Feeling Vital or Fatigued? Relations with Demands and Resources in a University Context

Jan de Jonge, Maria C.W. Peeters and Toon W. Taris
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Jan de Jonge: Human Performance Management Group, Eindhoven University of Technology, P.O. Box 513, MB, NL-5600 Eindhoven, The Netherlands
Maria C.W. Peeters: Human Performance Management Group, Eindhoven University of Technology, P.O. Box 513, MB, NL-5600 Eindhoven, The Netherlands
Toon W. Taris: Department of Social, Health and Organisational Psychology, Utrecht University, P.O. Box 80140, TC, NL-3508 Utrecht, The Netherlands

IJERPH, 2019, vol. 16, issue 16, 1-24

Abstract: This study examines whether specific (matching) combinations of demands and resources exist in the prediction of both positive and negative outcomes (i.e., vitality and fatigue) in a university context. In addition, we test the Demand-Induced Strain Compensation (DISC) Model’s key principles in this context to study its relevance, validity, and generalizability. A cross-sectional survey study was conducted among 397 employees and 497 students at a Dutch university. Hierarchical multiple regression analyses among both employees and students showed matching combinations of demands and resources in the prediction of vitality and fatigue. Specifically, an increase in cognitive demands was particularly associated with more student cognitive vitality when cognitive resources were high. Furthermore, results showed that an increase in cognitive demands was related to less cognitive fatigue in both employees and students when cognitive resources were high. Findings partly confirm our hypotheses in showing the important role of matching resources in the relation between demands and vitality and fatigue in university staff and students. Our study reveals that a sustainable work environment is about maintaining a healthy balance between sufficient, matching resources and demands at work or study.

Keywords: vitality; vigor; fatigue; demands; resources; DISC Model; job redesign; university staff; university students (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2019
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