Mindfulness and job control as moderators of the relationships between demands and innovative work behaviours

Innovation enables organizations to respond successfully to rapid changes in a business environment. This innovation capability largely relies on employees. Although workers are required to be innovative, their jobs frequently contain higher demands that might make it difficult for them to innovate at work. The Job Demands-Control model active hypothesis suggests that highly demanding jobs that allow individuals enough discretion enhance innovative performance. Improving an important attentional resource such as mindfulness at work might also play a similar role, although there is a need for more research at this level. The main aim of this study is to examine the relative contribution of job control and increases in mindfulness as moderators in the job demands-innovation work behaviours relationship. The results obtained with 221 workers indicated that in previous situations characterized by high job demands (T1), workers who increase their capacity for mindfulness are more innovative in the future (T2)

La comunicación en las organizaciones: Una aproximación desde el modelo de análisis multifacético para la gestión y la intervención organizacional (modelo Amigo)

En el presente trabajo se analiza el papel que cumple la comunicación en las organizaciones, utilizándose como recurso heurístico el modelo de análisis multifacético para la intervención y la gestión organizacional (modelo Amigo) (Peiró, 1999a; 2000). Esta herramienta conceptual permitió la indagación sistemática, del rol que cumple la comunicación en las diferentes facetas y el funcionamiento de la organización. Además, facilitó la ubicación y el establecimiento de relaciones entre los diferentes fenómenos. Se demuestra que la comunicación cumple un rol central en la dinámica organizacional. En dicho análisis se consideró también un buen número de metodologías e instrumentos que han sido desarrollados para la intervención profesional en procesos que implicanaspectos comunicativos

El modelo «amigo» en el análisis del cambio estratégico en las organizaciones: ocho estudios de casos realizados en pequeñas empresas del sector cerámico

En el presente artículo se ofrecen los principales resultados de una investigación sobre el cambio organizacional llevada a cabo en diferentes PYMES. En esta investigación se ha utilizado el modelo AMIGO (Peiró, 1999) como base para el análisis del cambio estratégico emprendido por ocho pequeñas empresas del sector cerámico de loza fina o barro esmaltado. El objetivo principal consiste en la descripción de los procesos de cambio producidos en esas empresas tratando de comprender las fuerzas desencadenantes del cambio, la forma en que se plasma en diversas facetas de la organización y los procesos por los cuales los cambios realizados requieren sucesivos reajustes en otras facetas. Es interesante constatar que los cambios se inician en todos los casos en alguna de las facetas hard (tecnologías o sistemas de trabajo) y sólo posteriormente se toma conciencia de las implicaciones que esto tiene para las facetas soft (políticas y prácticas de personal, estilos de dirección, etc.). Se intenta, además, identificar las principales trayectorias de las múltiples relaciones y reajustes que se dan entre las diferentes facetas de una organización, una vez se ha puesto en marcha el cambio estratégico. La combinación de una metodología cualitativa con datos cuantitativos, ofrece una visión amplia y rica de los procesos de cambio, proporcionando datos y reflexiones relevantes para la investigación y la intervención profesional de este tipo de cambios en la pequeña y mediana empresa

Coping in the final frontier: An intervention to reduce spaceflight-induced stress

Research in human spaceflight has extensively documented how microgravity environments, such as spaceflight across Low Earth Orbit (LEO), affects astronauts’ and Spaceflight Participants’ emotions. However, a more refined understanding of this topic will become especially relevant as national and international space agencies increase the duration of manned space missions, and as the private sector fully enters the aerospace arena. In this paper, we analyze the strengths and weaknesses of the four main types of interventions for dealing with the stressors associated with human spaceflight (i.e., ergonomic, physiological, psychological, and psychosocial), and then elaborate on a psychosocial intervention grounded on evidence-based interventions across several fields of psychological research. Among the components of such interventions, we recommend adopting advanced stress coping strategies, developing emotional and intercultural competencies and crafting a shared social identity among crew members. Our proposed intervention aims to enhance the efficacy of social support as a key coping mechanism and applies to crewmembers and spaceflight participants of diverse cultural backgrounds who, most likely, will work using computer-mediated communication (CMC).Investigações em voos espaciais tripulados documentaram extensivamente como os ambientes de microgravidade, como voos espaciais pela órbita baixa da Terra (OBT), afetam as emoções dos astronautas e dos participantes do Voo Espacial. No entanto, um entendimento mais refinado deste tópico tornar-se-á especialmente relevante, à medida que as agências espaciais nacionais e internacionais aumentem a duração das missões espaciais tripuladas e que o setor privado entre totalmente na arena aeroespacial. Neste artigo, analisamos os pontos fortes e fracos dos quatro principais tipos de intervenções para lidar com os stressores associados ao voo espacial humano (ergonómico, fisiológico, psicológico e psicossocial) e depois desenhamos uma intervenção psicossocial sustentada em intervenções baseadas em evidências realizadas em vários campos da investigação psicológica. Entre os componentes de tais intervenções, recomendamos a adoção de estratégias avançadas para lidar com o stresse, o desenvolvimento de competências emocionais e interculturais e a criação de uma identidade social partilhada entre os membros da tripulação. A nossa proposta de intervenção visa aumentar a eficácia do apoio social como um mecanismo chave para lidar com o stresse e aplica-se a tripulantes e participantes de voos espaciais de diversas origens culturais que, muito provavelmente, irão trabalhar usando comunicação mediada por computador (CMC)

Lidando com o stresse na fronteira final: uma intervenção para reduzir o stresse induzido por voos espaciais

Research in human spaceflight has extensively documented how microgravity environments, such as spaceflight across Low Earth Orbit (LEO), affects astronauts’ and Spaceflight Participants’ emotions. However, a more refined understanding of this topic will become especially relevant as national and international space agencies increase the duration of manned space missions, and as the private sector fully enters the aerospace arena. In this paper, we analyze the strengths and weaknesses of the four main types of interventions for dealing with the stressors associated with human spaceflight (i.e., ergonomic, physiological, psychological, and psychosocial), and then elaborate on a psychosocial intervention grounded on evidence-based interventions across several fields of psychological research. Among the components of such interventions, we recommend adopting advanced stress coping strategies, developing emotional and intercultural competencies and crafting a shared social identity among crew members. Our proposed intervention aims to enhance the efficacy of social support as a key coping mechanism and applies to crewmembers and spaceflight participants of diverse cultural backgrounds who, most likely, will work using computer-mediated communication (CMC).Investigações em voos espaciais tripulados documentaram extensivamente como os ambientes de microgravidade, como voos espaciais pela órbita baixa da Terra (OBT), afetam as emoções dos astronautas e dos participantes do Voo Espacial. No entanto, um entendimento mais refinado deste tópico tornar-se-á especialmente relevante, à medida que as agências espaciais nacionais e internacionais aumentem a duração das missões espaciais tripuladas e que o setor privado entre totalmente na arena aeroespacial. Neste artigo, analisamos os pontos fortes e fracos dos quatro principais tipos de intervenções para lidar com os stressores associados ao voo espacial humano (ergonómico, fisiológico, psicológico e psicossocial) e depois desenhamos uma intervenção psicossocial sustentada em intervenções baseadas em evidências realizadas em vários campos da investigação psicológica. Entre os componentes de tais intervenções, recomendamos a adoção de estratégias avançadas para lidar com o stresse, o desenvolvimento de competências emocionais e interculturais e a criação de uma identidade social partilhada entre os membros da tripulação. A nossa proposta de intervenção visa aumentar a eficácia do apoio social como um mecanismo chave para lidar com o stresse e aplica-se a tripulantes e participantes de voos espaciais de diversas origens culturais que, muito provavelmente, irão trabalhar usando comunicação mediada por computador (CMC)

Work related stress and well-being: the roles of direct action coping and palliative coping

The purpose of the present study is to analyze the roles of direct action coping and palliative coping in the relationship between work stressors and psychological well-being, as well as their possible interactions, in a sample of 464 bank employees. Hierarchical regression analyses showed main effects of direct action coping on well-being. Palliative coping predicts higher levels of psychological distress. Contrary to what was expected, the interactions between work stressors and direct action coping were not significant. Palliative coping interacted with work stressors when predicting psychosomatic complaints. The interaction between the two types of coping was significant on psychosomatic complaints and psychological distress, but not on job satisfaction. The paper discusses theoretical and practical implications of these results, in order to design intervention strategies to prevent and manage job stress

Decoupling Office Energy Efficiency From Employees' Well-Being and Performance: A Systematic Review

Energy efficiency (i.e., the ratio of output of performance to input of energy) in office buildings can reduce energy costs and CO2 emissions, but there are barriers to widespread adoption of energy efficient solutions in offices because they are often perceived as a potential threat to perceived comfort, well-being, and performance of office users. However, the links between offices' energy efficiency and users' performance and well-being through their moderators are neither necessary nor empirically confirmed. The purpose of this study is to carry out a systematic review to identify the existing empirical evidence regarding the relationships between energy-efficient solutions in sustainable office buildings and the perceptions of employees' productivity and well-being. Additionally, we aim to identify relevant boundary conditions for these relationships to occur. A systematic literature search of online databases for energy efficiency literature (e.g., Environment Complete, GreenFILE), employee literature (e.g., PsycINFO, Business Source Complete) and general social science literature (e.g., Academic Search Complete) yielded 34 empirical studies. Also, inclusion and exclusion criteria were set. The results suggest that it is possible to decouple energy costs from organizational outcomes such as employee well-being and performance. Also, they indicate the existence of moderators and mediators in the relationship between green office building solutions and well-being/performance. Directions for future research and the implications for practice considering different stakeholders interested in implementing green building solutions, adopting energy-saving measures in offices, and improving employees' functioning are suggested

Distinct magnetism in ultrathin epitaxial NiFe2O4 films on MgAl2O4 and SrTiO3single crystalline substrates

Spinel ferrites are being considered for advanced spintronic applications. Here, we report on the magnetic properties of ultrathin (3-37 nm) epitaxial films of NiFe2O4 (NFO) on MgAl2O4 (MAO) and SrTiO3 (STO) single crystalline substrates. It is found that NFO films on STO display superparamagnetic response down to 50 K, whereas films grown on MAO display ferrimagnetic response up to room temperature. Microstructural information indicates that this distinct response can be attributed to the different growth mechanisms of the spinel ferrite on the isostructural MAO substrate (two-dimensional growth) and the perovskite STO (Volmer-Weber three-dimensional growth). We discuss the reasons for this distinct behavior and its relevance for the integration of ferrites in epitaxial heterostructures for tunnel devices