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The recent rise of positive organisational psychology has laid out the theoretical foundation for research into positive work-related well-being. Now the time has come to translate this theoretical knowledge into practical positive work-related interventions. To that end, we introduce the term amplition in this article, after the Latin word amplio, meaning to enlarge, increase, or magnify. Interventions focused on amplition aim to enhance positive work-related well-being. This kind of interventions have hardly been designed, let alone tested among employees. The main objective of this paper is to demonstrate that the essential ingredients for these interventions are basically at hand. It is suggested to use the existing empirical knowledge on happiness interventions and on validated implementation techniques to compose work-related interventions focused on amplition. We conclude that work-related interventions should not focus exclusively on employees who are stressed or burned-out, but also on employees who are functioning well, but not yet optimally.

The recent rise of positive organisational psychology has laid out the theoretical foundation for research into positive work-related well-being. Now the time has come to translate this theoretical knowledge into practical positive work-related interventions. To that end, we introduce the term amplition in this article, after the Latin word amplio, meaning to enlarge, increase, or magnify. Interventions focused on amplition aim to enhance positive work-related well-being. This kind of interventions have hardly been designed, let alone tested among employees. The main objective of this paper is to demonstrate that the essential ingredients for these interventions are basically at hand. It is suggested to use the existing empirical knowledge on happiness interventions and on validated implementation techniques to compose work-related interventions focused on amplition. We conclude that work-related interventions should not focus exclusively on employees who are stressed or burned-out, but also on employees who are functioning well, but not yet optimally.

This literature review presents an overview of occupational stress and burnout in correctional institutions, based on 43 investigations from 9 countries. First, the prevalence of various stress reactions among correctional officers (COs) is discussed: turnover and absenteeism rates, psychosomatic diseases, and levels of job dissatisfaction and burnout. Next, empirical evidence is summarized for the existence of 10 specific stressors in the CO's job. It appears that the most notable stressors for COs are role problems, work overload, demanding social contacts (with prisoners, colleagues, and supervisors), and poor social status. Finally, based on 21 articles, individual-oriented and organization-oriented approaches to reduce job stress and burnout among COs are discussed. It is concluded that particularly the latter (i.e., improving human resources management, professionalization of the CO's job, and improvement of the social work environment) seems to be a promising avenue for reducing job stress and burnout in correctional institutions.

This literature review presents an overview of occupational stress and burnout in correctional institutions, based on 43 investigations from 9 countries. First, the prevalence of various stress reactions among correctional officers (COs) is discussed: turnover and absenteeism rates, psychosomatic diseases, and levels of job dissatisfaction and burnout. Next, empirical evidence is summarized for the existence of 10 specific stressors in the CO's job. It appears that the most notable stressors for COs are role problems, work overload, demanding social contacts (with prisoners, colleagues, and supervisors), and poor social status. Finally, based on 21 articles, individual-oriented and organization-oriented approaches to reduce job stress and burnout among COs are discussed. It is concluded that particularly the latter (i.e., improving human resources management, professionalization of the CO's job, and improvement of the social work environment) seems to be a promising avenue for reducing job stress and burnout in correctional institutions.