A longitudinal examination of role overload and work–family conflict: The mediating role of interdomain transitions

Through the lens of boundary theory, we examine whether the relationship between role overload and work–family conflict is explained by the use of interdomain transitions. With a sample of 250 working adults, we examined whether individuals respond to role overload by engaging in interdomain transitions and how the frequency of these transitions influences work–family conflict both concurrently and over time. Results support our expectation that at a given time, interdomain transitions function as an episodic coping mechanism with short‐term costs (greater work–family conflict) and benefits (less role overload). Also, engaging in interdomain transitions was an explanatory variable linking role overload and work–family conflict. We expected that, over time, engaging in interdomain transitions would function as a preventive coping mechanism, serving to reduce role overload. Interestingly though, several of the longitudinal hypotheses were counter to prediction. Our findings provide further evidence for the use of boundary theory in examinations of the work–family interface. Insights on areas within the literature that require further theoretical development are discussed, along with a consideration of the application of emerging methodologies within our empirical designs. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

An assessment of attraction toward affirmative action organizations: investigating the role of individual differences

Our study investigated applicant characteristics in response to organizations incorporating an affirmative action policy (AAP) statement in recruitment material. Study participants (N = 217; White upper‐level management students) randomly received recruitment material containing one of three statements (e.g., affirmative action, equal employment opportunity (EEO), or no statement regarding affirmative action or EEO) and were asked to evaluate the attractiveness of the organization publicizing the designated policy. Results indicated that individuals responded negatively to AAPs in recruitment material because of prejudice attitudes, the perceived unfairness of such programs (which we relate to equity sensitivity), or in an attempt to protect their own self‐interest (which we relate to general self‐efficacy). Additionally, individuals' equity sensitivity and general self‐efficacy both moderated the relationship between racial prejudice and organizational attractiveness. Specifically, the negative relationships between participants' prejudice attitudes and the attractiveness of organizations publicizing an affirmative action policy were stronger for benevolents (persons tolerant of situations where they are under‐rewarded) and for persons low in self‐efficacy. Implications of our findings for organizational recruitment practices are discussed. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Relocation attitudes and adjustment: A longitudinal study

This study identified correlates of attitude toward an impending employer-initiated relocation, then followed up by predicting post-transfer attitude and adjustment difficulty in the same sample. Predictors suggested by past research on mobility attitudes (i.e. demographic characteristics and attributes of the pre-move location) were less important in explaining pre-move attitude toward the transfer than were expected attributes of the new location. After the move, experienced aspects of the new location such as role ambiguity, degree of advancement, and community and job satisfaction were the strongest predictors of overall post-move attitude and adjustment difficulty. In many cases, pre-move expectations about attributes of the new location were not related to affect or adjustment after the move, suggesting that pre-move expectations may have been inaccurate. Implications for theory, research, and organizational practice are discussed.     

Coping with transition: A study of layoff survivors

This study examined the determinants and consequences of survivors' coping responses to a recent workforce reduction involving permanent layoffs. The participants consisted of 200 unionized technicians in the telecommunications industry. Survivors with high optimistic predispositions and a strong sense of mastery were more likely to engage in control-oriented coping. Perceived threat of job loss was positively related to the use of both control and escape coping whereas sense of powerlessness was negatively related to the use of control coping. Control coping was associated with positive outcomes and escape coping with negative outcomes. Coping had both additive and interactive effects on the outcome variables. The implications of these findings for management are discussed.     

Some psychological consequences of striking: A six month,longitudinal study

The literature available on organizational psychology has largely neglected the issue of industrial conflict, and little is known about individual psychological effects of industrial conflict such as labour disputes and strikes. Psychological consequences of involvement in a strike were assessed in this research. Data were collected from 117 full-time, white collar union members immediately following a 22 day strike, and again two and six months later. Negatively perceived industrial relations events (e.g. 'strike or lockout', 'being involved in negotiations') were associated with marital adjustment, psychosomatic symptoms and a lack of psychological well-being on completion of the strike, and predicted unfavourable changes in psychological well-being over the next two and six months. A framework for understanding the negative effects of labour disputes and strikes is proposed, and the role of the organizational psychologist when such conflicts occur is considered.     

Sources of individual differences in interviewer effectiveness: A model and implications for future research

In response to recent suggestions that employment interview researchers adopt an idiographic approach focusing on differences in effectiveness across interviewers, this article proposes a model of sources of individual differences in interviewer effectiveness. The model is used as a framework for evaluating existing research. This review of the literature reveals individual differences across interviewers in a number of areas, but indicates that research has failed to examine adequately the possible sources of individual differences and their links to effectiveness. Suggestions for future research are offered.     

Dynamics of calling: A longitudinal study of musicians

The dominant view of calling among management scholars is that it is a stable construct that does not change. This view has resulted in a research void about calling's early development and subsequent evolution. Insight into the dynamic process through which callings develop is fundamental to understanding its role in people's careers and lives. In this study, I focus on the antecedents of calling, a consuming, meaningful passion people can experience toward a domain. I propose a dynamic model in which calling can change over time and can be shaped by antecedent factors, specifically, through people's ability, behavioral involvement, and social comfort in the area toward which they feel a calling. I tested these ideas in a seven‐year, four‐wave prospective longitudinal survey study of 450 amateur musicians. Multilevel analyses indicate individuals who were more behaviorally involved and felt higher social comfort in the calling domain (e.g., music) experienced higher levels of calling early on but experienced a decline in calling over time. Individuals' ability in the calling domain was not related to initial calling or change in calling. I discuss the implications for theory and research on calling, meaning of work, and the dynamics of careers. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Interrole conflict,family support and marital adjustment of employed mothers: A short term,longitudinal study

Previous research has found that employed mothers experience conflict between the roles of mother and employee, and that interrole conflict is negatively correlated with marital adjustment. Furthermore, research has shown that social support and personality hardiness moderate the interrole conflict/marital adjustment relationship. However, a longitudinal assessment of the effect of interrole conflict on marital adjustment has not been conducted, nor has the moderating role of social support and hardiness been considered within the same analysis. To address these two issues, the interrole conflict, family support, personality hardiness and marital adjustment of 51 employed mothers were assessed twice, three months apart. Using hierarchical regression analyses, interrole conflict and family support exerted main effects on marital adjustment at time 1, More importantly, a significant interrole conflict/family support interaction predicted change in marital adjustment over three months. High family support exerted a negative impact on marital adjustment when interrole conflict was high. The alternative hypothesis that initial levels of marital adjustment predict change in interrole conflict was tested but not supported.     

Supervisor role overload and frustration as antecedents of abusive supervision: The moderating role of supervisor personality

The current research explores supervisor‐level antecedents of abusive supervision in the workplace. Specifically, this study introduces affective events theory to the abusive supervision literature to suggest that supervisor role overload, a work‐related event, leads to supervisor frustration. As an intense negative emotional reaction, frustration, in turn, triggers supervisors to exhibit abusive behaviors in the workplace. Supervisor personality traits—namely, neuroticism, conscientiousness, and agreeableness—are also posited to moderate these hypothesized relationships. Specifically, neuroticism is expected to moderate the relationship between role overload and frustration while conscientiousness and agreeableness are expected to moderate the relationship between frustration and abusive supervision. Ultimately, we propose and examine a moderated‐mediation model. Multisource field data demonstrate general support for the hypothesized relationships. We conclude with theoretical and practical implications as well as future research avenues. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Going beyond work and family: A longitudinal study on the role of leisure in the work–life interplay

Going beyond the relation of work and family, the present three‐wave longitudinal study spanning one year assessed different forms of conflict and facilitation between leisure and the life domains work and family and their relation to subjective well‐being. A sample of N = 277 employed men and women reported their perceived conflict and facilitation between leisure, work, and family and subjective well‐being. Results suggest that leisure is a source of facilitation for work and family, and, at the same time, a major recipient of conflict from work and family. Moreover, leisure conflict was negatively correlated and leisure facilitation was positively associated with concurrent subjective well‐being. Both conflict and facilitation between all three life domains remained highly stable over the course of one year. Only few and non‐systematic lagged effects were found, indicating that the variance of the stability of the constructs and their relations over time leave little room for longitudinal predictions. Taken together, the study demonstrates that, similar to work–family relations, conflict and facilitation with the leisure domain are also associated with subjective well‐being and remain highly stable over the course of a year in the lives of young and middle‐aged adults. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Predictors of intentions to leave the ward,the hospital,and the nursing profession: A longitudinal study

The stages preceding and following the intention to withdraw from an organization have not been adequately examined. Data were collected at two time periods from a sample of 146 nurses working in a general hospital located in a large metropolitan area in Israel. Essentially, intention to withdraw from three levels — ward, hospital and profession — were examined. LISREL was used to test alternative longitudinal models for the best fitting set of linkages among variables. The findings supported a progression model of withdrawal intention. According to this conceptualization, a nurse first decides to leave the ward, then the hospital, and, finally, the profession. Theoretical and practical implications of the results were presented.     

A longitudinal study of determinants of perceived employability

Employability is highly important to individuals in coping with job insecurity. Although many employability models have been developed, few studies have tested determinants of employability empirically. This longitudinal study aims to analyze core determinants of perceived employability. These were tested using a sample of 465 employees (time 1) taken from four companies in Switzerland and surveyed at three points in time. In order to include data from all participants, we used multilevel analysis (level 1: time, level 2: person). Results showed that education, support for career and skill development, current level of job‐related skills, and willingness to change jobs were significant predictors of perceived employability. Contrary to our hypotheses, willingness to develop new competencies, opportunity awareness, and self‐presentation skill failed to predict perceived employability. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

The importance of gender in mid-career: A longitudinal study of MBAs

This longitudinal study investigates whether the work environment in mid-career is comparable for men and women MBAs. No gender differences were found in early career. However by mid-career, women report less income, career satisfaction, and boss appreciation than men. Discrimination is also more prevalent for women.     

A longitudinal field study of group work redesig

The paper describes an action research project on group work redesign which involved blue-collar employees in a confectionery company. A theoretical framework, derived from previous research on semi-autonomous work groups and the Job Characteristics Model modified to apply to group working (Hackman, 1977), was used as a guide to diagnosis, redesign and evaluation. Hie findings, based on a short term evaluation after six months and a longer term evaluation after eighteen months, reveal that substantial increases in group autonomy and group work identity were achieved, and were followed, as predicted, by increased work motivation, performance, job satisfaction and mental health, as well as reduced labour turnover. Of particular interest to subsequent theoretical development is the sensitivity of mental health as an outcome variable, and the existence of differential rates of change in the dependent variables.     

COVID-19 and individual performance in global virtual teams: The role of self-regulation and individual cultural value orientations

Since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, global virtual teams (GVTs) have become increasingly important. Drawing on conservation of resources theory and self-regulation theory, we examined the mechanism and process underlying individuals' performance in GVTs in this specific situation. We posit that the local severity of the pandemic has a negative effect on individuals' performance in GVTs and that self-regulation functions as a coping mechanism in times of pandemic-related ambient stress, reducing its negative effect on performance. We suggest that three cultural value orientations, that is, uncertainty avoidance, collectivism, and long-term orientation, explain different levels of self-regulation, which in turn moderates the relationship between the local severity of the pandemic and individual performance in GVTs. Based on a sample of 2727 individuals from 31 countries participating in an international business consulting project during the early stage of the unfolding pandemic, we show that (a) the local severity of the pandemic had a negative effect on individuals' performance, (b) the negative effect of the pandemic on performance is weaker for individuals with high self-regulation, and (c) uncertainty avoidance and long-term orientation are positively associated with self-regulation, which mediates the moderating relationship between the cultural value orientations and the relationship between the COVID-19 pandemic and individual performance in GVTs.     

The stability of comparative referent choice and feelings of inequity: A longitudinal field study

This study examined the stability of comparative referent choice and feelings of inequity, and the effects of changes in feelings of inequity on employee reactions. At two points in time, 24 months apart, employees' choices of comparative referents and feelings of inequity with regard to four job facets (compensation, security, job complexity, and supervisory behavior) were assessed. Results indicated that many employees used the same comparative referents at both times, especially for the compensation facet. For three of the facets (security, job complexity, and supervisory behavior), employees tended to either change from a disadvantaged status at T1 to an advantaged or equitable status at T2 or to maintain at T2 the advantaged/equitable status they experienced at T1. However, for the compensation facet a different picture emerged: employees who felt disadvantaged at T1 also felt disadvantaged at T2. Finally, employees who changed to or maintained an equitable or an advantaged status with regard to the job complexity and supervisory behavior facets generally reacted more positively (i.e. were more satisfied and productive and attended more frequently) than employees who changed to or maintained a disadvantaged status. Implications of these results for future research on equity theory were discussed.     

Involuntary retirement,bridge employment,and satisfaction with life: A longitudinal investigation

The increased popularity of bridge employment has raised questions about its consequences for well‐being in late adult life. This research explored the consequences of bridge employment for the level of life satisfaction of older adults during the retirement transition period. Changes in life satisfaction were considered to be a function of the different intentions and motives for taking bridge jobs. Furthermore, the impact of bridge employment was empirically examined conditional on the voluntariness of the exit from the career job. Panel data on Dutch retirees (N = 1248) were investigated using conditional change models. The results demonstrate that older adults willing to prolong their work careers but unable to find bridge jobs reported lower levels of life satisfaction compared with full retirees not considering bridge employment. In addition, participation in bridge employment for financial motives was associated with decreases in life satisfaction compared with postretirement working based on intrinsic motives. Moreover, compared with voluntary retirement, involuntary retirement was detrimental to life satisfaction, but participation in a bridge job was found to mitigate this negative shock. These findings contribute to the understanding of the consequences of various postretirement employment trajectories for older individuals. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.