About this Research Topic
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People who work in remote, isolated, and physically extreme environments are often working in conditions that are particularly physically and psychologically hazardous but limit access to resources and support. These conditions create complex psychosocial work environments which are challenging for both workers and their employers. PWEs are the opportunities provided by work and the workplace to meet needs for well-being, productivity, and positive self-experience and have direct and powerful influences on physical and mental health, productivity, and performance.
Historically, the negative impacts of the challenges, hazards, and impacts of remote, isolated, and physically extreme environments have drawn more focus, so their negative impacts on health, well-being, and functioning are well-documented. In recent years, however, the ways in which remoteness and isolation produce work environments characterized by hypermasculine cultures, misogyny, and harassment, have drawn particular focus and highlighted a need for more work examining how these issues can be addressed. Additionally, the positive impacts of remote, isolated, and physically extreme environments on workers, including their self-efficacy, self-reliance, and personal discovery, are becoming better understood. These developments highlight both the importance, and the value, of fostering more insights into the ways in which PWES in remote, isolated, and physically extreme environments can be optimized to minimize negative aspects and promote positive impacts.
The focus of this Research Topic includes:
• Focus on psychosocial work environments and improving work experiences so we can link and include any work examining elements of PWES (demands of the work, conditions of the work) and their impacts e.g., on the strain, stress, burnout, alternatively impacts on wellbeing, resilience
• Focus on work environments and experiences so we encourage multidisciplinary work eg org/ industrial psychology, HRM, Occ health and safety
• Link PWEs and work experiences to make them relevant/ linked to workforces that operate in these conditions
• Focus on optimizing PWEs and work experiences to include and encourage work which
o either focuses on minimizing negative aspects/ impacts, or increases/ encourages positive impacts for workers (at individual or group levels, impact on functioning, productivity, health, and wellbeing)
o examines or otherwise links to what employers can do to optimize workplace supports for such workforces (e.g., development and testing of interventions)
People who work in remote, isolated, and physically extreme environments are often working in conditions that are particularly physically and psychologically hazardous but limit access to resources and support. These conditions create complex psychosocial work environments which are challenging for both workers and their employers. PWEs are the opportunities provided by work and the workplace to meet needs for well-being, productivity, and positive self-experience and have direct and powerful influences on physical and mental health, productivity, and performance.
Historically, the negative impacts of the challenges, hazards, and impacts of remote, isolated, and physically extreme environments have drawn more focus, so their negative impacts on health, well-being, and functioning are well-documented. In recent years, however, the ways in which remoteness and isolation produce work environments characterized by hypermasculine cultures, misogyny, and harassment, have drawn particular focus and highlighted a need for more work examining how these issues can be addressed. Additionally, the positive impacts of remote, isolated, and physically extreme environments on workers, including their self-efficacy, self-reliance, and personal discovery, are becoming better understood. These developments highlight both the importance, and the value, of fostering more insights into the ways in which PWES in remote, isolated, and physically extreme environments can be optimized to minimize negative aspects and promote positive impacts.
The focus of this Research Topic includes:
• Focus on psychosocial work environments and improving work experiences so we can link and include any work examining elements of PWES (demands of the work, conditions of the work) and their impacts e.g., on the strain, stress, burnout, alternatively impacts on wellbeing, resilience
• Focus on work environments and experiences so we encourage multidisciplinary work eg org/ industrial psychology, HRM, Occ health and safety
• Link PWEs and work experiences to make them relevant/ linked to workforces that operate in these conditions
• Focus on optimizing PWEs and work experiences to include and encourage work which
o either focuses on minimizing negative aspects/ impacts, or increases/ encourages positive impacts for workers (at individual or group levels, impact on functioning, productivity, health, and wellbeing)
o examines or otherwise links to what employers can do to optimize workplace supports for such workforces (e.g., development and testing of interventions)
Keywords: remote, isolated, extreme, psychosocial, psychosocial work environment, job demand, job control, social support, stress, wellbeing, burnout
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