Positive affectivity under work overload: Evidence of differential outcomes

• Author: Vickie Coleman Gallagher,James A. Meurs
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.1002/cjas.1309
• Published date: 01 March 2015
• Date: 01 March 2015

Positive affectivity under work overload: Evidence

of differential outcomes

Vickie Coleman Gallagher*

Cleveland State University

James A. Meurs

University of Calgary

Abstract

We argue that, although positive affectivity (PA) provides

intraindividual benef‌its when experiencing stress, this resil-

ience to stressors does not necessarily translate into im-

proved evaluations by others. In the context of our

research, different outcomes in response to increased role

overload are expected on the basis of prior theoretical and

empirical research. We found that, under conditions of high

role overload, those with high PA did not experience

reduced job satisfaction (Study 1). However, supervisor-

rated performance decreased in the context of heightened

role overload for those high in PA (Study 2). Thus, PA

may help the individual cope, but it may not convert to

increased performance ratings as reported by one’s supervi-

sor. Copyright © 2015 ASAC. Published by John Wiley &

Sons, Ltd.

Keywords: positive affectivity, role overload, challenge-

hindrance stressors, broaden-and-build theory of positive

emotions, job satisfaction, job performance

Résumé

Cet article montre que mêmesi l’affectivité positive (PA) offre

des avantages intra-individuels lorsqu’on est confronté au

stress, cette résistance aux facteurs stressants ne se traduit

pas nécessairement par des évaluations améliorées faites

par les autres. Dans le contexte de la présente recherche, en

réponse à une surcharge accrue de rôles, des résultats différ-

ents sont envisagés sur la base des travaux théoriques et

empiriquesantérieurs. Les résultats indiquentque dans les sit-

uations de surcharge élevée de rôles, les travailleurs qui ont

une PA élevée n’éprouvent pas une satisfactionréduite au tra-

vail (étude 1). Cependant, dans un contexte de surcharge ac-

crue de rôles, on note une baisse dans l’évaluation, par les

superviseurs, de la performance des employés ayant une PA

élevée (étude 2). Il s’ensuit que la PA peut certes aider le

travailleur à gérer le stress, mais elle ne se traduit pas par

de meilleures évaluations de la performance comme en fait

foi l’évaluation du superviseur. Copyright © 2015 ASAC.

Published by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Mots-clés : affectivité positive, surcharge de rôles, facteurs

stressants anti-déf‌i, théorie d’expansion et de construction

d’émotions positives, satisfaction au travail, performance

professionnelle

Work overload is a concern to both practitioners and

researchers, with an established history documenting

the harmful effects of overload. Analysts at MSNBC.

com reported that due to excessive layoffs and cost-

cutting during the recession, over half of American

workers have taken on extra duties (Linn, 2010).

Although employees and organizations are aware of

the problems associated with work overload, practical

realities often take precedence, requiring management

to optimize resources under lean economic conditions.

As such, American workers are spending more time

on the job than before, and the US leads other industri-

alized countries in days spent working per year (Schor,

2003).

Researchers also have recognized the importance of

workplace overload for many decades. Kahn, Wolfe, Quinn,

Snoek, and Rosenthal (1964) suggested that overload is

quite common in the workforce and that it is an important

source of stress. Subsequent studies have demonstrated the

deleterious effects of work overload on important work-

related outcomes, such as burnout (Shirom, Westman,

Shamai, & Carel, & 1997), strain (Harvey, Kelloway, &

Duncan-Leiper, 2003), work-family conf‌lict (Ahuja,

Chudoba, Kacmar, McKnight, & George, 2007), and job

performance (Gilboa Shirom, Fried, & Cooper, 2008). How-

ever, within the framework of the transactional theory of

stress and the notion of appraisal (Folkman & Lazarus,

*Please address correspondence to: Vickie Coleman Gallagher, Ph.D.,

Associate Professor, Management Department, Monte Ahuja College of

Business, Cleveland State University, 2121 Euclid Ave., BU 443,

Cleveland, Ohio, 44115, USA. Email: v.c.gallagher@csuohio.edu

Canadian Journal of Administrative Sciences

Revue canadienne des sciences de l’administration

32:4–14(2015)

Published online in Wiley Online Library (wileyonlinelibrary.com) DOI: 10.1002/CJAS.1309

Can J Adm Sci

32(1), 4–14 (2015)Copyright © 2015 ASAC. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. 4