The Role of Dogs in the Relationship between Telework and Performance via Affect: A Moderated Moderated Mediation Analysis

The Impact of Morning Meditation and Sleep Quality on Affective and Health Outcomes in Healthcare Workers

BACKGROUND

Health is a critical factor influencing key workplace outcomes, including job attitudes, behaviors, and performance. This study investigated the role of daily micro-breaks, specifically morning meditation practices, and positive affective experiences (i.e., positive affect) at work in predicting health-related outcomes, namely vitality and mental health. Using a non-experimental design, this study tested a moderated mediation model in which sleep quality moderates the relationship between morning meditation and positive affect, which, in turn, predicts end-of-the-day health-related outcomes.

METHODOLOGY

Data were collected twice a day from 44 healthcare employees over five consecutive workdays using a daily survey approach.

KEY RESULTS

Multilevel modeling analyses revealed that morning meditation was significantly associated with increased positive affect and improved health indicators at the end of the workday. Moreover, sleep quality moderated the relationship between morning meditation and positive affect, such that the conditional indirect effect of meditation on end-of-day mental health and vitality via positive affect was significant when sleep quality from the preceding night was poor.

CONCLUSIONS

These findings underscore the interactive effect of prior-night sleep quality and morning meditation on affective and health-related outcomes by the end of the day. By identifying sleep quality as a key boundary condition, we contribute to a more nuanced understanding of when meditation is most beneficial. Our findings have significant implications for both research and practice, particularly in high-stress environments such as healthcare, where optimizing employee well-being is crucial for both individual and organizational performance.

Exploring the Relationship Between Human-Animal Interactions at Work and Mental Health: Unraveling the Dynamics for Individuals With Higher Neuroticism

Daily interactions typically can be a reflection of a person's mental health. Despite the existing literature emphasizing the importance of social interactions for mental health, few studies have focused on human-animal interactions, particularly in the work context. Thus, this study sought to expand knowledge and relied on the affective events theory to test (1) the mediating role of the daily affect ratio in the relationship between daily human-animal interactions and mental health and (2) the moderating role of neuroticism in the previous indirect relationship. To test the hypotheses, a daily design was used (N = 53 × 5 = 265). The multilevel results revealed that (1) daily human-animal interactions are positively related to mental health through the daily affect ratio; however, (2) the affect ratio depended more on daily human-animal interactions when individuals had higher levels of neuroticism, which means that (3) neuroticism intensified the indirect relationship between daily human-animal interactions and mental health through affect ratio. Overall, opportunities for human-animal interactions under telework settings may be a well-suited strategy for employees who score higher on neuroticism.

"Pet effect" patterns: Dynamics of animal presence and caregiver affect across (tele)work and non-work contexts

Human-animal interactions (HAI) may relate to animal caregivers' affect, also referred to as the "pet effect". However, studies have not explored these associations in work contexts or evaluated longitudinal patterns of HAI with other activities across work and non-work contexts, and their associations with caregiver emotions. We therefore assess momentary associations between HAI during (tele)work and non-work time and positive and negative caregiver affect (PA/NA), identify person-level patterns of longitudinal HAI state trajectories, and analyze cross-level moderating effects of these patterns on momentary associations between HAI and PA/NA. First, we evaluated associations between momentary HAI and caregiver PA/NA including the moderating role of momentary work state (teleworking vs. not working). Second, using a data-driven approach, we applied sequence analysis to determine heterogeneity in state trajectories amongst caregivers using working activity and animal presence in five possible states (working at work/teleworking with animal/teleworking without animal/not working with animal/not working without animal), which we labelled as animal-work constellations. Similar trajectories of animal-work constellations across caregivers were grouped into clusters with recognizable patterns. Third, we assessed whether such patterns moderated momentary associations between HAI and caregiver PA/NA. Caregivers (Npersons =  324) completed ecological momentary survey data during five days with 10 prompts per day (Nobservations =  16,127) between 2017 and 2024. Results showed that momentary associations between HAI and affect were moderated by momentary work state and person-level animal-work constellation pattern, contextualizing the "pet effect". Our results highlight the importance of microlevel investigations of animal-work constellations and validates the novel use of sequence analysis to explore the role of context and time.

Development of a Measure to Understand Work-[Pet]family Boundaries: Conflict Versus Enrichment Between Work and Families With Pets

Considering the increasing number of families with pets, this study intended to develop and validate the Work-Conflict and Enrichment [Pet] Family Scale (WCEPFS). This instrument aims to measure three dimensions of the work-[pet]family boundaries: work-[pet]-family conflict and enrichment. The research methodology comprised five systematic scale development processes. First, a literature review and 22 interviews were conducted to generate conceptual understanding and content about both work-[pet]family conflict and enrichment. Then the initial items were developed and verified through a Delphi survey and a pilot study (N = 113) that led to the final pool of 10 items. Four additional studies were conducted to test the scale's factor structure, reliability and validity. Overall, the confirmatory factor analyses and reliability tests demonstrated that the 10-item scale performed well regarding its 3-factor structure and was a reliable measure to evaluate work-[pet]-family boundaries. Moreover, the results also showed that the scale was significantly related to measures of work-family conflict and enrichment, mental health, well-being, and work engagement at the within-person level. Lastly, the 2-week test-retest reliability results showed a good reliability of the scale. This study develops and validates a measure that is essential for studies focused on work-[pet]family boundaries. As work and family structures continue to evolve, understanding work-[pet]family dynamics is essential for addressing emerging challenges in work-life balance, employee well-being, and the development of inclusive organisational policies.

Pet your cat, walk your dog: The spillover effects of morning quality time with pets on outcomes during and after the workday

For decades, psychologists have explored dynamics within the realm of human-animal interaction. Organizational psychologists are no different; research has found that exchanges with pets and other animals have the potential to influence important work outcomes, such as performance, well-being, and satisfaction. Relatively little is understood, however, regarding the potential spillover effects of human-animal interaction from the non-work to work context. To address this gap in the literature, the present research-synthesising Broaden and Build Theory and Conservation of Resources Theory-explores the daily spillover effects of morning quality time with pets on affective, behavioural, and cognitive outcomes for employees, both during and after the workday. It is also suggested that openness to experience may act as a cross-level moderator for these daily relationships. An occupationally heterogenous daily diary sample of employed pet owners from the United Kingdom (NLevel 1 = 405, NLevel 2 = 81) was used to test these relationships. Using a mixed effects modelling approach, it was revealed that morning quality time with pets was associated with reduced Negative Affect (NA) during the workday, and reduced incivility and withdrawal upon returning home from work. Moreover, higher levels of trait openness to experience strengthened the negative relationships between daily morning quality time with pets and daily workday NA and afterwork incivility. Implications for research and practice are discussed.

Pets at work: integrating pet-friendly initiatives into human resources for enhanced workplace harmony

AIMS

The representation of companion animals, or pets, has been changing recently. Research concerning how pets influence employees' work-related well-being has also started to take its first steps. This research aimed to analyze (1) how managers perceive pet-friendly practices and their main effects at work, and (2) the impact of such practices on employees' well-being and work engagement. Relying on the social exchange perspective and the self-determination theory it was hypothesized that pet-friendly practices would positively influence employees' well-being and work engagement by satisfying their three basic needs (autonomy, competence, and relatedness).

METHODOLOGY

Two studies with mixed methods were conducted. The first and exploratory study resorted to semi-structured interviews with six managers. The second was a two-wave study conducted with a large sample of workers (N = 379).

RESULTS

The first study highlighted the primary advantages and disadvantages of pet-friendly practices, along with the various obstacles and limitations, and proposed managerial strategies to overcome them. Managers generally expressed interest and enthusiasm about the topic but also pointed out challenges in implementing a pet-friendly strategy due to the limited number of empirical studies demonstrating its benefits. The second study's findings indicated that pet-friendly practices positively impacted employees' work engagement and well-being by fulfilling their needs for competence, autonomy, and relatedness.

ORIGINALITY

Overall, Portugal is seen as having a conservative culture, which slows the dissemination and implementation of these measures. To overcome these challenges, several managerial recommendations have been proposed. Raising awareness and fostering discussion on the topic are crucial steps toward integrating pet-friendly policies into human resources management.

Assessment and validation of the pet-owner relationship scale for Brazil

Introduction

This study aimed to perform a cross-cultural adaptation of the cat-owner/dog-owner relationship scales. The method involved several stages: conceptual, item, semantic, operational, measurement, and functional equivalence. Procedures included translation, synthesis of translations, back-translation, consensus on the English versions, external evaluation by the original authors, expert committee evaluation, and pre-tests.

Methods

The study surveyed 234 pet owners across Brazil using a 20-item questionnaire. Data analysis utilized confirmatory factor analysis, covariance-based modeling, and multigroup analysis.

Results

The study confirmed the content and construct validity of the model, demonstrating good convergent validity. Hypotheses testing revealed significant inverse relationships between Perceived Cost and Perceived Emotional Closeness, and between Perceived Cost and Pet-Owner Interactions. A positive correlation was found between Perceived Emotional Closeness and Pet-Owner Interactions, with Perceived Emotional Closeness also mediating the relationship between Perceived Cost and Pet-Owner Interactions. No significant differences were found across different pet owner groups, indicating the scale's invariance and reliability across various demographics.

Discussion

The study significantly expands understanding of the complex dynamics in pet-owner relationships and emphasizes the interplay between emotional and practical factors. It offers valuable insights for future research and practices in animal and human welfare.

Applying the Affective Events Theory to Explore the Effect of Daily Micro-Interruptions on Mental Health: The Mediating Role of Affect and the Moderating Role of Pets at Work

This study relied on the affective events theory and the social exchange theory to develop a framework that explains how situational factors (daily micro-interruptions) enhance affective reactions (negative affect) and, in turn, impair health conditions (mental health) at work. We further delineate theoretical arguments to propose the pet-human's health effect by demonstrating that pets are boundary conditions that attenuate this relation, and as such are protective conditions for employees' mental health. We conducted a 5-day diary study with two groups of participants, one with participants who owned pets (N = 82 x 5 = 410), and the other who did not own pets (N = 87 x 5 = 435). The multilevel results showed an indirect effect of daily micro-interruptions on individuals' mental health through negative affect, with a daily backdrop of poorer mental health for those who did not own a pet (compared to those who owned a pet). These results evidence the benefits of owning a pet for individuals' mental health, even at work, and as such provide recommendations for teleworking practices. Moreover, this study resorts to an innovative and robust data collection method to demonstrate the pet-human' health effect. This study expands knowledge on the role of pets in working daily routines and shows that pets may be a personal resource for individuals while working.

The Well-Being of Companion Animal Caregivers and Their Companion Animals during the COVID-19 Pandemic: Scoping Review

It is important to understand the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on animal caregivers and their companion animals in order to inform responses to future crises. Prior research is inconsistent, with the benefits of animal companionship believed to be overstated. In this scoping review, we searched four electronic databases and hand-searched reference lists of included studies. Over 4000 citations were found, and 122 were included in the review. Reflecting on the pre-COVID literature, quantitative evidence of the association between psychological well-being and animal companionship during the pandemic was mixed, with numerous positive, negative, and null findings reported. Studies highlighted the benefits of animal companionship during the pandemic, with animals reported to provide their caregivers with a routine, a sense of greater purpose, a positive distraction from COVID-19, companionship, and emotional support. However, participants also reported concerns about meeting animals' needs, fears of animals catching or spreading the virus, and financial worries. Concerns about what would happen to animals if caregivers were hospitalized led some to delay COVID-19 testing or treatment. Animals also experienced benefits (such as increased companionship and calmer mood) and negative impacts (such as increased clinginess and separation anxiety). Companion animals should be a key consideration in emergency preparedness plans.

Going to the office - What's in it for the dog?

Benefits and challenges of dogs being present at the office were analyzed from three perspectives: the company view, the dog owner (employee) and the dog view. For companies, office dogs may serve as a branding symbol, leading to higher employee satisfaction and productivity, increased stress resilience and fewer turnover intentions. Yet, companies need to apply pet policies, risk management strategies and mitigate nuisance such as barking, loose fur or excrement. Additional breaks to walk the dogs are required and other employees or customers may be irritated. Employees take advantage of stress reduction, social support, higher job satisfaction, not having to leave their animal at home. Still, an office dog is an added responsibility in terms well-being, safety, distraction from work and emotional involvement. Although the animal perspective has not yet been scientifically addressed, we propose potential benefits such as less separation distress by having the owner nearby, higher social engagement and additional walks during breaks. Challenges for dogs may involve unwanted attention, aversive environmental stimulation, being restrained via leash or crate, irritation caused by conspecifics, emotional contagion or individual requirements.

'Pawing' uncertainty! how dogs attenuate the impact of daily hassles at work on uncertainty

PURPOSE

This study relied on the integrative model of uncertainty tolerance to delineate an argument proposing that daily hassles trigger uncertainty, and this influences adaptive performance. Furthermore, relying on the "furr-recovery method" -where interactions with dogs allow dog owners to recover from negative situations or job demands - this study tested whether having a dog would moderate the relationship between daily hassles and uncertainty.

METHODOLOGY

To test this proposed model, daily data during ten working days was gathered with a sample of white-collar workers who were teleworking (N = 233 × 10 = 2,330).

FINDINGS

Multilevel results showed that daily hassles influenced adaptive performance via perceived uncertainty. However, the relationship between daily hassles and uncertainty was conditional on the ownership of a dog, in such a way that the relationship became weaker for those who had dogs. That is, those who did not have dogs had increased levels of uncertainty after daily hassles when compared to those who had dogs.

PRACTICAL IMPLICATIONS

Managers may consider the adoption of pet-friendly work practices (for instance, telework - working from home allow employees to work nearby and interact with their dogs during worktime) as dogs appear to have a beneficial effect to help employees effectively cope with daily hassles and reduce their uncertain reactions.

ORIGINALITY

This study advances knowledge regarding the pawing-effect (the reduced uncertainty to daily hassles on dog owners) on employees' uncertainty to daily hassles and opens new venues for research regarding their role in work-related outcomes. Further, future research could examine how human-dog interactions or the quality of their relationship may benefit owners and explore the benefits of bringing dogs to work periodically.

Administrative professionals' quality of life in educational institutions: a systematic review protocol

INTRODUCTION

Indicators of administrative professionals' quality of life (QoL) in educational institutions are essential for planning improvements in their daily lives. QoL is a recurring topic in academic research, particularly in the healthcare sector. Therefore, this study aims to evaluate the perceptions of administrative professionals in educational institutions regarding their QoL and the implications of remote and in-person work. Additionally, we aim to compare the QoL before, during and after the COVID-19 pandemic.

METHODS AND ANALYSIS

Five electronic databases will be searched for this systematic review: CINAHL, LILACS, PubMed, Scopus and Web of Science. Original, peer-reviewed articles published in any language, without time limitations, will be included in this study. Two researchers will screen the articles and extract the data. The included articles will be evaluated for the quality of their evidence using Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development and Evaluations. The risk of bias will be assessed using the Critical Appraisal Skills Programme checklist and the Downs and Black scale. A third reviewer will resolve any discrepancies.

ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION

The systematic review results will be published in a peer-reviewed journal and presented at a relevant conference. The data will not include individual patient data; therefore, ethical approval is not required.

PROSPERO REGISTRATION NUMBER

CRD42022365862.

Unleashing the Furr-Recovery Method: Interacting with Pets in Teleworking Replenishes the Self's Regulatory Resources: Evidence from a Daily-Diary Study

This study is based on the conservation of resources theory and the recovery step model in order to further explore the furr-recovery method-a mechanism through which workers break their routine by taking micro-moments to interact with their "furry co-workers," thus relieving their fatigue and tension or other negative affective states. Based on this, we argue that this method not only serves the purpose of restoring self-regulatory resources but also ameliorates mental health. Accordingly, this study aims to analyze how daily human-animal interactions during teleworking positively influence teleworkers' mental health, via recovering their self-regulatory resources, at the within-person level. Full-time teleworkers completed multiple online surveys for 5 consecutive workdays (N = 211 × 5 = 1055 daily observations). Multilevel path analysis results showed that on days on which employees had more micro-moments to interact with their "furry co-workers" during the day, they experienced a higher self-regulatory capacity and felt better while working. In sum, the findings give support for the theoretical resource perspective of interacting with pets as an effective energy management strategy while at work. This research extends the theoretical understanding of regulatory resources as a cognitive mechanism that links HAIs to employee mental health. Moreover, the findings outlined here offer practical implications by highlighting the furr-recovery method, a method that teleworkers who own pets may use as a strategy during the working day to restore resources needed to be healthier.

The Furr-Recovery Method: Interacting with Furry Co-Workers during Work Time Is a Micro-Break That Recovers Workers' Regulatory Resources and Contributes to Their Performance

Drawing on the conservation of resources theory and the recovery step model our research expands on a cognitive (regulatory resources) mechanism that links human-animal interactions and employee performance. This study aimed to explore whether daily human-animal interactions during worktime would be conceived as a daily-recovery process that restores the individual's daily regulatory resources and, as a result, improves daily adaptive and task performance. To test this, a daily diary study during 10 working days, with 105 teleworkers was performed (N = 105 × 10 = 1050). Multilevel results demonstrated that daily interactions between human and their pets served to recover their daily regulatory resources that, in turn, improved daily task-and-adaptive performance. This research not only expands our theoretical understanding of regulatory resources as a cognitive mechanism that links human-animal interactions to employee effectiveness but also offers practical implications by highlighting the recovery role of interacting with pets during the working day, as a way to restore resources needed to be more effective at work.