February 07, 2024
2:00 p.m. ET
This event is for current members of our Community of Scholars. Not yet a member? Join here: https://myumi.ch/dkxRG.
Scholar presenter:
Nitya Chawla, University of Minnesota
Seed generators:
Jamie Ladge, Northeastern University
Laura Little, University of Georgia
Topic:
Riding the Highs and Lows: Understanding the Work-Related Implications of Daily Parenting Uplifts and Hassles
Talk description:
Organizational scholarship has long-acknowledged the unique challenges faced by working parents as they navigate dual identities and responsibilities on a day-to-day basis. Yet, while prior research has largely examined parenthood as a source of role overload and/or work-life conflict, there is growing recognition of its enriching effects. In the current research, we build on these diverging perspectives to examine the impact of daily parenting uplifts (i.e., positive, gratifying events associated with parenthood; e.g., children displaying affection, being praised by children) and daily parenting hassles (i.e., frustrating, distressing demands associated with parenthood; e.g., getting children ready on time, running extra errands for children). In addition, we also explore the extent to which mothers and fathers are differentially impacted by these daily experiences. Using an experience sampling study of 114 working parents (Level 1 n = 949 day-level observations), we found that daily parenting uplifts are associated with greater optimism and parental confidence, with these affective and cognitive states having important implications for behaviors at work—in terms of greater work engagement, parent-directed citizenship behaviors—as well as behaviors at home—in terms of increased parental investment in the evening. Daily parenting hassles, on the other hand, reduced both optimism and parental confidence; these effects were heightened for mothers (vs. fathers). We aim to build on these findings by designing an experimental experience sampling study that uses an intervention aimed at helping working parents begin their workdays by focusing on their parenting uplifts, allowing them to thrive at work and at home via increased optimism and parental confidence. Details of the intervention and results of this study will be presented during the incubator.
Research is the heart of Positive Organizational Scholarship (POS), and we want to make sure that we support each other in developing high quality research. To that end, we created the Adderley Positive Research Incubator for sharing and encouraging POS-related research ideas that are at various stages of development.
Learn more about the Adderley Positive Research Incubators here and direct questions about individual sessions to cpo-events@umich.edu.