New perspectives on the ideal worker image

Abstract

An ideal worker has been conceptualized as those who are constantly committed to and are available for their jobs at the expense of their personal lives. Employees who meet such a definition of the “ideal” are seen as effective and are rewarded by organizations. This dissertation introduces a new perspective and tests the existing assumptions in the extant ideal worker research.

In Essay 1, I examine how individual endorsement of the belief that an ideal worker is someone who is fully committed to work can have negative consequences on employees’ psychological well-being. It challenges the extant understanding that being an ideal worker will only bring positive outcomes. Furthermore, this study compared the effect of having such a belief on psychological well-being before and during the COVID-19 pandemic. This comparison shows that blurring work-life boundaries during the pandemic strengthens the negative perceptions of the ideal worker as this belief negatively impacts the employee’s well-being.

In Essay 2, I challenge the key assumptions inherent in the definition of the ideal worker in the extant literature. First, I challenge the notion that people have a unified conceptualization of an ideal worker as someone who is overly committed to their jobs at the expense of their personal life. Second, I present that having an alternative ideal can also lead to positive outcomes in personnel selection, as perceptions of integrity are also considered an important character for employees, above and beyond their job commitment.

Date of Award	2022
Original language	English
Awarding Institution	The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology
Supervisor	Melody Man Chi CHAO (Supervisor)