Improving employees’ job-stress mindset with an online micro-intervention: a randomized controlled study

We tested the effectiveness of an online stress-mindset micro-intervention specific to job stress in a sample of 120 employees. We examined whether the intervention improves stress mindset, well-being, and cognitive appraisal. We randomly assigned participants to an intervention or control condition (i.e. alternative treatment or passive control group). Participants took part in the intervention at the beginning of the study and filled out another survey two weeks later. The intervention included a video about the benefits of stressful situations and a writing task. One half of the intervention group received a booster session after one week (intervention group with booster) and one half did not (intervention group without booster). Regression analyses showed that the intervention improved stress mindset right after intervention and two weeks later. We did not observe a fade-out effect. Both intervention groups reported reduced exhaustion and hindrance appraisal. Participants in the intervention group without booster reported a less pronounced decrease in work engagement and, contrary to expectations, a decrease in challenge appraisal compared to the passive control group. Our results imply that employees’ stress mindset can be improved with an online micro-intervention and that this intervention reduces employee exhaustion and hindrance appraisal.