Multilevel Mindfulness: Which Organizational Factors Stimulate Mindfulness in the Workplace?

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to examine which factors in the organizational context stimulate and/or hinder employee mindfulness. Methods: Two methods were used: 1) scientific literature review, and 2) qualitative interviews with scientists, trainers, and managers. Results: The individual and the work environment interact with each other when it comes to mindfulness in the workplace. Factors at the task, team, supervisor, organizational, and context level stimulate employee mindfulness. Conclusions: Mindfulness is effective in dealing with stress but also positively impacts work-related outcomes such as engagement, concentration, and productivity. A multilevel approach can strengthen the positive effects of individual mindfulness training in the workplace, ultimately contributing to healthy workplaces.

[Polish adaptation and validation of the Individual Work Performance Questionnaire (IWPQ)]. / Polska adaptacja i walidacja Kwestionariusza indywidualnej wydajnosci w pracy (IWPQ).

BACKGROUND: The objective of this study was to test the psychometric properties of the Polish version of the Individual Work Performance Questionnaire (IWPQ). MATERIAL AND METHODS: The study was conducted on 3 independent samples of 1582, 581 and 40 individuals employed as manual workers, social service and white collar workers. To test the IWPQ structure an exploratory factor analysis was conducted. Multigroup confirmatory factor analysis and invariance test were carried out among subgroups. The reliability was assessed by means of Cronbach's α coefficient (internal consistent) and test-retest (stability over time) method, with a 4-week follow-up. The construct validity of the IWPQ was tested by means of correlation analysis, using work engagement, positive and negative affect at work, and job burnout as the criterion variables. RESULTS: The Polish version of the IWPQ displays very good internal consistency, theoretical validity, and test-retest stability. The results of the factor analysis confirmed a 3-factor structure of the questionnaire. Construct invariance across subgroups was confirmed. Task performance was negatively correlated with negative affect at work, job burnout and positively correlated with work engagement and positive affect at work. Contextual performance was negatively related with counterproductive work behaviors, negative affect at work and positively related with work engagement. CONCLUSIONS: The Polish version of the IWPQ - like the original scale - consists of 18 items and has 3 subscales. Despite certain limitations the Polish version of the IWPQ shows good psychometric properties and it can be used to measure individual work performance in Polish conditions. Med Pr Work Health Saf. 2023;76(5):389-98.

The Individual Work Performance Questionnaire: Psychometric Properties of the Italian Version.

Individual work performance can be defined as individual behaviour capable of generating value and a competitive advantage for the organization. Furthermore, this construct is linked to other fundamental variables that constitute worker well-being, such as job satisfaction and engagement. Although important, a complete measure of individual work performance is still lacking in the Italian context. The objective of this work is to validate the Individual Work Performance Questionnaire (IWPQ) within the Italian organisational context. The IWPQ is a multi-dimensional construct consisting of task performance, contextual performance, and counterproductive work behavior. To investigate the psychometric properties of the Italian IWPQ, 1053 participants were enrolled, whose ages ranged between 19 and 69 years. EFA, CFA, and MCFA analyses were performed to test the structural factors of the IWPQ. The results supported the validity of the IWPQ in the Italian context; the final structure consisted of 17 items. Multigroup confirmatory factor analysis showed that the factor solution was invariant across both gender and occupational categories and found evidence of metric, uniqueness, scalar, and structural invariance. Convergent validity was also tested and demonstrated. Adequate studies on the importance of individual performance can be used to better understand and distinguish the different components affecting performance.

Cross-cultural adaptation, from Dutch to Swedish language, of the Individual Work Performance Questionnaire.

BACKGROUND: There is a need for a short, self-rated, validated and reliable instrument for individual work performance suitable for generic use in the Swedish work and organizational context. The Individual Work Performance Questionnaire (IWPQ), comprising originally 47 items, was initially developed in the Netherlands, based on a four-dimensional conceptual framework, in which individual work performance consisted of task performance, contextual performance, adaptive performance, and counterproductive work behavior. During the development process, IWPQ was shortened to 18 items with three scales formally labeled as Task performance, Contextual performance, and Counterproductive work behavior (CWB), capturing three work performance types. The current version of the IWPQ, consisting of 18 items and three scales, was then translated as well as cross-culturally adapted to American-English and Indonesian contexts. OBJECTIVES: To translate and adapt the current IWPQ version, consisting of 18 items, from the Dutch to the Swedish context, to assess its content validity through cognitive interviews, to apply it to a pilot group to present descriptive statistics, to calculate the questionnaire's internal consistency, as well as to clarify whether the translated items capture three or four performance types. METHODS: The Dutch version of the IWPQ, consisting of 18 items, was translated into Swedish. A six-stage translation and adaptation process was used: forward translation, synthesis, back translation, harmonization, cognitive interviews, revision, and sampling and analyses of pilot data for 206 managers (149 women) from five Swedish municipalities. RESULTS: IWPQ instructions, wording of a few items and one response form were slightly modified. The pilot testing showed Cronbach's alphas similar to the Dutch version of the IWPQ, ranging between 0.73 and 0.82, good mean-inter-item correlations (all above 0.36). In deciding how many factors to retain, we employed both parallel analysis (PA), and Velicer's minimum average partial (MAP) test. The number of factors to retain was, as indicated by PA, four, and by MAP, three or four. Exploratory factor analysis (principal axis factoring) revealed clearly separate factors, corresponding to four, rather than three, performance types. A new factor, roughly representing adaptive performance, comprised in the original, longer version of the IWPQ, emerged. CONCLUSIONS: The Swedish version of the IWPQ was successfully translated and adapted in a pilot group of managers. Before it is used, it should be validated in a larger group of managers and in more heterogeneous groups of both white- and blue-collar workers.

Assessing job performance using brief self-report scales: the case of the individual work performance questionnaire / La evaluación del desempeño en el trabajo con escalas de autoinforme breves: el cuestionario de desempeño laboral individual

Job performance is considered the "ultimate dependent variable" in human resource management, turning its assessment into a capital issue. The present study analyzes the functioning of a brief 18-item self-report scale, the Individual Work Performance Questionnaire (IWPQ), which measures the main dimensions of job performance (task performance, contextual performance, and counterproductive behaviors) in a wide variety of jobs. Participants were 368 employees who voluntarily answered a questionnaire including the IWPQ, other performance scales, and the NEO-FFI. Descriptive statistics, exploratory structural equation modeling, and correlations were performed. Results show that the IWPQ has a tridimensional structure with adequate reliability, exhibits significant associations with other measures of performance, and its association with personality traits is similar in terms of direction and strength of the correlations between other job performance measures and personality. We conclude that the IWPQ is an adequate measure of job performance but with emphasis on behaviors aimed toward organizations

El desempeño laboral es considerado la "variable dependiente definitiva" en recursos humanos, convirtiendo su evaluación en algo crucial. El presente estudio analiza el funcionamiento de una escala autoinformada breve de 18 ítems, el Individual Work Performance Questionnaire (IWPQ), que mide las principales dimensiones del desempeño laboral (desempeño de tarea, desempeño contextual y comportamientos contraproductivos en el trabajo) en una amplia variedad de trabajos. Los participantes fueron 368 empleados que voluntariamente completaron un cuestionario que incluía el IWPQ, otras escalas de desempeño y el NEO-FFI. Se llevaron a cabo estadísticos descriptivos, modelos exploratorios de ecuaciones estructurales y correlaciones. Los resultados muestran que el IWPQ tiene una estructura tridimensional con una fiabilidad adecuada, mostrando asociaciones significativas con el resto de medidas de desempeño. En cuanto a los factores de personalidad, el IWPQ muestra correlaciones similares a las de los otros instrumentos de desempeño analizados. Se concluye que el IWPQ es un instrumento adecuado para medir de manera breve y autoinformada el desempeño laboral, pero con énfasis en los comportamientos dirigidos hacia la organización

Cross-cultural adaptation of the Individual Work Performance Questionnaire.

BACKGROUND: The Individual Work Performance Questionnaire (IWPQ), measuring task performance, contextual performance, and counterproductive work behavior, was developed in The Netherlands. OBJECTIVES: To cross-culturally adapt the IWPQ from the Dutch to the American-English language, and assess the questionnaire's internal consistency and content validity in the American-English context. METHODS: A five stage translation and adaptation process was used: forward translation, synthesis, back-translation, expert committee review, and pilot-testing. During the pilot-testing, cognitive interviews with 40 American workers were performed, to examine the comprehensibility, applicability, and completeness of the American-English IWPQ. RESULTS: Questionnaire instructions were slightly modified to aid interpretation in the American-English language. Inconsistencies with verb tense were identified, and it was decided to consistently use simple past tense. The wording of five items was modified to better suit the American-English language. In general, participants were positive on the comprehensibility, applicability and completeness of the questionnaire during the pilot-testing phase. Furthermore, the study showed positive results concerning the internal consistency (Cronbach's alphas for the scales between 0.79-0.89) and content validity of the American-English IWPQ. CONCLUSION: The results indicate that the cross-cultural adaptation of the American-English IWPQ was successful and that the measurement properties of the translated version are promising.

Improving the Individual Work Performance Questionnaire using Rasch analysis.

Recently, the Individual Work Performance Questionnaire (IWPQ) version 0.2 was developed using Rasch analysis. The goal of the current study was to improve targeting of the IWPQ scales by including additional items. The IWPQ 0.2 (original) and 0.3 (including additional items) were examined using Rasch analysis. Additional items that showed misfit or did not improve targeting were removed from the IWPQ 0.3, resulting in a final IWPQ 1.0. Subsequently, the scales showed good model fit and reliability, and were examined for key measurement requirements (e.g., category ordening, unidimensionality, and differential item functioning). Finally, calculation and interpretability of scores were addressed. Compared to its previous version, the final IWPQ 1.0 showed improved targeting for two out of three scales. As a result, it can more reliably measure workers at all levels of ability, discriminate between workers at a wider range on each scale, and detect changes in individual work performance.

Responsiveness of the individual work performance questionnaire.

BACKGROUND: Individual work performance is an important outcome measure in studies in the workplace. Nevertheless, its conceptualization and measurement has proven challenging. To overcome limitations of existing scales, the Individual Work Performance Questionnaire (IWPQ) was recently developed. The aim of the current study was to gain insight into the responsiveness of the IWPQ. METHODS: Data were used from the Be Active & Relax randomized controlled trial. The aim of the trial was to investigate the effectiveness of an intervention to stimulate physical activity and relaxation of office workers, on need for recovery. Individual work performance was a secondary outcome measure of the trial. In total, 39 hypotheses were formulated concerning correlations between changes on the IWPQ scales and changes on similar constructs (e.g., presenteeism) and distinct constructs (e.g., need for recovery) used in the trial. RESULTS: 260 Participants completed the IWPQ at both baseline and 12 months of follow-up. For the IWPQ scales, 23%, 15%, and 38%, respectively, of the hypotheses could be confirmed. In general, the correlations between change scores were weaker than expected. Nevertheless, at least 85% of the correlations were in the expected direction. CONCLUSIONS: Based on results of the current study, no firm conclusions can be drawn about the responsiveness of the IWPQ. Several reasons may account for the weaker than expected correlations. Future research on the IWPQ's responsiveness should be conducted, preferably in other populations and intervention studies, where greater changes over time can be expected.

Construct validity of the individual work performance questionnaire.

OBJECTIVE: To examine the construct validity of the Individual Work Performance Questionnaire (IWPQ). METHODS: A total of 1424 Dutch workers from three occupational sectors (blue, pink, and white collar) participated in the study. First, IWPQ scores were correlated with related constructs (convergent validity). Second, differences between known groups were tested (discriminative validity). RESULTS: First, IWPQ scores correlated weakly to moderately with absolute and relative presenteeism, and work engagement. Second, significant differences in IWPQ scores were observed for workers differing in job satisfaction, and workers differing in health. CONCLUSION: Overall, the results indicate acceptable construct validity of the IWPQ. Researchers are provided with a reliable and valid instrument to measure individual work performance comprehensively and generically, among workers from different occupational sectors, with and without health problems.

Measuring individual work performance: identifying and selecting indicators.

BACKGROUND: Theoretically, individual work performance (IWP) can be divided into four dimensions: task performance, contextual performance, adaptive performance, and counterproductive work behavior. However, there is no consensus on the indicators used to measure these dimensions. OBJECTIVE: This study was designed to (1) identify indicators for each dimension, (2) select the most relevant indicators, and (3) determine the relative weight of each dimension in ratings of work performance. METHODS: IWP indicators were identified from multiple research disciplines, via literature, existing questionnaires, and expert interviews. Subsequently, experts selected the most relevant indicators per dimension and scored the relative weight of each dimension in ratings of IWP. RESULTS: In total, 128 unique indicators were identified. Twenty-three of these indicators were selected by experts as most relevant for measuring IWP. Task performance determined 36% of the work performance rating, while the other three dimensions respectively determined 22%, 20% and 21% of the rating. CONCLUSIONS: Notable consensus was found on relevant indicators of IWP, reducing the number from 128 to 23 relevant indicators. This provides an important step towards the development of a standardized, generic and short measurement instrument for assessing IWP.

Conceptual frameworks of individual work performance: a systematic review.

OBJECTIVE: Individual work performance is differently conceptualized and operationalized in different disciplines. The aim of the current review was twofold: (1) identifying conceptual frameworks of individual work performance and (2) integrating these to reach a heuristic conceptual framework. METHODS: A systematic review was conducted in medical, psychological, and management databases. Studies were selected independently by two researchers and included when they presented a conceptual framework of individual work performance. RESULTS: A total of 17 generic frameworks (applying across occupations) and 18 job-specific frameworks (applying to specific occupations) were identified. Dimensions frequently used to describe individual work performance were task performance, contextual performance, counterproductive work behavior, and adaptive performance. CONCLUSION: On the basis of the literature, a heuristic conceptual framework of individual work performance was proposed. This framework can serve as a theoretical basis for future research and practice.