Occupational Health Psychology

Question 1

What are the sub-scales of Utrecht Work Engagement Scale (UWES)

Answer 1

• Vigour - high levels of energy and resilience
• Dedication - strongly identify with their work
• Absorption - feel they are usually engrossed in their work

Question 2

What is work engagement?

Answer 2

A state of optimal functioning at work, whereby an individual is energised, positively attached and fully dedicated to their work. Engaged workers are energised and work hard (vigour), involved and resilient (dedication), engrossed in their work (absorption)

Question 3

What defines a workaholic?

Answer 3

Frequently and persistently thinking about work, difficulty disengaging, compulsive drive work is an addiction, have poor outcomes, lowered job satisfaction, poorer health, impaired performance

Question 4

What are the antecedents to employee disengagement?

Answer 4

COR - gains in resources lead to positive outcomes, gains beget gains, losses beget losses

• Job resources - activate a motivational process that increases willingness to dedicate one’s efforts and abilities to the work task. Foster personal growth (intrinsic motivation). Enables work goals to be achieved (extrinsic motivation)
• Person resources - an individual’s ability to control and influence their environment. Resilience, optimism and self-efficacy. Individual is better able to use their resources and also more likely to generate other resources that are beneficial
• Leadership styles - impacts on communication, trust, development and inspiration
• Job demands - challenge demands, hindrance demands
• Yerkes-Dobson law - certain amount of stress required for optimal performance. Stress levels too low, don’t care, too high and it interferes with the work

Question 5

What are the consequences of engagement?

Answer 5

Job performance - improved job performance, higher job satisfaction, experience more positive emotions, experience better health (mental and physical)
Job crafting - actively change the content/design of their jobs, negotiate different job content, assign meaning to jobs, enables employees to have a better fit with their job

Question 6

What is burnout?

Answer 6

Emotional, physical and mental exhaustion caused by excessive stress. Defined by three dimensions:

• Overwhelming exhaustion
• Cynicism and detchment
• Ineffectiveness/lack of accomplishment

Question 7

What are the antecedents and the consequences of burnout?

Answer 7

Antecedents:

• Individual traits
• High WFC/low WFE
• Job characteristics
• Low work engagement
• Occupational characteristics

Outcomes:

• Poor job performance
• Poor health

COR
- Adaptive ways of coping and reduced maladaptive ways of coping increased engagement and decreased burnout

Question 8

How can risk be managed?

Answer 8

Management commitment
Step 1 - identify hazards
Step 2 - assess risks
Step 3 - control risks
Step 4 - review control measures

Hierarchy of risk control
Level 1 - eliminate the hazards
Level 2 - substitute the hazard with something safer. Isolate the hazard from people
Level 3 - reduce exposure to the hazard, use PPE

Question 9

What are some environmental factors which affect people and their health?

Answer 9

• Behavioural or outcome measures – work satisfaction, belonging, productivity
• Ambient environmental conditions – noise, lighting, air quality, thermal comfort
• Furniture layout and ergonomics – workstations, offices, shared amenities
• Open-plan office – shared workplaces with modular furniture, no barriers between workstations
• Traditional or closed-office – floor to ceiling walls and doors, fully private workspace

Question 10

What are some psychosocial hazards in a workplace that have the potential to cause harm?

Answer 10

• Job content
• Workload and pace
• Control
• Organisational culture
• Interpersonal relationships