A Global-Watch scientific interpretation by
Jean-Francois Gagnon, PhD candidate in Work and Organizational Psychology at the Université de Sherbrooke.
This initiative is supported by the Chief Scientist of Quebec with the Fonds de recherche du Québec.
CasE
Caroline has been a nurse for 4 years. Although she has to work overtime from time to time, she understands the reasons why management forces her to do so. In her opinion, management's communication is exemplary and the team's objectives clear. What's more, whatever the problem, she feels supported. Satisfied with her work, which she considers energizing, she finds that taking the "extra step" to help patients have a less difficult experience gives meaning to her work. She also enjoys working with her colleagues.
Whether in nursing— the population targeted by the popularized study— or in other professional spheres, Caroline's case is typical of an individual who experiences a high level of psychological well-being at work. However, this psychological state is likely to vary according to a number of environmental and individual factors. In nursing, it's a minority of individuals who report experiencing the same reality as Caroline. In fact, 81.7%1 of Canadian nurses experience work—related ill—being (e.g., feelings of exhaustion, anxiety, or fatigue), likely to trigger the desire to change jobs. In fact, 27% are thinking of leaving their organization, while 19% are thinking of leaving the profession2.
Aware of these issues, much attention— in research and practice— is devoted to states of psychological ill-being. Yet focusing on states of well-being could offer considerable levers for action to help workers move towards a reality similar to Caroline's.
Along these lines, the interpreted study3 proposes that transformational leadership behaviours on the part of management (environmental factor) stimulate psychological well-being, mainly among staff with low autonomous motivation (individual factor). In addition, leadership and certain states of psychological well-being would attenuate intentions to leave the organization and the profession.
Key concepts of the study
Transformational leadership4
Executives who adopt turs act:
- In an exemplary manner: They are role models for their employees.
- With charisma: They inspire employees by sharing a clear vision and values aligned with the organization.
- With consideration for others: They consider employees' needs and provide support when required.
- By intellectually stimulating their employees: They encourage others to be creative, innovative and to question their own ways of doing things.
The proposed results are innovative in that they offer an understanding of the role of management in their employees' well-being and intentions to leave.
Caroline's case
Caroline perceives trs. The team's objectives are clearly defined, and the support she receives is personalized to her reality. In addition to being stimulated by her work, she perceives charisma from her management.
Psychological well-being (commitment to work)5
Work engagement is an important indicator of well-being at work. It is the opposite of burnout.
Commitment to work is based on two main components:
- Stamina: the individual's energy and mental stamina in carrying out his or her work.
- Dedication: enthusiasm for the various aspects of the job.
Caroline's case
Caroline can be said to be committed to her work, as she likes to take the "extra step" (dedication) and feels energized (vigor) by her daily tasks.
Self-motivation6
Worker motivation varies not only in quantity, but also in quality. Autonomous motivation is synonymous with quality, and is likely to have positive consequences for the individual (e.g. increased well-being).
An individual is autonomously motivated for internal reasons, such as pleasure, the feeling of acting according to one's values, or interest in one's tasks.
To date, the literature underestimates the motivational conditions that promote or hinder well-being at work.
Caroline's case
Caroline is self-motivated. Her work makes sense in terms of her values, and she finds pleasure and interest in it.
Intention to leave7
The intention to leave refers to negative thoughts prior to the worker's actual departure from a home entity.
The attachment entity corresponds to the target that the individual plans to leave, such as the organization or the profession.
This popularized article is innovative, since few studies distinguish between targets of intention to leave. Yet this distinction is essential, as the consequences of leaving an organization or a profession are not equivalent.
