Article

The Effects of Transition Stress: A Relocation Study

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  • MeylerCampbell
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Abstract

Survey participants (N=175) were drawn from six branches of a major British supermarket chain. Employees from three branches, who had been selected for transfer to new stores, were surveyed before and after relocation to examine the impact of this transition on individual well-being. A comparison sample of employees, drawn from similar stores but not involved in relocation, was also surveyed. Cross-sectional multiple regression analyses found that psychological distress was related to both work demands and personal characteristics (gender, neuroticism, locus of control, and social desirability response). Furthermore, path analysis revealed that after controlling for prior symptom levels, distress during the relocation period was predicted independently by the relocation and by work demands. Although in the present study it was not possible to account for differences in outcomes between new and comparison store employees in terms of changes in measured work characteristics, the negative impact of relocation was found to be buffered by perceptions of control and social support. Additionally, the impact of high work demands was buffered by Type B personal characteristics. Copyright © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

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... Previous research has revealed that working in line with the ABW concept can positively influence such areas of employee functioning as interactions, communication, time and space control, and satisfaction with the workplace [20]. Nonetheless, it is worth bearing in mind that changing the workspace and work environment can be a challenging experience and a process which (especially in the initial stages) leads to increased levels of perceived stress [21]. Giorgi et al. show, that work-related stress can not only have a negative impact on psychological and physical functioning of the workers (leading to anxiety, depression, maladaptive behaviours and job burnout), but may also affect the whole organization [22]. ...
... al. [24] who indicated, however, that this effect only occurred when the team was relocated in whole. Many sources point to some factors that can have an adverse impact on communication when working in line with the ABW concept [20][21][22][23][24][25][26][27]. These include the inconvenience of finding a desk to work at, noise in the office space, and the inconvenience of finding new colleagues if the team has not been relocated in whole [23][24][25]. ...
... The results also indicate that there is a correlation between the intensity of health behaviour and satisfaction with interpersonal relationships (e.g., communication with [20][21][22][23][24][25]. ...
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Objectives: The aim of the research was to explore the potential of the concept of work in the activity-based working (ABW) environment, including its impact on stress, back pain and psychomedical parameters of employees subjected to and not subject to relocation. Material and methods: The data of 396 employees of both sexes were analyzed. The study used standardized psychological questionnaires to measure the level of perceived stress (Perceived Stress Scale), the level of readiness for change (Readiness for Change Questionnaire), the severity of health behaviors (Health Behavior Inventory) and the level of general self-efficacy (General Self-Efficacy Scale). The set included questionnaires measuring the level of knowledge of occupational health and safety rules and the frequency of back pain. Results: In the group of people whose workplace was moved to another building (in accordance with the concept), the relationship between the level of stress and selected variables: age, sense of generalized self-efficacy was checked. A significant negative correlation between the level of stress and age was confirmed (ρ = -0.16, p = 0.023), meaning a decrease in the level of stress with age. The level of stress correlated positively with the sense of efficacy (ρ = 0.21, p = 0.003), which means, the higher the sense of effectiveness, the higher the level of stress. In addition, it was confirmed that the level of stress in the group of people changing their location differed significantly from the general population. Conclusions: Work in the ABW concept can contribute to the improvement of interpersonal communication and facilitate the social integration of employees and better evaluation of work in this model. Work in concept has not been shown to be a protective factor against back pain in people with obesity. It was confirmed that in people relocated from traditional office to office in the concept, relocation was associated with stress, but also with a greater sense of self-efficacy. Int J Occup Med Environ Health. 2023;36(4).
... Bu doğrultuda, belirsizlik çalışanların örgütsel değişim algıları sonucunda yaptıkları önemli bir zihinsel değerlendirmedir. Yapılan birçok çalışma belirsizliğin iş doyumunu azalttığı ve işten ayrılma niyetine neden olduğunu gösterdiği gibi (Ashford vd, 1989;Moyle & Parkes, 1999), örgütsel değişim algısı ile bu sonuçlar arasındaki ilişkiye aracılık ettiğini göstermiştir (Rafferty & Griffin, 2006 Değişim genel olarak; örgütlerin yaşamlarını sürdürme amacıyla çevresine verdiği tepkileri kapsamakta ve onları bir durumdan başka bir duruma dönüştürmektir. Değişim belli bir sistemde ve belli bir zamanda herhangi bir şeyde meydana gelen farklılaşma olarak tanımlanabilir (Erdoğan, 2002). ...
... Yani belirsizlik arttıkça bireyin iş doyumu azalır (Rafferty & Griffin, 2006). Nihayetinde yapılan görgül çalışmalar buna ilişkin kanıtlar gösteriyor ki, yaşanan belirsizlik iş doyumunu ve işten ayrılma niyetini etkilemektedir (Ashford vd., 1989;Moyle & Parkes, 1999). Yukarda yapılan açıklamalar doğrultusunda bu çalışmanın üçüncü hipotezi şu şekildedir. ...
... Bu da, çalışanların örgütsel değişim algılarının iş doyumu üzerindeki etkisinin gerek doğrudan gerekse belirsizlik aracılığıyla ortaya çıkabileceğini göstermektedir. Elde edilen bu bulgular, alan yazındaki sonuçlarla uyumludur(Ashford vd, 1989;Moyle & Parkes, 1999;Rafferty & Griffin, 2006). Çalışanların belirsizlik algılarının oluşumunda özellikle örgütsel değişimin nitelikleri büyük oranda etkili olabilmektedir(Rafferty ve Griffin, 2006). ...
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Z Bu çalışmanın amacı, algılanan örgütsel değişimin iş doyumu ve işten ayrılma niyeti üzerindeki etkisinde, belirsizliğin aracı rolünü tespit etmektir. Veriler, özel dershanelerde çalışan 161 kişiden anket yöntemiyle toplanmıştır. Anket formu, algılanan örgütsel değişim, belirsizlik, iş doyumu ve işten ayrılma niyeti ölçeği ile demografik soruları kapsamıştır. Değişkenler arasındaki ilişkiler, korelasyon ve hiyerarşik regresyon analizi yöntemiyle incelenmiştir. Elde edilen bulgular, algılanan örgütsel değişimin belirsizlik, iş doyumu ve işten ayrılma niyeti üzerinde etkisinin olduğunu göstermiştir. Ayrıca, algılanan örgütsel değişimin iş doyumu ve işten ayrılma niyeti üzerindeki etkisinde belirsizliğin aracılık ettiği bulunmuştur. Bu bulgular, işten ayrılma niyeti ve iş doyumları üzerinde, çalışanların örgütsel değişim ve buna bağlı olarak belirsizlik algılarının önemli olduğunu göstermiştir. A B S T R A C T The purpose of the study was to investigate the mediating role of perceived uncertainty on the relationship between perceived organizational change and job satisfaction and turnover intentions. Data were collected from 161 individuals from private teaching institutions using a survey instrument. The structured survey instrument included measurements of perceived organizational change, perceived uncertainty, job satisfaction, turnover intentions and several demographic items. To identify the relationship among the study variables, correlation and regression analysis were conducted. The findings of the study indicated that perceived organizational change significantly related to job satisfaction and turnover intentions. In addition, the results indicated that perceived uncertainty mediated the relationship between perceived organizational change and job satisfaction and turnover intentions. These findings showed the importance of the effect of perceived organizational change and uncertainty on job satisfaction and turnover intentions. ☼ Bu makale, 30 Mayıs-01 Haziran 2013 tarihlerinde Kütahya'da yapılan 21. Ulusal Yönetim ve Organizasyon Kongresi'nde sunulmuş bildirinin genişletilmiş halidir.
... To thrive in this transition required part icipants to understand what the journey might entail [29] and the components of the challenging circu mstance. This included perceptions of control [30], purpose [15,31], and confidence in their ab ility to master the new environ ment [32]: ...
... Those surviving struggled for clarity of direction, although they were beginning to understand the range of experiences involved in the transition. They were aware of the challenges and associated tasks [22], but had difficulty in applying the knowledge [24,30]. Further, they were inclined to see the transition and the challenge as a single entity, rather than a suite of demands: ...
... Those languishing were confused and struggled for direction, they were pre-occupied with the characteristics of the new environment and the loss of the o ld one [24,30,36,37]. They grasped at any opportunity and mimicked others to try and make sense of their experiences. ...
Article
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Young adult athletes are often required to relocate as part of their career progression. The transition between their 'old' and 'new' lives can have a positive or negative effect on their future career. The purpose of this study was to identify the processes and characteristics of thriving in periods of geographical dislocation; particularly the move away from the ‘familiar’ to the ‘unfamiliar’. A partially mixed, sequential design was employed, initially to identify the individualities of a group of 24 elite athletes. Despite their homogeneity on a range of instruments, the outcome variations were not adequately explained. Subsequently, the particular characteristics and processes that contribute to thriving were examined through a sequence of semi-structured interviews, and analysis. The responses that led to positive outcomes (thriving), in comparison to less positive (surviving), or even negative (languishing) outcomes are identified and discussed. The findings inform the need for a more nuanced and detailed cyclic, rather than linear, approach to the transition and any associated intervention strategies. Further research is needed to examine this new approach to managing transitions with different groups of participants and in other dislocating and transitional contexts.
... Bu doğrultuda, belirsizlik çalışanların örgütsel değişim algıları sonucunda yaptıkları önemli bir zihinsel değerlendirmedir. Yapılan birçok çalışma belirsizliğin iş doyumunu azalttığı ve işten ayrılma niyetine neden olduğunu gösterdiği gibi (Ashford vd, 1989;Moyle & Parkes, 1999), örgütsel değişim algısı ile bu sonuçlar arasındaki ilişkiye aracılık ettiğini göstermiştir (Rafferty & Griffin, 2006 Değişim genel olarak; örgütlerin yaşamlarını sürdürme amacıyla çevresine verdiği tepkileri kapsamakta ve onları bir durumdan başka bir duruma dönüştürmektir. Değişim belli bir sistemde ve belli bir zamanda herhangi bir şeyde meydana gelen farklılaşma olarak tanımlanabilir (Erdoğan, 2002). ...
... Yani belirsizlik arttıkça bireyin iş doyumu azalır (Rafferty & Griffin, 2006). Nihayetinde yapılan görgül çalışmalar buna ilişkin kanıtlar gösteriyor ki, yaşanan belirsizlik iş doyumunu ve işten ayrılma niyetini etkilemektedir (Ashford vd., 1989;Moyle & Parkes, 1999). Yukarda yapılan açıklamalar doğrultusunda bu çalışmanın üçüncü hipotezi şu şekildedir. ...
... Bu da, çalışanların örgütsel değişim algılarının iş doyumu üzerindeki etkisinin gerek doğrudan gerekse belirsizlik aracılığıyla ortaya çıkabileceğini göstermektedir. Elde edilen bu bulgular, alan yazındaki sonuçlarla uyumludur(Ashford vd, 1989;Moyle & Parkes, 1999;Rafferty & Griffin, 2006). Çalışanların belirsizlik algılarının oluşumunda özellikle örgütsel değişimin nitelikleri büyük oranda etkili olabilmektedir(Rafferty ve Griffin, 2006). ...
Article
Full-text available
The purpose of the study was to investigate the mediating role of perceived uncertainty on the relationship between perceived organizational change and job satisfaction and turnover intentions. Data were collected from 161 individuals from private teaching institutions using a survey instrument. The structured survey instrument included measurements of perceived organizational change, perceived uncertainty, job satisfaction, turnover intentions and several demographic items. To identify the relationship among the study variables, correlation and regression analysis were conducted. The findings of the study indicated that perceived organizational change significantly related to job satisfaction and turnover intentions. In addition, the results indicated that perceived uncertainty mediated the relationship between perceived organizational change and job satisfaction and turnover intentions. These findings showed the importance of the effect of perceived organizational change and uncertainty on job satisfaction and turnover intentions.
... Those who value stability will look for better and lucrative opportunities as a way out. Prior research demonstrates that psychological uncertainty is positively associated with intentions to resign a job (Ashford et al., 1989;Moyle and Parkes, 1999). This is largely because uncertainty is a contributory factor towards a negative assessment of the workplace and voluntary turnover is the solution for those who can act upon the situation (Meyer and Allen, 1991). ...
... Studying this relationship is important in light of growing automation that is severely affecting employment in the BPO sector in India. Our correlation analyses reveal that uncertainty of change is positively Insecurity and turnover as robots take charge correlated with job insecurity and turnover intention, a result that is consistent with previous findings Moyle and Parkes, 1999). Neuroticism is also seen in positive correlation with turnover intention, once again confirming results from previous studies (Almandeel, 2014). ...
Article
Purpose Data were collected using a survey questionnaire of 379 participants from business process outsourcing (BPO) organizations affected by robotic process automation (RPA). Structural equation modelling and hierarchical regression analysis were used to test the hypothesized relationships between the study variables. Design/methodology/approach The purpose of this paper is to develop and test a moderated-mediation model examining the relationships between uncertainty around changes due to RPA, neuroticism and job insecurity, and turnover intentions among BPO employees in India. Findings Uncertainty around RPA and neuroticism cause job insecurity among employees resulting in their intent to quit the organization. Further, the impact of job insecurity is influenced by employees' commitment to automation. Outlining the ways in which RPA-driven change impacts employees and organizations, our findings underscore the need for upskilling the affected employees besides developing coping mechanisms as a buffer to the negative impacts of large-scale automation-driven transformation in the industry under study. Originality/value Amidst the debate around the impact of RPA in developing countries, our research is the first attempt to systematically examine how RPA has led to concerns around job security leading to turnover intention among employees in the Indian BPO sector. It uniquely highlights the role of personality besides the issue of growing uncertainty due to RPA, requiring the immediate attention of organizations.
... The second contribution of this study is that relatively little is known about the role of change attitudes as psychological mediating mechanisms linking organizational change events with employee well-being. Researchers have identified increased job demands and reduced autonomy (Bamberger et al., 2012;Kivimäki et al., 2000b;Moyle and Parkes, 1999), changes in social support (Bamberger et al., 2012;Kivimäki et al., 2000b) and increases in unhealthy coping behaviors (Kivimäki et al., 2000b) as mechanisms that explain why organizational change events influence employee well-being. While these mechanisms are clearly important, research has not yet explored the role of employees' change attitudes as potential mediators of the relationships between organizational change and well-being. ...
... We argue that an individual's subjective perceptions regarding the extent to which they have experienced transformational change will be directly associated with insomnia and psychological well-being. In particular, any modification to habitual patterns is disturbing, as functioning in repetitive ways helps individuals to develop skills that allow them to achieve their goals, and provides them with a sense of control over their environment (Moyle and Parkes, 1999;Schabracq and Cooper, 1998). When major aspects of a workplace such as its culture and typical ways of working change, people experience a great deal of disruption. ...
Article
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Researchers have focused on linking objective measures of change exposure, such as the number of downsizing activities implemented, with employee well-being. This has meant that less attention has been paid to employees' subjective experience of change. The authors examine relationships between employees' perceptions of the extent of change and the frequency of change and insomnia and psychological well-being. They propose direct and indirect relationships via resistance to change between employees' subjective experience of change and well-being. Data were collected from 260 employees from a range of different organizations and industries. Respondents completed surveys at two time points, separated by four months. Results revealed significant indirect relationships between subjective perceptions of change and insomnia and employee well-being via affective resistance to change at Time 1 and Time 2. In addition, employees' subjective reports that change was very frequent were initially positively associated with T1 behavioral resistance to change but also were negatively associated with T2 behavioral resistance to change. Discussion focuses on the importance of managing employees' perceptions of change. Practically, the authors consider the difficult choices that confront managers when seeking to implement and 'sell' change within their organization.
... Relocation stress stems from the pressures of buying and selling property, finding new employment for spouses, finding new schools for children, the disruption of social networks (Challiol and Mignonac 2005;Pinder 1989), and/or adapting to an unfamiliar culture (Forster 1990;Hutchings and Wahyuni Ratnasari 2006;Munton 1990). Most of the literature on relocation and mental health suggests that the shorter-term aspects of moving-preparing to move, the actual move, and initial adjustment to a new location-heighten mental distress, but evidence indicates that these effects generally fade over the first year (Lawson and Angle 1994;Moyle and Parkes 1999;Munton and Reynolds 1995). Because most studies survey the respondents soon after relocating, studies rarely capture the long-term impacts of moving. ...
... Significant results are presented whenever the p value for the effect is less than or equal to 0.05. N = 1375 Studies of relocation and mental health have almost invariably focused on the stress that relocation produces (Lawson and Angle 1994;Moyle and Parkes 1999;Munton and Reynolds 1995). Prior to this study, researchers have paid little attention to the possibility that relocation might reduce mental distress. ...
Article
In this study we examine how the process of relocation affects the mental health of United Methodist clergy and the extent to which relocation is associated with changes in clergy perception of the workplace environment and feelings of self-efficacy. We analyzed data from a longitudinal survey of 1375 clergy, one quarter of whom experienced a move between the baseline survey in 2008 and the follow-up survey 2 years later. Contrary to expectations, we find that mental distress decreased for those who recently moved compared to those who had moved 2 years prior. We also find strong evidence of a “honeymoon effect.” Recently relocated clergy report higher levels of self-efficacy and higher workplace morale compared to those who do not relocate. This study underscores the importance of examining the short and longer-term impact of moving on mental distress and presses scholars to consider the ways in which, under certain circumstances, relocation may improve mental health.
... Within the auto industry specifically, a less visible difference between union members is their transfer status. Studies on transfer workers have shown the negative effects of a relocation on workers in terms of their psychological and physical well-being (Moyle and Parkes 1999). Furthermore, a relocation could be considered a breach in the workers' psychological contract, leading to emotional exhaustion and job dissatisfaction (Gakovic and Tetrick 2003). ...
Article
Industrial relations (IR) scholars emphasize the strategic choices of industrial relations actors to explain IR processes and outcomes. This article asserts that union member satisfaction is critical to realize unions’ objectives and that the local union and work context shapes satisfaction. The authors study the 2019 national UAW strike against General Motors in two, at first sight, very similar union locals. Union members of one local approved the agreement while the other local rejected the agreement. Through quantitative and qualitative analysis, the authors explain the different outcomes. Their analysis of a unique worker survey conducted during the strike shows that general member satisfaction was an important dimension for supporting the union’s strategic choices. Qualitative case studies of the two locals highlight the importance of shares of transfer workers—“invisible divides”—when examining member satisfaction. Broadly, findings contribute to the strategic choice literature and emphasize the local union context as a key locus for producing successful outcomes.
... The personality trait "locus of control," featuring whether one believes that the successes or failures are his achievements or because of luck or misfortune, is associated with job satisfaction. People who possess an internal locus of control ("internals") tend to be more satisfied with their jobs than individuals who possess an external locus of control (Lambrou, Kontodimopoulos, & Niakas, 2010;Moyle & Parkes, 1999;Spector, 2008;Watson et al., 1987). ...
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The purpose of the present study was the translation of the Job Descriptive Index (JDI) and testing it for reliability and validity, as in Greece there is not a valid and reliable measurement tool for job satisfaction (Aziri. The sample was random, with the requirements being employees with Greek citizenship and not self-employed. The sample consisted of 323 people, with ages ranging from 18 to 60 years old (M= 35.56, SD = 9.18). 47.3% were male and 52.7% were women. Participants completed the JDI along with the Employee Satisfaction Inventory (ESI). Results indicated a strong correlation (p = 0.79, DF = 321, p < 0.001) between these two questionnaires. Factor analysis revealed that JDI follows almost the same factor structure as in the American population. Although validity and reliability were established in Greece, future research should examine in detail the influence of demographic and emotional-personality factors that may shape the responses in JDI across different cultures.
... A recent literature review by Sullivan and Al Ariss (2021) attempts to make sense of different theoretical perspectives on career transitions, one of which is the adjustment to career transitions. Their summary of the literature on the adjustment perspective of career transitions (Nicholson and West, 1988;Callister et al., 1999;Eby and Dematteo, 2000) acknowledges that this is essentially a stress-coping perspective: career transitions are often stressful because they entail uncertainty and change, disrupt patterns and routines, and may threaten people's self-concept (Pinder and Schroeder, 1987;West et al., 1987;Moyle and Parkes, 1999;Armstrong-Stassen, 2003). ...
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A definition of career transitions was initially proposed by Louis in 1980. The pace of career transitions has since increased, unraveling traditional linear career pathways. Despite this, we have inadequate knowledge about what defines successful career transitions. Hence, we conducted a systematic review of the scholarship to understand how career transition success is operationalized and to identify research gaps and directions. We identified and reviewed 244 articles published from 1980 to 2022. We found that career transition success outcomes studied fall under the self-referent category, with the outcomes in the other-referent category absent. Further, most studies rely on a mix of objective and subjective success criteria, with no study considering possible interactions between the two. The review revealed a fragmented scholarship of career transition success and an urgency to broaden investigations of career transition success criteria given rapidly evolving employment trends globally.
... In organizational psychology, several studies started to examine the adjustment phase after (intraand interorganizational) career transitions (Latack, 1984;Nicholson, 1984). These studies mainly applied a stress-coping perspective: career transitions are often stressful because they entail uncertainty and change, disrupt patterns and routines, and may threaten people's self-concept (Armstrong-Stassen, 2003;Moyle and Parkes, 1999;Pinder and Schroeder, 1987;West et al., 1987). Organizational psychology researchers also started to examine outcomes of career transitions, such the impact on organizational commitment, satisfaction and engagement (Gesthuizen and Dagevos, 2008;Kalleberg and Mastekaasa, 2001;Verbruggen et al., 2015). ...
Article
How individuals can be employable and make successful career transitions throughout their working life is gaining increased attention from scholars in the field of vocational and organizational psychology for several decades now. Although contemporary career literature implicitly or explicitly assumes a strong connectedness between career transitions and employability, these two concepts have their own historical development in the literature. In this paper we provide a historical account of how the research fields around both have evolved, and we highlight some key insights from seminal work. We then review the literature to explore in more detail how the relationship between career transitions and employability has been empirically studied in the vocational and organizational psychology literature so far. We end with discussing the major observations from this review and formulate pathways for future research.
... satisfaction au travail, dé veloppement de comportements de citoyenneté organisationnelle ; Beal III, Stavros, & Cole, 2013 ;Krausz, Bizman, & Fox, 2002), ils peuvent aussi être associé s à des consé quences né gatives telles que l'augmentation du stress (Moyle & Parkes, 1999), de l'incertitude psychologique (Snir, 2017), du cynisme (Laframboise, Nelson, & Schmaltz, 2002) et une incidence dé lé tè re sur la vie personnelle des collaborateurs (Sagie et al., 2001). Mieux connaître les conditions de mise en place de ces transformations organisationnelles afin de les optimiser est donc essentiel pour les individus et les collectifs de travail. ...
Article
La recherche francophone sur les conditions psychosociologiques des déménagements d’entreprises est aujourd’hui encore très peu développée. Cette étude propose d’explorer les déterminants d’une attitude anticipatrice positive vis-à-vis d’un déménagement organisationnel via un modèle explicatif psychosocio-environnemental. Précisément, il s’agissait d’examiner les effets du soutien socioprofessionnel et de l’attachement au lieu de travail sur la satisfaction anticipée vis-à-vis d’un déménagement et de démontrer le rôle médiateur dans cette relation de l’adhésion à la décision de l’entreprise de déménager. Au total, 119 employés d’une entreprise du secteur audiovisuel français ont complété le questionnaire. Les résultats ont démontré que l’attachement au lieu de travail inhibe et inversement que le soutien social accroît la satisfaction anticipée vis-à-vis du déménagement. L’adhésion à la décision de l’entreprise de déménager médie partiellement la relation entre les facteurs inhibiteur et facilitateur d’une part, et l’attitude positive vis-à-vis du changement, d’autre part.
... People experimented with different ways of using the new PWE and gradually learned how to make the most of it, but it took time for everyone to adapt. On the assumption that any changes in work-related behaviors and daily working life that persisted for 2 or 3 years could be considered permanent (Moyle & Parkes, 1999), we chose to collect the data in 2018, more than 3 years after the move. ...
Article
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In recent years an increasing number of organizations have started to rethink their physical work environments and recognized the value of having activity-based workspaces (ABWs). This allows employees to choose freely between several work environments based on their specific task. There is growing debate amongst researchers about the effects of ABWs on employee behavior, but companies are still not aware of the options available or the consequences of moving to an ABW layout. This single-case, exploratory study uses 36 interviews and multiple data sources in a German organization leading in use of ABWs to generate insight into this topic. We develop a taxonomy of ABWs and analyze how various design parameters affect how people perform in ABWs regarding communication, leadership, working style, and work performance. We relate these findings to previous research and develop a cause-effects framework of ABWs. Against these findings, we generate recommendations for future research and practice.
... In particular, the scholars have considered how trust, communication, mutual respect, and high-quality relationships facilitate coordination and learning in crisis situations (Dutton, Worline, Frost, & Lilius, 2006). A series of studies consistently have found that positive relationships can help employees reduce the negative effects of work stressors on work outcomes (Moyle & Parkes, 1999;Schaubroeck & Fink, 1998). For this reason, positive OERs are considered "the key coping resources that enabled individuals and organizations to develop resilience" in the face of adverse situations (Gittell, Cameron, Lim, & Rivas, 2006, p. 303; see also Carver, Scheier, & Weintraub, 1989). ...
Article
The purpose of this study is to explore the positive outcomes of organizational resilience to see how resilient employees can support an organization by adapting to and initiating changes during the recovery process following a crisis. This study focuses on organizational resilience generated by employees, as a resilient system, through their psychological ability and positive communication behaviors. Resilient employees can help their organization bounce back to normal functioning following a crisis. A nationwide survey (N = 830) was conducted among full-time employees in the U.S. to examine the positive effect of organizational resilience on employee work-role performance. The results indicate that organizational resilience was positively and significantly associated with: employees’ intentions for proficiency, adaptivity and proactivity of organizational members, thus contributing to organizational effectiveness after a crisis situation.
... Soziale Anbindung wird als Ressource bei der professionellen und privaten Integration verstanden, da für ÄiM der Anschluss an Akteurinnen und Akteure Unterstützung und Informationen bedeuten kann (Terry & Lê, 2014). Aus arbeitspsychologischer Perspektive kann soziale Anbindung und Zufriedenheit Arbeitsmotivation und -leistungen verbessern (McCloskey, 1990), auch und besonders in Phasen der Transition (Übergänge in neue soziale Kontexte (Moyle & Parkes, 1999)). Soziale Anbindung beeinflusst seelische und körperliche Gesundheit der Ärztinnen und Ärzte (Drössler, 2016;Han & Humphreys, 2006;Na & Hample, 2016;Rydstedt et al., 2012) und darüber auch die Versorgungsqualität (Wallace et al., 2009) und die Patientensicherheit (Dewa et al., 2017). ...
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In many rehabilitation clinics we find migrated physicians. They are faced with different challenges in the mostly rural or provincial areas: they need to seek for professional and social integration at their workplace and privacy. Since social integration is narrowly connected with quality of life and work ability, the research questions of this present studies are: Which social contacts can migrated physicians approach? Which challenges and chances do these relations offer? Which strategies can be observed in migrated physicians to build up social networks? The aim is to find pathways to interventions which might improve social integration. We conducted guide interviews with 56 migrated physicians and persons from their working context. Data analysis was done with thematic analysis according to Braun and Clarke (2006). As a result, we found four groups to which migrated physicians built up contacts: friends and acquaintances in general, their family, their communities of origin, and their work team. Building up contacts is hard for migrated persons in general and migrated physicians in rural and provincial regions specifically. Different strategies of acculturation could be observed. Based on these, pathways to interventions of the levels of individuals (proactivity behavior), team (get together by introducing culinary specialties), organization (structured training), regional and over-regional activities (festivities, mentoring networks) are derived.
... On the other hand, the results may also be explained by employees not yet being familiar with their new work surroundings. A new work environment stipulates a certain time period for familiarization, and this may have holistic effects on the employee, manifesting in psychological distress for example, and affect work performance as well as job satisfaction (Munton, 1990, Moyle andParkes, 1999). ...
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Purpose This study assessed employees’ perceptions of their hospital work environment, its quality and functionality, as well as their satisfaction and well-being both before and after relocation within the hospital campus. Design/methodology/approach The study was carried out in a Finnish University Hospital. Employees from the anesthesia, orthopedics and physiatrics department took part in the study. The data was collected from the employees with online questionnaires before and after the relocation. The statistical differences between the questionnaire variables were analyzed using the Chi-square test. Findings Remarkable improvements in the quality of the new workplace included ability to adjust temperature, ventilation and furniture, ability to see out of windows, accessibility, number of meeting rooms, places to discuss confidential matters, quality of interior design, improved work satisfaction, desire to implement Lean. Significant deteriorations after relocation included unsettled work environment, impaired quality of cooperation and decreased interaction between employees. Originality/value This study discovered several improvements in the new facilities that had a visible effect on the assessed employee satisfaction and well-being parameters. The paper contains new, significant information that is relevant to the hospital facilities management and provides insight about the pros and cons of relocation and wherein their focus should be placed.
... Fuqua et al., 1987 ;Weinstein et al., 2002). Il semble ainsi qu'une combinaison des dimensions de caractère consciencieux (bas) et Névrosisme (élevé) contribue de manière conséquente à prédire un type d'évaluation cognitive associé au sentiment de ne pas être en mesure de faire face aux exigences du choix professionnel ( Massoudi, 2006 ;Moyle et Parkes, 1999 ;Rolland, 2003). Plusieurs études ont souligné l'association négative entre l'indécision et certaines caractéristiques individuelles, notamment l'estime de soi, l'efficacité personnelle perçue ou le contrôle perçu ( Betz et Voyten, 1997 ;Feldmann, 2003 ;Weinstein et al., 2002). ...
... 9 (Against the predominantly working line, some studies have failed to demonstrate the hypothesis of the moderating role of the LOC. In this sense, Moyle and Parkes 42 found that work LOC (WLC) had no influence, neither direct nor indirect, on psychological strain.) The most frequently found evidence suggests that individuals with an internal LOC tend to be more satisfied with their work and experience greater well- being. ...
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... In a study examining the effects of worksite relocation on retail employees, perceived social support from managers was associated with lower psychological stress (Moyle and Parkes, 1999). In a study of employees at a UK public utility plant, low levels of support from managers and colleagues were associated with higher levels of role conflict, role overload, and role ambiguity during organisational change (Swanson and Power, 2001). ...
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... relationships, employees respond to the same stressful events with less negative impact on their well-being (Carver, Scheier, and Weintraub 1989;Aiello and Kolb 1995;Moyle and Parkes 1999). ...
... This balancing act between attention to our thoughts and attention to the world plays out in a number of psychological domains and may sometimes become morbidly unbalanced. For example, big life transitions tend to increase problems in attentiveness to the world (e.g., Fisher & Hood, 1987;Thurber & Walton, 2012) Moyle & Parkes, 1999) and increased attention to our thoughts tends to have an adverse effect on mood (e.g., Killingsworth & Gilbert, 2010;McVay, Kane, & Kwapil, 2009). Further, people suffering from depression typically report very high degrees of rumination which is accompanied with problems concentrating on events around them (see Greenberg, Pyszczynski, Burling, & Tibbs, 1992;Ingram & Smith, 1984;Lyubomirsky & Nolen-Hoeksema, 1995;Nolen-Hoeksema, 2000;Smith & Alloy, 2009 for a review). ...
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... Given the high levels of stress an individual is faced with when going through a transition, and the immense pressure that is placed on their coping resources, one may anticipate that support from family and friends during this period would be invaluable (Moyle & Parkes, 1999). The type of support found to be beneficial during transition is social support. ...
... As discussed earlier, the perception of frequency of change has been described as one of the most impactful features that have adverse effect on individuals (Lazarus and Folkman 1984). Research has shown that change signals psychological uncertainty to employees and may reduce their self-esteem (Ashford et al. 1989;Moyle and Parkes 1999). Similarly, Brown and Marshall (2006) stress that valence events (e.g., change) either boost or threaten people's self-esteem, especially their feelings of state selfesteem. ...
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... Bamberger et al. (2012) suggested that the effects of restructuring on mental health are short term, and that these effects diminish after a period of time. Some studies (Dahl, 2011;Moyle & Parkes, 1999) have supported this and show that the effects on worker well-being in the early stages of the restructuring process, the so-called acute short-term effects, are the largest. If the follow-up period is long, worker well-being may stabilize. ...
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The present review presents an overview of published longitudinal empirical research on the impact of restructuring on employee well-being. We investigated whether restructuring with staff reductions impacts differently on worker well-being than restructuring without staff reductions and the differences between short and longer term effects of restructuring. Furthermore, we investigated the mechanisms that explain these well-being effects. We conducted a literature search focusing on longitudinal, peer reviewed, English-written studies from the period 2000-2012. Thirty-nine papers fulfilled the inclusion criteria. We found that restructuring events, with and without staff reductions, mainly have a negative impact on the well-being of employees. The majority of studies showed negative changes over time, on the short and longer term. Some groups of workers reacted less negative. For example workers with a high organisational status before restructuring and workers with a change in workgroup. Variables that intervened in the relationship between restructuring and well-being were physical demands, job control, communication, provision of information, training, procedural justice, job insecurity and change acceptance. Low income employees were identified as a possible vulnerable group. More high quality longitudinal research is needed to get more insight in the impact of restructuring over time and the intervening variables.
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Thesis
Esta investigación pretende conocer el nivel de estrés, el grado de satisfacción y de salud mental del profesor, identificando las condiciones estresoras y las relaciones entre las variables socio-demográficas, laborales, de los centros y de desempeño con la satisfacción, la salud y el estrés y pronosticar el grado de estas tres variables criterio.
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The aim of this study is to analyse the reliability and validity of job factors in relation to the impact of occupational stress on employees' somatic symptoms, job anxiety and turnover intention through a two time cross-sectional study of the Water and Power Development Authority (WAPDA). The method employed consisted of two times self-reported crosssectional surveys that covered 420 respondents at Tl and 388 respondents at T2. Results: Appropriate internal consistencies of the seven scales i.e. demands, control, job stress, social supports, employees' somatic symptoms, job anxiety and turnover intention were obtained. Zero-order correlation and linear and multiple regressions analysis replicated the theoretically assumed structure of the job factors and employees' somatic symptoms, job anxiety and turnover intention construct in men and women collectively. Evidence of criterion validity was obtained from cross-correlations of the scales and from their linear an d multiple regression analysis. Finally, all seven measures were associated with a highly significant ratio of job stress, and the effect was strongest for the job stress ratio as predic ted by the fundamental theory of Karásek. Conclusion: We examine how users, who are assimilating job factors into their work, experience the level of work related demands in their jobs, the level of autonomy/control they have over their work, and how these relate to outcomes, such as employees' somatic symptoms, job anxiety and turnover intention. Based on the results of this study the seven-version scale is considered reliable and servf.s as a valid instrument for measuring psychosocial pressure in work environment. These outcomes and measures are • applicable to all services and manufacturing industries.
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Downsizing, restructuring and lay-offs have become recurrent practices among companies today. Whilst the consequences of such major changes on individual well-being are well documented, little is known about the nature of work environment changes confronting workers and how they appraise these events. The objective of the present study was to combine quantitative and qualitative data in order to get a better understanding of organizational changes from a transactional perspective. Fifty-seven workers from seven companies were interviewed. Interviews were transcribed and analyzed along three axes: (a) What were the changes confronting workers? (b) How did they react to these changes? (c) How did they perceive the way their company dealt with these changes ? Results indicate that workers were mainly confronted with changes among colleagues and supervisors, changes in terms of workload as well as task content. Moreover, it appears that not all changes were appraised negatively. With regard to the consequences reported by workers, the findings reported in existing literature were generally supported by the current data. Workers reported a general deterioration of their quality of life, a degradation of working climate and an increase in job insecurity as a result of organizational changes. Finally, workers indicated that the way companies managed changes was not really efficient. Workers complained mainly about information. They reported that they were either poorly informed or not informed at all about future changes. In conclusion, this study stresses the need for a qualitative analysis of the experience of workers confronted with organisational changes.
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In this article, we attempt to distinguish between the properties of moderator and mediator variables at a number of levels. First, we seek to make theorists and researchers aware of the importance of not using the terms moderator and mediator interchangeably by carefully elaborating, both conceptually and strategically, the many ways in which moderators and mediators differ. We then go beyond this largely pedagogical function and delineate the conceptual and strategic implications of making use of such distinctions with regard to a wide range of phenomena, including control and stress, attitudes, and personality traits. We also provide a specific compendium of analytic procedures appropriate for making the most effective use of the moderator and mediator distinction, both separately and in terms of a broader causal system that includes both moderators and mediators. (46 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2012 APA, all rights reserved)
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The impact of an externally imposed organizational restructuring on role per ceptions, satisfaction, and relationships among organizational members was investi gated. Representative samples, randomly selected, from a large Midwestern organization completed the annual employee opinion survey at two points in time, the first survey was conducted approximately one year before the restructuring process was officially mandated, and the second survey was conducted three months after the mandated restructuring effective date was determined. Results indicated that organization level moderated the impact of organizational restructuring on satisfaction with supervision and security. The effect for satisfaction with security was found only for those individuals who had experienced a job change within the 12 months prior to the second survey.
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This study examined the effects of personal and social resources, coping strategies and appraised stress on employees' levels of anxiety and depression. In relation to the effects of resources and coping strategies, two different models were tested. The main effects model proposes that, irrespective of the level of stress, coping resources and coping strategies have direct effects on well-being. In contrast, the buffering model predicts that the buffering effects of coping resources ad strategies are only evident at high levels of stress. One hundred lawyers completed a structured self-administered questionnaire that measured their personal and social resources, use of problem-focused and emotion-focused coping strategies, and appraisals of the stressfulness of the situation. Results revealed generally strong support for the main effects model in the prediction of employee levels of anxiety and depression. Lower levels of anxiety were linked to judgements of lower levels of organizational change, greater self-confidence, greater internality of control beliefs and less use of emotion-focused coping strategies. Lower levels of depression in employees were also linked to judgements of lower levels of organizational change, greater use of resources and less appraised stress. There was only limited support for the buffering effects model. Due to the small size of the sample, the findings need to be explored further in other contexts.
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98 managers, 166 staff/administrative personnel, and 133 manual workers (aged 18–65 yrs) in the same company were surveyed prior to privatization (T1), 8 mo following privatization (T2), and after 12 mo of reorganization (T3). Dependent variables were job satisfaction and mental and physical health; independent variables were perceived uncertainty, locus of control, Type A behavior, and trait neuroticism. Significant differences among groups were observed over all 3 stages on measures of job satisfaction. Significant within-S variance was observed in job satisfaction at T2 and T3, characterized by a decline at T2 and an upturn at T3. T1–T3 changes in mental health symptoms were minimal. Significant variation in self-reported physical health symptoms was observed at T1 and T2. Employees' locus of control and their perceptions of uncertainty partially accounted for the degree of variation in measures over this period. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2012 APA, all rights reserved)
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129 nursing employees completed the Job Descriptive Index and a measure of job-related tension twice at a 5-mo interval. Findings suggest that job tension and overall satisfaction were reciprocally caused. Consideration of specific facets of satisfaction revealed differing causal influences; dissatisfaction with work and with physicians preceded job tension, whereas dissatisfaction with supervision and with pay resulted from job tension. Characteristics of the work itself and powerful role senders other than the immediate supervisor are potential points of intervention for alleviating job tension in employees, and relieving tension may represent an alternative to raising salaries in reducing pay dissatisfaction. (25 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2012 APA, all rights reserved)
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This study described the various ways that newcomers proactively attempt to gain feelings of personal control during organizational entry and examined their longitudinal effects on self-reported performance and satisfaction in a sample of organizational newcomers. The results suggest that individuals engage in proactive activities such as information and feedback seeking, relationship building, job-change negotiating, and positive framing during entry and that individual differences in desired control were related to 6 proactive entry tactics. However, only some of these tactics were related to self-reported performance and job satisfaction. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2012 APA, all rights reserved)
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The paper reports on a study of adjustment to change, a topic of fundamental importance in the development of individuals and organizations. The study, involving 2304 male and female British managers (extended longitudinally with 1100 of the original sample) reveals that between 34 and 50 per cent of job moves are into jobs for which there was no previous role incumbent. The character and outcomes of these job moves are related to Nicholson's (1984) theory of work role transitions and Van Maanen & Schein's (1979) theory of organizational socialization. The frequency, industrial contexts, main types, and role requirements of these moves are described. Satisfaction and personal change as outcome of moves into newly created jobs are related to role information sources, organizational culture, work characteristics, job characteristics, pre-transition anxiety, self-concept, work motivation and organizational commitment. These findings generally support Nicholson's predictions about how specific role requirements and personal characteristics will influence transition outcomes, but also suggest the need to refine some of the theory's constructs. The results further imply that proactive growth models of adjustment are more generally applicable to radical job change than reactive stress-coping models. The paper concludes by considering the implications of the findings for organizational practice. New occasions teach new duties: Time makes ancient good uncouth … J. R. Lowell
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The relationship between grade of employment, coronary risk factors, and coronary heart disease (CHD) mortality has been investigated in a longitudinal study of 17 530 civil servants working in London. After seven and a half years of follow-up there was a clear inverse relationship between grade of employment and CHD mortality. Men in the lowest grade (messengers) had 3.6 times the CHD mortality of men in the highest employment grade (administrators). Men in the lower employment grades were shorter, heavier for their height, had higher blood pressure, higher plasma glucose, smoked more, and reported less leisure-time physical activity than men in the higher grades. Yet when allowance was made for the influence on mortality of all of these factors plus plasma cholesterol, the inverse association between grade of employment and CHD mortality was still strong. It is concluded that the higher CHD mortality experienced by working class men, which is present also in national statistics, can be only partly explained by the established coronary risk factors.
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We predicted that the dispositional construct negative affectivity (NA) would be related to self-report measures of job stress and job strain and that observed relationships between these stress and strain measures would be inflated considerably by NA. Results of a study of 497 managers and professionals were largely consistent with those expectations. Thus, we discuss implications for NA as both a methodological nuisance and a substantive cause of stressful work events, and conclude that NA should no longer remain an unmeasured variable in the study of job stress. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2012 APA, all rights reserved)
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Perhaps because negative emotions are frequently expressed in physiological reactions, psychosomatic theories have often identified Neuroticism and its component traits (including anxiety, anger, and depression) as causal influences on the development of disease. These views are apparently supported by correlations between physical symptom reports and measures of Neuroticism in males. Data from 347 adult women in the Baltimore Longitudinal Study of Aging replicate this finding for total physical complaints and for most body systems. However, analyses of mortality in the literature and in the present article show no influence of Neuroticism, suggesting that symptom reporting may be biased by Neuroticism-related styles of perceiving and reporting physiological experiences. Researchers in this area are urged to employ objective measures of medical status, and to be alert to possible biases of self-selection and selective perception in interpreting associations between Neuroticism and disease.
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Although researchers generally agree that social support reduces the impact of stress on psychological well-being, little is known about how this stress-buffering effect actually takes place. The purpose of this study was to demonstrate that social support operates by bolstering internal locus of control beliefs. Data from a longitudinal study of older adults suggest that the relationship between support and perceived control is nonlinear. Increases in social support tend to increase feelings of control, but only up to a certain threshold. Beyond this point, additional support tends to decrease feelings of personal control. This nonlinear relationship was observed with emotional support and integration (i.e., support provided to others) but not with informational or tangible support.
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In this article, we attempt to distinguish between the properties of moderator and mediator variables at a number of levels. First, we seek to make theorists and researchers aware of the importance of not using the terms moderator and mediator interchangeably by carefully elaborating, both conceptually and strategically, the many ways in which moderators and mediators differ. We then go beyond this largely pedagogical function and delineate the conceptual and strategic implications of making use of such distinctions with regard to a wide range of phenomena, including control and stress, attitudes, and personality traits. We also provide a specific compendium of analytic procedures appropriate for making the most effective use of the moderator and mediator distinction, both separately and in terms of a broader causal system that includes both moderators and mediators.
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A number of apparently diverse personality scales––variously assessing trait anxiety, neuroticism, ego strength, general maladjustment, repression-sensitization, and social desirability––are reviewed and are shown to be in fact measures of the same stable and pervasive trait. An integrative interpretation of the construct as Negative Affectivity (NA) is presented. A review of studies using measures such as the Beck Depression Inventory, Eysenck Personality Inventory, and Multiple Affect Adjective Check List indicate that high-NA Ss are more likely to experience discomfort at all times and across situations, even in the absence of overt stress. They are relatively more introspective and tend differentially to dwell on the negative side of themselves and the world. Further research is needed to explain the origins of NA and to elucidate the characteristics of low-NA individuals. (5½ p ref)
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This study uses longitudinal data to observe how life events, chronic life strains, self concepts, coping, and social supports come together to form a process of stress. It takes involuntary job disruptions as illustrating life events and shows how they adversely affect enduring role strains, economic strains in particular. These exacerbated strains, in turn, erode positive concepts of self, such as self-esteem and mastery. The diminished self-concepts then leave one especially vulnerable to experiencing symptoms of stress, of which depression is of special interest to this analysis. The interventions of coping and social supports are mainly indirect; that is, they do not act directly to buffer depression. Instead, they minimize the elevation of depression by dampening the antecedent process.
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On the basis of a brief review of the health, organizational, and personality psychology literatures supportive of the expectation that observed relations between self-reports of stressors and strains are influenced by the mood-dispositional dimension negative affectivity (NA), reanalyses of four data sets were conducted. The results of these reanalyses, contrary to the assertions of several authors in the applied psychology literature, offered further support for the hypothesized "nuisance" properties of NA in studies involving relations between self-reports of stressors and strain. A discussion of how NA and other mood-dispositional dimensions may be of interest to investigators concerned with relations between self-reports of any condition of employment and any affective state of workers is presented.
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The authors examined the moderating effects of organizational commitment on the relationship of stress with job satisfaction, intent to quit, and health during organizational turmoil. Panel data were provided by hospital employees surveyed before and after a major divisional consolidation. Findings indicated that commitment buffered the relationship between stress and job displeasure (a canonically derived variate combining residualized job dissatisfaction, intent to quit, and irritation). Stress increased job displeasure only when commitment was low.
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This paper examines the psychometric properties of an existing measure of mental health, the GHQ-12, as revealed in three studies involving employees in an engineering firm (n = 659), recent school-leavers (n = 647), and unemployed men (n = 92). The measure was shown to be psychometrically sound in all cases, with a Likert scoring method providing a more acceptable distribution of scores than the more commonly deployed ‘ GHQ score ’ for use in parametric statistical analyses. Scores on GHQ-12 were found to be much higher (indicating lower mental health) for those who were unemployed, higher for women than for men in one sample, and unrelated to age, job level and marital status.
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This article examines the coping mechanisms employees used to adapt to a major organizational transition. Research was conducted to assess both coping resources and coping responses. The sample consisted of employees of the Bell Telephone System who had to cope with the company's recent divestiture. The results of a multivariate analysis suggest that perceived uncertainty and fears about the impact of the transition were related to employee stress. This relationship was only moderately affected by the coping mechanisms. Feelings of personal control and the ability to tolerate ambiguity were linked with improved stress levels, whereas active attempts to structure the situation by obtaining information and feedback either failed to affect or actually increased stress levels. The author concludes with implications of this research for the management of change.
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Work related psychosocial stressors originate in social structures and processes, affect humans through psychological (higher nervous) processes and influence health through four types of interrelated mechanisms-cognitive, emotional, behavioural and physiological. The health outcome is modified by situational (e.g. social support) and individual factors (e.g. personality, coping repertoire). The work environment-stress-health system is dynamic, with many feedback loops. There is little, but increasing, direct evidence of a causal relationship between work-related psychosocial stressors and the incidence of occupational morbidity and mortality. However, a substantial body of indirect evidence strongly suggests that such associations exist and emphasizes the need to understand better their role. Accordingly, research and health action should aim at being systems-oriented, interdisciplinary, intersectorial, health- (and not only disease-) oriented and participatory. In order to identify and monitor problems, and to evaluate presumably therapeutic and/or preventive action, we need well defined concepts within a theoretical model, and reliable and valid methods of measurement for all key components of this system. Our meeting, and the resulting proceedings (WHO 1991),form an attempt to contribute to this development which is furthered by the publication of this special edition of Work and Stress.
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During times of significant change to organizations in strategies and structures, employees can experience high levels of stress as their jobs, areas of responsibility and roles also change. Yet research is curiously silent about how people react to organizational change, especially towards promoting healthy responses to change. As a first step to outlining areas for future research this paper considers a range of individual and organizational strategies that may be effective in reducing employee stress and related problems. Prior to the implementation of these strategies, however, organizations must empower employees to adopt the role of change agent and encourage them to take action to solve the problems that stress them. At the individual level, employees can respond to the stress created by organizational change by using problem- and emotion-focused strategies. Also important in coping with change are the personal resources of employees, including a sense of hardiness, beliefs about having control over their work environment, and the availability of social supports within and outside the organization. Although few organizations fully acknowledge their role in helping employees cope with change, there are a number of initiatives that organizations can pursue. Several strategies are discussed in relation to communication, leadership, job-related tasks and stress management programmes.
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Although laboratory studies have demonstrated that situational factors which are particularly threatening to Type A individuals induce both Type A behaviors and cardiovascular reactivity, field studies have failed to demonstrate consistent differences between Types A and B in response to stress. Rhodewalt, Hays, Chemers, and Wysocki (1984) argued that this inconsistency is caused by the failure to take into account the individual's perception of the situation, They demonstrated that Type A individuals who perceived high levels of job stress reported more psychological and physical health problems than Type As under low stress or Type Bs under high or low stress. This study attempted to replicate this earlier finding, as well as identify factors in the situation which lead Type A individuals to perceive their job as stressful. Three hundred thirty-six male school principals (categorized as Type A or Type B by the Jenkins Activity Survey [JAS]) completed questionnaires assessing their degree of control in their work environment, perceived job stress, and physical and psychological well-being. A path mediation analysis indicated that Type A individuals reported more job stress under lower levels of perceived control, and that higher job-stress levels subsequently lead to greater incidence of physical and psychological symptoms, especially for Type As.
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The effect of improvement of working conditions on symptoms of mental distress was examined in a longitudinal study of metal industry employees. The aim was to investigate the changes in working conditions, job satisfaction, and indices of mental health among the employees who were promoted or changed employer compared to those who had stayed in the same job during the 5-year follow-up period. Results show that work content and physical work environment had significantly improved in the job change groups compared to the control group. Job dissatisfaction, life dissatisfaction, and stress symptoms had decreased significantly in the job change groups only among the male blue-collar workers. The most powerful predictors of changes in job stress and general distress were changes in work content and changes in the quality of physical work environment. The multiple correlations obtained in the regression analyses ranged between 0.29-0.36.
Article
A set of four hypotheses about the relationships between word processor attributes and employee perceptions of control and satisfaction are developed and then tested in a sample of 109 clerical workers. Findings from this perliminary study support the first hypothesis, that electronic word processors, in contrast to typewriters, increase an employee's ability to control his or her work. The second hypothesis, that users of both word processors and typewriters will report the highest levels of control, was not supported. The second part of the study concerns attributes of electronic word processors. The third hypothesis was that employees who use computers that are more dependable, easier to use, and have higher quality screens will report higher levels of control. This hypothesis was only partially supported. Support was found for the fourth hypothesis, that the above trio of computer attributes Would be positively related to employee satisfaction with the word processor. Practical implications and suggestions for future research are discussed.
Article
An intervention consisting of a thorough examination of the psychological worksite problems and a follow-up with feedback and recommendations was made in four different office worksites. One of the sites («active» group) was more organizational change-oriented than the others («passive» group). The course was followed before, three times during the 3 months of the intervention, and 4 months after the end of it, by means of three endocrine plasma markers: cortisol, prolactin and testosterone. In both study groups the prolactin levels increased in women during the starting phase of the intervention, whereas in men prolactin levels remained stable with a tendency (p=0.06) towards lowered prolactin levels during the end phase of the intervention in the active group. Cortisol levels increased markedly in the passive group and tended to decrease in the active group during the intervention (two-way interaction p=0.003), particularly in men. These findings may be indicative of feelings of uneasiness. Testosterone increased in the active group only, particularly at the beginning of the intervention and particularly in women, and also increased in a non-intervention control group. Testosterone levels are associated with anabolic activity. An increase may be indicative of a «placebo effect» of the intervention. Testosterone changes were still clearly observable after 4 months.
Article
245 Ss from the staff of a large British university were randomly selected and surveyed on their perceptions of job satisfaction, workload, participant decision management, and attitudes after a large change to the structure of teaching. In addition, information on various possible organizational moderators was obtained. An interaction was found between 2 levels of that system, workload (psychological) and occupation position (organizational structure), in relation to job satisfaction. This interaction indicated that support staff actually became more satisfied as their workload increased, whereas the converse was true for academic staff. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2012 APA, all rights reserved)
Article
Examined the relationship between the number of prior moves, time living in an area, and psychological reactions of employees undergoing job relocation. 38 relocating employees (mean age 36.6 yrs) from a single organization completed questionnaires on average 6 wks before and 10 wks after their move. The greater the number of prior moves, the lower was the reported stress following the move. However, the relationship between number of prior moves and well-being also followed a quadratic trend such that those with few and those with many prior moves reported the greatest stress. Furthermore, the longer the relocator had lived in the area prior to moving, the greater was the general stress and the job-related anxiety and depression following the move. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2012 APA, all rights reserved)
Article
Two studies examined the role of social support in the context of the demand–discretion theory of job stress, with particular reference to additive vs interactive models. In Study 1, data from 145 health-care workers were analyzed using regression methods. Job satisfaction was predicted by the main effect of support, and by the demand × discretion interaction. In contrast, somatic symptoms were predicted by a 3-way demand × discretion × support interaction, support mitigating the adverse effects of high strain as compared with low strain conditions. In Study 2, longitudinal data from 180 student teachers were analyzed to examine Time 2 somatic symptoms, controlling for Time 1 levels. Again, the demand × discretion × support interaction was significant; its form was closely similar to that found in Study 1. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2012 APA, all rights reserved)
Article
This study examines the personal and situational characteristics associated with health status change in a sample of 572 managers. Organizational, social and demographic characteristics, environmental perceptions, coping resources and constraints, self-focused beliefs, characteristics of recent stressful events, appraisals of the event and coping strategies all make an independent contribution to symptom increases. When relatively stable background characteristics are held constant, the greatest associations with symptom increases are for trait anxiety, comforting physically coping, the nature of the most recent stressful event, environmental uncontrollability and organizational instability through mergers and acquisitions.
Article
To assess stress — the demands placed on the individual by his or her environment — life-event checklists and lists of daily hassles have been widely used. Such instruments are intended to reflect harmful, threatening, or challenging aspects of the environment, but they are likely to be strongly influenced by characteristics of the respondent, especially the personality disposition of neuroticism. Individuals high on this dimension perceive life as stressful, cope poorly, are dissatisfied with social supports, have low psychological well-being, and make more somatic complaints. Relations among these variables may be due to the common influence of neuroticism rather than processes of stress and coping. Longitudinal designs and objective outcome measures can reduced the confounding effect of neuroticism. By including measures of neuroticism in their designs, researchers can increase their understanding of the mutual roles of stress and personality in determining mental and physical health. By measuring neuroticism in their clients, stress management practitioners can gain insight into the reports of stressful events and conditions their clients make.
Article
Associations between increased job control and health status were tested with questionnaire data from a random sample of full-time workers (n = 8504) from the national Swedish white collar labor federation, TCO (representing 25 per cent of the Swedish work force). Of these subjects, 1937 had undergone a company-initiated job reorganization during the previous several years. Workers in the job reorganization group who had influence in the reorganization process and obtained increased task control as a result had lower levels of illness symptoms on 11 of 12 health indicators controlling for age and sex (11 of 12 associations significant for males, four of 12 associations significant for females). A previously validated measure of coronary heart disease was significantly lower in circumstances of increased job control for males (8.6 per cent symptom frequency with decreased control versus 3.4 per cent with increased control; p = 0.05). Absenteeism was lower: 10.7 per cent versus 5.0 per cent (0.01). Depression was lower 27.8 per cent to 13.7 per cent (0.001). However, smoking was significantly higher for women 11.0 per cent versus 23.5 per cent (0.01). All illness indicators showed that the process of job reorganization itself was associated with significantly higher symptoms (‘change stress’). However for males (only) symptoms levels when reorganization was accompanied by increased control were often as low or lower than symptom levels for no reorganization at all. Unfortunately, job reorganizations involving employee influence and increased task control were less frequent than job reorganizations involving reduced influence and no increased control, especially for women and older workers.
Article
In view of certain psychometric deficiencies of the original Psychoticism scale, an attempt was made to improve the scale by adding new items. It was attempted to increase the internal reliability of the scale, improve the shape of the distribution and increase the mean and variance score. Two different studies are discussed. Reliabilities are now somewhat improved, distributions are closer to normal and mean scores are higher than on the old scale. Four new short 12-item scales for the measurement of P, E, N and L are also given.
Article
A longitudinal study of job change among 1100 British managers is described. Repeated measures of perceived work characteristics, self concepts, and work preferences reveal that particular types of job change—employer moves, status shifts (up and lateral), and function change—have characteristic outcomes. Interorganizational movers and upward status movers in particular appear to benefit from job change. Job change is associated with increases in perceived opportunities for growth and material rewards, whereas immobility is associated with decreased opportunities. The results are discussed in relation to stress coping and environmental mastery perspectives on job change, and their implications for organizational, career and human resources development policies are briefly considered.
Article
Administered a 16-item measure of generalized control beliefs in work settings to 1,151 college undergraduates, 41 department store sales and support employees, 101 mental health agency employees, 292 national convenience store employees, 160 mental health facility employees, and 496 municipal managers. The Work Locus of Control Scale (WLCS [appended]) correlated significantly with job satisfaction, intention of quitting, perceived influence of work, role stress, and perceptions of supervisory style. Many of the relationships were considerably stronger than those found with the general locus of control scales (e.g., Rotter's Internal-External Locus of Control Scale). It is concluded that the WLCS may predict work behavior more precisely than the general scales. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2007 APA, all rights reserved)
Article
A stress-management model of job strain is developed and tested with recent national survey data from Sweden and the United States. This model predicts that mental strain results from the interaction of job demands and job decision latitude. The model appears to clarify earlier contradictory findings based on separated effects of job demands and job decision latitude. The consistent finding is that it is the combination of low decision latitude and heavy job demands which is associated with mental strain. This same combination is also associated with job dissatisfaction. In addition, the analysis of dissatisfaction reveals a complex interaction of decision latitude and job demand effects that could be easily overlooked in conventional linear, unidimensional analyses. The major implication of this study is that redesigning work processes to allow increases in decision latitude for a broad range of workers could reduce mental strain, and do so without affecting the job demands that may plausibly be associated with organizational output levels.
Article
SYNOPSIS This study reports the factor structure of the symptoms comprising the General Health Questionnaire when it is completed in a primary care setting. A shorter, 28-item GHQ is proposed consisting of 4 subscales: somatic symptoms, anxiety and insomnia, social dysfunction and severe depression. Preliminary data concerning the validity of these scales are presented, and the performance of the whole 28-item questionnaire as a screening test is evaluated. The factor structure of the symptomatology is found to be very similar for 3 independent sets of data.
Article
Questionnaires administered to 1822 members of the Framingham Heart Study from 1965 to 1967 provided measures of personality type, sociocultural mobility, situational stress and somatic strain. Clusters of questions selected by a panel of experts, and verified by item and factor analysis, formed scales of Type A behavior and other psychosocial states. The Framingham Type A behavior scale was significantly correlated with daily stress (.47), emotional lability (.43), tension (.42), anger symptoms (.34), and ambitiousness (.31). Women were less likely than men to be ambitious and to exhibit the Framingham Type A behavior, and were more likely than men to be emotionally labile, tense, and to suppress hostility. Few consistent associations were found between psychosocial stress measures and levels of blood pressure or cholesterol. Social status and marital conflicts were significantly associated with patterns of smoking. The Framingham Type A behavior pattern and other psychosocial measures were not related to the level of CHD risk, as determined by the Framingham logistic equations.
Article
The effects of life events and previous symptoms on current symptom levels were examined in a model using data from a 3-year prospective study. Male psychiatric patients and nonpatients reported on life events and symptoms every 2 months on 18 occasions. Logistic regression analysis of these data revealed little dependence of psychiatric symptoms on preceding life events as measured by the Holmes and Rahe Schedule of Recent Experiences (SRE). The best predictor of the current symptom level was the level of previous symptoms. It is concluded that efforts to relate changes in the social environment to health must first consider the possible contribution of the antecedent symptom level to the variability in health outcome.
Article
Although used increasingly frequently, statistical analyses to explore moderating as well as main effects have not always been well-understood by researchers in the stress and coping/support field. We attempt to clarify three areas of potential confusion. First, three approaches for estimating main effects in multiple regressions with significant interaction effects and two methods for estimating main effects when a test for interaction has not reached statistical significance are evaluated. Second, multiple within-groups analysis is explored as an alternative to product-term regression analysis for probing interaction effects. Third, stress-attenuation analysis is distinguished from analyses of stress-moderating effects by locating both within the general framework of the elaboration paradigm.
Article
SYNOPSIS Validity coefficients of the 30-item, 28-item and 12-item versions of the General Health Questionnaire (GHQ) were determined by comparison with the Present State Examination (PSE) in a sample of 200 17-year-olds. The PSE classified 7 people (3·5%) as cases, although only 47% were identified as free of symptoms. Misclassification rates, sensitivity and specificity values are presented for different cutting scores for the three versions of the GHQ. The GHQ-28 had superior values, especially with a cutting score of 5/6; the GHQ-12 with a 2/3 cutting score also had acceptable values. All versions of the GHQ correlated highly with the PSE Index of Definition and total scores, providing support for the treatment of GHQ scores as a continuous variable in this kind of population. Correlations between sub-scales of the GHQ-28 give further evidence for a general factor and the relative independence of the social dysfunction sub-scale.
Intracompany job transfers: An exploratory two-sample study of the bu€ering e€ects of interpersonal supportA scaled version of the General Health QuestionnaireLife events do not predict symptoms: symptoms predict symptoms
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Validation of the General Health Questionnaire in a young community sampleThe use of the General Health Questionnaire as an indicator of mental health in occupational studiesA cross-lagged regression test of the relationships between job tension and employee satisfaction
  • S J Ashford
  • J S Black
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