Waiting for the Boss's Blue Checkmark to Appear: Supervisor's Attentiveness, Negative Emotions, and Work Engagement During Instant Messaging at Work.

In organizations, employees actively manage the immediacy with which they respond to instant messages to cope with mobile connectivity overload caused by continuous interactions. This research conducted a naturalistic observational design to examine real-life mobile connectivity behaviors in organizations and measure their occupational well-being consequences. Specifically, we focused on the use of a feature (WhatsApp's blue checkmark) that enables senders to know precisely when recipients choose to read their messages. In the study, 192 participants sent important messages to their supervisors through WhatsApp. The study used Confirmatory Factor Analysis and moderation analyses to explore the relationship between supervisors' attentiveness (indicated by WhatsApp's blue checkmark), negative emotions, work engagement, and the quality of leader-member exchange (LMX). Drawing on the perspective of 'digital well-being,' we investigated the role of relationship quality between supervisors and employees (LMX) as a moderator. We hypothesized that relationship quality would buffer against negative feelings and decreased work engagement when employees await a response after sending important messages to their supervisors. Indeed, supervisor's inattentiveness was positively correlated with negative affect and negatively correlated with employee engagement. Surprisingly, we found that employees with strong relationship quality (high LMX) with their supervisors experienced lower work engagement while waiting for an indication that their message had been read. These results suggest that timely indications of message read by supervisors play an important role in mitigating negative emotions and fostering higher work engagement among employees.

Gen Z during the COVID-19 crisis: a comparative analysis of the differences between Gen Z and Gen X in resilience, values and attitudes.

In the current study we seek to examine the difference between Generation Z and Generation X in terms of coping with a global crisis (COVID-19), specifically regarding resilience in times of crisis, personal values ​​and attitudes during that time. Based on the theory of generations, we aimed to explore whether different generations have different levels of resilience, values and attitudes during the global crisis. Data were gathered in a cross-sectional study; 958 participants participated, divided into two age-groups: 508 participants of Generation Z (ages ranged between 18-24; 53.9% males [Age: M = 21.05, SD = 1.96]; 46.1% females [Age: M = 21.14, SD = 1.83]), and 205 participants of Generation X (ages ranged between 40-50; 54.2% males [Age: M = 45.16, SD = 3.15]; 45.8% females [Age: M = 45.23, SD = 3.01]). It was found that members of Generation Z (Gen Z) were less resilient. Also, Gen Z members had higher levels of openness to change, and self-enhancement as compared to Generation X (Gen X). In addition, Gen Z were found to be more positive in their attitudes toward flexible learning but no differences between the generations were found as for flexible work. Both generation members had the similar attitudes towards online consumption. Despite the magnitude and significance of the crisis, the main values of each generation remained unchanged in many respects, but attitudes of both generations are positive towards hybrid work and consumption.

Social support and well-being among eelocating women: the mediating roles of resilience and optimism / El apoyo social y el bienestar en las mujeres expatriadas: el papel mediador de la resiliencia y el optimismo

The relative lack of research on the relocation of women to foreign assignments prompted this study that focused on a large online community of women in relocation. We examined the relationship between two support types, perceived social support (PSS) and online support, and well-being measures (meaning in life, depression, and loneliness) in the new setting. Based on the literature, we hypothesized that (a) PSS and online support positively relate to personal resilience and optimism, (b) resilience and optimism positively associate with well-being levels, and (c) resilience and optimism mediate the association between both types of support and well-being. Two waves of data (T1 & T2) were collected in the current study. The results largely reflected the propositions, with some deviations from the expected model, and indicated that resilience was the more prominent mediator at both T1 and T2. A complex pattern of relationships was documented between various types of virtual support and well-being. Women who received social support could foster a positive, optimistic future perspective experience and an increased sense of meaning in their lives. This study engendered implications for organizations' appropriate preparation of relocating staff, in general, and the relocation of women employees, in particular (AU)

La relativa falta de investigación sobre las mujeres expatriadas ha propiciado este estudio, centrado en una amplia comunidad online de mujeres en esa situación. Analizamos la relación de dos tipos de apoyo, apoyo social percibido (ASP) y apoyo online y las medidas de bienestar (sentido de la vida, depresión y soledad) en el nuevo escenario. De acuerdo con la literatura científica planteamos las hipótesis de que a) el ASP y el apoyo online se relacionan positivamente con la resiliencia personal y el optimismo, b) estos últimos se asocian positivamente con el nivel de bienestar y c) median en la asociación entre ambos tipo de apoyo y bienestar. Se recogieron dos oleadas de datos (T1 y T2) en el presente estudio. Los resultados reflejaban ampliamente las proposiciones con alguna desviación del modelo esperado e indicaban que la resiliencia era el mediador más sobresaliente tanto en T1 como en T2. Se documentó un complejo patrón de relaciones entre diversos tipos de apoyo virtual y bienestar. Aquellas mujeres que habían recibido apoyo social podían albergar una experiencia perspectiva futura optimista y una mayor sensación de significado en su vida. El estudio tiene implicaciones para la adecuada preparación de las organizaciones para la asignación de un trabajo en el exterior su personal y en particular a las mujeres empleadas (AU)

Perceived social support, loneliness, and hope during the COVID-19 Pandemic: Testing a mediating model in the UK, USA, and Israel.

OBJECTIVES: The COVID-19 epidemic is affecting the entire world and hence provides an opportunity examine how people from different countries engage in hopeful thinking. The aim of this study was to examine the potentially facilitating role of perceived social support vis-à-vis hope as well as the mediating role of loneliness between perceived social support and hope. This mediating model was tested concurrently in the UK, the USA, and Israel. METHODS: In April 2020, as the first wave of the virus struck the three aforementioned countries, we assessed perceived social support, loneliness, and hope in 400 adults per country (N = 1,200). Assessments in the UK/USA were conducted via the Prolific platform, whereas in Israel they were conducted via Facebook/WhatsApp. RESULTS: In all three countries, perceived social support predicted elevated hope, although the effect was smallest in the UK. Loneliness mediated this effect in all three countries, although full mediation was attained only in the UK. CONCLUSIONS: Perceived social support may facilitate hope in dire times, possibly through the reduction of loneliness. PRACTITIONER POINTS: Findings are consistent with respect to the potentially protective role of perceived social support vis-à-vis hope. Perceived social support may increase hope through decreasing loneliness. In the UK, the above-noted mediating effect of loneliness appears to be stronger than in Israel and the USA. Elevated levels of perceived social support should serve as a desired outcome in individual and group psychotherapy, as well as in community based interventions.

COVID-19-Related Economic Anxiety Is As High as Health Anxiety: Findings from the USA, the UK, and Israel.

As the COVID-19 outbreak peaks, millions of individuals are losing their income, and economic anxiety is felt worldwide. In three different countries (the USA, the UK, and Israel: N = 1200), the present study addresses four different sources of anxiety: health-related anxiety, economic-related anxiety, daily routine-change anxiety, and anxiety generated by social isolation. We hypothesized that, economic anxiety would have a similar or greater effect, compared to health anxiety. Results show that in all three countries, the levels of economic and health anxiety were essentially equal, and both surpassed routine-change and isolation anxiety. Although the COVID-19 crisis originated in the health field, this study emphasizes the need to move from a generalized concept of anxiety to specific types of distress, most notably economic anxiety. Economic anxiety results in serious mental and physical health problems and should be attended to by clinical professionals and by policy makers.

Freelancers: a manager's perspective on the phenomenon / Freelancers: una perspectiva de los managers sobre este fenómeno

The current research is set to explore the motivations of managers to hire freelancers, a rapidly growing form of employment, and the boundary conditions for choosing freelancers for different positions and tasks within the organization. The main proposition is that managers today consider freelancers as agents that bring valuable knowledge and expertise into the organization from outside. To that end, 255 Israeli managers from different organizational sectors participated in two consecutive studies. In Study 1, managers' perceptions of freelancers and main motivations for employing freelancers were quantitatively measured against different job types and organizational roles. Study 2 aimed to deepen the understanding of the personal and professional attributes that managers look for in freelancer employment, using a qualitative approach. Implications of the changing nature of employment arrangements as a strategic HRM activity in a complex and unstable business environment are discussed

Esta investigación tiene como objetivo explorar las motivaciones de los managers para contratar freelancers, una forma de empleo en rápido crecimiento, y las condiciones límite para elegir freelancers para diferentes puestos y tareas dentro de la organización. La principal proposición es que los managers hoy en día consideran a los freelancers como agentes que aportan valiosos conocimientos y experiencia a la organización desde el exterior. Para ello, 255 directivos israelíes de diferentes sectores empresariales participaron en dos estudios consecutivos. En el estudio 1, se midió cuantitativamente en diferentes tipos de trabajo y roles organizacionales la percepción de los gerentes de los freelancers y las principales motivaciones para el empleo de los mismos. El estudio 2 se dirigió a profundizar en la comprensión de los atributos personales y profesionales que los managers buscan en el empleo freelance utilizando un enfoque cualitativo. Se comentan las implicaciones de la naturaleza cambiante de estos acuerdos de trabajo como actividad estratégica de la dirección de recursos humanos en un entorno empresarial complejo e inestable