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Keep it steady? Not only average self-control demands matter for employees’ work engagement, but also variability

Taylor & Francis
Work & Stress
Authors:

Abstract

Previous research has demonstrated that work-related self-control demands deplete regulatory resources and thus impair employees’ functioning. But what is more harmful to employees – facing consistent self-control demands throughout the day or frequently switching between activities that require varying levels of self-control (i.e. self-control demands variability)? To answer this question, we draw from theories of psychological contrast to propose the variability of self-control demands (i.e. changes in self-control demands within a day) as a contingency that amplifies the negative impact of daily (mean) self-control demands on evening ego depletion, which in turn spills over to next-day work engagement. This amplifying effect occurs because on days with high self-control demands variability, the contrast between unpleasant and pleasant activities at work becomes particularly salient, which requires additional self-control due to stronger experienced goal-desire conflicts. We propose that employees with high levels of burnout may be particularly vulnerable to the exacerbating effects of self-control demands variability because they suffer from chronic impairments of their ability to exert self-control. A daily diary study with 86 employees across ten days (N = 525 measurement points) largely supports our conceptual framework.
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MEAN SELF-CONTROL DEMANDs & VARIABILITY
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,"
/,"K5*K*K1))K
  KH 
MEAN SELF-CONTROL DEMANDs & VARIABILITY
 '
7)*F,",)**: ))
)*5*,"))@.L$&3A5M55
) 5,"",5)).F
 )5 5"  5
*.,: 1@)?D 
$&&4A))H5*,*
, ),"5@ 5? $&&&A.1
 )))* )55))55)1))
,")*E *  )
)@>$&8K-5"$&3A6 )*E
,"@5555 )
,**5*)MA,
 ),"1),1)),"5
5)5) )N@.$&K$&&'A
5 1))," )5
 ))@)**A5*
))*,"),)"5*)
,*: 1@7?"99$K?$&9A7
,)5 ))*F))
*),"1),1* H)6"
 ) O"*)5OG*)
5 @$&4K$&$AG
 "   * 
)) 5)*))*F* *
,,"65*H551
MEAN SELF-CONTROL DEMANDs & VARIABILITY
 %
))))*5*))5 )*
)5)))5),: 
@(,$&$A))*,5)5*
1))5)* * 1
 *,1)))5)*,5
1))* ): *": ),
51 ",7), ) 5*
*  
6)5   ))15*,
 1) 1@ 5? $&&&A,
*@?$&9K ?$&&4A
)*551))*F
))*,1)*5*)) ,
 )H1)*,"6*1
))5*  )*,),1
))5*, )"
"*, )* ))5H1
) )*51))
5)1: *H))1
@),5*A) ))*
51)) 5)5
," )* ))57*))
5,5* ,,,*
,P5PP*E )P,"1) 
)*@!),)?-)$&&&A6")*
MEAN SELF-CONTROL DEMANDs & VARIABILITY
 2
 *5 * ,") ), ),
,"H)*, ,   ,
))5) )***
)*,5)5*1
))*H@($&'A))5) 
,*H G*  G,
)H 5),1  *,
5  ),M5
)5*1))),1,*)*
5)5*1))*,
),5  @1,* A
    ,
))5*51))@;$&4A*
) 1,)1)*5
5,,1)*5**,
5,,": 5 ,1 )
  )* * 5*5
)*1))7),*
5, 1) 1H,*)*,@
),A5*1))51
)) )*)),H
H 5 *"* * )
1)))5* ))
) )* H*"H) ,)
H )5*) H 5 ": 1
MEAN SELF-CONTROL DEMANDs & VARIABILITY
 8
@($&'A6*  )*   ))  
,"1)*)  
) )*,1, ),"
),"1),1;*  )*H)5 
H 5* ): 1))
*,1),")*@($&2K
$&3K-5"$&3A*H),: *
51)))5*,"H
,")*5)*) 5,")*  )*
" 5) : 1))*E
 *),")*)5H,")*6 
 5)5,),*,)*1
))51 )*5 )*
1))

 
6)*F,"5: *H1)
@)?D $&&4A @A@,),
)* **5   
  5, ))1) 
A)0@$A@,5,"
5"*)55)"*, )
,1))5A>5 
))1)))**F
* ,"@$&$&K-5"$&3A6
MEAN SELF-CONTROL DEMANDs & VARIABILITY
 4
)*H1)),E)
@," "A)@  FMA
-5 )*F *  *)
H1 ))1)5)@;
$&4A6   1) 1
H@$&$A55))5) 
1))),)5) H)1
),1))
7 )*,  * ))1
))*F))1
)),"5**,)*@$&$A ,)*
*,),*@?$&9K ?
$&&4A ,,)* "),
"@)5A *)*F
)**,
H ),@?
$&9K ?$&&4AI*)*5*
1)), 1))
,*: *,,5: ),
51) )*6 ,""*
) ): * 5* ,")*
,* ,"5*M*)): *
1,,"*  ") " )*
*),,),1
))51))5*
,1))5*))6 1
MEAN SELF-CONTROL DEMANDs & VARIABILITY
 3
)1))5*)),
5*: 1@?*5"*$&9AI 
5: )*551))
 ))*,*H51))
5*@(?)$&A,55*
*),,)* 5
*)  ))1@)
 ,)5) ),*, ))A)*
5*1)) )*))7
,)51))) 5
))*E * 5*,51
),))*5))
@ )5A)@A5
)*5))*F)
 !"#$% %
! $%%
!
 
!)5**E," *)
,":  * @$&$AH*: 
 * 55,," 5"
),,"),""
* ) 5",)),"
)*@($&2K$&3K-5"$&3A 
", , 1))*5),"
MEAN SELF-CONTROL DEMANDs & VARIABILITY
 9
5,)*5)  5
)*@!),)?-)$&&&A),) )
 )))55@,")
","AI)*,,*5H ,"
) )**5)5*1))*
))*),
5*  ,I ))
)*""*H,"H)*,
5 * 5H)*55*
 )  ,*5)*
 ,@-5"$&$$A6 N,*N)*1*
55)5*1))5H1)*
,")*),",") *F)
) 5)"
& !"#$% %
! $%%
!'$
$
% !
!! "#$%&
'%#()$%
D**: *5 *)*
5*1))K) *,5) H
1*"7)*EH 
  ,*5H)))H )*
MEAN SELF-CONTROL DEMANDs & VARIABILITY
 &
E,"@994A*),5**)
* "),,"1) )
@) $&$A)* )
,  )5,"1): *
*5)@($&'A ))1
  I)*, )
*H1 )"*5 M*H
5)5*1))*)
  1)1)",")7,
H )@($&'KB$&%K=);)
$&&2A)H ,5 
5*,HH H)5
,,"",: 1
> )*15H ) )*),
E * ,51@6 "
$&2A7H **,5
))*N)*M*5)5*
1))7)5) ,HH 
"*)**55)5*1
))6 ,*N/
(")$'$
%%%$ %! !
$
'!
MEAN SELF-CONTROL DEMANDs & VARIABILITY
 
*
Participants and procedure
) ))*)* )*,  )*5)*
) J39*6)
,) )5N) )
)))))H
))  )*,5))
6,)5),("
N E )
 )*)): 5155 5*1)I
*5*5)1 5*, )
5@))  A) ,") 6
*55
 )*,,),,"@1 5A,)
H,"5)* 5* : *)*),"
,") ),*),"
()))5)  5*)*/1,
 ,"@5J$/$8A$1  
,"@5J$/&A'1 )
,"@5J%/%$A)%1, ),"@5
J8/2A7)) 5*, 
*5))7)5) ,))* 5*
5 )*5)2&Q
5)8 3)*@))*,
5)) )*,))*H1)*5A
MEAN SELF-CONTROL DEMANDs & VARIABILITY
 $
 2$2)* 5*6E)
$&8*@*J'33%K#J'29A6,28R>
,"),/$&RR 59R76) 
9R)2R
Measures and control variables
 )'1 5* )* )*,
@S?>99$A  
75*@994A81;"@JO60 )
 OK2JO60  5*OA))
,**H )) ,"@O7 ) *
,"OA")H *5)T
U, )) 
7)* 5*$)',))
1))7): 
   )*, ))1
))*))D @$&&4A6,))
)>)1))21*
@JOOK2JO)OKO7 "
*,"": )5O@5A)
O7 *,": )*O@ ))A
7)* 5*)%,) 5)
F H, )),,,@OI
7* *OA6,)5))
5))*@$&A,))*
))* 5) @$&&&AI,)%1
;"1@JOOK%JO)OA
MEAN SELF-CONTROL DEMANDs & VARIABILITY
 '
;*)*1,",),
5))5,"@ $&&8A!
 )),"@5/O7, 7
 ,*O))/O7, 7,  *MO
)O7, 7,)*,"UA7 *,
HH1)*,"@<A
Analytical procedure
) ) 5.*I* ) 
) )@ *A )  
 ), ) 5)H *I),)
,, 3$@ V? V$&2A H ")
, ))).7@I 5? V$&9A
))***11))1))
@>$&&A))   H 5@
 ))1)55A
)),156,* ,*
. * 5)5
@,),5)5*KI 5?
 V$&9A),15*7)
,15,),5 ))
)5,@) A5
))))5 )))5)
)),5*,)5)  ,)
, ))5)
)H1)*,"7,1 ) 
MEAN SELF-CONTROL DEMANDs & VARIABILITY
 %
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 H 5,1 )))
, H 5@ )))5
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MEAN SELF-CONTROL DEMANDs & VARIABILITY
 2
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 )*5)* )5,1
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 *,H),15 )*56
 ,15),'8R)3&R7  )
),155* ))
@49RA)5@3'RA
*,)*5)5*
@A )))@A55
) ) *5)
5* )),*))@WJ
1$$J$8A7*, ))
5,*))@WJ%8X&A6
,))) )
@>$&&8AI, $,*
/)*,55*5*
H)5)5 )*1
55)*,,5*5
,55)
),1
*$)5@A 
)))@A5H1)*," 5
)))*15*))I
,5)5* )),
MEAN SELF-CONTROL DEMANDs & VARIABILITY
 8
*)),*H)*)
5*5* ))
),55*1)) ) *$
 *))55H
)*," ))*,5*5
@92R.7Y1$$'1&$ZA,),")*,
,5*5@92R.7Y1&$9&9&ZA
*' 151,* ,)*15
5)5*@A )))@A5
)))*15H 7
,),1,*) )*,
H),5H   )))
 *'15H ))))
,5) ))5*)
)@)*1,*7.H7.5H!!6$/WJ
1J'4A[, ) *'15H 
,5*)),1,*5)
5*5))@)*1
,*7H75H!!6$/WJ'%J&'AI)) '
),*'*)5) ,
),5H )
5*5,55
))6 )*)@(,?
-$&&8A>,)51
H ))*15*5 
MEAN SELF-CONTROL DEMANDs & VARIABILITY
 4
)5) ,,5H ),
"55)))
),55*@)/J&8%J2$A7
)5) ,H )
"55))))*
5*5@)/J'%X&A
Additional analyses
6 5 * ),))))
,,",)51)5*1
))@ )))5A,
)%6)),",*)
5 ))@WJ1&3J&$A)5
@WJ1&\&A,5,,,")
5*1))@ ))/WJ1&$J'3K5
/WJ1&\8%A))%@WJ1&8J&3AI)* 
  ,1)),")*))
)),")*),"H,")*
))))*,",")*
 ) *)1)1,*
55 )))5,
), N, ))15
@I)?]$&9A6,H))5
),,1,*15 
))@^)J&2A)5@^)J$A) 
N@;5 5DJ3K;5$DJ39A,) ,
, )""* 5, 
MEAN SELF-CONTROL DEMANDs & VARIABILITY
 3
)NWJ'8@I)?]$&9A,5)
N1,*55)55
)H @WJ'%A,5) )
515 N*5 
))1,* ))
MEAN SELF-CONTROL DEMANDs & VARIABILITY
 9
%
.*N*: *H1
 )5, ,"
"  )))*5*5
 ,")* ")*,)5
 )5),1)*5*1))
"5)*1))
))H1)*," ,   5 *
) )))*5 
)))5H : 5H1
)*," *F)5," 
  )5 )),"
55))*,1)*5* 
)), ) 5H1
)*," 5))*15
5*5)15H 
*5555H1)*,"
*)*,5*5
,*: *": ),5
56) *5)5) 
, )*H1)*
5H * ))**
 *  
,")51))
Theoretical implications
MEAN SELF-CONTROL DEMANDs & VARIABILITY
 $&
  )*H)H,"))*)*
55)) 5*@(,$&$A6
))55*1))
*F,"1),161
 )),"1)1,
)),")5 )1))5*
5 )*))H))H) "
  *F,"1),1* 55
))*)I)* )H
** )*11)*5551
)) *),1)*5* )*),
) )*551))
7*) )))1
)),* )*N),1,*5*
5) )). *
)H)*5: 
)5,, ",
"*) 1)),)
1))" )5)*))
D @$&&4D ?)$&&4A5 )
5)*5
1)))5M@)?
($&2A7 5 *
)155 )*
)75)  )*)**
MEAN SELF-CONTROL DEMANDs & VARIABILITY
 $
5 * 1
),)5)*5)15
5H1)*,"5)
)))**5),
,",)**)E) )H)*I
    )*),,5
"5**E : " 
@?$&9A5 ), 
 ),,5 ,)    ,E
 )5E5)@ ?
*$&$$A ),5)N
55555@-N?-*N$&&A,
5)1) )
1))5) ,")*55 *
,"1))"
6)  *H1,) 
)*EH 1")
15>5))5))
H ,,))@6 "$&2A
H 5 ) 5*))"@($&'A
,55)* )"1M1)
))H) ,,1)*   ))5
*))! )1,**
 5 *,H*H 
* ) )*)*1),
))5* )*  
MEAN SELF-CONTROL DEMANDs & VARIABILITY
 $$
),")7,)5)
5* )): 1, 5
.,)H)H)@B$&%A
H )* ) 5
*E 65 
5**5 )5* *H
155,,"
*  ))***,"
*  )1)))*
6*)5 
   ).5- *
@$&3A7 )5.5
- **  1))) *5
 )*)*,"1)
,,",")*) ,"
H,")*7,")))@5*
5)H A)*1)1
,
Limitations and future research suggestions
, ),1)*5*1))* 1
)) 5)*,5,5
)H)*@?_$&&A
) N,  *
)5@,*H*))CA )*
 5*)))5H 
5*,5  H.
MEAN SELF-CONTROL DEMANDs & VARIABILITY
 $'
@$&9A )*M)
)), 5 5 
5  ,"*,  *)
  )*H* 115)H
M1)5) 1))5*5 
)*@5) 5$&2A
),) )H ))" )
I")N ,1)5)*) 
H  5@S$&'K
$&8A)*, N 5H)
H  ,")@*
$&$K-)` N1 LN$&$$A55))1"
5*)5) )5*1)))
5*H)5) ,*)@,
 *))A),"*  
),1)))5*@-*?($&&&K=)"
$&8A**,5N )
))51))5* )5) 
),"N@-5"$&2AI)*  
H ), ) ) ))
 1"51))5*
)): 1))5*)
*,,),15 *
)5*)1))@ 
)))5AD,),))
 H*1))@ 
MEAN SELF-CONTROL DEMANDs & VARIABILITY
 $%
))AH ))5) ) 
)5) )HH 
*5)))  @ 
$&$&A*  **:  
)),"65)),
 5H )5) E,
5* * @($&'A, *)
1)) ,5 * 
5*6 ,)*1)))5) ,
),5H : )N *
  5,5,))
H )  )*,H 
 )*!5   "*),
)5 *)*@I"?
99A)5 *5) "))H
 )1,*@$&&A  
*  ) *H*
 ,1))  
Practical implications
 ),)*1))*E
* ,))*5*5 ,")*
)55 *5*, 
*H 65*)))*
,1))) 55H )5
))*,*5N5
))*,"  ) )  ))),*
MEAN SELF-CONTROL DEMANDs & VARIABILITY
 $2
,*  *,))"57
 1)*@5,A"1)))1
)M )*5),)
N)* @(,*?99A51
))*, 5 ")I 
 *5)*,))"* )*H
1))*,*))*))5
 ,")*@$&$A7551
))*E,1@-5"$&2A,5)*
5 )) )) )*H 
*@)?D $&&4A)  @>$&8A
*,*))",*)5) 
,")* ) )* 5, ) *) "
 )))),": 1@
5K*"$&'A
))))@($&'KB
$&%K6 "$&2A*N)
5*H **5
  )N* H*
5@)$&8K6"?$&$A5) @)?
$&$A): *@$&$A) H 
 )5)*5 )5
H 5,*5,1
))5@($&$$A75 )5,
5)*  )@S$&8A
Conclusion
MEAN SELF-CONTROL DEMANDs & VARIABILITY
 $8
>5 5*))1))
)*,1 )*55
H5 * )"*)5)1
))5*5) 5 
15 )))1))
," ,"  1
))5* *N)," 
*7",**@ *,5
  A )*5),,) ",,")*
MEAN SELF-CONTROL DEMANDs & VARIABILITY
 $4
+
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D, *>".I/
I)?]6@$&9A,,15)/I )
. P)*,&-@A9
/00)0&&'40&&&&92
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1&2@A9%$/00)0&&3&0&4&22$&32'42
I_ "D?-6@$&$A(,"**
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/00)0&440$&%'388$%2&3
II?("] @$&A..1(11..*
1)  @..1!@! AA7%%8
)9)&3@'A3298/00)0&&$%0&&1&82$0&&&&%$
SI?>B@99$A#*:;
<*:=*:=$#!(
.LI@$&3A"H*)H/!H*
H6>&@$A%%%%4&/00)0&440&&34$84348948
MEAN SELF-CONTROL DEMANDs & VARIABILITY
 $3
.NI? _!@$&A"/I: 55,
),")H ))2-@A
39'8/00)0&0M4%%1824&$&&&$&'H
(,_?-I@$&&8A>1,*)) 
/)5))1%0
)?@%A949$8/00)0&&'40&&$19&&9%94
(@$&$$A,5N,)*
5  5,))1/- 
, ) )1%4)&>@%A%$8%%&
/00)0&&'40&&&&'$3
(-5"?)B@$&2A: *)1*
5 )*/- ,)* )
1%0)@@@'A3&93$4/00)0&&'40&&'3'4'
(.?)B@$&'A  ))5
 /6H 55"
&>@$A8%13&/00)0&&3&0&$843'4'$&'49&$%'
(?)B@$&$A;))b))
*)1%445
)A3@%A228243/00)0&0M$&%%13'$2$&$&$&23H
(?)B1@$&A.  ,
))1)),"/- ,
1%0)?2@'A8%'82'/00)0&&'40&&$$'%
(,>!-5._.",-? @$&$A
7M))5*M))*/I1*1
%*->@8A8'&1828/00)0&440&%9$&8'$&98484
(,*(_?(.@99A6M)))*
MEAN SELF-CONTROL DEMANDs & VARIABILITY
 $9
))1%45:&@4A2928&3
/00)0&&&$0M%&'&$&4&%
!),)_-?-)D>@$&&&A",")*/.*
,,")* 0%*6
&3@A4399/00)0&$'&40$29$89
!).B?6(@$&&4A.)51
 5)/I,") )*&@$A$'3
/00)0&&'40&3$1939c$$$
*>_>(B)I?..@$&$A6"
/,*)H H )
MPB45*,-2@%A89$4'8
/00)0&440&298&$&$4848
 ;?*B@$&$$A") 1))," )
545:#)>@
&%'%/00)0&&80M)$&$$&%'%
;BNI1B-5"?)B1@$&3A>[ ,
,"/,,"1) ) 1,"): *
H1)*1,"=1%.
6) 3@3A424/00)0&''9&0M2&3424
;-5"?)B@$&$&A7))*1))
 M55*5)/,)**)*
0)2?@$A'$21'2&/00)0&0$4$
)_?_@$&$AI)  )  )5
,15)+=1%)
*-(@$A91$3/00)0&$9&0>%'$
 .(.?=".@$&$&A-,M
MEAN SELF-CONTROL DEMANDs & VARIABILITY
 '&
)  /I  1* ) ))
:-2@$A%814'/00)0&&'40 &&&&'&%
*I?>B_@$&&Ad *))
)), *:
6-3@%A8$488&/00)0&&3&0&&$4'4$&&%93$9&
!_D5 _1>?@$&3A.5
 NH/6* ): 
06%45)45:3@A&'
$3/00)0&%80 51*1&'$41&%8%&
 -e?=B(@$&$A!5*)*/I
H )*))11%)
)@&@8A'3''2/00)0&&'40&&$82%2
S-I_)I?;_@$&'A) 
,"/)  H )M
P1%0), ?A@$A'&'$2/00)0&&'40&&'''
7(?"_@99$A6  ,"/_))7(
( ?; @!)A %5
@=$82$&3A. >*>
B6(_?D5B@$&%A  )1 
5 0C)&A@$A$4%1$43
/00)0&&&$0$999
;[B.(;?,(@$&4A1,"0%
*0@$A4&'4'$/00)0&2%820$&2&$8
._"!?;>@994A  75*/6)
)7.>a: ?-_)@!)A."0 %
@9$3A,!) 
MEAN SELF-CONTROL DEMANDs & VARIABILITY
 '
BI.: _IB_?>;@$&4A7*
)*CI5M 5*)
0%*12@@$A4%'44&/00)0&2%820M$&%&%22
... ?_-!@$&9A-"
)*)5/I ))  0
%*0(@$A%4912&3/00)0&2%820$&4&&3
6-?_;-@$&&A )*/6)
,0%*6&2@%A2'&2%4
/00)0&$'&40'28&$%&
SI)>?I>@$&8A75,1
,"/I)N))5)N)
1%4)&@$A893
/00)0&&'40&&'9848
 5? -@$&&&A1 ))) /
(1 C):&2@$A$%4$29
/00)0&&'40&&''1$9&9$8$$%4
 V;B? V@$&2A*;DB>! V? V
D ?)B1@$&&4A!,"  )=) 5"N 
! 5)") )IY(5)
5))M)1))Z7%%8
0 %2'2%2
*D.?a(@$&&A(* )N
1%))?@$A499'/00)0&&$40388123330&&&&&9
>B_. >_? (_@$&&8A. 
  5)) 5
*1%.:(@%A%'4%%3
MEAN SELF-CONTROL DEMANDs & VARIABILITY
 '$
/00)0&'&$0&489938&'&&%%'4
>B_a* _?aa@$&&AI 5!,"
 5))*3@'A$&9$''
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,1,)/6H*1
)M *1%E:?&$$'$
00)0&&80MM5$&2&&%
-5"(?)B@$&2AI5)
)5,)*1)))*,1
1%E:AA329%/00)0&&80MM5$&2&'&&2
-5"(?)B@$&3A)*H,1
,"CI)* )**,,H5
)1))1%4)
&(@A99/00)0&&'40&&&&&'9
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)*)5,")
*51%4)
&>@%A%1%$2/00)H)0&&'40&&&&'$$
-)` N1 LNII;1>N_?- N1a>@$&$$A"
 *H ) )/,"*)*
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&440&338$8&2$&9''&'
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/00)0&$&402'$4924>>-&2&%f$
MEAN SELF-CONTROL DEMANDs & VARIABILITY
 ''
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/00)0&&'40&&&'1&88c2283
 ""I?5@$&&8A6 ,"
,: /I1 )*.
22@%A4&148/00)0&440&&'8%%&2$3$%4
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*&(@'A$22$42/00)0&&'40&&&&&$
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/00)0&&$40388123330&&&$'
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=1%*-@%A'93%8
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55*)10%
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_>?>B_@$&&3A.))/I5
)5)Y. ,Z
_?I@$&9A)*/,5"
) "0%*12&@$A%2%'8
/00)0&2%820M$&4&4'2
!-I?5>@$&&A.)),
: ))456*(@'A%281%48
/00)0&440&9%%$3&9'2$%
MEAN SELF-CONTROL DEMANDs & VARIABILITY
 '%
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,,"),"1%0)AA@'A2312$3
/00)0&&'40&&$19&&33'23
MN!_( !?""I@$&$A-,
5*),"/6)M1%0
)?>@%A3%$32'/00)0&&'40&&$3$9$
 _?;@$&&4A>*/I*)
**7(I?_ @!)A0
@9%%A>**>
*".I!?I.@$&'A*))76M/6
)) H),"11
%4)A@'A$2$18/00)0&&'40&&''&32
6"?@$&$A_  ))/5
))*5*1%0)
?>@'A89914&/00)0&&'40&&$89%
6 "_>(_.)7?a,(@$&2A6))/I
 )5)*N51%
0)@@@A$$4$'8/00)0&&'40&&'3&3$
=)"I(;..1?-..@$&8AI5,1
)*E*),"1%*
-&@2921$$9/00)0&440&%9$&8'88'$&23
=) 5( !?>.@$&2A6M5/
!M 1*)5,11%4
45)AA@'A22'$/00)0&0M$$3
5);)(BM>_!>?5M"-@$&&2A")
) /I )*  )5 
MEAN SELF-CONTROL DEMANDs & VARIABILITY
 '2
?@A$''8/00)0&&3&0&$843'4&2&&&82$42
B?*5"*@$&9A5)1 /6,1
5 )*1 )1
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MEAN SELF-CONTROL DEMANDs & VARIABILITY
'8
,-
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MEAN SELF-CONTROL DEMANDs & VARIABILITY
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MEAN SELF-CONTROL DEMANDs & VARIABILITY
'3
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C
MEAN SELF-CONTROL DEMANDs & VARIABILITY
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MEAN SELF-CONTROL DEMANDs & VARIABILITY
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MEAN SELF-CONTROL DEMANDs & VARIABILITY
... Commander's good leadership and followers' self-control According to the resource-based theory of self-control [25], humans use a finite set of valued resources to obtain, retain, and protect what they want. The process through which humans exercise self-control is not resource-neutral; it draws from a finite pool of resources. ...
... When these mental resources are depleted, humans tend to show diminished self-control over ensuing activities until they have had opportunities for recovery activities [26]. Consequently, to exercise selfcontrol over a particular behavior, sufficient provision of mental resources must precede it [25]. ...
... Furthermore, commander's good leadership was positively correlated with soldiers' self-control and negatively linked to their smartphone overdependence. These findings are consistent with our inference from the tenets of resource allocation theory of self-control [25]. In addition to the correlational analysis results, this study revealed that commander's good leadership could significantly predict the subordinates' self-control and smartphone overdependence. ...
... As our focal variables, such as the duration of virtual meetings and associated experiences of flow and emotional dissonance, as well as states of cognitive depletion can vary considerably across and even within days (Gerpott et al., 2023;Rivkin et al., 2018), we test the proposed conceptual model in two daily diary studies. As outcomes, we examine task performance (i.e., the fulfillment of core work tasks; Call & Ployhart, 2021) and counterproductive work behaviors (CWB; i.e., behaviors aimed at inflicting damage on the organization; Robinson & Bennett, 1995) as core indicators of employees' functioning in the work domain that are strongly related to organizational effectiveness (Dunlop & Lee, 2004). ...
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Purpose The organizational environment can influence how employees experience meaningfulness. This study examines the mediating role of meaningful work between organizational ethical climates and the affective well-being of employees. We also test for the moderating role of self-regulatory traits in this relationship. Design/methodology/approach Partial least squares – structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM) was employed to test the hypothesized model using responses from 430 working professionals. Recommended robustness checks were conducted before model assessment and hypotheses testing. Findings The findings suggest that a caring ethical climate is positively related to affective well-being. Meaningful work dimensions, i.e. unity with others, inspiration and balancing tensions partially mediate the relationship between the caring climate and affective well-being. Integrity with self and balancing tensions fully mediate the negative effect of an instrumental climate on affective well-being. Positive mediation of unity with others and negative mediation of reality were observed between a law and code climate and affective well-being. Moderating effects of self- and other-orientation and self-monitoring were also observed. Research limitations/implications The study presents significant insights, however, a few limitations must be discussed. The study has relied on cross-sectional data which may be addressed in future studies. Practical implications In times when organizations are spending in large amounts in ensuring meaningful work and employee well-being, this study suggests internal mechanisms that can bring positive impact in employees' work life. Leaders should assess how employees perceive the ethical climate of the organization in order to provide better meaningful work opportunities to the workforce. Social implications Having meaningful work and experiencing affective well-being are significant for a collective betterment of society. Meaningful work encourages individuals in identifying how their work if affecting the society. A affectively happy workforce is essential in building a mentally healthy society. Originality/value This study contributes to the investigation of organizational factors that help employees find meaning in their work. Based on ethical climate theory, this study highlights how organizations can redesign and modify their ethical climates to provide opportunities for employees to experience meaningful work and improve their affective well-being.
Article
Purpose Relying on the effort-recovery model, this study aimed to test how and when a good night’s sleep increases in daily physical health. The authors hypothesized that when individuals have a good night’s sleep, it helps them to recover their self-regulatory resources, and, in turn, these cognitive resources improve their physical health experienced at work. Furthermore, the authors argue that this will be different depending on the individuals’ levels of neuroticism; that is, the indirect relationship between sleep duration and physical health through self-regulatory resources will be stronger for individuals who score lower on neuroticism, and in contrast, the relationship will be buffered for those who score higher on neuroticism. Design/methodology/approach To test the hypothesized model, the authors conducted a three-wave longitudinal study with working adults ( N = 262). The authors used multilevel modelling to test if neuroticism moderated the indirect relationship between sleep duration and physical health through self-regulatory resources, at both between and within-person levels. Findings The multilevel results showed that a good night’s sleep recovered self-regulatory resources needed to promote physical health; however, this indirect relationship was buffered for those who scored higher on neuroticism (versus lower levels of neuroticism). Practical implications Hence, the role of neuroticism as a potentially harming condition for employees’ physical health is pointed out. Originality/value The findings highlight the relevance of sleep as a recovery activity for both cognitive and physical resources experienced during the working day. However, this appears to be attenuated for employees with higher levels of neuroticism.
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In modern working environments effective strategies for regulating goal-directed behavior and allocating and investing limited resources (e.g., selection, optimization, and compensation [SOC] strategies) should enable employees to cope up with job demands that require volitional self-regulation, thereby preventing strain over time. However, theoretical insights suggest that the beneficial impact of SOC strategies on psychological health depends on the degree to which employees experience clarity in their job role. To understand how employees stabilize their psychological health when demands increase over time, I examine interaction effects of changes in self-control demands (SCDs), SOC strategies and role clarity at an earlier point in Time on changes in affective strain in two longitudinal samples from different occupational and organizational settings (international private bank: N = 389; heterogenous sample: N = 313, 2 year lag). In line with recent conceptualizations of chronic forms of distress, affective strain involved emotional exhaustion, depressive symptoms, and negative affect. In support of my predictions, structural equation modeling revealed significant three-way interactions of changes in SCDs, SOC strategies and role clarity on changes in affective strain in both samples. In particular, the positive relationships between changes of SCDs and changes in affective strain were jointly buffered by SOC strategies and role clarity. The present findings offer implications for stabilizing well-being when demands increase over long time periods. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved).
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Our study seeks to contribute to scholarly understanding of the antecedents and consequences of the crucial, but so far overlooked within-person daily fluctuations in presenteeism. Drawing on theoretical frameworks of presenteeism, which conceptualize presenteeism as an adaptive behavior to deliver work performance despite limitations due to ill-health, we develop a within-person model of daily presenteeism and examine somatic complaints and work-goal progress as crucial joint determinants of daily fluctuations in presenteeism. We further integrate the aforementioned theoretical frameworks with ego-depletion theory to argue that presenteeism requires self-regulation to suppress cognitions, emotions, and behavioral responses associated with ill-health and instead focus on completing one's work tasks. Accordingly, we predict that presenteeism depletes employees' regulatory resources and impairs employees' next-day work engagement and task performance. The results of a daily-diary study across 15 workdays with N = 995 daily observations nested in N = 126 employees show that daily work-goal progress attenuates the daily relation between somatic complaints and presenteeism, thereby also reducing the indirect effect of somatic complaints on employees' next-day work engagement and task performance through presenteeism and ego depletion. We discuss the theoretical and practical implications of shifting presenteeism research from the macro- to the micro-level. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved).
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How do people’s perceptions about when they work affect their intrinsic motivation? We find that working during non-standard work time (weekends/holidays) versus standard work time (Monday-Friday, 9-to-5) undermines people’s intrinsic motivation for their professional and academic pursuits. Working during non-standard work time decreases intrinsic motivation by causing people to consider better uses of their time. That is, people generate more upward counterfactual thoughts, which mediates the effect of work time on reduced intrinsic motivation. As a causal test of this process, increasing consideration of upward counterfactuals during standard work time reduces intrinsic motivation, whereas decreasing consideration of upward counterfactuals during non-standard work time helps employees and students maintain intrinsic motivation for their professional and academic pursuits. Overall, we identify a novel determinant of intrinsic motivation and address a real challenge many people face: How changing work schedules affect interest and enjoyment of work, with important consequences for work outcomes.
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Results from longitudinal studies are ambiguous regarding the direction of effects between job stressors and burnout over time. We meta-analyzed possible reciprocal relations between job stressors and burnout in k = 48 longitudinal studies (N = 26,319), accounting for variation of time intervals in primary studies by using continuous time meta-analysis. Additionally, we analyzed whether country-level job resources (job control & job support; k = 31 European studies, N = 17,747) moderated the effect of job stressors on burnout (stressor-effect) and the effect of burnout on job stressors (strain-effect). Further, we analyzed the replicability of the primary studies by assessing between-study heterogeneity, publication bias, and statistical power. Reciprocal effects between job stressors and burnout exist. The stressor-effect is small, whereas the strain-effect is larger and moderated by job control and job support. Analyses of the different burnout symptoms (emotional) exhaustion and depersonalization/cynicism demonstrated that reciprocal relations between emotional exhaustion and job stressors exist, but depersonalization/cynicism is not directly related to job stressors. Between-study heterogeneity was comparable to other psychological studies, whereas statistical power of primary studies was comparatively large. Conclusions are limited because few primary studies used time intervals of less than 12 months, more than two measurement occasions, and objective measures of stressors. Overall, results imply the need for extended job stress models and new job stress interventions that help employees cope with burnout symptoms.
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A rich history of research on job demands suggests that employees’ demands at work are related to their strain and engagement. This research often considers job demands to be fixed and stable over the course of workers’ experiences, despite the existing research showing that some employees experience high levels of job demands one day and low levels the next. We seek to extend research on job demands by introducing the idea that different employees experience different levels of job demand variability (i.e., variability in job demands over workers’ daily experiences). Relying on arousal theory, we posit that job demand variability moderates the between-person effects of overall job demand levels on employee strain and engagement. To test our theory, we conduct a meta-analytic path analysis of the existing experience sampling methodology research on challenge and hindrance job demands. Results show that the between-person effects of challenge (on strain and engagement) and hindrance demands (on engagement only) are stronger in studies where those demands have higher levels of daily within-person variability. Unexpectedly, the relationship between hindrance demands and strain was similarly strong across lower and higher degrees of variability. Our study suggests a need for more nuanced theory that explains how job demand variability plays a role in employee outcomes. Further, we conducted a simulation study to validate our methodology, offering utility to the broader management literature applying meta-analysis to study within-person variability. We discuss theoretical and practical implications as well as several directions for theory in this new line of reasoning.
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Throughout its storied history, the leadership literature has predominantly treated leader behaviors as static and owing to stable antecedents like personality traits and organizational norms. In recent years however, this assumption has been challenged as researchers have acknowledged that leader behaviors are more dynamic than previously thought. To clarify and broaden this literature, we review and synthesize published works focused on dynamic leader behaviors. In so doing, we identify three distinct conceptualizations of time and change in the leader behavior literature: shift (i.e., discontinuous, unidirectional change), growth and decay (i.e., unidirectional evolution over time), and ebb and flow (i.e., fluid, potentially non-linear). We distill the conceptualization behind each of these approaches, and synthesize the conceptual and empirical content of the literature within each approach. In the process, we also highlight several challenges and opportunities for research in this area. Moreover, we propose a new, integrative temporal framework meant to not only provide a richer view of dynamism, but also guide future dynamic leader behavior research.
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This study responds to calls to conceptualize resilience as a dynamic process by examining individual trajectories of emotional exhaustion and affective commitment over time in the face of ongoing role demands. In contrast to research conceptualizing resilience as a dispositional trait, we conceptualize resilience in terms of patterns of between-individual variation in response trajectories (dynamic resilience). In a longitudinal study spanning three months and 12 observational periods, we show that individuals high in emotional stability had more static affective commitment trajectories and that organizational newcomers had less pronounced emotional exhaustion trajectories in response to ongoing demands. Both the patterns shown for those with high emotional stability and newcomers are indicative of greater dynamic resilience. Furthermore, we found that affective commitment trajectories were significant predictors of actual retention through the mediating mechanism of intent to remain. We discuss how our approach offers opportunities to study resilience in dynamic settings.
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Based on the conservation of resources theory, we argue that work engagement involves resource investment, and therefore physiologically depletes resources. On this basis, we propose that work engagement accompanies high sympathetic arousal at the within- and the between-person levels, i.e. a negative objective health effect contrary to previous findings of beneficial effects on subjective psychological outcomes. To test our hypotheses, we examined heart rate variability via ambulatory assessment of 118 public office employees across five workdays. We measured daily work engagement at the end of each workday and calculated low frequency normalised and low to high frequency ratio (indicators of sympathetic activation) for work, leisure, and sleeping times of each day. As assumed, multilevel analyses showed a positive relationship between work engagement and sympathetic activation at work, during leisure, and sleeping time at the between-person level. Our hypotheses concerning the within-person associations were not supported. Thus, elevated work engagement over one workweek is associated with higher sympathetic activation, which is discussed to be a health risk.
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Workplace bullying is one of the most relevant social stressors at work. Although previous research has shown its negative consequences for health and well-being, scarce evidence about the short-term consequences of workplace bullying and its crossover effects on the home domain is available. Thus, we conducted a multisource weekly diary study. A sample of 124 employees and their spouses filled a general survey (baseline measures) and a weekly online survey for four consecutive weeks (number of occasions = 992). Multilevel analyses showed that workplace bullying is associated with emotional exhaustion (γ = 0.643, SE = 0.215, t = 2.99, p < .05) and behaviors of social undermining toward the partner (γ = 0.751, SE = 0.187, t = 4.01, p < .01). Furthermore, rumination mediated the relationship between workplace bullying and its potential detrimental consequences for both employees’ well-being (i.e., emotional exhaustion) and interpersonal connections (i.e., partner social undermining). These results shed some light on the mechanisms that can explain both the short-term effects of workplace bullying on employees’ well-being and how such effects go beyond the work setting and can impact the home domain. The theoretical and practical implications of these findings are discussed.
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By drawing on effort-recovery theory, we conducted two studies to explore the short-term process through which workaholism may affect health and to assess the implications of such a process for job performance. In Study 1 we hypothesised that workaholic tendencies would affect daily workload and that daily workload would mediate the relationship between workaholic tendencies and daily emotional exhaustion. Data were provided by 102 workers consisting mostly of entrepreneurs, managers and self-employed individuals, who were followed for ten consecutive working days. Multilevel structural equation modelling, controlling for the general level of workload, neuroticism and conscientiousness, supported the hypotheses. Building on the results of Study 1, in Study 2 we hypothesised that workaholism would lead in the long run to a decline in job performance. Study 2 considered 519 employees of a large organisation and focused on their supervisors’ performance ratings in two successive years. Workaholism was used to predict change in work performance. Work engagement was included in the model as a concurrent predictor of work performance. Contrary to what was hypothesised, workaholism did not affect performance; only work engagement did so, and in a positive way. The implications of the obtained results for further research on workaholism are discussed.