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Due to the increased flexibilization of work, more and more employees are required to structure their own work and coordinate it with others and thus need to handle the cognitive demands of flexible work. However, research to date has not provided clear results regarding the impact of these cognitive demands on employees. The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of cognitive demands on psychological detachment and cognitive flexibility in the home domain and to uncover the specific psychological processes that underlie these associations. Specifically, we analyzed whether two types of cognitive demands of flexible work (structuring one’s work and coordinating work with others) were associated with psychological detachment and cognitive flexibility via two distinct processes that involve cognitive load and learning. Using a diary study with two daily measurement points over 10 workdays, we collected data from 54 employees of an IT company who provided 334 day-level datasets. Bayesian multilevel mediation analyses revealed that the two cognitive demands sparked distinct processes. Daily demands for structuring one’s work are linked to an enrichment process that includes daily learning and, subsequently, daily cognitive flexibility at home. In contrast, daily demands for coordinating work with others are linked to a conflict process that encompasses daily cognitive load and subsequently reduced psychological detachment at home. These findings suggest that, depending on the specific cognitive demand, cognitive demands have either beneficial or adverse effects on employees’ functioning at home and therefore lead to either an enrichment or conflict process., Fonds zur Förderung der Wissenschaftlichen Forschung P 29408-G29, Accepted version

Guzzo et al. (Reference Guzzo, Schneider and Nalbantian2022) argue that open science practices may marginalize inductive and abductive research and preclude leveraging big data for scientific research. We share their assessment that the hypothetico-deductive paradigm has limitations (see also Staw, Reference Staw2016) and that big data provide grand opportunities (see also Oswald et al., Reference Oswald, Behrend, Putka and Sinar2020). However, we arrive at very different conclusions. Rather than opposing open science practices that build on a hypothetico-deductive paradigm, we should take initiative to do open science in a way compatible with the very nature of our discipline, namely by incorporating ambiguity and inductive decision-making. In this commentary, we (a) argue that inductive elements are necessary for research in naturalistic field settings across different stages of the research process, (b) discuss some misconceptions of open science practices that hide or discourage inductive elements, and (c) propose that field researchers can take ownership of open science in a way that embraces ambiguity and induction. We use an example research study to illustrate our points.

With globalization, digitalization, and the spread of information and communication technologies, rules regulating work have been softened or completely abolished. Consequently, employees face additional cognitive demands to plan, structure, and coordinate their work. To capture these demands of contemporary work, we constructed and initially validated the Cognitive Demands of Flexible Work (CODE) scale. The scale comprises four subscales (i.e., structuring of work tasks, planning of working times, planning of working places, and coordinating with others). We initially validated the scale in three independent studies (overall N = 1,129) in German and English. Confirmatory factor analyses supported the four-factor structure, as well as scalar invariance, of the different language versions. Moreover, the subscales showed convergent and divergent validity with related constructs such as requirements for problem solving or autonomy. The criterion validity for emotional exhaustion, engagement, positive work rumination, negative work rumination, and problem-solving pondering suggested that cognitive demands of flexible work can be construed as challenge demands. However, relationships with emotional exhaustion were not significant. Overall, the CODE scale was shown to be a reliable and valid instrument to measure cognitive demands of flexible work., Version of record

Procrastination is a form of self-regulation failure characterized by the irrational delay of tasks despite potentially negative consequences. Previous research on procrastination was mainly conducted in academic settings, oftentimes combined with a focus on individual differences. As a consequence, scholarly knowledge about how situational factors affect procrastination in work settings is still scarce. Drawing on job stress literature, we assumed that work characteristics go along with cognitive appraisals of the work situation as a challenge and/or hindrance, that these cognitive appraisals affect employees' self-regulation effort to overcome inner resistances, and that self-regulation effort should in turn be related to workplace procrastination. In our study, we focused on three specific work characteristics that we expected to trigger both challenge and hindrance appraisal simultaneously: time pressure, problem solving, and planning and decision-making. We hypothesized serial indirect effects of these work characteristics on workplace procrastination via cognitive appraisal and self-regulation processes that unfold within individuals over short periods of time. Consequently, we conducted a diary study with three measurement occasions per workday over a period of 12 days. Overall, 762 day-level datasets from 110 employees were included in Bayesian multilevel structural equation modeling (MSEM; controlled for sleep quality and occupational self-efficacy). Our results revealed negative serial indirect effects of all three work characteristics on workplace procrastination via increased challenge appraisal and subsequently reduced self-regulation effort. Further, our results showed a positive serial indirect effect of time pressure (but not of problem solving or planning and decision making) on workplace procrastination via increased hindrance appraisal and subsequently increased self-regulation effort. Overall, our study showed that work characteristics are linked

Today’s workforce is often faced with high levels of time pressure. According to the challenge-hindrance stressor framework, high levels of time pressure should have an ambivalent relationship with task performance because time pressure increases both motivation and strain. To investigate these ambivalent relationships of time pressure in daily working life, we conducted a diary study over 5 workdays with measurements taken after work. Eighty-one participants provided data on a total of 294 workdays that were analyzed using Bayesian multilevel structural equation modeling techniques. Results revealed that time pressure had a significant total relationship with task performance on the person level, but not on the day level. Furthermore, our data showed that time pressure was positively related to indicators of strain-related and motivational processes, both at the person level and at the day level. However, multilevel mediation analyses also showed for both levels that time pressure was indirectly related to task performance only via motivational processes, but not via strain-related processes. Our results suggest that between-person relationships of job stressors with work outcomes can differ from the corresponding within-person relationships. Thus, we recommend that future research investigates both motivational as well as strain-related processes for other job stressors not only on the person level but also on the day level. Finally, given the ambivalent nature of time pressure, we also recommend that practitioners keep relationships with both motivation and strain in mind when evaluating and redesigning work environments., Fonds zur Förderung der Wissenschaftlichen Forschung P23377-G17

Purpose Non-technical skills are of increasing importance for safety engineers to perform their job. In their position as expert consultants, they work closely with managers. Thus, gaining management support is oftentimes crucial for safety engineers to successfully improve occupational health and safety. Drawing on organizational support theory (OST), this study investigates how safety engineers’ non-technical skills in communication and persuasion (i.e. rational and hard influence tactics) are related with their management support, and how management support is related with their individual task proficiency (ITP). The purpose of this paper is to examine the moderating role of safety engineers’ expert power in this context. Design/methodology/approach Using an online questionnaire, survey data were collected from 251 safety engineers working in Austria. Findings Rational influence tactics are positively related to ITP via management support, whereas hard influence tactics are not. Safety engineers’ expert power moderates the relationship between influence tactics and management support and, consequently ITP. High (vs low) expert status strengthens the positive relationship of rational influence tactics on ITP via management support. For hard influence tactics, high (vs low) expert power buffered the negative relationship of upward appeal and pressure on ITP via management support. Practical implications Safety engineers should rely on rational persuasion when cooperating with management to obtain support and improve their own performance. Originality/value This study connects the effect of influence tactics in the context of safety engineers’ work performance with OST. It demonstrates that safety engineers’ influence tactics are related to work role performance through management support and that these relationships are moderated by expert power.

In the conceptualization of thriving at work, it is emphasized that employees' learning and vitality are two equally important components of thriving and that thriving is facilitated by contextual features and available resources. In this study, we examined the effects of two challenge stressors (time pressure and learning demands) on thriving at work. Based on the literature on challenge and hindrance stressors, we proposed that challenge stressors positively affect learning and negatively affect vitality. To uncover underlying mechanisms, we measured challenge appraisal and hindrance appraisal of work situations in a diary study. A sample of 124 knowledge workers responded to three daily surveys (before the lunch break, during the afternoon, and at the end of the workday) for a period of five workdays. Results indicate that the indirect effects of learning demands and time pressure on learning are mediated by challenge appraisal, whereas indirect effects of learning demands on vitality are mediated by hindrance appraisal. Overall, our study shows that challenge stressors have a positive total effect on learning but no total effect on vitality. These differential relationships call for a finer distinction between the two components of thriving at work in future research.

Purpose–Non-technical skills are of increasing importance for safety engineers to perform their job. In theirposition as expert consultants, they work closely with managers. Thus, gaining management support isoftentimes crucial for safety engineers to successfully improve occupational health and safety. Drawing onorganizational support theory (OST), this study investigates how safety engineers’non-technical skills incommunication and persuasion (i.e. rational and hard influence tactics) are related with their managementsupport, and how management support is related with their individual task proficiency (ITP). The purpose ofthis paper is to examine the moderating role of safety engineers’expert power in this context.Design/methodology/approach–Using an online questionnaire, survey data were collected from 251 safetyengineers working in Austria.Findings–Rational influence tactics are positively related to ITP via management support, whereas hardinfluence tactics are not. Safety engineers’expert power moderates the relationship between influencetactics and management support and, consequently ITP. High (vs low) expert status strengthens thepositive relationship of rational influence tactics on ITP via management support. For hard influencetactics, high (vs low) expert power buffered the negative relationship of upward appeal and pressure on ITPvia management support.Practical implications–Safety engineers should rely on rational persuasion when cooperating withmanagement to obtain support and improve their own performance.Originality/value–This study connects the effect of influence tactics in the context of safety engineers’work performance with OST. It demonstrates that safety engineers’influence tactics are related to work roleperformance through management support and that these relationships are moderated by expert power.

Our research aimed at disentangling the underlying processes of the adverse relationship between regulatory job stressors and ego depletion. Specifically, we analyzed whether state anxiety and self-control effort would mediate the within-person relationships of time pressure, planning and decision-making, and emotional dissonance with ego depletion. In addition, we also tested potential attenuating effects of situational job autonomy on the adverse effects of regulatory job stressors on state anxiety, self-control effort, and ego depletion. Based on an experience sampling design, we gathered a sample of 97 eldercare workers who provided data on 721 experience-sampling occasions. Multilevel moderated serial mediation analyses revealed that time pressure and emotional dissonance, but not planning and decision-making, exerted significant serial indirect effects on ego depletion via state anxiety and self-control effort. Finally, we found conditional serial indirect effects of all three regulatory job stressors on ego depletion as a function of job autonomy. Theoretical implications for scholarly understanding of coping with regulatory job stressors are discussed.