average hourly wages; (5) number of hours worked; (6) average cost for employees per person served; and (7) employee satisfaction. The various staffing approaches were also compared on measures of parent/legal guardian satisfaction and overall program quality. The revised staff-scheduling system was superior when compared to the previous staff-scheduling system on measures of turnover (43% less), vacancies (57% fewer), number of direct-care employees involved in the care of the persons served (13% fewer), and hourly wages (8% more). All of this was achieved without affecting staff-to-client ratios. While these changes were positive, the Family-Teaching homes were associated with significantly better direct-care staff stability and lower costs.     

上市公司总经理更换、高管团队重组与企业绩效改进

本文针对以往总经理更换理论研究存在的关键问题,特别是对高管团队重组现象的忽视,构建了新的理论假设,并利用中国上市公司数据进行了检验.研究发现,总经理被迫离职时企业绩效呈现改进之面貌,但常规离职时无此效应;国有控股阻碍了企业绩效改进而内部董事则反之,且在总经理被迫离职情况下,前者负效应减弱而后者正效应增强;总经理是否为竞争者继任对企业绩效改进无显著影响,而选择外部继任对其有显著负面效应;总经理更换后的高管团队重组总体上不利于企业绩效改进,但受到继任类型的调节作用,在外部继任情形下消极影响尤为明显,而对竞争者继任则具有积极作用.     

Top management departures in cross-border acquisitions: Governance issues in an international context

This study examined top management team departures in U.S. manufacturing firms acquired by a foreign multinational during the six-year period following acquisition. Results indicated that greater cultural distance between the United States and the home country of the foreign multinational, higher levels of international integration in the target industry, and poor preacquisition performance in the U.S. target company were related to greater postacquisition top management departures. These effects were moderated significantly by the foreign acquirer’s international business and U.S. acquisition experience and showed different patterns over the short-term, intermediate-term, and long-term. Implications for future research on top management teams involved in cross-border acquisitions are discussed.     

Absence behaviour, turnover and disability: A study among city bus drivers in the Netherlands

Absenteeism, turnover and disability, and relationships between them have been studied among city bus drivers in the Netherlands. The theoretical framework for the study was a cumulative process model of work and health. Absenteeism among these drivers was two to three times as high as the national average, while the risk of disablement was more than twice as high as the risk for male Dutch civil servants in general. Bus drivers who had to leave their job for medical reasons did so at a younger age than other groups of civil servants. The main conditions leading to disablement related to the back, tendons and joints (35%), mental disorders (35%) and cardiovascular diseases (12%). It was shown that long-term absenteeism is a strong precursor of future disability. The research suggests a work-related process of progressive deterioration of health and well-being over a reasonably long period of time. Driving city buses seems to be an occupation with high risks for health and well-being.     

The Role of Family in Career Choices among Social Workers in China

Abstract

High turnover rate affects social work workforce development in China. Few empirical studies have been conducted to explore the factors that have influences on turnover intention among Chinese social workers. This study used data from China General Survey on Professional Social Workers to examine the influence of job satisfaction and family attitude on social workers’ career choices. The findings reveal that both job satisfaction and family’ attitude toward the profession have significant effects on social workers’ turnover intention. Family’s support or disapproval of the social work profession has moderate effect on the negative correlation between job satisfaction and turnover intention. The findings could be explained by the familyism culture of Chinese society and unique challenges of professional development experienced by social workers in China. Future studies should consider the influence of family to develop a more comprehensive research framework. Management in social service agencies should help family of social workers to learn and embrace the profession to gain their support of choosing social work as career.     

董事会特征与总经理变更

本文以在上海证券交易所1999年前上市的公司为样本,研究董事会特征等治理变量对总经理变更的影响。研究结果表明,对相对业绩下降公司的总经理变更能起到显著解释作用的变量只有董事会会议的次数和公司的领导结构。而其它治理变量,诸如董事会规模、管理董事比例、独立董事比例、股权集中度、董事会成员持股比例等,未能对总经理变更起到显著的解释作用。