Janet A. Boekhorst

Do “rising stars” avoid risk?: status-based labels and decision making

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to empirically examine how status-based labels, based on future capabilities, can impact peoples risk tolerance in decision making. Design/methodology/approach – In this paper the authors developed and tested theoretical arguments using a set of three studies employing a scenario-based approach and a total of 449 undergraduate business students. Findings – The findings suggest that labeling people in terms of future capabilities can trigger perceptions of public scrutiny and influence their risk preferences. Specifically, the results reveal that individuals who are recipients of high-status labels tend to choose lower risk decision options compared to their peers. Research limitations/implications – The study employed scenarios to examine the issue of employee labeling. The extent to which these scenarios have truly captured the dynamics of labeling is questionable, and future research should employ a field-based study to examine whether the reported effect can be o...

Recovery after work experiences, employee well-being and intent to quit

Purpose – A growing body of research suggests that psychological experiences related to recovery after work may reduce employee fatigue and exhaustion and improve well-being. The purpose of this paper is to extend this literature by examining several correlates and consequences of four recovery experiences: psychological detachment, relaxation, mastery, and control. Design/methodology/approach – Data were collected from 290 nursing staff working in hospitals using a questionnaire study and well-established measures. Hierarchical regression analyses were used to test the hypotheses. Findings – The results suggest that the four recovery experiences were, with one exception, positively and significantly correlated. Personal demographic variables (e.g. work status and level of education) had relationships with the use of particular recovery experiences. Passion was positively related to the use of mastery and control, while work intensity was negatively associated with the use of psychological detachment and ...

The influence of cross-cultural differences on job interview selection decisions

How the interview process affects foreign-born job candidates has received scant attention in recent research literature (Huffcutt 2011), even though the issue should be growing in importance given the massive influx of qualified migrants entering developed countries. This paper examines the job interview through the lens of national culture and argues that cross-cultural differences between interviewer and interviewee can affect interview judgement and evaluation. Drawing upon the literatures in cross-cultural research and social psychology, this paper presents a model of cross-cultural differences on interview outcomes. In so doing, this conceptual study advances theory that underpins the employment selection process of foreign-born job candidates, and also provides a platform on which future empirical research may be based.

Work intensity, emotional exhaustion and life satisfaction: The moderating role of psychological detachment

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to examine a moderated mediation model that investigated the moderating role of psychological detachment in the relationship between work intensity and life satisfaction via emotional exhaustion. Design/methodology/approach Data were collected from 149 hospital-based nurses who completed a questionnaire about working conditions and individual outcomes. The data were analyzed using hierarchical moderated regression and bootstrapping techniques. Findings The results confirm that work intensity is negatively related to life satisfaction via emotional exhaustion. The results also demonstrate that psychological detachment diminishes the negative influence of emotional exhaustion on life satisfaction. The conditional indirect effect model shows that the indirect relationship between work intensity and life satisfaction is strongest at low psychological detachment. Research limitations/implications This research advances our understanding of the negative work and non-work implications associated with work intensity. The key limitation of this research was the cross-sectional data set. HRM researchers should seek to replicate and expand the results with multi-wave data to extend our understanding of the implications of work intensity. Practical implications HRM practitioners need to begin implementing measures to address work intensity in order to thwart its negative effects. HRM practitioners need to implement policies and procedures that limit the intensity of work demands to promote positive employee work and non-work outcomes. Originality/value This is the first study to show that work intensity can influence life satisfaction through emotional exhaustion. Contrary to most recovery research, this research is also among the first to focus on the moderating role of psychological detachment, especially within a conditional indirect effect model.