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Published in: International Archives of Occupational and Environmental Health 8/2015

01-11-2015 | Original Article

Patterns of daily energy management at work: relations to employee well-being and job characteristics

Authors: Ulla Kinnunen, Taru Feldt, Jessica de Bloom, Kalevi Korpela

Published in: International Archives of Occupational and Environmental Health | Issue 8/2015

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Abstract

Purpose

The present study aimed at identifying subgroups of employees with similar daily energy management strategies at work and finding out whether well-being indicators and job characteristics differ between these subgroups.

Methods

The study was conducted by electronic questionnaire among 1122 Finnish employees. First, subgroups of employees with unique and distinctive patterns of energy management strategies were identified using latent profile analysis. Second, differences in well-being indicators and job characteristics between the subgroups were investigated by means of ANCOVA.

Results

Four subgroups (i.e., patterns) were identified and named: Passives (n = 371), Averages (n = 390), Casuals (n = 272) and Actives (n = 89). Passives used all three (i.e., work-related, private micro-break and physical micro-break) strategies less frequently than other subgroups, whereas Actives used work-related and physical energy management strategies more frequently than other subgroups. Averages used all strategies on an average level. Casuals’ use of all strategies came close to that of Actives, notably in a shared low use of private micro-break strategies. Active and Casual patterns maintained vigor and vitality. Autonomy and social support at work played a significant role in providing opportunities for the use of beneficial energy management strategies.

Conclusions

Autonomy and support at work seem to support active and casual use of daily energy management, which is important in staying energized throughout the working day.
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Metadata
Title
Patterns of daily energy management at work: relations to employee well-being and job characteristics
Authors
Ulla Kinnunen
Taru Feldt
Jessica de Bloom
Kalevi Korpela
Publication date
01-11-2015
Publisher
Springer Berlin Heidelberg
Published in
International Archives of Occupational and Environmental Health / Issue 8/2015
Print ISSN: 0340-0131
Electronic ISSN: 1432-1246
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1007/s00420-015-1039-9

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