Abstracts Summary DOP ANNUAL ONFERENCE · For most of his professional career as an occupational psychologist, Marc has worked within Human Resources (HR), or related, functions supporting

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Abstract Summary (In alphabetical order by first author surname)

Ref: Workshop Topic: Career Development

Creating the Digital You: A Personal Branding & Social Media Workshop Liane Abrams, The Content Creator

Do you have The Digital Fear? Banish it once and for all, and get yourself social media savvy.

This 1-hour workshop is designed to help you present your best personal and professional self online. Focusing on social media and your tone of voice, interactive exercises will help you to develop your personal brand. You’ll leave feeling confident in your social media skills and able to start interacting online - and attracting clients, too.

Suitable for employed or self-employed Occ Psychs, with any level of prior social media knowledge.

Ref: Invited Speaker Topic: Career Development

An Inside Job Marc Adams, University of Reading

For most of his professional career as an occupational psychologist, Marc has worked within Human Resources (HR), or related, functions supporting diversity, learning and development. In this talk, he reflects on what OPs can offer HR, the joys and challenges of working internally versus consulting, and how to find a role in HR.

Ref: 3954 Impact Paper Topic: Leadership, Engagement and Motivation

How do Muslim women employees talk about voice and silence at work? Muneerah Al-Ghamdi, University of East London

Despite global concern about the full participation of female personnel in economic activity, Muslim women employees in the UK still face many difficulties in the workplace. Voice behaviour at work is regarded as a matter of personal choice, but it does reflect the extent of the harmony and affiliation of individual employees to their workplace. In the last twenty years, many empirical studies have explored employees’ voice and silence, but measuring these variables through the opinions of employees from different cultural backgrounds, especially Muslim women, has never been formally attempted. Furthermore, there is a general paucity of literature on employees’ voice and silence in the UK. The current study is designed to fill this gap in the literature by examining the personal experiences of Muslim women employees to reveal the truth of their workplace experiences. A qualitative research methodology was used, and six Muslim women were interviewed. Four main themes emerged from the acquired data using interpretive phenomenological analysis. Morrison’s (2014) model of antecedents and outcomes of employee voice and silence was employed as a theoretical framework for organising the findings. The findings showed that enabling Muslim women

employees’ voice and dealing with it effectively elevates their sense of acceptance, appreciation and belonging to the work environment.

Practitioner points

• The primary motivation for Muslim women employees to undertake both mandatory and discretionary tasks is to experience a sense of acceptance, appreciation and belonging to the work environment.

• Self-assertiveness and a proactive personality are the main traits which stimulate Muslim women employees to speak out at work.

• The predominant negative stereotype of Islam makes Muslim women employees act as ambassadors of their religion in the workplace to present the correct picture of Islam.

• Muslim women employees use the positive impact of their voice participation at work to support their community at humanitarian and political levels.

Ref: Keynote Session Topic: Plenary Session

Checking in - What evidence do we have for redesigning performance management systems? Professor Frederik Anseel, EAWOP President; Kings College London

The HBR article "Reinventing Performance Management" (Buckingham and Goodall, 2015) gave the starting signal for a worldwide trend of companies reconsidering the fundamentals of their performance management systems. Seeking to reverse a trend towards an ever-increasing structuring of the performance management process (i.e., ratings, rigid protocols, etc.), companies are increasingly moving towards more fluidity and flexibility in performance management. In doing so, they are recognizing that employee feedback should not be a yearly isolated event, but rather part of an ongoing, informal conversation between employees and their managers. For instance, software developer Adobe introduced "check-in's" as an informal, ongoing dialogue between managers and their direct reports with no formal written review or documentation. In his keynote, Professor Anseel will examine the scientific literature to see whether evidence-based guidelines can be developed on how to redesign performance management systems and how to gauge their effectiveness. At the same time, he will identify areas where actionable research is lacking and discuss new avenues for research and practice.

Ref: 3897 Impact Paper Topic: Learning, Training and Development

Retraining and empowering older adults for employment: Overcoming stereotypes Alma Au, Hong Kong Polytechnic University

Purpose: This is a study funded by Employee Retraining Board in Hong Kong. The purpose is to identify the training needs of older adults in Hong Kong, and the role of training to help older adults enter the labor market. The study targeted at both potential employees and employers.

Method: First, using simple sampling method, we administered a structured questionnaire by recorded telephone (recorded) to 304 participants who were 1) aged 50 or above, 2) had education

attainment at sub degree levels, and 3) had expression an intention to join the work force. Second, a total of four focus groups were conducted with 39 older adults. Third, we did face-to-face interview of 34 employers involved in the following sectors: business, consumer services as well as personal and social services.

Results: Major challenges identified from the older adults and employers include the following. For the questionnaire and the focus groups, the most frequently endorsed difficulties revolved around two aspects. First, there were major concerns about the stereotype of older adults about their abilities. Second there were concerns about not having the right skills for the right job.

Conclusions: The study has identified important themes with psychological implications for empowering older adults to be employed. Working in the context of stereotypes and self-stereotypes are priority issues mentioned by both potential employers and older adults employees. Improving inter-generation communication in the workplace can an important agenda in view of the implications of global population ageing for employment.

Ref: Symposium Topic: Professional Affairs and Awards

Awards Symposium

Within the winner symposium our 2018 and 2019 winners will showcase their award winning work and we will celebrate the contributions our winners have made to the advancement of occupational psychology.

“The Division of Occupational Psychology promotes the professional interests of occupational psychologists and those in training in the United Kingdom (UK). It provides a home, a champion, a source of support and development for occupational psychologists and trainee occupational psychologists (TOPs).”

The Awards contribute to all six of the key goals written into our five-year Strategic Plan under the headings of:

• Science

• Competence and Employability

• Influence

• Visibility

• Enhance Membership and

• Support Change.

Thus the Awards enable the Division to:

Promote advancements in psychological knowledge and practice by acknowledging the scientific contributions of our members at various stages in their careers.

Develop the psychological knowledge and professional skills of our members by encouraging best practice, supporting the sharing of that best practice, and increasing the employability of awards recipients.

Maximise the impact of psychology on public policy by including a ‘contribution to policy’ component in the assessment criteria.

Increase the visibility of psychology and public awareness of its contribution to society by showcasing the achievements of our award winners and highlighting the value of the work they’ve done.

Attract new members and broaden our membership by rewarding success and providing aspirational role models for newcomers; it is a tangible benefit of membership and something that many people expect their professional body to deliver.

Develop our organisation to support change by increasing member involvement and recognising the valuable contribution of volunteer members through our ‘Volunteer Award’.

Ref: 4151 Symposia Topic: Psychological Assessment at Work

(S) What Can Data Science Contribute to Assessment? Helen Baron, Independent

Data Science is increasingly being cited as an approach to assessment. It can be used to refer to many things – machine learning, algorithmic approaches and inferencing from large data sets (“big data”). The term is often used by non psychologists, sometimes with little professional understanding of psychometric theories or existing approaches to assessment. This symposium aims to review data science based approaches and evaluate whether and what we can learn from them. The papers present both academic and practical viewpoints comparing new approaches with classical psychometric paradigms. It is convened by the recently formed DOP Working Group on Assessment Standards and our aim is to inform and initiate discussion.

Ref: 4152 Part of symposia Topic: Psychological Assessment at Work

(1) Algorithms for Psychological Assessment: New Technology and Old Notions Marise Ph.Born, Erasmus University Rotterdam

This presentation will systematically walk through several ways in which algorithms and machine learning are being utilized in psychological assessment for work-related purposes. It frames these through notions and issues which have been addressed by psychologists for over a century. What wine is there in the new technological bottles? What promises are made by the big data approach and is this approach living up to its promises? The presentation uses information from Liem et al., 2018, a publication written jointly by computer scientists and psychologists. It will look at how several issues were tackled 100 years ago and how big data technology tries to tackle these issues presently. Topics such as overfitting, policy capturing and end-to-end machine learning will be discussed.


(2) Pymetrics: Marrying IO Psychology with Data Science for improved volume assessment Michael Callans, Pymetrics

In this session we share Pymetrics learnings and advancing methodologies from the marrying of IO Psychology with Data Science in the volume selection marketplace. We discuss the increasing pressure on IO practitioners for tools that can be deployed at scale, with candidate experience given due regard, and with candidate diversity at the forefront of market demands. This session shares the Pymetrics assessment approach as a response to these market requirements and reveals the tensions and opportunities that exist when marrying methodologies from different domains (IO Psychology, Neuroscience, Data Science/AI). We summarize our methods for testing criterion-related validity and fairness estimation remediation before an assessment goes live. We also discuss the links between neuroscience derived exercises and traditional psychological constructs such as the Big 5. To close, we discuss the benefits and the best practice principles that are emerging from this multidisciplinary, cutting edge approach to assessment, to guide future practice, and the importance of the role of the psychologist in managing the risks involved in AI.


(3) From psychometrics to psychographics – emerging dystopias in the online world John Rust, Psychometrics Centre

As Director of The Psychometric Centre at the University of Cambridge, John Rust had a birds-eye view of the Cambridge Analytica scandal as it unfolded. In the past ten years the Centre has seen its research agenda, methods and tools cloned, commercialized, abused and eventually weaponized by entities that epitomize both ancient and modern dystopias. This talk will explore how Kosinski’s 2013 psychometric analysis of online digital footprints* opened the online environment to invasion by machines that have proved particularly adept in learning how to predict and control human behaviour. John’s current focus is on moral development in AI and in the establishment of more robust psychological frameworks for the study of cyberspace. He believes in the emergence of a new branch of psychology fit for the digital age, one in which researchers can interrogate interactions not only between humans but between humans and bots, algorithms or other agents that exhibit unique but often covert moral and social characteristics of their own.


(4) Data Science and workplace Analytics: Opportunities and Threats Peter Saville, 10x Psychology

This paper reviews earlier attempts to use data to improve selection decisions from the writings of the Buddha to Cattell and Cronbach from both a practitioner and theoretical perspective. It identifies some of the pitfalls that the new age of Data Science in the workplace needs to avoid and suggests some standards of practice that need to be adopted.

Ref: 3871 Standard Paper Topic: Leadership, Engagement and Motivation

Organisational Adaptivity: Starting with One Relationship at a Time. Eren Behget, Dr. Ann Bicknell, C.Psychol, MSc University of Leicester

Abstract Summary

In today’s world, healthcare must constantly adapt and although our understanding of how to work effectively in these environments has progressed, the understanding of the relational dynamics that relate to adaptivity is still scarce. As such, this research addresses this gap between science and practice by looking at the associations between capacities of high-quality relationships, psychological safety and individual adaptive performance. The participants in this study were 56 employees from a healthcare improvement organisation, and a mixed-method cross sectional survey design was used to triangulate results. The correlations showed that there were significant relationships between all three variables, and the qualitative analysis added further detail and strength to the findings by highlighting 4 themes in the data: Fluctuation, Capabilities, Stimulation, and Accuracy. These findings provide practical day-to-day recommendations for leaders who are looking to develop adaptivity in their organisation.

Ref: 3951 Poster Topic: Leadership, Engagement and Motivation

The influence of Risk-taking on trust, cohesion & knowledge sharing amongst firefighters Daniel Berghaus, University of Hertfordshire

This study explores the constructs of risk-taking, trust, cohesion and knowledge sharing in a firefighting environment. It takes a mixed methods approach including five qualitative research inverviews with six firefighters and 32 firefighters completing an online assessment of measuring the research constructs. The research was conducted within the Hampshire Fire & Rescue Services. The qualitative part focuses on how firefighters perceive their decision making in risky and dynamic situations and how their colleagues would have to behave for them to trust, share knowledge with and commit to them. The quantitative part looks at stable, individual risk-taking patterns and how these are statistically related to the mentioned constructs completing the qualitative approach of "Who do firefighters trust?" with exploring the question "Who trusts?".

Ref: 3931 Impact Paper Topic: Psychological Assessment at Work

Using Hogan Assessments to explore team culture and unconscious bias. David Biggs, Advanced People Strategies

Hogan Assessments consists of three tools: the Hogan Personality Inventory (HPI), Hogan Development Survey (HDS) and the Motives, Values, Preferences Inventory (MVPI) (Hogan, Hogan & Warrenfeltz, 2007). Whilst these measures are usually employed to give feedback to or about individuals for development or recruitment purposes, the scores for individuals that form part of a team can be collated and discussed. This has the advantage of being able to explore the culture of the team and also their unconscious bias. Quantitative data of an organisation is given, and the results of this study discussed.

Ref: 3844 Standard Paper Topic: Learning, Training and Development

Understanding the impact of personality questionnaire feedback: the MBTI process Nikhita Blackburn, The Myers-Briggs Company

The use of psychometrics for employee development is common practice in many organisations. Whilst there is a great deal of anecdotal evidence for their value, there is still limited research into the impact of a personality feedback session itself. The MBTI assessment is one of the most widely used assessments for development purposes. Therefore, this study aimed to understand the impact and client experience of the MBTI process. Participants completed surveys before, after and 6 weeks after receiving an MBTI feedback session. Results showed people’s experience was generally positive: 87% achieved most or everything they hoped to and participants found the sessions enjoyable, memorable and relevant. Participants were significantly more likely to have concrete actions or change the way they do things this if they had a clear purpose or desired outcome for the session. Participants rated “descriptions of the preference pairs”, “anecdotes to bring preference pairs to life” and “thinking about how I act in different situations” as the most valuable aspects of an MBTI feedback session. Self-awareness was higher after experiencing the MBTI process than before, which was supported by qualitative data. Results also gave an insight into the extent to which people agreed with their questionnaire results and whether they felt pressure to be like any of the personality preferences. The findings give evidence for the value of using personality questionnaires for development purposes. They also give insights into which aspects of personality feedback were most beneficial, which could help practitioners enhance their personality feedback sessions.


Conflict styles, gender and leadership Nikhita Blackburn, The Myers-Briggs Company

The number of women in leadership roles is increasing but women are still under-represented at higher levels and a gender pay gap exists. To shed light on this issue, this study examined differences in conflict style between men and women and between different organisational levels. Data was analysed from an archive of over 400,000 people who completed the Thomas-Kilman conflict modes Instrument (TKI) online between 2004 and 2019. Results showed that men and those at higher organisational levels were more likely to use assertive modes of dealing with conflict (seeking to satisfy their own needs, not just others’ needs). Women and those at lower organisational levels were more likely to use cooperative conflict styles (seeking to satisfy others’ needs, not just their own). This difference may help understand differences in leadership style and perceptions of men and women as leaders. It also has implications for understanding differences in the style and perceptions of men and women negotiating their salaries.


Facilitating habit change via a smartphone app: user behaviour and the impact of repeated practice

Poppy Boothroyd, Dan Hughes, Jo Maddocks PSI Services LLC

Building positive new habits requires conscious effort early on, but over time becomes more instinctive. Current thinking and research consistently suggests that repetition remains a significant factor in the successful formation of new habits. In the session, we will discuss the design of a new digital habit change exercise that focused on development of emotionally intelligent habits and share key insights from live usage analytics. In particular, we will discuss observed patterns in user interaction with the exercise and how increased practice positively relates to self-perceived habit change success. As research shifts to focus on digital habit change exercises, this session also hopes to demonstrate the value of Occupational Psychology in this area of practice.


A Situational Judgement to Assess Mindsets: Are Firefighters Prepared to Learn from Mistakes? Ali Brown, Coventry University

The Fire and Rescue Service in the UK has been criticised for failing to learn from previous mistakes that have been illuminated by fire-fighter fatality reports (FBU 2016). Many of the mistakes reported are small errors made by individual fire-fighters. Four decades of psychological research have demonstrated that individuals’ capacity to learn from their failures depends on whether they have a growth or fixed mindset. The current research was carried out at West Midlands Fire Service (WMFS) and focused on the development and initial validation of a Situational Judgement Test (SJT) to assess mindsets in fire-fighters. Internal reliability was strong, with a Cronbach’s alpha of .87 and Spearman-Brown alpha of .85. Further development and validation of the SJT was undertaken before rolling-out the test on a large scale. 163 fire-fighters completed the revised SJT. Results indicated that whilst fire-fighters express a desire to learn and tend towards a growth mindset overall, the presence of the fixed mindset has a notable impact on their ability to learn. Furthermore, female fire-fighters reported a stronger growth mindset than their male colleagues.

The current research is the first time an SJT design has been utilised for the assessment of mindsets and the first attempt to apply mindsets theory to the emergency services sector.

Ref: 3763 Standard Paper Topic: Psychological Assessment at Work

Learning Agility – Staying engaged as a leader through significant change James Bywater, Sarah Hezlett, James Lewis, Catrin Owen Korn Ferry

This research examines the impact of Learning Agility on a leader’s ability to remain personally engaged in environments with different amounts of change. This is important because if a leader becomes disengaged there is little prospect of them being able to lead others through organisational change. The results support the importance of Overall Learning Agility, and one of its components, Results Agility, in particular. However, the remaining agilities may also be important for alternative outcome measures such as team engagement.

Ref: 3806 Standard Paper Topic: Work Design, Organisational Change and Development

Building perspective-taking as organizational capability: A change intervention in healthcare Tom Calvard1, Leslie Curry2, Emily Cherlin2, Amanda Brewster3 1University of Edinburgh Business School, 2Yale School of Public Health, 3UC Berkeley School of Public Health

Perspective-taking in organizations, or adopting the viewpoints of others, has been argued and shown to be related to a range of positive and negative interpersonal behaviors and outcomes. However, it has only been researched intermittently in relation to management and organization, and questions remain about how it can be psychologically developed as a cooperative problem-solving capability more widely. To address this concern and contribute to a better understanding of perspective-taking as an organizational and system-wide capability, the current paper presents findings from a two-year qualitative intervention carried out across 10 US hospitals. Interview data from three time points (393 interviews, 197 staff members) revealed that employees improved collective perspective-taking at the group and system levels through affective empathic concern, cognitive attributional understanding, and motivational efforts to improve understanding of the perspectives inherent to other organizational targets. We conclude by discussing implications for how organizations can better foster systemic perspective-taking by building ecological structures and processes that assemble perspectives holistically, particularly in relation to culture change and distributed leadership.

Ref: 4105 Poster Topic: Work Design, Organisational Change and Development

“Banging the female drum”: exploring the attraction and barriers of females to the fire service Rachael Canavan, University of Bedfordshire

The objective of the study was to investigate what encourages women to become firefighters and the barriers that they encounter. Seven female firefighters from two fire services were selected by opportunity sampling and interviewed about their experiences as firefighters. A thematic analysis was carried out which identified three principal themes: firefighter stereotype, fitting in and support. The findings suggested that due to firefighter stereotype there is no initial attraction for females to firefighting. Furthermore, female firefighters adopt male behaviours in order to fit in to the fire service and as a survival mechanism. They face isolation, exclusion and benevolent sexism which affects their self-efficacy and their desire to move into leadership roles. Implications for fire service recruitment strategies are discussed. There were limitations in that the sample was small and only from two fire services. The study supports and enhances the findings of much of the previous research, but further empirical study is required into this under-researched area.


An art based dialogue between employees and their senior management team Elizabeth Carter, Lancaster University

This is a qualitative study using arts-based methodology, to explore how the relationship between front line employees and their senior management team impacts organisational culture.

The aim of the research project is to uncover using art, what supports this relationship and enables meaningful organisational dialogues, that facilitate and promote organisational growth.

The study employs arts-based workshops for non-managerial employees, which forms the basis of a dialogue between them and their Senior Management Team, to help understand how their connection is sustained and developed.

Bion's concept of container-contained is the theory applied to uncover this relationship between the Senior Management Team and their employees.

This poster presents the preliminary findings of the study.


Impact of Triple Bottom Line Approach on Employer Branding Natasha Chaturvedi, The University of Edinburgh

This research paper talks about the impact of adopting a triple bottom line approach i.e. people, profits and the planet (while setting goals and formulating strategies in an organisation) on employer branding – specifically focusing on understanding how employee engagement, development, motivation and the desire to be a part of the organization is affected by using such an approach. Through thorough qualitative analysis, this study aims to understand the concept of employer branding through the Social Identity Approach perspective.


Towards gender balance in police officers: A review of recruitment and promotion barriers Andrew Clements, University of Bedfordshire

According to Home Office (2018) statistics, just 29.8% of police officers are female. Growth in the number of female officers worldwide has been slow, and there are some concerns that growth may stall (Prenzler & Sinclair, 2013). Arguments for the value of increasing female representation, beyond the moral argument that it is the right thing to do, include enhanced police legitimacy, and that female officers are more supportive of community policing, use violence less, and attract fewer public complaints than male officers (Dick, Silvestri, & Westmarland, 2014; Brown & Silvestri, In Press). Discussions of reform take place amidst a period of austerity measures (e.g. Millie, 2014). While austerity measures have contributed to stress in police, e.g. through intensified workload (Lumsden & Black, 2018), greater levels of reductions in male officers may have contributed to progress in achieving gender balance (Brown & Silvestri, In Press). Recently, the Prime Minister has announced plans to hire 20,000 police officers (Reuters, 2019); if implemented this would largely address the reduction in numbers that has taken place since 2010 (Allen & Zayed, 2018). This could also represent an opportunity for further progress if managed correctly. Assuming that 50% of the proposed hire were female recruits, the proportion of female officers would rise to 33% (assuming stable turnover rates). However, progress should not be taken for granted. In this paper I set out to research evidence regarding barriers to recruitment and promotion of women in the police service.

Ref: 3765 Poster Topic: Well-being and Work

Predicting attitudes towards 'workaholism' in higher education academics Stacey Coleman, University of Wales Trinity Saint David

Two types of heavy work investment are common in psychological literature; workaholism and work engagement. Work engagement is defined as a positive and psychologically beneficial type of heavy work investment, but workaholism has been consistently defined in predominately negative terms and is commonly conceptualised as an addiction. Whilst there is an abundance of literature to support these claims, there is a lack of literature exploring how employees respond to the term ‘workaholism’ as an addiction. The purpose of this MSc study was to explore higher education academics’ attitudes towards the concept of workaholism and ‘workaholic’ labelling, after controlling for basic demographic and work-related variables.

Fifty-two academic employees completed three questionnaires via the online survey platform SurveyGizmo; the Workaholism Analysis Questionnaire (WAQ; Aziz, Ulrich, Wuensch, & Swords, 2013), Ryff’s Psychological Well-Being Scale (PWBS; Ryff & Keyes, 1995), and a ten-item researcher-developed scale created to assess attitudes towards the concept of ‘workaholism’. Results of a regression analysis indicate that early-career academics that held lower level qualifications and scored higher in levels of work specific addictive tendencies were more positive in their attitudes towards working compulsively and obsessively. Withdrawal symptoms (as indicative of a ‘true addiction’) materialised as the strongest predictor of attitudes towards the concept of workaholism, with low levels of unease when not in work associated with more positive attitudes. This study, however, was only conducted on higher education academics where the nature of the role is potentially attractive to individuals who display workaholic tendencies.

Ref: 3853 Standard Paper Topic: Well-being and Work

The Association between Work-Related Rumination and Executive Function using the BREIF-A Hannah Collis, Mark Cropley University of Surrey

Work-related rumination (WRR) has been associated with a number of negative health complaints, however little is known about the underlying mechanisms. Previous work using proxy measures of executive function showed WRR to be negatively associated with executive function. In this paper we report two studies that examined the association between WRR and executive function utilising an ecological valid measure of executive function, namely the BRIEF-A. In study 1 (N = 63), high, relative to low WRRs, were found to demonstrate lower executive function skills, in eight of the nine subscales of the BRIEF-A. The aim of study 2 (N = 237) was to identify the key executive function associated with WRR. Controlling for correlated factors, regression analysis identified the behavioural regulation subscale ‘shift’ as the key predictor within the model. Shift relates to our ability to switch attention, to think about different solutions or ways of thinking, and dealing with and accepting change. It was concluded that these findings lend support for future research to develop interventions for enhancing shift ability, as a way to reduce work-related ruminative thinking.

Ref: 3899 Impact Paper Topic: Work Design, Organisational Change and Development

Personality Change Following Job Transition: A Preliminary Analysis Hannah Collis, Stephen Woods University of Surrey

The present study explored the outcomes of personality change as observed throughout a job transition period. Participants (N = 60) who had started a new job in the previous 6 months were assessed on their personality (Big 5), perceived stress and job satisfaction levels at two times (average 5.5 weeks apart). Significant personality change was observed across all of the Big Five (d>0.80). Controlling for time 1 criteria, change in Openness negatively predicted job satisfaction levels at time 2, while change in Extraversion predicted increases in perceived stress levels at time 2. These findings indicate that personality change may occur around job transition over a short time period. Our findings also raise important questions about the interplay of trait change and well-being in the work context.

Ref: 3902 Poster Topic: Psychological Assessment at Work

A stakeholder analysis of the use of ‘emerging technologies’ as a selection method in healthcare

Maddie Corker1, Juliet Hassard1, Charlotte Flaxman2, Fiona Patterson2 1University of Nottingham, 2Work Psychology Group

The emergence of technology as a medium for selection is a rapidly developing phenomenon and has impacted inexorably on the practice of personnel selection in recent years (Toldi, 2011; Ahmed & Khambatta, 2018). One area where selection methods are integral to consider is within the medical context. Selection into medicine is a high stakes process and thus rightly subject to scrutiny. Whilst such technologies are being implemented in low stakes selection processes, evidence exploring the use of such in high stakes settings, does not exist. Given the high stakes nature of medical school selection, it seems important to understand whether ‘emerging’ technology-based selection tools are deemed fair and valid, whilst also being practical and acceptable to stakeholders (Schuwirth & Van Der Vleuten, 2010). Stakeholders in healthcare who are involved in selection processes, are key in determining the selection process. Despite their significance, attempts to utilise the experience of stakeholder groups to better inform medical selection is under-explored in literature and thus under-represented (Cleland et al, 2012). As there is relatively little known about the use of emerging technologies from the perspective of stakeholders, a qualitative study is likely to be a thorough way of gaining valuable and novel insights (Cooper & Emory, 1995). The aim of this study is to focus on stakeholders involved in the selection process, whose experiences and knowledge might be valuable for informing technology-based selection into medicine. This research will adopt a thematic analysis of semi-structured interviews to explore and understand stakeholder perceptions of emerging technology in medical education. This will allow insights into where the future of medical selection is headed, how barriers to implementing technology-based selection methods can be overcome, as well as informing organisational change and development policies in the healthcare profession.


Best of both worlds: enhancing candidate experience while maintaining psychometric rigour

Gerianne de Klerk - van Someren, Darrin Grelle SHL

In a candidate-centric market, the recruiting strategy has shifted as candidates have raised their expectations. Traditional approaches to recruitment will, or already have stopped producing quality hires. Organizations need to use the recruitment and hiring process to attract top talent and establish a positive brand image from the first interaction with their candidates. One way to accomplish this is to offer an efficient, accessible, and positive candidate experience through the use of new technologies, such as interactive elements and mobile-delivered assessments.

With the shift in thinking that has occurred within our field, traditional tests like full-length personality questionnaire and measures of General Mental Ability do not meet the evolving needs of assessment consumers who are looking for that positive candidate “experience”.

This impact paper demonstrates how we can enhance a candidate’s experience with cognitive and personality assessment whilst ensuring psychometric principles are still met. Applicants react favourably to our reimagined assessment of personality as well as measures of GMA with interactive, high-fidelity features. Our research has proven strong construct equivalence between traditional measures and the redesigned, Interactive measures. On top of that, we have demonstrated score-equivalence across device types which ensures flexibility for the candidate to choose the device they most prefer.


‘It's everything you need to do your job, that isn’t your job’: discourses of workplace politics Kirsty Denyer, Mark Stringer Birkbeck, University of London

Organisational politics is an inescapable phenomenon in any workplace. Yet there is relatively little research exploring individuals’ perspective on this sensitive topic. This qualitative study asks the research question, ‘how do early-career financial services professionals discursively construct organisational politics?’ It presents findings from interviews with eight individuals, collected via semi-structured interviews and analysed with discourse analysis. While data collection is still ongoing at the time of submitting this proposal, it is expected that findings will provide unique insights into the discourses around organisational politics available to individuals early in their career. Findings will be discussed in relation to academic theory and previous empirical research on politics. The benefits and challenges of using discourse analysis in conducting workplace research will also be explored.


Carry on chatting: Do social conversations improve relationships, performance, & reduce loneliness? Antonia Dietmann1, Rachel Lewis2, Joanna Yarker2, Lucie Zernerova3 1HM Courts & Tribunals Service, 2Kingston University, 3City University

Social conversations at work allow employees to build social bonds with each other. Employees receive implicit and explicit negative messages about the appropriateness of such conversations.

Negative messages might compound working practices that minimise employee interactions, which may create conditions for loneliness. Yet, as work becomes more interdependent, successful work performance relies on others and their high-quality working relationships. This field intervention study provides the first empirical exploration of building employees’ social conversational skills and the impact on organisational outcomes (high-quality working relationships, team performance, loneliness, and perceived acceptability of social conversations). The nature of these conversations (e.g. frequency, topic, and partner) was explored. 146 participants completed pre- and post-measures, with 76 undertaking a workplace activity to increase their social conversations (the remaining in an active control group). The intervention successfully increased participants’ involvement in social conversations at work. Similarly, improvements in high-quality working relationships, team performance, and acceptability of social conversations (not loneliness at work) were observed. However, both intervention and control groups improved. Participants rated social conversations at work as very important, they occur at any time of the working day, jokes are the most common topic, superiors are the least likely and team peers are the most likely partner. These results offer tentative support for the ability to increase social conversations at work via a simple intervention and for their relationship with improved relationships, performance, and acceptability of such conversations. The role of the active control, implications for practice and theory, and limitations are discussed.

Ref: 3809 Symposia Topic: Well-being and Work (S) Practicing Science Every Day: Case Studies of Occupational Psychology in the Civil Service Antonia Dietmann, HM Courts & Tribunals Service

UK Occupational Psychology grew out of the Civil Service over 100 years ago – specifically assessment of military personnel. Our profession in the UK Civil Service remains strong. We still work alongside the military, but the roles have greatly extended beyond selection and there are now Occupational Psychologists in every major government department. We use our scientific skills to answer some of the most pressing challenges faced by organisations and directly contribute to UK society. Our science is our unique selling point and we hold dear to it. This symposium show-cases this and show the breadth of the methodologies in our toolkit. Paper 1 uses a randomised controlled trial design to assess the impact of a meditation app on employee wellbeing. Paper 2 shows the power of qualitative data to understand women’s lived experiences of returning to work following maternity leave. Paper 3 is a case study developing scientifically-robust assessment for high-stakes volume selection of a role that is routinely in the public eye. Whilst the context for all papers is the Civil Service – the methods, findings, learning points are applicable to all organisations. The sheer size of the UK Civil Service – nearly half a million employees – means we are good representation of the UK workforce. Our experiences of being practitioner-scientists will give others encouragement and ideas, and raise the profile of UK Occupational Psychology. We can demonstrate scientific rigour in challenging contexts; our strength is in our history, methods, and community. Ref: 3792 Part of Symposia Topic: Well-being and Work

(1) A randomised controlled trial of the Headspace meditation app Antonia Dietmann1, Daniel Alford1, Aaron Ceros1, Mark Purver2, Hashim Malik1, Carly Gray2 1HM Courts & Tribunals Service, 2Ministry of Justice

This project took place in a large government agency with 15,000 employees across the UK. Organisations are increasingly using meditation to support employees’ wellbeing. There is emerging evidence of the connection between mindfulness and meditation and positive workplace outcomes (e.g. Jamieson & Tuckey, 2017; Lomas et al, 2017). However, much of the evidence involves clinical and/or non-working populations. To accommodate the organisation’s scale, we trialled the popular Headspace meditation app as an alternative to face-to-face sessions. Its novelty means there is limited peer-reviewed evidence using Headspace. We, therefore, conducted a randomised controlled trial to evaluate the efficacy of Headspace on wellbeing, meditation skills, and the role of work demands on these relationships.

We had 899 volunteers who were randomly allocated to an intervention and control group, both groups completed pre- and post-measures with an intervention period of six weeks. Preliminary statistical analyses show, the intervention group showed statistically significant improved health and wellbeing outcomes compared to the control group people in terms of:

• lower levels of stress,

• greater sense of wellbeing,

• more positive perception of the demanding nature of their job and potentially an improved ability to cope with their work demands,

• better job performance,

• heightened appreciation of their own thoughts and feelings, i.e. developing mindfulness skills through meditation.

This suggests that a relatively short intervention of five ten-minute sessions per week over six weeks can have a measurable impact on employees’ wellbeing. Full results and practitioner insights for delivering high-quality scientific research in an applied setting will be discussed.

Ref: 3807 Part of Symposia Topic: Well-being and Work

(2) A grounded theory analysis of women’s managerial career development after maternity leave Heather Yaxley, HM Courts & Tribunals Service

This grounded theory research into mothers’ career development examines mothers in management positions within a UK Civil Service department where flexible working is well established. It provides fresh insights into mothers’ motivations for returning to work and direction for organisational retention strategies. Using data from ten interviews, a model was developed to explain how mothers develop their careers before their maternity leave, on their return and their key motivational factors for the future. The model defines three sequential process steps of career development in mothers: securing career, guilty working, and the slowing career. “Guilty working” was the main concept uncovered. The results show that mothers are not developing their careers, but are stuck on a merry-go-round of guilty working where there is not enough time in the day, lack of balance, and consequently they feel stuck. Their working lives are defined by their present difficulties. Through

the research interviews the mothers started to define what may motivate them in the future. Mothers perceive that their work must be worth the family sacrifice. As such, finding meaning in work and needing flexibility were key motivators for the future. These form the basis of tailored recommendations for the employer, including development of staff networks, coaching and job restructuring for part time work.

Ref: 3828 Part of Symposia Topic: Psychological Assessment at Work

(3) Getting Prison Officer Recruitment Right Felicity Hill-Miers, Ministry of Justice

This practitioner case study explores the review and subsequent development of the UK’s prison officer recruitment process. In 2016 the government committed to recruiting an extra 2,500 prison officers. This work show-cased in this paper was conducted in parallel to delivering this challenge. It also occurred within the context of the new Civil Service Success Profiles Framework, which changed the recruitment framework across the Civil Service. Success Profiles structured the output of the prison officer job analysis, which informed the design assessments. The project involved:

• Creating an interactive self-selection activity developed with serving prison officers and ex-offender actors to bring the role to life.

• Creating videos with current job holders discussing how they demonstrate key behaviours in the job role.

• Creating two new online tests where all items relate to real life scenarios which candidates could encounter.

• Working with Arctic Shores to implement their first game-based assessment (GBA) sift in the Civil Service.

• Ensuring all assessment centre materials were content relevant and covered realistic and challenging scenarios which candidates will be faced with in the job role.

Trial assessment data was collected to test validity and adverse impact. Preliminary findings show the new online and assessment centre tests do not discriminate against groups with protected characteristics. Future analysis to be presented at the conference will focus on assessment centre evaluation studies and job performance validation, candidate experience survey results and retention data. This case study will show how we delivered scientifically-robust assessment for high-stakes volume selection in a high-profile context.

Collaborating Beyond OP: Bridging evidence and practice Topic: Work Design, Organisational Change and Development

Cross-sector insights on enabling flexible working Emma Donaldson-Feilder1, Claire McCartney2 1Affinity Health at Work, 2The Chartered Institute of Personnel Development

Research shows that many of us would like to work more flexibly – and there is a strong demand from men and women and across all age ranges. It also shows a need for greater take-up and equality of access to a range of flexible working practices. Despite this, the evidence about how flexible working is best implemented within organisations was previously limited. The CIPD therefore

commissioned Affinity Health at Work to conduct research exploring what works in terms of flexible working arrangements and how best to implement them across sectors and roles.

The research involved ten cross-sector case studies, supplemented with action learning events and diaries and provided rich qualitative data on the state of flexible working in the UK. The aim was to: build the evidence base of what works when implementing flexible working; highlight creative flexible working practices to help break the perception that some areas and roles are off-limits to flexible working; and support organisations by equipping HR professionals and line managers with the knowledge they need around flexible working.

The research findings were used to develop guidance and practical tools to support organisations with implementing flexible working. The data was analysed and distilled to provide guidance about ways to:

• improve and promote uptake of flexible working • successfully implement flexible working • measure and evaluate the impact of flexible working.

This dual-speaker session will provide perspectives from the CIPD, as project client, and Affinity Health at Work, as Occupational Psychology provider.

Collaborating Beyond OP: Bridging evidence and practice Topic: Well-being and Work

Neurodiversity Coaching at Work Nancy Doyle1, Janet Fox2, Stephen Wanless 1Genius Within CIC/Birkbeck, 2Genius Within

In this session I will present my research on the use of coaching as a disability accommodation. I will outline a theoretical framework around which to structure an intervention, based upon Social Cognitive Learning Theory and Goal Setting Theory. I will present the psychological mechanisms of change, including meta-cognition and self-efficacy. I will discuss the results of the studies, which demonstrated significant improvements for coaches who shared equivalence in outcomes, but not in pathways and mechanisms of change. Attending with me will be a coaching client, who is a high-achieving autist, and a coaching professional who is not a psychologist, but who delivers this work in employment settings. We will discuss how the roots of workplace coaching psychology research have translated into practice and the impact this is having on real peoples’ lives.


Transitioning to Work: The Impact of Perceived Employability and Job Resources on Graduate Wellbeing Gerard Ellis, Vicki Elsey Northumbria University The transition to employment can be fundamentally disempowering for university graduates. The Job Demand-Resource (JD-R) model connects employee’s engagement and wellbeing to job demands, job resources and personal resources. Conservation of Resource (COR) theory argues resources may be valued in their own right, assist in obtaining additional resources and develop in union as ‘resource caravans’. Therefore, both personal and job resources may not only impact

employees wellbeing, but also drive each other. In particular, perceived employability may provide a work focused personal resource that can be used to empower university graduates entering the workplace. Moreover, employee’s mental wellbeing has typically been assessed as a work-related outcome, ignoring its existence prior to work and therefore denying its inherently continuous nature. This poster displays the results from Structural Equation Modelling (SEM) on a sample of graduates in their first year of full-time employment. The SEM assessed the relationship of job demands, job resources, perceived employability and prior mental health with work engagement and subsequent wellbeing. Results showed a positive reciprocal relationship between graduates perceived employability and job resources, alongside a direct path from job resources to work engagement. Moreover, job demands, mental health prior to employment and work engagement all directly impacted graduates’ wellbeing. This suggests employers can provide a range of job resources to promote graduates’ wellbeing, as well as accommodating for existing mental health difficulties brought into the workplace. Furthermore, developing perceived employability prior to work may help acquire, perceive or seek out greater job resources when entering the workplace. Ref: Workshop Topic: Career Development

Crafting a Career in Occupational Psychology Vicky Elsey, Northumbria University

This session will share some of the findings of my Professional Doctorate in Occupational Psychology where I looked at the employability, employment and identity of occupational psychology graduates. Alongside some brief findings, I will also run a workshop to get you think about what you want from your career and help you to develop some actions for next steps. Be prepared to think about what matters to you, to get involved and to support your professional colleagues…no matter what stage in your career.

Ref: 3913 Impact Paper Topic: Well-being and Work

Attitudes between Generations in the Workplace Lydia English, University of Leicester/Trans2 Performance

Generations at work is becoming an increasingly popular area of research within occupational psychology. Four generations are now working simultaneously in the workplace, making research into this area more important and impactful than ever. Each generation comes with their own characteristics, work ethic, attitudes and behaviour, which has the potential to cause conflict at work, and therefore produces many challenges for managers and occupational professionals.

*Research is ongoing so official abstract will be submitted once the study is complete.

PhD Forum Careers Topic: Career Development Is there a doctor in the house…? Expert panel to answer all your questions about getting a PhD

Is going down the PhD / Professional Doctorate route for you? Is it worth the financial, emotional and physical investments required? Learn how to get a PhD / Professional Doctorate and possibly as importantly, how to manage not to get one in this interactive discussion. Our panel of keynotes,

experienced Supervisors and Doctoral graduates will be available to answer all of your questions. So whether Doctoral study is something you are considering, (as there are a number of routes, not just one), or have already committed to, don’t miss this interactive and practical outlook from those in the know.


Dealing with work stress: the job demands and job resources of dyslexic employees Fiona Falkingham1, Fiona Falkingham2 1Glyndwr University, 2Birkbeck University of London/Wrexham Glyndwr University Dyslexic employees may be at higher risk of work-related stress and negative outcomes including burnout, poor health and compromised career progression (de Beer, Engels, and van der Klink, 2014; ; Nalavany et al, 2017). The Job Demand Resources (J-DR) model of work-related stress (Demerouti et al, 2001) which has been used to investigate stress across occupational populations. However, it had not previously been applied to examine work-related stress within other demographic groupings such as the dyslexic population. Working from a critical realist perspective, this qualitative aimed to explore the job demands and resources of dyslexic employees. Semi-structured interviews, were conducted with ten dyslexic employees, all of whom were recent graduates from a single higher education institution (HEI), who had regularly accessed support in relation to SpLD/Dyslexia under Disabled Student Allowance arrangements. Interview transcripts were thematically analysed using template analysis (King, 2012).Participants suggested widely levels of inclusivity and organisational awareness of SpLD/dyslexia within workplaces. Major barriers to disclosing SpLD/dyslexia and to accessing effective support were reported by participants with most being reluctant to request Access to Work assessment. Increased job demand was often associated with organisational factors as much as to dyslexic difficulty itself. Contextual and personal resources were reported to be buffered work stress, with personal resources being considered of more value due to limitations of organisational responses. Self-efficacy (Bandura, 1995) found to be a key personal resource buffering job demand. Potential organisational responses are explored.

Key Words: Dyslexia, Job Demands, Job Resources, Work Stress, Skills Transfer


Paid charity work: ‘A wee understanding of life choices’ Maria Falsone, Birkbeck University

In a time when the job market is diversifying, people are increasingly self-managing their careers by tailoring their work around their conscious motivations (Arthur et al., cited in Lee et al., 2011). Charities may not have access to resources that for-profit organisations have (Sun & Fuschi, 2015), and may not be able to match the levels of pay (Almond & Kendall, 2000 cited in McDermott et al., 2013) or career opportunities (Chetkovich, 2003 cited in Piatak, 2016). They might therefore need to work on making more out of what they do have. Building on previous work on employee motivation in non-profit organizations (Public Service Motivation theory) and life career work, this research seeks to explore one research question: “How do paid employees in a charity experience their work

motivation?” This shall be done by using template analysis to organise and analyse the output of a number (fifteen) of interviews with individuals working for a charity in Scotland.

In addition to providing some understanding to charities in relation to employee attraction, effective selection and retention, perhaps this research might also aid potential charity employees in a more realistic and detailed understanding of how the job might fit with their life choices. It might also help universities and careers advisors in their understanding of individual career choices.

[email protected]

Ref: 3845 Standard Paper Topic: Research Design, Analytical Techniques and Practical Applications

Qualitative study of diversity & inclusion in a complex organisation using a multi-disciplinary team Natalie Fisher1, Etlyn Kenny2, Karen Newell1, Mandy Winterton3, Jo Duberley2, Nikki Dunne3, Penny Smith2, Vicki Kallmeier-Hatch1, Sue Sidey4 1QinetiQ, 2University of Birmingham, 3Edinburgh Napier University, 4Dstl

A diverse and inclusive organisation is one that is stronger, healthier, more cohesive and resilient. However, increasing the diversity and inclusivity of a majority white male organisation is a difficult task. Previous attempts by the organisation in question to understand key issues relating to diversity and inclusion (D&I) had been insightful but small scale, mainly quantitative, and focused on segments of the organisation. To address this, the organisation funded a large-scale qualitative study to develop a deeper understanding of how gender and ethnicity, in particular, impacted the day-to-day experiences of employees with a view to capitalising on any benefits or addressing any issues raised.

A multi-disciplinary team interviewed 405 employees over the course of 14 months via face-to-face, telephone or video call interviews. The team used thematic analysis to analyse and interpret the data in the light of the wider context, previous related research and relevant theoretical models.

The size and complexity of the study were unprecedented. The research team are unaware of any other qualitative studies of this scale exploring D&I or any other organisational topic. There was limited guidance in the literature about how to address some of the challenges they faced and as a result the team identified a series of lessons and observations that other researchers can learn from.

The team present this study as an example of the way in which occupational psychology can be at the forefront of a multi-disciplinary approach to understanding a multifaceted issue within a complex organisational setting.


iAmAware: a coproduction evaluation to inform development of a computer-based psychoeducation tool Trisha Forbes1, John Moriarty1, Karen Galway1, Paul Best1, Patricia Gillen2, Paula McFadden2, Heike Schroder1, Mark Tully2 1Queen's University Belfast, 2Ulster University

Background: Online training environments represent an opportunity for a potentially scalable and accessible approach to tackling issues around absenteeism, presenteeism, productivity and mental health (MH) literacy in the workplace. The trade-off may be tailoring this training to specific work environments in a manner that can be achieved through face-to-face training. This project aims to garner front-line input into the design of the iAmAware programme, with a co-production approach involving stakeholders from multiple levels within two participating organisations. iAmAware is a computer-based psychoeducation programme, which introduces participants to signs and symptoms of depression and anxiety, relating these to their particular work-placed context, and signposting them to provisions within their organisation, informing a systemic-level approach to coping mechanisms and stress reduction for employees.

Methods: We follow the MRC framework for complex intervention development, to gather evidence, consult with stakeholders and pilot test the iAmAware training. Focus groups with employees in two contrasting industries help to refine the existing prototype training. Outcome measures of mental health literacy and follow up interviews with participants will provide further insights. Co-production techniques centre around focus group discussions to provide context on the occupational landscape.

Results: We present preliminary findings from the first stage of testing and refinement of iAmAware training, providing systemic insights into workplace culture, training content and expectations about the potential impact of the training. We also discuss how best to integrate the training and awareness into workplace policy and culture.

Conclusions: Findings provide insights into the link between MH support, training, culture and leadership in the workplace.


Development, Implementation, & Evaluation of a Coaching Program to Enable Leaders and Teams Nicole Francavilla, Hannah Murphy, Robert Kovach Cisco

This paper presents a practitioner case study on the development, implementation, evaluation, and ongoing refinement of a coaching program in a global technology company. The practitioners place an emphasis on the use case behind leveraging a strengths-based coaching program to positively impact leader behaviors which in turn positively impacts team performance, productivity, and engagement. They provide detail on the development of the coaching program which entailed identifying, training, and deploying a population of global coaches across their company to coach leaders at all levels. Finally, they describe their current and future practices for coaching program evaluation.

Panel Discussion Topic: Career Development Occupational Psychology: Impact of International Working Dr Ritsa Fotinatos-Ventouratos & The International Working Group

In times of constant organizational change, globalization, as well as economic and political fluctuations, this International Discussion Forum will assess and deliberate the various impacts and challenges of International Working.

Hosted by the International Group of the DOP, the panel of experienced and established Occupational Psychologists will share with the audience their International Experiences, Information and knowledge gained by working abroad. The five member panel will integrate both an academic and practitioners' element to this discussion.


Positive Thinking in organisations: to fake or not to fake? Shafag Garayeva, Birkbeck, University of London

Positive Thinking (PT) is a mysterious concept. Although it features in practitioner literature and HRM consultancy₁,₂ and purported to be important for wellbeing and performance₃, theoretical understanding of it has not kept pace. This qualitative interview study investigated perceptions of PT in UK, US, and Middle East organisations to further our understanding of managers and employees’ conceptualisations and experiences. Alongside a data-driven conceptual framework of PT, the study’s other contribution is that imposing and faking PT may adversely affect wellbeing, self-evaluation, and interactions. The practical implication is that organisational activities should be aimed at developing fertile conditions for PT rather than its blanket promotion.

The paper adds to theory and practical knowledge about PT, which can help occupational psychologists in developing relevant interventions. The paper also challenges the established view of PT as a purely positive phenomenon, reveals the difference in perceptions of it by managers and employees, and brings to light its dark sides affecting wellbeing.


A thematic analysis of the experiences of women participating in returnships in the UK. Lorena Gayoso-Aguado, UEL

The recent arrival of return to work programmes, otherwise known as returnships in the UK, is opening up work engagement opportunities for professional women who had purposely taken a career break in order to raise their families. Women contemplating re-entry to the labour market are presented with both internal and external challenges and returnship programmes are seemingly offering to break down some of these barriers. The theoretical framework which guided this study included phenomenology and thematic analysis. The researcher adopted a relativist epistemological perspective in order to conceptualise the research and understood it from a social constructionism stance. Participant were chosen by purposive sampling: the criteria used were women who had taken an extended career break for family reasons and had already participated in a return to work programme in the UK. Semi-structured interviews with eight women returners were carried out between May and July 2019. In the analysis, four overarching themes were identified which might contribute to the understanding of women returners and returnships. These include: “taking a career break”, “identity issues”, “barriers”, “creating new narratives”. Findings indicate changes in the way in which highly educated women are planning their career. Participants reported a lack of

social understanding, deficient organisational structures and unconscious biases in recruitment processes, all are contributing to self-negative believes and internal blockages. This study has identified that return to work schemes can contribute to the reintegration of women returners and provide employers with committed and talented recruits that they would almost certainly have otherwise overlooked.


Identitying managerial practices related to identity leadership in managers Shalin Gehlot, University of East London

Identity leadership is a fairly new concept gaining rapid recognition for its signification in the field of leadership. With its roots coming from the Social Identity Theory and Social Categorization, Identity leadership is a psychosocial phenomenon that explains leadership through the group dynamics. The following research aims to study the relationship between the identity leadership in managers and their daily work habits. The studies on leadership in the past have majorly focused on the followers’ perspective. This study will be conducted in two parts, phase 1 and phase 2. During phase 1, participants will fill the Identity Inventory Leadership (ILI) to assess their level of identity of leadership. During phase 2, the participants will be interviewed through Skype/Facetime about their managerial habits. The participants will be asked about themselves as leaders through questions regarding their attitudes towards making a change, creating impact and welcoming new members. The participants will be separated into three groups depending on their level of identity in leadership (low/medium/high) determined from ILI scores. After that thematic analysis will be used to analyze the data from the interviews. The differences in the managers’ attitudes and behaviors will be examined in relation to their scores on ILI. The researcher hypothesizes to expect managers who score high on ILI will have more “employee-centered” work habits compared to managers who score low on the ILI. Furthermore this study will add on to the understanding of the identity leaderships in workplace.

Ref: 4034 Invited Symposia Topic: Well-being and Work (S) Mental ill-health care, sickness absence and well-being: What are the challenges and what works? Roxane Gervais, Independent Practitioner

This symposium considers the challenges of managing mental health problems at work and how employees could be better supported. This is a key issue in occupational psychology research and practice, so the session will have broad appeal. The symposium comprises four papers representing different perspectives on understanding and improving wellbeing and managing attendance behaviours at work: from occupational psychology, occupational health psychology, occupational psychiatry and occupational medicine. The need to adopt a systemic approach when developing interventions is emphasised where strategies are implemented and integrated at the primary, secondary and tertiary levels. The importance of increasing mutual understanding between professionals is highlighted to identify best practice in improving mental health at work. Each talk will consider the problem area, discuss ‘what works’ and identify priorities for research and practice. The symposium will conclude with a discussion of key issues on managing mental health and

assisting employees in returning to work. Opportunities for interdisciplinary research and practice are also considered.

Ref: 4029 Part of Symposia Topic: Well-being and Work Roxane Gervais, Independent Practitioner

(1) Supporting return to work after ill health: Essential for high performing organisations

Return to work (RTW) programmes or policies are essential components of any organisation. While work should not cause ill health that results in workers having to step away from the organisation to improve their wellbeing, the reality is that health problems are pervasive in organisations. For example, in Great Britain, ill health statistics for 2017/2018 show that 595,000 workers suffered from work-related stress, depression or anxiety. This figure includes new and long-standing conditions and equates to a prevalence rate of 1,800 per 100,000 workers, with 15.4 million days lost, averaging 25.8 days lost per case. Further, Great Britain’s Health and Safety Executive has estimated that work-related health problems cost £5.2 billion each year, where the costs to employers amounted to £1billion (Health and Safety Executive, no date, a, b; 2018).

Clearly, the extent and wide-ranging costs of employee sickness are a major concern for many organisations. As well as the direct costs to employees and their families and the financial burden of sickness benefits and early retirement, ill health incurs more indirect costs, in terms of, for example, staff substitution/replacement, lost productivity and reduced quality of service. Financial pressures and feelings of obligation to their organisation and fellow workers may encourage presenteeism, where employees continue to work while unwell or return to work from sickness absence before they are fully recovered (Gervais, Weyman, & Williamson, 2008; Kinman, 2019). This practice may lead to negative consequences for organisations, such as reduced productivity, and for individuals, such as impaired health.

Due to the impact of sickness absence, return to work procedures and practices are essential components of the work environment, as they help individuals remain functional while employed. There is evidence that work, especially if it is ‘good quality’ work, helps employees maintain optimum health (Coats & Lehki, 2008); in addition, research has found strong associations between worklessness and poor physical and mental health (Marmot, 2004; Waddell and Burton, 2006). However, the options that are available to assist workers when they return to work may not necessarily accommodate their needs, or help them remain in their previous or adjusted jobs. It is essential therefore that any procedures and practices meet the needs of people who have been absent from work through sickness and need a facilitated return.

This presentation involves a structured literature review that determines the policies, practices and programmes that can effectively support workers in their return to work after periods of sickness absence. The findings indicate that return to work programmes are diverse and encompass different ways to assist workers in finding meaningful and suitable work following injury or illness (Canadian Centre for Occupational Health & Safety 2017). Overall, employers should use an evidence-informed approach in supporting workers’ return. It is important for programmes to be bespoke to the organisation to meet the specific adjustment and rehabilitation needs of workers. While the bespoke process is essential, there are various programmes that are likely to be helpful to organisations, especially for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). Examples include the IGLOO programme, an integrated framework that promotes the use of resources across the organisation (at the individual, the group, the leader and the organisational levels) to support individuals in returning to the workplace (Nielsen, Yarker, Munir, & Bültmann, 2018).

Another programme that is likely to help employees return to work effectively, is an online toolkit that uses six steps, focusing on, for example, improving the communication process between employees and employers and enhancing their knowledge and skills (Kingston University et al., no date). Another option that employers might consider is adjustment latitude (Johansson, Lundberg & Lundberg, 2006); this involves giving workers the opportunity to select the work tasks and determine the pace that can accommodate their health constraints. This approach has been found to improve return to work experiences and may help individuals and organisations arrive at an acceptable solution for all.

Ref: 4030 Part of Symposia Topic: Well-being and Work (2) Sickness presenteeism: causes, consequences and management Gail Kinman, University of Bedfordshire

The overall level of sickness absence in the United Kingdom (UK) has declined since 2003 (ONS, 2016), but this does not mean that the working population is becoming healthier. Large scale surveys show that people are increasingly more likely to work through sickness or return to work before they are fully recovered. An annual survey conducted by the CIPD (2018) reported that around one-third of organisations that participated observed an increase in sickness presenteeism from the previous year. Presenteeism was found to be particularly common in the public sector and in larger organisations. Although working while not fully fit is not necessarily damaging and can aid recovery, evidence for its potentially damaging effects is growing. It is clearly important for organisations to take steps to reduce absenteeism and encourage staff back to work. Nonetheless, increasing awareness of the wide-ranging costs of presenteeism (Garrow, 2016) means that organisations should be aware of the factors that encourage such behaviour and the potential risks to employee wellbeing and productivity. This presentation provides an overview of the prevalence of presenteeism and the contextual and individual difference factors that can underpin it. Also considered is the potential impact of working while sick on the wellbeing of employees themselves and the more indirect effects on others, such as co-workers and service users/patients. Research that has found links between presenteeism and impaired job performance is explored, along with the pathways that might explain these effects. The need for organisations to assess the risks of presenteeism and measure and manage it like other workplace hazards is highlighted along with ways this might be accomplished. Particular focus is placed on the implications of presenteeism for the current and future mental health of employees. The talk draws on research conducted by the author with different groups of employees, many of whom work in safety-critical environments (|such as prison officers, healthcare professionals and academics) to illustrate the contextual, individual and relational causes of presenteeism (Kinman, 2019; Kinman & Wray, 2017; Kinman & Teoh, 2018). The reasons why people work while sick are influenced by occupational and organisational factors (such as job type, role and culture), but personal circumstances (such as financial position and sickness record) and individual attitudes (such as job involvement, commitment and feelings of responsibility) are also important. Stigma, especially in relation to disclosing work-related stress and mental health problems, appears to be a key factor that underpins presenteeism across occupational groups. Multi-level, systemic approaches to managing presenteeism are required in order to develop a ‘healthy’ sickness absence culture. Such initiatives should encompass primary prevention, where risks factors are identified and wherever possible eliminated at source, as well as secondary or individual-level interventions. The role played by occupational psychologists in helping organisations manage presenteeism is considered. Future priorities are outlined, particularly the need to examine

presenteeism in groups that have been little studied, such as among precarious workers, where it is likely to be particularly prevalent and potentially damaging. Ref: 4031 Part of Symposia Topic: Well-being and Work (3) Developing and sustaining psychological resilience at work through peer support Neil Greenberg, King's College London; Royal College of Psychiatrists Exposure to workplace, and non-workplace, stressors can have a detrimental impact on the mental health of staff. This is important as poor mental health is associated with functional impairment and an increased potential for staff to develop mental health disorders. These concerns may, in turn, lead to people ceasing work which can have a knock-on impact on output and staff morale. As discussed in the previous presentation, presenteeism, which appears to be on the increase according to the Chartered Institute for Personnel Development(2018), is an important consideration for all organisations, as reduced productivity is likely to have a detrimental impact on output. Presenteeism is an especially important concern for people working in safety critical roles. There is good evidence that many people find it difficult to seek help from professionals when they experience mental health difficulties(Borschmann et al. 2014). There are numerous barriers to help-seeking including self and public stigma, career fears and practical difficulties in accessing professional support(Jones et al., 2013). Such difficulties mean that the majority of the UK population who experience mental health disorders do not seek any professional support at all(NHS, 2014). This is highly unfortunate as early, effective, treatment of mental health disorders can prevent the loss of employment, relationships and self-esteem. However, there is also very good evidence that social support is generally protective of mental health and unsurprisingly there is a strong link between people feeling able to access social support at work and them reporting good mental health(Jones et al., 2012). One way of enhancing social support at work, as well as providing an effective method of ‘early detection, is through the use of peer support programmes such as TRiM (trauma risk management) and Sustaining Resilience at work (StRaW) which aim to deal with traumatic and non-traumatic stressors respectively. Both programmes are evidence based and used in a number of large organisations across the UK and abroad. This presentation will provide an overview of the scientific rationale for implementing peer support networks as a method for improving psychological resilience and help-seeking within workplaces. It will briefly introduce two evidence-based models of peer support which are currently in use and discuss the evidence which supports the use of such an approach. This evidence is drawn from a wide range of organisations including the military, diplomatic and emergency services. The talk will aim to stimulate discussion as to how occupational psychologists can help organisations develop socially supportive workplaces. Ref: 4032 Part of Symposia Topic: Well-being and Work (4) Transparency and Compassion in Workplace Mental Health John Gration, Representative member of the Mental Health (MH) Special Interest Group of the Society of Occupational Medicine (SOM) Some of the challenges of mental health problems at work and how the related needs of workers can be supported has been explored by previous speakers. This theme will be continued from my

perspective of an experienced occupational physician who has worked in a number of employment sectors, to help encourage you, as occupational psychologists, in our collaborative goal to make the world of work a better and healthier place. The SOM represents many occupational health (OH) professionals (SOM, 2019). This presentation gives personal thoughts and opinions on this broad topic. OH is primarily an advisory and preventive specialty which seeks to nurture health, safety and wellbeing, and thereby reduce health risks that may exist at work as part of the canvas of working life. A national Fit for Work service was trialled in recent years and failed. It aspired to be accessible for all including employees of small and medium enterprises (SMEs) or the self-employed, who usually have no other OH services. The main focus and conduit for UK healthcare is the General Practitioner (GP), whose broad role is in primary health matters such as the assessment, management and referral of patients presenting to them. GP service manageability is reliant on short consultations and the available support of National Health Service (NHS) or NHS affiliated services, and to a much lesser extent, other health services or professionals, including psychologists. Services for mental health include whatever psychiatric and psychological/counselling services may be commissioned and available locally, or other services GPs or their patients may be aware of. Private healthcare services are available, also often via GP referral. The shared understanding, uptake and utilisation of healthcare services is variable. The working well may typically (especially men) access GP services infrequently, sometimes because of how such services are organised. This may be an issue in relation to the challenges of managing presenteeism. In this NHS context, how can we adopt a systemic approach to implementing intervention at the primary, secondary and tertiary levels? In practice, the following approaches by the multi-disciplinary OH team – of which psychologists and occupational psychologists can play an important part – may help to determine what is really affecting the health of people who work (transparency). This can thereby help with compassionate solution-finding to prevent or address MH issues at work, which can have wide ramifications: What predisposed the employee to be absent from work? Confidential discussion with the employee patient helps to determine whether, and if so which, organisational, relational, workplace or external / other factors may have led to illness or related illness behaviour – such as self-certification or GP certification from work. Often the primary causes for absence are not work-related, sometimes even when work is cited and the GP Fit Note states, for example, ‘work-related stress’. As the patient’s advocate the GP will rarely if ever indicate anything remotely critical or questioning about the patient or their alleged concerns. Fit Note completion may be very poorly evidence-based and hearsay from the patient may, for a number of reasons, be written on it. Root cause understanding should be sought by the OH team, who usually have much more time to do this than GPs, to discover what is actually going on in the context of work and health. This usually reveals what may have led to problems and how these might have been prevented, and how recurrence may be averted. Prolonged sickness absence from work very rarely resolves work-related stress perceptions for example, whereas transparency and compassionate collaboration at work can do so. What precipitated the absence from work, or in some cases what facilitated or enabled sickness absence to occur, which might have been avoided? Was it the lack of communications, should the employee have flagged concerns earlier and if so why was that the case, or was there a simple trigger or ‘final straw’ that led the person to absent themselves from work? We know that the best achievable sickness absence levels are typically between one and two per cent, but many organisations’ sickness absence levels are three or more times that figure, which indicates that a

considerable proportion of sickness absence may be behavioural, i.e. some people decide not to attend work and provide self-certification or obtain GP certification accordingly. Good understanding of employees by their employer, which is done through their managers, is key. Such relationships help to maintain good morale and positive workplace psychology and meet ‘psychological contract’ expectations. We all want or need to feel valued. What perpetuates ongoing MH issues at work? Management texts resound with the importance of transparency, communication, focus on solutions and review, and “win-win” approaches that often exemplify what compassion is in practice. People want to contribute to and be respected and valued in their work. Managers who recognise these realities and manage them well can be worth their weight in Valium. The Health and Safety Executive’s Management Standards, and their accompanying stress risk assessments, reflect constructive discussion and record agreed action plans which help to reduce MH risks and enhance wellbeing at work (HSE, 2019): manageable workloads, management support and communication, good quality relationships in the workplace, positive management of change, clarity of role and respect for the employee’s contribution. They are often applied only when problems or stress-related sickness absence arise but can be used more proactively to help prevent work health problems and create more collaborative, transparent and compassionate work relationships and environments. The steps which may have been agreed in HSE’s Management Standards stress risk assessments should be reviewed periodically by the manager with the employee. The employee should be made clearly aware of their responsibilities, for example to flag up early and help to resolve any work-related health or safety concerns – as enshrined in the Health and Safety at Work Act (1974). It is naive to think that, even with the best will and plans in the world, MH problems at work might not recur. Good collaboration in planning, implementing and following up with employees, can all help to lessen the chance that they will. Ref: Workshop Topic: Career Development Writing for OP Matters Robert Goate, Division of Occupational Psychology OP Matters is the quarterly journal for the DOP, going out to 4000 members in either paper or electronic format. It aims to represent the successes, challenges, opinions and actions of the DOP, its members, the BPS and the wider occupational psychology community. If you'd like to find out how to submit work to the journal, and to find out how to get published, come along to the session to meet the editor, Rob Goate.


Gender influence on perceptions of psychosocial risks & efficacy of stress-management interventions Joanne Gray, Birkbeck, University of London

In the UK over half a million people are suffering from work related stress, depression or anxiety, with women having a statistically significantly higher prevalence rate than men (HSE 2017).

Work-related stress may result when the following psychosocial risks are poorly managed: job demands, control, support, relationships, role and change (HSE 2017). To minimize work-related

stress, it is argued that primary interventions that look at the organisation as a source of stress are more effective than secondary and tertiary stress management interventions, which seek to change individual attitudes and behaviours. (Giga et al., 2003).

This cross-sectional qualitative study explores the extent to which gender influences our perceptions of psychosocial risks at work and the efficacy of stress-management interventions. Findings support prior studies suggesting men and women appraise the severity of stressful situations differently (Roxburgh, 1996; Jack & Mitz, 1985), there is also an evident divergence in the perception of risks related to role conflict and relationships; with the former suggesting men may have a higher intolerance of ambiguity (Rosen et al. 2014; Borghans et al, 2009) and the latter indicating that women place a greater emphasis on the interpersonal aspects of their jobs (Busch & Bush, 1978, Gilligan, 1982). With regard to perceptions of efficacy of stress-management interventions, the present study highlights the importance of the primary interventions of flexibility and effective communication to counteract demands created by work intensification and the pace of change, which is felt universally amongst men and women, albeit slightly nuanced.

Ref: 4028 Invited Speaker Topic: Well-being and Work

Managing traumatic stress in the workplace. Neil Greenberg, King’s College London; Royal College of Psychiatrists

Many organisations, such as the emergency services, military and some healthcare or social services providers, routinely expose their employees to traumatic material. Whilst only a minority of employees exposed to such events go on to develop formal mental health difficulties, trauma-exposed organisations have a duty of care to take mitigate the impact of traumatic events on their staff as much as they can reasonably can. The early and effective management of traumatic stress reactions is often complicated by unhelpful and inaccurate media reporting which suggests that distress should be managed by healthcare professionals providing direct care to individuals who have not developed formal mental health disorders. It is thus perhaps understandable that management faced with distressed individuals will assume that the correct intervention is healthcare-focused when in fact the available evidence does not support such views. This presentation will provide an overview of the evidence on this topic from a preventative medicine viewpoint[1]. Specifically, the information presented will look at what the published evidence suggests can be done to prevent workers from being adversely affected by trauma, detecting early on when they have been and treating those who do unfortunately develop a formal mental health disorder in an effective and timely manner[2]. The talk will cover topics such as the impact of managers and colleagues on mental health, stigma and failing to seek help for mental health problems, psychological health screening[3], peer support programmes[4], active monitoring and the short-term management of traumatic stress reactions and evidence-based approaches to treatment[5]. Specific attention will be paid to the recommendations of the 2018 NICE guidelines on the management of PTSD and the UK Psychological Trauma Society guidelines[6]on managing traumatic stress in the workplace. Attendees will leave appraised of the current evidence which will hopefully stimulate discussion and debate on this important topic.


Under-representation of women and minority leaders, over time and with personality John Hackston, Thomas Ticheuer The Myers-Briggs Company

Women make up less than 10% of executive directorships in FTSE100 companies; less than 4% of executive directors in the top 150 FTSE companies describe themselves as black or minority ethnic. This quantitative study used a large dataset (n=1.7 million) of individuals who had completed the US English Form M version of the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) assessment, in order to investigate the relationship between gender, ethnicity, personality and level of seniority. As predicted, female and minority ethnic individuals were under-represented at senior levels, with minority women particularly affected. The proportion of women at senior levels increased from 2004 to 2018, but women were still under-represented in 2018; the trend for minority leaders was less clear, but they too remained under-represented. The MBTI personality preferences of Feeling and of Sensing were also under-represented at senior levels, and this exacerbated the under-representation of female and minority ethnic leaders respectively. The implications of these findings, and how occupational psychologists can promote diversity by using these relationships with personality, are discussed.


How secure are you? Links between personality and cybersecurity attitudes and behaviour John Hackston, The Myers-Briggs Company

Cybersecurity is a major concern of many organizations. IT professionals see the presence of company insiders who maliciously or accidently compromise an organization’s IT network or systems as a threat that many businesses are not well prepared for. While several specialised scales have been developed to examine the human factors influencing security behaviour, these are for the most part research instruments that are not used by organizations. This study used an online survey to investigate the relationship between cybersecurity attitudes and behaviour and the widely used MBTI model of personality type, with the aim of developing personality-based guidelines to help individuals from becoming accidental insiders. The results showed that two-thirds of respondents had experienced phishing or other cyberattacks in the last year, and that most (though not all) appreciated the serious consequences of a data breach. Based in part on previous research, a questionnaire comprising four scales of security-related attitudes and behaviour was developed; this and individual survey items were related to the MBTI model and used as the basis for personality-based cybersecurity guidelines. These, and other findings, will be shared, along with details of the cybersecurity questionnaire. The relevance for occupational psychologists will be discussed, as will the implications for individuals.


Thin blue line: Risk Type Personality Traits in Police Officers, Psychological Capital & Engagement Katerina Hadjipetrou, Northumbria University

This research looks at Police Officer Risk Type personality against their psychological capital (higher order construct made up of hope, efficacy, resilience and optimism- acronym HERO) and work engagement levels. The participant group (N=80-100) are active working police officers throughout the UK. Though personality types are stable throughout the lifetime, psychological capital and work engagement are found through research to be malleable through intervention.

Both these constructs have strong correlational relationship with well-being, stress, anxiety, burnout, absenteeism and depression in the workplace. With research showing they are in fact malleable through practice, significant results at the overall as well as at the HERO sub theme levels (e.g. low resilience), in relation to personality types (e.g. Wary) have the potential to be influential in the development of target-based interventions. Results so far show a larger degree of officers at the low [Emotional:Calm], particularly Wary and Intense. The results so far (N=60) indicate that there is a significant positive correlation between Psychological capital average with the Emotional:Calm scale (.471) and a positive relationship with the Risk Tolerance Index (.309). These results have the potential to be of use within the practical sense, as a large distribution of a particular type can allow for targeted interventions in the interest of police well-being.


Making assessments innovative, digital and future focussed in a candidate driven Indian market. Anneloes Hak, Dr. Anna Koczwara, Victoria Ashworth, Kanwal Kaul, Geetanjali Chhabra Royal Bank of Scotland

When it comes to recruiting in India, it is a candidate driven market, with the demand for talent outstripping the supply of candidates (Times of India, 2019). The main priority of Indian employers in the Financial Services industry is attracting talent by focussing on employer brand, candidate experience and strategic resourcing. This, together with the changing demands of jobs and skills needed, creates a battle for skills and greater focus on attracting and assessing candidates.

This submission explores an example of a large global employer head-quartered in the UK drawing on expertise from Occupational Psychologists and partnering with Talent Acquisition professionals in India to rethink our assessment approach for recruiting Clerical level employees. Our objective was to focus on assessing capabilities (behaviours, skills and abilities) that are important for the future and to transform the assessment experience, making it more user-friendly and relevant for candidates in India. The approach pushes boundaries of current local assessment practices by making them more digital, inclusive, as well as ensuring candidate integrity via on-line proctoring.


Using values fit to guide self-selection decisions Alanna Harrington, Danielle Ashby, Kate Young Cubiks The study investigates a newly created values based assessment for self-selection, and explores the effect of several user design features on the responses of participants. The assessment presents a series of images and phrases to respondents that represent different values in a social media style interface, and asks them to indicate the importance they ascribe to each. The level of congruence between their values and the organisation’s is calculated and presented to them after concluding

the assessment. The study uses a between-subjects experimental design, with 700 participants allocated to one of three conditions, and in each condition the format of the feedback presented on their results varies, as does the image used for three of the values. This study investigates how the results received influence their intention to apply, and whether this is moderated by the format they have received the feedback in. It also explores the impact of varying the images used on their responses, particularly the different effect of images that match or mismatch their gender and/or ethnicity. Data collection is currently ongoing, analyses will be conducted using multiple regression with moderation analysis, and ANOVAs. The study is novel as it is the first to explore the impact of values based assessment results on self-selection decisions. It contributes to the existing research on the outcomes of value congruence, and provides useful evidence about the impact of incorporating design elements intended to increase participant engagement on participant responses.


Lay theories and ageist attitudes towards older workers Shaun Hiu, Anna Rabinovich University of Exeter

The growing presence of older workers (aged 50+ employed full-time) signals the realities of an intergenerational workforce where employees spanning multiple age groups can be expected to work alongside one another. Positive working relationships may be undermined when prejudiced beliefs are held towards members of a different age group. To reach potential solutions to ageism in the workplace, it is important to investigate psychological processes that contribute to their endorsement. We suggest that lay theories of ageing, human attributes, and time represent a set of beliefs linked to workplace ageism (specifically, essentialist beliefs about cognitive ageing, EBCA; fixed/growth mindsets; and lay theory of time, LTT), and that relationships between these and ageism are mediated by stereotypical perceptions of older workers. In a pilot study, we constructed an ageist attitudes towards older workers (AATOW) scale. In the main study, we surveyed 167 younger workers (18-30 years employed full-time), measuring EBCA, mindsets, LTT, older worker stereotypes, and AATOW. A path analysis demonstrated that the full predicted model did not fit the data well. However, a simplified model (excluding LTT and warmth stereotype) demonstrated good fit. The results show that there were significant relationships between EBCA and ageist attitudes, and fixed mindset and ageist attitudes, and these were mediated by perceptions of older workers as less adaptable, but not less competent. The findings are consistent with what is currently known about EBCA and mindsets and offer suggestions for future research on the role of lay theories in ageism.

Ref: 3767 Poster Topic: Psychological Assessment at Work

Deductively measuring Personality: Business-focused Inventory of Personality – 6 Factors (BIP-6F) C. Richard Hossiep1, Nicola Brazil2 1University of Muenster, 2Hogrefe Ltd

The BIP-6F is a 48-item short occupational personality questionnaire that was deductively constructed and that measures personality on six factors: Commitment, Discipline, Social Competence, Cooperation, Dominance and Stability. In the present study, both quantitative and

qualitative evidence was gathered, linking the science behind assessments to the practicality of how occupational psychologists can use personality data in their work.

To establish accuracy quantitatively, drawing from a sample of n = 1,457, Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA), Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) and Exploratory Structural Equation Modelling (ESEM) were performed to confirm the factor structure. All factors were distinct from each other and provided good content fit, and results using the more advanced Exploratory Structural Equation Modelling (ESEM) suggest the fit was very good for a 6-factor model with the previously supposed factors.

Unique to this study was the data collected on ten qualitative outcome variables – ranging from salary and well-being to Organisational Citizenship Behaviour (OCB). Using self-reports from all participants, multiple links with outcome variables could be established with Dominance, Social Competence and Stability being most consistently linked. Following the personality nuances research results based on item level predictions were also analyzed, and the results further highlight the importance of personality nuances in predicting work-related outcomes.

With scientific evidence for both the accuracy and appropriateness of the BIP-6F as an occupational personality measure, the BIP-6F can add value to the work of an occupational psychologist as a shorter option when assessing candidates or employees in both developmental and assessment contexts.


Pursuing organizational impact: A socio-technical approach Helen Hughes1, Matthew Davis1, Mark Robinson1, Alison McKay2 1Leeds University Business School, 2University of Leeds

The pursuit of impactful research is a cornerstone of good academic practice and integral to the professional identities of occupational psychologists. Research approaches that actively seek to create impact increases the likelihood that research outcomes may be used to generate positive change in organisations and society, e.g., by delivering improvements in the management and performance of organisations, together with enhancing the quality and experience of work for employees. This, in turn, makes research relevant, representative, and credible. However, engaging in applied research is challenging, especially when considered alongside other competing academic and institutional pressures. In this paper we consider the challenges, opportunities and research models that can be used to undertake impactful research. We seek to go beyond calls to build bridges between academia and practice and instead offer practical strategies for pursuing applied and impactful research that can benefit multiple stakeholders. We outline different approaches to creating impactful research in occupational psychology, and discuss how each approach can help meet different research goals. We present impact delivery as a socio-technical challenge, and demonstrate this using examples from our collaborations with industry. We reflect upon lessons learned from case studies drawn from specific research projects and use these to illustrate the value of long-term relationships, multi-disciplinarity and systems thinking. We conclude with recommendations for those pursuing research impact while balancing competing research demands and pressures.


An exploration of employee experiences of working in a virtual team environment Afshan Iqbal, University of Leeds

Through the advances in technology and innovation as well as globalisation, the way in which organisations is starting to change. There appears to be a growing trend towards flexible working patterns and more virtual team structures. Shifting towards an 'anytime, anyplace' working culture. This research explored individual experiences of working in a virtual team environment. Understanding how the teams communicate and the types of pressures that may be associated with being able to be contactable at any time. Along with the impact this may have on employee wellbeing. Nine semi-structured interviews took place. These were then transcribed and analysed using Thematic Analysis. The preliminary data analysis suggests the emergence of four key themes: 1) the flexibility enjoyed by employees when not constrained to a 9 to 5 office job for a better work-life balance, 2) The presence of technostress when technology is readily available, creating the need for instance responses at any time. Which, if not managed appropriately, disrupts the work-life balance and employee wellbeing, 3) some potentially darker sides of working remotely, which may cause feelings of isolation and loneliness due to limited social interactions, 4) communication is the key to creating inclusion for team members, in order to make them feel as though they are part of something much more meaningful than working alone. Whilst the findings are still being finalised, at this early stage there appears to be scope for practical applications in managing and supporting virtual workers to achieve a better work-life balance Ref: 3839 Poster Topic: Learning, Training and Development

Investigating the challenges of shyness at work Shelley Jacobs, Colleen Addicott University of Hertfordshire Abstract Summary

Shyness involves, tense, worried and awkward behaviour in social situations as well as discomfort and inhibition with strangers (Zalk et al 2017). Previous research predominantly examines shyness in children and adolescents. This study aims to explore the challenges of shyness at work. A secondary aim is to explore the relationship between shyness, work adaptability and perceptions of career success.

This is a mixed method case study – focussing on employees of a property management company (Michael Laurie Magar Ltd) and gaining comparison questionnaire data from a broader group (obtained via social media).

Questionnaires were distributed, combining 3 existing questionnaires: Revised Cheek-Buss Shyness Scale, (Cheek, 1983); Career Adapt-Abilities Scale (Savickas & Porfeli, 2012); and Subjective Career Success Inventory (Shockley et al, 2015).

Semi structured interviews were also conducted exploring challenges of shyness at work, career adaptability and perceptions of career success.

The questionnaire data will be interrogated and relationships between Shyness, work adaptability and perceptions of career success explored. Comparisons will be made with age, gender and how long they have worked in their current role. Content analysis of the interviews will be conducted to

identify themes that describe the challenges of shyness, work adaptability and perceptions of career success.

In our evolving world of work where collaboration, communication and interpersonal skills are regarded as prerequisites for most jobs, a greater awareness and understanding of the impact of shyness at work is required for coaching and personal development.


The effect of visual distractions and workload on physiological stress levels Nikita Jain, University of Leeds

The impact of visual distractions, particularly movement distractions, has largely been neglected in current literature. The impact such distractions have on both stress and performance is unknown. Understanding the impact of these distractions is crucial to ensure organisations understand how to design their work environment based on the types of tasks employees carry out. If employees are often presented with tasks of high workload, they may feel perceptually overstimulated and hence feel increasingly stressed and have lower performance. This study will provide insight into the effect of the work environment and the importance of an organisation to manage this effectively to both improve performance and reduce stress.

Ref: 4085 Poster Topic: Learning, Training and Development

An RCT to understand the elements of successful mental health training for managers Bridget Juniper1, Michelle O'Sullivan2 1Work and Well-Being Ltd, 2Rail Safety and Standards Board

This randomised controlled trial evaluated mental health training for line managers in the rail sector. The study tested the effectiveness of face-to-face and e-learning formats.

Providing the right training for line managers is vital in helping them understand, manage and promote mental health and wellbeing at work. It equips them with more confidence in managing absence from work resulting from poor mental health and in managing subsequent risks associated with stress at work.

Commissioned by the Rail Safety and Standards Board, this study was the first of its kind to examine the effects on line managers specifically.

The study indicated that five topics which should be included in mental health training for line managers; Core (Awareness of/knowledge about mental health), Communication skills, Line Manager Role, Supporting mental wellbeing through managing workplace risks and Managing Absence/Return to Work.

Results showed both training formats were equal in effectiveness after a six week follow-up period. Analyses indicated four distinct factors associated with mental health training. The training delivered during the trial led to statistically significant sustained changes in two factors; participants’ knowledge about mental health and in their preparedness to take action on mental health issues. Learning relating to the remaining two factors, (confidence to talk about mental health and attitudes/misconceptions) was not sustained at follow-up.

The findings contribute to the growing debate about how best to support employee mental health. RSSB has commissioned a further study to investigate mental health refresher training and how best to embed learning amongst line managers.

Ref: 3819 Symposia Topic: Well-being and Work

(S) The Race Pay Gap: The Role of Occupational Psychologists

Binna Kandola, Pearn Kandola LLP

The race pay gap is receiving more attention from politicians and the media. Whilst much of the research into race and pay has been carried out by economists and sociologists, this symposium explores the contribution that occupational psychologists can make and the impact that they can have. The papers take a historical perspective first of all and then go into greater depth, examining first the minorities working in temporary employment and the career development experiences of African and Caribbean professionals. The final paper looks at what can be learned from the gender pay audits and how psychologists can apply these to race pay reviews.


(1) The Race Pay Gap:The Role of Occupational Psychologists. An Overview Binna Kandola, Pearn Kandola LLP

In 2018, the gender pay gap took up a lot of column inches. Whether it be large businesses having to publicly declare their pay discrepancies, or well-known figures like Jodie Whittaker confirming that she'll receive the same pay for her role as Doctor Who as her male predecessors, the pressure has been rising and change seems to have begun.

But gender is not the only cause of pay discrepancy; there's another pay gap just as damaging that hasn't received anywhere near as much media attention. That is, until the then Prime Minister, Theresa May, announced that businesses may have to reveal their race pay gap, in the same way that they did their gender pay gap.

There's a long history of BAME (black, Asian and minority ethnic) people being paid less than their white colleagues. Analyses of pay by race have been carried out in many countries, and the similarity of the results is striking. Generally speaking, in every walk of life, in every craft and profession, minorities are consistently paid less than white people.


(2) Lessons from the Gender Pay Gap in Tackling the Ethnicity Pay Gap Nic Hammarling, Pearn Kandola LLP

With just 3% of organisations in the UK currently publishing their ethnicity pay gap on a voluntary basis, only estimates are available at this stage of the UK's ethnicity pay gap. Most consistent estimates put it in the region of 17% (Henehan Helena Rose, 2018); however this headline figure hides significant variations between different ethnicity minority groups. An audit of public-sector pay in London carried out for the mayor, Sadiq Khan, for example found that ethnic minority employees are paid up to 37% less on average, with particularly stark differences being found in the

police force. The audit also highlighted that while the overall mean pay gap is 17.4%, this figure rises to 24.6% for employees from Black and Black British employees (Ethnicity Pay Gap Reporting, 2019).


(3) Race-related experiences of African & Caribbean professionals in the workplace Ryan Lewis, Pearn Kandola LLP

Given the challenges of ethnic and race identity issues faced by black professionals within the UK (Atewologun, Doyin, Singh & Val, 2010), exploration into its implications would help to gain deeper insight regarding the negative effects upon individuals who strive to be effective members within organisations. Mcgregor-Smith (2017) stated that if BME individuals were immediately fully represented across British workforces to the same degree as their white counterparts, it is estimated that GDP would be 1.3% higher – equivalent to approximately £24bn per year. It is important that organisations make the most of their available talent as it is a benefit which should not be underestimated. It has been acknowledged that there has been a dramatic shift in attitudes towards race, but suggests that prejudice has mutated and bias is still very prevalent but more subtle. Given the challenges of ethnic and race identity issues faced by black professionals, exploration into its implications would help to gain deeper insight regarding the negative effects upon individuals who strive to be effective members within organisations and the impact this can have on their careers.


(4) Don't be racist towards the temp: Ethnicity difference in temporary employment David Biggs, Advanced People Strategies Ltd

Whilst temporary working has had many legal changes over the last ten years protecting workers, it may not be the most favourable form of employment for many people (Biggs & Toms, 2015). Indeed, some have suggested that it is often the vulnerable in our society that have to work in these types of roles (Toms, 2012). This in turn may be why ethnic minorities dominate this type of role in the secondary labour market (Kandola, 2018). And this is what we aim to investigate in this paper.


(S) The Practice of Science in Candidate Assessment: Examples from high-profile recruiters Martin Kavanagh, Saville Assessment

We will explore how some of the largest recruiters in the UK are:

• Using evidence available to them to design effective assessment processes.

• Using robust approaches to demonstrate the effectiveness of their design.

The symposium will meet the following objectives:

• Encourage attendees to critically reflect on their own practice and consider which selection methods are the most scientifically robust.

• Provide attendees with a framework for how to work with clients in the contracting stage to identify what they are looking to achieve - and ensure these objectives are met.

• Share best practice examples of how recruiters are demonstrating the benefits of their assessment process in terms of five key measures of assessment effectiveness.

• Share a case study from a major UK retailer demonstrating how considering what you want to achieve, and how you will scientifically assess effectiveness, can result in evidence-based decisions on selection methods.


(1) The Practice of Science in Candidate Assessment: Are our choices informed by science? Lisa Waugh, Martin Kavanagh, Rab MacIver Saville Assessment

In this paper we explore the use of evidence-based practice in selection methods in the area of Psychological Assessment at Work. We share research we have conducted exploring whether the proportionate spend of organisations’ resourcing budgets reflect the available evidence. We demonstrate how organisations and practitioners can use a pragmatic method of measuring return on investment of a typical assessment process and bring in latest insights into candidate engagement.

We provide an overview of the most recent peer-reviewed literature on selection methods including the latest research on the validity of the different, most commonly applied, selection methods (and whether organisation’s spending a proportionately higher amount of their budget on the most valid assessments). We use this research to lead a discussion on implications for assessment practitioners.


(2) Positive & negative prediction:a criterion-related validity study with a Global IT company Matthew Cauldwell, Hannah Mullaney Saville Assessment

In this paper, we present a sales criterion-related validity study we undertook with a Global IT Services and Technology company. We share our reflections on the study, including the challenges of “Hard” performance data that wasn’t fit for purpose, our alternative solution to measure overall sales performance and how we worked with the client to understand both the positive and negative correlations resulting from our analysis.

As well as presenting the results of the criterion-related validity analysis, we will be posing some broader questions. Throughout the presentation, we will be reflecting on our duty as assessment practitioners to help our clients understand such data and how it can be used strategically to inform talent practices. Building on this point, we will discuss the practical implications of this criterion-related validity data.


(3) Introducing a candidate selection method in an evidence-based way: An example from a UK retailer Tammy Ross1, Martin Kavanagh2 1Sainsbury's, 2Saville Assessment

For one of the largest retailers in the UK, it is vital that a positive impression is given to the hundreds of thousands of applicants applying for jobs every year. This is particularly important in retail as research shows a poor recruitment process can have a direct negative impact on revenue. In this paper we share the evidence-based approach taken to introducing a new assessment into one retailer’s selection process. By setting out clearly what they were looking to achieve at the outset, and using this information to guide the assessment design, the organisation can be confident that the assessment they have introduced will achieve a positive return on investment. This paper presents the approach taken and the benefits it will have in improving assessment practices in this organisation. It provides a framework for demonstrating the success of the implementation of new selection methods.


Prison officers’ experiences of aggression and quality of sleep: the importance of switching off Gail Kinman, Andrew James Clements University of Bedfordshire

The incidence of serious attacks on prison staff by inmates is rising rapidly in the UK and is a powerful source of strain. This presentation examines the type of aggressive incidents experienced by UK prison officers and considers relationships between experiences of violence and aggression and the quality of their sleep. The role played by affective rumination and detachment from work concerns is also considered. Data obtained from 1,514 prison officers were analysed and extracts from interviews are also be included. Overall experiences of violence and aggression were strongly related to poor sleep quality. Seven out of ten respondents reported that they had been assaulted by a prisoner at some stage in their career and more than half of these (55%) had experienced assault during the previous four years. Officers who reported higher levels of affective rumination and less detachment between their work and personal life tended to experience better sleep. Evidence was found that detachment and affective rumination mediated the associations between both aspects of work demand (workload demands and experiences of violence and aggression) and sleep quality. Interventions that have the potential to help prison officers 'switch off' from work worries and concerns will be considered.


The Thinking, Intentions and Traits Behind Behaviours that Affect Safety at Work Emily Kitson, University of Surrey

The antecedents of safety behaviours have been under scrutiny in research for many years, which has provided guidance to practitioners in creating safer work environments and protecting people’s health. There appears to be a subtle divide between researchers in this field, where some conceptualise safety behaviours as an outcome of conscious decision-making to fulfil intentions, such as deliberate harmful violations or conscious promotions of safety. Others conceptualise the phenomena with subconscious processes and accidental behaviours, such as cognitive failure, slips and lapses. This present paper reviews the literature and proposes a model that serves the need of resolving this divide, which provides comprehensive explanations of safety behaviours, accidents and injuries. It encompasses both subconscious and conscious decision-making processes, as well as personality traits and intentions behind behaviours. Further research, that theorises using this model, will be conducted to examine these claims, including a meta-analysis and an empirical study on trait dynamics and safety. The model has the potential to be utilised by practitioners to help diagnose the reasons behind unsafe behaviours in certain work contexts, so appropriate corrective action can be taken. It also may help guide assessment and selection strategies of safety critical roles.


“To boldly go where no psychologist has gone before”- Examining test impact on Deaf BSL users Jenny Koehring, Danny Hinton University of Wolverhampton

This paper discusses test impact on Deaf sign language users. To date, no research has been carried out on this participant group in terms of ability testing in occupational settings. As a cultural and linguistic minority, Deaf people face communicative barriers in most areas of everyday life. Employment is no exception. In many cases, English is their second language and modality, causing issues for practitioners in how psychometric measures are used fairly for members of this group.

The study tested a hearing and a Deaf group of participants for their verbal, numerical and abstract reasoning abilities with the aim to discover differences in test results. Of the 62 participants tested in the three measures, 31 were Deaf and 31 hearing. Raw scores were analysed conducting independent sample t-tests. A significant difference was noted in the verbal reasoning test for Deaf (M=9.84, SD = 4.65) and hearing (M=15.97, SD=3.74; t(60)=5.72; p <0.001). A large effect was detected (mean difference 6.13, 95% CI: 3.99 to 8.27; Cohen’s d = 1.45). No significant differences were noted for numerical and abstract reasoning measures.

Some of the issues elicited from this pilot study will be highlighted and critically evaluated to encourage a discussion on how any potential test impact on this minority group might be addressed. A brief introduction will be given by a Deaf employee of RAD (Royal Association of the Deaf), who has been assisting in sourcing Deaf participants. They will point out the importance of this research for the Deaf community and their chances of employment as well as offering some insight into personal participant experiences. A British Sign Language interpreter will be present.

Ref: 3866 Standard Paper Topic: Well-being and Work Evaluation of an Intervention to Promote Health and Wellbeing in Small and Medium Sized Enterprises

Laura Kudrna1, Lailah Alidu1, Thrive at Work Collaobration (authorship in no particular order) - Yasmin Akram, Lena Al-Khudairy, Karla Hemming, Joanna Hofman, Laura Kudrna, Richard Lilford, Madeline Nightingale, Rob Prideaux, Sean Russell, Alex Sutherland, Ivo Vlaev, Christian Van Stolk, Samuel Watson2

1University of Warwick, 2West Midlands Combined Authority, RAND Europe, University of Birmingham

Good employee health and wellbeing is of key importance to employers and the economy. The workplace can serve as a setting for health and wellbeing promotion. Financial incentives for workplaces may enhance extrinsic forms of motivation and encourage employers to invest in employee health and wellbeing. Alternatively, financial incentives could undermine employers' intrinsic motivation and thus ‘crowd out’ action on employee health and wellbeing. The aim of this research is to evaluate the effectiveness of health and wellbeing financial incentives offered to small medium enterprises (SMEs) in the West Midlands, UK. A cluster randomised controlled trial with 152 SMEs was designed to evaluate the effectiveness of a workplace health and wellbeing initiative with or without monetary incentives. We evaluate the effectiveness of varying levels of a financial incentive using a mixed methods evaluation approach. The issue of measurement reactivity is accounted for with a double control group that receives no research until the end of the trial. SMEs were randomly assigned to four groups: 100% of an incentive (intervention 1), 50% of an incentive (intervention 2), no incentive (control 1), and no incentive with no research until the end of the trial (control 2). This research will contribute to understanding the impact of organisational-level financial incentives on employers’ extrinsic and intrinsic motivation to improve employee health and wellbeing. It will help to establish whether small-medium enterprises improve their health and wellbeing offer and achieve higher employee awareness and participation in the offer in response to a monetary wellbeing incentive.


(S) Personality Assessment Science & Practice: Mapping Measures to the Periodic Table of Personality Rainer Kurz, Cubiks

This symposium maps personality questionnaire scales to the Periodic Table of Personality (Woods & Anderson, 2016) using the Trait Descriptive Adjectives (TDA) measure of Goldberg (1992). PCA with Varimax rotation on results for N=1213 professionals and managers were used to create orthogonal regression-based factor scores. The mean age of this group was 46.06 (SD 12.86). 63% of the group identified as Female.

The first two papers are based on a co-validation sub-group (N=128) that completed PAPI 3 SL, HPI, HDS and MVPI questionnaires in addition to TDA.

The first paper is concerned with the construct validation of a Big 5 + Achieving research model operationalised through 30 PAPI scales.

The second paper is concerned with the construct validation of the scales of the Hogan questionnaires.

The third paper maps 10 Lumina Spark Aspects representing both poles of each Big 5 factor and 40 sub-ordinated Qualities with adaptive and maladaptive sub-scores.


(1) Locating Scales of a Multi-level ‘Big 5 + Achieving’ Measure on the Periodic Table of Personality Rainer Kurz, Cubiks The first paper is concerned with the construct validation of a Big 5 + Achieving research model operationalised through 30 PAPI scales with TDA scores (N=128) following the methodology of Woods & Anderson (2016). Scores for 20 PAPI dimensions and 10 Facets were aggregated into six factor scores using integer weights based on a prior large-scale validation study. Factors were paired up into Engaging, Enterprising and Excelling clusters which in turn were aggregated into a Performing Total score. TDA correlations largely were as expected determining construct locations on the Periodic Table of Personality. The model resolves the conundrum that Achieving constructs are variously located within Conscientiousness or Extraversion domains, or even at the opposite end of Agreeableness. The three-cluster model builds on the Three Effectiveness Factors (Kurz, Saville & MacIver, 2009) which in turn were inspired by the Alpha and Beta factors of Digman (1997). The results show strong overlap between the Performing Total based on PAPI and the sum of the TDA factors representing the General Factor of Personality (Musek, 2007). The results provide confirmation for the validity and value of multi-level measurement of personality variables.


(2) Mapping Hogan Bright Side, Dark Side and Inside Scales to the Periodic Table of Personality Melanie Groenewald, Rainer Kurz Cubiks

This paper is concerned with the construct validation of Hgan HPI, HDS and MVPI scale constructs with TDA scores (N=128) following the methodology of Woods & Anderson (2016). Scores for all scales as well as summary scores within and across instrument were mapped to the Periodic Table of Personality.

HPI results closely concur with the relevant TDA Big 5 scores although Learning Approach was largely independent.

HDS scores correlated negatively with Extraversion and Emotional Stability for Moving Away scales, positively with Extraversion and Openness for Moving Against scale and positively with Conscientiousness and Agreeableness for Moving Towards scales.

MVPI scales were less strongly correlated with TDA Big 5 scores but generally followed a pattern compatible with the research of Schwartz (1992) on universal values.

The results shed further light on the nature of bright side, dark side and inside measures by mapping them onto the Periodic Table of Personality.


(3) Mapping Lumina Spark to the Periodic Table of Personality Stewart Desson, Jonathan Cannon Lumina Learning

This paper is concerned with the construct validation of Lumina Spark scale constructs with TDA scores (N=128) following the methodology of Woods & Anderson (2016). Scores for 10 Aspects covering the opposing poles of each Big 5 factor and 40 qualities were correlated with orthogonal TDA scores following Woods & Anderson (2016). Most correlations are in line with expectations although a few deviate somewhat e.g. there is more overlap than expected between in that Conscientiousness (convergent thinking) and Openness (divergent thinking) attract opposing constructs rather than showing independence. Introverted and Discipline Driven are ‘factor-pure’ aspects whereas Observing Intimate. Collaborative Regard for Others, Focuses Feelings Resilient and Responsive achieve this status at Qualities level.

Maladaptive sub-scales generally follow the correlation pattern of adaptive sub-scales but vary considerably in their correlation with Emotional Stability.

For the most part, Aspects and Qualities were found to correlate as expected, and thus shows the robust convergent validity between Lumina Spark and the TDA. Furthermore, by conceptualising opposite sectors of the circumplex model as discrete dimensions, we were able to show that these sectors are not necessarily direct opposites of each other, with one being the low form of its opposite, but instead discrete Aspects and Qualities can be mapped to these sectors.

Topic: Learning, Training and Development

Psychological Ethics and Organisational Politics Richard Kwiatkowski, Cranfield

Psychological Ethics

How could you get struck off? Are you an ethical psychologist? When was the last time that you conducted a self- audit? What role does social media play in your professional conduct? What happens if someone complains about you? These questions and many more will be addressed by Richard in an informative and interactive way, in an attempt to raise awareness around these issues based on the needs of the participants in the room and our profession. This will be a collaborative session and not a 'heavy' and dull exposition of ethical theory (Richard wouldn't go to that himself). Richard is the longest serving member of the BPS Ethics Committee, currently represents the DOP and is a former Chair

Organisational Politics

Richard Kwiatkowski has been researching Organizational Politics for more than 20 years, using insights gained from his work at the House of Commons (since 1997; ongoing) to work with a variety of organisations ranging from bankers to soldiers, and shippers to board aspirants . In this session we will consider how politics in organizations can be conceptualised, how it can be considered a skill to be applied ethically, how you can use organizational political insights within your organization, and how consultants can become more aware of politics in organisations. The session will be interactive.


The beliefs and attitudes of serving Irish Defence Forces personnel towards a resilience briefing John Lalor, Self

Background: Researchers commonly find “no evidence that resilience-based training had any specific benefit to the health and well-being of UK military recruits” (Jones et al., 2018, pp. 1). Given the importance of resilience in the armed forces, the continuing lack of evidence for such interventions is troubling.

Aims: The quantitative literature investigating the effectiveness of resilience briefings in military populations is sizeable. Qualitative research investigating such briefings is substantially smaller by comparison. A gap therefore exists in thorough qualitative explorations of personnel’s attitudes about and experiences of such briefings.

Method: Semi-structured interviews were conducted with enlisted soldiers within the Irish Defence Forces (DF), focusing on the areas of their perceptions of the effectiveness of the resilience briefings, their perceived impact of the soldiers’ wellbeing, and the soldiers’ perceptions about the wider organisation and its leadership, as the provider of such briefings. Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis was used to analyse the text from interview transcripts. Six superordinate themes were derived from the data, with their respective subordinate themes.

Conclusions: This research adds to the literature by investigating personnel’s perceptions of the resilience briefings they receive, in their preparation for both military deployment, and for recommencement of civilian life. Such information will facilitate the development future resilience briefings. Further, the responses by participants to these resilience briefings are taken into account within the wider context of the DF as an organisation. This will enable us to combine the clinical/health psychology aspects of the briefings with the practical, occupational psychology context of the organisation.


How to Develop Growth Mindset Attitudes and Behaviours to Improve Organisational Performance Emma Lee1, Linda Morison2 1Matthew Syed Consulting, 2University of Surrey, School of Psychology

People with growth mindsets tend to believe it’s possible to learn and improve their skills and abilities through effort and practice. In contrast, those with fixed mindsets tend to believe that people are born with natural talent or intelligence and it isn’t really possible to change these. These attitudes and beliefs can lead to remarkable differences in behaviours and performance across different domains. The theory of growth mindset has been explored extensively in the domain of education, but far less in the domain of work. There is initial evidence that suggests growth mindset can lead to positive organisational outcomes, such as greater employee commitment, collaboration, innovation and stronger financial performance. This paper describes a model and measurement of growth mindset attitudes and behaviours that can be applied in a work context. It also discusses practical approaches, supported with case studies, that can be applied in organisations to help develop growth mindset attitudes and behaviours to support improved organisational outcomes.


Enhancing Career via Professional Doctorate Rachel Lewis, Affinity Health at Work/Birkbeck, University of London

We often see the answer to career advancement and enhancement in moving up the career ladder. Have you considered the role of professional development in enhancing your career? Rachel will talk through examples of how continuing professional development (such as chartership and professional doctorate) can provide new perspectives and insights on your career, cause you to work in a different, more challenging way, and open up new directions in your role that you wouldn’t have considered otherwise.

Collaborating Beyond OP: Bridging evidence and practice Topic: Well-Being and Work

Keeping business travellers healthy, happy & engaged: At home and away Rachel Lewis1, Dr Rodrigo Rodriguez-Fernandez2 1Affinity Health at Work/Birbeck University, 2International SOS

Contrary to predictions evidence has shown that over 75% of organisations (data from the Economic Intelligence Unit, 2013) have seen business travel levels either remain the same or increase in the last three years. Despite international business travel being seen as essential for individual and organisational growth, there is evidence it can be deleterious to health; however the majority of research has focused on physical health risk. This research aimed to be the first to explore the organisational, social and individual factors that both support and hinder psychological health of international business travellers (IBTs). Following the evidence based practice model (Briner et al (2009)) a three phase approach was taken in order to gather evidence from four sources: 1) a systematic review of both academic and practitioner literature, 2) interviews with key experts; and 3) a large survey of IBTs. The findings from the two initial stages were used to create a model which was then used to create the Stage Three survey.

Overall, the results indicate that international business travel is associated with a range of negative outcomes (together with some positives) and that there are a number of clear factors to which this can be attributed. Many of these are factors that need to be addressed at the organisational level; some by the IBT’s manager, and some that IBTs can address for themselves, with support from their manager, colleagues, family and friends. A toolkit of materials for IBTs, their managers and their organisations was produced along with recommendations at each level. The presentation will describe the both the implications and impact of this research, and the next phase of research currently being undertaken.


(S) Creating fairer and more accessible assessment content Alex Livesey, SHL

Assessment providers are working to develop content that is increasingly accessible and fair. In this symposium, we present our perspectives on creating more accessible content for a global population and to show the potential of occupational psychologists to contribute to a more inclusive world of work. In our first paper, we explore how mobile-first assessment design can propel access to a

broader applicant pool. Our second paper reflects on the current experience of participants with ASDs in recruitment and discusses the considerations that go into designing content and creating processes that increase accessibility to them. Our third paper investigates the process of creating culturally unbiased content, using our recent development of a bank of Situational Judgement Tests (SJTs) as an example, and thus developing assessments which are truly global in nature.


(1) Mobile-first assessment design: encouraging diversity whilst retaining scientific rigour Gerianne de Klerk - van Someren, Darrin Grelle SHL

Organizations consistently strive to reach as many applicants as possible to enable improved workforce diversity and to ensure they are not missing out on top-talent. Designing psychometric assessments for use on any device type, with a focus on mobiles, would result in increased accessibility and market penetration. It stimulates fairness in the application process due to equal access and opportunities for all.

This paper, as part of the symposium on ‘Creating fairer and more accessible assessment content’, outlines the development principles of mobile-first, responsive web-designs of cognitive ability. We sought to create a set of device-equivalent mobile-first cognitive tests that were not a game, yet also looked nothing like a traditional cognitive assessment. These assessments present candidates with an engaging and fun, but appropriately challenging, experience that also provides candidates with the best opportunity to showcase their skills in serious, business-relevant ways.

By using mobile-first responsive web design, assessments can be deployed on any device type, propelling access to a broader applicant pool. Groups who are considered minority groups or who have a lower chance of finding employment opportunities are more reliant on using mobile devices to access the internet. By enabling fair and equivalent pre-employment testing opportunities on mobile devices, the chances improve to not only obtain a wider pool of applicants but also finding successful applicants that would improve greater diversity and equal opportunities in the workforce.


(2) Autism and Recruitment: Considerations for Assessment Providers Rachel Owens, Noma Khabo, Alex Livesey SHL

Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) affect close to 700,000 individuals in the UK, and most commonly impacts on the way people use social communication to interact with the world. Evidence indicates that few adults with ASD are in fulltime work, despite the many strengths they may bring to a role. This paper reflects on the current state of employment and recruitment for individuals with ASD in the UK. It raises several questions and ideas for where occupational psychologists could lead the way; from developing psychometric assessment measures that reduce potential discrimination for candidates with ASD, to developing best practice models of recruitment of people with neurodiversity more broadly.


(3) A Culture-First Approach to Global Talent and Assessment Practice Samantha Lonigro, Fei Liu, Avril Peryer, Ellie Mullins SHL

“Opportunities are getting bigger as the world is getting smaller”. In this recent tweet, Richard Branson summed up the change that has taken place within organisations over the past two decades with regards to their talent pool. Increased global mobility and technological advancement mean that recruitment programmes are becoming progressively international and multicultural, posing challenges to the development of talent assessments. Test publishers need to develop methods of guaranteeing fairness and comparability of scores across cultures, languages and nationalities. This is not simple, since culture plays a significant role in human behaviour. Culture can be defined as the internalisation of a system of values, beliefs and attitudes that is unique to the social group that the individual belongs to. It is, therefore, an area that requires detailed consideration in the development of any assessment that seeks to determine a person’s preferred way of behaving. This session will explore methods to overcome this hurdle from a practitioner’s perspective. We will examine the content considerations required to ensure that source items are culturally relevant and bias-free, the localisation process required to ensure that translated assessments are linguistically and psychometrically equivalent, and the practicalities of achieving a high standard of translated assessment quality in a time and cost efficient manner. Using the case study of a situational judgement item bank designed with a culture-first approach, we will showcase the process for creating a product that is truly international and can be used to fairly and reliably assess global talent without cultural discrimination.

Ref: 3960 Symposia Topic: Well-being and Work

(S) Applications of Occupational Health Psychology to UK Policing Laura Longstaff, Vicki Elsey Northumbria University

This symposium will consist of four pieces of research carried out with several police forces throughout England and Wales, providing an overview of how Occupational Health Psychology can influence and be applied to UK Policing. The aim will be to reflect the conference theme of The Practice of Science: Occupational Psychologists at Work, showcasing how the application of a scientific approach can increase understanding and improve the working lives of UK Police officers. The symposium will present research on the following topics: (1) Profile of English police officers’ perceptions of their line manager’s competencies on the UK Health and Safety Executive’s Stress Management Competency Framework and associated questionnaire, the Stress Management Competency Indicator Tool (SMCIT); (2) Police leavers attitudes to re-joining the police service; (3) A randomized controlled trial of two online mindfulness resources across five forces in England and Wales and (4) Aspirations and expectations of White and BME Female Police Officers’ Career Progression.


(1) HSE Line Manager Stress Management Competency Framework in English Policing Jonathan Houdmont1, Liza Jachens2, Raymond Randall3, Jim Colwell4, Steve Gardner5 1University of Nottingham, 2Webster University, 3University of Sheffield, 4Devon and Cornwall Police, 5Devon and Cornwall Police Federation

Background: The UK Health and Safety Executive’s Stress Management Competency Framework and associated questionnaire, the Stress Management Competency Indicator Tool (SMCIT), address line managers’ behaviours across four competency areas known to manage stress in others. Application in policing remains unexplored.

Aims: This study profiled English police officers’ perceptions of their line manager’s competencies on the Framework areas. The odds of experiencing poor mental wellbeing and work attitudes associated with having a line manager with a development need on each competency area were tested.

Methods: Two hundred and sixty three police officers completed a survey comprising the SMCIT and measures of psychological distress, resilience, and work engagement. Bivariate correlations were calculated to identify patterns of relationships between variables. Binary logistic regression analyses tested the odds of psychological distress caseness, low resilience, and low work engagement being associated with officers’ perception of their line manager having a development need on the SMCIT criteria.

Results: Approximately half the participants reported their line manager had a development need on the Managing and Communicating Current and Future Work, Managing the Individual within the Team, and Reasoning and Managing Difficult Situations competencies, and one quarter on the Respectful and Responsible competency. Officers’ rating of their line manager having a development need on the four competency areas was associated variously with up to fourfold elevated odds of each undesirable state.

Conclusions: The Framework competency areas are relevant to English policing and offer a basis for stress reduction interventions targeted at line managers’ behaviours.


(2) Bobby come back: Police leavers’ attitudes to re-joining the police service Natalie Wellington, Nicola Chandler, Fran Boag-Munroe Police Federation of England and Wales

In 2019 there were around 20,000 fewer police officers in England and Wales than a decade ago. One approach taken by police forces to help redress the reduction in police workforce capacity is to encourage officers who have left the police service to re-join. In this paper we consider re-entry into the police service from the perspective of officers themselves by investigating police leavers’ attitudes towards re-joining the police. Using a sample of 1,022 leavers (81% retirees, with an average age of 52, and 15% resigners, with an average age of 41), we found that 91% intended to stay active in the labour market after leaving, although only 35% of these respondents would consider re-joining the police. The survey also showed that improvements to wellbeing and job demands were amongst the factors most likely to make respondents reconsider their decision to leave, and thus arguably are the factors that should be addressed by forces to encourage former officers to re-join. Notably we found no significant differences between retirees and resigners in

attitudes towards re-joining. We did however identify different preferences regarding how they would choose to return, suggesting a “one size fits all” approach to re-joining may not be appropriate. We also found that there were significantly more factors that would have made resigners reconsider their decision to leave in the first place, indicating the potential value in focussing on retention strategies as well as re-entry strategies to ensure sufficient capacity within the police workforce in future.


(3) Mindfulness in policing: A randomized controlled trial of two online mindfulness resources Helen Fitzhugh1, George Michaelides2, Sara Connolly2, Kevin Daniels2 1College of Policing, 2University of East Anglia The wellbeing of police officers and staff has received increased attention over the past five years, alongside growing interest in wellbeing in society as a whole. Surveys by Mind and the Police Federation suggested that many in the police workforce experience stress, low mood, anxiety and / or other mental health issues, but are less likely than other emergency services to seek help for these issues.

Mindfulness has received widespread publicity as a potential way of improving individual wellbeing. Being mindful involves:

“paying attention to what’s happening in the present moment in the mind, body and external environment, with an attitude of curiosity and kindness.”

(Mindfulness Initiative, 2015)

This attention has recently been justified by evidence that certain mindfulness training approaches help improve adult wellbeing. While promising early findings in the US military (Jha et al., 2010; Stanley et al., 2011) and police (for example in Australia, (Biggs, Brough and Barbour, 2014) Germany (Krick and Felfe, 2019) and the US Christopher et al., 2016), emerged from small-scale feasibility studies on mental health and performance, an evidence gap remained around the usefulness of mindfulness training in UK policing.

Small pockets of mindfulness activity were being carried out in different ways across police forces in England and Wales. The aim was to assess the impact of using online mindfulness resources on police wellbeing and related outcomes. Online resources were selected for test because while face-to-face training would be limited by the number of trainers and staff time available, online resources allow for large-scale concurrent rollout of mindfulness training with inbuilt time flexibility. A new police-specific online mindfulness course was developed (Mindfit Cop) to be tested in this trial, alongside an existing commercially-available app and website already in use in some forces (Headspace).


(4) Aspirations and expectations of White and BME Female Police Officers’ Career Progression

Bridget Taylor1, Laura Longstaff1, Vicki Elsey1, Jo Nelson2 1Northumbria University, 2Metropolitan Police

The theory of representative bureaucracy explains that for a public organisation to best represent the needs and experiences of diverse groups, there is a need for active representation of all different ethnicities, gender and races at every level of that organisation. Since there are major disparities in representations of females in the workforce, compared to the general population, research to further understand this, as well as to address this, is essential. Research has already established that career progression attitudes differ between males and females as well as offering potential barriers to female progression. However, there is a lack of research exploring females with more than one protected characteristic, such as BME females. This study therefore aimed to explore whether career progression expectations and aspirations are different for white females compared to BME’s. Career progression expectations and aspirations were established using a quantitative questionnaire, as were predictor variables. Data collected from 732 females, from a large UK Police Force, were analysed using multinomial logistic regression to determine if ethnicity, length of service, age and whether or not you have a degree predict career aspirations and expectations. It was discovered that ethnicity was not a predictor of career aspirations or expectations but the other variables of age, length of service and whether or not you have a degree did predict both aspirations and expectations for all of the ranks. Implications for policing education provision and directions for future research are discussed.


(S) Validity: The Long and Short of It Rab MacIver, Katie Herridge, Lauren Jeffery-Smith, Jake Smith Saville Assessment

In this symposium we will discuss two of the key considerations for recruiters – using assessments which forecast overall performance and behaviours that are important for the role (validity) and keeping candidates engaged and involved in their selection process – a key factor of which is the time it takes to complete the process. The first paper will discuss recent research into what factors in a recruitment process are important to candidates and discuss how completion time and validity are both important. The second paper builds on this to discuss the difficulties with the creation of short and valid assessments, as well as solutions to address these difficulties. The third paper presents data on a hierarchical model of personality to investigate the validity of different levels for forecasting behaviour and potential. The final paper presents information on a new high-validity, short assessment.


(1) Validity – Are Candidates Really Bothered? Katie Herridge, Rab MacIver Saville Assessment

In this paper, we present survey data which indicates the importance of length of assessment time and validity (N=1029). The importance of validity is often not considered from the candidates’ perspective. The survey data demonstrates that validity matters to candidates. By contrast, the survey data suggests that candidates place less emphasis on the importance of assessment

completion time. However, when we consider how long candidates are prepared to spend on an assessment process, it is clear that time can become a crucial factor. We review and discuss the implications for assessment providers and recruiters of the relevant research and show that candidates have a need for speed, however there are several caveats in relation to this that must be addressed.


(2) Taking Short Cuts Rab MacIver, Saville Assessment

This paper provides an overview of the challenges inherent in creating short scales which are reliable, valid and fair. The quest to develop high internal consistency measures often leads to longer than necessary scales. Measures of reliability such as alternate form and test-retest support the precision of measurement of short scales. Furthermore, short scales have been shown to be highly valid. However, difficulties can arise in measuring broad concepts, profiling standard scores and dealing with a hierarchy of scales. Solutions are proposed to address each of these issues in turn.


(3) Scales of Potential Lauren Jeffery-Smith, Saville Assessment

This paper will explore the cross-validation of equations to forecast potential across three studies. The studies involved individuals with self-report personality questionnaire scores and independent ratings of ‘Demonstrating Potential’.

The forecasts were created at four scale levels from the personality questionnaire: 108 facets, 36 dimensions, 12 sections and four clusters. Different algorithms to predict potential were developed for each scale level based on the correlational data in each single study, and cross-validated into the other samples.

The equations for each level significantly predicted ‘Demonstrating Potential’ in all studies. The forecasts were similar at the different scale levels. The more detailed scales tend to give slightly stronger forecasting of potential and are likely to be of benefit in giving individuals feedback and increased self-awareness. However, the additional effort involved with ranking 108 facets or 36 dimensions to predict overall potential may outweigh the benefits versus the simpler task of ranking the 12 sections when used for screening and high-volume selection. The 12 sections also offer the strongest convergent and discriminant validity for measuring individual behaviours.


(4) Short and Valid! Jake Smith, Saville Assessment

This paper explores how the trade-off between the length of a personality assessment and its validity can be overcome. Research evidence is provided for a new behavioural assessment, Match 6.5, that successfully addresses this trade-off.

Match 6.5 is a self-report questionnaire that takes six and a half minutes to complete; a much shorter time than is typically associated with traditional behavioural assessments. The development methodology used to construct the scales enables the validity of the items to be concentrated. This enables a smaller number of items to be deployed in the assessment, reducing its completion time.

Empirical research data demonstrating effective technical attributes for the Match 6.5 scales is presented. Results show that sufficient variance within individual scale measurement is obtained. Reliability evidence is provided in the form test-retest and alternate form figures. Evidence for the criterion-related validity of the individual scales is supported based on criteria consisting of work performance ratings across matched competencies. Validity at the overall level of performance is established based on work performance ratings of the competency ‘Demonstrating Potential’. Support for the discriminant validity data of the scales is discussed, along with group differences analysis.

The results support the use of Match 6.5 as a behavioural screening tool which can be used when time is precious, but rigour cannot be compromised.


Towards a more granular analysis of Emotional Intelligence and the Dark Triad Jolyon Maddocks, Steph Noble PSI

A recent meta-analysis on EI found a negative relationship between EI and the Dark Triad. (Miao, Humphrey, Qian, & Pollack, 2019) suggesting that individuals higher in EI are less likely to demonstrate these counterproductive behaviours. However, it is proposed that measuring EI as a linear scale (more is better) and aggregating EI to a single score is too blunt an approach for detecting the true relationship between EI and the Dark Triad. It is hypothesised that when measured as a curvilinear construct (too much of a good thing), EI will be positively associated with facets of the Dark Triad. Also, that a more granular analysis of EI will reveal that the three parts of the Dark Triad may relate to more complex blends of both positive and negative facets of EI. This paper will explore these research questions by investigating the correlations between measures of Emotional Intelligence (EIP3) and the Dark Triad (SD3).

Ref: 3959 Symposia Topic: Work Design, Organisational Change and Development

(S) Too late to make a difference: How can Occupational Psychology contribute to going green? Jan Maskell, Training and Development Solutions

Learning Outcomes

By the end of this session attendees will be able to:

· Acknowledge the different issues connected with framing the issue of climate change

· Identify the leadership styles most appropriate for addressing the rapid transition needed to tackle climate change

· State the impact of role modelling on behaviour change

· Choose behaviours to minimise eco-anxiety

In June 2019, the UK government became the first to declare a climate emergency. As so much of climate change is attributed to human activity, it should therefore be a central field of inquiry in the social, behavioural and organisational sciences generally. It requires a response that is far-reaching, involving workplaces as well as governments and individuals.

The purpose of this session is to highlight different areas of practice to which Occupational Psychology can contribute in relation to tackling climate change. It will outline a number of different areas of current and future practice along with the theoretical perspectives contributing to that work.

The key areas of practice that will be considered include:

· Framing the issue

· Leadership for rapid change

· Role models for change

· Managing eco-anxiety

Each session will include exercises and discussion and the opportunity for questions. These will be followed by a review of the presentations and consider how these messages can be taken beyond the DOP and BPS.

Ref: 3943 Part of Symposia Topic: Work Design, Organisational Change and Development

(1) Framing the issue – communicating for change Jan Maskell, Training and Development Solutions

When you communicate you usually have a good idea of what you want to say and the change you want to make. But how do you know it is going to work? Framing comprises a set of concepts and theoretical perspectives on how individuals, groups, and societies, organize, perceive, and communicate about reality.

Frames in thought consist of the mental representations, interpretations, and simplifications of reality. Frames in communication consist of the communication of frames between different actors and involves the social construction of a social phenomenon. Tversky and Kahneman have shown that framing can affect the outcome of choice problems (i.e. the choices one makes), so much so that some of the classic axioms of rational choice are not true.

Framing is so effective because it is an heuristic, or mental shortcut that may not always yield desired results; and is seen as a 'rule of thumb'. Human beings can be described as ‘cognitive misers’, meaning they prefer to do as little thinking as possible.

The frames used to communicate climate change and the subsequent changes that are needed to address this challenging issue will be considered.


(2) Leadership for rapid change Jan Maskell1, Louise Thompson2 1Training and Development Solutions, 2University of Nottingham

In response to the emerging challenges of the past decade, not least of which is climate change, we have already begun to see growing numbers of top executives talking about, taking action on and defining their success in terms of things that have conventionally been the realm of political leaders and NGO activists – business growth that is smart, inclusive and responsible

The climate is changing faster than we are — how do we speed up? Rapid economic transition, including strategic change and leadership behaviour change to sustainable methods, is necessary to live within planetary ecological boundaries and to limit global warming to below 1.5 degrees within the very short term. In a time when the huge challenge is to meet everyone’s needs as we make the rapid transition to live within the bounds of the biosphere, there is no shortage of good work that needs doing.

To act on this new perspective requires a particular set of leadership practices. Beyond the familiar leadership role of leading change and innovation across the business, comes the new leadership role of leading change beyond business boundaries. They now see their role is to proactively lead change in consumer and supplier behaviour, industry norms and government policy, for the mutual benefit of their organisations and wider society.


(3) Role models for change – the impact of lifestyle choices Jan Maskell, Training and Development Solutions

Leaders and managers have an obligation to lead by example. What they do and say will be seen as what is valued in an organisation. For many employees this behaviour will be what they see as the norm. As well as leading by example, leaders must be aware of the social norms that exist and that they can influence. Leaders and managers can lead the way through the examples they set in terms of their behaviour and also through making sustainability core to their strategy.

Making sustainable behaviour the social default involves understanding and influencing the social norms. Social norms are the implicit social rules that govern behaviour within an organisation. Norms are not directly established; instead, they develop over time as people go about their daily work, sense people’s reactions to their behaviours, and observe what other people are doing. Social norms differ depending on the group of people, organisation, or culture. What is considered fully normal, even admirable, in one group may be met with disapproval in another. People are constantly looking for social proof to guide their own behaviour. That is, they look for clues to what other people are doing in order to understand the appropriate behaviour in a given situation. One of the big challenges in creating a sustainable organisational culture is that so many unsustainable actions are considered perfectly normal, and even something to strive for.

Social norms create opportunities for change; for one thing, they are dynamic and constantly shifting – just consider single use plastic . The goal for those of us who want to bring about a more sustainable society is to make sustainable behaviours normal, acceptable, and something people aspire to. We can do this by giving people evidence, and social proof, that sustainable behaviour is not only acceptable but is desirable.


(4) Eco Warrier or Eco Worrier? – managing eco-anxiety Jan Maskell, Training and Development Solutions

Eco-anxiety is on the increase as concerns about the environment grow. Studies show that eco-anxiety is a real phenomenon being felt around the world.

The American Psychological Society (APA) described this as a ‘chronic fear of environmental doom’ which generates emotions ranging from mild fear to shock and anger. These feelings are growing as scientist and activists groups sound the alarm over the scale of the climate crisis.

Taking a proactive approach can help to provide those who are concerned about climate change with some level of psychological ‘relief’ and a sense of accomplishment.

Strategies for tacking eco-anxiety include

- Setting challenging but achievable goals to increase personal hopefulness, engagement and opportunity for achievement

- Develop social networks as support and cohesion

- Appreciate what you have to increase positive emotions

- Focus on what can be done and what can be influenced rather than what cannot be done

- Join a group of like-minded people

- Share more – time, resources and knowledge


Understanding the Quality of Working Life and Well-being in Turkish Working Environments Zeynep Mercan, Darren Van Laar, Zarah Vernham, Yuksel Ekinci University of Portsmouth

Even though Turkey is the 13th largest economy in terms of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in the world it has been neglected within the Quality of Working Life (QoWL) literature. The purpose of the current study was to examine QoWL in Turkish public and private sector organisations. There is a consensus within the literature that QoWL is an umbrella term that includes different life and work-related factors affecting work experience that might differ from culture to culture. Although previous studies have investigated factors affecting QoWL in western countries, there are limited to no studies that investigate the effect of personal and cultural values on QoWL in a secular Muslim country such as Turkey. To date, online and paper surveys were used to collect data from 184

Turkish workers. It is expected that cultural values will have a significant effect on employee’s perception of job experience and job satisfaction within our Turkish sample. Full results will be available by January 2020 presentation.


Reducing adverse impact of SJTs: Exploring the role of item design Mary Mescal, Laura Cross PSI The variation in reported subgroup differences in Situational Judgement Test (SJT) performance is an area of interest for test designers and hiring organisations. Research in the area is moving to an understanding of why some SJTs may result in greater observed differences in performance between groups. In this session we will discuss our research which is based on five SJTs which have been widely used in recruitment campaigns for different job roles. While many factors may impact SJT performance, we will share our findings from a study into the relationship between item features and constructs, and the occurrence of subgroup differences in SJT performance.


“ ‘Don’t touch my hair!’ said the angry Black woman.” Norma Molla, Colleen Addicott University of Hertfordshire This study aims to explore the varying experiences of microaggressions of Black women who are working within the British political sector. Sue et al. (2007) defined the term racial microaggressions as “brief and commonplace daily verbal, behavioural, and environmental indignities, whether intentional or unintentional, that communicate hostile, derogatory, or negative racial slights and insults to the target person or group” (p.273).

Using mixed methods, this study focuses on the impact such experiences have on the well-being of these individuals, and whether factors such as relatedness, competence and autonomy have a mediating effect between microaggressions at work and wellbeing at work. It involves semi structured interviews and online questionnaires [Racial Microaggressions Scale (Torres-Harding, Andrade, Diaz, Crist, 2012); WHO-5 (WHO, 1998); and Basic Psychological Need Satisfaction Scale (Deci, Ryan, Gagné, Leone, Usunov, & Kornazheva, 2001].

Common (and context specific) themes from interviews provide greater clarity on the experiences of black women in politics. Questionnaires are used to explore the following hypotheses:

1. Black women in politics face a higher level of microaggressions than other women

2. Higher levels of microaggressions are associated with poorer well being

3. The relationship between microaggressions and well being is mediated by the meeting of basic psychological needs.

Understanding the impact of microaggressions will provide evidence to inform behaviour change initiatives in the workplace. Specific examples and themes from the interview will provide valuable stories that can add to the narrative and build awareness of the relatively new (& debated) concept of microaggressions.


Working in a World of Uncertainty: The role of Responsible Distribution Terri Morrissey, This Is

The term VUCA world (a world characterised by Volatility, Uncertainty, Complexity and Ambiguity) is used to describe the turbulence and chaos evident in many aspects of life in the 21stCentury, including politics, economics, and individual experience. It applies not only to society in general but to the world of work.

The organisational world has become more complex and the level of uncertainty has increased. We have to learn to deal with evolving situations which may not fit with our previous experiences and learning and where the outcomes are uncertain. Tried and tested models of leadership and change, designed for more predictable environments, are no longer fit for purpose. Organisations, and the people who work in them, are required to be more flexible, adaptable and capable of dealing with higher levels of uncertainty than ever before.

We have become increasingly interested in these phenomena as a consequence of many years of consulting and teaching in change management, leadership and organisation culture. We have found that the challenges we face in dealing with uncertainty require changes in mindset and competency sets for individuals as well as shifts in organisation structure, culture and behaviour. Such changes can help us deal more effectively with this VUCA world and take advantage of the opportunities it can bring.

In this presentation we outline our thinking and discuss some strategies for dealing with uncertainty, including one we call “Responsible Disruption”.

Our proposed style of presentation is discursive, based on the TED talk approach. We will review some models, literature, and examples from our practice to support our proposition.


Supporting employees with low self-confidence: A Delphi study to develop executive coach guidelines Michelle Murtagh1, Joanna Yarker2, Rachel Lewis2 1Clavey Consulting, 2Birkbeck, University of London

Enhanced employee self-confidence is an established outcome of the goal-focused, action-orientated experience of executive coaching. In turn, employee self-confidence has been associated with a number of social, relational and physiological workplace outcomes.

However, within academic literature, confusion is caused by authors using the terms self-confidence, self-efficacy and self-esteem interchangeably within their narratives. Misunderstanding is further compounded by the fact that, despite its general use, the construct of self-confidence lacks both an academic definition and a sound theoretical foundation. Whilst fully cognisant of the lack of clarity that exists around the construct, the researchers for this study were interested in seeking expert opinion as to how the two fields of executive coaching and self-confidence could purposefully converge.

A four-staged Delphi study, involving a panel of 38 experts, applied over six months, was employed. A targeted guidance framework and protocol, (comprising of 4 topic areas, 30 factors and 272 items) was consensually developed by the expert-panel members, for use by an executive coach in the support of employees with low self-confidence. Interestingly, the identification of lack of expert consensus regarding the purpose and experience of low self-confidence, challenges the generalisability of the triggers, behavioural and emotional components of low-self-confidence.

Findings highlight that the area of low self-confidence would benefit from in-depth empirical research, while the emerging protocol provides a useful framework to guide both practice and research in relation to the assessment, intervention and evaluation of self-confidence.


Investigating Mental Health First Aid in the workplace: Key findings from the MENTOR study Melanie Jay Narayanasamy, Carol Coole, Fiona Nouri, Louise Thomson, Avril Drummond University of Nottingham

Mental health problems reportedly cost the UK economy between £70 billion and £100 billion annually, whilst also accounting for 15.8 million working days lost per year. As well as personal costs to the individual, the annual cost to UK employers is between £33 billion and £42 billion. Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) is an international training programme developed to give individuals the skills to recognise and respond to the signs and symptoms of mental health problems. Increasingly, MHFA is being used by UK employers to train their workforce, and is described as an effective public health intervention which improves knowledge and attitudes towards mental health problems. However there has been little research investigating its implementation across different workplaces. It remains unclear as to what the active ingredients are which contribute to successful implementation in workplaces. The MENtal health in The wORkplace (MENTOR) study investigated the implementation, use, and utility of MHFA across different workplaces. This included a survey of eighty-one organisations which had at least one member trained in MHFA skills, and interviews with individuals across six organisations. The findings revealed that successful implementation was perceived to include clear rationales for introducing the training; the presence of motivated MHFA coordinators; and MHFA networks. Barriers to effective implementation included failure to clarify the workplace role of the trained person. It was also unclear how the programme’s impact in the workplace could be effectively measured. This work will be of interest to delegates as it highlights important issues around workplace MHFA.


Exploring the connection between Emotional Intelligence and work engagement Stephanie Noble1, Dan Hughes2 1JCA Global, 2PSI Services LLC

Evidence suggests that Emotional Intelligence (EI) is positively related to work engagement and trait EI predicts work engagement beyond the realms of personality. However, research has typically focused on EI at a global level. Therefore, it is helpful to explore how certain facets of EI relate to work engagement and identify which facets add incremental validity over and above personality in

predicting work engagement. Correlations and a series of hierarchical multiple regressions were conducted on data collected from three self-report measures: EI, work engagement, and the Big Five personality factors. Several significant correlations were found between EI facets and work engagement. EI was also found to explain significant additional variance over personality in predicting work engagement. These findings suggest many aspects of EI are positively associated with work engagement, and EI offers significant extra value as a predictor of work engagement over and above the Big Five personality traits.


Culture change toward openness and reproducibility Professor Brian Nosek, Centre for Open Science Improving openness, rigor, and reproducibility in research is less a technical challenge and more a social challenge. Current practice is sustained by dysfunctional incentives that prioritizes publication over accuracy and privacy over transparency. The consequence is unnecessary inefficiency in research progress. Successful culture change requires coordinated policy, incentive, and normative changes across stakeholders to improve research credibility and accelerate progress. Some stakeholder groups and disciplines are making more progress than others. We can change the system, but if we do not act collectively we will fail. Let’s not fail. Ref: 3882 Symposia Topic: Research Design, Analytical Techniques and Practical Applications

(S) Psychology’s Role in Performance Management Transformation: Data and Theory Driven Case Studies Ryan O'Leary, PDRI

The pressures of today’s work environment, combined with shortcomings of existing performance management (PM) approaches, are forcing organizations to develop more effective practices. This represents an unprecedented opportunity for psychologists to play a critical role in defining how performance is managed in organizations. This symposium brings together four papers that will present data and theory-driven analyses and cases studies to demonstrate how research and theory can be used to transform PM practices and drive important organizational outcomes. The two-hour session will being with a 10 minute introduction to the topic. This will be followed by four 20 minute presentations and 30 minutes of facilitated questions and answers. Copies of slides will be provided. The session will have applicability to scientists and practitioners, providing a unique look at the practice of modern-day occupational psychology and attendees will learn about the application of theory and research to practice.

Ref: 3878 Part of Symposia Topic: Research Design, Analytical Techniques and Practical Applications

(1) The Role of Agility in Competitive Success: Implications for Performance Management Elaine Pulakos, Tracy Kantrowitz PDRI

Despite strong interest in organizational agility, there are critical gaps that need to be addressed before companies invest interventions: (1) we don’t have an agreed-upon definition of agility, so we don’t know what it means or how it looks operationally, (2) we don’t know how to measure agility, so can’t say how much we have, and (3) we don’t know what leads to and results from agility, so we can’t be sure what interventions will be worth the investment. This paper describes research involving over 300 companies, many of which operate globally, that was conducted to provide evidence-based insights into these questions. Based on prior research and an analysis of competitively successful companies, we developed a model of competitive success today that included seven factors: agility/resilience, strategy, climate, stability, engagement, rightsized teamwork, and empowered performance. To test our model, we developed measures of these constructs and collected data from respondents in our participating companies. We also collected external, objective measures of profitability to use as criteria of competitive success. Tests of our model revealed that only agility/resilience had significant direct effects on profitability, remarkably yielding 150% to 500% higher profitability on multiple metrics. The remaining six factors all had significant direct effects on agility/resilience, and thus worked through agility/resilience to impact profitability. Three of these factors had particularly strong impacts: Rightsizing Teamwork, Driving Stability, and Empowering Performance. Implications for leader development and performance management transformation are discussed.


(2) Performance Management at AbbVie: Building a High-performing Culture Sergey Gorbatov, AbbVie

This case study contributes to the practice of science by describing how a new performance management process (PMP) was designed and implemented at AbbVie, a global, research-based biopharmaceutical company with approximately 30,000 employees worldwide, dedicated to developing and delivering a consistent stream of innovative new medicines. Following its separation from Abbott in 2013, over the course of five years AbbVie built a tailor-made PMP, guided by scientific knowledge of human behavior and the unique cultural imperatives of the new company. This case study demonstrates how traditional HR tools, rooted in academic knowledge, can be used to create a culture of high-performance and innovation. We posit that business strategy, culture and leadership precede any system design considerations, and need to be primary drivers of these. The success of implementation is in the vertical and horizontal integration of all the elements of the performance management system. We discuss the challenges and key principles of PMP design in a global matrixed organization, as well as share our perspectives on the successes, opportunities, and the future directions of the AbbVie PMP evolution. An example of evidence-based management, this case study shows how the theory-practice gap can be closed by leveraging data and hardwiring the proven principles of human performance into the policies and practices of a global organization.


(3) Implementing the PID Scheme in HM Courts & Tribunals Service Antonia Dietmann, Phillip Moore, Emma Milton HM Courts and Tribunal Services HM Courts and Tribunals Service (HMCTS) is responsible for the administration of the criminal, civil and family courts and tribunals in England and Wales and non-devolved tribunals in Scotland and

Northern Ireland. In 2016 we began a six-year, £1.2 billion transformational reform programme to modernise and upgrade the courts and tribunals system. We identified a need to change our performance management process and developed the Personal Impact & Development (PID) scheme in response. The PID scheme includes regular conversations about performance, strengths, aspirations, and potential. It moves us away from a past-focused, manager-driven performance management system to a joint manager-colleague approach in which employees are supported to achieve their goals and reach their potential. To help achieve this we replaced objective setting with high-level outcomes and in-year monetary reward. Feedback about the PID scheme has been positive. People like the development focus and line managers generally enjoy the flexibility they have. It takes fewer resources to operate – principally achieved through removing the moderation process, even when accounting for the higher frequency of performance conversations. Nearly three quarters of respondents to our annual staff survey said they had regular PID chats with their line manager. Of those who said yes, 67% agreed that the PID scheme had made them feel more supported by their line manager and 69% agreed that their line manager has the skills needed to have a meaningful chat. We are proud of our achievement in introducing the PID scheme and are heartened by early evidence.


(4) Psychology’s Role in the Implementation of Technology-supported Performance Management Ryan O'Leary, Elizabeth Lentz PDRI The pressures of today’s work environment, combined with shortcomings of existing performance management (PM) approaches, are forcing organizations to develop more effective practices. There has been a movement towards processes that are data-driven, flexible, continuous, engaging, future-focused, and development-oriented and which allow for more informed decision making by organizations, managers, and employees. To drive this transformation, organizations are increasingly relying on technology, people analytics, and data science solutions. In this presentation, we review the evolution of performance management technology, examine its potential to add value and lead to behavioral change based on proven performance theories, review possible limitations and barriers to implementation to ensure the hype is not outpacing reality, and provide practical guidance for organizations looking to implement these new technologies. We argue that advances in technology can support the activities needed to truly drive performance, but that it does not create change in and of itself. Emergent technology must be combined with organizational change strategies and evaluated for its individual, team, and organizational impact. In addition, it is imperative that we examine how we can most effectively leverage technology to improve specific performance driving behaviors that the research has shown lead to more impactful performance management approaches rather than simply automating processes that have not worked well in the past. This represents an unprecedented opportunity for industrial and organizational psychologists to play a critical role in defining how performance is managed in organizations.

Ref: 3938 Discussion Topic: Psychological Assessment at Work

Is behavioural assessment “robot-proof”? The role of humans vs machines in assessment centres.

Tom Parker1, Ross McGarrigle2 1PSI Services, 2PSI Services LLC

This session will take the form of a roundtable discussion on the topic of the use of artificial intelligence and machine learning within the behavioural assessment process, specifically relating to its use to facilitate and score assessment and development centres. The presenters will speak on the potential need for change within the behavioural assessment space, discussing bias within current assessment and the need for increased rigour. The session will also focus on the present and future of assessment centres, looking at whether there are any parts of the behavioural assessment process that are likely to be resistant to increased use of artificial intelligence within the wider assessment space. Attendees will be invited to discuss these topics and more, reflecting on their own work currently, the value of human assessors in assessment centre processes and where they see the need and potential for change.


Future Thought and Behavior Change Professor Gabriele Oettingen, New York University

“Think positive!” quotes are found everywhere, but contrary to popular belief merely thinking positively about the future leads to low effort and little success. So, how can we avoid the perils of positive thinking? By juxtaposing our dreams with personal obstacles, we pursue desired futures that can be realized and we let go from those that cannot. I will talk about this self-regulation strategy, called mental contrasting, its non-conscious mechanisms, and how people can use it autonomously as a cost- and time-effective tool to fulfil their wishes and resolve their concerns. Combining mental contrasting with implementation intentions (MCII) has proven to be particularly effective in changing thought, feeling, and behavior. MCII or – Wish, Outcome, Obstacle, Plan (WOOP) – can be used as a multifaceted self-regulatory tool to improve one’s everyday-life and long-term well-being.

Ref: Workshop Topic: Career Development WOOP (Wish, Outcome, Obstacle, Plan) Professor Gabriele Oettingen, New York University

Our keynote Gabriele Oettingen, an NYU and University of Hamburg psychology professor has spent the last 20 years conducting scientific research on wishes, how we fulfill them, and what stands in their way.

In her book Rethinking Positive Thinking: Inside the New Science of Motivation, Oettingen offers proven tools for thinking better, clarifying our goals, achieving the attainable ones, and identifying the internal barriers that hold us back. Her toolkit is straightforward: a four-step process called “WOOP” (Wish, Outcome, Obstacle, Plan). She has a free WOOP app, which succinctly guides you, making it easy and convenient to WOOP. It draws upon over two decades of research, and Gabriele is willing to talk you through this methodology.


Emerging technology and the candidate experience: Are applicants and HR on the same page? Tom Parker, Ali Shalfrooshan PSI Services

Candidate experience is one of the highest priorities for HR professionals who are implementing and designing recruitment processes. With technology at the very centre of most assessment processes, the need to understand the candidate experience is becoming increasingly important. The current study examines the perceptions of HR professionals regarding candidate preferences during the assessment process, specifically when it comes to the use of technology. These perceptions are then compared directly with the preferences of actual candidates. The study looks at how both HR professionals and candidates think about using various devices for assessment, including technologies such as VR, the role of artificial intelligence and the use of social media platforms during the assessment process.


Language Matters: A Critical Discursive Psychological Analysis of Managers' Talk about Young People Emma Parry, University of Sheffield

Generational Discourse has seemingly become the acceptable form of ‘othering’ in society and at work today, whereby a group in power reduces another group to that of the ‘others’ by ways of reductive and stereotypical labelling (Jensen, 2011). In this paper (based on findings from my PhD research) I focus on SME managers discursive constructions of young people and how they perceive young people coming into the workplace directly from school in a UK context. A Critical Discursive Psychological approach to analysis is taken to explore the ways SME managers draw from popular Discourses (such as that around ‘millennials’) as well as how they construct the notions of young people in the School to Work Transition (STWT) through talk and drawings. The value of using discursive methods within psychological research as well as practical applications are also discussed.


Ready, steady, lead: In an evolving and complex market how do you prepare your leaders for success? Nairita Paul1, Simon Halls2, Tamsin Martin2, Andrew Geake1 1SHL, 2Just Group

This case study is a collaboration between a global talent assessment firm and a specialist UK financial services group to assess and develop their senior leadership group compared to the market benchmark. Against a backdrop of a rapidly changing marketplace, the financial services group was focused on strengthening and developing leadership capabilities. The group started by reviewing current leadership capability and assessing strengths and gaps against the financial industry benchmark. We demonstrate the application of the Enterprise Leadership Model and how the feedback and benchmarking insights have been utilised to drive targeted individual leadership development and inform the design of an in-house leadership development programme.


The relevance of authentic leadership to followers Fiona Phelps, FKMP Consulting

Authentic Leadership (AL) is a theory of leadership which advocates that when leaders embrace authenticity this can lead to effective outcomes within an organisational setting (Avolio & Gardner, 2005). AL is a leadership theory which has been growing in popularity (Dinh et al., 2014) and AL is often framed as a response to the economic, political and corporate scandals (Caza & Jackson, Zehndorfer 2014, Diddams & Chang, 2012) which it is suggested have created a demand for a different type of leadership (Walumbwa et al., 2008. The theories of AL implicitly construct the motivations of followers as looking for authenticity in their leaders and that the features that determine AL are relevant to all followers (Gardner et al., 2005 ). AL understands the concept of authenticity in relation to the ancient Greek origins of knowing your true self and subsequently acting in accordance (Harter, 2002). AL is based upon the premises of positive psychology (Seligman & Csikszentmihalyi, 2000) and within this area of psychology much of the research is based upon a positivist paradigm with an underlying realist epistemology. This study approaches the investigation of AL, and the understanding of authenticity that it is based upon, from a social constructionist approach. This approach has an entirely different epistemology from AL and is based upon a relativist view that knowledge is created by language, rather than language being used to reflect an underlying reality (Burr, 2006). Through a contrasting paradigm this study critiques the foundations on which AL is founded as a theory.


Conducting a Systematic Review (Career decisions of working mothers) Susie Phillips-Baker1, Dr Vicki Elsey2 1SPB Work Psychology, 2Northumbria University

This systematic review proposes to add to the literature by considering the psychological factors associated with the career decisions of working mothers. However the purpose of this conference submission is to discuss the process of conducting this systematic review, through developing the protocol (see Full paper) to conducting the review (currently underway, due for completion in November 2019).

The attached document contains the protocol for the systematic review. The review is currently in its initial stages (literature search underway). The proposal for this conference paper is to present and discuss the process by which this systematic review is carried out in order to inform the audience on the considerations and challenges in carrying out a systematic review. This links directly with the topic area of designing research as well as the conference theme 'The Practice of Science: Occupational Psychologists at work'. The process and content of the paper will add to the evidence base in this important and current area of research. It aims to encourage the audience to consider the value of systematic reviews. It will also cover useful points to consider when conducting reviews such as planning, inclusion and exclusion criteria, assessing quality and synthesising the results.


Possibilities for pre-empting conflict within a HQ, subsidiary, intermediary triad Sarah Phoenix Resolving intra-organisational conflict is a major concern for all sectors, at all scales and in any geographical location. Within a Head Office - subsidiary scenario, this can be particularly acute as both functions, despite having the same ultimate goal of business success and profitability, are often in disagreement. One common solution is to introduce an intermediary manager role to manage the relationship. This ‘intermediary role’ can have immense difficulties, exacerbating the problems. There are many theories which pertain to these types of situation, but very little quantitative validation, and even less qualitative research. The hypothesis of the study was that hearing directly the perceptions and opinions of responsible staff within the HQ function, the subsidiary and the intermediary, new light might be shed on this very complex area. The research employed individual semi-structured interviews of two separate triads from the same professional association, within the East Midlands. For the analysis, Constant Comparative Thematic Analysis (CCTA) was used. This combination of thematic analysis and constant comparative analysis maximises the inductive power by enabling a broad ‘mix and match’ comparison and hence revealing less obvious, unpredicted but possibly important emergent themes. What emerged, unexpectedly, as the dominant theme was quality of the relationship with the intermediary outside of the direct work context, with secondary themes of communication frequency and meeting location. These seemingly marginal aspects, the research suggests, are of significant importance, and further research needs to be done confirming this result.


Who Trains the School Governors - Does theory predict transfer Brian Poxon, Ann Bicknell University of Leicester

Effective governance and school governors play an essential part in school improvement, therefore, ensuring governors have the necessary skills is essential for schools and the education environment. The process of taking what an individual learns in training and applying it to their role is known as transfer of training. Accordingly, if a governing board can understand the antecedents of transfer this process could be improved and as a result have a positive impact on children’s education.

This research focuses on using transfer of training theory, specifically trainee characteristics to identify how governors transfer what they’ve learned in a classroom setting to their role on the governing board.

A qualitative approach was selected to identify views and perceptions and data was collected using semi-structed interviews and an online questionnaire.

Key findings include; governors have a keen sense of responsibility to their role, which reflects on their motivation to learn and motivation to transfer. The constructs of personality, utility and motivation are mediated by the theory of volunteer motivation which impacts and influences transfer of training for school governors.

To encourage transfer of training for school governors’ interventions should be credible, practical and address gaps in knowledge.


Impact of Rainbow Lanyards at University of Edinburgh Vinisha Prakash, Thomas Calvard University of Edinburgh Business School

The purpose of the paper was to understand the impact of Rainbow Lanyards on the staff and students at the University of Edinburgh. Since the introduction of these lanyards, no study had been conducted to assess the positive or negative impacts along with the assessment of the fulfilment of the purpose of their introduction to bring awareness and support. Thus, this study was conducted to know if people understood the purpose of the Rainbow Lanyards and whether these helped in initiating conversations on LGBT+ issues.

A quantitative research was carried out to explore the Rainbow Lanyard project and its impact on the students and staff at the University of Edinburgh by understanding their preference to wearing Rainbow Lanyards. The method of data collection was through online surveys and the sample size was 182.

The study showed that the people who saw the Rainbow Lanyards more often were more likely to purchase them and that these lanyards initiated discussions related to LGBT+ issues, which also serves the purpose of these lanyards. It is helping raise awareness about the LGBT+ community, and also the fact that university acknowledges individuality of its students and staff.


Impact of Rainbow Lanyards at University of Edinburgh Vinisha Prakash, University of Edinburgh Business School

The purpose of the paper was to understand the impact of Rainbow Lanyards on the staff and students at the University of Edinburgh. Since the introduction of these lanyards, no study had been conducted to assess the positive or negative impacts along with the assessment of the fulfilment of the purpose of their introduction to bring awareness and support. Thus, this study was conducted to know if people understood the purpose of the Rainbow Lanyards and whether these helped in initiating conversations on LGBT+ issues.

A quantitative research was carried out to explore the Rainbow Lanyard project and its impact on the students and staff at the University of Edinburgh by understanding their preference to wearing Rainbow Lanyards. The method of data collection was through online surveys and the sample size was 182.

The study showed that the people who saw the Rainbow Lanyards more often were more likely to purchase them and that these lanyards initiated discussions related to LGBT+ issues, which also serves the purpose of these lanyards. It is helping raise awareness about the LGBT+ community, and also the fact that university acknowledges individuality of its students and staff.


Rethinking Gender in Work Family Management in India Mahima Raina, BITS Pilani, Dubai Campus

Work-family interface is less understood in non-Anglo cultural contexts in general. Culture is known to impact the way we interpret work and family and also how gender roles are constituted, interpreted and practiced. In India, gender roles are known to be traditionally divided. However, with the larger forces like urbanization, mushrooming of multi-national corporations that operate largely on western values, work family management is being renegotiated as well. A number of people are migrating to the larger cities for work that is causing a spatial segregation from various support sources. At the same time, living in larger cities opens up avenues for economic growth. In the presentation, I would be examining how these larger forces (culture, urbanization and private enterprise) are/or not causing transition in the way gender roles are perceived and practiced. The data were collected from 586 white collar professionals working in India in various public and private enterprise. The study also focuses on a rarely studied cultural dimension of Diffuse orientation that is known to impact work family interface and looks into the gender differences in work family management in India. Through this exploration, I analyze how some of the typical gender related assumptions regarding work family interface have changed/or not due to urbanization.


Virtual Teams: Cohesion, Clarity and Communication Helen Rayner, The Myers Briggs Company

This study sought to explore the experiences of working in virtual, co-located and combined teams, and the role of personality plays in these settings. The FIRO assessment was used to assess personality. Participants answered questions on trust, communication, challenges to team working, and team virtual training. 159 respondents completed the survey. The data was analysed using quantitative and qualitative methods.

This study shows correlations between attitudes to working in virtual and non-virtual teams, and the FIRO need areas. These results indicate that respondents working in virtual and non-virtual teams have different perceptions to their experiences.

These results have implications for practitioners working with teams. They may wish to tailor their interventions to suit the team's interpersonal style and optimise the impact of their work.

Ref: 3983 Invited Speaker Topic: Well-being and Work

The Psychology of Health and Wellbeing at Work Working Group – ‘A Guide for Practitioners’

Karen Royle, The Psychology of Health and Wellbeing at Work Working Group

The Psychology of Health and Wellbeing at Work Working Group have prepared “A Guide for Practitioners” to provide guidance on good practice to occupational psychologists on how to develop and deliver comprehensive workplace health and wellbeing programmes. The guide will be published in both hard copy and online by the DOP in the Autumn of 2019. We would like to launch this with a small drinks reception at the next DOP conference. We would need a space to hold up to 50 people on the 1st or 2nd day at the conference at 7.00pm. This guide will be useful for all

professionals working in health and wellbeing and have ambitions for it to become the industry standard. We also plan a guide for service users to be launched sometime in 2020.


Alternative perspectives in work and organisational psychology research Zoe Sanderson, University of Bristol

If the nature of the knowledge in our field shapes possibilities for practice, the challenge we face is not only how to ‘practice our science’ better, but whether the ‘science’ itself is as good as it could - or should - be. ‘Critical’ perspectives help us to take a step back from how knowledge is usually produced in our field, grapple with fundamental questions about the nature of what and how we research, and consider what effects this has on the wider world. In this session I’ll outline some major critiques that have been levelled at research in mainstream work and organizational psychology, suggest some alternatives, and describe the growing interest in critical perspectives among researchers across Europe.

Ref: 3814 Discussion Topic: Research Design, Analytical Techniques and Practical Applications

What’s the future of work and organisational psychology? Zoe Sanderson1, Matthijs Bal2 1University of Bristol, 2University of Lincoln

Future of Work and Organisational Psychology (FOWOP) is a grassroots movement involving more than 200 people across Europe who are envisaging and creating a better future for our field (please see www.futureofwop.com for more details). We operate in an inclusive, non-hierarchical, and collaborative way, focussing on achieving positive outputs and outcomes that we jointly prioritise. In this participative session, we will introduce FOWOP, outline what we have done so far, and invite you to join us in co-creating change.


Going global: Transporting a Situational Judgement Test Across Cultures Ali Shalfrooshan, Philippa Riley, Laura Cross, Mary Mescal PSI Services

SJTs are immersive, context rich, assessments. However, with this context comes a potential limitation around their transportability across cultures and their use globally (Lievens, 2005). This study contributes to the currently limited research regarding this topic, and aims to provide further evidence around the extent to which, and in what circumstances, SJTs can be used cross-culturally. The study describes the localisation of a management SJT developed within the UK, for use in four different regions: Turkey, Brazil, China and the countries of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC). The content relevance of the scenarios across cultures is considered, as is the comparability of the scoring keys. Additionally, consideration is given to how any differences identified align with expectations based on pre-existing research regarding culture and leadership. The paper will provide advice for practitioners around designing and using SJTs for international usage.


Do we know when we should take a break? Effect of fixed and discretionary break on creative thinking Ut Na Sio1, Lok Yuen Chan2 1University of Sheffield, 2Education University of Hong Kong

Many empirical studies have reported that incubation—putting the problem aside for a while to work on other unrelated tasks—can facilitate creative problem-solving performance. It has been suggested that incubation is most helpful when individuals are fixated on wrong ideas. Accordingly, the optimal incubation schedule is likely to vary between individuals depending on their level of fixation during problem solving. However, most of the past incubation studies had the timing of incubation fixed across individuals. Such incubation schedule may not be optimal for every individual. One possible way to determine the optimal incubation schedule that can maximise the benefit of incubation is to ask individuals to decide when to put the problem aside, assuming that individuals have good knowledge about their problem-solving progress. To examine this possibility, this study compared the effects of fixed and discretionary incubation schedules on creative problem solving. One hundred and forty participants were recruited to complete two divergent thinking tasks either with no incubation, incubation at a fixed schedule, or incubation at their discretionary. The discretionary-incubation group generated less novel ideas, suggesting that participants were suboptimal in determining the appropriate time to incubate. This is probably due to their insensitivity to their own problem-solving progress and the presence of several cognitive biases. We conclude that, instead of relying on individuals’ subjective judgment, further studies should identify alternative ways to accurately estimate the problem-solving progress, e.g., using computers to track problem-solving progress.


The relationship between perceived abusive supervision and employee mental health Joel Slater, Caroline Kamau Department of Organizational Psychology, Birkbeck, University of London, UK

Abusive supervisors are defined in the literature as leaders who are aggressive, undermining, scape-goating, publically critical or belittling of employees. Previous research shows that abusive supervisors harm employee wellbeing but little is known about their impact on employees’ mental health or the role of mediating factors such as employee anxiety or burnout. 112 UK employees from 16 sectors took part in an online cross-sectional study using Qualtrics. Questionnaires included the abusive supervision scale, the generalized anxiety disorder scale, the aggressive beliefs/attitudes scale, a measure of general mental health, and the Oldenburg Burnout Inventory (focusing on emotional exhaustion). 39.3%, 8% and 5.4% of employees had mild, moderate and severe anxiety (respectively); 84.8% of employees had emotional exhaustion, a type of burnout. Experiences of abusive supervision correlated positively with employees’ levels of anxiety, aggressive beliefs/attitudes and burnout. Multiple mediation analysis using PROCESS found that abusive supervision had a significant indirect effect on employee general mental health. These results mean that abusive managers or supervisors make employees more anxious, aggressive and burnt-out, and this in turn worsens their general mental health. The first implication is that occupational

psychologists need to trouble-shoot not just general concepts (e.g. wellbeing) but also specific components of mental and occupational health such as generalised anxiety disorder symptoms and burnout. The second implication is that HR practitioners need to offer managers training that helps them understand what behaviours fit the definition of abusive supervision and what impact it has on the mental health of employees. The third implication is that organizations need to offer specialised mental health support for employees who work for managers whose behaviour has been identified as abusive.

Ref: 3870 Impact Paper Topic: Research Design, Analytical Techniques and Practical Applications

Mobile Technology for Well-being; Acceptability and Implementation Catherine Smith, Louise Thomson University of Nottingham

Mobile technology offers great potential as a delivery method for mental health and well-being interventions in the workplace - they are easy to access, easy to customise and cost-effective. This presentation demonstrates the results of a multi-faceted project investigating the acceptability, usability and implementation of mobile applications in this context. The Technology Acceptance Model (Davis, 1985) presents factors which contribute to the acceptance of new technologies. This project aims to validate the model in a mental health and well-being context. Following this, a series of focus groups was carried out to provide further qualitative support. A prototype application based on positive re-framing techniques was developed, and then tested for it's usability and acceptability. This presentation includes the findings of these studies and a discussion on the need for more rigorous adhesion to a scientific evidence-base in the development of mobile technology, as well as suggestions for future research and practical implementation.

Ref: 3666 Workshop Topic: Learning, Training and Development

Qualification in Occupational Psychology (Stage 2) Co-ordinating Supervisor Training Gail Steptoe-warren, Arden University

The 2019 qualification was launched at the 2018 Division of Occupational Psychology Conference in Chester and, was open for enrolments from 1st March 2019. The qualification builds upon the academic components of Stage 1 training by requiring the development and demonstration of practical skills in applied settings. It has been designed to allow candidates to use their current role to gain the required competencies, through supervised practice, in order to enhance their skills in occupational psychology and take their career to the next level, whilst balancing family and work commitments. The 2019 route has been developed based on the changes made to the stage 1 accreditation criteria and maps onto the 5 knowledge areas . The 2019 route also recognises the changes in the role of trainee occupational psychologists over the years and now focuses on the development of skills based on the consultancy cycle as well as knowledge areas of occupational psychology, applying background theory and research to practice as well as consideration of ethical issues. This is to ensure candidates evidence being a professional and ethical practitioner that practices in their area of competence. The qualification is an independent route that can be completed over 2, 3 or 4 years depending on the candidate securing relevant work to meet the

qualification requirements. The QOP (Stage 2) (2019) is approved by the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC),

Ref: 3676 Workshop Topic: Learning, Training and Development

Becoming an Occupational Psychologist - Stage 2 (2019) route information session Gail Steptoe-warren, Arden University

The 2019 qualification was launched at the 2018 Division of Occupational Psychology Conference in Chester and, was open for enrolments from 1st March 2019. The qualification builds upon the academic components of Stage 1 training by requiring the development and demonstration of practical skills in applied settings. It has been designed to allow candidates to use their current role to gain the required competencies, through supervised practice, in order to enhance their skills in occupational psychology and take their career to the next level, whilst balancing family and work commitments. The 2019 route has been developed based on the changes made to the stage 1 accreditation criteria and maps onto the 5 knowledge areas. The 2019 route also recognises the changes in the role of trainee occupational psychologists over the years and now focuses on the development of skills based on the consultancy cycle as well as knowledge areas of occupational psychology, applying background theory and research to practice as well as consideration of ethical issues. This is to ensure candidates evidence being a professional and ethical practitioner that practices in their area of competence. The qualification is an independent route that can be completed over 2, 3 or 4 years depending on the candidate securing relevant work to meet the qualification requirements. The QOP (Stage 2) (2019) is approved by the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC),


Developing self-compassion in healthcare professionals utilising a brief online intervention Amanda Super1, Rachel Lewis2, Joanna Yarker2, Lucie Zernerova3 1Amanda Super Consulting Ltd, 2Birkbeck, University of London, 3City, University of London Stress levels experienced by staff in the healthcare sector are highly prevalent and well documented. Self-compassion has been suggested as an approach that may support the health and wellbeing of individuals and enable them to stay well at work. The present study examines the effects of a novel brief self-guided online intervention (The Self-Compassion at Work Programme) in a healthcare professional sample. The study aimed to understand whether the intervention improved the health and wellbeing of healthcare professionals and if these improvements were maintained at follow up using a randomised controlled trial design. 190 healthcare professionals were assigned to an intervention group (n.110) or a wait list control group (n.80). Pre and post-intervention data were collected from both experimental and control groups as well as at one-month follow up.

Results showed a significant group by time interaction (d=1.46, p<.001) with a large effect size for The Self-Compassion at Work Programme. Results also showed a significant effect of the intervention on all the main study variables and the Self-Compassion Scale subscales. The findings confirmed the hypothesis that a brief online self-compassion development intervention would

significantly improve the self-reported health and wellbeing of healthcare professionals and these benefits would be maintained at follow up.

This training intervention appeared to be effective in increasing healthcare professionals’ self-compassion and mental wellbeing and decreasing perceived stress and burnout. This study shows promise that an affordable and scalable intervention can be effective for healthcare professionals operating in a significantly challenging working environment.


Meaningful Work in Contemporary Digital Society Gillian Symon, Royal Holloway, University of London

In recent times, UK policy makers have turned their attention to what constitutes ‘good’ work (Taylor, 2017) and it is a fundamental goal of occupational psychology to enable such work (e.g. Parker, 2014). One important aspect of good work is that it should be experienced as ‘meaningful’ (Hackman and Oldham, 1976; Yeoman et al, 2019). In this talk I will discuss various contemporary approaches to conceptualising and understanding meaningful work: is meaningful work an individual experience or a moral imperative? However, while one of the triggers to the Taylor report was revelations about exploitation of workers through digital means, the implications of digitalisation for experiencing work as meaningful has rarely been considered. I will particularly address the opportunities and tensions raised by digitalisation for the experience of work as meaningful: does digital technology help or hinder meaningful work? For example, while mobile devices enable social interaction crucial to validation of work as meaningful, spending hours on-line may also be experienced as trivialisation with doubts as to meaningful impact of the work. As increased consideration is given to the quality of work in the digitalised 21st century, what role could occupational psychology have in shaping meaningful work for the future?

Ref: 4108 Poster Topic: Learning, Training and Development

Clerical skills development and supervisor’s support for the visually impaired Hiroshi Takeshita, Tsukuba University of Technology

With the development of personal computers and peripherals in recent years, it is expected that visually impaired persons will be employed in clerical occupations. However, companies are unaware of the jobs that can be assigned to the visually impaired and, thus, tend to overlook other skills held by such individuals. Since most of the previous studies are current-situation surveys, this study clarifies the process of acquiring and supporting clerical skills, using Modified-Grounded Theory Approach. We collected data from 7 visually impaired persons with more than 2 years of work experience and 10 supervisors. As a result of analysis, the process had a circulation structure. First, psychological factors that are imperceptible to the counterparty (e.g., the subordinate’s perceived-weak-skills; supervisor’s observed-insufficient-skills) affect subordinates’ working and supervisors’ support skill developments. Next, these perceptible skills affect the psychological factors (employment-view and working-view formations) of the counterparty. The supervisors’ employment axis includes role expectations and workable departments. These affect the scope of tasks that the supervisors leave to subordinates. However, this is not perceptible to subordinates. The subordinates’ working axis includes orientation and role. These are motivator for their work skills. The subordinates’ skill development includes others’ support acquisition strategies and attitude

changes. Based on the observed insufficient skills, the supervisors provide necessary support (support skill development).


Combining Mindfulness and Physical Exercise - a multi-tasking intervention at work 1Nicki Tanner, 1Cheryl Travers, 1David Fletcher, 2Ray Randall Loughborough University1, Sheffield University2

Background: Physical exercise and mindfulness interventions have been shown to improve psychological wellbeing. The effect of combining these interventions is less clear, especially for cardiovascular exercise. This study tests a workplace intervention combining mindfulness skills and aerobic physical exercise training. The intervention was designed to fit within the school context as many studies of teachers have identified high levels of stress in the profession.

Methods: An embedded, mixed methods, process and effect evaluation of an integrated Mindfulness-Based Physical Exercise (MBPE) intervention was carried out in two schools The intervention consisted of four classes for an experimental group (n=14) where mindfulness skills were taught and then integrated in a cardiovascular exercise session. Participants recorded in journals the application, timing and type of activities achieved following each class, plus observations about their experience on combining the independent variables. Questionnaire measures of wellbeing were completed pre-intervention (T1), post intervention (T2) and six weeks post-intervention (T3); process evaluation data were collected at T2 and T3. A second, wait-list control group (n=10) received a shortened intervention of three classes, with similar data collection streams.

Results: Data are now being analysed and will be presented at the conference. Initial qualitative analysis shows a positive perception and some useful transfer of skills into daily life.

Discussion and Conclusions: Process and evaluation data will be used to identify the working mechanisms of the MBPE intervention and to evaluate its fit to the school environment.


Professional Development & Networking Sub-Committee Tammy Tawadros, Tammy Tawadros Coaching & OD

Tammy Tawadros Convenor for PD&N Sub-committee will highlight some of the work the sub-committee has been doing and canvass views on what activities those participating in the session would like us to offer in the future. Please bring your mobile phone in order to interact in a real-time survey!”

Ref: Discussion Topic: Career Development

Strengthening OP Communities and Careers Taslim Tharani, Vicki Elsey, Ingrid Covington, Wendy Kendall, Beth McManus, Pavneet Khurana, Grace Mansah-Owusu, Huma Khan, Joh Foster, Laura Longstaff (OP Careers Taskforce)

Following the session from DOP Conference 2019 ‘Developing a Community of Occupational Psychologists’ several groups continued their discussions, creating small collaborative groups aiming to address key challenges within our profession. Early career development was highlighted as a key concern – do we have a talent pipeline challenge within Occ Psych? This round table discussion aims to address this key concern by exploring how each of us, together with key stakeholders across Occupational Psychology, can better support and grow the future talent in OP.


Voice Behaviours: Exploring Migrant Narratives of Voice in the Land of a Hundred Thousand Welcomes. Yvonne Tougher, University of East London

In 2018 it was established that 17% of Irelands population was born outside the country making it one of the most diverse countries in the EU. This study seeks to explore voice behaviours and experiences of voice within the migrant worker populations who have moved to Ireland in recent years. As effective employee voice is suggested to benefit employees and employers, it is important to understand how Irelands minority migrant population have experienced voice.

This rapid demographic transformation occurred within two decades and coincided with an equally rapid changes to how organisations operated in a global context, creating unique challenges for Ireland’s employers. By facilitating the voices of migrant workers on issues affecting them in the workplace, this study can better inform policy makers and employers who may otherwise inadvertently discriminate against and disadvantage minority populations.

This qualitative study used purposeful sampling to recruit migrant workers from Poland, Italy and Brazil to participate in semi-structured one-to-one interviews. A narrative analysis of the interview data revealed a deeper understanding and appreciation of the challenges faced by migrants as they adjust to and experience working in an unfamiliar society and culture.

Preliminary findings suggest existing concepts and contexts of ‘employee voice’ may not be adequate in this rapidly changing world. Future research needs to reflect on old assumptions about culture and cultural norms as they can no longer be siloed within geographical boundaries, worker migration and diverse worker populations are the new norms and need to be reflected in research design.

Ref: 3862 Discussion Topic: Research Design, Analytical Techniques and Practical Applications

What makes for successful (and scientific) projects? A 4 M’s delivery approach? Michael Towl, Ann Bicknell Arup

The use of the evidence-based practice (EBP) model is increasingly promoted within Occupational Psychology to “pursue ways in which evidence can better inform practice” (Briner and Rousseau 2011, p4). In their two studies Bartlett and Francis-Smythe (2016) revealed that practitioners consulted a wide range of different types of evidence. So why is it still the case that 70% of projects

across industry are reported to ‘fail’ (Arnold & Randall, 2010)? If practitioners are using evidence and critically evaluating it, what else is missing for most projects to be successful?

As a global consultancy we find ourselves spending equal amounts of time collecting and evaluating the evidence and needing to invest time in articulating the findings in compelling ways to the client. Interestingly, the scientist-practitioner model (Hodgkinson, 2011) advocates that practitioners are to be “conversant with core concepts, theories, tools and techniques” (p.176). We argue that this places the practitioner in role as a compelling ‘translator’ of theory and evidence for the client, and this role is not given equal importance in the profession. Nor is there sufficient collateral to make it compelling.

In this session we aim to help practitioners reflect upon what skills are needed during the ‘application phase’. We will share our own model of a skill set needed within the ‘translator role’ which includes Methods, Media, Mindsets and Messages (the 4 M Model) and how it has helped shape some of our more (and less) successful projects.


Exploring the impact of a Reflective Goal Setting on students’ academic growth Cheryl Travers1, Alistair Cheyne2 1Loughborough University, 2ESSCA School of Management, Bordeaux, France

This paper explores the impact of a reflective goal setting programme on participants’ academic growth and performance. Data is reported from two cohorts of final year undergraduates (n=251) taking part in an elective 15-week reflective goal setting programme. Goal setters documented their progress using written reflective documents. Qualitative analysis showed that, at the end of the process, most participants perceived academic growth to have taken place and anticipated improved performance in future assessments. Thematic analysis identified a range of factors linked to academic growth-specific goals, psychological factors, and the goal-setting approach itself. Participants also reported non-specific effects from general personal development goals. 80 participants were identified based on the type of goals they selected, with a group (n=40) with at least one academic growth goal (AG), and another (n=40) with only general personal development goals (GG). These groups were matched for gender, age and baseline performance with a contrast group made up of 40 non-goal setting (NG) peers from the same degree programmes. Comparing growth in their core grades between the semester before the intervention with those achieved in the semester after (six months after the intervention), revealed that AG and GG students experienced a significantly greater improvement over time compared with NG students. However, there were no significant differences in academic growth between AG and GG students. The implications for promoting academic growth via this unique learning and development approach are discussed.


The language of homecare: Exploring the role of language use in homecare workers’ reflective diaries Cheryl Travers1, Lucy Perry-Young2, Samantha Streit3 1Loughborough University, 2Sheffield Hallam University, 3Manchester University

In this paper, we explored how homecare workers caring for people with dementia made sense of their role by exploring the language they used while diary keeping. We aimed to gain insights into how these workers reconciled the often contradictory and conflicting relationship they have to their ‘dirty’ work. Eleven homecare workers wrote about visits to clients with dementia over 16 weeks, producing 231 individual entries and 87, 753 words. Using thematic analysis, six key metaphorical themes emerged which shed light on homecare workers’ understanding of their role; the cherished family member; the emotional sponge; the 'parlour' companion; the leisure seeker; the empathic oracle; the foot soldier. We explain these metaphors through a series of ‘hidden transcripts’ and address their impact as sensemaking devices. We conclude that the perceived dirty aspect of the job of the homecare worker is readdressed through their use of metaphor designed colour their experiences and is a means for them to communicate their true value to a wider audience. The implications for future research and professional development and support of homecare workers will be discussed.


This is not working: An evolutionary mismatch perspective Mark van Vugt, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam and University of Oxford

In this presentation I analyze modern work place practices from an evolutionary mismatch perspective. Evolutionary mismatch is a key concept in biology, referring to traits and behaviors that yielded fitness benefits in ancestral environments, but produce costs when they occur in novel environments. Examples of mismatch have been documented in animal behavior research (e.g., impact of light pollution on sea turtles) but the concept could also be applied usefully to human behavior. This is reasonable given the recent changes in our lifestyle and social organization as our ancestors departed from living in traditional small-scale societies to large, complex societies. In analyzing the way we work now from an evolutionary mismatch perspective, this lecture reaches three conclusions that are not yet part of the mainstream literature. First, in modern societies humans spend more time working than in traditional societies, and this is primarily due to increased status and consumer needs. Second, many aspects of the modern workplace such as certain physical cues (e.g., lack of natural stimuli, physical exercise) and social cues (e.g., low emotional closeness, power differences) are sometimes inconsistent with our evolved work psychology, which could explain the alienation, frustration and stress of many employees. Third, experiments with designing workplaces and organizations as small-scale societies, which are more closely aligned with human nature, show promising results to increase job satisfaction.


(S) Ensuring and Enhancing Fairness and Validity in Civil Service Recruitment and Selection Paul Weldon, Civil Service HR

The overall aims of this symposium are to:

• Detail an approach to establishing the validity of strengths-based assessment used at interview

• Present best in class design and evaluation action that has been taken in relation to a very widely used SJT

• Discuss research exploring the SJT test taking experience of users with a range of neurodiverse conditions, with particular focus on trialling alternative response formats

The symposium will feature papers which range from providing a background to multi-year fairness improvement work to innovative new responding formats and rigorous evaluation methods


(1) Blending Strengths- and Competency-Based Assessment in Interviews: A Predictive Validity Study Carl Barnes, Civil Service

Strengths-based assessment is becoming increasingly popular in recruitment and selection. The Civil Service has introduced the approach widely across government departments as part of the new Success Profiles recruitment framework. While some empirical evidence of diversity impacts exists and is positive, little empirical evidence of the predictive validity of strengths-based interviews in selection has been demonstrated; quality of hire evidence for strengths-based interviews has relied more on case studies and anecdotal feedback. The current research empirically examines the predictive validity of semi-structured interviews using a blend of strengths-based and competency-based assessment, within the context of a large government department.


(2) Ensuring fairness: making multimedia SJT assessments fully inclusive Ali Shalfrooshan1, Paul Weldon2 1PSI Services, 2UK Civil Service

The Civil Service’s diversity ambition is to become the most inclusive employer in the United Kingdom by 2020. This session will explore the decisions and steps taken to ensure fairness and accessibility when designing a suite of multimedia item banked assessments. The assessments have been used across the Civil Service since 2017 and by August 2019, there have been almost 400,000 test instances, with the test used in thousands of vacancies.


(3) Situational Judgement Tests and Neurodiverse Candidates – An Investigation into Accessibility. Katy Welsh, Civil Service

Situational Judgement Tests (SJTs) continue to be a popular tool for recruitment. While some research has been conducted regarding their fairness across different populations, little research has been done regarding the experience of neurodiverse candidates. The current research examines the experience of neurodiverse candidates when taking SJTs and explores potential alternative formats to the standard fixed response forms with automated scoring.


How do gendered stereotypes impact the careers of LGBT individuals? Ashley Williams, Anne McBride, Helge Hoel Alliance Manchester Business School

Gendered stereotypes contribute to workplace inequality by creating biased negative evaluations of the performance of individuals, resulting in discriminatory action. However, the impact of such stereotypes is not limited to externally imposed limitations on one’s capability, but also extends to vocational decisions based upon the individual’s perception of career barriers. Gendered stereotypes play a significant role in an individual’s assessment of suitable roles, which suggests some people discard certain occupations due to perceived role incongruity.

Discrimination due to stereotypes presents a significant barrier for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) individuals, and has been demonstrated to contribute to the major career barriers experienced by LGBT individuals. However, the impact of gendered stereotypes of LGBT individuals on their perception of career barriers is yet to be explored. This paper presents the findings of a research study exploring the impact of gendered stereotypes of LGBT individuals using a combination of visual timelines and narrative interviews.

Thirty seven interviews have been conducted with LGBT professionals across both public and private sector organisations. Results indicate that the impact of gendered stereotypes on lesbian and gay individuals’ perception of career barriers is inverse to that of heterosexual individuals. Further, the analysis indicates that transgender individuals experience changes in the perception of their career opportunities and barriers following transition. The narrative interview approach provides the opportunity to explore these themes within the context of participant’s career narratives.


Shifting horizons and life chances: interventions for social mobility Philip Wilson, Civil Service Fast Stream and Early Talent • Civil Service Fast Stream and Early Talent (FSET) oversees high profile talent programmes for school/college students, apprentices, diversity interns and graduates who have the potential to become future leaders across the Civil Service. The graduate programme now stands at number 1 in The Times 2019 Top 100 graduate employers listing.

• An overwhelming priority for FSET is social mobility, seeking to shift the horizons of those from less privileged circumstances.

• Acknowledging the need to accelerate change, we commissioned a ground breaking research review by the Bridge Group in 2016 – comprising a 2 year action plan which was fully implemented by early 2018 and developed further over the following 12 months. From this, FSET’s social mobility vision for the Civil Service has been entirely re-vamped.

• Roll-out includes the following positive highlights: The success rate for Fast Stream graduate programme lower socio-economic candidates increased each year from 2017 (doubling compared with 2016), to 2018 and 2019. For schools, 98% said they would recommend the socio-economic work experience placement programme. Evaluation metrics for 2018 and 2019 undergraduate spring interns – including lower socio-economic students - indicated 100% would recommend the internship scheme.

Collaborating Beyond OP: Bridging evidence and practice Topic: Work Design, Organisational Change and Development Bringing together physical design & organisational psychology to build healthy workspaces Joanna Yarker1, Charlotte Hermans2 1Affinity Health at Work/Birbeck University, 2AECOM

With recent figures suggesting that 26.8 million work days lost to ill health, costing UK employers upwards of £9.7 billion a year in lost productivity (HSE, 2018), it is not surprising that workplace wellbeing is a high priority for organisations. There is a vast, yet diffuse evidence base that can help us to understand the impact of the workplace on health and wellbeing, yet typically different disciplines have worked in silos. For example, ergonomists, environmental psychologists and real estates researchers have explored the impact of work settings, noise, light, air quality, while separately, organizational psychologists have developed a strong understanding of the role played by the psychological and social aspects such as manager support, work autonomy and culture. The emergence of the WELL Building Standards, and growing pressure from clients, has led the workspace design industry to prioritise design for wellbeing bringing new opportunities to create healthy and productive workspaces.

This session brings shared insights from a partnership between Affinity Health at Work, Birkbeck and AECOM, a global company leading in the field of workplace design. Working together to develop and test a conceptual model for Holistic Workplace Wellbeing, we adopted a multi-disciplinary perspective that integrates the contributions of psychologists, architects and design and construction. Together, we have gathered data from over 1500 employees, across four workplaces, to examine how people interact with their workspaces. Most recently, gathering data pre- and post- to examine the impact of an office re-fresh. We examine ambient factors (light, temperature), office features (layout and equipment) and management practices, alongside work and health outcomes to identify the salient features that predict performance, health and wellbeing.

Our findings demonstrate the complex interplay of features in the physical and the psychosocial work environment with dominant influences of managerial support, workplace autonomy, and environmental “hygiene factors” such as noise and lighting. Behavioral protocols or ‘shared rules about how we use the space around us’ play an important role in supporting wellbeing.

This collaboration, bringing together different disciplines and working across academia and business, has allowed us to develop a new working model of workplace wellbeing. The implications for professionals working together to design and deliver healthy workplaces are considered. Specifically, we recognize the importance of leveraging expertise from different disciplines and drawing from a research-driven approach, and share the opportunities and challenges of working together to create healthy and productive workspaces.

Keywords: work design, office design, health, wellbeing, productivity


Machiavellianism, ideal leadership concepts and organisational crisis on abusive supervision and OCB

Zainal Ezzat Adel Bin Zainal Azman, Anders Friis Marstand Birkbeck University of London

The purpose of the study is to evaluate how individuals’' Machiavellianism, ideal leadership self-concepts, and perceptions of organisational crisis and effect the relationship between abusive supervision and supervisor-targeted organisational citizenship behaviours. The present study builds on the theories of social comparison, learning, and identity through testing whether certain conditions shield leaders from the negative effects of their abusive behaviours. Specifically, we hypothesize that abusive supervisory behaviours will have a less detrimental effect on followers’ SOCB when (a) followers report higher levels of Machiavellianism, (b) followers’ ideal leadership self-concepts are high on tyranny, high in dedication, or low on sensitivity and (c) the organisation is perceived to be in a period of crisis. A vignette-based experiment was used to manipulate participants’ perceptions of a leaders’ abusive behaviours and a company’s crisis status in order to evaluate their SOCB intentions within the scenarios. Three vignettes of leadership behaviours (abusive, non-abusive, neutral) in conjunction with two vignettes of an organisation’s crisis status (crisis vs non-crisis) were used in this study. 200 participants were recruited and exposed to one each of a leader behaviour vignette and organisational crisis vignette. The results of the experiment partially supported our hypotheses as the weakest association between abusive leadership behaviours and SOCBs was found under conditions in which the organisation was perceived to be in crisis.

Ref: 3863 Poster Topic: Research Design, Analytical Techniques and Practical Applications

People Analytics and HR employees' Resistance Eleni Zarkada, MSc Student in the University of Edinburgh

The current research took place as a Dissertation Project for the researcher's Master degree in International Human Resource Management. The aims and objectives of the research were to understand why some HR employees resist in the use of People Analytics and in which factors should companies turn their focus in order to change Resistance. The research took place in collaboration with a start-up company specialised in People Analytics (PA), which provided the researcher with the appropriate sample, while the mixed methods design was followed combining quantitative results by HR employees themselves (N=104) and qualitative findings by the viewpoint of five People Analytics Leaders interviewed. The integration of the findings revealed that skills and self-efficacy do not have the power to change the Attitudes of employees, while contradicting findings occured concerning the importance of employees' Attitudes and the Organisational Culture on Resistance, implying that these two concepts should be further examined in the future. Finally, offering People Anaytics Training was proved to have a significant impact on Attitudes and this aspect has been stressed with specific recommendations by the researcher.

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01.2020

Documents

Abstracts Summary DOP ANNUAL ONFERENCE · For most of his professional career as an occupational psychologist, Marc has worked within Human Resources (HR), or related, functions supporting