Benjamin M. Walsh

What aspects of shiftwork influence off-shift well-being of healthcare workers?

Characteristics of shiftwork schedules have implications for off-shift well-being. We examined the extent to which several shift characteristics (e.g., shift length, working sundays) are associated with three aspects of off-shift well-being: work-to-family conflict, physical well-being, and mental well-being. We also investigated whether these relationships differed in four nations. The Survey of Work and Time was completed by 906 healthcare professionals located in Australia, Brazil, Croatia, and the USA. Hierarchical multiple regression analyses supported the hypothesis that shiftwork characteristics account for significant unique variance in all three measures of well-being beyond that accounted for by work and family demands and personal characteristics. The patterns of regression weights indicated that particular shiftwork characteristics have differential relevance to indices of work-to-family conflict, physical well-being, and mental well-being. Our findings suggest that healthcare organizations should carefully consider the implications of shiftwork characteristics for off-shift well-being. Furthermore, although our findings did not indicate national differences in the nature of relationships between shift characteristics and well-being, shiftwork characteristics and demographics for healthcare professionals differ in systematic ways among nations; as such, effective solutions may be context-specific.

A multilevel model of the effects of equal opportunity climate on job satisfaction in the military.

To date, minimal work has explored associations between equal opportunity (EO) climate and employee work attitudes, and no known research has investigated the effects of EO climate beyond the individual level. We address these gaps in the literature by testing a multilevel structural equation model in which effects of EO climate are considered at both the individual and unit levels. At the individual level, we predicted that psychological EO climate would be directly associated with job stress and job satisfaction, as well as indirectly related to job satisfaction via stress. In addition, cross-level associations between unit EO climate and job stress and job satisfaction were hypothesized to be mediated by cohesion. Findings supported the proposed model; hypothesized relations were supported at both levels of analysis. We conclude with a discussion of the findings, study limitations, and directions for future EO climate research.

The Positive Effects of Participative Decision Making for Midlevel Correctional Management

This study examined the effects of increased participation in decision making on perceived supervisory and organizational support among middle managers within corrections. Using data collected from 146 middle managers and structural equation modeling, the authors found that increases in participation in decision making were associated with increases in both perceived supervisor support and perceived organizational support. Furthermore, the relationship between participation in decision making and perceived organizational support was partially mediated by perceived supervisor support. The present study extends the literature by being the first examination of the relationships between participation in decision making and perceived supervisor and organizational support within corrections. It also extends the corrections literature by focusing on key individuals within corrections, middle managers, who for the most part have been ignored in the published literature. Suggestions for enhancing the involvement of middle management in decisions are discussed as well as limitations and opportunities for future research.

The Emergence of Family‐specific Support Constructs: Cross‐level Effects of Family‐supportive Supervision and Family‐Supportive Organization Perceptions on Individual Outcomes

Implicit to the definitions of both family-supportive supervision (FSS) and family-supportive organization perceptions (FSOP) is the argument that these constructs may manifest at a higher (e.g. group or organizational) level. In line with these conceptualizations, grounded in tenants of conservation of resources theory, we argue that FSS and FSOP, as universal resources, are emergent constructs at the organizational level, which have cross-level effects on work-family conflict and turnover intentions. To test our theoretically derived hypotheses, a multilevel model was examined in which FSS and FSOP at the unit level predict individual work-to-family conflict, which in turn predicts turnover intentions. Our hypothesized model was generally supported. Collectively, our results point to FSOP serving as an explanatory mechanism of the effects that mutual perceptions of FSS have on individual experiences of work-to-family conflict and turnover intentions. Lagged (i.e. overtime) cross-level effects of the model were also confirmed in supplementary analyses. Our results extend our theoretical understanding of FSS and FSOP by demonstrating the utility of conceptualizing them as universal resources, opening up a variety of avenues for future research. Copyright

Investigating the Moderating Role of Cultural Practices on the Effect of Selection Fairness Perceptions

Utilizing a sample of applicants to positions in a global corporation, we examined whether cultural practices moderate the effect of selection fairness perceptions on organizational attractiveness and job choice. Positive relationships were anticipated between fairness perceptions and outcomes, and performance orientation and uncertainty avoidance cultural practices were hypothesized to moderate the effects of structural and information sharing perceptions, respectively. Structural fairness perceptions were positively associated with both outcomes, but information-sharing perceptions were significantly related only to organizational attractiveness. National variability in the effect of selection fairness perceptions was observed only for the effect of structural perceptions on organizational attractiveness. Performance orientation moderated this effect such that the strongest relationship was seen among applicants from more performance-oriented countries.

Civility climate mitigates deviant reactions to organizational constraints

Purpose – Research has consistently shown that organizational constraints lead to deviant behavioral reactions. Although many studies have investigated personality variables as moderators of such predictors of deviance, considerably less research has considered cross-level moderators of these effects. The purpose of this paper is to draw on several related theories to test team civility climate as a cross-level moderator of the organizational constraints – interpersonal deviance relationship. Design/methodology/approach – Data were collected using paper-and-pencil surveys from 239 employees nested within 68 work teams. Teams were employed in various industries including healthcare, insurance, manufacturing/engineering, and financial services. Findings – Results from hierarchical linear modeling analyses demonstrated that the effect of organizational constraints on interpersonal deviance varied significantly across teams. In addition, the positive relationship between organizational constraints and interpe...

Failing to Be Family-Supportive: Implications for Supervisors:

Family-supportive supervision benefits employees in many ways. But what are the implications for the supervisors themselves, particularly when this support is not extended? Drawing on social exchange theory, we frame family-supportive supervision as a desirable resource that when withheld may trigger negative social responses from employees. We hypothesize that workplace ostracism is a mechanism through which employees sanction supervisors who fail to be family-supportive, thereby harming supervisor well-being. Study 1 captured the employee perspective and utilized an experimental design to understand whether employees engage in ostracism in response to a lack of family-supportive supervision. In Study 2, we captured the supervisor perspective with multisource data to examine whether supervisors report ostracism and in turn lower subjective well-being when employees report a lack of family-supportive supervision. Consistent findings were observed across studies, suggesting negative outcomes for supervisors who fail to be family-supportive. In Study 2, we also examined moderators of the relationship between failing to be family-supportive and workplace ostracism and potential conditional indirect effects. However, we did not find evidence of such effects. Theoretical implications for the study of family-supportive supervision and workplace ostracism are discussed.