Dr Frank Bond - Research project

Psychological determinants of work performance and mental health

Occupational psychologists have rarely attempted to identify psychological mechanisms that determine both mental health and job performance in the workplace. Recent advances in cognitive behaviour therapy theories have, however, recently suggested psychological characteristics that may do so. Forefront amongst these is 'psychological flexibility': the ability to focus on the present moment and, depending upon what the situation affords, persist with or change one's (even inflexible, stereotypical) behaviour in the pursuit of goals and values.

Research by Bond and colleagues has shown that psychological flexibility longitudinally predicts both mental health and job performance at work (e.g., Bond & Flaxman, 2006; Bond, Flaxman, & Bunce, 2008). In addition, research has shown that psychological flexibility can be enhanced through brief, worksite interventions and doing so leads to improvements in mental health and job performance (Bond & Bunce, 2000). Further research is now required to explore the mechanisms by which this individual characteristic has such a joint impact on workplace mental health and productivity. Research with such a goal would make for an ideal MPhil/PhD.

References

Bond, F.W. & Bunce, D. (2000). Mediators of change in emotion-focused and problem-focused worksite stress management interventions. Journal of Occupational Health Psychology, 5, 156 – 163.

Bond, F.W. & Flaxman, P.E. (2006). The ability of psychological flexibility and job control to predict learning, job performance, and mental health. Journal of Organizational Behavior Management, 26, 113-130.

Bond, F.W., Flaxman, P.E., & Bunce, D. (2008). The influence of psychological flexibility on work redesign: Mediated moderation of a work reorganization intervention. Journal of Applied Psychology, 93, 645-654.