Caroline Arnoux-Nicolas

Perceived Work Conditions and Turnover Intentions: The Mediating Role of Meaning of Work

Perceived working conditions lead to various negative outcomes for employee behaviors, including turnover intentions. Although potential mediators for these relationships were previously identified, the importance of meaning of work has not yet been investigated. This study examines the role of this psychological resource as a mediator for the relationships between perceived working conditions and turnover intentions in a sample of 336 French workers from different job contexts. Results show that adverse working conditions were positively and significantly associated with turnover intentions. Meaning of work is negatively related to both perceived working conditions and turnover intentions. Mediation analyses for meaning of work demonstrated indirect effects of several adverse working conditions on turnover intentions. The role of meaning of work as a psychological resource for employees facing adverse working conditions is discussed, especially regarding its implications for research and practice within organizational contexts.

Meaning-Centered Career Intervention for College Students

In a socioeconomic context that is characterized by rapid changes and uncertainty, meaning has become a central issue for career counseling practices (Bernaud et al., Psychologie de l’accompagnement: Concepts et outils pour developper le « sens » de la vie et du travail. [Psychology of coaching: Concepts and tools to develop meaning of life and of work]. Paris: Dunod, 2015; Savickas et al., Journal of Vocational Behavior 75:239–250, 2009). At the same time, the nature of career problems has become increasingly complex. Consequently, innovative interventions must be developed to address the needs of individuals seeking career counseling (Savickas et al., 2009). The purpose of this study is to introduce a new meaning-centered career intervention adapted for college students, experimented at a French university and emphasizing two key aspects: meaning of life and meaning of work. Inspired by several conceptual approaches—meaning of life, the positive psychology movement, the life-design paradigm, and some evidence-based practices—the present intervention aims to stimulate active existential reflection among college students regarding their career plans. Meaning of life may facilitate the career decision-making process (Miller and Rottinghaus, Journal of Career Assessment 22:233–247, 2014). Reflections about meaning of work are also incorporated as they represent salient aspects of college students’ lives. The first section is focused on reviewing the concepts of meaning of life (Frankl, Man’s search for meaning. Boston, MA: Beacon Press, 1959) and of meaning of work (Rosso et al., Research in Organizational Behavior 30:91–127, 2010), and their relevance for career construction and the career decision-making process. The second section is a description of the different sessions of this program. The intervention is divided into five sessions with specific objectives and target groups of 10–20 undergraduate students. Student testimonies are included in this study. In conclusion, we discuss the limitations and perspectives of this meaning-centered career intervention.

A Meaning-Centered Career Intervention: A Case Study

An innovative framework for career intervention focused on meaning was developed on the basis of a joint research project carried out over several years (Bernaud et al., 2015). This framework includes seven to eight 2-hour sessions held approximately once a week. The purpose of the present chapter is to introduce a case study with a focus on analyzing the interactions between counselor and client, as well as the qualitative effectiveness of the career intervention. The importance of exploring both the quantitative and qualitative effects of a meaning-centered career intervention is discussed with respect to the challenges of career counseling in a postmodern context.