Abstract
This study examined the measurement equivalence of the Work Orientation Questionnaire (WOQ) that assesses five orientations of work meaning: calling, job, career, social embeddedness, and busyness in a sample of Swiss, Israeli, and Italian workers (N = 909). Tests of measurement invariance suggest that the WOQ is reliable and valid across the three countries. Three out of the five orientations (calling, job, and social embeddedness) predicted work engagement, career satisfaction, and job satisfaction in all three countries. Overall, the WOQ seems to be a useful tool to assess the various meanings of work in a diversity of cultural settings.
Résumé
Questionnaire d'orientation envers le travail: Invariance de mesure et validité critériée chez des travailleurs suisses, israéliens et italiens. Cette étude a évalué l'équivalence de mesure de la Work Orientation Questionnaire (WOQ), une échelle qui évalue cinq orientations du sens du travail: la vocation, l'emploi, la carrière, l'intégration sociale et l'activité dans un échantillon de travailleurs suisses, israéliens et italiens (N = 909). Les tests d'invariance suggèrent que la WOQ est fiable et valide dans les trois pays. Trois des cinq orientations (vocation, emploi et intégration sociale) ont permis de prédire l'engagement professionnel, la satisfaction de carrière et la satisfaction au travail dans les trois pays. Dans l'ensemble, la WOQ semble être un outil utile pour évaluer les différents aspects du sens du travail dans une diversité de contextes culturels.
Zusammenfassung
Fragebogen zur Arbeitsorientierung: Messinvarianz und Kriteriumsvalidität bei Schweizer, Israelischen und Italienischen Arbeitnehmern. Diese Studie untersucht die Messäquivalenz des Fragebogens zur Arbeitsorientierung (Work Orientation Questionnaire; WOQ), in welchem fünf Orientierungen der Arbeitsbedeutung bewertet werden: Berufung, Beruf, Karriere, soziale Einbettung und Beschäftigung in einer Stichprobe von Schweizer, Israelischen und Italienischen Arbeitnehmern (N = 909). Tests der Messinvarianz legen nahe, dass der WOQ in allen drei Ländern zuverlässig und gültig ist. Drei der fünf Orientierungen (Berufung, Beruf und soziale Einbettung) prognostizierten Arbeitsengagement, Karrierezufriedenheit und Arbeitszufriedenheit in allen drei Ländern. Insgesamt scheint das WOQ ein nützliches Instrument zu sein, um die verschiedenen Bedeutungen der Arbeit in einer Vielzahl von kulturellen Umgebungen zu bewerten.
Resumen
Cuestionario de orientación hacia el trabajo (WOQ): Medida de la invarianza y de la validez de criterio entre trabajadores suizos, israelíes e italianos. Este estudio examina la medida de equivalencia del cuestionario de orientación hacia el trabajo (WOQ) que evalúa cinco orientaciones del significado del trabajo: vocación, empleo, carrera, integración social y dedicación en una muestra de trabajadores suizos, israelíes e italianos (N = 909). Las puebas de la medida de la invarianza sugieren que el WOQ es fiable y válido de manera trasversal para los tres países. Tres de las cinco orientaciones (vocación, empleo e integración social) predicen en los tres países la contratación laboral, la satisfacción profesional y la satisfacción en el empleo. Generalizando, el WOQ parece ser una herramienta útil para valorar los distintos significados del trabajo en diferentes contextos culturales.
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Appendix 1: Standardized Loadings for the WOQ Items in Three Samples
Appendix 1: Standardized Loadings for the WOQ Items in Three Samples
Switzerland | Israel | Italy | ||
---|---|---|---|---|
Factor 1: calling | ||||
2 | I view my work as something I was meant to do Je vois mon travail comme quelque chose pour lequel j’ai été destiné Considero il mio lavoro come qualcosa a cui ero destinato | .66 | .65 | .51 |
7 | I view my work as my life's mission Je considère mon travail comme la mission de ma vie Considero il mio lavoro come una missione di vita | .76 | .82 | .69 |
12 | My work is one of the most important things in my life Mon travail est l’une des choses les plus importantes dans ma vie Il mio lavoro è una delle cose più importanti della mia vita | .77 | .65 | .76 |
17 | My work makes the world a better place Mon travail contribue à rendre le monde meilleur Il mio lavoro rende il mondo un posto migliore | .42 | .71 | .61 |
22 | My work gives my life meaning Mon travail donne du sens à ma vie Il mio lavoro dà senso alla mia vita | .75 | .76 | .63 |
Factor 2: job | ||||
3 | If I had enough money, I would not continue to work Si j’avais assez d'argent, j’arrêterais de travailler Se avessi abbastanza soldi, non vorrei continuare a lavorare | .55 | .59 | .53 |
8 | If I could receive a salary for staying home all day, I wouldn't work Si je pouvais recevoir un salaire en restant à la maison toute la journée, je ne travaillerais pas Se potessi ricevere uno stipendio per stare a casa tutto il giorno, non vorrei lavorare | .50 | .52 | .72 |
13 | My main reason for working is to earn a living that will allow me to lead my life outside of work Ma principale raison de travailler est de gagner de l’argent me permettant de gérer ma vie hors travail La ragione principale per lavorare è di tipo finanziario-guadagnarsi da vivere | .80 | .89 | .78 |
18 | My primary reason for working is financial—“to pay the bills.” Ma principale raison de travailler est essentiellement financière—pour payer mes factures La ragione principale per lavorare è finanziaria—"per pagare le bollette" | .86 | .89 | .84 |
23 | I work just because I need the money Je travaille uniquement pour gagner de l’argent Lavoro solo perchè ho bisogno di soldi | .59 | .87 | .89 |
Factor 3: social embeddedness | ||||
4 | My work is an opportunity for me to be part of a significant group Mon travail représente pour moi une opportunité de faire partie d’un groupe important Il mio lavoro mi dà l’opportunità di essere parte di un gruppo | .60 | .72 | .56 |
9 | It is important for me to be socially connected to the people I work with C’est important pour moi d’être en relation avec mes collègues de travail E 'importante per me essere in relazione con le persone con cui lavoro | .58 | .76 | .47 |
14 | I put in effort to feel part of the organization in which I work Je fais l’effort pour me sentir appartenir à l'organisation/entreprise dans laquelle je travaille Mi sono impegnato per sentirmi parte dell'organizzazione in cui lavoro | .36 | .63 | .44 |
19 | The people I work with are like a family to me Les personnes avec qui je travaille sont comme une famille pour moi Le persone con cui lavoro sono come una famiglia per me | .70 | .79 | .74 |
24 | I would like to establish relationships with my coworkers that extend beyond the workplace J’aimerais établir des relations avec mes collègues qui s’étendent au-delà du lieu de travail Vorrei stabilire rapporti con i miei colleghi che si estendono al di là del luogo di lavoro | .62 | .59 | .72 |
Factor 4: career | ||||
5 | I would like to advance in the professional hierarchy of my field Je voudrais avancer hiérarchiquement dans mon domaine professionnel Mi piacerebbe avanzare professionalmente nel mio settore | .88 | .82 | .64 |
10 | I hope to gain influence and power in my workplace J’espère acquérir plus d’influence et de pouvoir dans mon travail Spero di avere un posizione di potere nel mio posto di lavoro | .77 | .82 | .72 |
15 | I hope to get promoted in the near future J’espère pouvoir obtenir une promotion dans un futur proche Nel prossimo futuro spero di ottenere una promozione | .81 | .65 | .77 |
20 | I expect to be in a better position in my professional field one day J’espère pouvoir accéder un jour à un meilleur poste dans mon travail Un giorno mi aspetto di essere in una posizione lavorativa migliore | .87 | .95 | .70 |
25 | I hope to get a position soon with additional duties and responsibilities J’espère dans un futur proche pouvoir accéder à un poste offrant d’avantage de missions et de responsabilités Spero di ottenere presto posizione con compiti e responsabilità aggiuntive | .84 | .90 | .83 |
Factor 5: busyness | ||||
6 | On days when I am not working, time seems to move very slowly Les jours où je ne travaille pas, le temps semble passer très lentement Nei giorni in cui non lavoro, il tempo sembra passare molto lentamente | .61 | .69 | .55 |
11 | It is hard for me to imagine how I would spend my time without work C’est difficile pour moi d'imaginer comment je pourrais passer mes journées sans travailler E 'difficile per me immaginare come avrei trascorrso il mio tempo senza lavoro | .72 | .78 | .69 |
16 | I dislike having nothing to do, so I prefer to work Je n’aime pas rester sans rien faire, donc je préfère travailler Non mi piace non avere nulla a che fare, quindi preferisco lavorare | .61 | .57 | .68 |
21 | When I am home during vacation, I get bored quickly Quand je suis à la maison pendant les vacances, je m’ennuie rapidement Quando sono a casa durante le vacanze mi annoio facilmente | .65 | .70 | .53 |
26 | Without work my life would be empty and dull Sans travail, ma vie serait vide et dénuée de sens Senza lavoro la mia vita sarebbe vuota e noiosa | .69 | .63 | .76 |
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Lipshits-Braziler, Y., Abessolo, M., Santilli, S. et al. Work orientation questionnaire: measurement invariance and criterion validity among Swiss, Israeli, and Italian workers. Int J Educ Vocat Guidance 21, 187–209 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10775-020-09436-1
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10775-020-09436-1