The effects of work sampling and feedback on individuals' work- and safety-related behaviour prior to, during, and after observer presence

Abstract

Work sampling has been demonstrated to be an effective tool for supervisors to motivate and enhance subordinates' work and safety performance. However, the effectiveness of work sampling has been questioned due to data being derived solely from direct observation when supervisors are present. The purpose of the current study is to investigate the effects of observer presence over several weeks on individuals' work-and safety-related behaviour prior to, during, and after direct observation. Additionally, this study will attempt to determine if feedback facilitates performance improvements prior to, during, and after observation. Results from this study suggest that work sampling and feedback are beneficial in improving work-and safety-related behaviour, yet, those improvements do not sustain beyond observation periods. These findings have implications for researchers and managers searching for techniques to improve employee performance. . His area of expertise is the experimental analysis of complex behaviour using electrophysiological measures. He has over a decade of experience working with a non-profit, non-governmental organisation improving training methods and quality assurance measures.John Austin is now a Managing Consultant at Reaching Results. He received his BS from the University of Notre Dame and his Doctorate at Florida State University. He is an internationally recognised expert in providing behaviour-based solutions to organisational challenges. He has consulted with organisations to improve productivity and safety in various industries. In the area of improving human performance, he has published more than 85 articles and chapters, delivered nearly 200 presentations and has published three books.

Emotion in enterprise social media systems

“…These communications are a subset of the overall communication produced by an individual. In addition to validating the hypothesis that gender has an effect on emotions expressed in an enterprise social network ( H1a ), this study’s findings support other work discussing the problematic validity of self-reported and direct observation-based behavioral research (Heine et al , 2008; Lebbon, 2009; Mason et al , 2007).…”

“…Some of these methods have problematic validity. For instance, it has been shown that self-reported surveys have little value for reporting undesirable behavior (Heine et al , 2008; Mason et al , 2007), and that an observer’s presence can cause participants to behave differently (Lebbon, 2009). For these reasons, indirect observation often is preferable for behavior analysis.…”