Investigating Dynamic Resource Substitution in the Workplace: How Vigor, Mindfulness and Positive Affect Contribute to Daily Task Performance

In this dissertation, I seek to enhance the understanding of the dynamic interaction of personal resources at work, their effects on daily functioning, and the extent to which these resources may compensate for one another. Integrating the substitution hypothesis of conservation of resources (COR) theory (Hobfoll, 1989; Hobfoll & Leiberman, 1987) and Beal et al.’s (2005) dynamic model of job performance, this research investigates the impact of daily states of vigor, mindfulness, and positive affect on fluctuations in job performance, with a particular focus on their potential to reciprocally compensate for one another. To address these questions, three daily diary studies were conducted using complementary methodological approaches. Study 1 tested the influence of vigor and mindfulness on task performance as well as the existence of a resource compensation effect based on self-reported data collected once at the end of the work day. Study 2 extended this design by introducing a second measurement point in the morning to strengthen causal inferences. Study 3 expanded the investigated resource pool by including positive affect and examined whether compensation effects could also be detected using an objective performance measure, in an attempt to enhance external validity. The multilevel analyses conducted across all three studies consistently demonstrated that day-level fluctuations in each of the three resources—vigor, mindfulness, and positive affect—were positively associated with self-rated daily task performance. Among these, vigor emerged as the most robust predictor. Additionally, there was empirical support for compensatory dynamics between volatile personal resources: Study 1 and Study 3 revealed significant interaction effects—between vigor and mindfulness, and between vigor and positive affect, respectively—suggesting that higher levels of one resource may buffer the negative impact of low levels of another on daily performance. However, the findings were not entirely consistent. Study 2 did not replicate the interaction between vigor and mindfulness when resources and performance were assessed at separate times throughout the day. Similarly, Study 3 did not find evidence for compensatory effects of vigor and mindfulness when using an objective measure of task performance, nor did it find significant main effects. Overall, these findings underscore the importance of having sufficient personal resources available on any given day, as they appear essential for sustaining high levels of task performance. This dissertation contributes to a more nuanced understanding of the dynamic interplay among personal resources in the workplace and offers a promising foundation for targeted interventions aimed at supporting employees in maintaining well-being and performance in daily working life.