Karen van Dam

Open University of the Netherlands | OU · School of Psychology

This volume brings together recent insights about the psychology of organizational change. The authors are leading scholars in the study of organizational change, taking on a micro-perspective for understanding the process through which responses to change emerge and impact work-related outcomes. Each chapter approaches the topic from a different p...

Introduction Burnout complaints are high for Dutch police officers. According to Hobfoll’s Conservation of Resources theory, resources such as coping self-efficacy can play an important role in the burnout process. The aim of this study was to investigate the buffering effect of coping self-efficacy on burnout, as well as a possible depletion effec...

Employee withdrawal is a critical issue for organizations and has been the topic of extensive research. While much turnover research used between‐person designs, this study focused on the impact of within‐person changes in job characteristics on job attitudes and withdrawal behavior, using the challenge‐hindrance stressor as our main theoretical fr...

Samenvatting De COVID-19 pandemie veranderde onze manier van werken en organiseren drastisch. Zo verrichtten veel werkenden hun taken gedwongen vanuit huis, terwijl ook huisgenoten thuis moesten blijven. Vanuit de Appraisal Theory onderzochten we hoe de evaluatie/waardering van thuiswerk samenhangt met het welzijn (emotionele uitputting en vitalite...

Samenvatting Burn-out heeft nadelige gevolgen voor zowel werknemers als werkgevers. Preventie van burn-out is dan ook van groot belang. Onderzoek naar burn-outpreventie programma’s heeft zich voornamelijk gericht op interventies geïnitieerd door werkgevers; minder bekend is welke acties werknemers zelf ondernemen om een burn-out te voorkomen. De be...

Purpose The purpose of this study is to develop the self-initiated work adjustment for learning (SIWAL) scale that measures the adjustments that employees make in their work to enhance learning, based on theories and research on workplace learning, work adjustment and work design. Design/methodology/approach The SIWAL scale was validated in two in...

Background Employees who engage in proactive burnout prevention can prevent burnout by changing aspects of the work, home, and personal domain. However, these proactive behaviors may be impeded by high initial levels of burnout. Based on the conservation of resources theory and the dual-pathway proactivity model, resources were expected to play a v...

The aim of this study was to identify developmental patterns of job insecurity, taking into account quantitative as well as qualitative job insecurity, and to examine if these groups vary with regard to different work-related learning aspects, that is, occupational self-efficacy, learning from supervisor and colleagues, and acquired knowledge and s...

The aim of this study was to identify developmental patterns of job insecurity, taking into account quantitative as well as qualitative job insecurity, and to examine if these groups vary with regard to different work-related learning aspects, that is, occupational self-efficacy, learning from supervisor and colleagues, and acquired knowledge and s...

Given the detrimental effects of burnout for individuals and organizations, it is of crucial importance to better understand the self‐initiated actions employees take to prevent burnout. While such proactive burnout prevention is likely to reduce burnout complaints, these activities may also be frustrated by high burnout levels. This means that pro...

Werkdruk wordt in de literatuur als een uitdagende taakeis beschouwd, die tot zowel uitputting als bevlogenheid kan leiden. Dit onderzoek stelt deze a priori opvatting ter discussie en veronderstelt dat de beoordeling (appraisal) van werkdruk bepalend is voor die uitkomst, waarbij werkdruk tot bevlogenheid zal leiden wanneer zij als uitdaging (chal...

Based on lifespan developmental psychology and psychosocial work characteristics theory, we examined longitudinal relations between calendar age, occupational time perspective, different types of job demands and job resources in relation to sustainable employability (i.e., work ability, vitality and employability) among healthcare workers in Nether...

Although dynamics within and outside organizations emphasize the importance of employee adaptability, a validated scale that assesses employee adaptability as an individual difference construct is still lacking. Five studies were conducted to develop (Study 1, N = 235) and validate a 10-item scale for employee adaptability and investigate its facto...

Proactive burnout prevention refers to a set of proactive behaviors employees may engage in to prevent burnout. Findings of a previous exploratory qualitative study indicated that employees who had to deal with high demands engaged in specific proactive behaviors in the work, home, and personal domain in order to prevent burnout. To further examine...

Werkdruk wordt in de literatuur als een uitdagende taakeis beschouwd, die tot zowel uitputting als bevlogenheid kan leiden. Dit onderzoek stelt deze a priori opvatting ter discussie en veronderstelt dat de beoordeling (appraisal) van werkdruk bepalend is voor die uitkomst, waarbij werkdruk tot bevlogenheid zal leiden wanneer zij als uitdaging (chal...

Extensive evidence indicates that burnout can have detrimental consequences for individuals as well as organizations; therefore, there is a great need for burnout prevention. While burnout prevention interventions initiated by the employer have previously been studied, the proactive behaviors employees deploy themselves to prevent burnout have rece...

Despite the importance of workplace innovation, the adoption of creative ideas at workplace level has received little attention due to a lack of measures for idea adoption. The purpose of this study was to develop and validate a scale that measures employees’ perceptions of the process of idea adoption. Specifically, the scale assesses employee per...

Prior research indicates that workplace changes can have both positive and negative consequences for employees. To explore the mechanisms that trigger these different outcomes, we propose and test a mediation model, which builds on the premises of the challenge–hindrance model of work stress. Specifically, we suggest that whereas workplace changes...

In the research literature, workload is considered a challenging task requirement which can lead to both exhaustion and engagement. This study questions this a priori categorization and aims to provide more insight into the processes that relate workload to exhaustion and engagement. The first assumption holds that individuals’ appraisal of their w...

It is of utmost importance to better understand how professionals in high-risk organizations, such as the military and police, appraise and cope with acute stress situations. The goal of this two-wave study was to investigate the role of two individual characteristics, coping style and coping self-efficacy, for recruits' appraisal emotions and subs...

With the aging of the workforce, organizations need to maintain or improve the sustainable employability of their workforce throughout their working life. This raises the question which HR practices increase workers’ sustainable employability at work. The aim of this study is to investigate the extent to which organizations implement HR practices f...

A crucial issue concerning unproctored Internet-based testing (UIT) of cognitive ability is its susceptibility to cheating. Whereas evidence indicates that cheating during UIT occurs, there is still little information about possible cheating strategies and their effects on (sub)test performance. Using a randomized experimental design, this study in...

Aim: This study investigated whether Nigerian nurses' emotional exhaustion and active learning were predicted by job demands, control and social support. Background: Limited research has been conducted concerning nurses' work stress in developing countries, such as Nigeria. Accordingly, it is not clear whether work interventions for improving nu...

Professionals in high-risk organizations, such as the military, need to develop effective coping styles in order to deal with dangerous and stressful situations. Although most of these organizations already offer programs and interventions aimed at improving employees' coping styles, there is still little research on the predictors of coping style...

Duurzame inzetbaarheid is de laatste jaren een belangrijk maatschappelijk thema geworden. Demografische en arbeidsmarktontwikkelingen benadrukken de noodzaak van competente, gezonde en gemotiveerde werknemers die in staat zijn tot aan de (uitgestelde) pensioenleeftijd, of zelfs nog daarna, aan het arbeidsproces deel te nemen. In dit artikel gaan we...

Victims of workplace mobbing show diverse coping behavior. We investigated the impact of this behavior on bystander cognitions, emotions and helping toward the victim, integrating coping literature with attribution theory. Adult part-time university students (N = 161) working at various organizations participated in a study with a 3(Coping: approac...

The aging workforce emphasizes the importance of sustainable employment, that is the extent to which workers are able and willing to remain working now and in the future . This raises the question how organizations can design work contexts that contribute to sustainable employment. This study investigated the role of a intrinsically motivating job...

Purpose – Using the job demands-resources (JD-R) model as a theoretical framework, the purpose of this paper is to investigate how job demands and job resources affect older employees’ desired retirement age, through an energy-depletion and a motivational process. Furthermore, the importance of gain and loss cycles (i.e. recursive effects) for the...

Purpose – How does self-efficacy affect employee well-being? The purpose of this paper is to increase insight in the underlying process between employee self-efficacy and well-being at work (i.e. emotional exhaustion and job satisfaction) by investigating the mediating role of employees’ engagement in reflection and rumination. Design/methodology/...

In the current study, we propose that organizational learning climate in terms of facilitation learning climate, appreciation learning climate, and error-avoidance climate has the capacity to enhance employees' level of newly acquired competences. Additionally, we investigated whether this relationship holds when employees face work restructuring....

When will bystanders of workplace mobbing show antisocial or prosocial behaviour toward the victim? Results of a 2 × 2 vignette study (N= 177) suggest that high perceived responsibility of the victim for the onset of the mobbing evokes anger and consequently antisocial bystander behaviour, whereas low perceived responsibility generates sympathy and...

Sustainable labor participation has become a topic of concern over the past few years. Demographic and labor market trends emphasize the importance of employable, healthy, and motivated employees who are able and willing to participate in the labor market until the official (and sustained) retirement age. In this article, we discuss the content and...

Purpose – Based on the theory of planned behaviour and social learning theory, the purpose of this paper is to investigate the effect of training participation and learning experience on the beliefs of low-educated employees about their self-efficacy for learning. Design/methodology/approach – Low-educated workers of three different organizations...

In four studies, we investigated the factorial structure and the construct and predictive validity of the approach-avoidance temperament questionnaire (ATQ; Elliot & Thrash, 2010) for attitudes and behavior at work. In Study 1 (N = 395 university students), we showed that a Dutch translation of the ATQ can be best described by a two-factorial struc...

When will bystanders of workplace mobbing show antisocial or prosocial behaviour toward the victim? Results of a 2 × 2 vignette study (N = 177) suggest that high perceived responsibility of the victim for the onset of the mobbing evokes anger and consequently antisocial bystander behaviour, whereas low perceived responsibility generates sympathy an...

The increasing turbulence within and around organizations requires employees to work harder and be more creative. This study investigated the relationship between time pressure and creative behaviour, and the role of creativity demands and creative orientation in it. Based on current literature, we predicted that time pressure and creative behaviou...

Creative under pressure: The role of time pressure, creative requirements and creative orientation in creative behavior Creative under pressure: The role of time pressure, creative requirements and creative orientation in creative behavior The increasing turbulence within and around organizations requires employees to work harder and be more creati...

Summary The increasing dynamics within and surrounding organizations require employees to work faster and be more creative. This study investigated the relationship between time pressure and creative behaviour, and the moderating role of creativity demands and creative orientation in this relationship. Based on the literature, we predicted a curvil...

In four studies, we investigated the factorial structure as well as the construct and predictive validity of the approach-avoidance temperament questionnaire (ATQ, Elliot & Thrash, 2010) with regard to attitudes and behavior at work. In Study 1 (N = 395 university students), we showed that a Dutch translation of the ATQ can be best described by a t...

In the current study, we investigated the role of three basic motivational needs (need for power, affiliation, achievement) as antecedents of goals within the 2 × 2 achievement goal framework, and examined their combined predictive validity with regard to academic performance in a sample of 120 university students. Structural equation modeling anal...

Aim: Given the costs and prevalence of workplace mobbing, it is important to examine factors contributing to the mobbing process. One of these factors is bystander behavior. The aim of this study is to examine to what extent bystander’s behavior is influenced by the coping style of the victim. Coping is defined as “cognitive and behavioral efforts...

A measure for workplace goal orientation was developed and validated across three independent samples. In Study 1 (n = 415), scales for workplace learning, performance, and avoidance goal orientation were developed. Study 2 (n = 511) examined the scales' associations with dispositional goal orientations and employee achievements. Study 3 (n = 292)...

'Serving with a smile' has generally been associated with negative effects for employee well-being. The present study investigated whether emotional display rules also relate to positive outcomes by distinguishing demands to suppress negative emotional response (negative display rules) from demands to express positive emotions (positive display rul...

Immigrant job applicants are often not fluent in the majority language. This raises the question whether selectors adjust their decision strategy when selecting immigrants. In two field studies (N = 1,949 and N = 156), we examined the decision strategies of professional selectors. Selectors used differential strategies, giving less weight to the te...

Editorial Editorial This editorial offers an introduction to the current issue.

Long live learning: the effect of positive learning experience on low educated workers’ self-efficacy Long live learning: the effect of positive learning experience on low educated workers’ self-efficacy For both public authorities, businesses and employees ‘life-long learning’ remains increasingly important to maintain their competitive position i...

On the move: on employees’ individual adaptability in dynamic work situations On the move: on employees’ individual adaptability in dynamic work situations Today’s organisations are facing dynamic and changing environments that emphasize the importance of enhanced organisational flexibility and adaptation as well as increased employee adaptability....

Purpose Focusing on management training, the purpose of this paper is to establish whether identical elements in a training program (i.e. aspects resembling participants' work situation) can improve training transfer and whether they do so beyond the contribution of two well‐established predictors – motivation to learn and expected utility. In an e...

Este estudio examinó la influencia de la comunicación entre iguales en un proceso de selección sobre los niveles de ansiedad en aspirantes que realizan un test y su motivación para realizarlo en un proceso de selección similar, a través de la formación de expectativas de justicia distributiva e interpersonal. Las hipótesis se pusieron a prueba medi...

Research indicates that job crafting has positive outcomes such as higher performance and more commitment. Yet, we still know little about the antecedents of job crafting and the ways in which organizations can enhance job crafting activities. Previous studies suggest that job crafting more often occurs in challenging work environments. The present...

Job crafting: the psychology of customizing jobs. Introduction to the special issue Job crafting: the psychology of customizing jobs. Introduction to the special issue This special issue pays attention to a relatively new research topic in work and organizational psychology: job crafting. Job crafting refers to the modifications employees apply to...

The importance of LMX and situational goal orientation as predictors of job crafting The importance of LMX and situational goal orientation as predictors of job crafting Research indicates that job crafting has positive outcomes such as higher performance and more commitment. Yet, we still know little about the antecedents of job crafting and the w...

Today's organisations are facing dynamic and changing environments that emphasize the importance of enhanced organisational flexibility and adaptation as well as increased employee adaptability. Although the concept of employee adaptability is often used, it is seldom defined. This paper first discusses different research fields focusing on employe...

This editorial offers an introduction to the current issue.

From justice to exhaustion and engagement. The role of affective commitment to the organization From justice to exhaustion and engagement. The role of affective commitment to the organization In two studies the relationship between perceived organizational justice and emotional exhaustion and engagement was studied. Especially, the role of affectiv...

In two studies the relationship between perceived organizational justice and emotional exhaustion and engagement was studied. Especially, the role of affective commitment to the organization in this relationship was examined. According to the group engagement model of Tyler and Blader (2003), procedural justice will result in positive behavior and...

Aim. To provide insight into the individual and contextual factors that are related to intensive care nursing staff perceptions of work pressure and turnover. Background. Hospitals are facing a shortage of intensive care nurses that will only become more pressing owing to demographic changes. Nurses’ sickness absence and turnover are considered imp...

The current study investigated the role of approach and avoidance motives for unemployed job search behavior. Two approach motives (employment and PJ-fit) and two avoidance motives (low-expectation and low-interest) were distinguished. Antecedents and consequences of these motives were examined using a sample of 303 unemployed clients of reemployme...

In twee studies is de relatie onderzocht van waargenomen rechtvaardigheid op het werk met emotionele uitputting en bevlogenheid. In het bijzonder is gekeken welke rol affec-tieve betrokkenheid hierbij speelt. Volgens het group engagement-model van Tyler en Blader (2003) zal procedurele rechtvaardigheid tot positief gedrag en attitudes leiden omdat...

In the Netherlands, the employment as a "nurse anaesthetist" is comparable to that of a registered nurse anaesthetist in the Scandinavian countries and Poland. However, the Dutch healthcare system employs nurse anaesthetists both with and without nursing backgrounds. This study has investigated whether a nursing background influences the attitudes...

The retention of nurse anesthetists is of paramount importance, particularly in view of the fact that the health care workforce is shrinking. Although many health care providers find their work satisfying, they often consider leaving their jobs because of the stress. Are there ways to improve this situation? This study investigated how work environ...

Finding ways to retain nurse anesthetists in the profession to meet the increasing demands of the healthcare system is of paramount importance. The present study investigates the relationship between work climate and job satisfaction among Dutch nurse anesthetists. A questionnaire was distributed to Dutch nurse anesthetists to assess their percepti...

This prospective study examined how differences in coping style, coping self-efficacy, and metacognitive awareness influence coping behavior and performance during a realistic acute stressful exercise in 2 military samples (n = 122 and n = 132). Results showed that coping self-efficacy and coping style affected coping behavior, and that, in turn, c...

Background: The retention of nurse anesthetists is of paramount importance, particularly in view of the fact that the health care workforce is shrinking. Although many health care providers find their work satisfying, they often consider leaving their jobs because of the stress. Are there ways to improve this situation? Purpose: This study investig...

The present study investigated mediating processes that explain how hardiness influences the way people respond to a stressful situation. Coping style and coping self-efficacy were investigated as mediating variables. Using a longitudinal design, hardiness, coping style and coping self-efficacy, and responses (i.e., appraisal and coping behavior) t...

This study investigated how leader–member exchange (LMX), goal setting, and feedback are related to employee engagement in learning activities. Two different mechanisms were proposed: a mediating mechanism holding that LMX elicits specific leader behaviours (i.e., goal setting and feedback) which would mediate the LMXlearning relationship, and a mo...

meeusenV.C.H.,brown-mahoneyC.,van damK.,van zundertA.A.J.&knapeJ.T.A. (2010) Journal of Nursing Management18, 573–581 Personality dimensions and their relationship with job satisfaction amongst dutch nurse anaesthetists Aim This study investigates the relationship between personality dimensions and job satisfaction. Background The shortage of nurse...

Training transfer is crucial for workplace effectiveness, yet some of its social support antecedents are not well investigated. We examine the extent to which two forms of social support (from the organization and the supervisor) predict training transfer and propose several related processes explaining these influences. First, social support enhan...

The purpose of this study was to investigate which competencies underlie teachers' entrepreneurial behaviour. Based on the literature and discussions in the field, six competencies (entrepreneurial knowledge, career adaptability, occupational self-efficacy, creative thinking, networking skill, teamwork skill) and entrepreneurial climate were includ...

Background: An ageing population, combined with a shortage of health-care professionals, can result in a decrease in the capacity of health-care systems. Therefore, it is important to explore possible solutions for this problem. By finding methods to increase job satisfaction, it may be possible to retain employees within their profession. In this...

To meet the increasing demand for healthcare providers, it is crucial to recruit and retain more nurse anaesthetists (NAs). The majority of NAs in the Netherlands are >45 years old, and retaining them in their jobs is very important. This study investigates the relationships among burnout, physical health and job satisfaction among Dutch NAs. Two t...

Training transfer is crucial for workplace effectiveness, yet some of its social support antecedents are not well investigated. We examine the extent to which two forms of social support (from the organization and the supervisor) predict training transfer and propose several related processes explaining these influences. First, social support enhan...

Recent research on justice in organisations has demonstrated the importance of justice perceptions for a wide range of organisational outcomes. This article examines the role of justice perceptions in the context of organisational change. First, the relevance of organisational justice during organisational change is discussed. Next, a review is pre...

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to examine potential predictors of nurses' intention to leave the nursing profession. Specifically, this study investigates whether perceptions of the interpersonal work environment, work‐home interference, and subsequent job satisfaction, would predict occupational turnover intentions beyond the impact of nurse...

This study examined the importance of one's social work environment in the light of prevention of premature leave from the nursing profession. A research model with social support (from direct supervisor and close colleagues) as predictor and intention to leave as the dependent variable has been tested, while controlling for job satisfaction and ag...

This study among 702 Dutch employees working in the health care and welfare sector examined individual and organizational factors that are related to workers' employability orientation and turnover intention. Additionally, push and pull motives were examined of employees who aimed to leave their job. Results indicated that a strong employability cu...

The aim of this study was to investigate which leader behaviors mediate the relationship between leader expectations and employee engagement in learning activities. Based on Rosenthal’s Pygmalion model, five potential mediators of the Pygmalion effect were distinguished: leader–member exchange relationship, goal setting (i.e., goal specificity, goa...

This study investigated the early retirement intentions of 346 older Dutch employees by extending the theory of planned behavior with anticipated work conditions. The results showed that employees who felt a pressure from their spouse to retire early had a strong intention to leave the work force before the official retirement age, that is 65. Also...

Introduction Today’s organizations are facing dynamic and changing environments that emphasize the importance of enhanced organizational flexibility and adaptation. Increased competition, changing markets, innovation, and advances in technology are some of the forces that require organizations to continuously change and develop. In turn, this fast...

Purpose – This study seeks to investigate the time frames that employees use when considering leaving the organization, and aims to establish how employees with specific time frames differ from one another with respect to turnover predictors. Design/methodology/approach – Based on the results of a pilot study, five groups were distinguished, i.e....