Conventional work motivation theories have focused on tasks that require a certain level of performance and achievement. However, it is not clear what kind of psychological process would improve work motivation for performing jobs in which such performances and achievements are not presupposed. By focusing on social contribution, this study aimed to clarify the psychological process to improve work motivation of jobs in which do not require objective or concrete performances and achievements. A survey was conducted on 179 operators from 6 call centers. The questionnaire comprised items on sense of social contribution, feedback from supervisor, work motivation, and work behavior with consideration for the customer. The results showed that the sense of social contribution to customers and to organization mediated the association between positive feedback from supervisors and work motivation. However, negative feedback from supervisors did not have a significant relationship with sense of social contribution and work motivation. These results suggest the importance of enhancing the experience of a sense of contribution to others through the provision of positive feedback while managing jobs in which do not require objective or concrete performances and achievements.

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The purpose of this study was to examine the career choice to stay at the same company and organizational re-adaptation process of ex-managers who stepped down their positions based on the position retirement policy. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 20 ex-managers. The data collected from each participant were analyzed according to the modified grounded theory approach. A hypothetical model was constructed. As a result, 9 category groups, 22 categories, 6 sub-categories, and 70 concepts were created based on the data. The major findings were as follows: Upon position retirement, ex-managers make the career choices to stay at the same company. The career choice is subject not only to the result of job search and self-analysis but also other ex-managers around them and family issues. Ex-managers who take new roles after stepping down feel a sense of loss of managerial roles, but move toward the practical and psychological re-adaptation to the new role with the influence of co-workers, workplaces and their work orientations. Then they revise their career plans which affect their career choices at the retirement age of 60.

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A previous study showed that the effects of the Big Five Personality Domains on Organizational Citizenship Behavior (OCB), which is informal voluntary behavior by employees, are indirect and that there is a need for clarification of the mediating mechanism between Big Five Personality Domains and OCB. This study focused on “political skill” which is the ability to exercise organizational politics, and examined the mediating effect of political skill in the effects of the Big Five Personality Domains on OCB. Participants were 309 full-time workers in a Japanese enterprise (231 men and 78 women; mean age 44.20 years, SD=8.16). Our results showed that “apparent sincerity” and “interpersonal influence”, subscales of political skill are the intervening variable which explaining the partly process of the Big Five Personality on OCB.

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The present study examined the effects of a conductor’s announcements on passengers’ psychological states through simulation experiments of monorail emergency stoppages. A comparison between broadcast and face-to-face announcements was examined in the first experiment, and intervals (six minutes and three minutes) of broadcast announcements were examined in the second experiment. The results were as follows: (1) there was no significant difference between the announcement channels on passenger anxiety, (2) the broadcast announcements were perceived more socially desirable than the face-to-face announcements, (3) there was no significant effect of the announcement interval on passengers’ psychological states. The results suggest that face-to-face announcements are perceived as inappropriate in these non-crisis situations. Moreover, announcement frequency has not made a difference on the psychological states of passengers if the contents of the announcements are almost the same. It may be concluded that broadcast announcements at six minute intervals are preferable in terms of practicality.

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This article reviewed domestic and international studies on work engagement and considered the prospects for future studies from a viewpoint of effective utilization of the concept of “work engagement” in practice. Unlike other similar concepts (workaholism, job satisfaction, etc.), academic definitions of work engagement are characterized by high activity level and positive attitude/cognition regarding work. Using such a concept enhances interests and active involvements of both individuals and organizations as opposed to conventional mental health care in the workplace, which has focused mainly on prevention, and leads to a more effective practice. Previous studies have revealed antecedent and subsequent factors of work engagement, suggesting positive effects for both individuals and organizations. Meanwhile, although interventions to improve work engagement have shown some degree of effect through meta-analysis, contents and effect size are diverse among studies. In addition, the number of intervention effect studies is not large in Japan. From now on, process evaluation of introduction and implementation in real-life contexts is required. To promote evidence-based practice, it is necessary to not only develop more effective intervention programs but also study how to practice effective interventions.

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