Between obligations and privileges: Managers' job resources and demands as determinants of their job satisfaction and mental health
Year: 2010
Type: dissertation
Study design: Observational Study
Abstract: Based on Bakker and Demerouti's Job Demands-Resources (JD-R) model, the present study hypothesized that the job demands of role conflict, work pace and downsizing, and the job resources of participative decision-making and constructive leadership behaviour, are systematically related to job satisfaction and mental health complaints among a representative sample of Norwegian managers with personnel responsibilities (n=472). Furthermore, in line with the JD-R model, it was hypothesized that the two job resources would act as buffers upon the relationships between the three job demands and the managers' job satisfaction and mental health. Regression analysis revealed that role conflict was positively related to mental health complaints and negatively related to job satisfaction. Moreover, participative decision-making was negatively related to mental health complaints, while positively related to job satisfaction. Constructive leadership behaviour was not systematically related to mental health complaints, but positively related to job satisfaction. In contrast to our hypotheses, neither work pace nor downsizing were significantly related to the two outcomes. Two out of 12 hypothesized buffering effects were confirmed. Participative decision-making buffered the relationship between role conflict and mental health complaints, and between role conflict and job satisfaction. Hence, the importance of efforts aimed at preventing and managing role conflicts and at involving managers in decision-making processes is emphasized. Future research should investigate alternative job demands and job resources in the work situation of managers and apply longitudinal research designs in order to explore casual relationships. Finally, future studies should examine different groups of managers at different organizational levels.
Authors: Edvard Velsvik Bele, Olav Aase
Language: English
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W1167201718