RESUMO
Job characteristics are important to work-family conflict (WFC). Additionally, is well established that WFC has a negative impact on mental health. As such, this research aims to examine the role of WFC as a mechanism that explains the relationship between job characteristics (i.e., those establishing by the Job Demands-Control-Support Model) and workers' mental health. Moreover, based on gender inequalities in work and non-work roles, this study analyzed gender as moderator of this mediation. Specifically, the relationship between job characteristics and WFC and the relationship between WFC and mental health could be stronger for women than for men. With a sample of 254 workers from a Portuguese services company, (61% males), and based on a multiple-group analysis, the results indicated that the WFC mediates the relationship between job characteristics (i.e., job demands and job control) and mental health. It was reinforced that job demands and lack of control could contribute to employees' stress and, once individual' energy was drained, the WFC could emerge. Ultimately, may be due to the presence of this conflict that individuals mental health' is negatively affected. Contrary to our expectations, this relationship is not conditioned by gender (Z-scores were non-significant). The study results have implications for human resource management, enhancing the knowledge on the relationship between the WFC and workers' mental health.
RESUMO
This study investigated the impact of a social exchange relationship on workers engagement and the relationship between this positive psychological state and workers performance. We analysed a sample of nurses from a Portuguese public hospital (N=249). Our results showed that nurses who perceived their relationship with the hospital as being characterised by mutual high inducements had higher engagement than nurses with mutual low- mutual medium or employee over-inducements. The work engagement of nurses was positively related to nurses performance (behaviours as assessed by their supervisors). The theoretical and practical implications are discussed and limitations and suggestions for future research are presented.
El presente estudio investiga el impacto de una relación de intercambio social sobre el engagement de los(as) trabajadores(as) y la relación entre este estado psicológico positivo junto con el desempeño de las mismas. Para tales efectos, analizamos una muestra de enfermeras de un hospital público portugués (N=249). Nuestros resultados demostraron que los enfermeros(as) que percibían su relación con el hospital como un elevado estímulo mutuo presentaban un engagement mayor comparado a los enfermeros(as) que percibían dicha relación como un estímulo bajo, intermedio o como un sobre estímulo. El engagement laboral de los enfermeros(as) fue positivo en relación a su desempeño (comportamientos evaluados por los supervisores). Las implicancias teóricas y prácticas se discuten. Además se presentan limitaciones y sugerencias para futuras investigaciones.
Assuntos
Humanos , Masculino , Feminino , Fidelidade a Diretrizes , Relações Interpessoais , Relações Trabalhistas , Enfermeiras e Enfermeiros , TrabalhoRESUMO
AIMS: This paper is a report of a social cognitive theory-guided study about the link between supervisors' transformational leadership and staff nurses' extra-role performance as mediated by nurse self-efficacy and work engagement. BACKGROUND: Past research has acknowledged the positive influence that transformational leaders have on employee (extra-role) performance. However, less is known about the psychological mechanisms that may explain the links between transformational leaders and extra-role performance, which encompasses behaviours that are not considered formal job requirements, but which facilitate the smooth functioning of the organization as a social system. METHODS: Seventeen supervisors evaluated nurses' extra-role performance, the data generating a sample consisting of 280 dyads. The nurses worked in different health services in a large Portuguese hospital and the participation rate was 76·9% for nurses and 100% for supervisors. Data were collected during 2009. A theory-driven model of the relationships between transformation leadership, self-efficacy, work engagement and nurses' extra-role performance was tested using Structural Equation Modelling. RESULTS: Data analysis revealed a full mediation model in which transformational leadership explained extra-role performance through self-efficacy and work engagement. A direct relationship between transformational leadership and work engagement was also found. CONCLUSION: Nurses' supervisors with a transformational leadership style enhance different 'extra-role' performance in nurses and this increases hospital efficacy. They do so by establishing a sense of self-efficacy but also by amplifying their levels of engagement in the workplace.
