Chris Giebe

The Role of stressors and resources during job transitions and similar uncertain circumstances

Abstract 

In order to remain healthy and productive throughout the working life, employees need to have an adequate balance of demands and resources available. Job transitions provide an opportunity to gain resources, but also pose a risk of resource loss and gaining stressors/demands.

• As part of a BMBF funded research project on non-monetary benefits of education, I am researching potential resource gains and losses during job transitions. Resource fluctuations are always happening at work, however, at no point are fluctuations as likely and dramatic as when changing jobs
• Is it possible to classify job transitions based on resource gains and losses?
• Do these classes of transitions have differential health outcomes?
• Does education influence the likelihood of belonging to a certain class of job transition?

The challenge-hindrance framework suggests that not all demands are created equal:

• What constellations of stressors and resources are most benefitial for employee mental health?
• How does employee mental health change due to stressor/resources constellations over time?

Self-determination Theory proposes that the satisfaction of psychological needs leads to well-being:

• Can need satisfaction and need thwarting be possible mechanisms for how stressors and resources influence employee health and well-being?
• What are the boundary conditions to these effects regarding volatile, uncertain, complex, and ambiguous environments?