In this quantitative study, undertaken in a South African information and communications technology (ICT) company, dimensions of organisational culture (measured by the South African Culture Instrument) were correlated with the dimensions of work engagement (measured by the Utrecht Work Engagement Survey), to determine whether employees’ perceptions of organisational culture are related to their levels of work engagement. Structural equation modelling confirmed the factorial model of both measuring instruments, with most fit indices indicating the data to be a good or acceptable fit to the hypothesised model. Correlational analyses revealed a statistically significant positive relationship between each of the dimensions of organisational culture and work engagement respectively. Regression analyses showed that leadership, management processes, and goals and objectives make the strongest statistically unique contribution in predicting the dimensions of work engagement. Since work engagement has been shown to relate to several positive work outcomes, it makes sense for organisations to increase levels of work engagement by improving their organisational culture. / Industrial & Organisational Psychology / MCom (Industrial and Organisational Psychology)

In recent years, the concept of burnout has been expanded and is currently a concern in all professions and occupational groups. Nowadays it is widely acknowledged that people in almost any occupation could develop burnout. To-date, only two studies have examined students' experiences of burnout. Therefore, research regarding this phenomenon in students seems warranted. The objective of this study was to firstly investigate the psychometric properties of adapted versions of the Maslach Burnout Inventory and Utrecht Work Engagement Scale in a sample of students from a tertiary institution, and secondly to consider the role of biographical variables in relation to burnout and engagement levels. A cross-sectional survey design was used to attain the research objectives. For the purposes of this study, an availability sample of students (N=353) majoring in Organisational Behaviour was drawn at one point in time. The adapted Maslach Burnout Inventory - Student Survey (MBI-SS) and the Utrecht Work Engagement Scale - Student Survey (UWES-S) as well as a biographical questionnaire were administered. Structural equation modelling confirmed two-factor models of Burnout (consisting of Exhaustion and Cynicism) and Engagement (consisting of Vigour and Dedication). Biographical variables which appear to be predictive of differences in levels of student burnout are home language, overall health status and consideration given to quitting their studies, while engagement is related to home language, academic year of study and consideration given to quitting studies. Recommendations for future research were also made / Thesis (M.A. (Industrial Psychology))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2006.

Notre travail de recherche porte sur la saisonnalité en station de ski en hiver. Il s’agit d’un groupe professionnel qui fait l’objet de peu de recherches. Les travailleurs saisonniers en stations sont pourtant nombreux (400 000) (Aboubadra-Pauly, d’Artois, & Le Ru, 2016) et sont exposés à des stresseurs spécifiques (précarité, isolement, climat, hébergements, invisibilité sociale, etc.) qui les conduisent souvent à abandonner leur poste de travail. Les abandons de poste constituent des échecs pouvant générer des situations de précarité, d’insécurité, de perte de lien social et de baisse d’estime de soi. Ces abandons ont également des conséquences économiques importantes pour les entreprises qui emploient ces saisonniers. Il s’agit donc d’étudier, dans une approche prospective, les facteurs personnels (personnalité, âge, situation familiale), contextuels (logement, métier, rémunération, etc.) et psychosociaux (demandes psychologiques, latitude décisionnelle, soutien social, stratégies de coping, adéquation entre les valeurs du salarié et celles de l’organisation, satisfaction au travail) permettant de prédire un bon ajustement aux métiers desaisonniers. Nos indicateurs d’ajustement sont le turnover volontaire et l’engagement au travail (mesuré avec l’Utrecht Work Engagement Scale). Cent soixante et un sujets ont été évalués à 3 reprises (avant, pendant et à la fin de la saison). Les résultats montrent que la personnalité des saisonniers (selon la taxonomie des big five) a peu d’influence sur le turnover et le niveaud’engagement. Nous mettons également en évidence l’effet médiateur de la satisfaction au travail entre l’adéquation personne-organisation (PO fit) et le turnover. En outre, nous montrons les liens directs entre stresseurs professionnels, l’adéquation de la formation, les responsabilités, larémunération, le mode de logement, l’expérience du métier, certaines stratégies de coping, le PO Fit et l’engagement. Les liens entre nos deux critères (engagement et turnover volontaire) sont également étudiés. Les implications théoriques et pratiques de nos travaux sont discutées. / Our research focuses on seasonal workers in ski resorts in winter. Little research has been done in this area.. Yet seasonal workers in stations are numerous (400 000) (Aboubadra-Pauly et al.,2016) and are exposed to specific stressors (job insecurity, isolation, climate, accommodation, social invisibility, etc.) which often lead them to abandon their workstation. Dropping out can be perceived as a failure that can lead to situations of insecurity, loss of social connection and low self-esteem. Workers abandoning their posts also have significant economic consequences for companies. It is thus necessary to study, in a forward-looking approach, the personal factors (personality, age, family situation), context (accomodation, job, pay, etc.) and psychosocialfactors (psychological demands, decisional latitude, social support, Person-Organization fit (PO fit), job satisfaction) predicting a good adjustment to seasonal occupations. Our adjustment indicators are : voluntary turnover (during the season) and engagement at work (measured with the Utrecht Work Engagement Scale). One hundred and sixty-one subjects were evaluated 3 times (before, during, and at the end of the season). The results show that the personality ofseasonal workers (according to Big Five taxonomy) has little influence on turnover and the engagement scale. We also highlight the mediating effect of job satisfaction between the PO Fit and turnover. Furthermore, we find direct links between professional stressors, instruction adequacy, responsibilities, wage, accomodation, work experience, coping strategies, PO Fit and work engagement. The links between our two criteria (commitment and voluntary turnover) arealso studied. Theoretical and practical implications are discussed.

Este estudo tem por objetivo contribuir para a investigação sobre as relações entre as práticas de GERH, o engajamento no trabalho e resultados no nível do indivíduo: desempenho no cargo e intenção de sair da organização. A pesquisa bibliográfica demonstrou a multiplicidade de Práticas, Sistemas de Práticas de GERH, com convergências e divergências. O referencial Amo Framework para a definição das Práticas se mostrou, ao menos conceitualmente, um modelo robusto e integrador do plano organizacional para o plano individual. Empiricamente, encontramos forte associação entre as Práticas de GERH orientadas pelo AMO e o Engajamento o que, sem dúvida, é uma contribuição para o \"Problema da Caixa Preta\". Ainda quanto à pesquisa bibliográfica, foi analisado o construto engajamento no trabalho e suas diversas linhas teóricas, variáveis antecedentes e escalas de mensuração. Foi definido modelo teórico que relaciona as Práticas de GERH, os resultados individuais, o engajamento no trabalho e variáveis antecedentes relevantes associadas ao engajamento, que foi testado via Modelagem de Equações Estruturais (Lavaan- R), atendendo aos requisitos de qualidade de ajuste (GOF), com parâmetros considerados bons. O foco desta pesquisa foi trazer o construto de engajamento no trabalho para o debate acadêmico no Brasil e seu papel na Gestão Estratégica de RH. Desse modo, em tempos de alta competitividade, podemos afirmar que um dos objetivos da GERH deve estar ligado à promoção dos níveis de Engajamento. Nesse estudo, ficou demonstrada a robustez do construto e sua mensuração, a validade discriminante com outros construtos e na amostra pesquisada a associação significativa direta em relação ao Desempenho no Cargo e a Intenção de Sair. Foram confirmadas as hipóteses com respeito à importância do engajamento no trabalho - quer seja em sua associação direta com as variáveis de resultado individuais, quer seja pela sua associação indireta nas relações entre as Práticas de GERH (e Suporte Percebido) e as variáveis consequentes pesquisadas. Como contribuições da tese para a Teoria, consideramos que os resultados desta tese fazem avançar a compreensão acerca do \'Problema da Caixa Preta\' ao demonstrar a forte associação positiva entre as Práticas de GERH e o engajamento no trabalho e este com comportamentos e atitudes desejáveis. Sugestões para futuras investigações bem como implicações teóricas, metodológicas e práticas são discutidas. / This study aims to contribute to research on the relationships between the practices of SHRM, work engagement and results at the individual level: performance and intention to leave the organization (reverse). The bibliographical research demonstrated the multiplicity of Practices, Systems of Practices of SHRM, with convergences and divergences. The Amo framework for the definition of Practices has been shown, at least conceptually, as a robust and integrative model. Empirically, we find a strong association between the AMO oriented practices and the engagement, which undoubtedly contributes to the \'black box problem\'. As for bibliographical research, the work engagement construct and its various theoretical lines, antecedents variables and measurement scales were analyzed. It was defined a theoretical model that relates the SHRM Perceived Practices, the individual results, the engagement in the work and relevant antecedent variables associated to the engagement, which was tested using Structural Equation Modeling (Lavaan-R), meeting the requirements of quality of fit (GOF), with parameters considered good. The focus of this research was to bring the work engagement construct to the academic debate in Brazil and its role in SHRM. Thus, in times of high competitiveness, we can say that one of the objectives of the SHRM must be linked to the promotion of levels of work engagement. In this study, the robustness of the construct and its measurement, the discriminant validity with other constructs and a direct significant association with respect to job performance and the Intention to leave (reversed) were proved. The hypotheses regarding the importance of engagement at work - whether in their direct association with the individual outcome variables or their indirect association in the relationship between the Practices of SHRM Perceived Practices, and Perceived Support and the consequent variables were confirmed in the sample. As contributions of the thesis to the Theory, we consider that the results of this thesis advances the understanding about the \'Black Box Problem\' by demonstrating the strong positive association between the SHRM Practices and the work engagement and the latter with desirable behaviors and attitudes. Suggestions for future investigations as well as theoretical, methodological and practical implications are discussed.

A presente tese investigou em que medida a percepção de liderança autêntica, de líderes e liderados, promove o capital psicológico e o engajamento no trabalho dos mesmos. Analisou-se ainda a influência da estrutura organizacional nas variáveis estudadas. Cinco estudos foram conduzidos. Primeiro, fez-se uma revisão da literatura sobre a produção internacional de liderança autêntica entre os anos de 2011 a 2015. Essa análise identificou importantes avanços sobre a temática. No entanto, os críticos desta teoria ainda apresentam pontos a serem respondidos. Os estudos de validação e da invariância da medida do Authentic Leadership Questionnaire para o Brasil, confirmam a adequação do instrumento. Os últimos dois estudos apontam que o capital psicológico prediz mais o engajamento no trabalho dos profissionais, em relação a liderança autêntica. Ainda constatam, estruturas organizacionais cooperativas e empreendedoras tem os profissionais mais engajados, em comparação as estruturas individualistas e controladoras. / This thesis investigated to what extent the perception of authentic leadership, by leaders and followers, promotes their psychological capital and work engagement. The influence of organizational structure on the variables studied was also analyzed. Five studies were carried out. Firstly, a review was made of the literature on the international production on authentic leadership between 2011 and 2015. That analysis identified important advances in the subject. However, critics of this theory still present points to be addressed. Studies regarding validation and the invariance of the Authentic Leadership Questionnaire for Brazil confirm the suitability of the instrument. The last two studies indicate that psychological capital is a better predictor of employees’ work engagement than authentic leadership. It also emerges that cooperative and entrepreneurial organizational structures have more engaged employees than more individualistic and controlling operational structures.

Magister Commercii (Industrial Psychology) - MCom (IPS) / The construction industry plays a crucial role in the South African economy. In this high-risk industry, a lack of engagement by employees can have serious and costly health and safety consequences. Because construction companies work under conditions of tight deadlines and stringent requirements, executives and managers are often unable to reduce the demands on their employees. Hence, if employees are to increase their own levels of work engagement (and so improve health, promote safety, and guard against burnout), they need to exert personal agency by recrafting their own jobs. The term job crafting refers to proactive employee behaviours that seek to optimise the work environment, frequently by addressing the balance between job demands and job resource. Previous literature suggests that employees who use job crafting behaviours show higher work engagement, lower disengagement, more positive emotions, and better adaptive performance.

Philosophiae Doctor - PhD / Modern day leaders are faced with a complex globalised environment that has resulted in intense competition, ever-changing government rules and regulations, stakeholder demands, environmental policies and much more. In order to not only survive but thrive, they need to lead and motivate a diversified group of employees with different economic, cultural, and socio-political values. Today’s leaders need to develop effective managerial strategies, learn to inspire those both inside and outside of the organisation, and guide change. This study aimed to provide insight into change-oriented leadership and examine its effect on psychological capital (PsyCap) and psychological empowerment as antecedents of work engagement and change-oriented organisational citizenship behaviour (changed-oriented OCB). For purposes of this study, a quantitative research design was employed using both paper and pencil and electronic questionnaires. Data was gathered by using a probability sample of employees within a manufacturing organisation in South Africa (N = 736). The measurement instruments were revalidated for the South African sample through both confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) and partial least squares structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM). All the measuring instruments retained its original factor structures and reported acceptable reliabilities of change-oriented leadership (α= .908), PsyCap (α= .848), psychological empowerment (α= .860), work engagement (α= .883) and changed-oriented OCB (α= .897).

According to Fredrickson's broaden-and-build theory of positive emotions, positive emotions -- such as joy, contentment, and love -- help individuals cope with stress, maintain well-being, and flourish in life. Guided by this theory, this dissertation project conducted three studies which explored the multidimensional influences of positive emotions on stress, coping strategies, resilience, trait anxiety, depressive symptoms, and work engagement. Study 1 examined the mediating role of coping strategies on the link between positive emotions and resilience; in addition, the moderating effect of resilience on the influence of stress toward trait anxiety and depressive symptoms was tested. Study 2 investigated if one's positivity would distinguish differences in their levels of stress, trait anxiety, and depressive symptoms. Finally, Study 3 examined whether stress and positive emotions would account for the variance in work engagement, over and above what has been explained by known predictors -- specifically, work meaningfulness and supervisor support. Path analysis, interaction analysis, multivariate analysis of variance, and hierarchical multiple regression analysis were used to test the different models within these studies. A sample of 200 postdoctoral fellows completed the survey (38% response rate). Results showed that a) coping strategies partially mediated the link between positive emotions and resilience; b) resilience moderated the effect of stress on trait anxiety and depressive symptoms; c) the different categories of positivity distinguished differences in experienced stress, trait anxiety, and depressive symptoms; d) stress and positive emotions accounted for additional variance in work engagement, above what is already explained by work meaningfulness and supervisor support; and e) positive emotions completely mediated the relationship between supervisor support and work engagement. Findings support the broaden-and-build theory's hypotheses that positive emotions enhance adaptive coping strategies and fuel resilience. The data also demonstrated that resilience protected postdocs from experiencing heightened levels of trait anxiety and depressive symptoms by diminishing their relationships with stress. One strategy to optimize health would be to increase opportunities for postdocs to experience positive emotions, which would subsequently spark the upward spiral toward improved coping, greater resilience, and reduced stress, anxiety, and depression. To promote work engagement, it is important for supervisors to not only be mindful of assigning meaningful work to their employees (or help employees find meaning in their work), but supervisors should also be a supportive leader within a positive workplace environment. / text

Continuous exposure to things like high job demands, lack of job resources, change, competitiveness and rivalry, can result in stress and burnout. Stressful events may lead to ill health and might impact negatively on the work-related well-being of employees. Because of the emergence of positive (organisational) psychology, the study of positive aspects of health and well-being are increasingly popular in Occupational Health Psychology. One of these positive aspects is work engagement, which is considered to be the antipode of burnout. Successful diagnoses of work stress, burnout and work engagement is the first step in facilitating the work-related well-being of employees. To measure stress, burnout and work engagement, it is important to use reliable and valid instruments. However, there is a lack of empirical research systematically investigating burnout and work engagement in South Africa, as well as serious limitations, including poorly designed studies, a lack of sophisticated statistical analyses and poorly controlled studies. South Africa is a multicultural society and therefore, when burnout and work engagement measures are applied to different cultural groups, issues of construct equivalence becomes important. Furthermore, little information exists regarding the causes and effects of work stress, burnout and work engagement of teachers in South Africa. The general objective of this research is to standardise the Maslach Burnout Inventory- General Survey (MBI-GS) and the Utrecht Work Engagement Scale (UWES) for teachers in the North West Province, to determine causes of occupational stress for teachers, to assess the relationship between occupational stress, organisational commitment and ill-health, and to develop and test a causal model of work-related well-being for teachers in the North West Province. A cross-sectional survey design was used. Random, stratified samples of teachers in the North West Province (N = 1177) were taken. An adapted version of the Maslach Burnout Inventory - General Survey (MBI-GS), the Utrecht Work Engagement Scale (UWES), An Organisational Stress Screening Tool (ASSET), the Affectometer 2, the Job Characteristics Inventory (JCI), and a biographical questionnaire were administered. Descriptive statistics, Cronbach alpha coefficients, inter-item correlations, exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses, Pearson correlations, multivariate analysis of variance, one-way analysis of variance and t-tests were used to analyse the data. Structural equation modelling was used to test causal models of work-related well-being. Structural equation modelling confirmed a three-factor model of burnout (Exhaustion, Mental Distance and Professional Efficacy). All three factors showed acceptable internal consistencies and construct equivalence for two language groups. Structural equation modelling also confirmed a three-factor model of work engagement, consisting of Vigour, Dedication and Absorption. Two of the sub-scales, namely Vigour and Dedication showed acceptable internal consistencies. Both the MBI-GS and the UWES showed acceptable construct equivalence. The results showed that practically significant differences exist between demographic groups in their experience of burnout and work engagement. The results confirmed the construct validity and internal consistency of the ASSET. Occupational stress and low individual commitment to the organisation explained 3 1 % of the variance in physical and psychological ill-health. Commitment from the individual to the organisation moderated the effects of occupational stress on physical and psychological health of teachers. The results showed that role overload, unfavourable task characteristics, a lack of control and low positive affect predicted exhaustion. Favourable task characteristics, positive affect and low negative affect predicted professional efficacy. Burnout was related to physical and psychological ill-health. Regarding a model of work-related well-being, the results showed that job demands, a lack of job resources and low positive affect contributed to burnout. Burnout mediated the relationship between job demands and ill-health, while positive affect moderated the relationship between burnout and ill-health. Job resources predicted work engagement. Work engagement mediated the relationship between job resources and organisational commitment. Recommendations for future research were made. / Thesis (Ph.D. (Industrial Psychology))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2004.

Counselling services as provided by non-professional counsellors have been in place for a number of decades. Counselling traumatised people demands a significant amount of emotional investment from the counsellor. A neglected area as far as non-professional counsellors in South Africa is concerned, is the well-being of the counsellors. Burnout as well as its antithesis, work engagement, are two possible transactional outcomes impacting on the well-being of these counsellors. The measurement of burnout and work engagement requires valid and reliable measuring instruments. The dearth of research studies in the area of burnout and work engagement, together with the unique contribution of non-professional counsellors in organisational settings, has led to the primary focus of this study being the exploration of the experience of this group of counsellors doing trauma counselling in financial institutions in South Africa. A lack of norms for the Maslach Burnout Inventory - Human Services Survey (MBI-HSS), and the Utrecht Work Engagement Scale (UWES) for non-professional counsellors doing trauma counselling makes the identification of burnout and work engagement within this specialist environment difficult. Consequently, investigating the reliability and validity of the MBI-HSS and the UWES would result in the standardisation of these specific measuring instruments, therefore contributing to the identification of burnout and work engagement with non-professional trauma counsellors. Some of the factors that could play a role in the prevalence of burnout and work engagement are secondary traumatic stress, the demands of counselling, lack of resources, personal consequences, social support and sense of coherence. The objectives of this research were to standardise the MBI-HSS and UWES for non-professional counsellors as well as to develop and test a causal model of burnout and work engagement for this specialist group. The research method involved four separate articles, each consisting of a brief literature overview and an empirical study. A cross-sectional design, whereby a sample is drawn from a population at a particular point in time, was used. The data for this study was collected from 168 non-professional counsellors, employed by three of the major banks in South Africa. The MBI-HSS, UWES, Orientation to Life Questionnaire (OLQ) as well as a Self-Report Questionnaire (SRQ) and a biographical questionnaire were administered. Descriptive statistics, analysis of variance, correlations, canonical analysis, and structural equation modelling were used. Structural equation modelling confirmed a three-factor model of burnout (emotional exhaustion, depersonalisation and personal accomplishment). In contrast with research findings confirming the three-factor model of the UWES (vigour, dedication and absorption), a one-factor model for the UWES was confirmed for non-professional counsellors. The internal consistency of the scales for the MBI-HSS and UWES was found to be satisfactory and in line with reported findings in the literature. Structural equation analysis showed that the lack of resources and job demands predicted the core of burnout, namely emotional exhaustion and depersonalisation. The conflicts and pressures that are already associated with the everyday work of non-professional counsellors are likely to be magnified by the counselling role. Non-professional counsellors continually face conflicts created by the fact that they are accountable to large organisations, but professionally, ethically and morally devoted to their clients (the victims of trauma who are being counselled by them). They must balance the competing, and sometimes opposing demands of several parties such as trauma victims, employees, families and communities. To add to these circumstances it is important to remember that counselling is not the main job objective of the non-professional counsellors. Counselling is seen as an "add-on" to their job description and is in most instances not part of their performance measurement/assessment. Work engagement was related to low burnout scores, while personal accomplishment was associated with work engagement. High sense of coherence had a mediating effect on burnout and a positive effect on work engagement. This study seems to emphasise that job demands have a more negative effect on engagement when sense of coherence is low than when sense of coherence is high. Conversely, it is assumed that sense of coherence provides functions such as increased perception of coping capacity or minimised stress appraised, which decreases the effects of stress on an individual. Recommendations for the organisations and future research were made. / Thesis (Ph.D. (Industrial Psychology))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2004.