Danny Lo

Validation of the Job Demands-Resources model in cross-national samples: Cross-sectional and longitudinal predictions of psychological strain and work engagement

The Job Demands-Resources (JD-R) model proposes that employee health and performance are dependent upon direct and interacting perceptions of job demands and job resources. The JD-R model has been tested primarily with small, cross-sectional, European samples. The current research extends scholarly discussions by evaluating the full JD-R model for the prediction of psychological strain and work engagement, within a longitudinal research design with samples of Australian and Chinese employees (N = 9404). Job resources (supervisor support and colleague support) accounted for substantial variance, supporting the motivational hypothesis of the JD-R model. However, minimal evidence was found for the strain hypothesis of the JD-R model. The interactions of job demands and job resources were not evident, with only one from 16 interaction tests demonstrating significance. We discuss explanations for our findings. The implications of testing western-derived organizational behavior theories among employees employed in Asian regions, especially in regard to the increasing ‘westernization’ of many Asian organizations and their employees, are also discussed.

Flexible work arrangements, work engagement, turnover intentions and psychological health

Flexible work arrangements (FWAs) are often written into company policies to demonstrate organisational sensitivity to potentially difficult interfaces between employees’ work and non-work domains. The current research investigated employees’ use of FWAs and relationship to work engagement, with turnover intentions and psychological strain also used as criterion variables for comparison purposes. A heterogeneous sample of Australian employees (N = 823) responded to two waves of data collection separated by a 12-month interval. It was expected that supportive aspects of organisational culture would be consistent with increased employee utilisation of FWAs, high work engagement, low turnover and low levels of psychological strain, and the opposite would be found for hindering aspects of organisational culture. It was also expected that supportive organisational culture would demonstrate an enduring effect over time. In general, research findings supported these hypotheses. However, the research also identified a negative relationship between use of FWAs and work engagement over time. This suggests that take-up of FWAs is highly dependent on workplace cultural norms. The implications of these results are discussed.

Positive pathways to engaging workers: work-family enrichment as a predictor of work engagement

Engaged workers willingly devote their best efforts to their work in terms of their energy (vigor), sustained attention (absorption) and their sense of purpose (dedication), thereby contributing to the optimal functioning and performance of organizations. In consideration of the positive and negative influence of work–life balance for work performance, this study assessed the role played by work–family enrichment as a direct antecedent of work engagement. Two waves of data were collected from an Australian sample of workers with family commitments (N = 470). Cross-sectional analyses found that experiences of work that contributed to a positive mood (affect) and to a sense of confidence (capital) in family life were associated with all three dimensions of work engagement and with family satisfaction. Longitudinal analyses demonstrated enduring effects of positive mood, with work–family affect predicting work engagement and family–work affect predicting family satisfaction. The results support Fredricksons broaden-and-build theory which predicts positive experiences, particularly those that enable workers to leave work in a good mood, and returns benefits in the form of work engagement. The current study provides evidence that enriched experiences at the workplace provide tangible benefits to peoples family lives and long-term returns to organizations in the form of ongoing employee engagement.

The relationship of social support with well-being outcomes via work–family conflict: Moderating effects of gender, dependants and nationality:

The impact of work–family conflict on well-being outcomes is well established, as is the role of social support in buffering perceptions of conflict. What is less well understood is how these relationships vary for different groups of respondents. Using a two-wave longitudinal design with a 12-month time lag and samples of employees (total N = 2183) from Australia, New Zealand, China and Hong Kong, the present research investigated whether the mediating relationships between social support, work–family conflict and well-being outcomes were moderated by gender, geographical region and the presence of dependants in the household. Supervisor support and family support were associated with lower work–family conflict, and hence reduced psychological strain and increased job and family satisfaction, for women and for employees in China and Hong Kong, but not for employees in Australia and New Zealand. However, the presence of dependants was not a significant moderator. Our findings illustrate the importance of exploring gender and national differences in work–family conflict research, particularly the investigation of cross-domain effects.