Exploring the value a psychological assessment brings to workplace coaching for the purpose of stress reduction and increased job satisfaction : a thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts in Psychology at Massey University, Albany, New Zealand
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Date
2015
DOI
Open Access Location
Authors
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Massey University
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Abstract
This
research
explored
the
impact
of
using
a
psychological
assessment
in
workplace
coaching
to
reduce
stress,
and
increase
job
satisfaction
and
work
engagement.
Organisations
that
recognise
employees
as
valuable
assets
are
seeking
ways
to
address
stress
in
the
workplace,
and
increase
work
engagement,
and
one
of
the
tools
often
used
is
workplace
coaching.
While
it
is
recognised
that
coaching
is
an
effective
tool
for
stress
management,
the
aim
of
this
research
was
to
explore
if
there
is
any
value
in
adding
a
psychological
assessment
to
the
coaching
process.
The
study
sample
consisted
of
42
individuals
from
a
variety
of
occupations,
genders,
ethnicities
and
age
groups,
who
were
all
reporting
some
level
of
perceived
stress.
The
participants
were
randomly
allocated
into
two
groups,
and
both
groups
received
four
coaching
sessions
using
positive
psychology
coaching
tools,
and
one
group
also
received
a
psychological
assessment
(MBTI)
to
enable
greater
data
gathering
on
individual
preferences
and
strengths.
The
research
explored
quantitative
data
from
the
Perceived
Stress
Scale
and
the
Utrecht
Work
Engagement
Scale,
collected
at
three
time
points;
Time
1
was
collected
prior
to
the
start
of
the
coaching
programme;
Time
2
was
collected
at
the
conclusion
of
the
coaching
programme;
Time
3
was
collected
two
months
after
the
coaching
had
concluded.
Although
both
groups
reported
continued
reduction
is
stress
levels
as
a
result
of
the
coaching,
there
was
no
significant
difference
between
the
experimental
group
(MBTI)
and
the
control
group.
Work
engagement
scales
showed
no
significant
difference
either
within
or
between
groups.
An
unexpected
finding
was
that
although
ten
of
the
original
participants
failed
to
complete
the
research,
all
ten
were
from
the
control
group
and
the
entire
experimental
group
completed
the
coaching
programme.
The
research
has
implications
for
both
coaching
practitioners
and
organisations,
as
both
seek
to
identify
tools
to
address
workplace
stress,
job
satisfaction
and
work
engagement
that
have
empirical
evidence
of
effectiveness.
Limitations
and
recommendations
for
future
research
are
also
considered.
Description
Keywords
Coaching of employees, Myers-Briggs Type Indicator, MBTI, Job stress, Job satisfaction, Industrial psychology, Personel management, Research Subject Categories::SOCIAL SCIENCES::Social sciences::Psychology::Applied psychology