Thomas Rigotti

Literature Review of Theory and Research on the Psychological Impact of Temporary Employment: Towards a Conceptual Model

The increased use of temporary contracts has instigated debates on possible implications for employees’ attitudes, well-being and behaviour. The complex issues related to this debate are reviewed from a theoretical, empirical and conceptual point of view. First, the definitions of temporary employment that are currently used in OECD countries are reviewed. Second, theoretical views concerning possible determinants are elaborated. The theoretical frameworks discussed include Work Stress Theory, Social Comparison Theory and Social Exchange Theory. The determinants proposed in these theories have served to form the basis of hypotheses on differences between temporary and permanent workers on various psychological outcomes. Third, research on associations between temporary employment and the variables job satisfaction, organizational commitment, well-being and behaviour are reviewed. These variables are most frequently used in the realm of temporary work research. This review concludes that research results have been inconsistent and inconclusive, unlike the predictions that follow from the theoretical frameworks. This leads to a fourth section in which potential explanations for these inconsistent findings are advanced. In conclusion, a conceptual model is developed to inspire future research.

A Short Version of the Occupational Self-Efficacy Scale: Structural and Construct Validity across Five Countries.

Occupational self-efficacy is an important resource for individuals in organizations. To be able to compare the occupational self-efficacy of employees across different countries, equivalent versions of the standard instruments need to be made available in different languages. In this article, the authors report on the structural and construct validity of an instrument that assesses occupational self-efficacy across five countries (Germany, Sweden, Belgium, United Kingdom, Spain), based on an overall sample of N =1,535. The instrument can be recommended for comparative use in German, Swedish, Belgian, Spanish, and British organizational contexts.

The Assessment of Psychological Strain in Work Contexts

Irritation as defined in this paper is the subjectively perceived emotional and cognitive strain in occupational contexts. The structural equivalence of the Arabic, Dutch, English, French, Italian, Russian, Spanish, Turkish, and Polish adaptations of the German Irritation Scale is examined. The Irritation Scale is recommended for application particularly in occupational contexts. In this field it can be used for evaluating interventions, for research on stress at work, and for individual counseling. Exploratory factor analyses, as well as single group and different multiple-group confirmatory factor analyses, were performed. Structural equivalency in terms of equal factor loadings as well as equal factor covariances across all adaptations can be claimed. However, the single group analyses suggest that the hypothesized factor model should be rejected in the English, Russian, Spanish, and Turkish versions, mainly because of borderline values in the RMSEA index.

Irritation - ein Instrument zur Erfassung psychischer Beanspruchung im Arbeitskontext. Skalen- und Itemparameter aus 15 Studien

Zusammenfassung. Irritation beschreibt subjektiv wahrgenommene emotionale und kognitive Beanspruchungen im Kontext der Erwerbsarbeit. Anhand von 15 Studien (N = 4 030) werden Skalen- und Itemparameter der Irritations-Skala berichtet. Die Ergebnisse untermauern die branchenubergreifende Validitat und Reliabilitat der Skala. Erste Hinweise deuten darauf hin, dass Irritation schwerwiegenderen Befindensbeeintrachtigungen, wie depressiven Symptomen, vorgelagert ist. Neben einer Anwendung in der arbeitspsychologischen Stressforschung, kann das Instrument zur Beanspruchungsdiagnostik sowie zur Planung und Evaluation von Praventivmasnahmen innerhalb der betrieblichen Gesundheitsforderung empfohlen werden.

Enough is enough? Threshold models for the relationship between psychological contract breach and job-related attitudes

Psychological contracts are a powerful concept in research on organizational behaviour. Substantial negative reactions towards perceived breaches to the psychological contract have been reported in many studies. There are sound theoretical arguments for the existence of a point in the continuous perception of contract breach, where sudden changes in attitudes occur in the relationship between breach and outcomes (i.e., thresholds). Using questionnaire data from 592 employees working in more than 30 different organizations across Germany, segmented regression models were tested against curvilinear effects for the relationship between breach of the psychological contract and job satisfaction, affective organizational commitment, intention to quit, violation, and trust. This study provides empirical evidence for threshold models of psychological contract breach. The results imply that prior studies have underestimated the impact of psychological contract breach.

Interruptions to workflow: Their relationship with irritation and satisfaction with performance, and the mediating roles of time pressure and mental demands

Understanding the mechanisms of workflow interruptions is crucial for reducing employee strain and maintaining performance. This study investigates how interruptions affect perceptions of performance and irritation by employing a within-person approach. Such interruptions refer to intruding secondary tasks, such as requests for assistance, which occur within the primary task. Based on empirical evidence and action theory, it is proposed that the occurrence of interruptions is negatively related to satisfaction with ones own performance and positively related to forgetting of intentions and the experience of irritation. Mental demands and time pressure are proposed as mediators. Data were gathered from 133 nurses in German hospitals by means of a five-day diary study (four measurements taken daily; three during a morning work shift and one after work, in the evening). Multilevel analyses showed that workflow interruptions had detrimental effects on satisfaction with ones own performance, the forgetting of intentions, and irritation. The mediation effects of mental demands and time pressure were supported for irritation and (partially) supported for satisfaction with performance. They were not supported for the forgetting of intentions. These findings demonstrate the importance of reducing the time and mental demands associated with interruptions.

Normwerte der Skala Irritation: Zwei Dimensionen psychischer Beanspruchung1

Zusammenfassung. Irritation beschreibt subjektiv wahrgenommene emotionale und kognitive Beanspruchungen im Kontext der Erwerbsarbeit. Auf der Basis verschiedener Untersuchungen (N = 4,030) werden Skalen- und Itemparameter sowie erstmals Normwerte der beiden Dimensionen kognitive Irritation und emotionale Irritation sowie des Gesamtindexes dargestellt. Die internen Konsistenzen schwanken je nach Analyseebene zwischen .83 und .90. Erwartungsgemase Korrelationen zu anderen Skalen sprechen fur die Konstruktvaliditat des Instrumentes. Irritation kann zur Masnahmenevaluation im gesundheitspsychologischen Bereich, in der arbeitspsychologischen Stressforschung und durch die Normierung nun auch im individuellen Beratungskontext eingesetzt werden.

Just more of the same, or different? An integrative theoretical framework for the study of cumulative interruptions at work

We propose a theoretical framework that explores the accumulation of work interruptions and their effects. Most research studies have dealt with interruptions as isolated phenomena, ignoring the simultaneous or sequential occurrence of interruptions common in everyday life. We fill this gap and provide insight into the process of the accumulation of interruptions by mapping deep-level regulation onto an observable sequence of actions. Furthermore, we explain how cumulative interruptions can lead to qualitatively different effects because of the interaction and joint development of isolated effects, identifying some mediating and moderating factors. In doing so, we disclose the relationships between the effects of single interruptions found in laboratory studies and the impacts on health and well-being of multiple interruptions found in applied research.

Differenzielle Aspekte psychischer Beanspruchung aus Sicht der Zielorientierung

Zusammenfassung: Am Beispiel des Konstruktes Irritation wird der Erklarungswert von Zielerreichungstheorien fur Prozesse des Stresserlebens verdeutlicht. Aus Sicht der Zielerreichung ist Irritation ein Zustand psychischer Befindensbeeintrachtigung in Folge erlebter Zieldiskrepanz, der sowohl Ruminationen, im Sinne verstarkter Zielerreichungsbemuhungen (kognitive Irritation), als auch Gereiztheitsreaktionen, im Sinne einer Zielabwehr (emotionale Irritation), umfasst. Die postulierte zweifaktorielle Struktur des Konstruktes konnte in konfirmatorischen Faktoranalysen (N = 4030) bestatigt werden. Drei Validitatsstudien verdeutlichen die unterschiedliche instrumentelle Funktion beider Subfaktoren im Prozess der Zielerreichung und Zielablosung. Damit sind nunmehr differenziertere Aussagen uber die Mittlerrolle von Irritation zwischen Stresserleben und Krankheitsbildung moglich, die fur eine kunftige Theorien- und Hypothesenbildung sowie im Kontext psychologischer Beratung genutzt werden konnen.

The relation between transformational leadership and follower emotional strain: The moderating role of professional ambition

The present study tests a model of moderated mediation in the relationship between transformational leadership and follower emotional strain. Based on the job demands-resources model, we suggest that transformational leaders may be able to decrease follower emotional strain by providing social support. It is also proposed that a protective effect of social support from a transformational leader will depend on the employees’ level of professional ambition. Mediation by social support may be stronger for ambitious employees, such that transformational leadership may be associated with less emotional strain for these employees (moderated mediation). A sample of 199 employees participated in a cross-sectional study in Germany. Results confirmed the hypothesized moderated mediation indicating a health-promoting effect of supervisory social support for ambitious employees (not found for low levels of ambition). The study suggests that the idea of a general positive effect of transformational leadership on followers’ emotional strain is not appropriate.