ABSTRACT
The world of work is currently undergoing a revolution that will fundamentally change the way we live, work and relate to one another. Accelerated by the COVID-19 pandemic, the new normal compels organisations to move to digital modes which allow for remote work. HR scholars anticipate that the future will see more remote-friendly and digital work norms, which will influence employees' well-being. The question is, how should HR professionals manage employee well-being in the new normal? The purpose of this chapter is to contribute towards a conceptual framework for managing the well-being of knowledge workers in the new normal. It was achieved by conducting a systematic review of the existing literature on remote work, its effect on the well-being of knowledge workers and HR initiatives that organisations could adopt to organise and manage remote work in the future. The author anticipates that the conceptual framework will assist HR professionals in developing digital wellness interventions to manage the well-being of remote workers. © The Editor(s) (if applicable) and The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2022.
ABSTRACT
Orientation: Personality and emotion-related predispositions cause individuals to respond differently to environmental stressors, resulting in different wellness outcomes. Research purpose: The aim of this study was to investigate the mediating role of positive coping behaviour in the association between trait emotional intelligence and flourishing. Motivation for the study: Research shows that emotionally intelligent people experience higher subjective well-being and psychological functioning. Yet, few studies have examined the pathway through which trait emotional intelligence leads to improved well-being, especially in times of uncertainty and change. Research approach/design and method: A cross-sectional survey design was used to collect quantitative data from a convenience sample of knowledge workers in South Africa. The participants' self-evaluations were measured using the Assessing Emotional Scale, the Positive Coping Behaviour Inventory and the Flourishing Scale. Statistical analyses included the use of descriptive statistics, the assessment of model fit, the evaluation of bivariate correlations and mediation analyses. Main findings: The results show that the significant association between trait emotional intelligence and flourishing is attributable to the positive coping behaviour capabilities of emotionally intelligent individuals. Practical/managerial implications: In a work environment characterised by the unknown and unpredictable, organisations should remain focused on enhancing employees' emotion-related abilities and personal psychosocial resources. Contribution/value-add: By focusing on the mediating role of positive coping behaviours in the relationship between trait emotional intelligence and flourishing, this study contributes to existing knowledge regarding the pathway through which specific dispositional characteristics influence well-being outcomes at work.
ABSTRACT
The COVID-19 pandemic has been vastly influencing the whole earth and billions of people all over the world face unexpected changes leading to major shifts in their daily routines (Lades et al., 2020), confronting public policy makers with serious challenges (Anderson et al., 2020);in the shortest possible time, they have to support their citizens to prevent possible deterioration of individual well-being (Pfefferbaum & North, 2020). Also, marketing management must flexibly react to ensure an optimal targeting of customers and, thus, marketing success (Koschate-Fischer et al., 2018). This paper investigates the impact of the COVID-19 life event on individuals' perceived stress, resultant active coping behavior, and consequently individual well-being. Additionally, to better understand coping behaviors in response to COVID-19 and their relationship to well-being, several concrete coping behaviors are examined in depth. A suitable theoretical approach to examine the impact of the COVID-19 life event are theories of stress, which involve coping mechanisms (Moschis, 2007). To date, however, as the COVID-19 pandemic represents a new and yet rather unexplored life event, we do not know the exact role of perceived stress or active coping behavior in the context of this particular life event. Results of an empirical study with a panel of 242 European consumers (Mage = 39.41 years, 59.50% male) show that perceived stress and active coping behavior serially mediate the effect of the COVID-19 life event on individual well-being, such that the COVID-19 life event increases perceived stress, which in turn increases active coping behavior. Moreover, active coping behavior enhances individual well-being. An independent, in-depth examination of additional concrete coping behaviors reveals that the COVID-19 life event has caused changes in almost all areas of life. While some coping behaviors have increased (e.g., going for a walk, purchasing food), others have not (e.g., gardening, purchasing fashion). Both positive and negative correlations of coping behaviors with individual well-being exist suggesting that an increase in certain coping behaviors (e.g., online activities) can even decrease individual well-being. Taken together, our study presents an initial step towards answering major questions concerning the COVID-19 life event. In a theoretical sense, this study contributes to the life event literature by pointing out the specific paths to re-install individual well-being. In addition, more sophisticated knowledge on the relevance of a broad range of coping behaviors is generated. Further, this study is relevant for public policy because it stresses the importance of supporting individuals and reveals the benefit of communication campaigns addressing COVID-19, but also for marketing management as it uncovers that retailers should especially promote their products or services online while focusing on utilitarian products. © 2023, The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG.
ABSTRACT
Well-being is increasingly being promoted and used to describe social progress. However, tension exists between framings that focus on enhancing individual well-being (living well) and societal or collective framings of well-being (living well together). Well-being is central to Aotearoa New Zealand's COVID-19 response and recovery. The COVID-19 pandemic reopened debates about what kind of society people want to live in. Our research explored the ‘shared typical' or commonality of experiences of the first wave of COVID-19 response in Aotearoa New Zealand. Semi-structured interviews provided insights into a wide range of concerns participants faced and what that meant for their well-being and the well-being of Aotearoa New Zealand. We found that well-being is both multidimensional and hierarchical, and while people talked about their own well-being, it was often in the context of broader social well-being. These findings support research showing that well-being is relational. We suggest that Indigenous models of well-being are well placed to inform policy strategies enabling holistic well-being, but this needs to be done in ways that pair Indigenous and Western knowledge, rather than integrating or assimilating this knowledge into Western science approaches. © 2023 The Authors. Asia Pacific Viewpoint published by Victoria University of Wellington and John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd.