Individual Differences and Changes in Self-Reported Work Performance During the Early Stages of the COVID-19 Pandemic

Abstract

The goal of this longitudinal study was to examine how three dimensions of self-reported work performance, including task proficiency, adaptivity, and proactivity, changed between December 2019 and September 2020 in Germany. Based on event system and transition theories, we expected work performance to decline due to the “lockdown” between early April and early May 2020, and to subsequently increase when restrictions were eased between early May and early September 2020. Additionally, we hypothesized that high levels of core self-evaluations (i.e., employees’ fundamental evaluations about themselves) buffer the decline and strengthen the recovery in work performance. Data were collected from N = 591 full-time employees across eight measurement points. Results based on discontinuous latent growth curve modeling largely supported the expected trajectories in work performance. Moreover, core self-evaluations positively predicted the levels of work performance, as well as the slopes indicating recovery in task proficiency and adaptivity, but not proactivity.

Working from Home: When is it Too Much of a Good Thing?

“…Ten of these articles have completely different research questions and include totally different substantive variables than the current study. The current study makes use of job performance and job satisfaction data from time [T] T3 -T4 and T6 -T35 that has also been partially reported in two other papers (Weiss et al, 2022;Zacher et al, 2021). However, the current study contributes above and beyond these studies by considering job performance data at 24 and job satisfaction data at 25 additional measurement waves.…”

Mental Health Changes in Older Adults in Response to the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Longitudinal Study in Mexico

“…Bruine de Bruin ( 31 ), analyzing a sample of older adults in California, found greater perception of higher risks of dying if they contracted the SARS-CoV-2 virus, but with lower perceived risks of contracting the disease, being quarantined or running out of money, in addition to having low scores on depression and anxiety. Other studies ( 32 – 34 ) suggest that, compared to young adults, older individuals are less mentally affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.…”