Keeping work and private life apart Spieler, Ines; Scheibe, Susanne; Roßnagel, Christian Stamov
Journal of organizational behavior,
12/2018, Letnik:
39, Številka:
10
Journal Article
Recenzirano
Odprti dostop
Initial evidence suggests that older workers enjoy higher work–life balance than young workers. Yet little is known about the mechanisms of this effect or the robustness of age differences when ...accounting for differences in life context. We introduce and test the boundary management account of aging and work–life balance, which suggests that older workers maintain stronger work–nonwork boundaries as a pathway toward work–life balance. Both in Study 1 (cross-sectional; N = 298 bank employees) and in Study 2 (aggregated diary entries; N = 608 workers), older workers reported better work–life balance and stronger boundaries at work than young workers; and stronger boundaries at home (Study 1). In both studies, stronger boundaries were related to better work–life balance, and boundary strength mediated the relationship between age and work–life balance. Study 2 additionally suggests that the use of boundary management strategies is responsible for stronger boundaries at higher age. Analyses accounted for differences in family and work context characteristics (both studies) and boundary preferences (Study 1). The findings corroborate evidence of older workers' enhanced work–life balance and suggest that it results from more successful boundary management with age rather than merely from changes in contextual factors or boundary preferences.
The constructive alignment (CA) of university teaching is designed to encourage students to adopt a deep learning approach, which supports meaningful learning. The evidence is mixed, however, with ...some studies showing that students may adopt a surface approach even when teaching promotes deep learning. To add to the understanding of the relationships between CA and learning approaches, we explored with quantitative measures two potential implications from prior qualitative research. First, we assessed with a novel questionnaire if students' CA perceptions predicted adaptation towards a deep learning approach. Second, we explored relationships between deep approach adaptation and learning motivation, as well as perceived mental workload. 56 students from two second-year courses in different study programmes completed a learning approach questionnaire in the second (T.sub.1 ), seventh (T.sub.2 ), and the final fourteenth (T.sub.3) course week. At T.sub.2 and T.sub.3, participants also rated the constructive alignment of the course, their learning motivation, and the mental workload. Regression analyses showed that ILO Clarity (i.e. being clear about the intended learning outcomes of the course) and receiving effective feedback were associated with a significant increase in deep approach scores from T.sub.2 to T.sub.3 . That deep approach adaptation was in turn positively related to learning motivation in terms of higher ratings of one's competence, the importance of high course performance, and course usefulness. Moreover, deep approach adaptation went with higher satisfaction of having accomplished one's learning goals, but also with stronger feelings of insecurity and stress. Our findings suggest that students' CA perceptions are meaningful predictors of learning approach adaptation that might eventually be developed into indicators of the effectiveness of CA implementation at the course level.
Transactional Analysis assumes that subjective beliefs drive people to act ‘counter scripts’ acquired in childhood in interactions with significant others and that are associated with negative ...emotions. Those
counterscript drivers
motivate compensatory behaviors that offset adverse emotions. Given the lack of a theory-based, empirically validated instrument to assess counterscript drivers, we constructed in two studies a 14-item counterscript driver questionnaire. In Study 1 (
N
= 302) we developed from an initial pool of 144 driver statements in collaboration with 15 subject-matter experts a four factor driver solution via exploratory factor analysis approach. In Study 2 (
N
= 195), we validated the four factor structure of the drivers via confirmatory factor analysis approach. We then examined predictive validity by regressing the final Driver subscales on the Contingencies of Self-Worth scale (CSW Crocker et al.
2003
) and the Dysfunctional Attitude Scale (DAS-A-17; De Graaf et al.
2009
). Altogether, the questionnaire has acceptable to good psychometric properties and the four subscales representing the drives to “Try Hard”, “Be Perfect”, “Distrust Other People”, and to “Stay Positive” explaining 18–39% of the variance of the external constructs. The Counterscript Driver questionnaire (CSD-14) may be used in various fields of psychology.
Flexible working time arrangements are becoming increasingly popular around the globe, but do they actually benefit employees? To address this question, we take a differentiated look at employees' ...day-specific use of flextime and its effect on the intersection of work and nonwork life. Specifically, we examined whether links between day-specific flextime use and affective well-being at work and at home can be explained by level of goal completion and the subjective boundaries around one's work and private life domains (i.e., the strength of work-nonwork boundaries). During 2 consecutive workweeks, 150 bank employees from various functions (Study 1) and a heterogeneous sample of 608 employees (Study 2) reported their day-specific use of flextime, boundary strength at work and home, and affective well-being in the evening and the next day. Multilevel structural equation modeling of 2,223 (Study 1) and 3,164 (Study 2) observations revealed that flextime use was associated with stronger boundaries at home in both studies and stronger boundaries at work in Study 2. Stronger boundaries were, in turn, positively associated with affective well-being, both in the same evening and the next day. Study 2 further revealed that day-specific nonwork goal completion mediated the positive association between daily flextime use and boundary strength at work. However, whereas occasional flextime use had unequivocal positive consequences, chronic flextime use undermined the completion of work goals. Overall, findings suggest that flextime use benefits employees when used in moderation.
Purpose - The purpose of this paper is to establish a theory-based and empirically grounded platform to assess age-related changes in work motivation, and to derive motivational interventions in ...personnel management.Design methodology approach - The general approach is one of conceptual transfer: to cast work psychological phenomena in lifespan psychological terms to generate the tenets.Findings - Rather than declining uniformly, older workers' motivation develops in a multidirectional, multilevel way. Motivation decline in certain types of work tasks goes with stable motivation and even motivation gains in other tasks as a function of a variety of task characteristics. These age-related changes may be captured in a worker's motivation profile, which is functional for positive affect regulation.Practical implications - The conceptualisation suggests a more differentiated approach to job design and human resource management, considering age-related changes at multiple levels simultaneously instead of focusing on major age effects only.Originality value - The conceptual clarity of work motivation research is enhanced by distinguishing global and task-specific levels of motivation that may dissociate in older workers. By transferring up-to-date findings and concepts from Lifespan Psychology to Organisational Psychology, further research is stipulated in both fields.
The constructive alignment (CA) of university teaching has received considerable attention from a policy-making perspective, but much less so from a student perspective. Against this background, we ...explored the relationships between CA and student motivation, and between CA and perceived learning demands. Fifty-six students from two second-year courses in different study programmes completed questionnaires in the second (T
1
), seventh (T
2
), and the final fourteenth (T
3
) course week. We assessed students' surface and deep learning approaches at T
1
, and their perceptions of constructive alignment, learning demands, as well as their learning motivation at T
2
and T
3
. Regression analyses showed that ILO Clarity (i.e., being clear about a course's intended learning outcomes) was coupled with stronger self-competence perceptions, more enjoyment of and effort invested into the learning, and higher ratings of the course as useful. Perceiving teaching-learning activities (TLA) as aligned with ILO was associated with enjoyment of the course and with usefulness ratings, whilst the alignment of assessment tasks (AT) with ILO and TLA went with higher learning efforts and usefulness perceptions. Finally, receiving effective feedback went with higher usefulness ratings. Concerning learning demands, TLA alignment was coupled with lower ratings of temporal demands and the frustration from learning, whereas higher levels of perceived AT Alignment went with lower mental demands and frustration perceptions. Finally, AT Alignment and Effective Feedback were coupled with using more deep learning strategies. Surface learning strategies were used less the clearer ILO were, the better TLA were aligned with ILO, and the more effective feedback was perceived to be. In sum, our findings suggest that CA perceptions are meaningful predictors of student motivation and that CA influences motivation on different 'routes' (e.g., enjoyment, usefulness).
East Asian students are often educated in a more instructor-led and less interactive manner than their North American and European peers. Therefore, as international students at Western universities, ...they need to adapt to unfamiliar teaching practices that involve classroom communication emphasising critical thinking, debating, and challenging others' views. We explored the stress from such communication by assessing the relationships between East Asian students' perceived ease of engaging in Socratic communication and stress. 51 students from various majors completed the Ease of Socratic Communication scale and the Conceptions of Learning Inventory. One week later, students rated on the Perceived Stress Scale their levels of helplessness and self-efficacy. East Asian students found it less easy to engage in Socratic communication than their non-Asian peers,. The harder students found Socratic communication, the higher were their stress levels. On the other hand, higher Socratic communication ease was associated with higher self-efficacy. Moreover, the relationship between Socratic communication ease and stress was less pronounced the more students viewed learning as the development of personal competence. Complementing extant qualitative research, our findings suggest that Socratic communication may act as a stressor to East Asian international students. Reducing that stress might help improve international students’ learning experience and thus foster their academic integration.
Purpose
– The authors contribute to the literature by contrasting the cognitive with a contextual view on learning and development to address preconceptions about aging in order to broaden employers’ ...views on learning and performance across the working life and careers of their employees. The authors furthermore identify a number of opportunities that exist to support and sustain learning capability and performance in older workers. The paper aims to discuss these issues.
Design/methodology/approach
– The authors conducted a selective literature search to identify literature that best exemplifies both the cognitive and contextual view.
Findings
– Age-related declines in performance are observed on very specific and limited tasks, unlikely to be encountered in the workplace. Due to its focus on assessing limits and age differences, such studies will not normally take experience, job and personal resources into account – these are more likely to be present in the workplace. The authors find that much of the more applied evidence suggests older workers can perform at a similar level to their younger colleagues – when the workplace or training context does not restrain them from using their own strategies and resources to complete tasks.
Research limitations/implications
– The current overview of research that is more representative of the more cognitive view outlines a number of issues regarding the transferability as well as generalisability of these well publicised findings. Many of the laboratory-based cognitive ageing research focuses on “testing the limits” of cognitive processing and efficiency. This paradigm is not compatible with the specific tasks and learning that takes place in the workplace, which led us to a more contextual view.
Practical implications
– The authors provide several starting points for broader and more inclusive training and development, particularly the role of supervisory practices, climate, self-efficacy and learning competency, resources and strategies.
Originality/value
– Taking a more contextual view may foster a re-evaluation of how inclusive current managerial practice, policies and current development initiatives are. Distinguishing job and personal resources can help in identifying the aspects that can be influenced by workers themselves and those aspects that are the primary responsibility of organisations and their managers.
Ageing and work motivation Stamov-Roßnagel, Christian; Biemann, Torsten
Journal of managerial psychology,
01/2012, Letnik:
27, Številka:
5
Journal Article
Recenzirano
Purpose - The paper aims to establish the position that discrete work tasks, rather than entire jobs, are the most useful level of analysis of age differences in work motivation.Design methodology ...approach - A total of 189 workers (aged 18-65 years) from production and office jobs in the building industry completed a survey on personal and job resources, overall and task-specific motivation, and job satisfaction.Findings - Age was positively associated with motivation for generativity-related, but not growth-related tasks. Personal and job resources were positively and differentially related to task-specific motivation.Research limitations implications - Building on the notion of age-specific constellations of high and low-motivation tasks, the findings inspire research into age-related changes in work motivation. The authors studied only two task types; a more comprehensive task set will in future studies yield deeper insights into motivational regulation. Working with other industry sectors will enhance generalisability.Practical implications - The results contribute to a theory-based, empirically grounded platform to assess age-related changes in work motivation, and to derive age-differentiated motivational interventions.Social implications - Supporting older workers' motivation in light of the demand for longer individual work lives is becoming an important agenda for employers and policy makers. This research contributes to developing tools for such motivation support.Originality value - The paper enhances the conceptual clarity of work motivation research by distinguishing global and task-specific levels of motivation. The conceptualisation differentiates job design approaches by considering age-related changes at multiple levels instead of focusing on major age effects only.
Self-regulation is crucial for learning and achievement in educational and occupational contexts. Educational self-regulation has been conceptualized as a domain-specific, context-bound
competence
...that is open to interventions. Beyond students’ educational self-regulation (ESR), few studies have examined ESR across the lifespan as a basis of competence assessments. We contribute to adult ESR by discussing whether ESR competence applies to intermediate and higher self-regulation levels, as represented by workplace learning and career management. Furthermore, we discuss the interplay of epistemic beliefs and metacomprehension as core processes of ESR. Finally, we outline cornerstones of an assessment strategy for adult ESR.
PDF
