Disney employees resist return

 Walt Disney Co.'s recent announcement that its corporate employees will be required

to return to the office four days a week has met with pushback from thousands of its workers. In a petition signed by around 2,300 employees, workers called for the company's CEO Bob Iger to reconsider the policy, citing concerns about potential negative consequences that could harm the company in the long run.

According to the petition, a return to the office would lead to "forced resignations among some of our most hard-to-replace talent and vulnerable communities." It could also significantly reduce productivity, output, and efficiency, and cause institutional knowledge loss. In essence, workers believe that the return-to-office policy would slow down or even reverse the company's post-COVID recovery and growth.

Disney's decision to require employees to return to the office four days a week is a departure from the trend among many companies who are continuing to embrace remote work. The COVID-19 pandemic forced many companies to adopt remote work policies, which has led to a new normal for many workers. However, as vaccination rates continue to increase, companies are now grappling with the question of how to reintroduce workers to the physical workplace.

The issue of whether to return to the office or continue remote work is a complex one. While some employees may appreciate the opportunity to interact face-to-face with colleagues and experience the camaraderie of a shared workplace, others may be hesitant to give up the flexibility that remote work offers. Additionally, there are concerns about the potential health risks of returning to the office, especially for those who have not yet been vaccinated.

In this context, it is clear that Disney's decision has not gone down well with a significant number of its employees. The petition is a clear indication that workers want their voices heard and that they are not willing to accept a return-to-office policy without proper consultation and consideration of their concerns.

It remains to be seen how Disney will respond to the petition and whether the company will reconsider its policy. However, the push back from employees highlights the importance of listening to workers and engaging with them when it comes to making significant policy decisions that impact their lives and the company as a whole. Ultimately, a collaborative approach to decision-making could help create a workplace that works for everyone.

Ahsan Tariq

Department of Management Science 

Preston University

Reg#1093-114118

ahsantariq28715@outlook.com

Work-Based Social Media Platforms: A Tool for Boosting Employee Connection

In today's fast-paced and dynamic work environment, maintaining strong connections between employees is essential for a healthy and productive workplace. While in-person interactions are crucial, they can be challenging to achieve in today's remote work landscape. To address this challenge, many organizations are turning to work-based social media platforms to help boost employee connection.

A work-based social media platform is a type of internal social network designed specifically for the needs of an organization. It provides employees with a space to interact and connect with each other outside of their professional roles. This can foster a sense of community, increase collaboration, and enhance communication within the organization.

One of the key benefits of work-based social media platforms is that they allow employees to get to know each other better and build relationships. By providing a space for employees to share their interests, hobbies, and personal stories, these platforms help to humanize the workplace and create a more inclusive environment. In turn, this can lead to greater employee satisfaction and engagement, which is essential for retaining top talent and improving overall organizational performance.

In addition to helping employees connect, work-based social media platforms can also be used for sharing company news, recognizing and celebrating achievements, and for organizing social and cultural events. These activities can further contribute to a stronger sense of employee connection and help to build a positive company culture.

When implementing a work-based social media platform, it is important for organizations to establish clear guidelines for usage and behavior. This can help to ensure that the platform is used effectively and appropriately, and prevent potential negative consequences such as workplace harassment or discrimination.

In conclusion, work-based social media platforms can be a powerful tool for boosting employee connection and improving the overall health and productivity of an organization. Whether remote or in-person, these platforms provide employees with a space to connect, collaborate, and build relationships, helping to create a more inclusive and positive work environment.

Ahsan Tariq

Department of Management Science 

Preston University

Reg#1093-114118

Gallup Report: Employee Disengagement Reaches 9 Year High

 Gallup Report: Employee Disengagement

 Reaches 9 Year High

The COVID-19 pandemic has significantly impacted the workforce, with a new survey by Gallup finding that the percentage of workers disengaged with their work has steadily increased each year since the onset of the pandemic. This trend has resulted in the highest levels of employee disengagement in the last 9 years.

The survey found that only 13% of workers are engaged in their work, while 63% are not engaged and 24% are actively disengaged. Engaged workers are defined as those who are involved in, enthusiastic about and committed to their work and workplace. Conversely, disengaged employees are not emotionally invested in their work, and may even actively undermine their colleagues and the company's goals.

The groups that reported the lowest levels of engagement were those who are working remotely and those who have been laid off or furloughed due to the pandemic. This is not surprising, as remote work and job loss can lead to feelings of isolation and uncertainty.

To combat this trend, companies can take steps to increase worker engagement by:

1. Providing regular communication and updates to employees about the company's plans and progress, especially during times of uncertainty.
2. Creating opportunities for virtual team-building and connection, such as virtual happy hours and online events.
3.  Encouraging managers to check in with their team members on a regular basis and provide support and feedback.
4. Offering professional development and training opportunities to help employees stay engaged and motivated.
5. Recognizing and rewarding employees for their contributions to the company's success.

Summing up, the new survey by Gallup found that the percentage of workers disengaged with their work has steadily increased since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. Companies can take steps to increase worker engagement by providing regular communication, creating opportunities for virtual team-building and connection, encouraging managers to check in with their team members, offering professional development and training opportunities and recognizing and rewarding employees for their contributions.

References:

Gallup. (2021). Employee Engagement During the COVID-19 Pandemic. Retrieved from https://www.gallup.com/workplace/289580/employee-engagement-during-covid-pandemic.aspx

Ahsan Tariq
Department of Management Science 
Preston University
Reg#1093-114118

Statistics for Researchers: Understanding Mediation, Moderation and Beyond

Statistics for Researchers: Understanding Mediation, Moderation and Beyond

University of Virginia

Welcome to the first week of our research methods course! We'll start with mediation analysis, following by parallel mediation, serial mediation, and moderation. Mediation is all about the mechanisms connecting the independent variable and dependent variable. Moderation refers to the circumstances under which the independent variable influences the dependent variable. By the end of this week, you will know how, when, and where the independent variable influences the dependent variable and how to theorize and conduct analysis using SPSS.

Learning Objectives

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• Define and identify elements of mediation and moderation models
• Recognize differences between parallel and serial mediation
• Run mediation and moderation models using SPSS
• Interpret the results of mediation and moderation models

Week- 1

Course Overview and Requirements

Course Overview & Requirements

Course Topics

This course is divided into three required modules--or weeks--of content that will help you master the fundamentals of understanding your data:

• Week 1: Mediation and Moderation

• Week 2: Conditional Indirect Effects

• Week 3: Multilevel Analysis

Course Components

• Lecture videos provide the main content.

• Graded quizzes (3) each constitute 33% of your final grade. Minimum passing grade: 75%. You must pass all graded quizzes to pass the course--and we provide plenty of feedback to make sure you can earn your Course Certificate.

• Look in the Resources section for a data set to practice with, templates, and articles to guide your use and understanding of the tools and models.

• Slides are also provided in the Resources section, which you can download and use for note-taking as you watch the videos.

• Use the discussion forums to connect with other learners, ask questions and support each other through the course. See this Coursera Help article about posting in discussion forums.

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What Is Mediation?

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Introduction to SPSS

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Running a Mediation Model

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Conducting a Parallel Mediation Analysis

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Conducting Serial Mediation Analysis

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Moderation Overview

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Conducting Moderation Analysis: Understanding the Outputs

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Conducting Moderation Analysis: Plotting Interactions

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Ahsan Tariq
Department of Management Science 
Preston University
Reg#1093-114118