Alexander D. Stajkovic - Böcker

Jobs that were once well-defined are now multifaceted. New realities have placed a premium on employee cognitive processing to fulfill complex occupational roles. But human conscious cognitive capacity is limited, making it nearly impossible for employees to keep up without being overloaded. Stajković and Sergent refute the common assumption that technological automation is the only way forward. Instead, they directly tackle the issue of employee cognitive overload by proposing cognitive automation as an alternative solution. The authors present a sampling of cutting-edge research showing that conscious guidance is not required for all goal pursuits; goal-directed behavior at work can be automated via priming of subconscious goals. Building on research in social psychology and organizational behavior, Stajković and Sergent introduce four models to explain how subconscious goals are primed in organizations:•Auto-motive model: Repeated practice with a goal makes cognitive automation possible.•Goal contagion: Observing and inferring goals of others creates cognitive automation.•Means-goal priming: Confidence in your goal pursuit enhances cognitive automation.•A history of reinforcement: Money, feedback, and social recognition used to reinforce goal achievement become associated with the goal, resulting in cognitive automation.The authors canvas a broad range of knowledge concerning the problem of employee cognitive overload in contemporary organizations and rely on multidisciplinary research to propose cognitive automation as a solution that can address it directly. This book is a deep well of valuable information for those interested in solving real work problems with application of science of organizational behavior (SOB).

Jobs that were once well-defined are now multifaceted. New realities have placed a premium on employee cognitive processing to fulfill complex occupational roles. But human conscious cognitive capacity is limited, making it nearly impossible for employees to keep up without being overloaded. Stajković and Sergent refute the common assumption that technological automation is the only way forward. Instead, they directly tackle the issue of employee cognitive overload by proposing cognitive automation as an alternative solution. The authors present a sampling of cutting-edge research showing that conscious guidance is not required for all goal pursuits; goal-directed behavior at work can be automated via priming of subconscious goals. Building on research in social psychology and organizational behavior, Stajković and Sergent introduce four models to explain how subconscious goals are primed in organizations:•Auto-motive model: Repeated practice with a goal makes cognitive automation possible.•Goal contagion: Observing and inferring goals of others creates cognitive automation.•Means-goal priming: Confidence in your goal pursuit enhances cognitive automation.•A history of reinforcement: Money, feedback, and social recognition used to reinforce goal achievement become associated with the goal, resulting in cognitive automation.The authors canvas a broad range of knowledge concerning the problem of employee cognitive overload in contemporary organizations and rely on multidisciplinary research to propose cognitive automation as a solution that can address it directly. This book is a deep well of valuable information for those interested in solving real work problems with application of science of organizational behavior (SOB).

This innovative book considers the cost of cognitive overload and psychological distress on human sustainability, and suggests ways to prevent employees from becoming a psychologically depleted workforce.Employee attentional processing capacity is maxed out, and psychological distress is at an all-time high. Alexander D. Stajkovic and Kayla S. Stajkovic explain how human cognitive ‘broadband’ is at the hunter-gatherer level and changes at an evolutionary snail’s pace. Yet the amount of information necessary to make a living now is incomparable to then, and the current relationship between workers and organizations is unsustainable. The authors discuss causes, processes, and consequences of human unsustainability at work, as well as suggesting remedies for personal change, leadership practice, and policy development. They frame efforts toward furthering human sustainability as a grand challenge that tackles a chronic problem at a societal level with consequences that have ripple effects into other spheres of life. Drawing from multiple disciplines and data sources, the book offers a theory-driven, evidence-based, and meaningful way to better understanding employee cognitive overload and psychological distress in organizations across the globe, and improve work lives going forward.Human Sustainability and Cognitive Overload at Work is a useful resource for students and scholars of business, management, leadership, organizational and work psychology, and organizational studies. The practical insights will also help managers, policy makers, policy analysists, consultants, and all those with an interest in the psychological cost of working.The Open Access version of this book, available at www.taylorfrancis.com, has been made available under a Creative Commons Attribution-Non Commercial-No Derivatives (CC-BY-NC-ND) 4.0 license.