Chinese engineers and information technology in Japan

Especially in view of the increasing skill shortage, the retention of information technology (IT) workers in organizations remains one of the three most important IT management issues for practitioners [11]. Organizations are confronted with two relevant behavioral outcomes on behalf of IT workers in this context: turnover and turnaway. While turnover means that IT workers leave their employer and start working for another employer while staying in the IT profession, turnaway reflects the abandonment of the IT profession [9]. Previous research emerging from the CPR community examines a variety of factors that lead to IT workers' turnover and turnaway, e.g. perceived job alternatives [10, 12], job satisfaction, organizational commitment [13], or personality attributes [5]. These can be classified into three categories on a superior level: individual, job-related, and organization-related factors [10]. Do these factors no longer fit with the IT workers' expectations, the intention to turn over or turn away is developed. The influence of the existing or absent fit on workers' individual outcomes, such as turnover or turnaway, is grounded in person-environment fit theory [6, 8]. In the work-related context, this environment fit consists of five dimensions: --person-vocation fit (the worker's fit with the profession s/he chose),--person-job fit (the worker's fit with the job s/he is currently working in),--person-organization fit (the worker's fit with the organization, where s/he is currently employed),--person-group fit (the worker's fit with the work group or team s/he is working with), and--person-person fit (the worker's fit with her/his supervisor).The person-environment fit theory has already taken up in information systems research examining the development of single fit dimensions out of work-related factors [14, 15].In our research, we focus on the entirety of fit dimensions as included in the person-environment fit theory as well as on their influence of IT workers' turnover and turnaway intention. The analysis will be performed along different demographic characteristics, which have been evidently shown to play a role in previous studies on turnover and turnaway: age [7], gender [9], work experience, and job type [5] (see Figure 1).

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic has rendered a large proportion of the workforce unable to commute to work to mitigate the virus's spread. Employees now based at home might like to continue to Work From Home (WFH). These may be fully, or in some capacity, for the foreseeable future, especially in the IT sector. In view of a sudden change in the work environment, we aimed to study the effects of WFH on Information Technology (IT) workers. Methods: Astudy was conducted using a pre-designed questionnaire to compare WFH with routine work and assess its impact on the worker. A total of 876 IT workers consented and participated in the study. They consisted of workers from Bengaluru, Gurugram, and Pune. IT workers who had worked for more than one year in the office and more than six months in WFH during preceding period were eligible for the study. The data was collected via google forms through snowballing technique. Results: The study included 876 Information Technology workers, of which 564 (64%) were males and 312 (36%) were females. About 324 (37%) of the study participants found the work environment suitable for working. A significant lower proportion of stress and productivity outcomes was seen among males as compared to females. About 336 (38%) would prefer working from home even if the pandemic subsides. Conclusion: WFH has had a negative effect on workers' productivity and work-life balance, especially among females who have been hampered with dual responsibilities of work and home care. Hence most females want to return to working in offices.

Background: Sleep disturbances are common in occupational settings and may impair health, safety, and work performance. Professional drivers represent a safety-critical occupational group, whereas information technology (IT) workers are frequently exposed to prolonged screen use and high cognitive workload. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted during 2023-2025 among 488 workers, including professional drivers and IT workers. Participants completed the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index, STOP-Bang questionnaire, Epworth Sleepiness Scale, and Athens Insomnia Scale. Age, sex, body mass index, and total work experience were recorded. Group comparisons and multivariable logistic regression analyses adjusted for demographic and occupational factors were performed. A predefined subgroup analysis was conducted among night-shift workers (n = 113). Results: IT workers were younger and reported poorer subjective sleep quality and more frequent insomnia symptoms compared with professional drivers. In contrast, moderate-to-high OSA risk was more prevalent among drivers. Excessive daytime sleepiness did not differ significantly between groups. In multivariable models, occupational group independently predicted poor sleep quality and insomnia, whereas age and body mass index were the strongest predictors of OSA risk. Conclusions: Sleep-related outcomes differ across occupational groups. Professional drivers appear more vulnerable to OSA-related risk, while IT workers experience a higher burden of insomnia and poor subjective sleep quality. Occupational context should be considered when designing sleep screening and prevention strategies.

This study examines the effects of isolation among information technology (IT) workers on organizational commitment, job satisfaction, and job performance. A survey questionnaire was used to measure the impact of worker isolation on organizational commitment, job satisfaction, and job performance. The survey instrument was first tested for validity and then emailed to 500 IT employees working in Fortune 500 companies in the United States. A total of 101 valid responses were received. Statistical analysis of the survey data was conducted using reliability testing and correlation analysis. The findings reveal a statistically significant relationship between worker isolation and job performance. The results also indicate that higher organizational commitment leads to higher job satisfaction, which in turn results in improved job performance among IT workers. This study is not an exhaustive survey of all organizations in the United States, as it considers only the opinions of IT employees from selected companies. A case study approach may provide a more in-depth analysis of the relationship between isolation and performance. Organizations should make the necessary investments to develop strategies to address worker isolation in the IT sector and mitigate its effects on job performance. This study provides valuable empirical evidence for the design and implementation of competitive strategies and for determining appropriate dimensions of job performance measurement.

BackgroundThe information technology (IT) workforce has been growing more rapidly than others, with occupational health (OH) risks of sedentary behaviour, physical inactivity and poor diet, yet studies of their non-communicable disease risk, notably cancer, are lacking.AimsTo investigate cancer risk in IT workers compared to others in employment and the nine major Standard Occupational Classification (SOC) groups.MethodsWe evaluated incident diagnosed cancers in the UK Biobank cohort through national cancer registry linkage. Cox proportional hazard regression models, with 15-year follow-up, were used to compare incident cancer risk among IT workers with all other employed participants and with the nine major SOC groups.ResultsOverall, 10 517 (4%) employed participants were IT workers. Adjusting for confounders, IT workers had a slightly lower cancer incidence compared to all other employed participants (Model 2: hazard ratio = 0.91, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.83–1.01). Compared to the nine major SOC groups, they had a similar (Major Groups 2, 5 and 8) or lower (Major Groups 1, 3, 4, 6, 7 and 9) cancer incidence.ConclusionsDespite their occupational risks of sedentary behaviour, poor diet and physical inactivity, IT workers do not have an increased cancer incidence compared to all other employed participants and the nine major SOC groups. This study paves the way for large, longitudinal health outcome studies of this under-researched and rapidly growing occupational group.

Women are largely underrepresented in the Information Technology (IT) workforce. Our research examines the factors related to the work environment that may contribute to the high turnover of women in the IT workforce. There is substantial research providing support for the relationship between job and organizational factors, on one hand, and quality of working life (QWL) (e.g., low job satisfaction and high job strain), on the other hand. In this paper, we conduct secondary data analysis of questionnaire survey collected from a sample of 1,278 employees of a single organization. We examine the impact of gender and job type (i.e. IT job versus non-IT job) on various indicators of quality of working life, as well as on the relationship between job and organizational factors (i.e. feedback, autonomy, skill variety, task significance, task identity and work pressure) and QWL. Results show that IT workers reported higher job satisfaction and lower job strain than non-IT workers. Gender had no impact on QWL. Feedback and autonomy were consistently related to job satisfaction, and work pressure was consistently related to job strain, irrespective of gender and type of job. On the other hand, women IT workers' job satisfaction was affected by work pressure, and women IT workers' job strain was affected by task significance. Women IT workers' job strain was not affected by autonomy, whereas job strain experienced by non-IT workers was affected by autonomy.

The turnover rate of information technology (IT) is one the highest compared to other sectors. To minimize the turnover intention, companies need to take several factors into account, including workload, work–life balance, flexible working, and job satisfaction. The aim of this study is to analyze the relationship among workload, work–life balance, flexible working, and job satisfaction in relation to turnover intention among IT workers. This study is quantitative in nature with a cross-sectional design. Data were collected by distributing questionnaires online. The data obtained covered 272 respondents with a background as IT workers and were subsequently analyzed using the structural equation modeling method in Lisrel software. The results suggest that work–life balance and flexible working can have an indirect effect on turnover intention mediated by job satisfaction. On the other hand, workload has no indirect effect on turnover intention with the mediating effect of job satisfaction.

PurposeAfter deciding to become agile, many information technology (IT) units struggle; they underestimate the needed managerial expertise to alter their current culture toward an agile one, particularly when cross-cultural (f)actors are involved. Given that work values are the key to an organizational culture, the study derived a set of agile work values of culturally diverse IT professionals together with a set of well-known generic work values. Consequently, the authors illustrate that managers in charge of the transition to an effective agile culture must pay serious attention to the specific value constellations of its often highly diverse workforce.Design/methodology/approachA literature review resulted in an initial list of agile work values. Then, mainly through a Delphi round, 12 agile-specific work values were established. These were survey rated, along with the validated set of 18 generic work values, by 102 British and Indian IT professionals in a digital service and consulting firm that was requested by its client to become agile. The observations made in 14 feedback group-interview-type dialogs enriched the surveyed data further.FindingsIn the current exploratory study, four generic value dimensions were complemented by two agile-specific ones: team communication and shared responsibility. Among the British and Indian (on-site and offshore) workers, only 2 of the 30 current work values were shared while 7 significant value differences were found, explaining the noted employee bitterness, productivity losses and client disengagement. This situation was reflected in the many discrepancies between the professionals' ideal agile way of working and how their unit was currently functioning.Originality/valueThe multi-method study shows an over-optimistic approach to becoming agile in a common cross-cultural context; insights are gained on how to optimize agile ways of organizing IT work when British IT workers collaborate with Indian IT workers. It may benefit many agile practitioners and managers working with(in) cross-culturally mixed and partly remote teams.

This study examines the influence of occupational health and safety (OHS) practices on the job performance of women employees in the Information Technology (IT) sector. With increasing gender diversity in the workforce and the growing importance of the IT industry, understanding the factors that contribute to job performance among women employees is crucial for organizational success and employee well-being. The research adopts a quantitative approach, employing a structured questionnaire survey to collect data from women employees working in various IT companies. The survey measures the perceived effectiveness of OHS practices and their impact on job performance. The questionnaire includes items related to the physical, psychological, and social aspects of OHS, as well as indicators of job performance such as productivity, efficiency, and satisfaction. The findings reveal that effective OHS practices significantly influence the job performance of women employees in the IT sector. The results highlight the importance of physical safety measures, such as ergonomic workstations and proper safety protocols, in reducing work-related injuries and enhancing productivity. Additionally, psychological factors such as stress management programs and work-life balance initiatives positively affect job performance by reducing burnout and increasing job satisfaction. Moreover, the study emphasizes the significance of social support systems within organizations, such as mentoring programs and inclusive workplace policies, in fostering a supportive and inclusive work environment. These factors contribute to enhanced job performance by promoting employee engagement, teamwork, and career development opportunities for women in the IT sector.

The ethical integrity and accountability of Information Technology (IT) professionals is important given our reliance on various forms of IT. We examined the applicability of Lawrence Kohlberg’s theory of Cognitive Moral Development (CMD) in non-Western contexts by investigating the ethical values of IT professionals in Asia’s two largest economies. Analysis of survey data from Japan (n=289) and China (n=290) indicates support for the basic six-stage model of CMD. The concept of abiding by universal laws and rules (termed stage 4 reasoning by Kohlberg) was widely accepted by IT professionals in both Japan and China, despite the Confucian cultural emphasis on personal relationships with particularistic obligations. However, differences between Japanese and Chinese IT professionals were found while, in direct contrast with the stage-wise theory of CMD, the respondents from Japan and especially China exhibited significant volatility, reasoning at different stages simultaneously. The implications of these findings for research and practice are discussed.

The rising importance of Information Technology (IT) occupations in the U.S. economy has been accompanied by an expansion in the representation of high-skill foreign-born IT workers. To illustrate, the share of foreign born in IT occupations increased from about 15.5% to about 31.5% between 1993 and 2010, with this increased representation particularly marked among those younger than 45. This analysis focuses on understanding the role that U.S. higher education and immigration policy play in this transformation. A degree from a U.S. college/university is an important pathway to participation in the U.S. IT labor market, and the foreign-born who obtain U.S. degree credentials are particularly likely to remain in the U.S. Many workers from abroad, including countries like India and China where wages in IT fields lag those in the U.S., receive a substantial return to finding employment in the U.S., even as temporary work visa policies may limit their entry. Limits on temporary work visas, which are particularly binding for those educated abroad, likely increase the attractiveness of degree attainment from U.S. colleges and universities as a pathway to explore opportunities in the U.S labor market in IT.

How organizational justice shapes innovative work behavior: Work engagement as mediator and authentic leadership as moderator in China's ICT sector.

This paper discusses professional women's perceptions of the skills required for working in the information technology (IT) industry with respect to the skills women bring to IT work and how the skills contribute to their career progression. The paper references interviews with ten women IT professionals who were asked to describe their entry into the IT industry, their perceptions of IT careers and the skills requirements for success. It was found that an ability to switch between different types of skills (people skills and technical skills) and to adapt to different IT environments contributed to the career progression of women in the IT industry. In the newer areas of IT such as electronic commerce, the ability to switch between one skill set to another is important for the success of such applications. It is suggested that the misrepresentation of the specialization available in the IT industry is an important factor contributing to the gender gap at higher managerial levels and it can only be closed if the range of skills, aptitudes and career paths are made clear to the women.

The focus on healthcare information technology (IT) has led to remarkable growth in healthcare IT staffing.The federal government is moving ahead with its plan to advance the use of electronic health records (EHRs) in the U.S. healthcare system. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) recently collected public comments related to its proposed rule for Stage 2 of the “meaningful use” program. Under the three-stage program, hospitals and other healthcare facilities that demonstrate a meaningful use of EHRs are eligible for Medicare and Medicaid incentive payments.1 Stage 2 builds on Stage 1, laying out the requirements for healthcare providers.The push for EHRs got a huge boost with the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, which committed billions of dollars to support the adoption and use of EHRs, building on an earlier goal that every American should have an electronic medical record by 2014. Fundamentally, EHRs are digital documentation that includes data from a visit to the doctor's office or office, including the patient's histories, exam notes, tests ordered and their results, drugs prescribed, and any other results or updated information. Some systems also check for drug interactions, can access X-rays, and even deliver a reminder for the patient to get a flu shot.2In certain quarters, hopes are high about the benefits of EHRs. Some talk of millions of dollars and thousands of hospitalizations saved—seemingly based on extrapolated data. Generally, there is the anticipation, especially by the government, that the use of EHRs will improve the quality, safety, and efficiency of healthcare delivery, as well as reduce medical errors, healthcare costs, and paperwork.On the other side of the coin, there are several who warn that it's premature to start talking about the benefits of EHRs, saying the transition will not be easy or fast. Take, for example, the benefits expected from data sharing. Peter Gabriel, director of informatics with the Department of Radiation Oncology at the University of Pennsylvania's School of Medicine, said that it could be 10 or 15 years before data sharing in health IT is widespread, because it's “a lot harder to achieve than most people appreciate. Simply implementing computer systems won't dramatically improve quality overnight.”3Obviously, health IT growth must also be tempered with risk assessment every step of the way. The development of 80001-1, the standard that deals with the application of risk management for IT networks that incorporate medical devices, indicates that risk analysis is getting woven into many health IT growth game plans. This kind of due diligence will likely stretch original timelines as they relate to the use of EHRs.CMS seems to be sensing that it will take a lot longer than initially anticipated as well. Its recent announcement, a notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM), attempts to strike a balance between sustaining forward momentum toward meaningful use goals and ensuring that providers with greater obstacles to EHR adoption have the time, support, and incentive to catch up.4A survey published late last year by the Centers for Disease Control indicated that there is a wide variation among states in EHR adoption rates, ranging from a low of 40 percent to as much as 84 percent. As those numbers grow, so will healthcare IT staffing needs. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the projected job growth rate for information security analysts, web developers, and computer network architects is 22% between 2010 and 2020. That's well above the average growth rate of 14% for all occupations during that same period. In its projection, found in the latest edition of the Occupational Outlook Handbook, the bureau makes note of the changes in healthcare and of their impact on this significant job growth.5“As the healthcare industry expands its use of electronic medical records, ensuring patients' privacy and protecting personal data are becoming more important,” the handbook reads. “More information security analysts are likely to be needed to create the safeguards that will satisfy patients' concerns. Demand for computer network architects will increase as firms continue to expand their use of wireless and mobile networks. This occupation will be needed to design and build these new networks, as well as upgrade existing ones. In addition, the expansion of healthcare information technology will cause an increase in the use of networking technology in that industry, and more computer network architects will be employed there.”The bureau makes a similar point in its projection of a 28% growth rate for jobs for network and computer systems administrators, again emphasizing the role of healthcare in fueling the demand.“Growth is expected in healthcare industries as their use of information technology increases,” says the handbook. “More administrators will be required to manage the growing systems and networks found at hospitals and other healthcare institutions.”To help meet the expected demand for health IT workers, the Obama administration launched training programs for such workers. Funded under the auspices of the Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology (ONC), this training is offered through 82 community colleges and nine universities across the country. As of January 2012, the administration says that community colleges have trained more than 9,000 students for health IT jobs, with nearly as many currently enrolled. For the participating universities, more than 1,200 have enrolled and almost 600 have already graduated as post-graduate and masters-level IT professionals. And there is an expected increase to about three times as many by the summer of 2013.There are other support mechanisms in place as well, such as the Health IT Workforce Curriculum from the ONC, which provides teaching materials at no cost to instructors. Yet another is the HIT Pro Exam, also from the ONC, with more than 2,000 examinees since its launch in May 2011. The exam shows perspective employers that the job candidate has the knowledge and skills required to work in health IT. If you've ever seriously considered moving to healthcare IT, there may not be a better opportunity.For some, the only incentive in participating in the meaningful use program may well be the immediate financial reward rather than the long-term gains. There are experts who say that the EHR program, as it currently stands, means more work and less efficiency. For example, the EHR collects data on a patient's smoking status which requires the provider to fill out another form to track smoking status for the meaningful use program. As Farzad Mostashari, MD, the national health IT coordinator said, “No wonder providers are saying that meaningful use is adding work and not making sense to them. We have a lot of learning to make meaningful use of meaningful use.”5To date, more the $3 billion has been paid out to some 2,000 hospitals and 41,000 physicians. In January 2012 alone, $519 million was paid to eligible providers with up to $44,000 each under the Medicare EHR Incentive Program and $64,000 each under the Medicaid program.3The transition to EHRs is expected to extend well into the next decade. The incentives for building a meaningful EHR system eventually turn into penalties for not complying under the federal program. Since Medicare and Medicaid reimbursements can mean more than 50% of a hospital's revenue, eligible providers have a significant financial interest in demonstrating meaningful use of EHRs.For healthcare technology management professionals, the time is ripe to learn new skills and take advantage of new job opportunities. We're already seeing health IT adopt more mainstream computing and networking initiatives and technologies such as virtualization and software defined networks. These kinds of technologies also generate risk analysis— another form of health IT growth requiring staffing. Once in place, newer technologies will relieve IT techs and engineers from some of the mundane network administrative duties. Automated network and software management protocols will also help keep track with and compliance to an ongoing and dynamic risk analysis.All of this adds up to a safer system, while improving the quality and efficiency of healthcare delivery. Healthcare IT organizations are going to need the staffing to keep pace with providing the newer technology to healthcare's advantage.

This study examines intrinsic motivation's influence on information technology (IT) attitudes and intensions. Intrinsic motivation is modeled as mediating the influence of motivators (i.e., intrinsic job characteristics) and hygiene factors (i.e., pay and supervisory satisfaction) on workplace attitudes (i.e., job satisfaction and affective commitment). In turn, workplace attitudes mediate the influence of intrinsic motivation on turnover intention. The model was tested using data collected from public sector IT workers in the Southeastern United States. Although intrinsic motivation did not fully mediate the influence of motivators and hygiene factors, findings suggest that intrinsic motivation positively influences workplace attitudes and has a mediated influence on turnover intent. Implications for research and practice are offered.