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The significance of Task Significance: Job Performance Effects, Relational…
The significance of Task Significance: Job Performance Effects, Relational Mechanisms, and Boundary Conditions
Job performance enhancements through the cultivation of perceptions of task significance - judgements that one's job has a positive impact on other people
however 2 big meta-analyses show a WEAK relationship between task significance and job performance measures.
two limitations (1) majority of studies have relied on cross-sectional designs which does no eliminate task significance being a consequence over a cause of job performance (2) failure to isolate task significance as an active ingredient responsible for job performance
Task significance - degree to which employees perceive their work as significantly impacting other people within or outside of the organization
Researchers have proposed that increased tax significance leads to higher performance. It is important that in experiments task significance is being directly tested. Also many researchers when researching were not able to measure mediating mechanisms, as a result does not answer the question WHY??
Job design and social info theories are mediation mechanisms for explaining the consequences of task significance. This is because it is believed to increase task significance, which means workers think work is more meaningful thus more valuable. Meaningfulness is proposed to increase job performance.
" mediation model seeks to identify and explain the mechanism or process that underlies an observed relationship between an independent variable and a dependent variable via the inclusion of a third hypothetical variable, known as a mediator variable"
Diving deeper
Perceived social impact -this is the degree to which employees feel that their actions benefit other people. This is one relational mechanism that may mediate the effects of task significance on job performance. Task significance is supposed to cultivate perceived social impact. Research shows that when employees are more motivated increase effort when they see their actions benefit others
Perceived social worth - the degree to which employees feel that their contributions are valued by other people - also a relational mechanism. Slightly different to social impact as this describes the degree to which employees believe their actions are appreciated by others. if this increases they are more likely to invest additional time and energy in their work. so increase job performance
Conscientiousness - describes the degree to which individuals tend to be disciplined, dependable, organized etc. Less conscientious more likely that job significnace have a higher effect. As less conscientious employees do not naturally endorse high work ethics so more affected my social worth and social impact.
Prosocial values - the extent to which individuals regard protecting and promoting the welfare of others as important guiding principles in life. Task significance proposed to increase more with stronger prosocial values. Rationale - needs-supplies fit. When employees' jobs match their values they are willing to invest time and energy in performing effectively. They care about doing work that has a positive social impact on others.
Experiment 1
Examined the effects of task significance given that the callers were responsible for soliciting alumni donations with little info of the effects of donations. Collected the measures of numbers of pledges before and after the intervention. Focuses on personal effects to reduce the effects iof social impact and social worth
33 callers took part in the longitudinal field experiment. 12 said how performing the job makes difference to OTHER lives. 10 looked at the personal benefit. 11 received no manipulation or treatment
Results showed that callers in the task significance condition increased in the amount of donation money they raised. There were no significant changes for callers in personal benefit condition or control condition.
Offer promising initial evidence for effects of task significance on job performance. 1) Critical unanswered questions. Do the hypothesized mediating mechanisms of perceived social impact and social worth explain these effects? 2) Would these effects hold with different sample contexts, manipulations and dependent variables?
Experiment 2
Measures - collected data from 3 different areas: aquatics director, pool supervisor, and lifeguard themselves. 1 - 7 scale. Mediator 1: perceived social impact Mediator 2: Perceived social worth. Dependent variable 1 - Helping Behaviour. Dependent variable 2 - Job dedication. Manipulation check: Perceived task significance.
Answered two unanswered questions with this experiment. Used lifeguards as they have a significant difference in lives to others. Collected measures of job dedication and helping behavior. 32 paid lifeguards at the community recreation center. 65.6% female. 2 conditions. Task significance condition they read 4 stories about other lifeguards rescuing drowning swimmers. Personal benefit 4 stories that contained positive cues about the job but highlighted its benefits to the self rather than to others.
Repeated measures etc. People in the task significance condition increased in the number of hours worked. Personal condition - did not change significantly. Task significance - increased helping behaviour, ppl in personal benefit saw a decrease. In social impact and social worth increased with task significance and no significant change with personal benefit
However this does not answer the question. Is task significance more likely to increase job performance for employees with low levels of conscientiousness and strong prosocial values
Experiment 3
This also was supoosed to examin the boundary conditions for the effect, To rule out possibilities tht initial performance levels might influence employees' responses, focuses on sample of newcomers. Returned to fundraising.
34 paid callers participated in the experiment. Sample was 62% female. 2 conditions. Task significance condition - leanred about how the funds raised by the organization had benefited scholarship students. COntrol - no experimental treatment
1 - 7 scale. Disagree strongly - agree strongly. Moderator 1: Conscientiousness. Moderator 2: Prosocial values. Dependent variable: Job Performance (data on number of pledges).
Found that people in the task significance condition earned more pledges. Task significance has stronger effect on performance shen conscientiousness was low and was strongly related when the was the case with number of pledges. Same with the case as when prosocial values were strong
Limitations
Task significance cues were shared in controlled, monitored environments this managers could falsify stories. 2) Possible bias as employees may have realized the different treatments and this formulated hypothesis
In First experiment, employees in the task signifincace and control conditions began with lower performance levels than those in personal benefit consition thus could mean that they would coverge over time
Hypothesis focused on effect of high task significance in future could explore the effects with low task significance and how they may be associated with different psychological states