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Seeking Challenges, Individual Adaptability and Career Growth in the Relationship between Workload and Contextual Performance: A Two-Wave Study

Author

Listed:
  • Emanuela Ingusci

    (Department of History, Society and Human Studies, University of Salento, 73100 LECCE, Italy)

  • Paola Spagnoli

    (Psychology Department, Università Vanvitelli, 81100 Caserta CE, Italy)

  • Margherita Zito

    (Department of Business, Law, Economics and Consumer Behaviour, “Carlo A. Ricciardi” Università IULM, 20143 Milan, Italy)

  • Lara Colombo

    (Psychology Department, Turin University, 10124 Turin, Italy)

  • Claudio G. Cortese

    (Psychology Department, Turin University, 10124 Turin, Italy)

Abstract

Based on the theoretical approach of the psychology of sustainability and sustainable development and on the theoretical Job Demands-Resources model, this contribution aims to explore the mediating effect of seeking challenges on the relationship between workload and contextual performance and the moderating effects of individual adaptability and organizational career growth in this process. The study involved a convenience sample from different occupational sectors. Data from 178 employees were collected with a self-report questionnaire administered at times T1 and T2 (six months later) and then analyzed through conditional process analysis. Challenging job demands (T1) fully mediated the relationship between workload (T1) and contextual performance (T2); furthermore, individual adaptability (T1) moderated the relationship between workload (T1) and challenging job demands (T1), and organizational career growth (T2) moderated the relationship between challenging job demands (T1) and contextual performance (T2). The results imply that seeking challenges can represent an effective approach to promote sustainable development through improvement of performance at work, maintaining its sustainability over time. The present study is innovative because in the new framework of the psychology of sustainability and sustainable development is able to link workload, seeking challenges, career growth and performance in a two-wave study that not only has theoretical implications for organizations but also operative and practical spillovers.

Suggested Citation

  • Emanuela Ingusci & Paola Spagnoli & Margherita Zito & Lara Colombo & Claudio G. Cortese, 2019. "Seeking Challenges, Individual Adaptability and Career Growth in the Relationship between Workload and Contextual Performance: A Two-Wave Study," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(2), pages 1-13, January.
  • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:11:y:2019:i:2:p:422-:d:197884
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Annamaria Di Fabio & José María Peiró, 2018. "Human Capital Sustainability Leadership to Promote Sustainable Development and Healthy Organizations: A New Scale," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(7), pages 1-11, July.
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    Cited by:

    1. Liliya Scafuri Kovalchuk & Carmela Buono & Emanuela Ingusci & Francesco Maiorano & Elisa De Carlo & Andreina Madaro & Paola Spagnoli, 2019. "Can Work Engagement Be a Resource for Reducing Workaholism’s Undesirable Outcomes? A Multiple Mediating Model Including Moderated Mediation Analysis," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 16(8), pages 1-20, April.
    2. Monica Molino & Emanuela Ingusci & Fulvio Signore & Amelia Manuti & Maria Luisa Giancaspro & Vincenzo Russo & Margherita Zito & Claudio G. Cortese, 2020. "Wellbeing Costs of Technology Use during Covid-19 Remote Working: An Investigation Using the Italian Translation of the Technostress Creators Scale," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(15), pages 1-20, July.
    3. Greta Mazzetti & Emanuela Valente & Dina Guglielmi & Michela Vignoli, 2020. "Safety Doesn’t Happen by Accident: A Longitudinal Investigation on the Antecedents of Safety Behavior," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(12), pages 1-13, June.
    4. Ying-Leh Ling & Sun-Sun Ho, 2022. "Transformational Leadership and Subordinate’s Work Performance in Penang Private Higher Learning Institutions," International Journal of Research and Innovation in Social Science, International Journal of Research and Innovation in Social Science (IJRISS), vol. 9(12), pages 78-84, December.
    5. Margherita Zito & Lara Colombo & Laura Borgogni & Antonino Callea & Roberto Cenciotti & Emanuela Ingusci & Claudio Giovanni Cortese, 2019. "The Nature of Job Crafting: Positive and Negative Relations with Job Satisfaction and Work-Family Conflict," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 16(7), pages 1-12, April.

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