Looking on the Bright and Dark Sides of Working Life: Appraisals of Work Characteristics and Employee Outcomes

Abstract

Many job stress models assume that all workers experience a particular job stressor in the same way – an assumption that may or may not be warranted. Building on appraisal theory, the current dissertation presents five empirical studies and two review papers (one systematic review and one meta-analysis) to understand (a) how workers appraise particular job stressors, and (b) how appraisals affect the relationships between job stressors and employee and organizational outcomes. The results showed that employees can experience job stressors as challenging and hindering at the same time and to varying degrees. The appraisals of job stressors (e.g., time urgency, role conflict, and emotional demands) can act as both mediators and moderators of stressors-outcomes relationships. Challenge appraisals can buffer the detrimental effect of work stressors on outcomes and can transmit the positive effect of a particular work stressor on individual performance and creativity. Hindrance appraisals can transmit the detrimental effect of a particular work stressor on individual outcomes (e.g., creativity). Practitioners are encouraged to promote a challenge appraisal of job stressors as this type of appraisal is linked to employees’ positive attitude, performance, creativity, and reduced burnout. Above all, it is still a responsibility of leaders and managers to provide for a work climate in which it is both safe and possible to appraise work stressors as challenging as well as for a good job design. Leaders are recommended to display positive leadership styles (e.g., servant leadership) and help workers to look on the bright sides of working life.