The role of psychological capital and intragroup conflict on employees' burnout and quality of service: A multilevel approach

Previous studies have found a negative association between intragroup conflict and both employees' health and performance, including the quality of service that employees provide. However, some authors have indicated that such negative effects of intragroup conflict depend on how conflict is managed. In addition, at individual level, research is increasingly emphasizing the role of psychological strengths (i.e., psychological capital) as predictors of health and performance. Thus, this research addresses both a main effect at individual level (psychological capital on burnout/quality of service) and a moderated cross-level model (2-2-1: intragroup conflict, conflict management climate and burnout/quality of service) in a cross-sectional survey study (N = 798 workers nested in 55 units/facilities). Results revealed a main effect of psychological capital on both burnout (r = −0.50) and quality of service (r = 0.28). Also, there was an association between intragroup relationship conflict and burnout (r = 0.33). Finally, there was an interaction effect in which conflict management climate buffers the negative association between intragroup conflict and quality of service. Practical implications of these results for developing positive and healthy organizations that prevent potential psychosocial risks at group level while promote individual strengths are discussed

Steps to ensure a successful implementation of occupational health and safety: Interventions at an organizational level

There is increasing meta-analytic evidence that addresses the positive impact of evidence-based occupational health and safety interventions on employee health and well-being. However, such evidence is less clear when interventions are approached at an organizational level and are aimed at changing organizational policies and processes. Given that occupational health and safety interventions are usually tailored to specific organizational contexts, generalizing and transferring such interventions to other organizations is a complex endeavor. In response, several authors have argued that an evaluation of the implementation process is crucial for assessing the intervention’s effectiveness and for understanding how and why the intervention has been (un)successful. Thus, this paper focuses on the implementation process and attempts to move this field forward by identifying the main factors that contribute toward ensuring a greater success of occupational health and safety interventions conducted at the organizational level. In doing so, we propose some steps that can guide a successful implementation. These implementation steps are illustrated using examples of evidence-based best practices reported in the literature that have described and systematically evaluated the implementation process behind their interventions during the last decade

Diferencias del rol desempeñado por la autoeficacia en el burnout percibido por el personal universitario en función de las condiciones de trabajo.

El objetivo del presente estudio es analizar el papel que des-empeña la autoeficacia en la relación entre condiciones de trabajo y síndrome de estar quemado o burnout en una muestra de profesionales de la Universidad de Sevilla. En concreto, la muestra está compuesta por 194 profesores universitarios (PDI) y 121 personas encargadas de tareas de administración y servicios (PAS). Mediante un diseño transversal se les aplicó un cuestionario sobre condiciones de trabajo de carácter estresante y autoeficacia para afrontar las mismas (Escala Laboral de Estrés) así como el cuestionario de burnout MBI. Tal como apuntaban nuestras hipótesis, las condiciones de trabajo (ambigüedad de rol y sobrecarga laboral) se relacio-nan positivamente con el burnout, jugando la autoeficacia un papel modula-dor sólo en los casos en que el individuo puede actuar para modificar las condiciones estresantes. Se discuten las implicaciones a nivel teórico y práctico de los presentes resultados.The aim of this study is to analyze the role that self-efficacy plays in the relationship between working conditions and burnout in the University context. The sample was composed by 194 teachers and 121 employees from the administrative staff of the University of Seville (Spain). The Job Stress Scale and Maslach Burnout Inventory were used to measure working conditions, self-efficacy and burnout in a cross-sectional design study. According to our hypotheses, there is a positive relationship between stressful working conditions and burnout. In addition, self-efficacy seems to moderate the association between potentially stressful working conditions and burnout. However, the moderating effect of self-efficacy was observed only under the working conditions that can be directly influenced by employees’ behaviour. Theoretical and practical implications for occupational health researchers and practitioners are discussed

Estética Positiva. Tesis y problemas

En aquest text presento un panorama de la doctrina coneguda com « Estètica Positiva » en relació als judicis estètics sobre la naturalesa . Segons aquesta concepció , tota la natura prístina és bella , a més es considera que, en general , encara que no de manera necessària , la intervenció humana tendeix a introduir lletjor a la natura . Una de les motivacions pràctiques després d'aquesta afirmació és la de tractar de fonamentar les nostres raons per reservar el medi ambient en raons estètiques .La doctrina de l'Estètica Positiva ha estat defensada per teories de l'apreciació estètica tan diferents com les cognitivistes i les anti - cognitivistes . Recentment , s'ha tractat de defensar la possibilitat que existeixi lletjor real en la naturalesa , al mateix temps, s'ha argumentat que la presència d'elements lletjos a la naturalesa no implica necessàriament que aquests objectes no tinguin valor estètic . De fet , d'acord amb aquesta aproximació al problema , la lletjor natural pot ser una raó per preservar la natura. En aquest sentit , la negació de la tesi de l'Estètica Positiva és compatible amb l'apel · lació a qualitats estètiques negatives com una font de raons per preservar els espais naturals.In this paper I present an overview of the doctrine known as Positive Aesthetics regarding aesthetic judgements about nature. According to this view, all pristine nature is always beautiful and, generally, although not necessarily, human intervention tends to introduce ugliness in nature. One of the strong practical motivations behind this claim is an attempt to ground our reasons to preserve natural environments in aesthetic reasons. Positive Aesthetics has been defended within contrary approaches to nature appreciation such as the cognitivists and the anti-cognitivist. Recently, the possibility of real ugliness in nature has been defended; at the same time, it is argued that the presence of ugly items in nature does not lead necessarily to the idea that they are not aesthetically valuable. Hence, natural ugliness can be a reason to preserve nature. In this sense, the denial of the Positive Aesthetics claim is shown to be compatible with the appeal to aesthetic negative qualities as a source of reasons for preserving natural environments.En este texto presento un panorama de la doctrina conocida como «Estética Positiva» en relacióna los juicios estéticos sobre la naturaleza. Según esta concepción, toda la naturalezaprístina es bella; además se considera que, en general, aunque no de manera necesaria, la intervenciónhumana tiende a introducir fealdad en la naturaleza. Una de las motivaciones prácticastras esta afirmación es la de tratar de fundamentar nuestras razones para preservar elmedio ambiente en razones estéticas.La doctrina de la Estética Positiva ha sido defendida por teorías de la apreciación estéticatan diferentes como las cognitivistas y las anti-cognitivistas. Recientemente, se ha tratadode defender la posibilidad de que exista fealdad real en la naturaleza; al mismo tiempo, se haargumentado que la presencia de elementos feos en la naturaleza no implica necesariamente que esos objetos carezcan de valor estético. De hecho, de acuerdo con esta aproximaciónal problema, la fealdad natural puede ser una razón para preservar la naturaleza. En este sentido,la negación de la tesis de la Estética Positiva es compatible con la apelación a cualidadesestéticas negativas como una fuente de razones para preservar los espacios naturales

Morally Wrong Beauty as a Source of Value

In this paper I would like to address the problem of the aesthetic value of damaged nature. A variety of arguments have been offered in order to ground the view that we cannot perceive damaged nature as beautiful, at  least as soon as we are aware of its damaged condition. These arguments are usually offered in tandem with a view about what the correct appreciation of nature involves and, hence, are often supported by this view. I will try to show that none of these arguments are compelling and that there seems to be a way of explaining how damaged nature can be beautiful without disposing of the intuition that the awareness of its damaged condition penetrates our perception

Bestiarios del nuevo mundo: maravillas de Dios o engendros del demonio

Los bestiarios del Nuevo Mundo forman parte de lo maravilloso medieval que los conquistadores, cronistas, misioneros y viajeros aprendieron de las autoridades clásicas y medievales y nos legaron en sus crónicas, relaciones, relatos de viajes y expediciones. Gonzalo Fernández de Oviedo, Pedro Cieza de León y Pedro Ordóñez de Ceballos se presentan en este artículo con sus apreciaciones de los animales de las nuevas tierras, que oscilan entre criaturas con cualidades maravillosas, poderes curativos..., y útiles como alimentos y vestimenta, pero también pueden ser monstruos, ídolos y engendros diabólicos. New World’s bestiaries belong to the Medieval catgory of the wonderful, which conquistadores, chroniclers, missionaries and travellers learned from Classical and Medieval authorities. This category was then transmitted through their chronicles, relations, travel narratives and accounts of expeditions. Gonzalo Fernández de Oviedo , Pedro Cieza de León and Pedro Ordóñez de Ceballos are presented in this article as well as their appreciations about the animals found iin the new lands, some of which are creaturas with wonderful qualities, Ealing Powers, and a potencial to be used for food or dress, just as others can be monsters, idols or diabolical misfits

Effectiveness of a Humor-Based Training for Reducing Employees’ Distress

An increasing number of studies have demonstrated that humor can impact interpersonal relationships in organizations and employee well-being. However, there is little evidence coming from intervention studies in organizational settings. In response, we developed a training following the principles of positive psychology that aims at improving employees’ adaptive use of humor as a successful mechanism to deal with stress. In this study, we assess the effectiveness of such training and its impact on employee well-being. Results from this one-group intervention study in an emergency ambulance service (N = 58) revealed that the participants reported higher levels of cheerfulness (Z = −3.93; p < 0.001) and lower levels of seriousness (Z = −3.32; p < 0.001) after being exposed to the training. Indeed, the participants reported lower scores on psychological distress after the training (Z = −3.35; p < 0.001). The effect size of the training was medium (r = 0.31 to 0.36), suggesting that interventions to improve adaptive humor at work can be a useful resource to deal with workplace stress and foster employee well-being. These results may have interesting implications for designing and implementing positive interventions as well as for developing healthy organizations.Consejería de Economía y Conocimiento, Junta de Andalucía PAIDI2021-SEJ458Universidad de Sevilla PP2019-13250 and PP2020/IV.4/01