Wish-making during the COVID-19 pandemic enhances positive appraisals and job satisfaction

Abstract

Guided by cognitive appraisal theory, we argue that wish-making is a conceptually distinct type of coping strategy and that wish-making during the COVID-19 pandemic has functional cognitive–affective consequences. Specifically, it facilitates positive appraisals of the pandemic, which then facilitate job satisfaction. Enhanced job satisfaction in turn reduces counterproductive work behavior during the pandemic. These arguments were tested via two empirical studies involving 546 Hong Kong employees surveyed on two consecutive working days during the pandemic. The individuals who made wishes during the pandemic reported more positive appraisals of the pandemic, which in turn promoted their job satisfaction and lowered their counterproductive work behavior. Crucially, wish-making had significant effects on positive appraisals above and beyond other coping strategies. Thus, we contribute to the employee coping literature by highlighting one relatively easy way for employees to combat the psychological effects of the pandemic (and other challenges in life) and regulate their affective well-being and behaviors at work. Namely, making wishes that envision a better future can enhance employees' job satisfaction, which in turn lowers counterproductive work behavior.

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“…Kossek and Lee (2020) propose that the COVID-19 pandemic has brought to light inequalities in work-life employment policies, which should be modified based on principles of balanced flexibility. Scholars have found that the global pandemic has positively impacted employees' attitudes and behaviors (Akkermans et al, 2020;Hennekam et al, 2021;Ng et al, 2021;Restubog et al, 2020;Sharma et al, 2022). Similarly, satisfaction with work-life balance and psychological availability at work are linked to employee attitudes and behaviors (see May et al, 2004;Sonnentag et al, 2021;Wayne et al, 2017).…”