EAWOP Small Group Meeting 2013
In this small group meeting, we aim to advance best practice in the design and evaluation of resource-oriented interventions in the workplace. Resources are defined as “objects, personal characteristics, conditions, or energies that are valued by the individual or that serve as a means for attainment of these objects, personal characteristics, conditions, or energies” (Hobfoll, 1989; p. 516). Typical examples of resources that have been examined in the work context include:
- Personal resources, including psychological capital (Luthans, Avolio, Avey & Norman, 2007), vitality (Ryan & Frederick, 1997), work engagement (Hakanen, Perhoniemi, Toppinen-Tanner, 2008), regulatory resources (Muraven, Tice & Baumeister, 1998), and recovery experiences (Sonnentag, Binnewies, and Mojza, 2008).
- Social resources, including emotional support (DeLongis, Folkman & Lazarus, 1988) and work-family interpersonal capitalization (Ilies, Keeney & Scott, 2011).
- Job resources including social support from colleagues, supervisor support, autonomy, task variety, feedback (Bakker & Demerouti, 2007; Schaufeli & Bakker, 2004) and resources derived from the physical features of the work environment (Vischer, 2007).
The aim of this small group meeting is two-fold. Firstly, we aim to examine how best to design resource-based interventions, and secondly, we aim to examine how best to evaluate such interventions. In order to achieve this, we are interested in examining the following questions:
- What resources are the optimal ones to fuel with such interventions?
- Are there optimal designs for such interventions? For example, how long should such interventions be?
- Are there specific population groups (i.e. vulnerable groups, high stress groups) who benefit the most from specific interventions?
- How are resource-based interventions best evaluated? How long should we expect the effects of such interventions to last?
- Going forward, how can current research and evaluation designs be improved upon to capture psychological changes that occur as a result of these interventions?
Contribution of the Small Group Meeting
In sum, this SGM represents a unique opportunity for researchers and practitioners to come together to advance the current state of the field both in terms of the design of resource-based interventions and their evaluation. It also aims to provide a forum for a researcher-practitioner dialogue to discuss challenges, best practices and new avenues that contribute to the further advancement of well-being and performance in the workplace.
Outcomes of the Small Group Meeting
The anticipated outcomes of the SGM are as follows:
- A research agenda for future research to advance research on resource-based interventions
- A better understanding of relevant issues for practitioners in order to contribute to the evidence-base
- An opportunity to develop a series of papers for submission to a special issue to a journal such as European Journal of Work and Organizational Psychology.
Organizers
Dr. Alexandra Michel, Universität Heidelberg, Germany.
Dr. Deirdre O’Shea, University of Limerick, Ireland.
Jun.-Prof. Dr. Annekatrin Hoppe, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Germany.
Kontakt:
Dr. Alexandra Michel
Psychologisches Institut
Universität Heidelberg
Hauptstraße 47 - 51
69117 Heidelberg
Tel: +49 (0)6221 54 7306
E-Mail: Alexandra.Michel@psychologie.uni-heidelberg.de
