Is telecommuting an effective work arrangement? A new review of the existing research makes informed conclusions about telecommuting implications for different work outcomes, including job satisfaction, organizational commitment, stress, performance, wages, withdrawal behavior, and firm-level metrics. So what’s the bottom line? Does telecommuting make life better or worse?
Good employees may do whatever is asked of them, but better employees don’t wait to be told: they assess the situation, take initiative, and make positive changes on their own. But where can we find these magical people? New research shows that certain types of people are more likely to be proactive, and there is also something employers can do to encourage proactive behavior in the workplace.
Do you have passion for work? If not, do you at least know someone who does? Why does it seem that some people have passion for work and others merely go through the motions? New research shows that people have two different mindsets about how to achieve passion for their jobs. Organizations need to understand each mindset in order to assist both types of people in achieving passion and job satisfaction.
Are telecommuters better performers than their in-office counterparts? A new study examines the performance of telecommuters compared to their traditional office counterparts. Results show that in certain situations, telecommuting increases task performance and organizational citizenship behavior.
So much attention has been focused on the ability of women to balance family life with work life, but less attention has been given to how men manage the same obstacle. Men face increased societal pressure to be closely involved with parenting, while simultaneously facing societal pressure to meet the standards of the perfect employee. Can men really do it all? If not, how are modern men managing this tricky situation?
We have an aging workforce, and this presents a new set of challenges for I-O psychologists. For example, we need to learn more about what helps people decide between staying on the job or taking early retirement. Interestingly, a new study shows that personal resources, such as health and sense of control, may convince employees that they can still do their jobs. This can lead to fewer absences from work, less disability leave, and even delayed retirement.
Caregivers are people who assume responsibility for helping another person with daily living activities. But many caregivers are also full-time employees. With the increase of caregivers in the workforce, a new study shows how family and supervisor support can influence the mental health outcomes of these caregivers, and lead to improved well-being.
There has been a growing level of interest in the positive effect of happy employees on organizational outcomes, but the specific meaning of happiness is less clear. A recent article reviews four dimensions of happiness and suggests that the emotion-based dimension plays the most important role in predicting favorable organizational outcomes like job performance and employee retention.
New research reveals that having a strong sense of ”calling” early on in life may help later in navigating the tension between choosing the career you want versus choosing one for financial stability and job security. When a sense of calling is stronger earlier in life, perceived ability plays a greater role than actual ability when it comes to actually pursuing a challenging career.
Job conflict sounds like a bad thing. But when the circumstances are right, conflict leads to an exchange of valuable information and eventually increased job satisfaction. This new study examines the conditions under which these positive outcomes occur, and provides useful directives for how leaders can harness the positive effects of workplace conflict.
