Xi Wen Chan, Thomas Kalliath, Paula Brough, Michael O’Driscoll, Oi-Ling Siu and Carolyn Timms
The purpose of this paper is to investigate the mediating roles of work and family demands and work-life balance on the relationship between self-efficacy (to regulate work and…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to investigate the mediating roles of work and family demands and work-life balance on the relationship between self-efficacy (to regulate work and life) and work engagement. Specifically, it seeks to explain how self-efficacy influences employees’ thought patterns and emotional reactions, which in turn enable them to cope with work and family demands, and ultimately achieve work-life balance and work engagement.
Design/methodology/approach
Structural equation modelling (SEM) of survey data obtained from a heterogeneous sample of 1,010 Australian employees is used to test the hypothesised chain mediation model.
Findings
The SEM results support the hypothesised model. Self-efficacy was significantly and negatively related to work and family demands, which in turn were negatively associated with work-life balance. Work-life balance, in turn, enabled employees to be engaged in their work.
Research limitations/implications
The findings support the key tenets of social cognitive theory and conservation of resources (COR) theory and demonstrate how self-efficacy can lead to work-life balance and engagement despite the presence of role demands. Study limitations (e.g. cross-sectional research design) and future research directions are discussed.
Originality/value
This study incorporates COR theory with social cognitive theory to improve understanding of how self-efficacy enhances work-life balance and work engagement through a self-fulfilling cycle in which employees achieve what they believe they can accomplish, and in the process, build other skills and personal resources to manage work and family challenges.
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Oi‐ling Siu, Luo Lu and Cary L. Cooper
This study investigated occupational stress in managers in Hong Kong and Taiwan using the Occupational Stress Indicator‐2 (OSI‐2). The results showed the reliabilities and…
Abstract
This study investigated occupational stress in managers in Hong Kong and Taiwan using the Occupational Stress Indicator‐2 (OSI‐2). The results showed the reliabilities and predictive validity of the OSI‐2 subscales were reasonably high in both samples. The logical relationships between job satisfaction, mental and physical well‐being found in the two samples have provided support to findings obtained in Western countries. Moreover, the direct impacts of coping strategies, Type A behaviour and locus of control on job strains also corroborated previous studies in Western societies. Further, there were gender differences in managerial stress in Hong Kong: female managers scored higher in sources of stress and quitting intention; but had lower job satisfaction, worse mental and physical well‐being than male managers. These differences could not be found in Taiwanese managers, yet Taiwanese female managers did report more stress related to the “managerial role” than their male counterparts.
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Chang-qin Lu, Bei Wang, Oi-ling Siu, Luo Lu and Dan-yang Du
The purpose of this paper is to investigate the mediating effects of work-home interference (WHI) on the relationships between work demand, work attitudes, and job performance…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to investigate the mediating effects of work-home interference (WHI) on the relationships between work demand, work attitudes, and job performance, with a focus on the moderating effect of Chinese work values (CWV).
Design/methodology/approach
A self-administered survey method was used. The sample comprised 1,032 employees from Mainland China, Hong Kong, and Taiwan. The moderated mediation framework was used to test the proposed model.
Findings
The results showed that WHI mediated the relationships among work demand, job satisfaction, and affective organizational commitment (AOC), but did not mediate the relationship between work demand and job performance. CWV moderated the mediated relationships and exacerbated the mediation effects of WHI on the relationships between work demand and job satisfaction and AOC.
Research limitations/implications
The use of a cross-sectional design prevented the drawing of causal inference. With the exception of job performance, the self-reported measures are all subject to the problem of common method bias.
Practical implications
Organizations in Greater China could implement stress management programs to reduce the negative effects of work demands. HR practitioners and managers should understand what values their employees hold to provide the proper interventions for them.
Originality/value
By integrating both the mediator (WHI) and a moderator (CWV), this study investigated how CWV, an individual-level cultural value, affects the influences of WHI. The results highlight the importance of incorporating culturally specific value constructs when examining the underlying mechanisms of WHI.
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Lara Christina Roll, Oi-ling Siu, Simon Y.W. Li and Hans De Witte
The recent economic crisis gave rise to job insecurity and had a seemingly greater effect on western than eastern countries. The purpose of this paper is to examine cross-cultural…
Abstract
Purpose
The recent economic crisis gave rise to job insecurity and had a seemingly greater effect on western than eastern countries. The purpose of this paper is to examine cross-cultural differences of the influence of job insecurity on employees’ wellbeing, innovative work behaviour (IWB) and safety outcomes in the form of attention-related cognitive errors (ARCES) in Germany as compared to mainland China.
Design/methodology/approach
Samples from both Germany and China rate their job insecurity, work engagement, burnout, IWB and ARCES in a survey.
Findings
For both German and Chinese employees there was an indirect relationship between job insecurity and ARCES through burnout. In the German sample, there was an indirect relationship between employees’ job insecurity and IWB through work engagement. In contrast, the Chinese sample only showed the direct relationship between quantitative job insecurity and IWB, but not a mediation effect.
Practical implications
For organizations to be effective and their employees to work safely, it is essential to understand the nature and process of job insecurity in different national contexts.
Originality/value
The present research is unique by relating job insecurity to employee’ innovation on the one hand and safety outcomes on the other. Furthermore, these relationships are examined in the cultural contexts of Germany and China, contributing to the gap of research carried out in eastern contexts.
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Luo Lu, Hui Yen Lin, Chang-Qin Lu and Oi-Ling Siu
The moderating roles of personal resources in the Job Demands-Resources (JD-R) model are relatively rarely examined, especially in non-western countries. The purpose of this paper…
Abstract
Purpose
The moderating roles of personal resources in the Job Demands-Resources (JD-R) model are relatively rarely examined, especially in non-western countries. The purpose of this paper is to investigate the moderating effect of a personal resource (i.e. intrinsic work value orientation) on the relationships between job demands, job resources, and job satisfaction among a large sample of Chinese employees from both mainland China and Taiwan.
Design/methodology/approach
Structured questionnaire survey was carried out to collect data from 402 employees in mainland China and 306 employees in Taiwan.
Findings
The authors found that intrinsic work value orientation amplified the negative relationship between work constraints (a job demand) and job satisfaction. Meanwhile, intrinsic work value orientation strengthened the positive relationship between autonomy (a job resource) and job satisfaction.
Originality/value
This is one of the few studies that explored the role of personal resources in the JD-R model. One unique contribution of the study is that the authors extended the JD-R model to include the intrinsic work value orientation as a resourceful work value for Chinese employees in two major Chinese societies. Based upon the findings, the authors suggest that personal resources such as work value orientation should be taken into account in the research of the JD-R model. Managerial implications of the findings are also discussed.
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Ishret Fayaz and Farzana Gulzar
This study investigates how emotional and instrumental family support contribute to work-life balance (WLB) among women in higher education, with a particular focus on the…
Abstract
Purpose
This study investigates how emotional and instrumental family support contribute to work-life balance (WLB) among women in higher education, with a particular focus on the mediating roles of self-efficacy and grit in enhancing this balance.
Design/methodology/approach
Utilizing a quantitative research design, the study employed a survey methodology to gather data from women employees. The data were analyzed using partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) to evaluate the relationships among family support, self-efficacy, grit and work-life balance.
Findings
The results highlight the significant positive influence of both emotional and instrumental family support on work-life balance. Self-efficacy and grit serve as crucial mediators, both individually and through serial mediation, enhancing women employees' capacity to manage work and personal responsibilities effectively. The study underscores the importance of these psychological constructs in mediating the relationship between family support and work-life balance.
Originality/value
This study contributes to the literature by providing a fresh perspective on work-life balance, particularly within the context of women in higher education. It is one of the few studies to examine the dual mediating roles of self-efficacy and grit, highlighting the distinct influence of emotional and instrumental support on WLB. The findings extend social cognitive theory and conservation of resources theory by demonstrating how internal psychological resources interact with external support to enhance well-being.