Affect networks:a structural analysis of the relationship between work ties and job-related affect

The relationship between organizational networks and employees' affect was examined in 2 organizations. In Study 1, social network analysis of work ties and job-related affect for 259 employees showed that affect converged within work interaction groups. Similarity of affect between employees depended on the presence of work ties and structural equivalence. Affect was also related to the size and density of employees' work networks. Study 2 used a 10-week diary study of 31 employees to examine a merger of 2 organizational divisions and found that negative changes in employees' affect were related to having fewer cross-divisional ties and to experiencing greater reductions in network density. The findings suggest that affect permeates through and is shaped by organizational networks.

The impact of the introduction of visual display terminals on the job characteristics, job satisfaction and well-being of users in government offices

The proliferation of visual display terminals (VDTs) in offices is an international phenomenon. Numerous studies have investigated the health implications which can be categorised into visual problems, symptoms of musculo-skelctal discomfort, or psychosocial effects. The psychosocial effects are broader and there is mixed evidence in this area. The inconsistent results from the studies of VDT work so far undertaken may reflect several methodological shortcomings. In an attempt to overcome these deficiencies and to broaden the model of inter-relationships a model was developed to investigate their interactions and Ihc outputs of job satisfaction, stress and ill health. The study was a two-stage, long-term investigation with measures taken before the VDTs were introduced and the same measures taken 12 months after the 'go-live' date. The research was conducted in four offices of the Department of Social Security. The data were analysed for each individual site and in addition the total data were used in a path analysis model. Significant positive relationships were found at the pre-implementation stage between the musculo-skeletal discomfort, psychosomatic ailments, visual complaints and stress. Job satisfaction was negatively related to visual complaints and musculo-skeletal discomfort. Direct paths were found for age and job level with variety found in the job and age with job satisfaction and a negative relationship with the office environment. The only job characteristic which had a direct path to stress was 'dealing with others'. Similar inter-relationships were found in the post-implementation data. However, in addition attributes of the computer system, such as screen brightness and glare, were related positively with stress and negatively with job satisfaction. The comparison of the data at the two stages found that there had been no significant changes in the users' perceptions of their job characteristics and job satisfaction but there was a small and significant reduction in the stress measure.

Approaches to issues of job regulation. A study at branch level in a white collar, public sector trade union. Available in 2 volumes.

This study examines the internal dynamics of white collar trade union branches in the public sector. The effects of a number of internal and external factors on branch patterns of action are evaluated. For the purposes of the study branch action is taken to be the approach to issues of job regulation, as expressed along the five dimensions of dependence on the outside trade union, focus in issues adopted, initiation of issues, intensity of action in issue pursuit and representativeness. The setting chosen for the study is four branches drawn from the same geographical area of the National and Local Government Officers Association. Branches were selected to give a variety in industry settings while controlling for the potentially influential variables of branch size, density of trade union membership and possession of exclusive representational rights in the employing organisation. Identical methods of data collection were used for each branch. The principal findings of the study are that the framework of national agreements and industry collective bargaining structures are strongly related to the industrial relations climate in the employing organisation and the structures of representation within the branch. Where agreements and collective bargaining structures formally restrict branch job regulation roles, there is a degree of devolution of bargaining authority from branch level negotiators to autonomous shop stewards at workplace level. In these circumstances industrial relations climate is characterised by a degree of informality in relationships between management and trade union activists. In turn, industrial relations climate and representative structures together with actor attitudes, have strong effects on all dimensions of approach to issues of job regulation.

Ability assessment and job structure measures in occupational mobility

Recent and potential changes in technology have resulted in the anticipation of increases in the frequency of job changes. This has led manpower policy makers to investigate the feasibility of incorporating the employment skills of job groups in the general prediction of future job learning and performance with a view to the establishment of "job families" within which transfer might be considered reciprocally high. A structured job analysis instrument (the Position Analysis Questionnaire) is evaluated in terms of two distinct sets of scores; job dimensions and synthetically established attribute/trait profiles. Studies demonstrate that estimates of a job's structure/dimensions and requisite human attributes can be reliably established. Three alternative techniques of statistically assembling profiles of the requisite human attributes for jobs are found to have differential levels of reliability and differential degrees of validity in their estimation of the "actual" ability requirements of jobs. The utility of these two sets of job descriptors to serve as representations of the cognitive structure similarity of job groups is investigated in a study which simulates a job transfer situation. The central role of the index of similarity used to assess the relationship between "target" and "present" job is demonstrated. The relative extents to which job structure similarity and job attribute similariity are associated with positive transfer are investigated. The studies demonstrate that the dimensions of jobs, and more fruitfully their requisite human attributes can serve as bases to predict job transfer learning and performance. The nature of the index of similarity used to optimally formulate predictions of transfer is such that networks of jobs might be establishable to which current job incumbents could be expected to transfer positively. The derivation of "job families" with anticipated reciprocal transfer consequences is considered to be less appropriate.

Managerial job satisfaction:a longitudinal study

The study examines the job satisfaction of supervisors and managers in four organisations over time. It also considers the importance which they attached to different facets of their job. The major objectives were: To examine the constituent dimensions of job satisfaction at intervals over one year. To examine reasons for change inthe level of job satisfaction at intervals over one year. To provide information on job satisfaction for those concerned with job satisfaction policies. The sample consisted of one hundred and eight people. Each was interviewed on at least three occasions over the course of a year. Interviews took place at predetermined time intervals. The study shows that job satisfaction is dynamic over a relatively short period of time. The ratings which supervisors and managers gave to aspects of their job did not, however, all change by equal amounts or in the same direction. Changes in job satisfaction were associated with events experienced but it was the meaning of those events to correspondents which appeared to be particularly important. People tended to adopt a localised frame of reference when considering their work situation. Certain job variables, such as variety, were consistently and positively correlated with job satisfaction. With some other variables, the relationship varied across time. Frequently, age and job level moderated the association between independent variables and job satisfaction. Links were found between the quality of life and job satisfaction. There was a consistent positive association between job satisfaction and life satisfaction. However, the job was rarely considered to be the main factor contributing to a person's quality of life. The research highlights the difficulties and desirability of introducing standardised job satisfaction policies in the light of individual differences. In addition, it demonstrates that merely correlating variables with job satisfaction at one point in time may conceal complex relationships and meanings. A new measure of job satisfaction - whereby facets are assessed and rated relative to each other was also developed as part of this study.

Job satisfaction and organizatinal commitment in Greece

In Study 1 this research investigated research hypotheses based on the moderating role of the economic sector to job satisfaction/organizational commitment relationships, and especially to the forms of commitment and the facets of satisfaction – extrinsic satisfaction and intrinsic satisfaction. Overall, 618 employees successfully completed the questionnaires (258 from private sector companies and 360 from the public administration). Then, distinguishable organizational commitment profiles developed and constructed from the forms or constructs of commitment. Two different samples were used in Study 2 in order to test the relevant hypotheses – 1,119 employees from the private sector and 476 from the public sector. Study 3 used the concept of regulatory focus, where the two foci relate differently to forms of organizational commitment and these two states moderate the satisfaction/commitment relationship and furthermore, individuals develop four separable regulatory focus characters based on the two major regulatory foci. Moreover, the moderating intervention is crucially influenced by the employment status of the individuals. The research hypotheses developed in this part were tested through two samples of employees: 258 working in the private sector and 263 in the public sector. Study 4 examined the mediating role of job satisfaction on the organizational commitment/organizational citizenship behaviours relationship. It argued that job satisfaction mediates more strongly the relationship between these forms and loyal boosterism (one of the OCB dimensions). The relevant hypotheses were tested through a combined sample of 646 employees, equally drawn from the two sectors.

Interviewing strategies in the face of beauty:a psychophysiological investigation into the job negotiation process

After the application form is submitted, the interview is the most important method of human resource allocation. Previous research has shown that the attractiveness of interviewees can significantly bias interview outcome. We have previously shown that female interviewers give attractive male interviewees higher status job packages compared their average looking counterparts. However, it is not known whether male interviewers exhibit such biases. In the present study, participants were asked to take part in a mock job negotiation scenario where they had to allocate either a high- or low-status job package to attractive or average looking ``interviewees.'' Before each decision was made, the participant's anticipatory electrodermal response (EDR) was recorded. The results supported our previous finding in that female participants allocated a greater number of high-status job packages to attractive men. Additionally, male participants uniformly allocated a greater number of low-status job packages to both attractive men and attractive women. Overall, the average looking interviewees incurred a penalty and received a significantly greater number of low-status job packages. In general, the EDR profile for both male and female participants was significantly greater when allocating the low-status packages to the average looking interviewees. However, the male anticipatory EDR profile showed the greatest change when allocating attractive women with low-status job packages. We discuss these findings in terms of the potential biases that may occur at the job interview and place them within an evolutionary psychology framework.

Adjusting to job relocation:relocation preparation can reduce relocation stress

This study, for the first time, examines the relationship between pre-move relocation preparation with psychological well-being to job relocation. Psychological reactions of 54 relocators were measured before and after their move. The greater the reported pre-move relocation preparation the better was the relocators' post-move mental health and job-related contentment and enthusiasm. Furthermore, pre-move relocation preparation was associated with reduced problems during the move and this, in turn, resulted in better post-move adjustment.