Abstract
The current understanding of work in I-O psychology is built fundamentally on the concept of paid labor. We believe that this angle is too narrow and discuss current as well as prospective strands of research on paid and unpaid work. In addition, we highlight the potential of volunteering with regard to life domain balance by drawing on different empirical results. First, it could be shown that volunteering can positively influence the appraisals of stressors. Second, due to their volunteer work individuals can build up resources that can be transferred to other life domains. And finally, volunteering facilitates relaxation/recovery, enabling individuals to better adapt to and fulfill tasks and responsibilities in other life domains. Results from our own research indicate the compensatory and beneficial potential of volunteering. However, there seems to be an optimum, suggesting that individuals who volunteer with a medium frequency experience minimal conflict between life domains. We conclude by discussing from a psychology perspective the health-promoting potential of income equality guaranteed by a utopian basic income.
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Notes
- 1.
The satisfaction scale consists of items developed in our research group and in connection with several prior investigations on volunteering as well as items adapted from the Schaufeli and Bakker (2003) Utrecht Work Engagement Scale. The Eigen value criterion suggested one general factor solution with an internal consistency of α = .83 after eliminating two items.
- 2.
For a further explanation of the theory and method, see Fransella, Bell, and Bannister (2003).
- 3.
Altogether, the set of elements contained on average ten activities, which were presented to the respondents.
- 4.
Erich Fromm uses the term guaranteed income.
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Jiranek, P., Brauchli, R., Wehner, T. (2014). Beyond Paid Work: Voluntary Work and its Salutogenic Implications for Society. In: Bridging Occupational, Organizational and Public Health. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-007-5640-3_13
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