Effects of motivation and workload on firefighters' perceived health, stress, and performance

This study investigated the effects of autonomous and controlled motivations, and workload on perceived stress, health, and performance. Workload was also considered as a moderator of the effects of autonomous motivation on perceived health and performance and of controlled motivation on perceived stress. We conducted an empirical study using a sample of 654 firefighters. Consistent with our predictions, results showed positive effects of autonomous motivation and negative effects of workload and controlled motivation on perceived health and performance. They also revealed positive effects of controlled motivation and workload and negative effects of autonomous motivation on perceived stress. Moreover, workload moderated the relations between autonomous motivation and perceived health and performance, so that the positive relations between autonomous motivation and perceived health and performance were lower when workload was high. Finally, workload moderated the relation between controlled motivation and perceived stress so that the positive relation between controlled motivation and perceived stress was stronger when workload was high. Theoretical contributions and perspectives, as well as implications for practice, are discussed.