The association of subjective fit perceptions, distress, emotional exhaustion, and work engagement, with work functioning problems: A cross-sectional study conducted among young construction project management professionals

Abstract

Objectives To investigate the association of subjective fit perceptions, distress, emotional exhaustion, and work engagement, with work functioning, among young construction project management professionals (CPMPs). Methods The research had a cross‐sectional design. Dutch young CPMPs (142 participants, age range: 20 to 30 years of age) completed a questionnaire containing general questions recording their demographic characteristics, and instruments recording the following concepts: perceived person‐organization fit, perceived person‐job fit (including demands‐abilities fit and needs‐supplies fit), distress, emotional exhaustion, work engagement, and work functioning. Correlation analysis and multiple regression analysis were used to examine the association of fit perceptions, distress, emotional exhaustion, and work engagement, with work functioning. Results The correlation analysis indicated that person‐organization fit, needs‐supplies fit, distress, emotional exhaustion, and work engagement correlated significantly with work functioning problems of young CPMPs. The multiple regression analyses corroborated that needs‐supplies fit, distress, and emotional exhaustion related significantly to the work functioning problems of young CPMPs, with the standardized regression coefficients ( β ) of −0.28, 0.52, and 0.38 ( P < .01), respectively. Other than would be expected, the multiple regression analyses also made clear that work engagement does not significantly relate to work functioning problems beyond distress and emotional exhaustion. Conclusions Incongruence between personal needs and job supplies, psychological distress, and emotional exhaustion are central correlates of the work functioning problems of young CPMPs. Occupational health professionals can use these insights to help young CPMPs at work.

An investigation into how value incongruence became misfit

“…Questions are asked about the employee's fit with low scores interpreted as indicative of PEM. Most quantitative studies of PEM to date can be categorized in this quadrant with values being the most commonly used currency (Bentzen et al, 2020;Chi et al, 2020;Deng et al, 2015;Doblhofer et al, 2019;Lamiani et al, 2018;Song et al, 2020;Tong et al, 2015;Vogel et al, 2016;Wheeler et al, 2007;Zubielevitch et al, 2021). Although ease of operationalization is high, as discussed in this paper, this approach suffers from many shortcomings from a PEM perspective.…”

“…Despite there being multiple conceptualizations of PEM, there is strong consensus in how the construct is conceptualized and measured in quantitative empirical studies. Following practice in the overarching PO fit literature where values are the dominant currency of measurement (Herkes et al , 2019), values are also the dominant currency of PEM measurement (Chi et al , 2020; Deng et al , 2015; Doblhofer et al , 2019; Song et al , 2020; Zubielevitch et al , 2021). These studies almost exclusively conceptualize PEM as a cross-levels work values construct (i.e.…”

“…They have almost exclusively focused on work values as the currency of misfit. This is the case for scholars using the Cable and DeRue (2002) instruments (Chi et al , 2020; Deng et al , 2015; Doblhofer et al , 2019; Song et al , 2020; Zubielevitch et al , 2021) or the work values subset of the Maslach and Leiter (1997) instrument (Bentzen et al , 2020; Lamiani et al , 2018), or the Lauver and Kristof-Brown (2001) instrument (Wheeler et al , 2007), or the Saks and Ashforth (1997) instrument (Song et al , 2020; Tong et al , 2015), or the work values survey of Cable and Edwards (2004; Vogel et al , 2016), or custom-built measures (Jensen et al , 2019). All of these approaches capture PEM in terms of values to the exclusion of all other factors.…”

“…With such negative connotations, there has been an increasing interest in research into perceived employee misfit (PEM; De Cooman et al , 2019). Most of these studies (Chi et al , 2020; Deng et al , 2015; Doblhofer et al , 2019; Song et al , 2020; Zubielevitch et al , 2021) have adopted quantitative methods to explore the causes and effects of PEM on people’s psychology at work. Close examination of these studies reveals that they use a very particular conceptualization of PEM.…”

Mental health at the workplace, person-organization-fit and labor productivity growth: evidence from the Egyptian soap and detergents industry during COVID-19

“…Serious health issues such as exhaustion, poor social interactions, weak memory, inability to concentrate, anxiety and unstable emotions are impacting nations globally (Shaukat et al, 2020;WHO, 2020;G€ ol and Erkin, 2021). Individuals can work productively and contribute to their organization if they realize their physical and mental capabilities (Song et al, 2020;…”