Experience sampling of the psychosocial work environment: from hedonometrics to hedonopragmatics

Metze, Jacob F. (2020) Experience sampling of the psychosocial work environment: from hedonometrics to hedonopragmatics. PhD thesis, London School of Economics and Political Science.

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Abstract

Current research that uses the experience sampling method (ESM) in an organisational context has focused on individuals in order to advance the theories and metrics regarding employees’ work experiences. What is notable is the lack of focus on the pragmatic potential of the method to mobilise change in organisations. Participatory interventions based on survey feedback are shown to be effective, but rely on questionnaire data with well-known limitations for capturing the dynamic nature of employee experiences. The ESM addresses and overcomes some of these limitations but has yet to be applied to feedback interventions. This research investigates how an ESM approach to survey feedback in an organisational context mobilises change efforts with a focus on the psychosocial work environment. The study serves two purposes. First, it investigates the semantic equivalence between the questionnaire metrics and new ESM measures of the psychosocial work environment, where questions are sampled from a pool of items at each time sampling occasion (hedonometrics). Second, it assesses whether the ESM exceeds traditional survey feedback when mobilising collective change efforts (hedonopragmatics). A longitudinal experimental study design is applied within a Danish higher education institution. Ten naturally established work groups are assigned to either an ESM or a questionnaire survey condition. Each unit participates in an intervention with extensive data feedback and a follow-up procedure 8–16 months later. Data include survey responses, action plans and observations of feedback conferences. The results provide partial support for the semantic equivalence of the ESM sampling and the questionnaire approach. All three data sources indicate greater change mobilisation for the ESM compared to the questionnaire condition. It is concluded that the added value of the ESM extends beyond its use as a better metric at the individual level. It also has pragmatic and emancipatory potential for sensemaking at the group level in organisations.

Item Type:	Thesis (PhD)
Additional Information:	© 2020 Jacob F. Metze
Library of Congress subject classification:	B Philosophy. Psychology. Religion > BF Psychology H Social Sciences > HD Industries. Land use. Labor > HD28 Management. Industrial Management
Sets:	Departments > Psychological and Behavioural Science
Supervisor:	Bauer, Martin W.
URI:	http://etheses.lse.ac.uk/id/eprint/4200

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