Der Begriff der Digitalisierung ist in aller Munde. Während es unbestritten scheint, dass praktisch alle Branchen und Berufe vom technologischen Wandel betroffen sind, sind die tatsächlichen Auswirkungen der Digitalisierung bis heute vergleichsweise wenig erforscht. Dies gilt insbesondere für potenzielle Effekte der Digitalisierung auf die Gesundheit von Berufstätigen, welche bis heute kaum mittels großzahliger empirischer Erhebungen analysiert wurden.
Die vorliegende Studie des Centers for Disability and Integration an der Universität St. Gallen (CDI-HSG) widmet sich dieser bedeutenden Forschungslücke mit einem spezifischen Fokus auf den Standort Deutschland. Hierzu wurden 8019 internetnutzende Berufstätige in der Bundesrepublik online zum Wesen der Digitalisierung, organisationalen Merkmalen ihres Arbeitskontexts, ihren Einstellungen und Verhaltensweisen sowie zu ihrem physischen und psychischen Gesundheitszustand befragt. Diese Stichprobe ist repräsentativ für die 33.3 Millionen internetnutzenden Berufstätigen in Deutschland.
Der vorliegende Bericht analysiert die Lebensqualität der deutschen Erwerbsbevölkerung auf Basis einer repräsentativen Stichprobe (N = 8004 volljährige Erwerbstätige). Zunächst wird die aktuelle Situation im Hinblick auf verschiedene Indikatoren der Lebensqualität, wie Lebenszufriedenheit, emotionale Erschöpfung, Stressbelastung und Konflikte zwischen Arbeit und Familie, beleuchtet. Es wird aufgezeigt, wie sich diese Aspekte der Lebensqualität hinsichtlich der Bundesländer, beruflichen Faktoren und demografischen Merkmale unterscheiden. Des Weiteren wird im Rahmen des Untersuchungsmodells (Job-Demands-Resources-Model) der Einfluss und das Zusammenspiel von privaten sowie beruflichen Anforderungen und Ressourcen auf die verschiedenen Aspekte der Lebensqualität von Erwerbstätigen untersucht. Hierauf aufbauend wird ein integriertes Modell entwickelt, welches überprüft, zu welchem Anteil Unterschiede in der Lebenszufriedenheit auf die verschiedenen Anforderungen und Ressourcen zurückzuführen sind. Auf Basis der durchgeführten Analysen werden die zentralen Ergebnisse der Studie in Form von zehn Kernthesen zusammengefasst. Abschließend werden Handlungsempfehlungen abgeleitet, die aufzeigen, wie die Lebensqualität von Berufstätigen aktiv gefördert werden kann.
This study contributes to language-sensitive International Business research by examining forms of language use other than monolingual conversations in national languages. It focuses on hybrid languages that are derived from heterogeneous language sources. Based on modern linguistic research, the study conceptualises multilingualism as joint mobilisation of linguistic resources. Adopting a discursive approach, it empirically investigates the positive and negative effects of hybrid language use for individuals and teams in two companies in Switzerland. The findings show that users of hybrid language are positioned as being able to exchange information more effectively, feeling more comfortable in interactions as well as having more possibilities to express voice and participate. At the same time, hybrid language use is described as having limiting effects in certain contexts. The study therefore suggests to integrate hybrid languages in definitions of individual and organisational language capital, and to strategically address it on the top management and Human Resources Management level.
Keywords
Multilingual organisations; hybrid language use; multilingualism as joint linguistic resources mobilisation; linguistic research; participation; expressing voice; improved communication; efficiency; information exchange; knowledge transfer; individual and organisational language capital; translingual communicative competence; discursive study; Switzerland
This study contributes to language-sensitive International Business research by examining forms of language use other than monolingual conversations in national languages. It focuses on hybrid languages that are derived from heterogeneous language sources. Based on modern linguistic research, the study conceptualises multilingualism as joint mobilisation of linguistic resources. Adopting a discursive approach, it empirically investigates the positive and negative effects of hybrid language use for individuals and teams in two companies in Switzerland. The findings show that users of hybrid language are positioned as being able to exchange information more effectively, feeling more comfortable in interactions as well as having more possibilities to express voice and participate. At the same time, hybrid language use is described as having limiting effects in certain contexts. The study therefore suggests to integrate hybrid languages in definitions of individual and organisational language capital, and to strategically address it on the top management and Human Resources Management level.
Keywords
Multilingual organisations; hybrid language use; multilingualism as joint linguistic resources mobilisation; linguistic research; participation; expressing voice; improved communication; efficiency; information exchange; knowledge transfer; individual and organisational language capital; translingual communicative competence; discursive study; Switzerland
By modifying the work environments, work routines, and work tasks of employees with health restrictions, organizations can effectively help them continue to perform their jobs successfully. As such, job accommodations are an effective tool to secure the continued employment of aging workers who develop disabilities across their life span. However, while accommodations tackle health-related performance problems, they might create new challenges on the part of the affected employee. Building on the organizational change and accommodations literatures, we propose a theoretical framework of negative experiences during accommodation processes and apply it to qualitative data from group interviews with 73 manufacturing workers at a German industrial company who were part of the company’s job accommodation program. Although problems associated with health-related impairments were mostly solved by accommodation, affected employees with disabilities reported about interpersonal problems and conflicts similar to those that typically occur during organizational change. Lack of social support as well as poor communication and information were raised as criticisms. Furthermore, our findings indicate that discrimination, bullying, and maltreatment appear to be common during accommodation processes. To make accommodation processes more successful, we derive recommendations from the organizational change literature and apply it to the accommodation context. We also emphasize unique characteristics of the accommodation setting and translate these into practical implications.
