Work Values-Work Rewards Fit Across Ten Years and Work and Well-Being Outcomes in Young Adulthood

• Author / Creator

  Chen, Jiawen

• Guided by the person-environment fit theory, this study identified the latent profiles for work values-work rewards fit within time, transition patterns for fit profiles across time, and the effect of fit profile transitions on work-related and well-being outcomes in young adulthood. A total of 1,066 participants was surveyed three times in 1989 (ages 22 to 26), 1992 (ages 25 to 29), and 1999 (ages 32 to 36). At each measurement point, participants responded to items assessing intrinsic work values and rewards, good pay values and rewards, and job security values and rewards. In 1999, participants also reported on their job satisfaction, career satisfaction, career evaluation, physical well-being, mental well-being, and happiness. Latent profile analysis was used at each wave to classify participants into four distinct profiles characterized by the degree of fit between their work values and work rewards, labeled good fit-intrinsically focused, good fit-balanced, good fit-intrinsically unconcerned, and poor fit. The majority of participants belonged to the good fit-intrinsically focused profile, followed by the good fit-balanced profile. Latent transition analysis examined participants’ transitions among the four profiles across three waves. Participants in the good fit-intrinsically focused profile and the good fit-balanced profile were more likely to remain in the same profile over time whereas those in the poor fit profile were more likely to move into the good fit-intrinsically focused profile and the good fit-balanced profile. Multiple regression analyses showed that participants who were in one of the three good fit profiles at every wave had the highest levels of career satisfaction and career evaluation by 1999. Participants who transitioned from the poor fit profile to one of the good fit profiles across time reported highest levels of job satisfaction. On the other hand, participants who ended up in the poor fit profile in 1999 reported the worst work-related and well-being outcomes. Theoretical arguments and discussion are guided by a person-centered approach and a lifespan developmental perspective.

• Subjects / Keywords

  • Work values
  • Lifespan development
  • Young adulthood
  • Job satisfaction
  • P-E fit

• Graduation date

  Fall 2017

• Type of Item

  Thesis

• Degree

  Doctor of Philosophy

• DOI

  https://doi.org/10.7939/R3154F31M

• License

  This thesis is made available by the University of Alberta Libraries with permission of the copyright owner solely for non-commercial purposes. This thesis, or any portion thereof, may not otherwise be copied or reproduced without the written consent of the copyright owner, except to the extent permitted by Canadian copyright law.