Polish Psychological Bulletin

Abstract

The objectives of the study were to recognize the main motives for engagement in actions beyond basic professional duties among various professional groups and to identify selected properties of the subject and context of activities that contribute to such beyond-duties engagement. A set of questionnaires in electronic or paper form was completed by 209 employees, including 104 representatives of assistance professions and 95 representatives of creative professions, aged between 21 and 67 years (M = 37.54, SD = 9.55). It was established that the main motives for beyondduties engagement in both groups of professionals under study were self-actualization and acting for the benefit of others. With the use of structural equation modelling, subjective and contextual determinants of engagement in actions beyond basic professional duties were identified as self-efficacy and action meaningfulness. The research discusses the phenomenon of engagement in extra activities at work from the perspective of the acting person/employee. The study results can be useful for managers in setting goals of appropriate type and manner to their employees as well as for task assignment.