Reliability (CR)
Discriminant validity—Fornell and Larcker’s criterion.
Work Motivation | Social Relatedness | |
---|---|---|
Work motivation | 0.657 | |
Social relatedness | 0.012 * | 0.636 |
* p < 0.05.
HLM results: (The DV is work motivation) a,b .
Model 1 | Model 2 | Model 3 | |||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Coefficient | SE | Coefficient | SE | Coefficient | SE | ||||
−0.063 | 0.006 | *** | −0.063 | 0.006 | *** | −0.063 | 0.006 | *** | |
0.036 | 0.005 | *** | 0.037 | 0.005 | *** | 0.036 | 0.005 | *** | |
0.042 | 0.006 | *** | 0.042 | 0.006 | *** | 0.042 | 0.006 | *** | |
0.010 | 0.061 | 0.007 | 0.062 | ||||||
−0.064 | 0.054 | −0.064 | 0.055 | ||||||
0.019 | 0.059 | 0.033 | 0.060 | ||||||
0.297 | 0.066 | *** | 0.288 | 0.067 | *** | ||||
−0.013 | 0.007 | † | |||||||
−0.000 | 0.006 | ||||||||
0.032 | 0.007 | *** | |||||||
0.042 | 0.007 | *** | |||||||
−0.009 | 0.007 | ||||||||
0.012 | 0.006 | * | |||||||
0.012 | 0.006 | † | |||||||
0.011 | 0.007 | ||||||||
−0.006 | 0.009 | ||||||||
−0.013 | 0.008 | ||||||||
0.019 | 0.007 | ** | |||||||
−0.020 | 0.008 | * | |||||||
0.067 | 0.005 | *** | 0.067 | 0.005 | *** | 0.068 | 0.005 | *** | |
0.011 | 0.006 | * | 0.011 | 0.005 | * | 0.013 | 0.006 | * | |
0.025 | 0.006 | *** | 0.026 | 0.006 | *** | 0.027 | 0.006 | *** | |
0.002 | 0.006 | 0.002 | 0.006 | 0.003 | 0.006 | ||||
−0.014 | 0.079 | −0.054 | 0.056 | −0.052 | 0.057 | ||||
−0.218 | 0.080 | * | −0.067 | 0.062 | −0.077 | 0.062 |
a , n = 32,614 level 1; n = 25, level 2. b , †, p < 0.10, * p < 0.05, ** p < 0.01, *** p < 0.001.
For the confirmatory factor analysis, previous research (e.g., [ 102 , 103 , 104 ]) suggested that analysis of each variable requires at least three items. Factor analysis using statistical software will provide imprecise results if there are fewer than three items per variable [ 105 ]. Therefore, the authors only performed Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) for social relatedness and work motivation.
To assess the measurement, convergent and discriminant validity were tested. Composite Reliability (CR) and Average Variance Extracted (AVE) were performed to illustrate convergent validity. The study of Hair et al. (2019) [ 106 ] suggested that CR is required to be above a threshold of 0.7. On the other hand, the AVE value should be higher than a threshold of 0.5 [ 107 ]. As shown in Table 3 , CR is acceptable while AVE is slightly lower than a threshold of 0.5. Despite the limitation of AVE, the acceptable result of the discriminant validity is achieved. The discriminant validity was tested using Fornell and Larcker (1981)’s criterion [ 107 ]. This proposes that the square root of the AVE of any latent variable should be higher than its correlation with any other construct. The result of the discriminant validity test indicates that all the two latent constructs have a square root of AVE higher than its correlation with the other construct, as presented in Table 4 .
The authors argued that individuals’ competence (H1), autonomy (H2), and social relatedness (H3) positively relate to their work motivation. However, the findings only supported H2 (β2 = 0.036, p < 0.001) and H3 (β3 = 0.042, p < 0.001). In contrast, the findings presented that H1 was also significant, but in the opposite direction compared with our original prediction. The result suggests that individuals’ competence negatively relates to their work motivation.
In Hypotheses 4a–d, we proposed that higher levels of religious affiliation (4a), political participation (4b), humane orientation (4c), and in-group collectivism (4d) strengthen the relationship described in H1. However, the results only demonstrated support for the two hypotheses, H4c (γ13 = 0.032, p < 0.001) and H4d (γ14 = 0.042, p < 0.001). In contrast, the findings presented that H4a was also significant, but opposite our initial prediction. This different result proposes that a higher level of religious affiliation weakens the association between individuals’ competence and work motivation.
In Hypotheses 5a–d, the authors argued that the higher levels of religious affiliation (5a), political participation (5b), humane orientation (5c), and in-group collectivism (5d) enhance the positive relationship between individuals’ autonomy and their work motivation. However, the results only supported the two hypotheses H5b (γ22 = 0.012, p < 0.05) and H5c (γ23 = 0.012, p < 0.1), while H5a and H5d were not significant.
In Hypotheses 6a–d, the authors argued that the higher levels of religious affiliation (6a), political participation (6b), humane orientation (6c), and in-group collectivism (6d) enhance the positive relationship between individuals’ social relatedness and their work motivation. However, the results only supported H6c (γ33 = 0.019, p < 0.01). In contrast, the findings indicated that H6d was also significant, but in the opposite direction compared to our initial hypothesis. The different result suggests that higher in-group collectivism weakens the positive association between individuals’ social relatedness and work motivation. Figure 1 , Figure 2 , Figure 3 , Figure 4 and Figure 5 represent the significant moderators of the associations examined.
The association between competence and work motivation at different levels of humane orientation.
The association between competence and work motivation at different levels of in-group collectivism.
The association between autonomy and work motivation at different levels of political participation.
The association between autonomy and work motivation at different levels of humane orientation.
The association between social relatedness and work motivation at different levels of humane orientation.
Regarding the statistical results of the control variables, gender, marital status, and age consistently indicated significant positive relationships with work motivation across three models. On the other hand, family strength indicated a significant negative association to work motivation only in Model 1.
The study’s objective was to examine the influence of individuals’ competence, autonomy, and social relatedness on their work motivation, as well as the impact of country-level moderators, including religious affiliation, political participation, humane orientation, and in-group collectivism on their relationships. Seven primary findings are crucial in this research. First, people’s autonomy and social relatedness positively relate to their work motivation. This result is in line with the findings of prior researchers (e.g., [ 45 , 52 ]), postulating that humans’ autonomy and social relatedness breeds work motivation. The study of Theurer et al. (2018) [ 108 ] argued that, among motivational elements, autonomy had been found to greatly predict positive work motivation. When people feel they have enough control over their activities, they are more confident and motivated to work. Along with autonomy, humans’ social relatedness promotes communal benefits, thereby motivating people to work harder for their organization. Second, the association between individual competence and work motivation is moderated by cultural values, including humane orientation and in-group collectivism. The findings are consistent with the viewpoints of prior researchers (e.g., [ 69 , 70 , 77 , 78 ]), namely that a society with higher levels of humane orientation and in-group collectivism strengthens altruism, solidarity, loyalty, and the encouragement of individuals, which results in work motivation. Consequently, there will be an increase in the differences in individuals’ competence and work motivation if they live in a society with greater humane orientation and in-group collectivism. Third, political participation and humane orientation moderate the relationship between individual autonomy and work motivation. These results are in line with the investigations of prior researchers (e.g., [18,45), which found that social circumstances and cultural practices promote people’s motivation. Accordingly, the differences in individuals’ autonomy based on their work motivation will be enhanced if they belong to nations with higher political participation and humane orientation. Fourth, the association between social relatedness and work motivation is moderated by humane orientation. Accordingly, in a humane-oriented society, the differences in individuals’ social relatedness based on their work motivation will be strengthened.
The remaining findings were contrary to the original propositions. Pinder (2014) [ 20 ] argued that it is possible to find that contextual practices can influence variables at the individual level in the opposite prediction in motivation research. Fifth, individuals’ competence negatively influences their work motivation. This finding proposes that more competent individuals are less motivated at work. One possible interpretation of this opposite result is that, when the majority of the organization members recognize individuals’ competence, these individuals may perceive that it is not necessary to devote most of their time and energy to work anymore. These individuals may believe that no matter how unwillingly they perform, they are still competent enough because of their prior achievements. Additionally, competent individuals recognize that they have already sacrificed their enjoyment of life for their previous successes; therefore, they tend to offset this by investing their valuable time in other aspects. This is consistent with other researchers’ investigations (e.g., [ 109 ]), which found that low-skilled individuals are more often compelled to engage in regular work activities and are more easily motivated than others. By contrast, highly competent individuals tend to be motivated by challenging tasks and improving themselves through further education. Sixth, the relationship between competence and work motivation is negatively moderated by religious affiliation. This finding suggests that religious affiliation weakens the association between individuals’ competence and work motivation. One possible explanation for this finding is that strong religious beliefs are the foundation for virtuous living [ 110 ]. Individuals with religious affiliation usually employ religious principles to guide their behavior, regardless of their competence. In other words, both competent and incompetent individuals tend to be more motivated at the workplace if they are affiliated with any religion, thereby diminishing the influence of competence in work motivation. Seventh, the relationship between social relatedness and work motivation is negatively moderated by in-group collectivism. This result proposes that a higher degree of in-group collectivism weakens the association between individuals’ social relatedness and work motivation. One possible explanation for this is that, under an in-group collective society, people put more weight on mutual relationships and encourage acts that may build up the solidarity of groups. Since in-group collectivism is viewed as a social attachment in which people emphasize the group over the self (e.g., [ 79 , 80 , 81 ]), individuals are fairly conscious of their responsibility to the group regardless of their social relatedness. Both socially related and unrelated individuals belonging to in-group collective cultures tend to work harder for common goals. Accordingly, the influence of individuals’ social relatedness on their work motivation is reduced.
Despite its significant contributions, this study has its limitations. The use of secondary data represents the fact that the data collection process was beyond the authors’ control. However, the collection of cross-national data is time-consuming and costly. The authors used the available data but strove for the efficient use of multilevel data. The secondary data also limited the measurement of individual-level factors based on the available data. Moreover, it is quite complex to gauge an individual’s work motivation appropriately, since personal work motivation may not be one-dimensional. Nevertheless, the authors made efforts to employ the measurements utilized by prior research. Moreover, it is complicated to measure social factors such as political participation. There are challenges in investigating social contexts due to the absence of direct measurements [ 111 ]. This compels the authors to identify substitute measurements for this study. Finally, this study covered 25 samples from 25 countries with different characteristics. Despite the attempt of this study to include the most relevant social conditions in the framework, the influence of other national differences and cultural sensitivities were not considered.
This paper directs further research considering that several frameworks and approaches should be employed to better examine motivation [ 112 ]. First, as some of the results were opposite to the original propositions based on the theoretical foundations employed, combining different concepts and approaches is necessary to enhance perspectives of psychological needs and social issues. For instance, the relationship between competence and work motivation can be further investigated by employing other theories to understand their association better. Similarly, the moderating effects of social contexts such as religious affiliation and in-group collectivism should be further examined to obtain a more in-depth comprehension of the roles of contextual circumstances and cultural values in individual-level relationships. Additionally, self-determination theory and the concept of prosocial motivation may be used to explore motivation towards specific behavior in organizations, such as organizational citizenship and proactive behaviors. Organizational context, such as rewards, training, and culture, can be considered as part of the framework to enhance the conception of work motivation.
This study has utilized a multilevel framework to examine the influence of psychological needs and social context on work motivation. Through this research, a deeper understanding of the roles of competence, autonomy, and social relatedness, as well as social situations and cultural values on work motivation, is achieved. The contrary findings call for integrating other concepts and approaches towards a more comprehensive knowledge of work motivation.
Along with the theoretical contribution, the study’s findings offer practical implications. The satisfaction of psychological needs promotes self-motivation, which creates positive outcomes. Hence, organizations can provide programs and activities to promote employees’ autonomy and social relatedness as this will enhance their work motivation. Employee empowerment can be advocated by encouraging them to make their own decisions at the workplace, providing constructive criticisms rather than instilling the fear of failure. Additionally, managers should encourage solidarity, support, and mutual care among employees. Putting more weight on employees’ fulfillment of needs will further increase employees’ motivation, thereby diminishing costs related to stress or turnover [ 50 ]. To establish a novel mechanism towards promoting work motivation in the entire nation, the government should pay attention to the political structure and conditions that encourage citizens’ participation. Additionally, a culture of humane orientation should be promoted in the workplace and society so that solidarity, kind assistance, and altruism among communities as well as among individuals can be strengthened. For instance, teamwork should be encouraged for employees to help each other overcome difficulties at the workplace or share responsibilities with their colleagues. This will motivate people to work harder for collective goals, contributing to the development of organizations.
Conceptualization, T.T.D.V. and K.V.T.; data collection, T.T.D.V.; methodology, T.T.D.V. and K.V.T.; formal analysis, T.T.D.V. and K.V.T.; resources, K.V.T. and C.-W.C.; writing-original draft, T.T.D.V. and K.V.T.; writing-review, editing & proofreading, T.T.D.V., K.V.T. and C.-W.C.; visualization, K.V.T.; supervision, K.V.T. and C.-W.C.; project administration, K.V.T. All authors have read and agreed to the published version of the manuscript.
This paper does not receive funding from any individuals or organizations.
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Data availability statement, conflicts of interest.
The authors declare no conflict of interest.
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Social connection is key to preventing chronic stress and workplace burnout.
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It’s well known that workplace culture directly shapes teams’ capacity for innovation and productivity, as well as workers’ overall sense of wellbeing . Now, new research indicates that solid workplace relationships – between managers and subordinates, as well as between colleagues – are a key piece in the worker-satisfaction puzzle.
In a survey of 5,902 U.S. workers, researchers at the Pew Research Center found that high satisfaction with workplace relationships plays a major role in workers’ overall satisfaction with their jobs – even in the face of dissatisfaction in other critical areas. “It is fair to say that satisfaction with workplace relationships, both with managers and with coworkers, is a significant predictor of overall job satisfaction,” says Juliana Menasce Horowitz, an associate director of research at the Center and a co-author of the worker satisfaction report.
Pew’s survey adds to a robust body of research on the benefits of healthy relationships at work . Some of those benefits translate directly into worker performance. A sense of connectedness with colleagues and managers fosters a sense of shared mission and purpose which, in turn, can spark active communication, camaraderie, and innovation. What’s more, when work relationships blossom into genuine friendships , they contribute to employee happiness on and off the clock.
The implications are profound. According to a Surgeon’s General advisory report published this spring, “epidemic” levels of loneliness and isolation pose wide-ranging hazards to the health and well-being of individuals, organizations, and communities. On the flip side, “quality social support, social integration, and regular communication among co-workers of all levels are key in preventing chronic work stress and workplace burnout.”
A happy and healthy – and not totally burned out – workforce is, of course, a worthy goal in and of itself. But employers and teams do stand to gain from a cascade of associated perks. The Surgeon’s General report lists several, including faster recovery and therefore less missed work following work-related injuries or illnesses, and improved creativity, engagement, and work quality. Workplace connectedness may even “influence career advancements, income, and overall economic stability,” according to the report.
Rob Cross, the co-founder and director of the Connected Commons management research consultancy, has observed the link between relationships, happiness, and professional fulfillment firsthand. The discovery happened a few years ago, and almost by chance. Cross was conducting research for a book about effective collaboration, and on the lookout for mappable patterns that seemed to mesh with teams’ success. Social connectivity quickly emerged as a decisive factor. From there, he set out to learn how connectivity comes into play among individual workers and their teams.
“I was focusing on high-performing individuals and trying to understand what’s distinguishing those top-quartile performers across a bunch of great organizations,” Cross recalls. “I did 600 interviews with people from all of these places and focused on how connections in our lives have an impact on our health, on how we experience purpose in our lives, and on resilience.”
What Cross observed was that the workers who were the happiest were also the most resilient against daily “microstressors,” the little interruptions and annoyances that punctuate our fast-moving, always-on day-to-day lives. These individuals were professionally driven and invested in their jobs, but they also nurtured hobbies and community. Most belonged to “at least two, and usually three” social circles outside of their professional lives and immediate families. Some belonged to running groups or reading clubs; others sang in their church choir. The common thread between them was not a commitment to hyper-achievement but, rather, their connectedness to others, which gave them patience and perspective.
In order to support healthy relationships within the workplace, organizations need to also support their team members’ pursuits outside of work. Leaders should be proactive about ensuring that workers have the space and safety to nurture adequate work-life balance, and should model those boundaries in their own working lives. Self-care is a pillar of effective leadership.
Furthermore, it is essential that organizations encourage open, transparent communication that reinforces team members’ sense of psychological safety . This includes allowing space for emotions, and showing appreciation for colleagues; here at Atlassian, team members are encouraged to give their colleagues tokens of kudos for embodying company values.
It’s also worth noting that, although workplace relationships are essential, other culture elements such as “satisfaction with day-to-day tasks, pay, and opportunities for promotion” are even stronger predictors of overall job satisfaction, Pew’s Menasce Horowitz says. But these attributes aren’t mutually exclusive. By investing holistically in all areas of workplace culture, organizational leaders add to the bedrock of trust from which healthy relationships – and healthy team members – can flourish.
Health Equity
The challenges created disparities that warrant urgent attention.
Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, nurses were heralded as health care heroes for their unparalleled commitment to the frontline. They also faced unprecedented challenges providing care—especially in hospitals serving predominantly Black communities .
A recent study by Senior Fellows Eileen Lake , Connie Ulrich , and colleagues explored the relationship between leadership communication and the moral distress hospital nurses felt during the first peak of the COVID-19 pandemic. Employing a national survey of nurses across 90 hospitals, they compared the experiences of nurses in hospitals where Black patients predominantly access their care Black-serving hospitals (BSHs) to those of nurses in other hospitals. They particularly focused on communication trends from managers.
Study findings revealed that 4% of nurses in higher BSHs reported significant levels of moral distress compared to2% of nurses in lower BSH, a finding largely attributed to inadequate communication from their managers and insufficient access to necessary personal protective equipment like N95 masks and face shields. The distress was further compounded by the frequency of caring for COVID-19 patients, which was more prominent in BSHs.
We asked the study’s lead investigator Eileen T. Lake PhD, RN and senior investigator Connie M. Ulrich, PhD, RN several questions to learn more.
Ulrich : The COVID-19 pandemic highlighted many ethical issues in nursing practice such as end-of-life care, resource allocation including staffing, misinformation, uncertainty in clinical practice, mandatory vaccination, the lack of personal protective equipment, and many others. We saw, and heard, the distress of many nurses during this time. Thus, this research was important to gather firsthand data on what nurses were experiencing and the moral distress that ensued.
Lake : Previously we studied nurse burnout , but the pandemic presented unique challenges for nursing care and that prompted us to look at moral distress.
Our research in the Center for Health Outcomes and Policy Research is designed to inform health care managers and policymakers about how to best support nurses to provide high quality care. So it was urgent to identify ways that nurses could have been more supported during a COVID-19, so that we’re better prepared if something like this happens again.
Lake : We found that the clinical circumstances of the nurses in hospitals serving disproportionately higher numbers of Black patients were uniformly poorer than those of nurses in hospitals serving fewer Black patients. That is, they had worse access to personal protective equipment in the first peak month of COVID admissions, they likewise had poorer communication from their leaders and managers, and they suffered greater moral distress.
Lake : Yes. For example, we showed in prior work that nurses in high-Black neonatal intensive care units (NICUs) missed more required nursing care than nurses in low-Black serving NICUs due to worse nurse staffing and poorer work environments.
Ulrich : Staffing is an ongoing problem for nurses across the country that affects quality of care delivery that creates moral distress for nurses because without adequate staffing, they cannot provide the level of care that is required.
Lake : To have our professional clinicians, who are ethical actors in health care, feel that they cannot act in morally justifiable ways degrades the self and can cause psychological harm. From the system perspective, moral distress negatively affects mental health, including by causing insomnia and anxiety, and increases intentions to leave or quit. These poorer outcomes undermine the workforce and may compromise care quality.
Ulrich : Nurses are the largest professional group in the United States. Yet they often feel powerless to change their situation and may have lingering physical, emotional, and spiritual distress.
Ulrich : During the COVID-19 pandemic, information was changing on a daily basis. Communication was not always consistent, and nurses were often unsure of the appropriate institutional policies to support them and their care practices for patients and families. There also was a sense of disconnect between hospital leadership and nurses on the frontlines that led to frustration and moral distress and a perceived lack of value for their knowledge and skill sets.
Lake : When we quantify moral distress among nurses or other health professionals, we can learn more about the antecedents to it, particularly modifiable elements like how well leaders and managers communicate with caregivers. Likewise, quantifying the deleterious effects of moral distress can help motivate nurses and managers to minimize it.
Ulrich : Without solid data and facts, we cannot change health care systems. Data on moral distress can help leadership know that it’s a significant problem and that it may lead to a loss of qualified nurses. We can now ask better questions, design better studies, and try to understand those factors that impact moral distress and aim to intervene so we can retain a qualified and healthy workforce.
Lake: We recommend that nurse managers in Black-serving hospitals be provided additional development and support to improve their communication skills both with frontline nurses but also with administrators. Hiring and employing a nurse ethicist who consults with frontline nurses and nurse managers is a direct way to reduce moral distress and address immediate problems.
Ulrich : We also recommend creating an in-house ethics committee, if one does not already exist, and suggest that nurses should be part of these committees to share their perspectives on the issues at hand.
Lake : Ideally, hospital leadership should engage with nurses in consistent schedules to share the latest changes in clinical expectations and protocols, and to invite input. Nurses also should share with leaders their most pressing concerns about factors undermining optimal care.
Ulrich : Nurses need to be part of leadership boards and other committees to provide their unique voices to the C-suite. Leadership should make rounds on units to meet with frontline nurses and managers to hear their concerns, and address any unit-based and broader organizational inefficiencies.
The study, “ Nurses’ Moral Distress and Leadership Communication in Hospitals Serving Black Patients During COVID-19 ,” was published on May 28, 2024, in Nursing Outlook . Authors include Eileen T. Lake , Jessica G. Smith, Jeannette A. Rogowski, Emily Cramer, Vaneh Hovsepian, Hal Chen, Nehemiah Weldeab, and Connie M. Ulrich .
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By DANIELLE LEGARE
Published August 20, 2024
In an effort to bridge the gap in workplace equity and representation, a Graduate School of Education researcher has secured a $493,910 grant from the Laura Bush 21st Century Librarian Program.
The program funds projects that tackle essential challenges in the library and archives fields, aiming to enhance professional practices and improve library and archival services for the American public.
Africa Hands, assistant professor in the Department of Information Science, will study the unique challenges and cultural strengths of first-generation Black, Indigenous and People of Color (BIPOC) professionals in the library and information science (LIS) field.
Collaborating with not-for-profit research and consulting service Ithaka S+R, Hands will lead the three-year project, “LIS First-Generation Professionals: Workplace Barriers and Cultural Assets,” which aims to uncover the often overlooked hurdles these professionals face and highlight the strategies they use to thrive in their careers.
“We know from research that the general workplace experiences of first-generation students can be a little challenging … There’s a hidden curriculum of the job and the workplace.” Hands explains. “They may meet barriers in terms of navigating that. Sometimes, they have less-cultivated career capital. They struggle to find their first position. Some of them didn’t have an opportunity to have internships that give them [professional] experience.
“So, we know these things about first-generation students as a whole,” she says. “But there has not been much concentrated research done on first-generation graduate students, or first-gen graduate students in library and information science.”
The project will employ a multi-method approach to address two key research questions: What are the workplace challenges of LIS first-generation professionals, and what strategies and cultural assets do these professionals employ to navigate and succeed in LIS workplaces?
“Public libraries serve diverse communities, but the makeup of librarians who work in libraries is around 80% white women,” Hands says. “There are initiatives to address this so that the workforce is more reflective of the communities they’re serving.
“I think it’s really important to focus on first-generation professionals — who encompass a lot of different marginalized identities,” she continues. “We need to know their experiences to hopefully retain them in the workplace so that we can have more inclusive workplaces that are more reflective of the community.”
Through focus groups and written narratives, the research will amplify this under-examined population and provide actionable insights for graduate programs, professional associations, managers and current LIS professionals.
“Dr. Hands’ project is significant because it addresses the unique challenges faced by BIPOC first-generation professionals in library and information science workplaces,” notes X. Christine Wang, professor and associate dean for interdisciplinary research. “By investigating their experiences and strategies for success, the findings will not only inform graduate programs and professional associations, but also drive cultural and environmental changes within LIS workplaces to better support these professionals.
“This project further demonstrates the GSE’s breadth and depth of expertise in promoting equity and inclusivity in education and LIS spaces.”
The findings from the research will be widely disseminated through the project’s website, Ithaka S+R’s website and various library worker organizations. An innovative open-access e-book will also share participants’ lived experiences.
The project builds on Hands’ already-robust research activities. She recently won the ALISE Research Grant Program Competition, which funded her project, “Positioning LIS Students for Career Success.”
“I’m really looking forward to extending my interests in career services and going into this next study on first-generation professionals,” Hands says. “I’ve been interested in career services for a number of years, so I’m excited to really be diving into it with these two projects.”
By investing in employee growth, companies can reduce costly turnover and increase job satisfaction among employees of all ranks
APA’s 2024 Work in America survey found that nearly a quarter (23%) of American workers are not satisfied with their opportunities for growth and development at their place of work. What’s worse is that this lack of opportunity for advancement is one of the top reasons why Americans quit their jobs , according to a 2022 survey by the Pew Research Center.
By investing in employee growth, companies can reduce costly turnover and increase job satisfaction among employees at all levels. Here are some key workplace strategies that successfully foster growth:
“Organizations should talk about the three Es: experience, expertise, and exposure,” said Jeff McHenry, PhD, principal of Seattle-based Rainier Leadership Solutions. An industrial-organizational (I/O) psychologist, McHenry works with companies to create a culture centered on employee growth. “To grow someone’s skills effectively, you need to provide them with assignments that stretch them,” he said. Design projects that involve multiple departments so employees can cross-pollinate their skills and understand the company’s bigger picture.
This management mindset is difficult for leaders who “hoard” their talent, added Rich Cober, PhD, an I/O psychologist and managing vice president at Gartner, a research and advisory firm that helps companies develop and implement human resource strategies. “To create an ecosystem of development—which is often on the experiential side—you have to give great workers the space to work in other areas.”
To keep top performers, more companies today are developing talent marketplaces—online portals where employees can see current openings, read job descriptions, and understand the organizational hierarchy. These tools allow employees to map out their personal career trajectory, said Tim McGonigle, vice president at the Human Resources Research Organization. What’s more, the tools provide organizational transparency, thus fostering inclusion and diversity.
“In the past, employees may have relied [solely] on a mentor/manager to help navigate their careers,” he said. With a career-path system, employees have accurate, up-to-date information to do it themselves.
Career-pathing tools also benefit employees who don’t aspire to be the CEO someday. “It’s good to think in terms of a career ladder but also think of a career lattice—with lateral moves,” Cober said. Companies “can win by showing employees a path to becoming stronger and well-rounded,” he said. “It’s important in a world where change is constant.”
“The holy grail of performance management is for leaders to have really good conversations with their people about how they’re doing,” Cober said. That involves managers giving frequent, honest assessments, but also listening when employees talk about their needs. “The pandemic has created a moment where there’s much more appreciation for the total person as an employee. If you take care of them and their families, they will perform better and be more engaged.”
A holistic approach also considers employees’ psychological well-being, he added. “Mental health used to be taboo, but companies now want an open dialogue about the support people need,” Cober said.
With an emphasis on learning, companies can create a fluid, flexible workforce. One approach is “upskilling,” internal programs that teach new skills or upgrade existing skills. Notably, upskilled workers are more likely to report career advancement into a good job, experts say.
Separately, offering college-tuition benefits helps employees earn a degree debt-free and accomplish long-term career goals . This benefit is particularly attractive to entry-level workers in fields like fast food, retail, and health care.
The Importance of Work in an Age of Uncertainty: The Eroding Work Experience in America Blustein, D. L., Oxford University Press , 2019
Organizational career growth and high-performance work systems: The roles of job crafting and organizational innovation climate Miao, R., et al., Journal of Vocational Behavior , 2023
Why Learning is Essential to Employee Engagement Kitto, K., Glint , 2020
Why Companies Should Pay for Employees to Further Their Education McDonough, T., & Oldham, C., Harvard Business Review , 2020
Lack of Career Development Drives Employee Attrition Morris, S., Gartner , 2018
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The case for transparency in the workplace, and its impact on organizational performance.
Andrew Rahaman, Ed.D and co-founder of bluSPARC™ , focuses on succession management through executive coaching, onboarding and assessments.
In today's evolving workplace, leaders at all levels are looking to create hybrid/flexible arrangements, an inclusive environment, and development plans. But what many employers don't focus enough on is providing greater transparency into decision making. Employees want to know what's going on and how they play a part in the solution.
Research by Slack shows that over 80% of workers want a better understanding of how decisions are made, and 87% of job seekers say they look for transparency in a future workplace.
A transparent workplace promotes consistent conversations between managers and employers with honest discussions about goals, objectives and performance. This trickles down into the organization.
Organizational transparency has significant benefits.
When you consider just 21% of employees are engaged at work, according to Gallup, finding ways to increase engagement is essential. Seventy percent of employees say continual updates on strategy from senior leadership is a big engagement driver.
When employees are more engaged, there is:
• Lower turnover
• Reduced stress/burnout
• Better customer service
• Lower rates of absenteeism
• Improved collaboration
Organizations with a high degree of transparency report profit margins that are 21% higher than average. These organizations provide the information employees need to take care of customers, leading to better customer service. In turn, this creates greater trust among customers.
There is a direct correlation between engagement and overall business performance . Unengaged employees are 18% less productive, according to Gallup. Conversely, organizations reporting high levels of engagement have 22% higher productivity.
When leaders at all levels clearly understand goals, they are also more likely to look for new or innovative ways to accomplish them.
As former CEO of GE Jack Welch said, "Trust happens when leaders are transparent, candid and keep their word."
Transparency builds trust, and trust is the cornerstone of accountability, results and creativity. Leaders at all levels better understand how and why decisions are made, and it fosters open dialogue. When people trust and believe in leadership and understand what is expected, they are more committed to their work. They know how their job fits into the company's mission and how their work impacts its success.
According to a study in Harvard Business Review , employees in high-trust workplaces are 76% more engaged and 29% more satisfied with their lives.
Cultivating a transparent culture in the workplace requires a proactive approach to your company's direction. Here are three steps you can take to improve organizational transparency.
Employees at all levels often leave organizations when they don't see development opportunities. They think of their work as a job rather than a career and are more attracted to organizations offering advancement opportunities.
Employees should know what it takes to advance and what skills and experiences they need to develop. Employers need to create a clear development path with growth opportunities. This should begin as part of the hiring process and continue to be reinforced in the workplace. For example, decisions about promotions and advancement should align with an employee growth plan to demonstrate a commitment to employee development.
A development path also fosters a culture of learning. Employees are more likely to seek opportunities to learn new skills when they know how it can accelerate their careers.
Aligning business objectives with goals helps establish a culture of transparency. Employees have a better grasp of what is expected and how their performance impacts goals.
According to a study by Harvard Business Review , only 40% of employees say they are clear on their company's strategies and key objectives. That means as many as 60% of employees are unsure of what it takes to succeed.
The key to transparency is effective communication, which starts at the top. Business leaders must embrace a company culture of transparency as a policy item and actively take part. Employees today want to know why they are being asked to do something rather than just being told what to do.
This is a significant and necessary change for many executives. When the Edelman Trust Barometer first surveyed employees about their managers in 2013, a stunning 82% of employees said they did not trust their boss to tell the truth. Significant progress has been made, but less than half of employees today say they trust their boss.
A lack of trust can grow from poor or no communication, unclear goals, or a failure to take ownership of mistakes. These ineffective management processes create doubt and disbelief, especially if employees see managers say one thing but do another — for example, managers who play favorites in the workplace or fail to address poor performers.
Transparency requires sharing and talking about successes, failures, and lessons learned. It can mean holding difficult conversations when necessary to help stay true to the company's direction and objectives. Without honest and open dialogue, creating a transparent workplace culture is impossible.
Another key component is providing consistent feedback. Employees need to know where they stand and how they perform against goals. Managers and supervisors need feedback on how they are doing as well.
Effective feedback should not be relegated to year-end company performance reviews: consistent and regular feedback creates greater transparency and accountability.
It's also something employees want. Workers say that feedback helps them focus on important tasks, and it also helps engagement. A Gallup study shows that employees were four times more likely than other employees to be engaged when managers provided meaningful feedback within the past week.
Building a transparent workplace culture doesn't happen by accident. It takes consistent focus and intention.
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The Society for Human Resource Management’s decision to remove “equity” from its DEI framework sets a dangerous precedent that flies in the face of decades of research.
The Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) has decided to remove “equity” from its inclusion, equity, and diversity (IE&D) framework, now promoting “inclusion and diversity” (I&D) instead. This decision sets a dangerous precedent that flies in the face of decades of research about DEI in the workplace. It undermines efforts to create equitable workplaces and ignores the vital role of equity in fostering fairness and addressing systemic barriers faced by marginalized groups. Instead of scaling back their focus on equity, companies should: 1) Commit to achievable equity goals; 2) Implement and track evidence-based DEI policies and practices; and 3) Establish accountability and transparency.
Recently, the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM), a leading voice of HR professionals, announced that it was abandoning the acronym “IE&D” — inclusion, equity, and diversity — in favor of “I&D.”
How one company uses the workplace to bring distributed teams closer together.
What is the purpose of the office? This question has been a hot topic of conversation over the past few years in the media, and among business leaders who are continuing to make significant investments in space to reimagine how it can better support people who are now working so differently. Among the challenges is the rise in distributed work and the impact it is having on companies’ cultures.
“Global organizations need to help employees understand the business and the culture they are part of,” says ANSR CEO and Founder Lalit Ahuja. “To succeed, it’s critical they make their company’s brand and culture tangible for global distributed teams.”
For the past 17 years Ahuja has been helping global organizations digitally transform their businesses by setting up software engineering teams in talent-rich locations, such as India. ANSR (pronounced answer) simplifies the process of setting up and operating distributed global teams by providing talent management services, operations support and real estate solutions. It has opened more than 100 locations for companies such as Target, Wells Fargo, PepsiCo, FedEx, Lowes, 3M and Delta Airlines, which were all undergoing business transformation and seeking to develop their own in-house IT talent.
According to Ahuja, for companies like these, the workplace is even more important today because it has to make up for so much now that work is so distributed. “No matter where employees are located, they need to identify as part of that company and that requires bringing the culture to their office environment. You can’t be Target or Delta Airlines if your employees don’t feel connected to your culture. Making this connection is the most important role of the workplace, today,” explains Ahuja.
“The workplace has to make the business of a company real to an employee so they can be influenced by what the company does and get a sense of pride by bringing the company’s culture and values, its products and services, and its customers to life in the work environment.”
ANSR recently opened their new Experience Centre in Bangalore where organizations can experiment and prototype different ways to use space to enable culture. Ahuja likens it to a home improvement store where people can self discover what they want their offices to look and feel like.
People come to the office to collaborate, to learn, to build relationships and to celebrate, so the right kinds of spaces and amenities are key, says Ahuja. Spaces such as cafes with healthy food options, office lounges , training rooms, meeting rooms , wellness spaces, such as mother’s rooms or medical centers where you can get minor medical care, and gyms are becoming increasingly important.
“We have found a direct correlation between engagement, retention, productivity and how inspiring people find the office,” says Ahuja. “Workplaces need to be immersive and experiential. Companies need to put in an extra effort to design workspaces that will inspire people. We encourage our clients not to cut corners, to be generous with space, with amenities and with materials.”
Why we need more humor at work with jennifer aaker + naomi bagdonas (s4:e8).
What’s so funny? Turns out humor at work is for more than just a good laugh. It can help us influence people and be more creative. Authors and educators Naomi Bagdonas and Dr. Jennifer Aaker join the Work Better podcast to share how our brains change when we laugh, why humor isn’t just for extroverts and how more laughter can make a big impact on business. (Read transcript) (Find in Apple Podcasts , Spotify or wherever you listen)
Have you ever held back on something because it just wasn’t “age appropriate?” Or evaluated someone based on if they’re a Millennial or Gen Z? Mauro Guillén joined the Work Better podcast to challenge conventional thinking about generational differences. He says these ideas are preventing people from reaching their full potential in life and at work. Listen to how he says we should all be thinking differently about generations in the workplace. ( Read transcript ) (Find in Apple Podcasts , Spotify or wherever you listen)
FBI HR leader Michael Schneider talks about how a new understanding of workplace wellbeing and its connection to the FBI’s mission is driving how the agency attracts and retains talent.
Tracy Woo , Principal Analyst
Lee Sustar , Principal Analyst
Forrester’s top 10 cloud trends for 2024 report is out. No one will be surprised that AI figures prominently. Yet there are other fundamental shifts in play — the rise of the intelligent edge, increased cloud compliance complexity, and (finally!) mature multicloud networking offerings.
Tracking these trends was a collective effort with all of my colleagues who cover cloud. Together we curated a list of the most important cloud topics that technology decision-makers should be aware of.
Cloud is the critical infrastructure backbone for enterprises in every industry and size globally, but its scope is expanding. The standard definition of cloud as basic infrastructure services from a major public cloud provider has widened to include edge with intelligent capabilities and generative AI (genAI)-augmented services that span from operations to application development. Cloud strategies are evolving as a result to address new concerns in governance, risk, and security, and face challenges in procurement and vendor management.
To give you a preview of our top 10 cloud trends, here are a few of Lee’s and my favorites:
If you want to learn more:
Last, keep an eye out for these upcoming reports!
Stay tuned for updates from the Forrester blogs.
Attend our technology & innovation summits for breakthrough research, strategies, and best practices to achieve high-performance it, embrace ai, and fuel growth with emerging technology. meet with a forrester analyst to get perspective on your priorities., hpe seeks to bolster its hybrid cloud management capabilities and credibility with morpheus acquisition, generative ai impact on clinicians: bringing the fever down, get the insights at work newsletter, help us improve.
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Research skills in the workplace Many employers value research skills in their employees, especially when it comes to research-oriented positions such as those in analysis and data management. Common research skills necessary for a variety of jobs include attention to detail, time management, and problem solving.
Employers often consider people with research skills desirable, because they're naturally curious and can identify problems, gather resources and find effective answers. If your duties as an employee often require you to conduct research, then knowing the importance of having research skills can help you become more effective in the workplace.
Her research applies behavioral science to improve public-sector employee well-being, and she is currently co-leading a research program at WWCSC called 'Happier, Healthier Professionals' to ...
Research skills enable you to focus on a specific goal, gather relevant information, and communicate your findings to others. We are taught from a young age to develop research skills, and for good reason. Teachers in academia required answers to a series of topic-related questions in an essay. Similarly, your boss may eventually request that ...
Criteria for our annual "best research" categories includes whether the body of research or specific study addressed a topic of vital importance in health promotion, the research questions were clearly stated and the methodologies used were well executed; whether the research is often cited and downloaded and if the study findings offer a unique contribution to the literature.
Decision-making: Research skills are crucial for making informed decisions. In any workplace, there are always decisions to be made, and having the ability to research and analyze information can help you make more informed choices. Problem-solving: Research skills are also important for problem-solving. When faced with a problem, it is ...
Why Research Is Necessary and Valuable in Our Daily Lives. It's a tool for building knowledge and facilitating learning. It's a means to understand issues and increase public awareness. It helps us succeed in business. It allows us to disprove lies and support truths. It is a means to find, gauge, and seize opportunities.
Why research is important 3 concepts or constructs. A piece of research is embedded in a frame-work or way of seeing the world. Second, research involves the application of a method, which has been designed to achieve knowledge that is as valid and truthful as possible. 4 The products of research are propositions or statements. There is a
Builds up credibility. People are willing to listen and trust someone with new information on one condition - it's backed up. And that's exactly where research comes in. Conducting studies on new and unfamiliar subjects, and achieving the desired or expected outcome, can help people accept the unknown.
In the other words, research skills include data collection, analysis, dissemination, organizing, critical thinking, ability to evaluate, and problem-solving. The capacity to find and arrange information improves the effectiveness and ability to become knowledgeable in the area of your research. Why are research skills important for work? This ...
Spotlighting the role of mental health in the workplace, the U.S. surgeon general issued new guidance outlining how long working hours, limited autonomy, and low wages aren't just driving a U.S. labor shortage, but may actually be at the heart of the nation's mental health crisis.. Putting mental health at the center of workplace policies is more important than ever as the nation grapples ...
Psychological, sociological and economic research has also shown that having happy, healthy and engaged workers is also good for a company's bottom line. (Visit the APA Practice Organization's Psychologically Healthy Workplace Program website for a database of research on the topic.) The Gallup study reports that among the least happy and ...
2- Research Helps in Problem-solving. The goal of the research is to broaden our understanding. Research gives us the information and knowledge to solve problems and make decisions. To differentiate between research that attempts to advance our knowledge and research that seeks to apply pre-existing information to real-world situations.
The nature of work is changing, and some changes may have a considerable effect on worker well-being. On the one hand, new practices that are being adopted to promote employee well-being (eg, non-standard employment arrangements) can also foster team member engagement and improved performance, 20,21 and the evidence base for the effectiveness of workplace wellness and health-promotion programs ...
We all search for meaning in our lives, and many of us find it through our work.In fact, research shows that meaningfulness is more important to us than any other aspect of our jobs — including ...
Positive workplace culture is an offshoot of positive psychology, an evidence-based branch of psychology focused on the character strengths and behaviors that lead to living a life of meaning and purpose. People's behaviors at work are shaped by the organization's collective beliefs and values. Applying the research supporting positive ...
Supports agility: Fast Feedback energizes employees and enables teams to make real-time, on-the-fly performance adjustments that create a competitive edge. Improves work performance: Employees are ...
The value of DEI efforts at work. A majority of workers (56%) say focusing on increasing diversity, equity and inclusion at work is mainly a good thing; 28% say it is neither good nor bad, and 16% say it is a bad thing. Views on this vary along key demographic and partisan lines. Half or more of both men and women say focusing on increasing DEI ...
Strength in research helps to define a university's "brand" in the national and international marketplace, impacting everything from student recruitment, to faculty retention, to attracting ...
In a workplace, communication is important to establish and maintain quality working relationships. (Adu-Oppong & Agyin-Birikorang, 2014). It is a process through which employees exchange ideas ...
Effective communication is a two-way process that requires both sender and receiver efforts. We summarized research works and guidelines for good communication in the workplace proposed by Cheney (2011), Keyton (2011), Tourish (2010), and Lunenburg (2010). Sender's strategies for communication planning
Additionally, research (e.g., ) has postulated that work motivation could be seen as a source of positive energy that leads to employees' self-recognition and self-fulfillment. Therefore, work motivation is an antecedent of the self-actualization of individuals and the achievement of organizations.
Pew's survey adds to a robust body of research on the benefits of healthy relationships at work. Some of those benefits translate directly into worker performance. A sense of connectedness with colleagues and managers fosters a sense of shared mission and purpose which, in turn, can spark active communication, camaraderie, and innovation.
We saw, and heard, the distress of many nurses during this time. Thus, this research was important to gather firsthand data on what nurses were experiencing and the moral distress that ensued. Lake: Previously we studied nurse burnout, but the pandemic presented unique challenges for nursing care and that prompted us to look at moral distress.
"We know from research that the general workplace experiences of first-generation students can be a little challenging … There's a hidden curriculum of the job and the workplace." Hands explains. "They may meet barriers in terms of navigating that. Sometimes, they have less-cultivated career capital. They struggle to find their first ...
APA's 2024 Work in America survey found that nearly a quarter (23%) of American workers are not satisfied with their opportunities for growth and development at their place of work. What's worse is that this lack of opportunity for advancement is one of the top reasons why Americans quit their jobs, according to a 2022 survey by the Pew Research Center.
Research by Slack shows that over 80% of workers want a better understanding of how decisions are made, and 87% of job seekers say they look for transparency in a future workplace.
This decision sets a dangerous precedent that flies in the face of decades of research about DEI in the workplace. It undermines efforts to create equitable workplaces and ignores the vital role ...
Making this connection is the most important role of the workplace, today," explains Ahuja. "The workplace has to make the business of a company real to an employee so they can be influenced by what the company does and get a sense of pride by bringing the company's culture and values, its products and services, and its customers to life ...
Tracking these trends was a collective effort with all of my colleagues who cover cloud. Together we curated a list of the most important cloud topics that technology decision-makers should be aware of. Cloud is the critical infrastructure backbone for enterprises in every industry and size globally, but its scope is expanding.