The purpose of this study was to explore the relationship of perceived calling and work engagement in nursing over and above major work environment factors. In all, 351 nurses from various health care institutions completed the survey. Data were collected about the most demanding aspects of nursing, major job resources, the degree to which nursing is perceived as a meaningful calling, work engagement, and main demographic information. Hierarchical linear regression was applied to assess the relation between perceived calling and work engagement, while controlling for demographic and work environment factors, and perceived calling was significantly related to two out of three components of nurses' work engagement. The highest association was found with dedication component, and vigor component was related insignificantly. Results have shown that perceived calling might motivate nurses to engage in their work even in burdensome environment, although possible implications for the occupational well-being of nurses themselves remains unclear.

PurposeUsing the theoretical framework of job demands-resources and boundary management, the purpose of this paper is to explore the moderating role of work and life boundary characteristics in the relationship between time-spatial job crafting, work engagement and job performance.Design/methodology/approachA total of 176 employees working in the IT sector and having an opportunity to use flexible work arrangements were surveyed online.FindingsWork and life boundary characteristics were found to moderate the relationship between time-spatial job crafting and work engagement as well as between time-spatial job crafting and job performance. Moreover, boundary characteristics moderated the indirect relationship between time-spatial job crafting and job performance through work engagement.Practical implicationsTime-spatial job crafting becomes a key strategy for maintaining work engagement and job performance, when work–life boundaries are less flexible and less permeable.Originality/valueThe study demonstrates that boundary characteristics determine the effects of time-spatial job crafting on work engagement and job performance.

This study aims to longitudinally investigate the undesirable effect of overwork climate and its underlying mechanism in the context of telework. Teleworkers have been known for intensive working and even overwork. Moreover, although some empirical evidence shows the adverse effects of overwork climate, its longitudinal effects and mechanism have been underexplored thus far. Consequently, this study expected overwork climate to be related to lower levels of psychological detachment that eventually leads to higher exhaustion, with this effect being more profound among full-time teleworkers. The authors base their analyses on a two-wave study with four-month time intervals, with a sample of 375 teleworkers. The results show that an overwork climate led to exhaustion four months later due to impaired ability to detach from work. Notably, this effect was more substantial among those teleworkers who worked from home full-time.

PurposeDrawing on boundary theory, this study aims to analyse whether the intensity of working from home will be related to higher exhaustion through family boundary permeability, with this relationship being more robust when overwork climate is high.Design/methodology/approachIn this paper eight hundred eighty-three white-collar employees working from home during the COVID-19 pandemic in Lithuania were surveyed online.FindingsThe results confirmed the hypotheses, demonstrating that family boundary permeability may explain the relationship between telework intensity and exhaustion. Furthermore, the mediating relationship between the intensity of working from home, family boundary permeability and exhaustion were moderated by overwork climate. Employees who felt the pressure to overwork were more likely to have a more permeable family boundary when working from home and appeared to experience a much higher psychological cost in terms of emotional exhaustion.Originality/valueThe study provides an insight into the relationships between the intensity of working from home, boundary permeability and exhaustion and their boundary conditions when working from home during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The present study investigates teleworker's work‐home boundary dynamics during the COVID‐19 lockdown and relates them to work‐related well‐being outcomes such as work engagement and exhaustion. Latent profile analyses were conducted in a sample of 375 employees using six boundary characteristics (i.e. work‐ and home‐directed flexibility‐ability, flexibility‐willingness, and boundary permeability) as profile indicators. Four profiles, interpreted as boundary management styles, were identified: home‐protective, work‐protective, segregative, and integrative. They were shaped by a set of demographic and work characteristics and were also subject to adjustments over time. Subsequent latent transition analyses revealed relatively high within‐person profile stability among employees with the integrative and segregative profiles, whereas those with the home‐ or work‐protective profile were likely to switch into the segregative profile four months later. In terms of employee outcomes, the identified boundary management profiles differentiated well between the initial levels of work engagement but not exhaustion. The integrators demonstrated the highest initial well‐being, but this profile was also associated with a significant loss of engagement. In addition, profile transition scenarios were associated with the dynamics of well‐being over time. Theoretical and practical implications for managing the work‐home interface during the pandemic and beyond are discussed based on these findings.