Work Domain Research Articles

Differences and Definitions of the Two Types of Passion Trigger New Ideas: Integration of the Passion and Perseverance Scale and Passion Levels Intervention

The Dualistic Model of Passion (DMP) divides passion into two categories: Harmonious Passion and Obsessive Passion. These categories are based on how individuals internalize their activities, and they have different characteristics and roles. Harmonious Passion is generally considered healthier and more stable than Obsessive Passion, and it has a more positive impact on the individual. Over the last two decades, the DMP and the Dualistic Scale of Passion(DSP) have been commonly used to examine the effects of Harmonious Passion and Obsessive Passion on individual achievement and burnout in the domains of work, study, and sport et al. Future research could integrate perseverance and passion to develop a scale that better predicts individual achievement. Furthermore, researchers could investigate additional techniques for intervening in passion based on the dynamic variability of passion, using autonomy as a starting point to regulate the type and intensity of passion.

Interdisciplinarity and communication across research employing different methods under the loupe: A bibliometric examination of the literature on boundary-crossing ICT use

In this article, we present a bibliometric analysis of studies examining the consequences of boundary-crossing information communication technology (ICT) use, e.g., the use of ICT to conduct tasks across the work and family domains. We explore main contributors, disciplines, and topics of focus, as well as knowledge gaps, and lines of communication within this interdisciplinary field. Our aim is to explore knowledge production and knowledge exchange across disciplines and research employing different methods. Our findings reveal two clusters of publications: an interdisciplinary cluster, and a cluster dominated by organizational psychology, organizational science, and human resource management. Furthermore, our findings show that despite overlapping topics, qualitative and quantitative studies primary rely on two different bodies of literature. We argue that more communication across research employing different methods and a greater variety of disciplines is needed to advance the research on boundary-crossing ICT use.

Framing the digitally capable university

The proliferation of “literacies” in educational discourse reflect a diverse array of interests, encompassing computer, information, technical, media literacies, and also forms like academic, financial, and health literacies. As digital literacies have become a concern for the higher education curriculum, there has been a tendency to define it as a practical type of operational know-how. This paper sets out a university-wide, holistic and critical approach that breaks from the legacy of institutional framings that narrow digital literacies to a set of skills or competencies. In developing a Digital Literacies Framework, La Trobe University articulated a shared understanding of digital literacies as the capabilities and attitudes that are needed by staff and students ‘in a digitally connected world’. This marks a shift from strategies that primarily deploy institutional curriculum mapping and measurement approaches; rather it argues for an institutional approach that requires collaboration and strategic engagement of students and academic and professional staff in order to meet goals related to building digital capability. The La Trobe Digital Literacies Framework takes a whole of university perspective that integrates policy and practice, providing a rationale for the critical importance of digital literacies in domains of life, work and learning, addressing an implicit ‘Why?’ question from staff and students. The University Library coordinated the Framework development. It was a scholarly undertaking that gathered evidence and reviewed international best practice. In this endeavour, the La Trobe University Library is a leader in the implementation of a university-wide strategy for digital literacies in Australia.

Dynamic edge clustering and task scheduling for edge assisted metaverse system in the field of remote work and collaboration

SummaryThe metaverse, a future digital world for living, working, learning, and interacting, is rapidly gaining significance, particularly in the domain of remote work and collaboration. This emerging digital landscape demands high‐performance, low‐latency, and scalable services to provide an immersive user experience. The current technology used in metaverse systems has some limitations, which emphasize the importance of adopting emerging technologies like Edge Computing (EC). However, as the number of users and data volume increases, it can impact both system performance and scalability of the edge‐assisted metaverse system. Additionally, the uneven distribution of edge servers can cause inconsistencies and result in high latency. To overcome these challenges, this paper proposes a dynamic edge clustering and task scheduling approach for edge‐assisted metaverse systems (DTAM) in the field of remote work and collaboration. The proposed approach addresses the challenges of high user volume and uneven resource distribution by incorporating dynamic clustering and edge server assistance to improve clustering performance. Furthermore, a Prioritized Experience Replay‐based Deep Q‐learning algorithm with state augmentation (PERDQSA) for task scheduling is introduced to improve sample efficiency and performance. The performance of the proposed DTAM is evaluated against existing techniques, and experimental results demonstrate its significant superiority in terms of specific metrics such as bandwidth, task response time, energy efficiency, and latency. The experiments demonstrated that DTAM outperforms Transformation‐based Edge Computing Deep Q‐Learning (TransEC‐DQL) in several key metrics. Specifically, DTAM achieves 28.5% reduction in latency, 13.7% reduction in response time, and 6.4% improvement in bandwidth compared to TransEC‐DQL. These results signify that DTAM can deliver a significantly enhanced user experience in the metaverse, particularly in the context of remote work and collaboration.

The effects of demand-resource relationship on work-family conflict under Chinese culture: a cross-sectional study.

Chinese work and lifestyle are undergoing dramatic changes caused by constantly changing technology and new policies. The demand-resource dynamic relationship, which leads to work-family conflict (WFC), has become increasingly complicated. However, very little is known about the combined effects of different factors from work and family spheres on WFC. This study aims to explore (1) the discrepancy between fit and misfit, (2) the discrepancy of the different degrees of fit, and (3) the discrepancy of the different degrees of misfit from two perspectives: work demand-family resource and work resource-family demand. Data were collected from 745 individuals in China and analyzed using polynomial regression and response surface. The results demonstrate that individuals having low work demand-high family resources experience the lowest WFC, and the fit between work demands and family resources impacts the conflict in a U way. Similarly, high work resource-low family demand results in the lowest WFC; however, the fit between work resources and family demands has negative effects on the conflict. This study took factors from both family and work domains into consideration and explored the effect of their interaction on WFC. By examining the dynamic relationship between demands and resources, adjustments can be made in both domains simultaneously, providing more flexible guidance for management practices that reduce WFC.

Buffering or boosting? The dynamic curvilinear relationship between work-related use of information and communication technologies after-hours and wok procrastination

Work-related use of information and communication technologies after-hours (W_ICTs) blurs the boundaries between work and non-work domains, representing a typical boundary-crossing behavior that affects employees' lives and organizational development. Drawing on the Job Demands-Resources theory, this study develops a dynamic curvilinear model of the impact of W_ICTs on work procrastination, considering intrinsic motivation (self-efficacy and enjoyment) and regulatory focus (prevention focus). Empirical testing of the research hypotheses is conducted through a survey involving 817 employees with standard working hours (e.g. 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.). The results indicate that W_ICTs can be regarded as both inhibitors and promoters, with a U-shaped impact on work procrastination and an inverted U-shaped effect on self-efficacy and enjoyment. The mediating roles of self-efficacy and enjoyment are significant. Moreover, prevention focus moderates the relationship between W_ICTs and enjoyment, whereas the moderating effect between W_ICTs and self-efficacy is insignificant. This dynamic curvilinear relationship may explain the inconsistent results of prior studies regarding the relationship between W_ICTs and employees' negative behaviors. It contributes to expanding research on the outcomes of W_ICTs and the antecedents of work procrastination. Moreover, the proposed influence mechanism between W_ICTs and work procrastination has not been established from the perspective of intrinsic motivation and prevention focus. Hence, this study responds to scholars’ calls and adds to the existing research on how W_ICTs affect work procrastination. These research findings enhance the current understanding of the effects of W_ICTs and offer valuable insights for organizations to effectively manage W_ICTs and address work procrastination behavior in practice.

Job and off‐job crafting profiles: Time‐lagged relationships with job, home and personal resources and well‐being outcomes

AbstractCrafting research has often focused solely on the work domain or examined work and non‐work life domains separately, using a variable‐centered approach. Little is known about the interactions of crafting processes in the work and non‐work domain. In this time‐lagged study, we examined (1) the relationship between job and off‐job crafting behaviours using a person‐centered approach to identify crafting profiles, (2) whether job, home and personal resources differentially predicted these profiles and (3) whether these profiles differed in relation to outcomes, that is work engagement and mental well‐being. We conducted a three‐wave, time‐lagged survey with 3‐month intervals among 2125 employees. The results revealed three profiles of active (18.0%), average (48.2%) and least active (33.9%) crafters. Analyses of predictors showed that active crafters had higher levels of home developmental possibilities and self‐efficacy than average and least active crafters, likewise for average crafters compared with least active crafters. Furthermore, active crafters had higher levels of social support at home than least active crafters. Regarding well‐being outcomes, active crafters experienced significantly higher mental well‐being than average and least active crafters and higher work engagement than least active crafters. Interventions to enhance employee's resources could stimulate crafting behaviours, ultimately improving well‐being.

Mental health promotion and suicide prevention in emerging adulthood: importance of psychoeducational interventions in University students

Emerging adulthood is a stage that involves significant changes in emotional, social, academic, and work domains, which can often lead to high levels of stress and mental health challenges. The purpose of this study is to explore the potential benefits of an online intervention program that is based on mental health psychoeducation and suicide risk prevention for emerging adults who are studying at university. A psychoeducational intervention was conducted with 567 participants, of whom 82.2% were female, aged between 18 and 29 years (M = 20.31; SD = 2.089). The study examines the intervention’s direct impact on adaptive knowledge of suicide risk and mental health, as well as its indirect effect on mental health indicators. The results showed that after the intervention, participants exhibited reduced stigma associated with mental health and suicide, improved knowledge, and more adaptive attitudes towards suicide. Significant changes were observed in various psychological variables, including self-esteem, resilience, emotional regulation, anxiety, depression, stress, and suicide risk, in the expected direction. These findings suggest that integrating psychoeducational interventions and suicide prevention programs into university curricula could promote mental well-being and address suicide risk among emerging adult students.

A Job Demands–Resources Perspective on Emotional Exhaustion and Work Engagement in Human–Animal Work

AbstractPrior research has highlighted various psychological benefits and detriments associated with human–animal work, i.e., work that is substantially focused on living animals. However, systematic research that identifies both demands and resources across various occupations in this domain of work has been limited. To address this issue, we build on job demands–resources theory to identify job demands and resources that are characteristic of human–animal work and link them to health and motivational outcomes. Our study of 205 individuals who engage in human–animal work across different occupations shows that in terms of job demands, animal distress positively relates to workers’ emotional exhaustion, but the occupational stigma of human–animal work does not. Regarding job resources, we find that pro-animal impact and human–animal bond both positively relate to work engagement, explaining additional variance in work engagement beyond more general job resources. However, when animal distress is high, human–animal bond does no longer predict work engagement. We discuss implications of our study for job demands–resources theory, research on occupational stigma, and the field of human–animal work.

Attitudes and Experiences of the Preschool Teachers in the Application of Digital Technologies in Environmental Education

This study was based on the experiences and attitudes of the preschool teachers in the application of digital technologies when teaching environmental contents. 180 preschool teachers from preschool institutions in the Republic of Serbia, with different work experience and different digital skills, participated in the research. The obtained results demonstrated that the preschool teachers’competencies decrease with the increase in the number of years of work experience, indicating that competencies for the application of digital tools were more developed in the preschool teachers with modest work experience. They also exhibited a greater level of experience in using digital technologies regarding environmental education. The results also showed that there was a significant connection between the application of digital technologies in different domains of the preschool teacher’s work (such as: ideas search, research on the grounds and topics that initiate the project, project development, a portfolio design and evidence of one’s own practice, publication of activities in digital format – in scientific publications, at congresses, on a personal blog and/or preschool institution’s website). Thus in the mentioned domains of work, preschool teachers with significant work experience, applied digital technologies less often when compared to the colleagues with shorter employment history.

A Computational Linguistic Approach to Study Border Theory at Scale

Border Theory suggests individuals createborders to manage the transitions between work and family (or, more generally, life) domains. The degree of separation or integration of domains across borders has an impact on the balance between work and life. Previous studies have shown individuals who perceive balance between work and life domains tend to be more satisfied with their lives, reporting higher physical and mental health. At times of crisis, such as during a pandemic, borders can be disrupted, affecting work-life balance and leading to a short- or long-term negative impact on well-being. Border theory provides a systematic lens through which to study these changes. However, changes cannot be studied using interviews or diaries as these are not at the scale required when societal disruptions occur. In this paper, we explore the feasibility of using a computational linguistic approach to operationalize border theory at scale, using readily available social media data. In particular, we make two main contributions. First, we design metrics to measure key characteristics of borders. This involves the application of a transformer-based topic modeling technique, BERTopic, to detect topics from social media data. Second, we apply this operationalization to a case study of around a million tweets posted by nearly two hundred teachers and journalists in the UK from the beginning of 2019 to the end of 2022. In so doing, we longitudinally study and compare the changes in borders between work and life before, during, and after COVID-19 lockdown periods.

Determinants of Female Employee Well-being: Interplay of Personal Agency, Societal Norms, and Organizational Contexts

Drawing from a qualitative methodology, this study intricately examines the determinants of well-being within the framework of work and non-work domains. Through four detailed case studies, we unravel how individuals' experiences within their professional roles, embedded in various organizational settings, influence their well-being. Central to our analysis is the understanding that individual perceptions of well-being, while navigating work and non-work domains, are intimately intertwined with larger social structures, historical trajectories, and material conditions. The insights derived from these cases illuminate the intricate relationship between personal agency, societal norms, organizational influences, and well-being. Key findings highlight the significance of role flexibility, life stage influences, and specific life circumstances (e.g., single parenthood, spiritual engagement) as determinants of well-being. By providing a comprehensive understanding of the multifaceted determinants of well-being, this research offers valuable insights for organizational practices, policy-making, and individual well-being strategies.

Conflict and Facilitation Between Work and Family Roles and Goal Realization in Entrepreneurs

Entrepreneurs running their businesses usually pursue goals associated with work and family functioning. The efficiency of goal realization in these two areas of activity varies and may depend on balance between the two domains. The study aimed to answer the question of how interplays between the work and family domains (work-to-family conflict, family-to-work conflict, work-to-family facilitation, and family-to-work facilitation) were related to the realization of work and family goals in entrepreneurs. It also tested if sex was a moderator of these relationships. A total of 246 entrepreneurs participated in the study; they were married or in stable non-marital relationships. Structural equation modeling showed that family-to-work conflict is negatively related to work goal realization and family goal realization, and work-to-family facilitation is positively related to family goal realization. Sex does not moderate the relationships analyzed. The study provides insight into the relationships of conflict and facilitation to goal realization in people running their businesses.

Enlightening Stakeholders on the COVID-19 Pandemic Impacts and Preparation for Minimizing Future Pandemics’ Negative Effects on Occupational Therapists

The COVID-19 pandemic has affected all aspects of professional disciplines including occupational therapy; however, little is known about how much of an impact the COVID-19 pandemic affected occupational therapy practice in Ghana. This study examined the impacts, coping strategies, and COVID-19 pandemic lessons for occupational therapy practices in the future. A descriptive qualitative design was employed with a purposive and convenience sampling methods to recruit occupational therapists from four practice settings in Ghana. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with seven participants. Interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed, and analyzed using thematic analysis. Four major themes were identified from the analysis enlightening stakeholders on the impact and preparation for minimizing the impact of future pandemics on the workloads of an occupational therapist. The major themes are (1) impacts of the COVID-19 on occupational therapy practice and practitioners; (2) aspects or domains of work significantly affected by the pandemic; (3) the existing strategies employed to handle the challenges; and (4) strategies to minimize these challenges in the future. The current study has enlightened stakeholders on the need to make alternate preparations including telehealth, continuous support for telehealth infrastructures, training of practitioners, and research to adapt intervention strategies effectively.

The influence of sociodemographic and health-related factors, clinical education status, and sleep quality on work-related quality of life among dental students.

With the premise that the demanding educational process and associated factors could influence the work-related quality of life (WRQoL) of dental students, this study aimed to investigate the influence of diverse sociodemographic and health-related factors, clinical education status, and sleep quality on the WRQoL of dental students. A three-part questionnaire was administered to a group of preclinical and clinical dental students studying in different classes. The first part of the questionnaire included various sociodemographic and health-related questions. In the second part, the multidimensional 23-item WRQoL scale, with established validity and reliability, was applied to evaluate the WRQoL of the students. The last part of the questionnaire included the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index, comprising 19 items. General linear models were created to predict subscale scores using sociodemographic and health-related characteristics, as well as univariate significant independent variables. It was observed that the majority of the participants (78.2%) had poor sleep quality. Being clinical dental students had a significant and positive effect on the stress at work domain of WRQoL (p = .006), while it had a significant and negative effect on the home-work interface domain (p < .001). The decrease in sleep quality had a significant and negative effect on all domains of WRQoL (p < .05) except for the stress at work domain. Clinical education status, regular smoking, and sleep quality significantly affect different domains of dental students' WRQoL. Changes in these factors should be considered in approaches to increasing students' WRQoL.

The Cultural Consequences of Market Transition: An Empirical Examination of Rising Materialism in Twenty-First-Century China

This study examines how markets affect personal culture in the context of postsocialist China. Drawing on several bodies of literature, I argue that China’s transition to a market economy promotes materialist values via two causal pathways. First, market transition entails a process of economic liberalization, which accentuates economic incentives and exacerbates existential insecurity. Second, market transition also entails a process of commodification that, by immersing individuals in market relations, crowds out intrinsic motives and normalizes the pursuit of material self-interests. My empirical analysis uses repeated cross-sectional data from a large-scale national survey to demonstrate the effect of market transition through the lens of work values. Taking advantage of China’s regional variations in the pace of institutional change, I show that, between 2005 and 2015, provinces where market transition had made greater progress tended to experience a sharper rise in materialist work values. Additional analyses reveal significant differences in work values between state-sector employees and workers in the market sector, and that the relationship between market transition and materialist values extends beyond the work domain. These findings contribute to the theoretical literature on the cultural consequences of markets and the empirical knowledge on cultural change in contemporary China.

The impact of customer misbehavior on frontline employees’ work–family conflict and withdrawal behaviors

PurposeCustomer misbehavior has a negative impact on frontline employees. However, the underlying mechanisms from customer misbehavior to employees’ negative outcomes need to be further unfolded and examined. This study aims to propose that employees’ affective rumination and problem-solving pondering could be the explanatory processes of customer misbehavior influencing employee attitudes in which coworker support could be a moderator.Design/methodology/approachA mixed-method approach was designed to test this study’s predictions. Study 1 conducted a scenario-based experiment among 215 full-time hospitality employees, and Study 2 used a two-wave, longitudinal survey of 305 participants.FindingsThe results demonstrate the impact of customer misbehavior on work–family conflict and withdrawal behaviors. The mediating role of affective rumination is supported and coworker support moderates the processes.Practical implicationsCustomer misbehavior leads to negative outcomes among frontline employees both at work and family domains. Hotel managers should help frontline employees to cope with customer misbehavior by avoiding negative affective spillover and providing support properly.Originality/valueThe studies have unfolded the processes of affective rumination and problem-solving pondering through which customer misbehavior influences work–family conflict and withdrawal behaviors among frontline employees. The surprising findings that coworker support magnified the negative effects have also been discussed.

Contextual design requirements for decision-support tools involved in weaning patients from mechanical ventilation in intensive care units

Weaning patients from ventilation in intensive care units (ICU) is a complex task. There is a growing desire to build decision-support tools to help clinicians during this process, especially those employing Artificial Intelligence (AI). However, tools built for this purpose should fit within and ideally improve the current work environment, to ensure they can successfully integrate into clinical practice. To do so, it is important to identify areas where decision-support tools may aid clinicians, and associated design requirements for such tools. This study analysed the work context surrounding the weaning process from mechanical ventilation in ICU environments, via cognitive task and work domain analyses. In doing so, both what cognitive processes clinicians perform during weaning, and the constraints and affordances of the work environment itself, were described. This study found a number of weaning process tasks where decision-support tools may prove beneficial, and from these a set of contextual design requirements were created. This work benefits researchers interested in creating human-centred decision-support tools for mechanical ventilation that are sensitive to the wider work system.

There and back again: The roles of morning- and evening commute recovery experiences for daily resources across the commute-, work-, and home domain

Commuting is a global phenomenon that has primarily been studied in terms of its costs. However, anecdotes and recent theorizing suggest that some employees enjoy their commutes. Is it, thus, possible that commuting can also be beneficial for employees? We integrate the Work–Home Resources model with the Conservation of Resources theory to conceptualize commuting as a source of recovery that facilitates daily resource gain spanning the commute-, work-, and home domain. Specifically, we hypothesize that morning commute recovery experiences (relaxation, mastery and detachment) trigger resource gains in the work domain, manifesting in increased subjective vitality as a manifestation of physical and cognitive energy. Higher levels of subjective vitality in the work domain, in turn, are positively related to work-to-home commute recovery experiences and associated subjective vitality in the home domain. Furthermore, we explore commute duration as a contingency factor of the relationships between commute recovery experiences and subjective vitality at work and home. A diary across ten workdays largely supports our hypothesized model. On days with higher levels of relaxation during the morning commute, employees experience daily resource gains that culminate in increased evening subjective vitality in the home domain through relaxation during the evening commute.

Needs-based job crafting: Validation of a new scale based on psychological needs.

We present the conceptualization and validation of the Needs-Based Job Crafting Scale (NJCS), a new assessment tool theoretically grounded in the Identity-Based Integrative Needs Model of Crafting and DRAMMA psychological needs (detachment, relaxation, autonomy, mastery, meaning, and affiliation). The article is composed of three studies. In Study 1, we develop the NJCS and test its factorial structure using a cross-sectional sample of Finnish employees (N = 578). In Study 2, we validate the factor structure and test the scale for measurement invariance across time with longitudinal samples from Finland (N = 578) and Japan (N = 228). In Study 3, we examine the convergent, criterion, and incremental validity using a sample of German and Swiss employees (N = 1,101). The results confirm a six-factor structure of the scale as defined by the detachment, relaxation, autonomy, mastery, meaning, and affiliation needs in all three samples. The NJCS showed convergent validity when correlated with the conceptually related Needs-Based Off-Job Crafting Scale (NOCS), a job crafting scale based on the job demands-resources (JD-R) model, and the Proactive Personality Scale. Further, the six job crafting dimensions explain a large amount of variance in work engagement, job satisfaction, burnout, and psychological needs satisfaction; thus, supporting criterion validity of the scale. Finally, the NJCS explains variance beyond the existing JD-R based job crafting scale in work engagement, job satisfaction, burnout, and recovery experiences; thus, supporting incremental validity of the NJCS. Together with the existing NOCS, the NJCS facilitates the examination of crafting dynamics within and across work and nonwork life domains, applying a shared theoretical framework of psychological needs. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved).