The effects of a changing world of work on daily working life

Abstract

This book chapter explores how changes in work environments due to societal, economic, and technological changemay affect day-level within-person processes of action regulation, cognitive appraisal, and motivation. First, short overviews of action regulation theory (e.g., Frese and Zapf 1994), cognitive appraisal theories (e.g., Lazarus and Folkman 1984), and self-determination theory (Ryan and Deci 2000) are given and results of empirical diary studies based on these theories are discussed. On the basis of these theories, a framework model is presented that integrates action regulation processes, cognitive appraisal processes, and motivation processes in daily working life by focusing on their effects on self-control effort and learning at work. Next, possible effects of changing work environments on day-level within-person processes are discussed on the basis of this framework model. It is argued that although some changes in work environments may have mainly adverse effects (e.g., work intensification), many changes hold the potential for both adverse and beneficial effects (e.g., flexible working). Based on the assumed potentially ambivalent consequences of changes in working conditions, implications for organizations and practitioners are discussed.