The power of positive psychology: Psychological capital and work engagement

Positive approach to organizational behavior The use of negatively based words – beat, stress, burn out increased four times more than the use of positively used words – virtue, compassion, well-being. Positive Organizational Psychology – the study and application of positively oriented human resources strengths and psychological capacities that can be measured , developed and effectively managed for performance improvement in today’s workplace.

Psychological Capital ( PSYCAP) A positive psychological state of development characterized by Having confidence ( self efficacy) in order to succeed at challenging tasks Making positive attribution ( optimism) about succeeding now and in the future Perserving towards goals and when necessary redirecting paths to goals in order to succeed ( hope) When beset by problems and adversity sustaining and bouncing back to attain success (resilience) ( Luthans et al., 2007, p.3).

Psychological Capital ( PSYCAP) Is measured by Psy- Cap questionnaire (Luthans, 2007) Four components Efficacy I feel confident helping to set goals in my work Optimism I usually expect the best Hope If I should find myself in a jam at work, I could think of many ways to get out of it Resilience I usually take stressful at work in my stride

Work engagement & Efficacy Efficacy – confidence or belief in one’s ability to succeed at a particular task in a specific context. «employees confidence about his/her abilities to mobilize the motivation, cognitive resources and courses of action needed to successfully execute a specific task within a given context ( Stajkovic & Luthans, 1998, pp. 66)».

Work engagement & Efficacy Task mastery – the ability to accomplish specific tasks- is a primary source of efficacy. It leads to a belief that success can be replicated in future. It is an important ingredient in absorption If an individual is competent to accomplish a particular task – he/she can be become absorbed in the overall achievement of the task rather than being distracted Mastery also increases vigor – as more energy becomes available to devote to the task.

Work engagement & Efficacy Bandura (1997) defined efficacy by vicarious learning or modelling If they can do it , I can do it. Social persuasion – positive feedback or encouragement from a coach, mentor or other respected role model Both vicarious learning and encouragement increase engagement through dedication

Work engagement & Optimism «Optimists are people who expect good things happen to them; pessimists are people who expect bad things will happen to them» Optimism plays an important role in one’s approach to job duties Optimists expect success when presented with a challenge Individuals attributional styles- High in optimism attribute success to the self and global attributes while failures are attributed to external, uncontrollable or specific situation attributes.

Work engagement & Optimism Job resource – buffer against job demands Is directly related to dedication and absorption dimensions of work engagement

Work engagement & Hope Hope A positive motivational state that is based on an interactively derived sense of success Agency (goal-directed energy) Pathways ( planning to meet goals) Should not be confused with optimism – optimism involves expectation of positive outcomes – hope involves pragmatic execution of reaching a specific desired goal or outcome. Those high in hope are able to frame tasks in such a way as to provide the internal motivation necessary to complete the task.

Work engagement & Hope Hope People’s belief in their abilities Generate possible pathways to a goal Take actions toward achieving the goal Be successful in goal attainment Hope is not only a positive contributor of work engagement but also a requirement. Lack of hope is associated with burn out. It relates directly with vigor and dedication dimensions of work engagement.

Work engagement & Resiliency Resilience Bounce back from adversity and readily face future uncertainty Capacity to positively adapt to and move beyond significant changes. The individual possessing resilience not only survives but also thrives through positive adjustment to current adversities. A positive explanatory style increases resilience An external attribution negative events enables successful coping and moving beyond unexpected events.

Work engagement & Resiliency Resilience In JD-R model resilience is equated with persistence however Psy- Cap literature conceptualizes resiliency as a psychological capacity to improve adversity and readily face future uncertainty. Psy – Cap can be thought of as a general pool or bank of psychological resources from which one can draw when faced with large number of difficult situations. In case of resiliency individuals draw from their psychological resource pool in order to use resilient behaviors. Individual differences in handling stressful aspects of the work environment

Work engagement & Resiliency Psy – Cap can be thought of as a general pool or bank of psychological resources from which one can draw when faced with large number of difficult situations. In case of resiliency individuals draw from their psychological resource pool in order to use resilient behaviours. Individual differences in handling stressful aspects of the work environment Resiliency resources can produce a buffering effect of potentially stressful job demands This buffering can reduce the likelihood of that activities will be stress inducing, alter perceptions and cognitions of such potential stressors – even reduce health-damaging consequences od such responses- simply reduce disengagement If resilience is low...

Work engagement & Resiliency The resiliency buffer fluctuates The day-to-day level of recovery of one’s buffer of resiliency can positively relate to day- to day level of work engagement ( Sonnentag, 2003). The recovery and development of resiliency has a direct, positive effect on energy – increasing engagement through greater vigor ( Marks, 1977, Sonnentag, 2003). Personal resources such as cognitive abilities, positive self-perception, and self- regulation develop resilience

Work engagement & Resiliency Not only resilience serve as a buffer against stress-inducing job demands – it can also serve to undo the negative effects of past stress. Broaden-built theory positive psychological states such as resiliency are able to reverse the effects of job demands while long lasting capacity for the future ( Fredrickson, 2003).

Psychological Capital and Work Engagement PsyCap overall provides a greater resource than the four psychological resources taken individually ( Lutham et al., 2007). PsyCap may be a resource that is greater buffer to burn out than the individual components and also may be above and beyond simply reducing job demands (Bakker et al., 2005). They build on each other in order to create an upward spiral of resources whcih can lead engagement This upward spiral broaden an individual’s mind-set Mind set provide greater energy and engagement – cognitive and behavioral repertoires are built.

Psychological Capital and Work Engagement The relationship between Psy Cap and work engagement is supported by conservation of resources (COR). PsyCap enables – accumulation of resources valued and protected by individuals and necessary for work engagement.

Psychological Capital: As a developable resource Work engagement can be positevely influenced and developed via th edevelopment of PsyCap. PsyCAp Micro Interventions (PMI) 1-3 hrs. training work-shop|whcih influence developmental mechanism including task mastery experiences, positiv erole modeling, goal setting, contingency planing and social support activities ( Luthans et al., 2007). These PMI activities aim to develop all four Psy Cap

The role of positive emotions In addition to direct effects of Psy Cap – Psy Cap may have a mediated effect on engagement through positive emotions. Cognitive mediation theory of emotions Employee psychological beliefs expectancies and appraisals (e.g., efficacy, optimism, hope and resilience) may be a source of positive emotions and subsequent employee attitudes and behaviours (e.g., work engagement). The same event can cause stressful emotions for one individual but not for other Tugade and Fredrickson (2004) cognitive states and abilities such as resilience are antecedents of positive emotions with «high resilient individuals tend to experience positive emotions» Even stressful events – interpreted positively

The role of positive emotions Higher levels of positive emotions have been found to frequently lead to higher levels of work engagement. Positive emotions may lead to increased levels of energy and vigor. Positive emotions «undo» negative dysfunctional effects of negative emotions. These negative emotions are associated with burn out and job demands.

Conclusion Developing employees Psy-Cap ( made up of their efficacy, hope, optimism and resilience) will increase valuable positive psychological resources that will lead to greater engagement. Both Psy-cap and engagement are state like constructs – they can be developed. Thus developing Psy- Cap may enhance work engagement. Not only intrapersonal but also interpersonal – contagion effect was found in a multi- level analysis – team level engagement was a predictive of individual member engagement ( Bakker, Van Emmerik, & Euwema, 2006).

Conclusion Besides positive spiral effect – reducing and replacing the negative such as burn out. Positive contagion effect can create a buffer against burn out.