Challenge and hindrance demands in relation to self‐reported job performance and the role of restoration, sleep quality, and affective rumination

an article by Michelle Van Laethem (University of Amsterdam, The Netherlands), Debby G. J. Beckers (Radboud University, Nijmegen, The Netherlands), Jessica de Bloom (University of Tampere, Finland; University of Groningen, The Netherlands) and Marjaana Sianoja and Ulla Kinnunen (University of Tampere, Finland) published in Journal of Occupational and Organizational Psychology Volume 92 Issue 2 (June 2019)

Abstract

Longitudinal research on the relationship between job demands and job performance and its underlying mechanisms is scarce.

The aims of this longitudinal three‐wave study among 920 Finnish employees were to ascertain whether

1. challenge job demands (i.e., workload, cognitive demands) and self‐reported job performance are positively related over time,
2. job insecurity (i.e., a hindrance demand) and job performance are negatively related over time,
3. restorative experiences during off‐job time and sleep quality are underlying mechanisms in these relations, and
4. affective rumination mediates the proposed relations of job demands and job insecurity with restoration and sleep quality.

Self‐report data were analysed with structural equation modelling. The results revealed a positive, temporal relationship between challenge job demands and job performance (task and contextual performance) across 1 year, but no temporal relationship between job insecurity and self‐reported job performance.

Moreover, high challenge job demands were positively related to the restorative value of off‐job activities, and favourable restoration was positively related to subsequent task performance.

Finally, affective rumination mediated the relationship of challenge job demands with both restoration and sleep quality. Job insecurity was not longitudinally related to restoration, sleep quality, or affective rumination. The implications of our findings for occupational health psychology are discussed.

Practitioner points

• Provide employees with sufficient job resources (e.g., high autonomy and social support) to adequately deal with high job demands.
• Allow employees sufficient time to recover from high job demands during off‐job time and provide training sessions in recovery, relaxation, meditation, and goal setting.
• Employees may attempt to counteract perseverative thoughts by actively pursuing distracting restoration activities (e.g., exercise, meditation).

Full text (PDF 30pp)

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Economics of a good night’s sleep

via CentrePiece (Summer 2017)

The effects of sleep deprivation on economic activity have received surprisingly scant attention. Joan Costa-i-Font and Sarah Flèche use data on 14,000 families in the UK to investigate the link between mothers’ employment outcomes and their quality of sleep, measured by how often they are woken by their children at night.

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Any parent/carer of young children, and possibly the not-so-young, will empathise with the findings of this research.

By coincidence I have recently been reading an article from The New York Times (February 2017) which tells us that sleep is to allow us to forget, a time to allow the brain to reset itself.

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Trait mindfulness and work–family balance among working parents: The mediating effects of vitality and sleep quality

an article by Tammy D. Allen and Kaitlin M. Kiburz (The University of South Florida, Department of Psychology, USA) published in Journal of Vocational Behavior Volume 80 Issue 2 (April 2012)

Abstract

The present study investigates the relationship between trait mindfulness and work–family balance among a sample of working parents.

Sleep quality and vitality are tested as mediators of this relationship.

Results indicate that those with greater mindfulness report greater work–family balance, better sleep quality, and greater vitality. As expected, the relationship between mindfulness and work–family balance was mediated by sleep quality and vitality. Results support the usefulness of further examination of the benefits of mindfulness in the work–family context.

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