Safety, Vol. 8, Pages 76: The Job Performance of Fly-In-Fly-Out Workers in Industrial Enterprises (on the Example of Oil and Gas Production, Diamond Mining Production, and Construction)

1. IntroductionFly-in-fly-out (FIFO) employment continues to expand at the present time. This method is used to service all remote production areas, including both offshore oil and gas fields and onshore production projects. It is important to note that FIFO work is “the only viable option for the offshore oil and gas industry, since, unlike onshore mining sites, daily commuting to work is not possible under these conditions, and permanent places of residence are not available” [1]. Companies see FIFO work as an efficient way to meet the growing demand for minerals and an opportunity that also offers several benefits [2].The FIFO method of organizing work is denoted by the terms “fly-in-fly-out”, “long distance labor commuting”, or “shift work” and is understood as “any job in which work is so isolated from the places of permanent residence of workers that food and housing are provided at the workplace, and lists are created according to which workers spend a fixed number of days at the site (shift camp), followed by a fixed number of days of rest at home” [1], (p. 2).The FIFO work organization method is used in many countries of the world: Australia, Norway, USA, England, Canada, Russia, and others, both on land and at sea during oil and gas production on offshore platforms. In particular, the FIFO workforce attracts a wide range of workers in the mining sector in Western Australia: it directly employs 52,000 people and indirectly 156,000 people; overall, this industry employs approximately 21% of the Western Australian workforce [3].

The researchers from different countries have similar opinions regarding the advantages of using a rotational work organization method, which are:

(a)Lower capital costs are required to organize a FIFO work method, compared with the construction of a new settlement suitable for housing workers and their families, and also significantly reduce the initial cost of developing a new field [2].(b)In fact, large costs of creating urban infrastructure are replaced by transport costs, which are evenly distributed throughout the project (this is especially important for companies, since in some fields the duration of production is very short) [2].(c)Employment in the FIFO labor organization plays an important role in meeting the economic, social, and labor needs of the modern resource extraction industry. The practice of employing offshore personnel on production platforms differs from the practice of working in onshore fields [3,4].The study by Parkes [5] that looked at employee satisfaction with 2/2 and 3/3 equal work schedules found that there was the following difference: workers with 2/2 work schedules generally report higher satisfaction rates than employees with a 3/3 schedule.The results of the study by Gardner B. et al. revealed difficulties adapting to responsibilities and different perceptions of life during the fly-in (shift) period than in the fly-out period, as well as in managing the potential psychological distance that arises when workers are on shift [6].The partners noted that one of the most negative aspects of FIFO work is the concern that the employee will not be able to return home in case of personal need. However, this may not apply to workers in all occupational groups, as only 46% of production and maintenance workers were satisfied that they could return home in an emergency, compared with 75% of executives [7].The onshore and offshore FIFO workers requiring multiple changes in circadian rhythm (day and night shifts) reported lower work control levels than workers with regular work schedules. The job requirements are a risk factor for mental disorders on offshore platforms, while job control, clarity of roles, and fair and empowering leadership protect against mental disorders [8].The potential stressors experienced by offshore personnel include limited living and working conditions, lack of privacy, constant noise, and complex production tasks with heavy workloads ranging from periods of boredom to periods of concentrated activity [5].The fly-in-fly-out method is used in other industries: construction, oil and gas production, diamond mining, logging, energy, metallurgy, etc. [9]. Most of these industries are harmful and potentially life-threatening in accordance. There are certain jobs at the enterprises of the extractive industry and construction in which people are exposed to various stress factors (such as intellectual, sensory, emotional, monotonous loads, and intensive work) and labor severity (dynamic physical, stereotypical, and monotonous loads). This leads to the development of various psychological risks in fly-in-fly-out personnel.The following psychological risks of fly-in-fly-out workers are mentioned in the recent literature: symptoms of depression, anxiety, and stress among workers in the Australian industry [10]; occupational stress, health status, and overcoming difficulties in German wind energy employees [11]; employee involvement and emotional exhaustion of fly-in-fly-out workers [12]; depression, suicide risk, and workplace bullying: a comparative study of fly-in-fly-out workers in resource extraction in Australia [13], the impact of isolation in the workplace on remote health workers [14].Fly-in-fly-out work at offshore facilities is stressful and potentially hazardous [5,15,16,17,18,19]. A number of studies show a fairly high level of positive health effects for workers [20,21,22], which is due to the high health standards of this personnel. At the same time, the researchers note health complaints among these workers: sleep problems [5,22,23,24], complaints about the musculoskeletal system [25], and body weight issues [22,23,24,25], and others. There is also conflicting evidence regarding mental health: some studies have established good mental health of oil and gas workers [5,8,17], other studies have noted higher levels of nervousness [5], mental fatigue [5,22], and anxiety [5] in offshore oil and gas workers compared to onshore workers.In particular, fly-in-fly-out workers are generally healthier (as measured by self-reported current health status) and reported more exercise and sleep during the work period than workers on expeditionary activities [7]. In addition, fly-in-fly-out workers with long shifts reported significantly more sleep and exercise than those with shorter shifts. Previous research has also shown that fly-in-fly-out workers have better overall health and more physical activity than field workers [26].Based on the objective sleep monitoring of shift workers in the mining industry [27] and qualitative data, it was concluded that FIFO workers constantly experience excessive fatigue [28]. The 12-h shift work, typical of FIFO work, leads to fatigue, which negatively affects productivity [29]. Fatigue can impair performance to levels equivalent to alcohol intoxication [30] and exposes workers to a higher risk of accidents and injury [31,32]. Reducing fatigue and associated health and safety risks will require input from both FIFO organizations and workers themselves.For many participants, the geographical distance and the regular and prolonged absence of FIFO workers led to psychological effects from the separation of workers from their families. The similar problems are typical for other categories of workers, such as truckers and fishermen [33]. This can have many adverse effects on well-being. Many FIFO workers felt isolated and lonely, which is a common experience for FIFO workers [34].

The development of these unfavorable phenomena among fly-in-fly-out workers is associated both with the action of unfavorable, harmful, and hazardous production factors and with the influence of extreme climatic and geographical conditions and group isolation of employees.

The central methodological problem for solving applied problems of psychological support of intense work staff is a job performance assessment of specialists, reflecting the compliance of the result with the set goals and objectives. It also allows us to highlight the key professional requirements to employees’ personalities, as well as to identify the risk factors for the psychological safety of work and preserve the professional health of employees.

In the current literature, job performance is often understood as a complex characteristic expressed in quantitative and qualitative indicators, ensuring the achievement of a sufficiently high socially significant result, obtaining labor products (material, spiritual) that meet the requirements of society, and taking into account material, time, and psychophysiological costs [35].It should be noted that the problem of studying job performance in labor psychology is not new. In their works, Zinchenko, Munipov, and Rubakhin define the quality of labor as “an integral characteristic of this type of activity, in which indicators of the quality and quantity of products are recorded, taken in relation to raw materials and time costs for its production, to the psychological and physiological ‘cost’ of labor efforts, as well as in relation to indicators of health and personality development of workers” [36]. This concept reflects the ratio of objective effectiveness and the psychophysiological “cost” of activities [37].The working capacity is one of the indicators of the psychophysiological (physiological) “cost of activity” and the result of work [38]. Consequently, the assessment of professional performance should be based on the correlation of these two components.At the same time, depending on the studied professional sphere, a specific profession and organization, as well as the author’s approach, different researchers selected different criteria for job performance components. We analyzed studies and classified various job performance criteria found in these works. The results of this analysis are presented in Appendix A in Table A1.As can be seen from our analysis (Appendix A, Table A1), in the studies, an approach has gained a great popularity, within which job performance is determined by three components: task performance, contextual performance, and counterproductive behavior [39,40,41,42]. Completing a task is an activity that directly or indirectly affects the assessment of an organization. Contextual effectiveness is said to be effective for an organization in terms of its social and psychological context. Counterproductive behavior, such as stealing, sabotaging, and insulting other people, is treated as dangerous.Within the framework of our methodology, the characteristics of counterproductive behavior correlate with psychological risk in professional activity, which is understood as “the likelihood of the occurrence of professional personality deformations and the formation of unfavorable functional states of workers during the performance of labor functions due to prolonged exposure to negative social, domestic, and production factors with insufficient personal and environmental resource” [43,44]. In our previous studies, it was established that unfavorable functional states and well-being and professional personality deformations are the main criteria for psychological risks for FIFO workers in the Arctic [43].

The authors most often consider external objective and subjective parameters of performance. With regard to the method of activity, an assessment of the adaptability and initiative of employees is used; certain qualities, which are important for the effective implementation of any type of activity are identified.

When determining the job performance, it is important to evaluate three key components: the effectiveness of the activity, the psychophysiological “cost” of the activity, and the way of performing the tasks [36,37]. Thus, with high health requirements for workers to fly-in-fly-out work in industry, with an increase in the length of fly-in-fly-out experience, workers may experience unfavorable changes in psychological well-being and health. Depending on the psychological and medical support at the enterprises, the risks can be reduced. In this connection, when working on a job performance model, we relied on considering not only the effective performance of tasks by employees (an external objective criterion–task orientation) but also their state and psychological well-being as markers of their health status, or in other words, the psychophysiological “cost of activity”. One of the reasons for the increase in the psychophysiological “cost of activity” of the employee is the choice of a non-optimal way of solving problems, which will require large expenses from the employee.

In our research, we will empirically determine the variability of each component of job performance: efficiency, psychophysiological “cost of activity”, and the method of solving problems among fly-in-fly-out workers at industrial enterprises. Further, we will develop the job performance typology of fly-in-fly-out personnel of industrial enterprises, including all the resulting diversity among each of its components.

The research purpose is to identify and describe the job performance types of fly-in-fly-out employees in oil, gas, diamond mining, and construction industrial enterprises and compare three factors: effectiveness, psychophysiological “cost of activity”, and the way of solving problems.

Hypothesis: In view of the above, we assumed that when correlating various effectiveness types, psychophysiological “cost of activity”, and the way of performing tasks, several kinds of job performance of fly-in-fly-out workers at industrial enterprises can be developed, which will allow developing targeted measures for psychological support for each category of employees.

It is interesting to identify not only the polar types of job performance, such as high performance (a combination of high effectiveness, optimal psychophysiological “cost of activity”, and the way of performing tasks) but also the intermediate ones when an employee achieves high results due to the psychophysiological “cost of activity” or has a high psychophysiological “cost of activity” due to a non-optimal way of performing tasks, etc. This typology will allow us to determine possible combinations and features and ensure the implementation of the “golden rule” of labor psychology about the correspondence between the subject of labor and the job, which implies not only the need to perform professional activities with excellent results but also the safety for employees, preserving their physical and mental health. When assessing professional efficiency, objective and subjective criteria are considered. When correlating them, various job performance types can be determined, which make it possible to determine a unique complexity of professionally important qualities, skills, and abilities of a professional, ensuring the performance of professional activities at a certain level and to develop targeted directions of psychological support of personnel to achieve the optimal level of labor productivity while maintaining employees’ health and well-being.

The private hypotheses:

1. On the basis of the whole variety of different inductors, the FIFO workers’ efficiency at industrial enterprises can be divided into the following groups: with high and medium efficiency.

2. On the basis of the totality of objective, projective, and subjective characteristics of the functional states, FIFO workers at industrial enterprises can be divided into the following groups: with optimal and high psychophysiological “cost of activity”.

3. Based on the totality of characteristics of subjective assessments of danger and adaptive strategies, it is possible to divide FIFO workers at industrial enterprises into the following groups: emergency confident and mixed cautious.

4. With long-term FIFO work, there is a cumulative effect of adverse environmental factors, which enhances their impact [9]. What is expressed in the fact that with an increase in FIFO work experience and age, FIFO workers at industrial enterprises are characterized by job performance types with a high psychophysiological “cost of activity”. 2. Materials and Methods

Research type is empirical, analytical, and transverse. All research methods were considered at the ethics committee of the Higher School of Psychology, Pedagogy and Physical Culture of the Northern (Arctic) Federal University and recommended for use (protocol No. 5, 2017).

2.1. Sample

To achieve this goal, a study was carried out at the following industrial facilities with a fly-in-fly-out work organization:

1. The construction of gas pipelines, Republic of Komi, North, where 82 employees took part (average age 34.91 ± 0.926, average fly-in-fly-out work experience 4.57 ± 0.343, fly-in period–52 days)

2. Oil production, NAO, North, where 67 employees took part (average age 38.46 ± 1.410, average fly-in-fly-out work experience 9.85 ± 1.072, fly-in period–28 days);

3. Diamond mining production, Arkhangelsk region, North, where 77 employees took part (average age 38.56 ± 1.151, average fly-in-fly-out work experience 8.16 ± 0.701, fly-in period–14 days);

4. The construction of the Crimean Bridge, Krasnodar Territory, South, where 83 employees took part (average age 41.31 ± 1.242, average fly-in-fly-out work experience 8.02 ± 0.721, fly-in period–28 days); and

5. The offshore ice-resistant oil production platform, the Caspian Sea, South, where 50 employees took part (average age 36.17 ± 1.064, average fly-in-fly-out work experience 7.97 ± 0.839, fly-in period–14 days).

The total sample size was 359 fly-in-fly-out employees of industrial enterprises. The participation in the study was voluntary (a written voluntary informed consent of each participant was obtained).

It should be noted that, in this study, attention was paid to fly-in-fly-out workers who had to return home frequently, i.e., their fly-in and fly-out periods did not exceed two months. As previous studies have shown, these frequent journeys, and, consequently, frequent cycles of adaptation-readaptation, serve as additional negative factors requiring large internal resources from employees [45].Longer rotational periods (sailors, polar explorers, etc.) are characterized by their specificity in the peculiarities of adaptation and environmental factors affecting personnel. Groups of participants in polar expeditions are few in number and, as a rule, are isolated for a very long period. The specificity of their group isolation, according to some studies, is similar to space expeditions, which is widely used in modeling team interaction during space flights [46].

The variability of the enterprises selected for the study was due to the possibility of their division at each of the levels of differential analysis.

Note: The Figure 1 shows how the survey sample is distributed in relation to each of the levels; in parentheses is the % of the sample corresponding to each group.Figure 1 shows the distribution of the research samples by the levels of differential analysis of FIFO work. These data confirm the diversity presented and the consideration of the main factors in the formation of research samples and also allows us to determine the sufficiency of empirical data for comparative studies at each level of differential analysis. 2.2. ProcedureIn our research, we relied on Leonova and Kuznetsova’s approach of determining “job performance through a system of three mandatory components: (1) effectiveness–the facts of achieving certain results; objective data on their quantitative and qualitative characteristics; (2) psychophysiological “cost of activity”–the amount of effort applied by a person to accomplish tasks; (3) the way of solving a problem–the way to achieve a result, the choice of which was carried out by taking into account the orientation toward compliance/non-compliance with organizational requirements and professional standards” [37].Table 1 presents the criteria of professional efficiency assessed in this study and methods of their assessment.Based on the studies, the necessary list of criteria was determined, sufficient for assessing each of the three components of the job performance model. Based on the results of the previous studies [45,47,48,49,50], the criteria had been supplemented with the following ones:(a)fly-in-fly-out work experience [45];(b)satisfaction with the work schedule; personal qualities required for fly-in-fly-out work [48];(c)adaptation strategy type [45,47];(d)psychological safety parameters [49,50].The effectiveness according to our model (Table 1) included both external and internal parameters of work result, as well as fly-in-fly-out work experience. In previous studies, it was found that adaptation to fly-in-fly-out work method lasts at least 3 years [45], and also that the incidence of maladaptive disorders in fly-in-fly-out personnel significantly increased during the 1st, the 5th–6th, the 8th, the 12th–13th, the 15th–16th, and the 18th years of the experience of working in the gas industry in the North [51]. In the studies on other samples, the relationship between work experience and performance was discussed by Quinones et al. [52] and Kornilova et al. [53].We chose the adaptation strategy type and psychological safety as criteria for the way of performing professional tasks. Activities in extreme conditions impose special requirements on workers’ professional adaptation, which is due to the combination of many unfavorable environmental factors and the unpredictability of the occurrence of stressful or emergency situations [6,11,54,55]. In such conditions, adaptation is always unfinished and adaptation strategies will be formed as a result of the adaptation process.In our previous studies, the adaptation strategies classification has been developed, and the prevailing adaptation strategy types for fly-in-fly-out workers in the Far North and the Arctic have been identified [47]. In this work, we understand adaptation strategies as a holistic management by an employee of his ergatic system, aimed at maintaining the required level of performance and functional state in the process of performing professional duties in various conditions while maintaining the physical and mental health of the employee, which is also considered for a long, completed period of time [45,47].

We distinguish two types of adaptation strategies for fly-in-fly-out personnel–economical and emergency. The economical adaptation strategy presupposes that the employee, without increasing his level of activation more than necessary, is able to readjust in the middle of the fly-in period, when the psychological load becomes excessive, his body starts the mechanism of bilateral regulation for the correct distribution of forces. An economical adaptation strategy is more characteristic of trainees (employees with more than three years of fly-in-fly-out work) and consists in a more consistent and deliberate use of self-regulation psychological mechanisms, in the ability to consciously subordinate one’s state and mood to professional tasks and perform most tasks at the level of skills and automatisms.

The emergency adaptation strategy is characteristic of employees who are just adapting to new working conditions and has the following features: it is physiologically oriented and uneven, while it looks effective, since it allows maintaining a relatively high level of the functional state until the end of the fly-in period but ultimately leads to a general decline in health, which will become obvious after a couple of years of fly-in-fly-out work [56].When working on a fly-in-fly-out basis, the personnel at industrial enterprises are exposed to a number of dangerous factors associated with the group isolation conditions and extreme climatic conditions. This causes difficulties, such as transport accessibility, and makes it difficult to leave the shift facilities to return home, limited availabilities of medical care, etc. ([10,12,13,44,57,58] fourteen). FIFO workers evaluate these factors and conditions differently. With a low danger assessment of such situations by employees, it can be argued that they are adapted to them and know specific actions to resolve them. A high assessment of the danger of these factors suggests the opposite: a lack of understanding in how to act and the presence of great difficulties for employees in resolving the danger. The factors with a high subjective assessment of danger for employees require great attention and additional measures from the management of these organizations. This led to the inclusion in the method of solving professional problems’ parameters, the employees’ self-assessment of knowledge, and the use of safety in the workplace, as well as a subjective assessment of the danger of key professional situations that may arise during a shift period.The psychophysiological “cost of activity” was analyzed by us from the point of view of assessing functional states. As shown in our previous studies, the analysis of the available literature sources demonstrates the active use of various objective, subjective, and projective methods in a variable combination to assess functional states. Obviously, the measurement of the same objects by different methods can give different results, and in the case of functional states, reflect their different levels [59]. In this connection, when assessing functional states to characterize the psychophysiological “cost of activity”, we used objective psychophysiological assessment methods (using the “Psychophysiologist” devices) and identified the following parameters: operator performance and the level of functional state and the level of functional capabilities, both projective (by calculating Aminev’s interpretation coefficients of Luscher’s color test), which reveal work capacity, stress, unproductive neuropsychic stress, and subjective (test method “Well-being. Activity. Mood.”), revealing the characteristics of the state on the basis of self-reports. Thus, we have implemented an integrated an approach to assessing the psychophysiological “cost of activity” parameters. 2.3. Methods

The research was carried out using questionnaires, psychophysiological testing, and psychological testing. The psychophysiological “cost” of activity component was estimated using the following methods:

1. The original questionnaire developed by Korneeva, Simonova, and Tyulyubaeva included questions related to effectiveness and the way of performing tasks, which are presented in Figure 2 and included the following sections: general information about education and work experience; marital status; subjective assessment of the discomfort of climatic–geographical, industrial, and social factors that affect workers during the shift arrival; features of the organization of free time during the fly-in period; subjective assessment of professional efficiency; subjective assessment of the danger of various situations that may arise during the fly-in period; subjective assessment of the hazard in the workplace and the factors contributing to its emergence. The hazard situations were identified based on the results of previous field studies and analysis of labor protection documentation for oil and gas companies [60]. All assessments of the studied parameters were made on point and rank scales. The workers were asked to assess these situations according to the degree of danger on a 7-point scale, where 1 indicated the situation was not dangerous, and 7 indicated the situation was maximally dangerous. It is assumed that a high assessment of the danger of the above situations by employees indicates their low adaptation and a lack of full understanding of how to act in such situations, i.e., poses the greatest risks. A low assessment of the danger of situations indicates the opposite–adaptability and confidence about how to act in such situations [9]. Individual question weights were considered equal, and no alpha coefficients were calculated. This is also due to the fact that the sample is a priori inhomogeneous in terms of the weight contributions to the factors taken into account [9].Figure 2 shows which indicators were evaluated for each of the three components of job performance. Using static procedures, the entire sample was divided into groups according to the severity of indicators (two-stage cluster analysis); then, using MANOVA, an experiment was carried out identifying which indicator made a greater contribution to the differences in the groups. Therefore, it is enough to evaluate them in order to determine the group for each of the components in the future. Initially, they tried to evaluate the largest number of different indicators of each of the components of job performance.

2. The objective methods using the device for psychophysiological testing UPFT-1/30 “Psychophysiologist” (MTD Medikom, Taganrog, Russia) and the hardware and software complex “Activationometer” AC-9K (NPO “APK” LLC, Kazan, Russia) were used.

-Complex visual–motor reaction (CVMR) determines the speed and accuracy of responses to incoming light signals. By correlating these two characteristics, the operator’s performance is determined.

The essence of the CVMR technique is to determine the time and stability of the visual–motor reaction to light stimuli (green and red squares in the center of the monitor screen). The statistical indicators analysis of the time a complex visual–motor reaction makes it possible to evaluate, in addition to the absolute time of the reaction, stability, the probability of errors, and disruptions. The characteristics of the reaction time distribution make it possible to assess the stress degree, personal readiness to work, the fatigue degree, and in some cases, the presence of pathological functional disorders or organic disorders of the central nervous system.

It allows the operator to assess the operator working capacity level on two alternative parameters of a complex visual–motor reaction (75 stimuli). The accuracy of the reaction (the number of correct responses to the stimulus) and the speed of response are evaluated, and the level of operator performance is determined by their correlation.

-Variational cardiointervalometry (VCM) based on the adaptive capabilities of the cardiovascular system makes it possible to determine the level of a person’s functional state (negative, critical, maximum allowable, acceptable, close to optimal, or optimal) and the level of functional capabilities (low, medium, or high). The duration is 128 cardiocycles and 5 min. It allows us to identify workers’ conditions, characterized by overstrain and depletion of regulatory mechanisms. During the examination, an ECG signal is recorded. The time between adjacent RR intervals is measured. The minimum cycle for examination by the method is equal to the time required to register 128 cardiointervals.

3. The subjective method uses the questionnaire “Well-being. Activity. Mood” (WAM), developed by Doskin, Lavrentieva, Sharai, and Miroshnikov [61]. It consists of 30 pairs of words reflecting the studied features of the psychoemotional state (health, mood, activity), expressed in polar assessments. WAM constructive validity was established on the basis of comparison with the results of psychophysiological methods, considering indicators of the critical frequency of flickering, temperature dynamics of the body, and chronoreflexometry. The current validity was established by comparing the data of contrasting groups, as well as by comparing the results of the subjects at different times of the working day [59,61]. Cronbach’s alpha for questionnaire scales is well-being (0,76), activity (0,65), mood (0,69).4. The projective method uses the test of color preferences Luscher [62] adapted by Sobchik [63] with the calculation of interpretation coefficients by Aminev [64]. On the basis of factor analysis, he identified the following coefficients: heteronomy, concentricity, balance of personality traits, balance of the autonomic (autonomic) nervous system, working capacity, and the presence of a stress state. M. Luscher singled out a working group of colors (red, green, and yellow). He argued that high working capacity corresponds to the preference of these colors by subjects. Indicators of stress, according to M. Luscher’s theory, are finding the main active colors in the last positions of the choice and finding brown, black, and gray cards in the first places of the row [43]. All these coefficients are calculated according to the appropriate formulas reflecting a particular combination of colors (see Korneeva, Simonova, 2020 [59]).The rationale for this comprehensive approach to assessing functional states with a detailed description of diagnostic methods is presented in our work [59]. 2.4. Data Analysis

Statistical analysis was carried out using descriptive statistics, two-stage cluster analysis, and multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA). The MANOVA method was used because the study of the relationship of many factors was carried out.

For all parameters presented in this research, the criterion of equality of the variances of Levene’s errors is greater than 0.05. Before the analysis, the data were checked for normality of distribution for the possibility of using MANOVA. The statistical normality test of Kolmogorov–Smirnov is used.

Processing was carried out using the SPSS 23.00 software package (license agreement No. Z125-3301-14).

The stages of developing the job performance typology of fly-in-fly-out workers at industrial enterprises is as follows:

1. The employees’ distribution into groups depending on effectiveness as a job performance component by means of two-stage cluster analysis; the description of their characteristics in the representatives of each group by means of MANOVA.

2. The employees’ distribution into groups depending on the parameters of the psychophysiological “cost of activity” as a job performance component by means of two-stage cluster analysis; the description of their characteristics in the representatives of each group by means of MANOVA and descriptive statistics.

3. The employees’ distribution into groups depending on the parameters of the way of performing tasks as a job performance component by means of two-stage cluster analysis; the description of their characteristics in the representatives of each group by means of MANOVA and descriptive statistics.

4. Development of the job performance typology of fly-in-fly-out workers when correlating effectiveness, psychophysiological “cost of activity”, and the method of solving problems.

5. Description of the relationship between job performance types with the fly-in-fly-out work experience and age characteristics of employees in industrial enterprises by means of MANOVA and descriptive statistics.

3. Results 3.1. Classification of Employees into Groups Depending on Effectiveness as a Job Performance ComponentIn order to classify FIFO employees by groups, depending on the effectiveness parameters as a component of the job performance, a two-stage cluster analysis was carried out. The variables are subjected to clustering; the effectiveness criteria are presented in Figure 2. Based on the results of the two-stage cluster analysis, all the subjects were divided into two clusters.To identify significant differences in effectiveness parameters among representatives of the two previously identified clusters, a multivariate analysis of variance was used, where the fixed factor was the assignment to one of the two clusters, and the dependent variables were the criteria for the performance of employees on a FIFO basis. Data correspond to normal distribution. M Box 85.2 at p = 0.432. For all parameters presented in Table 2, the criterion of equality of the variances of Levene’s errors is greater than 0.05. According to the data of multivariate criteria (Pillai Trace 0.704, F = 10.04 at p

According to the data of the univariate criteria, the differences between the clusters are observed for all the effectiveness criteria.

As can be seen from Table 2, the representatives of the first cluster are distinguished by higher assessments of the effectiveness (both from the standpoint of self-assessment and assessment by the manager) and believe that they have the necessary skills and personal qualities to occupy this position and fly-in-fly-out work.

At the same time, their satisfaction with their work, work schedule, wages, and labor results are also higher than among the representatives of the second cluster. Representatives of the second cluster are distinguished by average values of effectiveness, job satisfaction, and wages, and they tend to assess their skills and abilities, as well as the personal qualities necessary for the position and fly-in-fly-out work, slightly above average. Consequently, the first cluster includes the employees with high effectiveness, and the second one includes those with average effectiveness, which confirms the first particular hypothesis of the study.

3.2. Classification of Employees into Groups Depending on the Parameters of the Psychophysiological “Cost of Activity” as a Job Performance ComponentThe next stage of this study is the distribution of the employees into groups depending on the psychophysiological “cost of activity” parameters and the description of their characteristics in the representatives of each group. For this purpose, a two-stage cluster analysis was also used. The clustering variables are the psychophysiological “cost of activity” criteria presented in Figure 2. Based on the results of the two-stage cluster analysis, all the subjects were divided into two clusters.To identify significant differences in psychophysiological “cost of activity” parameters among representatives of the two previously identified clusters, a multivariate analysis of variance was used, where the fixed factor was the assignment to one of the two clusters, and the dependent variables were the criteria for the psychophysiological “cost of activity” of FIFO employees. According to the multivariate criteria data (Pillai Trace 0.182, F = 2.25 at p = 0.010), there are statistically significant differences between the representatives of the two clusters in the assessment of their psychophysiological “cost of activity” parameters. Data correspond to normal distribution. M Box 92.1 at p = 0.115. For all parameters presented in Table 3, the criterion of equality of the variances of Levene’s errors is greater than 0.05.

For a qualitative description of the differences between the clusters in terms of nominative variables, contingency tables (Pearson χ2) were used.

According to the data of univariate criteria and Pearson’s χ2, the differences between the clusters are observed according to the following psychophysiological “cost of activity” criteria: working capacity, the standard deviation from the autogenous norm, well-being, activation of the left cerebral hemisphere, operator performance, levels of functional state, and functional capabilities.

According to Table 3, the representatives of the first cluster are characterized by high working capacity (according to the projective assessment indicator), unexpressed unproductive neuropsychic stress, well-being, optimal functional state, and a high level of functional capabilities. The average (optimal) psychophysiological “cost of activity” is typical for the first cluster.

At the same time, representatives of the second cluster are characterized by reduced working capacity, increased unproductive neuropsychic stress, reduced well-being, and reduced activation of the left hemisphere of the brain. Their functional state of the body is most often characterized as the maximum permissible, and they are characterized by a low level of psychophysiological reserves; therefore, they can be included in the cluster with a high psychophysiological “cost of activity”. This confirms the second particular hypothesis.

3.3. Classification of Employees into Groups Depending on the Parameters of the Way of Performing Tasks as a Job Performance ComponentThe next stage of this study is the distribution of employees into groups depending on the way of performing tasks parameters, a description of their characteristics in representatives of each group. For this purpose, a two-stage cluster analysis was also used. Clustering variables are the criteria of performing tasks, presented in Figure 2. Based on the results of a two-stage cluster analysis, all the subjects were divided into two clusters.To identify significant differences in the tasks parameters among representatives of the two previously identified clusters, a multivariate analysis of variance was used, where the fixed factor was the assignment to one of the two clusters and the dependent variables were the criteria for the way FIFO employees perform tasks. According to the data of multivariate criteria (Pillai Trace 0.75, F = 28.46 at pp = 0.351. For all parameters presented in Table 4, the criterion of equality of the variances of Levene’s errors is greater than 0.05.

For the qualitative description of the differences between the clusters in terms of nominative variables, contingency tables (Pearson χ2) were used.

According to the univariate criteria and Pearson’s χ2, the differences between the clusters are observed in all the ways task parameters are performed, except for “knowledge of safety at the workplace” and “compliance with safety at the workplace”.

According to Table 4, the first cluster representatives are characterized by the predominant use of the emergency adaptation strategy, which is expressed in the extensive use of internal resources, starting from the first day of the fly-in period, and the absence of their systematic expenditure during the entire work period. Additionally, these cluster representatives give low assessments of the danger of all professional situations, which may indicate their confidence in the possibility of resolution and adaptation; at the same time, this may also be a sign of self-confident behavior. Thus, it can be said that the first cluster representatives have an emergency and confident way of solving problems.The second cluster representatives are distinguished by the use of both economical and emergency strategies. An economical adaptation strategy consists of a more consistent and deliberate use of psychological mechanisms of self-regulation, in the ability to consciously subordinate one’s state and mood to professional tasks, and in the ability to perform most tasks at the level of skills and automatisms [56]. It is typical for them to give high differentiated assessments of the danger of professional situations during the fly-in period, which may indicate either their caution or a desire to provide for various options for solutions, and it may also mean insufficient adaptation and uncertainty. In this connection, the representatives of the second cluster may be said to possess a mixed, cautious way of solving problems. This confirms the third particular hypothesis of the study. 3.4. Development of the Job Performance Typology of Fly-In-Fly-Out WorkersThe next stage of this study is the development of a job performance typology of FIFO workers with the correlation of effectiveness, psychophysiological “cost of activity”, and the problem-solving way (Figure 3).Thus, as a result, the six types of FIFO workers’ job performance have been developed with the correlation of effectiveness, psychophysiological “the cost of activity”, and the problem-solving way (Figure 3).

The first type of high job performance includes employees who demonstrate high labor effectiveness and invest an average psychophysiological “cost” in activities, i.e., make the best use of internal resources to complete tasks. At the same time, an urgent and confident type of problem solving is used, which is expressed in the predominant use of similar solution strategies and the orientation toward activity and actions, rather than prolonged pondering over situations.

The second type of reduced professional efficiency includes employees who demonstrate average labor effectiveness and use the maximum number of internal resources; as a result, their depletion and unfavorable functional states are observed. In other words, it is the workers who invest a high psychophysiological “cost” in the results of their labor. These employees do not have a clearly expressed way of solving problems and use various options. Not being fully prepared for dangerous situations, they respond to them with caution.

The third job performance type is employees with high effectiveness due to the psychophysiological “cost of activity” who are distinguished by the fact that they strive to ensure high effectiveness of their work through excessive use of internal resources. In doing so, they use both problem-solving ways. In this case, there is no differentiation in the method since this does not affect the efficient use of internal reserves. It can be assumed that these types of employees do not have the necessary set and expression level of professionally important qualities or have high psychological and professional risks, as a result of which such results are observed.

The fourth type of employees are those with high effectiveness with differentiated problem solving and are distinguished by the fact that the result of their activity is influenced by the problem-solving way, namely, mixed and cautious. We assume that these employees are distinguished by a special combination of professionally important qualities and a sufficiently high level of internal reserves, which allow them to approach solving problems in different ways.

The fifth type of employees are those with average effectiveness while maintaining internal resources that dominate in the surveyed sample (35.9%) and are characterized by average performance indicators and a reduced psychophysiological “cost of activity”. This may be due to motivational characteristics (a decrease in motivation to FIFO work), or it may be an understanding that performing work at a high level will require many more costs and resources and will contribute to the development of psychological risks and worsen the state of health. Perhaps, this is an employee type with a long record of FIFO work or the one working in more extreme, difficult, and/or stressful conditions.

The sixth type of professional efficiency includes employees with average effectiveness with undifferentiated problem solving. It can be assumed that this problem-solving way is ineffective for these specialists, because the psychophysiological “cost” of their activities is high, and the effectiveness is average. In other words, by investing all resources in their work, employees cannot achieve high results.

The obtained results confirm the main hypothesis of the study.

3.5. Relationship between Job Performance Types with the Fly-In-Fly-Out Work Experience and Age Characteristics of Employees in Industrial Enterprises

The next study stage was to identify the relationship between the job performance types with FIFO work experience and age characteristics of employees in industrial enterprises. We assumed that the division of employees into different job performance types may be due to age and the characteristics FIFO work experience. This assumption can be explained by the fact that during long-term FIFO work, there is a cumulative effect of the action of adverse environmental factors (climatic, industrial, and social), which enhances their impact.

In addition, with age, the amount of internal resources of employees may decrease (with insufficient psychological support and recreational activities) and lead to an increase in the psychophysiological “cost of activity”.

In order to test our assumption, we conducted two univariate analyses of variance, where the fixed factor was attributed to one of the six types of job performance, and the dependent variables were age and FIFO work experience.

According to the data of intergroup effects, there is a statistically significant relationship between the job performance type of employees in industrial enterprises and their FIFO work experience (F = 2.643 at p = 0.024), as well as age (F = 2.852 at p = 0.016). This confirms the fourth particular hypothesis.

According to Figure 4, the employees with a longer FIFO work experience and age belong to the types with average effectiveness with undifferentiated problem solving and with high performance due to the psychophysiological “cost of activity”. These two types are characterized by a high psychophysiological “cost of activity” and confirmed our hypothesis that, over time, there is a cumulative effect of the negative impact of environmental factors, which leads to the expenditure of employees’ internal resources. As a result, additional recreational (recovery) activities are required for employees who have been working on a rotational basis for more than eight years.

The differences in the effectiveness of these two employees’ categories may be due, first of all, to motivational characteristics, since some of them strive to show high performance despite their limited resources while the others meet the minimum necessary requirements and fulfill their responsibilities at an acceptable level.

The employees with average effectiveness at a high psychophysiological “cost of activity” may be insufficiently adapted to FIFO work due to the use of the problem-solving method, which is not optimal for their job performance type–a mixed cautious one. With relatively low internal reserves, this method requires additional costs for the choice of various alternatives, re-checking their assumptions, and a differentiated approach to information analysis, which can ultimately lead to the psychophysiological “cost of activity” increase. Such employees can be distinguished by insecure behavior and anxiety.

The specialists with an average effectiveness while maintaining internal resources may be distinguished by reduced motivation for FIFO work; they may not be suitable for this method of work, or they experience significant difficulties in adaptation because their average FIFO work experience is 5.6 years.

The two remaining groups are employees with high effectiveness are optimal psychophysiological “cost of activity” and differing in the problem-solving ways, which are due to the peculiarities of the professionally important qualities and their combination.

Thus, the main hypothesis of the study was confirmed: when correlating various job performance types, psychophysiological “cost of activity” and the way of performing tasks, several kinds of job performance of fly-in-fly-out workers at industrial enterprises can be developed, which will allow developing targeted measures for psychological support for each category of employees. As a result of the study, six job performance types of FIFO workers of industrial enterprises were highlighted: (1) high performance, (2) average effectiveness with a high psychophysiological “cost of activity”, (3) high effectiveness due to the psychophysiological “cost of activity”, (4) high effectiveness with a differentiated solution of problems, (5) average effectiveness while preserving internal resources, and (6) average effectiveness with undifferentiated problem solving.

The private hypotheses also received confirmation. As a result of two-stage cluster analyses, all the employees were divided into the following groups: high and medium effectiveness; high and optimal psychophysiological “cost of activity”; emergency confident problem-solving way and a mixed, cautious one.

The statistically significant relationships were established between age and FIFO work experience with job performance types. The employees with a longer FIFO work experience and age belong to the types with average effectiveness with undifferentiated problem solving and with high effectiveness due to the psychophysiological “cost of activity”.

留言 (0)

沒有登入
gif