Working for a Living
How Employers' Cybervetting Practices in Social Media Platforms Affect Jobseekers' Cyber-faking Intentions and Their Subsequent Application Process: A Mixed-method Analysis View Digital Media
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session Pratyush Banerjee, Neuza Ribeiro
The practice of cyber-vetting in social media recruitment has increased in recent times. This has resulted in growing concern in the mind of jobseekers about violation of private information and rising anxiety towards possible discrimination in hiring practices that can originate in the mind of the jobseekers due to lack of fairness involved in the cyber-vetting process. This might lead to a response mechanism that jobseekers may develop to counter the practice of cyber-vetting, known as cyber-faking. There may also be possibility of negative repercussions of cyber-vetting due to possibility of employers getting subjected to trolling / flaming by job-seekers. In this research study, a mixed-method research design is adopted to understand whether such concerns and perceptions genuinely exist among active and passive job-seekers and if so, whether such perception have any effect on certain reactions from the jobseekers such as their job-search self-efficacy and intention to troll potential employers. The study highlights the sensitive nature of data privacy and how firms should treat such opportunities with caution if they wish to avoid possible backlash from prospective candidates.
How Organizational Factors Influence Neurodiverse Employees' Attitudes towards Their Employers: A Mixed Method Investigation View Digital Media
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session Supriti Mishra
Traditionally, neurodiverse individuals who are affected by one or more neurological conditions such as Autism, Dyslexia, Dyscalculia, Dyspraxia, ADHD, and OCD, have been ignored in the mainstream workforce. However, in recent times, considerable effort has been made by firms to integrate such individuals into the workforce. Past studies indicate that neurodiverse employees possess significantly better aptitude than conventional workers in tasks that require very high levels of precision and complex calculations. In India, the participation of neurodiverse employees in the labour market is still at a nascent stage. However, some MNCs and non-profit organizations have shown remarkable progress in this regard. This study explores the perception of neurodiverse employees about organizational factors such as work environment, leadership support, and inclusive climate, and how their overall perception towards their employers affects their organizational longevity and commitment. Data has been collected from organizations employing neurodiverse employees and operating in the for-profit and non-profit sectors. Data has been analyzed by employing a mixed-method approach. First, in the quantitative study, we administered a structured survey for the neurodiverse employees to test research hypotheses. Multivariate statistical analyses were carried out to analyze the data. Second, a follow-up qualitative study was conducted with both neurodiverse employees and their employers to gain deeper insight into the challenges and issues faced by such individuals and their employers while integrating them into the mainstream workforce. Implications for organizational restructuring and training are discussed at length.
A South African Case Study of Women in the Information Technology Sector View Digital Media
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session Syson Nalukwago Kunda
Retaining female participation in the information technology (IT) workforce is necessary to improve economic parity and ensure the development of technological solutions that are fully relevant to the needs of all citizens. Decision-making at higher levels of the South African IT sector is impacted by the low retention rate of females in this sector. The study aimed to identify the challenges South African women face in the IT work environment. A probability sampling technique was used to identify thirty women in the IT sector. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with them during 2019. The challenges that affect the retention of women in the IT workforce include unfair remuneration practices, work-life imbalance, a toxic and non-inclusive company culture, lack of representation, unequal opportunities for growth, resistance and being underestimated, and the fast-paced and high demands of the industry. Other challenges include the absence of female mentors and role models, inadequate recognition, and the lack of a technology background or exposure to technology from an early age. Eight recommendations are provided. This study investigates IT workers at the intersection of race and gender, giving a voice to female South African IT workers of all races.
