Mental resources for achieving future plans: trajectories of future self-continuity, stressors, and performance outcomes in the workplace
Date
2022
Authors
Finch, Hannah M., author
Prasad, Joshua, advisor
Fisher, Gwen, committee member
Henry, Kim, committee member
Ganster, Dan, committee member
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Abstract
In work settings, individuals are faced with tasks and challenges that can result in stress if not faced with adequate resources. This study aims to investigate Future Self Continuity (FSC) as a mental resource that describes how clearly one can link their present and future selves. The Job Demands-Resource theory describes the detrimental effects of lack of resources leading to stress and undermining behavior in an individual (Bakker & Demerouti, 2017). This study originally aimed to examine how the experience of workplace stressors and engagement in work performance outcomes in young workers over the course of three months unfold, as well as how the trajectory of these constructs coincides with changes in FSC. However, results showed that there were no discernible trajectories over the course of three months, and variability in FSC, stressors, and workplace performance were assessed instead. In doing so, this study aims to introduce FSC to the literature on Occupational Future Time Perspective as a resource for organizations to be mindful of. Results show that FSC had a significant direct effect on mean workplace deviance, goal progress, intent to leave, and the variation in intent to leave. In addition, FSC variability had a significant direct effect on workplace deviance variability and intent to leave variability. These direct effects would indicate that FSC does in fact influence performance outcomes in the workplace but the lack of stressor-outcome buffering effects suggests FSC does not operate as a resource within Job-Demands Resources Theory (Bakker & Demerouti, 2017).
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Subject
future self continuity
occupational future time perspective
first generation college graduate
workplace stressors
Job Demands Resource Theory