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Item Thriving in clinical veterinary practice : a strengths-based, qualitative investigation of thriving in clinical veterinarians in Aotearoa New Zealand : a thesis presented for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Veterinary Science at Massey University, Manawatū, New Zealand(Massey University, 2025-11-21) Cantley, Charlotte Emily LouiseVeterinarians play an important role in society, contributing to animal health, public health, and environmental sustainability. However, there is growing international concern about the well-being and workforce stability of veterinarians, particularly those working in clinical practice. Much of the existing research has focused on the negative impact of veterinary work on well-being, emphasising that veterinarians experience high levels of psychological distress and burnout. However, there is a lack of understanding of what enables veterinarians not only to cope in clinical practice but also to thrive and enjoy fulfilling careers. This research employed a qualitative approach, grounded in positive psychology, to explore the factors that help veterinarians thrive in clinical practice. Using in-depth, semi-structured interviews, this research investigated the lived experiences of clinical veterinarians in Aotearoa New Zealand, to identify the factors that contribute to a fulfilling and sustainable career. Participants across the three studies represented veterinarians from a wide range of clinical practice types, including companion animal, production animal, equine, and mixed practice. They included late-career veterinarians (n = 19), new and recent graduates (n = 22), and mid-late career veterinarians who were not practice owners or senior managers (n = 29). Reflexive thematic analysis was utilised to identify key themes from the data. Three final key concepts emerged as critical to thriving in veterinary clinical practice: positive leadership, a psychologically safe clinic culture, and a strong sense of purpose and meaning in work, referred to as the “3Ps” of thriving. For early-career veterinarians, positive mentorship in a psychologically safe environment was crucial for developing confidence, self-efficacy, and a professional identity suitable for general practice. Mid- and late-career veterinarians who experienced positive leadership and a healthy, safe workplace culture reported an evolving sense of purpose that included providing care to patients and expanded to encompass mentoring and supporting others in the profession, as well as philanthropic work and community commitment. These veterinarians expressed high levels of engagement and were often motivated by fostering thriving in others. The attitudes and behaviours of clinic managers were noted as particularly important. Thus, a thriving veterinary career can be considered an odyssey — a long, transformative journey shaped by challenges, growth, and continuous learning. It reflects an evolving sense of purpose, making the role of a clinical veterinarian far more than just a job. Based on these findings, a practical framework of evidence-based recommendations was designed to foster thriving throughout a veterinarian’s career. These recommendations target three levels of influence: the individual, the clinic, and the broader veterinary profession, and may help address the ongoing issues of recruitment and retention in veterinary practice. This research provides valuable insights into the benefits of pursuing a clinical career, contributing to the growing body of literature on positive well-being in the veterinary field. It highlights the importance of leadership and psychological safety — topics that have received relatively little attention in veterinary contexts — and shows how they enable veterinarians to find purpose and meaning in their work. Importantly, the research highlights that fostering thriving is a collective responsibility, shared between veterinary businesses, individual veterinarians, and the profession as a whole.Item Balancing acts : reconciling paid work and caregiving among older New Zealanders : a thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Psychology at Massey University, Turitea, New Zealand(Massey University, 2024) Koreshi, Shanika YoshiniPopulation ageing and the rising number of older workers balancing paid work and caregiving responsibilities present significant challenges to social and economic systems. This thesis aims to explore how older New Zealanders, specifically those aged 55 and above, reconcile paid work with caregiving duties and to identify the implications for workforce participation and retirement decisions. Longitudinal data from the New Zealand Health, Work, and Retirement study were used throughout the thesis. The theoretical framework of this thesis is grounded in role theory and the demands-resources approach (Voyandoff, 2005), inspired by Karasek's model (Karasek, 1979). Role theory helps explain how individuals manage multiple roles, such as worker and caregiver, and the demands-resources approach provides a lens to examine how job demands and resources influence the ability to balance these roles. The research is structured around four empirical studies, each addressing distinct aspects of this issue. The first study investigates the predictors of becoming an informal caregiver, focusing on work status preferences and the role of work status incongruence. The findings suggest that older workers in involuntary part-time positions (who prefer more work hours) are more likely to take up caregiving roles compared to those in voluntary part-time or full-time roles. This highlights the importance of aligning work conditions with worker preferences to prevent undue pressure on older adults to assume caregiving roles out of necessity rather than choice. The second study examines the use of flexible work arrangements (FWAs) among older caregivers. It finds that older caregivers utilise more FWAs than their non-caregiving counterparts, particularly in terms of flexible hours, schedules, and time-off arrangements. Self-employed caregivers show a higher likelihood of using these arrangements, indicating the critical role of job autonomy in managing dual responsibilities. The third study explores the impact of work status preferences and FWAs on work-family conflict among older caregivers. The results indicate that certain FWAs, like flexible time-off, can significantly reduce work interference with family for those in involuntary part-time roles, whereas other FWAs do not show the same effect. The fourth study addresses the influence of caregiving and work-related factors on retirement decisions. It reveals that higher caregiving frequency and job stress are significant predictors of retirement among older workers. Additionally, those in involuntary part-time or full-time positions are more likely to retire early compared to those in voluntary full-time roles. Overall, this thesis provides a comprehensive examination of the intersection between paid work and caregiving among older adults in New Zealand. It underscores the critical role that work-related factors play in reconciling paid work and caregiving responsibilities. The findings highlight the importance of aligning work conditions with individual preferences and the need for tailored flexible work arrangements to support older caregivers. These insights will have implications for future research and provide guidance for policymakers and employers aiming to enhance the participation and well-being of older working caregivers in the labour force.Item Exploring the impact of job insecurity on employees’ well-being : a phenomenological study in the New Zealand higher education sector : a thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Business Studies in Management at Massey University, Manawatu, New Zealand(Massey University, 2024) Wong, GigiIn response to escalating financial challenges in the higher education sector in New Zealand, exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic, institutions have undertaken significant organisational restructuring efforts. However, these initiatives, along with employees’ awareness of financial challenges, have simultaneously heightened uncertainty among the workforce, resulting in an increasing prevalence of job insecurity among employees. The purpose of this research is to analyse how employees’ lived experiences of job insecurity relate to their perceived well-being in the New Zealand higher education sector. Notably, prior research suggests job insecurity has a negative impact on employees’ well-being, but there are limited studies, particularly in the higher education sector, that explore the authentic experiences and consequential effects on perceived personal well-being. This gap is even more pronounced when it comes to using qualitative approaches to understand the perspectives of employees. Using a qualitative research approach within the interpretivist paradigm, this exploratory study aims to address this gap by exploring the multi-faced dimensions of the subjective phenomenon of job insecurity and its impacts on employees’ perceived well-being. In this study, job insecurity refers to instances in which employees feel threatened by the security of their positions because they have been notified of changes to their jobs or have observed insecurity in the workplace, which has led them to perceive potential changes to their jobs. This study employs thematic analysis of data gathered from semi-structured, in-depth interviews with 17 employees experiencing job insecurity in the New Zealand higher education sector to answer the following research ques-on: How do employees’ lived experiences of job insecurity relate to their perceived well-being? Three sub-questions were also used to guide the research: 1. What are the stressors that arise from job insecurity? 2. How do the stressors of job insecurity impact the well-being of employees? 3. How do employees respond to the challenges posed by job insecurity? During thematic analysis, the theoretical frameworks of stress theory and conservation of resources theory were drawn on to derive salient themes from the empirical data. The findings present three main themes: stressors, effects on well-being, and behavioural and attitudinal responses. Within these themes, there are 12 sub-themes identified. These findings collectively support a discussion on the negative impact job insecurity has on employee well-being that existing literature and theoretical frameworks have identified, with the domino effect emerging as a major revelation. The domino effect demonstrates how the initial stress of job insecurity can trigger a cascade of negative impacts on various aspects of employee well-being. Overall, the outcomes of this research shed light on the genuine and unique experiences of employees working within the country's higher education institutions, offering valuable insights into the complex interplay between job insecurity and employee well-being.Item Entrepreneurship and its meanings for low-income women in Aotearoa : a culture-centred approach : a thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Organisational Communication at Massey University, Albany, New Zealand(Massey University, 2022-12-31) Zorn, AndreaMeaningful work has been associated with positive large-scale outcomes such as life satisfaction and overall well-being, along with workplace-specific outcomes like job satisfaction and engagement. Despite growing interest in the field of organisational communication, few studies have examined the constructs of work meaning and meaningfulness in low-income settings. There are also relatively few studies in organisational communication focussed on the context of entrepreneurship. This research employs the culture-centred approach (CCA) metatheoretical framework with the specific aim of creating space for voices from impoverished, marginalised, and subaltern communities due to their erasure in post-colonial landscapes. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with twenty-five women at various stages of their business to identify emergent needs, uncover work meanings, recognise wider influences on those meanings, and pinpoint if meaningful work could occur in impoverished contexts. Using grounded theory analysis, three interrelated meanings emerged for low-income women when thinking of their work: beneficent service, identity affirmation, and a sense of accomplishment with costs. The analysis also revealed how women’s experiences in organisational employment, contact with support workers, and wider societal discourses shaped the meaning(s) of their entrepreneurial work. This thesis draws from the CCA’s concepts of culture, structure, and agency in offering a theoretical model of transformative well-being for low-income entrepreneurs as well as practical implications for greater research impact.Item The impact of flexible work arrangements, as a management strategy, on employees’ perceived productivity and mental wellbeing : a thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree Master of Business Studies in Management at Massey University, New Zealand(Massey University, 2023) Crooney, LynnFlexible work arrangements (FWAs) have become increasingly prevalent over the past few decades. The COVID-19 pandemic has accelerated this trend, and many organisations now feel the need to continue providing flexible work options to meet the expectations of their employees. However, there seems to be a lack of understanding of how FWAs, as a management strategy, could moderate relationships with an organisation. Prior research suggests FWAs positively and negatively impact employees' productivity and mental wellbeing within an organisation. Therefore, it has become necessary for organisations to understand the impact of FWAs as a management strategy to use them effectively for decision-making. The Management Control Theory (MCT) and the Job Demands-Resources (JD-R) model provide the theoretical frameworks for the present study to examine the impact of FWAs, as a management strategy, on the relationships between employee experiences and perceived productivity and employee experiences and mental wellbeing. Using a quantitative research design, the present study examined the impact of FWAs, as a management strategy, moderating the relationship between employee experiences and perceived productivity and mental wellbeing. Data were collected from an online survey of New Zealand employees working in an organisation with FWAs. 176 valid responses were examined through correlational and moderation regression analysis. Key findings show a statistically significant relationship between employees’ experience and perceived productivity. Employee experiences, when expressed as opportunities, positively impacted perceived productivity, while when expressed as challenges, negatively impact perceived productivity. When FWAs, as a management strategy, were added as a moderator, the relationships were impacted: employee experiences, expressed as opportunities, had a more positive impact on perceived productivity; and employee experiences, expressed as challenges, had a less negative impact on perceived productivity. There was not a statistically significant relationship between employees’ experience, expressed as opportunities or expressed as challenges, and mental wellbeing. However, when FWAs, as a management strategy, were added as a moderator, the relationships were statistically significant: employee experiences, expressed as opportunities, had a positive impact on mental wellbeing; and employee experiences, expressed as challenges, had a less negative impact on perceived productivity. This study suggests that if organisations cannot provide sufficient resources to support employees, especially during challenging times, organisations could consider using FWAs as a management strategy to help moderate the relationship between employee experiences and perceived productivity, and employee experiences and mental wellbeing.Item The effects of the psychosocial work environment on bullying and well-being : a thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science (Psychology) at Massey University, Albany, New Zealand(Massey University, 2023) McIntosh, ShaniaWorkplace bullying is a significantly harmful issue within organisations all around the world with New Zealand showing high rates. While there have been New Zealand-based workplace bullying studies conducted, research is limited regarding how the psychosocial work environment influences workplace bullying. This study examined how work environment factors including co-worker support, perceived management competence and psychosocial safety climate are related to workplace bullying and well-being. In addition, the associations with gender and job role are also investigated. This study investigated this relationship by looking at data extracted from the 2021 New Zealand Workplace Barometer and using multiple regression analyses to test the hypotheses. This study revealed the work environment is related to participants' reports of workplace bullying. The analysis found that co-worker support, perceived management competence and psychosocial safety climate have a negative relationship with workplace bullying, and workplace bullying has a negative relationship with well-being. Workplace bullying partially mediated the relationship between co-worker support and psychosocial safety climate with well-being. Finally, gender moderated the relationship between perceived management competence and psychosocial safety climate with bullying, while job role moderated the relationship between psychosocial safety climate and bullying. Overall, this study showcases the relationship between the psychosocial work environment and workplace bullying.Item Doing engagement : a study within the context of independent professionals’ everyday work : a thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Management at Massey University, Albany, New Zealand(Massey University, 2023) Wittenberg, HadasEngagement is a popular topic in current management research, generally accepted as a positive phenomenon related to well-being and performance. However, in the thirty years since the concept was introduced, results experienced by organisations and individuals are mixed, questioning the relevance of engagement in everyday work. This current qualitative multiple-case study, conducted during 2021 and 2022, aims at understanding why and how independent professionals (IPros) engage and disengage with their work. The study provides an in-depth analysis of data gathered from twelve cases based in New Zealand. The study is underpinned by a process lens, using Goffman’s (1959) interactionist perspective. Goffman’s theories, specifically dramaturgy and impression management, grapple with what people do in (re)constructing their everyday reality so they can carry on with living their lives. The study demonstrates how IPros strategically construct their professional identity to secure their next contract, navigating a contradictory experience of autonomy and precarity. IPros manage their professional identity through engaging in everyday interactions intended for task performance and relationship trust. Micro-level analysis of interactions provides the study with detailed classifications of engagement practices and routines used in different work interactions. Finally, considering the ephemeral nature of interactions’ outcomes and people’s unique circumstances, findings suggest that IPros have different orientations in how they negotiate professional identity and public image congruence. This study contributes to engagement knowledge in three key areas. First, shifting the focus from studying engagement as a work-related psychological state to understanding engagement through interactions. This unique perspective led to the identification of three interrelated micro-sociological processes of doing engagement and their respective practices, providing new insights into how engagement is performed in everyday life. Second, by analysing these practices within different types of interactions, the study highlights the relevance of situational context and illuminates the processual logic of engaging and disengaging. Third, through a holistic case perspective, the study shows how doing engagement is interrelated with professional identity (re)construction through different identity work orientations. Implications for human resource management (HRM) practice and IPros work are also discussed.Item Work-life balance : exploring the perspectives of Māori employees : a thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts in Psychology at Massey University, Aotearoa New Zealand(Massey University, 2022) Sparkes, Ngaire KereruThe work–life balance literature is well established, however the conceptualisations and experiences of Māori employees are grossly underrepresented. This thesis addresses that gap by exploring Māori perspectives of work–life balance. Three research questions guided this thesis: 1. How do Māori employees understand work–life balance? 2. How do Māori employees prioritise their mahi and other life responsibilities? 3. What are the experiences of Māori employees of their employing organisations supporting them to achieve good work–life balance? A Kaupapa Māori Research approach (by, with, for Māori) was adopted, which took for granted the validity and legitimacy of Māori knowledge and worldviews. In-depth, semi-structured, and kānohi-ki-te-kānohi interviews were conducted with eight Māori employees living in the Wairoa district. These Participating Experts (participants) were securely enculturated in their worldviews as Māori, and employed by either Māori-led or Pākehā-led organisations. Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA) was used to help interpret the research findings. Data analysis resulted in four themes: work–life balance as grounded in one’s identity as Māori; values, beliefs, and practices (VB&Ps); important life priorities; and the role of the employing organisation. Analysis revealed that Māori identity is central to how my Participating Experts conceptualise work–life balance. Furthermore, to achieve good work–life balance, Participating Experts need to be able to enact their identities as Māori within the workplace. However, tensions arose due to incongruences between their Māori worldviews and capitalist/Western organisational structures. My Participating Experts described valuing relationships, collective wellbeing, and fulfilling cultural responsibilities, which sometimes clashed with employing organisations valuing individualism and economic efficiencies. Therefore, work–life tensions emerged when Participating Experts were unable to enact their identities as Māori, driven by their need to stay grounded in being Māori, while still being ‘good’ employees. This research addresses a notable gap in the work–life literature, but more is needed to achieve the transformational change required to better support Māori employees.Item Exploring the impact of remote working on Melbourne millennials during COVID-19 : a thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Business Studies at Massey University, Albany - Auckland, New Zealand(Massey University, 2021) Ellis-Jack, SaraThe COVID-19 pandemic catalysed, for the first time, a forced global experiment in remote working with unprecedented volumes of employees working from home. Previously physically co-located teams became entirely virtual, having a significant impact on relationships between team members and leading to implications for workplace performance. Millennials were among the most affected demographic groups in the COVID-19 pandemic, with increased vulnerability and lack of experience to similar hardship in the workplace. As the youngest cohort in the workforce, their limited experience had not enabled them to build the same resilience as their elders. Furthermore, a preference for working collaboratively and a desire for social interaction made them particularly vulnerable to social isolation while working from home. My research explored the impacts of remote working on social cohesion from the perspective of millennials working in the most COVID-19 affected region in Australia: Melbourne, Victoria. There is a gap in the literature and an opportunity to further understand teams who have, like during the pandemic, been forced to work entirely virtually and the effect of this on their capability to form social bonds. Social cohesion has long been on the agenda of researchers due to its connection to workplace performance, organisational productivity, and employee happiness. This qualitative study utilised virtual semi-structured interviews and thematic analysis through an interpretive lens to better understand individual’s perceptions and experiences of how remote working impacted social cohesion. The findings from ten research interviews strongly indicated that the platform of communication, from face-to-face to virtual methods of interaction, significantly impacted the ability to develop and maintain social cohesion in work teams. There were both advantages and disadvantages to virtual communication in the context of social cohesion, ultimately determining that virtual relationships can be as fulfilling as those forged in person if given enough time to develop. However, the methods used to support social cohesion in face-to-face teams did not translate seamlessly to virtual communication, which was perceived as awkward and unnatural. A theoretical pivot in the study saw an evolution of social capital and social identity theory, instrumental in developing an interview schedule, toward communication-based theories utilised in thematic analysis. The study furthers the application of media naturalness and social information processing theory to explain how virtual interaction has affected cohesion and highlight that these teams are still able to build strong relationships with time. The contribution of my study to the research literature are four-fold; firstly, they further understanding of the importance of social connection in virtual teams. Secondly identifying the role of cohesion in the workplace for millennial employees. Thirdly, they extend knowledge on media naturalness theory in application to the current context and update the continuum of Kock’s (2001) original theory. Finally, the findings develop social information processing theory in relation to understanding the relationships of virtual and hybrid teams. My study emphasises that the world of work has changed irrevocably because of the pandemic. Future strategies to support engagement in millennial teams will need to shift to better support virtual relationships and social cohesion in the workplace.Item The relationship between organisational context and work-life balance of employees in New Zealand : a quantitative study using social exchange theory : a thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Management at Massey University, Albany, New Zealand(Massey University, 2022) Malenga, JosephineWork-life balance (WLB) is often a determining factor in terms of employee retention, commitment, and satisfaction. Demographic changes such as the increase of women in the labour force, ageing populations and family structures, have resulted in employees shifting their lifestyle focus from solely work to catering to their non-work activities as well. This has also evolved the relationship between employee and employer. According to social exchange theory (SET), the employment relationship is built on the rule of reciprocity where employee attitudes and behaviours are influenced by expected benefits or fulfilment of needs. This thesis will address the application of SET to WLB by investigating how the concepts of perceived organisational support (POS), employee engagement (defined as organisational and job engagement) and the psychological contract (PC) interact with WLB. The primary research design used in this study is a cross-sectional correlational survey. The target participants were New Zealand (NZ) based individuals employed in various fields and positions. A total of 114 fully completed surveys were analysed using the partial least squares structural equation model (PLS-SEM) technique. To help further explore key findings from the quantitative analysis, semi-structured qualitative interviews with a diversity expert, a senior human resource professional, and a human resource professor provided valuable insights with which to triangulate and extend the survey findings. POS was found to influence all the PC dimensions and WLB. Organisational engagement did not have any influence on either the PC dimensions or WLB, while job engagement had a negative influence on WLB. This presents concerns for employers on how attachment to the organisation may or may not impact areas other than WLB, such as turnover and organisational citizenship behaviour. The only PC dimensions with an influence on WLB were those related to job content and the respect for private life. The study offers a framework on how the context that the organisation offers impacts employees’ perceptions of WLB. The implication that there is a link between what employees expect and how they relate to WLB demonstrates the importance for practitioners to take a more personalised approach around WLB practices if they are to be effective.