The new normal of remote work: exploring individual and organizational factors affecting work-related outcomes and well-being in academia.

Background: Flexible work arrangements have become increasingly popular, driven by the widespread adoption of digital technologies in the workplace because of the pandemic. However, there is a scarcity of studies concerning remote work, especially related to technical-administrative staff (TAS) in academia. Therefore, the current study, adopting the Job Demands-Resources model, aimed to investigate the relationships between remote working self-efficacy, organizational support, techno-complexity, mental well-being, and job performance among TAS during remote working. Methods: A total of 373 individuals from TAS of a large Italian university participated in this study by completing a self-report questionnaire. Results: The findings showed positive and significant relationships between remote self-efficacy and job satisfaction as well as between such a perceived efficacy and mental well-being. Perceived support from supervisors acted as a protective factor against techno-complexity. In contrast, perceived support from colleagues emerged as able to promote well-being and job satisfaction. In addition, the latter was positively associated with well-being. Finally, individual job performance was positively affected by job satisfaction and negatively by techno-complexity. Conclusion: This study highlights the need for interventions to support TAS in remote working environments by leveraging employees' self-efficacy as a key factor in reducing stress related to new technologies as well as enhancing well-being, job satisfaction, and, in turn, their performance.

A New Academic Quality at Work Tool (AQ@workT) to Assess the Quality of Life at Work in the Italian Academic Context.

The present study provides evidence for a valid and reliable tool, the Academic Quality at Work Tool (AQ@workT), to investigate the quality of life at work in academics within the Italian university sector. The AQ@workT was developed by the QoL@Work research team, namely a group of expert academics in the field of work and organizational psychology affiliated with the Italian Association of Psychologists. The tool is grounded in the job demands-resources model and its psychometric properties were assessed in three studies comprising a wide sample of lecturers, researchers, and professors: a pilot study (N = 120), a calibration study (N = 1084), and a validation study (N = 1481). Reliability and content, construct, and nomological validity were supported, as well as measurement invariance across work role (researchers, associate professors, and full professors) and gender. Evidence from the present study shows that the AQ@workT represents a useful and reliable tool to assist university management to enhance quality of life, to manage work-related stress, and to mitigate the potential for harm to academics, particularly during a pandemic. Future studies, such as longitudinal tests of the AQ@workT, should test predictive validity among the variables in the tool.

When helpers need help: A case study on the 2012 earthquakes in Italy.

BACKGROUND: After two strong earthquakes in the Emilia region in Italy, many HCWs had to deal with the psychological consequences of the aftershocks. OBJECTIVE: The aims of this case study were a) to describe the psychosocial condition of the HCWs affected by the earthquake; b) to present an intervention immediately after the earthquake on HCWs in a post-disaster situation using a mixed-method approach. METHODS: A mixed-method study was conducted collecting qualitative data (during Group Counselling sessions) and quantitative data (through questionnaires). RESULTS: The results suggested that the impact of the earthquake was very strong, as more than 80% perceived at least a severe impact event capable of altering their ability to function; most of the thoughts and feelings were related to death and fear. CONCLUSIONS: This study adds knowledge about how to plan interventions aiming to help those workers at both individual and organisational level.

Early Retirement: A Meta-Analysis of Its Antecedent and Subsequent Correlates.

Early or voluntary retirement (ER) can be defined as the full exit from an organizational job or career path of long duration, decided by individuals of a certain age at the mid or late career before mandatory retirement age, with the aim of reducing their attachment to work and closing a process of gradual psychological disengagement from working life. Given the swinging movements that characterize employment policies, the potential effects of ER-both for individuals and society-are still controversial. This meta-analysis examined the relationships between ER and its antecedent and subsequent correlates. Our review of the literature was generated with 151 empirical studies, containing a total number of 706,937 participants, with a wide range of sample sizes (from N = 27 to N = 127,384 participants) and 380 independent effect sizes (ESs), which included 171 independent samples. A negligible ES value for antecedent correlates of early retirement (family pull, job stress, job satisfaction, and income) was obtained (which ranged from r = -0.13 to 0.19), while a fair ES was obtained for workplace timing for retirement, organizational pressures, financial security, and poor physical and mental health, (ranging from r = 0.28 to 0.25). Regarding ER subsequent correlates, poor ESs were obtained, ranging from r = 0.08 to 0.18 for the relationships with subsequent correlates, and fair ESs only for social engagement (r = -0.25). Examination of the potential moderator variables has been conducted. Only a reduced percentage of variability of primary studies has been explained by moderators. Although potential moderator factors were examined, there are several unknown or not measurable factors which contribute to ER and about which there are very little data available. The discussion is aimed to offer theoretical and empirical implications suggestion in order to improve employee's well-being.

Positive Aging in Demanding Workplaces: The Gain Cycle between Job Satisfaction and Work Engagement.

Nowadays organizations have to cope with two related challenges: maintaining an engaged and highly performing workforce and, at the same time, protecting and increasing employees' well-being and job satisfaction under conditions of a generalized increase of job demand, in an increasingly growing older population. According to the motivational process of the JD-R model, a work environment with many organizational resources will foster work engagement, which in turn will increase the likelihood of positive personal and organizational outcomes, such as job satisfaction, performance, and intention to stay. However, it is not clear how this motivational process could work in different age cohorts, as older workers may have different priorities to those of younger colleagues. Postulating the existence of a gain-cycle in the relationship between work engagement and outcomes, in this study we tested a longitudinal moderated mediation model in which job satisfaction increases over time through an increment in work engagement. We hypothesized that this process is moderated by job demand and aging. We collected data in public administrations in Northern Italy in order to measure work engagement and job satisfaction. 556 workers aged between 50 and 64 replied to the survey twice (the first time and 8 months later). The findings confirmed a moderated mediation model, in which job satisfaction at time 1 increased work engagement, which in turn fostered job satisfaction 8 months later, confirming the hypothesized gain-cycle. This relationship was shown to be moderated by the joint influence of job demand intensity and age: higher job demands and younger age are related to the maximum level of level gain cycle, while the same high level of job demands, when associated with older age, appears unable to stimulate a similar effect. The results confirm that, on one hand, older workers cannot be seen as a homogeneous group and, on the other hand, the importance of considering the role played by the gain cycle of resources. Our findings show that age matters, and that greater consideration should be devoted to age differences in order to design appropriate human resources practices that foster work engagement and satisfaction.

Effort-reward imbalance and organisational injustice among aged nurses: a moderated mediation model.

AIM: To test the effort-reward imbalance model among older nurses, expanding it to include the moderation of overcommitment and age in the stress-health complaints relationship, mediated by organisational injustice. BACKGROUND: The theoretical framework included the effort-reward imbalance, the uncertainty management and the socio-emotional selectivity models. METHOD: Employing a two-wave design, the participants were 255 nurses aged 45 years and over, recruited from four large hospitals in Spain (Madrid and Basque Country). RESULTS: The direct effect of imbalance on health complaints was supported: it was significant when overcommitment was low but not when it was high. Organisational injustice mediated the influence of effort-reward imbalance on health complaints. The conditional effect of the mediation of organisational injustice was significant in three of the overcommitment/age conditions but it weakened, becoming non-significant, when the level of overcommitment was low and age was high. CONCLUSIONS: The study tested the model in nursing populations and expanded it to the settings of occupational health and safety at work. IMPLICATIONS FOR NURSING MANAGEMENT: The results of this study highlight the importance of effort-reward imbalance and organisational justice for creating healthy work environments.

Mentoring and group identification as antecedents of satisfaction and health among nurses: what role do bullying experiences play?

BACKGROUND: Prior studies have been unable to determine underlying mechanisms by which the negative relation with mentors affects mentees' satisfaction and health. We consider the Social Identity Theory as theoretical framework to understand the possible influence of negative mentoring on mentees. OBJECTIVE: The aim of the study is to examine the relationship between: 1) negative mentoring experiences and group identification and, 2) nurses' job satisfaction and health complaints, as mediated by nurses' bullying experiences. DESIGN: A longitudinal design was used. METHODS: The study employs a longitudinal design, with Time 1 (May-June 2010) and Time 2 (2010 September-October 2010). At Time 1 we assessed negative mentoring experiences and group identification, while at Time 2 we assessed workplace bullying, job satisfaction and health complaints. RESULTS: The results have confirmed the hypothesized relationship. Data analysis has revealed a partial mediation model in which negative mentoring experiences and group identification explained job satisfaction. This mediation has not been found in the case of health complaints. CONCLUSIONS: This study expands the application of Social Identity Theory to nurses' mentoring. The findings of the study support that negative mentoring experiences and group identification affect job satisfaction among nurses due to workplace bullying. Prevention of pervasive long term effects of negative mentoring relationships has been suggested.

Getting vaccinated or not getting vaccinated? Different reasons for getting vaccinated against seasonal or pandemic influenza.

BACKGROUND: A large number of studies have investigated the motivation behind health care workers (HCWs) taking the influenza vaccine. But with the appearance of pandemic influenza, it became important to better analyse the reasons why workers get vaccinated against seasonal and/or pandemic influenza. METHODS: Three main categories of reasons were identified with an Exploratory Factor Analysis. An analysis of variance (ANOVA) was used to verify the existence of differences between three categories of choices (taking of seasonal and pandemic vaccine, only the seasonal vaccine or none). In addition, a multinomial logistic regression analysis was performed to analyse the association between stated intentions and update of seasonal and pandemic vaccine. Questionnaires were returned from 168 HCWs (67.3% women). RESULTS: The results showed that age and being well-informed about vaccination topics are the most important variables in determining the choice to take the vaccine. CONCLUSIONS: The results highlight the importance of enhancing education programs to improve awareness among HCWs concerning the benefits of taking the influenza vaccination, with particular attention paid to younger workers.

Solving a methodological challenge in work stress evaluation with the Stress Assessment and Research Toolkit (StART): a study protocol.

BACKGROUND: Stress evaluation is a field of strong interest and challenging due to several methodological aspects in the evaluation process. The aim of this study is to propose a study protocol to test a new method (i.e., the Stress Assessment and Research Toolkit) to assess psychosocial risk factors at work. DESIGN: This method addresses several methodological issues (e.g., subjective vs. objective, qualitative vs quantitative data) by assessing work-related stressors using different kinds of data: i) organisational archival data (organisational indicators sheet); ii) qualitative data (focus group); iii) worker perception (questionnaire); and iv) observational data (observational checklist) using mixed methods research. In addition, it allows positive and negative aspects of work to be considered conjointly, using an approach that considers at the same time job demands and job resources. DISCUSSION: The integration of these sources of data can reduce the theoretical and methodological bias related to stress research in the work setting, allows researchers and professionals to obtain a reliable description of workers' stress, providing a more articulate vision of psychosocial risks, and allows a large amount of data to be collected. Finally, the implementation of the method ensures in the long term a primary prevention for psychosocial risk management in that it aims to reduce or modify the intensity, frequency or duration of organisational demands.

[Bridge employment and retirees' personal well-being. A structural equation model with a European probabilistic sample]. / Empleo puente y bienestar personal de los jubilados. Un modelo de ecuaciones estructurales con una muestra europea probabilística.

The aim of this paper is twofold: first, to examine the relationships between antecedents and consequences of bridge employment activity; second, to analyze the mediator role both of quality and quantity of bridge employment activities in the relationship between antecedents and consequences. First wave panel data from the SHARE (Survey of Health, Ageing and Retirement in Europe) were obtained from 1190 men and women in Europe, using structured interviews and questionnaires. Structural equation modeling analyses, including the sample without missing values (N=650), showed that both quantity and quality of bridge employment participation are predictors of job satisfaction, life satisfaction, and quality of life in retirement. These results validate and expand the previous research on bridge employment activities and partial retirement.

Psychological contract breach and outcomes: Combining meta-analysis and structural equation models.

In this study, meta-analytic procedures were used to examine the relationships between psychological contract perceived breach and certain outcome variables, such as organizational commitment, job satisfaction and organizational citizenship behaviours (OCB). Our review of the literature generated 41 independent samples in which perceived breach was used as a predictor of these personal and organizational outcomes. A medium effect size (ES) for desirable outcomes (job satisfaction, organizational commitment, organizational trust, OCB and performance) was obtained (r=-.35). For undesirable outcomes (neglect in role duties and intention to leave), ES were also medium (r=.31). When comparing attitudinal (job satisfaction, organizational commitment, organizational trust) and behavioural outcomes (OCB, neglect in role duties and performance), a stronger ES was found for attitudinal (r=-.24) than for behavioural outcomes (r=-.11). Potential moderator variables were examined, and it was found that they explained only a percentage of variability of primary studies. Structural equation analysis of the pooled meta-analytical correlation matrix indicated that the relationships of perceived breach with satisfaction, OCB, intention to leave and performance are fully mediated by organizational trust and commitment. Results are discussed in order to suggest theoretical and empirical implications.

Perceived sexual harassment at work: meta-analysis and structural model of antecedents and consequences.

Although sexual harassment has been extensively studied, empirical research has not led to firm conclusions about its antecedents and consequences, both at the personal and organizational level. An extensive literature search yielded 42 empirical studies with 60 samples. The matrix correlation obtained through meta-analytic techniques was used to test a structural equation model. Results supported the hypotheses regarding organizational environmental factors as main predictors of harassment.

Available instruments for measurement of psychosocial factors in the work environment.

OBJECTIVE: To provide an overview of the spectrum of available for measurement and evaluation of work-related psychosocial factors. METHODS: We systematically searched the literature/internet to identify and describe the main available questionnaires and observational instruments for assessment of work-related psychosocial factors (with/without other job stressors). RESULTS: A total of 33 instruments were identified (26 questionnaires, 7 observational), many (11 questionnaires, 5 observational) linked to national institutions/intiatives. Accessibility of relevant information (on the internet or elsewhere) regarding the instruments varied widely. CONCLUSIONS: This summary of the range of instruments currently available for evaluation of multiple work stressors at individual, group and/or organizational levels may provide a useful tool for operators and researchers.

[Mobbing: a meta-analysis and integrative model of its antecedents and consequences]. / Acoso laboral: meta-análisis y modelo integrador de sus antecedentes y consecuencias.

Although mobbing has been extensively studied, empirical research has not led to firm conclusions regarding its antecedents and consequences, both at personal and organizational levels. An extensive literature search yielded 86 empirical studies with 93 samples. The matrix correlation obtained through meta-analytic techniques was used to test a structural equation model. Results supported hypotheses regarding organizational environmental factors as main predictors of mobbing.