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Finding the ideal work-life balance just got easier, thanks to new research from the UWA Business School.

The secret, says PhD student Francesco Cangiano , is to engage in proactive behaviour at work.

If you carry out your job in an innovative way or anticipate future problems, the benefits will stay with you long after the work day finishes.

The reason, according to Cangiano, is that engaging in proactive behaviour increases our feelings of competence. And when we feel competent, this results in less fatigue and more vigour – or greater levels of energy and wellbeing.

Cangiano’s study asked 93 workers from across various professional industries to complete a five-day diary study. Each day, study participants answered a short survey at three points: before work, at the end of the work day, and before bed.

The results showed that on days when study participants were more proactive at work, they reported higher energy levels during the evening.

“What was interesting was that working longer hours doesn’t necessarily make you feel tired, as long as your work makes you feel competent,” Cangiano said.

“I think managers should try to give people autonomy, let people engage in tasks where they can utilise all their skills and expertise; even if these activities can be challenging, they can allow people to feel more competent at work. Therefore, they can boost people’s well-being and help them recharge to deal effectively with a demanding job.”

Cangiano’s next study will examine different types of proactive behaviour, taking into account daily mediators such as self-efficacy, self-esteem and optimism, as well as daily outcomes such as job satisfaction and work-life conflict. Study participants will also wear heart-rate variability monitors to investigate the physiological consequences of work experiences.

Francesco Cangiano presented his research at the UWA Business School Doctoral Research Conference on 5 November 2015.

Media references

Karen Della Torre (UWA Business School)                                    (+61 8) 6488 8538
Verity Chia (UWA Business School)                                              (+61 8) 6488 1346