Examining both sides of the coin: The effects of positive and negative task significance

Although research has identified clear benefits associated with positive task significance – i.e., perceptions that one’s work has a positive impact on others – little research has explained the effects of negative task significance – perceptions that one’s work makes a negative impact on others. Results from two field studies (samples of professionals from multiple organizational contexts) provide convergent evidence that positive task significance exerts greater relative influence on affective organizational commitment than negative task significance; however, negative task significance exerts greater relative influence on work-life conflict. Moreover, the effects for positive task significance, but not negative task significance, are mediated by work meaningfulness. This research establishes positive and negative task significance as distinct determinants of differential work attitudes, and demonstrates that they may exert their influence through different pathways.