Transcript Subjective Wellbeing in the Workplace

Subjective Wellbeing in the
Workplace
Kathryn Page
Deakin University
What is Subjective Wellbeing?
Subjective Wellbeing (SWB)
…a unique blend of affect and cognition
that represents the sense of wellbeing
we have in relation to life overall
“How satisfied are you with your life as a
whole?”
“How satisfied are you with your life as a
whole?”
How satisfied are you with your -----------?
Seven
Life
Domains
•Standard of living
•Health
•Current achievements in life
•Relationships
•Safety
•Community connectedness
•Future security
(The Personal Wellbeing Index)
The Personal Wellbeing Index
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A new systematic measure of SWB
Able to track the wellbeing of
populations over time
Alternative to objective indicators such
as GDP
The Stability of SWB
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SWB ‘set-points’ (70-80%SM)
Stability of SWB due to the influences of
core affect and SWB homeostasis
Core Affect
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Probably pre-determined (biological)
How it is we generally feel
Like background music – always there but
don’t notice or reflect on it unless directed to.
Homeostatic Theory
unconscious
CORE AFFECT
conscious
OPTIMISM
CONTROL
SELF-ESTEEM
Environment
(Homeostatic
challenge)
output
SWB
75 / 100
The Relationship Between
Stressors and SWB
Dominant Source of SWB Control
Homeostasis
Stressor
High
75
SWB
Threshold
Low
No stress
Stress
High stress
Level of environmental challenge
Hey, wasn’t this supposed to
have something to do with
work?
An attempt to apply the theory of
SWB homeostasis to wellbeing in
the workplace
Pre-Prediction Thoughts
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Differences in how we respond to the
question ‘How satisfied are you with your
life as a whole’ reflect individual differences
in core affect
Why?
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The Abstract-Specific Hypothesis
No direction as to what aspects of our life we
should think about so just answer according to
how we generally feel
Thus, it is predicted that…
Hypothesis 1:
…the evaluations people make about their
SWB in relation to work will be less
influenced by core affect
 Why?
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Because the evaluation is targeted to a
specific life domain, people’s answers will
reflect what they think or feel in relation to
that domain, not how they feel generally.
Cont’d
Hypothesis 2:
…the role of homeostasis will also
decrease
 Why?
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Homeostasis exists to protect core affect.
Thus, if, as predicted, core affect is less
influential on work evaluations,
homeostasis will also be less influential.
How did I test this?
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Formed a new construct termed Workplace
Wellbeing (WWB)
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Refers to SWB within the domain of work
Measured it in a way similar to the
measurement of SWB
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‘How satisfied are you with your job as a
whole’ and,
Satisfaction with work domains
How satisfied are you with your job as a
whole?
How satisfied are you with------------?
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13
Work
Values
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Responsibility
Meaningfulness
Independence
Use of abilities &
knowledge
Sense of achievement
Sense of being valued
as a person
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Recognition
Pay
Job security
Work hours
Supervisors
Opportunities for
promotion
(The Workplace Wellbeing Index)
Workplace Wellbeing defined:
…the measurement of SWB in relation to the
workplace, or
…a sense of wellbeing that results from the
satisfaction of intrinsic and/or extrinsic work
values through ones experiences at work.
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Includes both affective and cognitive elements
The Workplace Wellbeing
Index (WWBI)
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A systematic measure of WWB
Able to track wellbeing of employees
over time (e.g. Before and after an
intervention or change in management)
Who did I test?
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150 employees of Australian Unity
Ages ranging from 16-64 yrs (average
39 yrs)
60% female, 40% male
What did I do to them?
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Had them fill out an 84-item survey
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PWI
WWBI
Core Affect
Optimism
Control
Self-Esteem etc.
Analyses
1. Preliminary tests – accuracy of my
conceptualisation of (a) SWB and (b) WWB
2. Test of hypothesis 1 (The influence of core
affect)
3. Test of hypothesis 2 (The role of SWB
homeostasis)
4. Test of hypothesis 3 (The relationship
between SWB and WWB)
1 (a) Model of SWB
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Core affect + satisfaction with life
domains (PWI) explained 77% of the
variance in responses to the question
‘How satisfied are you with your life as
a whole?’
1 (b) Model of WWB
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Core affect plus satisfaction with
intrinsic and extrinsic work values
(WWBI) explained 77% of the variance
in responses to the question ‘How
satisfied are you with your job as a
whole?’
2, 3 & 4: Hypothesis testing
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Core affect explained 59% of the variance in
SWB but only 28% of the variance in WWB.
Self-esteem, optimism and control
(homeostatic buffers) explained significant
variance in the SWB of the employees under
homeostatic challenge but did not explain
variance in WWB.
There was no relationship between WWB and
SWB after core affect was controlled for
What does all this have to do
with anything?
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When our life is relatively stress or
problem free, our SWB levels reflect
how it is we generally feel (core affect).
When life is challenging, our SWB levels
reflect our levels of self-esteem,
optimism and control as well as how we
generally feel
But what does this have to do
with work?
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How it is we generally feel about work also
reflects how we generally feel in life but to a
lesser extent
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The Abstract-Specific Hypothesis
WWB depends more on whether work satisfies
our work values, particularly our intrinsic work
values
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WWB derived more from satisfaction with internal
factors such as achievement and recognition than
external factors such as work conditions or pay
Would WWB ever affect SWB?
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Perhaps only in sub-populations
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Those whose work problems are severe
enough to have caused homeostatic
defeat.
Those who highly value work i.e. see work
as important to their identity, life purpose
etc.
Could represent interesting follow-up
studies
Contact me
Kathryn Page
Dept. of Management
Monash University
p: (03) 9903 1313
m: 0401 058 101
e: [email protected]