Chadha Mrinal, Kennedy John, Duvvury Nata
National University of Ireland, Galway.
Ipsos MORI.
Workplace Health Saf. 2022 Apr 18;70(9):21650799221081262. doi: 10.1177/21650799221081262.
In low and middle-income countries (LMICs), violence against women and girls (VAWG) is rampant, primarily due to patriarchy. However, there is little understanding of its ripple effect in the workplace in LMICs. While recent studies in LMICs have attempted to understand the effects of VAWG on productivity using data collected from colleagues, survivors, or perpetrators, there is limited research on the employers' perspective of the impact of VAWG on productivity.
A survey, developed by the investigators, based on previous research in Peru and Vietnam, was administered to 74 senior management executives in Ghana, Pakistan, and South Sudan. Based on female employees' absenteeism, tardiness, and presenteeism, this study provides the management's perspective on the invisible costs of VAWG.
The results show that 25% and 36% of senior executives have witnessed intimate partner violence and non-partner sexual violence, respectively, against their female colleagues. One (32%) in three managers also acknowledged the impact of VAWG on productivity and day-to-day operations.
This study provides evidence that there is a need for the development of employee assistance programs (EAPs) in LMICs. Due to significant increase in employees' productivity in the absence of VAWG, investing in occupational health services needs to be viewed as an investment, not cost. As many international companies in developed countries do business in LMICs, their occupational health departments need to be more aware of VAWG. Occupational health practitioners can assist in the needs assessment for EAPs as well as provide appropriate referrals and counseling to impacted employees.
在低收入和中等收入国家（LMICs），暴力侵害妇女和女童行为（VAWG）猖獗，主要原因是父权制。然而，人们对其在LMICs工作场所的连锁反应了解甚少。虽然LMICs最近的研究试图通过从同事、幸存者或施暴者那里收集的数据来了解VAWG对生产力的影响，但关于雇主对VAWG对生产力影响的看法的研究有限。
研究人员根据之前在秘鲁和越南的研究开发了一项调查问卷，并对加纳、巴基斯坦和南苏丹的74名高级管理人员进行了调查。基于女性员工的旷工、迟到和出勤不出力情况，本研究提供了管理层对VAWG无形代价的看法。
结果显示，分别有25%和36%的高级管理人员目睹过针对其女同事的亲密伴侣暴力和非伴侣性暴力。三分之一的经理（32%）也承认VAWG对生产力和日常运营有影响。
本研究提供了证据，表明LMICs需要制定员工援助计划（EAPs）。由于在没有VAWG的情况下员工生产力显著提高，投资职业健康服务应被视为一种投资，而非成本。由于许多发达国家的跨国公司在LMICs开展业务，其职业健康部门需要更加了解VAWG。职业健康从业者可以协助进行EAPs的需求评估，并为受影响的员工提供适当的转介和咨询服务。
