A1 Journal article (refereed)
Do Unnecessary Tasks Impair Performance Because They Harm Living a Calling? : Testing a Mediation in a Three-Wave Study (2022)

Mauno, S., Minkkinen, J., & Shimazu, A. (2022). Do Unnecessary Tasks Impair Performance Because They Harm Living a Calling? : Testing a Mediation in a Three-Wave Study. Journal of Career Assessment, 30(1), 94-109. https://doi.org/10.1177/10690727211018977

JYU authors or editors

Publication details

All authors or editors: Mauno, Saija; Minkkinen, Jaana; Shimazu, Akihito

Journal or series: Journal of Career Assessment

ISSN: 1069-0727

eISSN: 1552-4590

Publication year: 2022

Publication date: 24/05/2021

Volume: 30

Issue number: 1

Pages range: 94-109

Publisher: SAGE Publications

Publication country: United States

Publication language: English

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/10690727211018977

Publication open access: Openly available

Publication channel open access: Partially open access channel

Publication is parallel published (JYX): https://jyx.jyu.fi/handle/123456789/75932

Abstract

This three-wave study explored whether living a calling (at work) mediated the relation between unnecessary tasks (time wasting work tasks) and socio-contextual performance at work (cynicism, organizational citizenship behavior). Participants were 518 Finnish white- and blue-collar employees, who were followed up in 2018, 2019, and 2020. The results of structural equation modeling showed that unnecessary tasks at Time 1 related negatively to living a calling at Time 2, which, in turn, related to cynicism and organizational citizenship behavior at T3. Thus, living a calling mediated the relation between unnecessary tasks and the outcomes. We found no evidence for the moderator role of living a calling between unnecessary tasks and the outcomes. Unnecessary tasks should be minimized in organizations to promote living a calling and subsequent positive outcomes predicted by calling.

Keywords: work; vocation (calling); work satisfaction; tasks; meaningfulness; effectiveness; cynicism; occupational psychology

Free keywords: unnecessary tasks; living a calling; cynicism; organizational citizenship behavior; follow-up study

Contributing organizations

Ministry reporting: Yes

Reporting Year: 2022

Preliminary JUFO rating: 1