Search Results (34)

Incivility and civility have been studied for more than a century across disciplines and in many areas ranging from workplaces to communication, the digital world, and everyday life. They are often used to the detriment of marginalized groups. Their negative use is seen to set the groundwork for other negative treatments, such as bullying and harassment, impacting the social climate in a negative way. Ostracism is seen to be linked to incivility. Disabled people disproportionally face negative treatments, such as bullying and harassment, and experience a negative social climate, as highlighted by the UN Convention on the Rights of People with Disabilities, suggesting that they also disproportionately experience incivility and ostracism. Climate surveys aim to expose toxic social climate in workplaces, schools, and communities caused by incivility, ostracism, bullying, and harassment. As such, how incivility, civility, ostracism, and the design of climate surveys are discussed in the literature is of importance to disabled people. We could find no review that analyzed the use of climate surveys beyond individual surveys and the concepts of incivility and ostracism in relation to disabled people. The objective of our study was to contribute to filling this gap by analyzing the academic literature present in SCOPUS, EBSCO HOST (70 databases), and Web of Science, performing keyword frequency and content analysis of abstracts and full texts. Our findings provide empirical evidence for a systemic neglect of disabled people in the topics covered: from 21,215 abstracts mentioning “civilit*” or “incivilit*”, only 14 were relevant, and of the 8358 abstracts mentioning ostracism, only 26 were relevant. Of the 3643 abstracts mentioning “climate surveys,” 12 sources covered disabled people by focusing on a given survey, but not one study performed an evaluation of the utility of climate surveys for disabled people in general. Racism is seen as a structural problem facilitating civility/incivility. Ableism, the negative judgments of a given set of abilities someone has, and disablism, the systemic discrimination based on such judgments, are structural problems experienced by disabled people, facilitating civility/incivility. However, ableism generated only 2 hits, and disablism/disableism had no hits. Most of our sources focused on workplace incivility, and authors were mostly from the USA. We found no linkage to social and policy discourses that aim to make the social environment better, such as equity, diversity, and inclusion, well-being, and science and technology governance. This is the first paper of its kind to look in depth at how the academic literature engages with the concepts of civility, incivility, and ostracism and with the instrument of social climate surveys in relation to disabled people. Our findings can be used by many different disciplines and fields to strengthen the theoretical and practical discussions on the topics in relation to disabled people and beyond. Full article

Certain metal powders used in the synthesis and processing of high-entropy alloys (HEAs) pose significant health hazards, as many of these metals are toxic substances with no biological role in the human body. These metals can mimic essential elements or interfere with metabolic processes (the chemical reactions in living organisms that sustain life), leading to detrimental health effects. While some metals, such as aluminum, can be eliminated from the body through natural biological processes, others tend to accumulate, causing chronic illnesses over time. This review examines the toxicity mechanisms and health impacts of metals used in HEA synthesis, focusing on laboratory-scale processing. It also identifies potential health risks associated with occupational exposure in laboratory environments, including the inhalation of toxic metal powders and nanoparticles. A simple risk scoring model is introduced to systematically assess and quantify these risks based on factors such as toxicity levels, exposure limits, and carcinogenic potential (the ability of a substance to cause cancer) as given by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) and the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) standards. The proposed model can be applied to evaluate the relative hazards of commonly used HEA constituent powders (e.g., Ni, Co, Cr, and Al), offering practical guidance for safer laboratory handling and material selection. By integrating this risk assessment framework, this review aims to enhance workplace safety, guide the development of better material handling practices, and assist researchers in mitigating health risks associated with HEA processing. Full article

Startups are often praised for their innovative power and dynamic work environments, but are also criticized for workplace cultures that perpetuate traditional masculine norms of competitiveness, workaholism, emotional resilience, and strength. This exploratory study examines the prevalence of Masculinity Contest Culture (MCC) in German startups and related gender dynamics. The Masculinity Contest Culture scale, which assesses masculine norms related to emotional resilience, physical superiority, workaholism, and aggressive competitiveness, was employed to collect data from 101 participants representing various startups. The results indicate an overall low prevalence of MCC, with slightly higher scores for strong commitment to work. Individuals from disparate gender and hierarchical status groups exhibited comparable ratings of the intensity of toxic masculinity. While the presence of female founders and supervisors did not affect MCC scores, male dominance within the work environment had a small but significant amplifying effect. Significant differences were observed based on the prevailing leadership style, indicating that a shared leadership approach is associated with the creation of a more inclusive and less toxic work environment. The results challenge commonly held assumptions about tech startups. In addition, the study highlights the need for further research into the impact of leadership dynamics on startup culture. Full article

Workplace contextual emotions are structured ways of emotionally thinking about specific cues in the context that employees share within their organization. These dynamics reflect how employees emotionally interpret and respond to organizational environments. Contextual emotions may shape working relationships into different types of toxic emotional dynamics (e.g., claiming, controlling, distrusting, provoking) or, conversely, positive emotional dynamics (i.e., exchanging), thus setting the emotional tone that affects employees’ actions and their level of comfort/discomfort. The present study uses latent profile analysis (LPA) to identify subpopulations of employees who may experience differing levels of both positive and negative emotional dynamics (i.e., different configurations of emotional patterns of workplace behavior). Moreover, it examines whether the emergent profiles predict work-related (i.e., job satisfaction, burnout) and health-related outcomes (i.e., sleep disturbances, physical and mental health). Using data from 801 Italian employees, we identified four latent profiles: “functional dynamics” (low toxic emotions and high exchange), “dialectical dynamics” (co-existence of medium toxic emotions and medium exchange), “mild dysfunctional dynamics” (moderately high toxic emotions and low exchange), and “highly dysfunctional dynamics” (extremely high toxic emotions and extremely low exchange). Moreover, employees in the dialectical, mild dysfunctional, and highly dysfunctional groups reported progressively higher levels of poor health outcomes and progressively lower levels of satisfaction, whereas the functional group was at low risk of stress and was the most satisfied group. The theoretical and practical implications of the LPA-classified emotional patterns of workplace behavior are discussed in light of the relevance of identifying vulnerable subpopulations of employees diversely exposed to toxic configurations of emotional/relational ambience. Full article

Toxic leadership has profound implications for employees’ psychological wellbeing, particularly in academia, as a supportive workplace is crucial for intellectual prosperity and growth. In various parts of the Middle East, toxic leadership has been a major element in suppressing academic freedom, low levels of creativity, and innovation backed with favoritism, nepotism, and lack of support. This study examines the detrimental effects of toxic leaders on academic staff’s job satisfaction among academic staff in Middle Eastern universities. Grounded in the social learning theory, leader–member exchange theory, and conservation of resources theory, this research examines the mediating effect of organizational culture and trust in leaders. A quantitative approach using partial least squares—structural equation modeling with Smart-PLS software Version 3—was deployed on survey data from 236 faculty members and academic administrators across 11 universities in the region. The results show that toxic leadership significantly reduces job satisfaction, which is better explained by key mediating elements of organizational culture and trust in leaders. The findings highlight the need for fostering a culture of trust, leadership development, and transparent strategies to enhance the academic workplace for the staff and improve the dynamic and performance of the educational environment in the region. This study provides practical recommendations for mitigating toxic leadership in the education sector of the Middle East through empirically validating its detrimental effects on the psychological wellbeing of academic staff, which is a major element that barriers significant academic achievements. Full article

One hazardous material that occurs naturally in the environment and induces oxidative stress is cadmium (Cd). Epidemiological data revealed that exposure to cadmium in the workplace and environment might be linked to many illnesses and serious testicular injuries. Aims: It is taught that antioxidants can protect different organs against environmental toxic compounds. Therefore, the current investigation aims to show the role of antioxidants (gallic acid and selenium) in the protection against cadmium toxicity, including the architecture of the testes, semen properties, steroid hormones, protein expression of cytochrome P450 [CYP 19 and 11A1] contributing to the production of steroid hormones, and antioxidant enzyme activities, in male rabbits. Methods: Male rabbits were given cadmium orally three times/week [1 mg/kg BW] for twelve weeks. In addition, gallic acid (20 mg/kg) or selenium (1 mg/kg BW) was administered two hours before cadmium treatment. This investigation included a spectrophotometer, histopathology, and Western immunoblotting techniques. Results: Cadmium treatment significantly reduced sperm counts, testosterone, and estrogen levels after four, eight, and twelve weeks of treatment. In addition, after a 12-week treatment of rabbits with cadmium, the activity of 17β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase and antioxidant enzymes, including catalase, superoxide dismutase, glutathione reductase, glutathione peroxidase, and glutathione S-transferase, as well as the glutathione levels, were inhibited in the testes tissue. On the other hand, following cadmium treatment, rabbit’s testes showed a discernible increase in free radical levels. Interestingly, the activity of antioxidant enzymes and level of free radicals were recovered in rabbits treated with gallic acid or selenium before cadmium treatment. In addition, after 12 weeks of cadmium treatment, the steroidogenic protein expressions of CYP 11A1 and CYP 19 were upregulated and downregulated in the testes, respectively. Interestingly, after pretreatment of rabbits with either gallic acid or selenium for two hours before cadmium administration, the downregulated CYP11A1 was restored to normal levels. In the histopathological investigation, immature spermatozoids and sloughed spermatogonium cells were observed in cadmium-treated rabbits’ testes. On the other hand, pretreatments of rabbits with gallic acid or selenium mitigated and alleviated the adverse effects of cadmium on testes architecture and increased the production of healthy sperm. Conclusions: The lower levels of steroid hormones could be due to the downregulation of CYP11A1, inhibition of 17β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase, antioxidant enzyme activities, and the induction of free radical levels. Furthermore, the pretreatment of rabbits with gallic acid or selenium mitigated the adverse effects of cadmium on the tissue architecture of testes and steroid hormone levels. Full article

The disengagement of younger workers, particularly from Generations Y and Z, is a growing concern in contemporary organizational environments. This study analyzes the factors influencing disengagement and the organizational strategies that can reduce its impact. A literature review was conducted, covering studies published between 2014 and 2024, with the selection of publications based on relevance, indexing, and thematic alignment. The findings indicate that disengagement results from a combination of factors. Firstly, job demand factors were identified, such as the misalignment between well-being policies and employee needs, excessive workloads, the absence of remote work and flexible schedules, challenges associated with digitalization and new technologies, economic insecurity, job instability, and frequent organizational changes. Secondly, job resource factors were also highlighted, including inadequate leadership, ineffective communication, limited professional development opportunities, and poorly structured evaluation and reward systems. These findings align with the Job Demands-Resources (JD-R) Model. In addition, psychological factors were observed, namely, a lack of autonomy, experiences of injustice and inequality in the workplace, misalignment between personal values and organizational culture, and the presence of hostile or toxic environments, which correspond to the theoretical assumptions of the Self-Determination Theory (SDT).To address disengagement, organizations should implement organizational strategies, such as physical and mental well-being programs, encourage regular breaks, promote healthy lifestyle campaigns, provide psychological support, and create ergonomic work environments. Additionally, they should foster professional growth through continuous training, mentoring, and transparent recognition and reward systems. Organizational communication must be open and effective, ensuring transparency and active employee participation. The adoption of remote work policies and flexible schedules, along with investments in technology and collaboration tools, also helps maintain engagement. These strategies promote employee satisfaction, motivation, and organizational commitment among workers, particularly those from Generations Y and Z, so organizations must adapt to the evolving expectations of the workforce to prevent long-term negative effects, such as decreased productivity and higher turnover, compromising their competitiveness and sustainability. Full article

Background: Vulnerability to stress is associated with susceptibility to react to certain events, taking into account individual factors, beliefs, and available resources. Workplace bullying increases stress, absenteeism, and turnover among nurses, creating a toxic environment. This negatively impacts their well-being and compromises the quality of nursing care. As a result, patient safety and healthcare outcomes may be affected. Objectives: To assess the prevalence of vulnerability to stress in Portuguese nurses and its relationship with the experience of workplace bullying. Methodology: This study used a descriptive–correlational approach with a cross-sectional design. The data collection instrument used was a questionnaire consisting of a sociodemographic component and a scale assessing vulnerability to stress (QVS-23) and workplace bullying (NAQ-R). The total sample consisted of 2015 nurses working in healthcare institutions. Results: Nurses who perceived themselves as victims of workplace bullying were shown to be more vulnerable to stress, with a higher mean value for perfectionism and dramatization of existence, inhibition and functional dependence, lack of support and deprivation of affection, intolerance of frustration and rejection, and adverse living conditions. Conclusions: Organizations must create a healthy, respectful, and productive working environment by identifying the various factors that make them vulnerable to stress in the workplace. They must also act to prevent workplace bullying, thus protecting the health of nurses and promoting positive relationships and a harmonious work culture. Full article

Toxic materials are a threat in workplaces and the environment, as well as households. In them, gaseous substances are included, especially ones without any colour or fragrance, due to their non-detectability with the human senses. In this article, an attempt was made to find a solution for its detection in various conditions with the use of intelligent textiles. The approach was to perform modification on fifteen materials by screen printing using carbon nanotubes paste with expanded graphite and embroidery with stainless steel thread and then investigate their reaction with risky gases such as acetone, methanol and toluene. Four combinations of samples were tested: before tests, after the washing test and after the alkaline and acidic sweat contact test. Three materials can be highlighted. Para-aramid knitwear which reacted well to all tested gases. The biggest value of sensory percentage response was 144%. Screen-printed linen knitwear showed properly detecting skills after washing test for toluene. The biggest value of sensory percentage response was noted at 186%. The third most promising material was low surface mass cotton knitwear with embroidery which had a visible response at every stage of testing for acetone. The biggest value of sensory percentage response was 94% and the smallest one was 27%. For these three materials, repeated contact with harmful gases was tested. Simulations showed also repeated responses expressed in changes in surface resistance under changed conditions. After analysis, there is a possibility to create textile sensors for the detection of hazardous substances. Full article

The hospitality industry, well-known for its energetic and people-intensive nature, frequently depends on effective leadership to motivate teamwork and safeguard sustainable operational success. Nevertheless, leadership approaches may significantly influence workplace dynamics and leader narcissism appears to be a probable disruptor. This study explores the dual-edged influence of leader narcissism in the hospitality industry, specifically in determining employee unheard voice behavior and bullying in the workplace. While leader narcissism can amplify unheard voices by nurturing an environment where staff feel forced to speak up, it can also fuel workplace conflict by generating toxic interactions and advancing bullying in the workplace. This research utilized a self-administrated questionnaire, collecting data from employees in five-star hotels and category (A) tourism companies in Cairo, Egypt, from May to August 2024 through a convenience sampling technique. Of the 425 distributed questionnaires, 394 valid responses were received, and Smart PLS-3.0 was employed for hypothesis testing. The study’s findings indicate that employee voice behavior positively influences workplace bullying. There exists a favorable correlation between employee voice behavior and leader narcissism. Moreover, leader narcissism is proven to have a positive relationship with workplace bullying. Leader narcissism was recognized as a mediating variable in the connection between employee voice behavior and workplace bullying. While previous research has investigated how these factors influence work-related outcomes in broader organizational settings, this study focuses on their implications in tourism and hospitality. Additionally, the study delves into how leader narcissism mediates the connection between employee voice behavior and workplace bullying in the tourism industry. By highlighting and exploring the complexities of leader narcissism and its influence on workplace interrelationships, this research paper may offer valuable insights for top managers, policymakers, and academics seeking to generate healthier and more productive workplace environments in the tourism industry. Full article

Based on social exchange theory, social psychology theories, and despotic leadership theory, this study explored the impact of petty tyranny on employee turnover intentions. Specifically, the authors examined the mediating effect of toxic workplace environments through emotional exhaustion on this relationship among academicians. The authors surveyed 421 employees using a five-point Likert scale across six universities in Lahore, Pakistan and employed a time-lag research design. Partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) and artificial neural network (ANN) analyses, including performance comparisons of various algorithms, were used to test the relationships among the variables. The analysis results of the study suggested that petty tyranny does not significantly and directly contribute to employee turnover intentions; however, this relationship is positively and significantly mediated by toxic workplace environments and emotional exhaustion. The results indicated that toxic workplace environments and emotional exhaustion also have a direct effect on employee turnover intentions. A serial full mediation was found between petty tyranny and turnover intentions, mediated through a toxic workplace environment and emotional exhaustion. Similarly, results from the performance comparison of various algorithms reveal trade-offs between precision, recall, and processing time, with ZeroR and Stacking REP Tree emerging as the most effective in terms of overall model accuracy. This study contributes to the literature by examining petty tyranny, workplace environment, and emotional exhaustion, highlighting the need to address tyrannical behavior to improve employee retention in academic organizations. Our study offers valuable practical implications, emphasizing addressing these issues to reduce turnover in academic organizations. Our study also provides recommendations for future research directions. Full article

According to the World Health Organisation, there are globally 40 million individuals with bipolar disorder (BD), and they experience stigma and discrimination, as many people with mental illness do. Work bullying (WB) is a common organisational problem, deteriorating the well-being and performance of employees and organisations. Although WB experiences have been researched for over three decades, we do not know much about the experiences of this group and what they need to extend their work-life. The current research aims to understand the workplace bullying experiences of individuals with BD and factors that may foster or hinder their participation in the labour force. The research methodology was based on in-depth interviews with 19 employees diagnosed with BD. Bullying experiences were mapped onto the Negative Acts Questionnaire. The data were analysed using the deductive qualitative content analysis on MAXQDA. Results showed that individuals with BD were exposed to bullying in work settings. Perceived reasons for the negative behaviours were mainly the undesirable individual characteristics of the bully, prejudices toward bipolar disorder, and already-existing toxic behaviours within the organisation. To reduce bullying, participants suggested that, among others, top management include equal and fair treatment of disadvantaged employees as performance criteria for supervisors and that organisations provide training against bullying, investigate complaints, apply sanctions, and establish an inclusive environment. If organisations set a stable and enduring vision, enhance a common identity for all employees, work on team building, and emphasise team efforts and goals, the organisational environment would be more inclusive, and individuals with BD would have longer work lives. Full article

Respirable particulate matter (PM10) is atmospheric particulate matter with a kinetic diameter of less than or equal to 10 μm in air. According to the definition of the World Health Organization, it is called thoracic-enterable particulate matter because it can enter the body through the respiratory tract and be deposited into the lungs or absorbed into the blood and lymphatic systems. The toxic substances in it can enter the bloodstream directly and cause serious harm to human health. In addition, PM10 has unique physiological and biological effects, making it an important area of atmospheric chemistry research. In this study, two urban neighborhoods and sports companies were selected for the purpose of investigating the effects of PM10 concentrations in the air of neighborhoods and workplaces on people living and working in these environments for a long period of time, as well as synergistic effects between PM10 concentrations and changes in temperature and the incidence of related diseases. By assessing the extent of PM10’s impact on the respiratory system, this study provides basic data for assessing the health hazards of particulate matter in community environments. This study also analyzed the synergistic effects between air pollutant concentrations, temperature changes, and the incidence of related diseases in two cities to investigate the spatial and temporal distribution characteristics of air pollution and the meteorological causes of pollution in China. On this basis, we established a prediction model for related sensitivity diseases to provide theoretical and technical support for the prediction of related sensitivity diseases on a nationwide scale. Meanwhile, our study also provides support to relevant government departments to formulate a scientific basis and preventive and control measures for dealing with air pollution and its effects on human health. Full article

Toxic industrial chemicals (TICs), when accidentally released into the workplace or environment, often form a gaseous mixture that complicates detection and mitigation measures. However, most of the existing gas sensors are unsuitable for detecting such mixtures. In this study, we demonstrated the detection and identification of gaseous mixtures of TICs using a chemiresistor array of single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs). The array consists of three SWCNT chemiresistors coated with different molecular/ionic species, achieving a limit of detection (LOD) of 2.2 ppb for ammonia (NH₃), 820 ppb for sulfur dioxide (SO₂), and 2.4 ppm for ethylene oxide (EtO). By fitting the concentration-dependent sensor responses to an adsorption isotherm, we extracted parameters that characterize each analyte-coating combination, including the proportionality and equilibrium constants for adsorption. Principal component analysis confirmed that the sensor array detected and identified mixtures of two TIC gases: NH₃/SO₂, NH₃/EtO, and SO₂/EtO. Exposing the sensor array to three TIC mixtures with various EtO/SO₂ ratios at a fixed NH₃ concentration showed an excellent correlation between the sensor response and the mixture composition. Additionally, we proposed concentration ranges within which the sensor array can effectively detect the gaseous mixtures. Being highly sensitive and capable of analyzing both individual and mixed TICs, our gas sensor array has great potential for monitoring the safety and environmental effects of industrial chemical processes. Full article

Hydrogen sulfide (H₂S) is the main toxic pollutant emitted to the atmosphere from auto-coating wastewater. Its unorganized dispersion poses a health challenge for workers. Defining safe working distance, which transfers the H₂S occupational exposure limit into industrial construction design regulation, would be a useful approach for reducing H₂S exposure risk. Therefore, in this study, an H₂S dispersion prediction, within 25 m, was performed by a computational fluid dynamics (CFD) method to explore the influence of temperature and wind speed on H₂S dispersion. With the temperature changes from 288 K to 303 K, the H₂S concentration at different observing points decreased. With wind speed changes from 2 m/s to 20 m/s, the plume layer structure was studied in the whole process. According to the H₂S distribution characteristics, when the sedimentation tank treatment capacity is less than or equal to 10 m³/h, the safe working distance of H₂S unorganized dispersion is 10 m. Hence, when there are workplaces within 10 m of the tank, closed measures should be taken for the sedimentation tank, or the manufacturer layout should be optimized to protect the environment and human health. Full article