How Do Problem-Solving Demands Influence Employees’ Thriving at Work: An Explanation Based on Cognitive Appraisal

Lulu Ma, Hongyu Ma (), Xiangping Zhan and Yue Wang
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Lulu Ma: School of Psychology, Central China Normal University, Wuhan 430079, China
Hongyu Ma: School of Psychology, Central China Normal University, Wuhan 430079, China
Xiangping Zhan: School of Psychology, Central China Normal University, Wuhan 430079, China
Yue Wang: School of Psychology, Central China Normal University, Wuhan 430079, China

Sustainability, 2023, vol. 15, issue 20, 1-10

Abstract: In globalized markets, it is important for companies to cultivate a thriving workforce that is motivated to grow and develop. Based on the transactional theory of stress, we discussed how the way people appraise their problem-solving demands, either as a challenge or a hindrance, impacts employees’ thriving at work. Data were collected from employees of a state-owned enterprise in China at two separate points with a 4-week interval. The results showed that problem-solving demands have a positive impact on employees’ thriving at work through challenge appraisal and a negative impact on employees’ thriving at work through hindrance appraisal. Additionally, we observed a moderated mediation effect in which organizational identity strengthened the positive effects of problem-solving demands on challenge appraisal, which in turn promoted employees’ thriving at work. The findings highlight the role of cognitive appraisal in interpreting employees’ responses to work stress.

Keywords: problem-solving demands; thriving at work; challenge appraisal; hindrance appraisal; organizational identity (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2023
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