Workplace spirituality and employee well-being: an empirical examination

2016 ◽  
Vol 38 (6) ◽  
pp. 975-994 ◽  
Author(s):  
Badrinarayan Shankar Pawar
Keyword(s):  
Positive Relationship ◽  
Workplace Spirituality ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Multiple Forms ◽  
Social Relevance ◽  
Empirical Examination ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Important Concern ◽  
Spiritual Well Being

Purpose The existing literature suggests that employee well-being is an important concern for organizations. The purpose of this paper is to carry out an empirical examination to assess whether employee experience of workplace spirituality has positive relationships with multiple forms of employee well-being. Design/methodology/approach This paper focussed on four forms of employee well-being, namely: emotional well-being, psychological well-being, social well-being, and spiritual well-being. It specified and empirically tested, using a survey design, four hypotheses, each proposing a positive relationship between workplace spirituality and one of the four forms of employee well-being. Findings All four hypotheses were supported indicating that workplace spirituality has a positive relationship with emotional, psychological, social, and spiritual well-being. Research limitations/implications This paper may encourage future research to assess whether various forms of employee well-being result from specific dimensions of workplace spirituality. Practical implications Organizations may implement workplace spirituality for simultaneously enhancing multiple forms of employee well-being. Social implications As employee well-being is a matter of social concern, the findings of this study indicating a positive association between workplace spirituality and employee well-being have a social relevance. Originality/value To the author’s knowledge, this is the first study to examine the relationship between workplace spirituality and four forms of employee well-being, namely; emotional, psychological, social, and spiritual well-being. As employee well-being is an important concern for organizations, the contribution of the study findings is that workplace spirituality implementation can simultaneously enhance multiple forms of employee well-being.

Understanding public service motivation, workplace spirituality and employee well-being in the public sector

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Sobia Hassan ◽  
Nighat Ansari ◽  
Ali Rehman ◽  
Amani Moazzam
Keyword(s):  
Public Sector ◽  
Public Service ◽  
Positive Relationship ◽  
Workplace Spirituality ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Public Service Motivation ◽  
Public Employees ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Significant Positive Relationship ◽  
The Public

Purpose The public service motivation (PSM) theory implies that public employees are spiritual people called “public servants” who have a desire to affect the community and are characterized by compassion and serving others. Owing to their commitment to public welfare, spirituality is apparently inherited in public employees as an occupation/employment effort, which entails attaching a “meaning” to the work being done in the workplace for the spiritual satisfaction of the employees. A sense of well-being among the employees of an organization can prove instrumental in developing their motivation level and improving the quality of their services. The literature depicts that workplace spirituality (WPS) is a feature that enhances multiple forms of employee well-being (EWB). Considering the importance of these concepts in terms of enhancing the productivity of the organizations, the current study aimed to gain an understanding of the PSM together with two other positive attributes namely WPS and EWB and determine their interrelationship. The aim of this study is to examine a significant positive relationship between PSM and WPS mediated by EWB. Design/methodology/approach The study has been conducted in the context of the public sector of Pakistan where a sample of the academic staff of higher educational institutions in the Punjab province was selected through probability sampling techniques for conducting the survey. The data collected from 394 respondents from the selected faculties of the universities were analyzed using relevant statistical tools (SPSS and AMOS: 22) to answer the research questions. Findings This study supported a significant positive relationship between PSM and WPS mediated by EWB. The quantitative findings of this study, thus, demonstrated that the culture of spirituality in the workplace significantly affects the PSM of employees by way of creating a sense of well-being among the employees. Originality/value This study is unique as it serves as an effort to understand the spiritual experience of the public sector employees involved in public service. This infers that spirituality in the workplace improved employees’ well-being by giving them a strong sense of purpose and these employees in a healthy state of mind are more likely to perform above and beyond and have a high motivation to serve the public.

scholarly journals The Psychological Impact of Coronavirus Pandemic Restrictions in Italy. The Mediating Role of the Fear of COVID-19 in the Relationship between Positive and Negative Affect with Positive and Negative Outcomes

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (3) ◽  
pp. 697-710
Author(s):  
Andrea Zammitti ◽  
Chiara Imbrogliera ◽  
Angela Russo ◽  
Rita Zarbo ◽  
Paola Magnano
Keyword(s):  
Negative Affect ◽  
Psychological Health ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Positive And Negative Affect ◽  
Ptsd Symptoms ◽  
Negative Outcomes ◽  
Event Scale ◽  
Spiritual Well Being ◽  
The Relationship

Italy was quickly hit hard by the coronavirus. ‘Lockdown’ has significantly impacted the psychological health, personal wellbeing and quality of life of the people. The study aims to explore the relationship between positive and negative affect, as well as positive (spiritual well-being and flourishing) and negative outcomes (psychological distress caused by a traumatic life event in terms of perception of PTSD symptoms) on Italian adults during the lockdown period. Data was collected between April and May 2020. The participants were 281 Italian adults aged between 18 and 73 years. The survey was composed of the following measures: Flourishing Scale, Jarel Spiritual Well-Being scale, Positive and Negative Affect Schedule, Impact of Event Scale—Revised, Fear of COVID-19. The mediational analysis shows that fear of COVID-19 fully mediates the relationship between negative affect and spiritual well-being and flourishing; fear of COVID-19 partially mediates the relationship between negative affect and PTSD symptoms; the positive affect shows only direct effects on positive outcomes. Therefore, fear of COVID-19 does not play any mediation role. Implications for psychological interventions and future research will be discussed.

scholarly journals The Congregational Character Questionnaire: An Initial Empirical Examination of the Significance of Collective Church Character Traits

2021 ◽  
pp. 009164712110219
Author(s):  
T. Ryan Byerly ◽  
Keith J. Edwards ◽  
Peter C. Hill
Keyword(s):  
Meaning In Life ◽  
Satisfaction With Life ◽  
Empirical Studies ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Character Traits ◽  
Academic Disciplines ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Religious Congregations ◽  
Empirical Examination ◽  
Christian Churches

Researchers in several academic disciplines have begun to take an interest in group character traits, including the character traits of religious congregations. This article reports the first empirical studies of congregational virtues. The Congregational Character Questionnaire was developed for measuring 12 different virtues of Christian churches: clinging to apostolic teaching, honoring teachers, prayerfulness, hopefulness, discipleship, emotional supportiveness, material supportiveness, spiritual equality, unity, submission, peace with the world, and spreading the faith. The instrument was then used with an online sample ( N = 530) to study how congregants’ perceptions of their congregation’s virtuousness related to congregants’ evaluations of their congregation, participation in their congregation, as well as congregants’ satisfaction with life, presence of meaning in life, and religious well-being. Results indicated that congregants’ overall perceptions of congregational virtuousness were significantly positively related to all of these dependent variables. These results help to reveal the important role that congregational character may play in the experience of congregants. Directions for future research in this area are outlined.

A “crescendo” model: designing food experiences for psychological well-being

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Lia Zarantonello ◽  
Silvia Grappi ◽  
Marcello Formisano ◽  
Bernd H. Schmitt
Keyword(s):  
Life Satisfaction ◽  
Design Thinking ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Psychological Well Being ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Perceived Life Satisfaction ◽  
Consumer Experiences ◽  
Mind Set ◽  
The Relationship

Purpose This paper aims to advance the design-thinking approach in food from an engineering mind-set toward a positive psychology perspective by investigating how consumer experiences evoked by food-related activities can facilitate, stimulate and enhance individuals’ happiness and perceptions of life satisfaction. Design/methodology/approach A diary field experiment was conducted. Participants from a major European city were asked to reflect on their food-related activities, provide descriptions and answer questions on experiential stimulation derived from these activities in relation to happiness and perceived life satisfaction. Findings Food-related activities generally result in positive consumer experiences and psychological well-being. Experiential stimulation resulting from food activities is positively related to perceived life satisfaction directly and indirectly via pleasure and meaning. Although the authors found an overall positive relationship between these constructs, they also found differences based on the experience type considered. A “crescendo model” of experiences that details how experiences lead to happiness and perceived life satisfaction is presented. Research limitations/implications This study is largely exploratory. Future research should adopt an experimental approach and further test the relationship between experiential stimulation, happiness and perceived life satisfaction in the context of food. Practical implications The paper offers innovation teams in food companies a practical “crescendo model” that can be used to design product–consumer interactions. Originality/value The research bridges literatures on design thinking, psychological well-being and consumer experiences. By studying the relationship between experiences, happiness and perceived life satisfaction in the context of food, the findings contribute to research on food well-being by expanding the notion of happiness seen only as pleasure. The research also contributes to work on design thinking by offering an experiential framework that contributes to the notion of consumer empathy.

The relationship of individual spirituality and organizational spirituality with meaning and community at work

2017 ◽  
Vol 38 (7) ◽  
pp. 986-1003 ◽  
Author(s):  
Badrinarayan Shankar Pawar
Keyword(s):  
Empirical Support ◽  
Workplace Spirituality ◽  
Moderating Effect ◽  
Direct Effects ◽  
Empirical Examination ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Individual Spirituality ◽  
Effect Model ◽  
Organizational Spirituality ◽  
The Relationship

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to carry out an empirical examination to assess the nature of effects an employee’s individual spirituality and organizational spirituality have on the employee’s experience of meaning in work and community at work facets of workplace spirituality. Design/methodology/approach This paper specifies and examines, using a cross-sectional survey research design, the empirical support for two alternative models – a direct effects model and a moderating effect model – of the likely influences of an employee’s individual spirituality and organizational spirituality on the meaning and community facets of workplace spirituality. Findings The findings indicate considerable support for the direct effects model but no support for the moderating effect model. Within the direct effects model, organizational spirituality had much stronger association than employees’ individual spirituality with the workplace spirituality facets of meaning and community. Research limitations/implications This study may encourage future research to examine other antecedents of workplace spirituality, and the moderators and mediators of the relationship between organizational spirituality and workplace spirituality. Practical implications It suggests to the practitioners that for enhancing employee experiences of workplace spirituality, organizational spirituality implementation is a more effective way than developing employees’ individual spirituality. Social implications The study indicates that employees’ spiritual needs of meaning and community at work can be better fulfilled through organizational spirituality implementation than through individual spirituality development. Originality/value This is an original empirical examination and its value partly comes from its research implications and practice implications.

scholarly journals Australian universities in a pandemic world: transforming a broken business model?

2020 ◽  
Vol 16 (4) ◽  
pp. 541-548
Author(s):  
Lee D. Parker
Keyword(s):  
Business Model ◽  
Financial Management ◽  
International Student ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Future Research ◽  
University Management ◽  
Operational Strategies ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Global Pandemic ◽  
Australian Universities

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to critique the accounting and financial orientation of Australian universities’ business model to identify the future university financial management and accounting role in universities’ strategic trajectory responding to COVID-19. Design/methodology/approach Informed by Habermasian perspectives on change, it uses published research into university commercialisation and media commentaries on COVID-19 impacts. Findings Australian universities have aggressively pursued an accounting-based private sector business model. Their revenue generating reliance on international student revenues has been undermined by the COVIS-19 crisis. Nonetheless, university management clings to their commercialised university identity and role colonised by the accounting structures. Fundamental change requires a reversal of this relationship. Research limitations/implications Future research must observe and evaluate university strategic crisis reactions and their impacts on national and societal well-being with a view to identifying alternative futures. Practical implications Universities face decisions concerning their ongoing role in society and their future approach to balancing operational strategies and the accounting influence. Social implications This study raises the issue of whether universities should continue being seen as an export industry supporting the national economy or as knowledge, educational and social resource for their national and regional communities. Originality/value This paper integrates research into universities over several decades into a strategic critique of their current reaction to an unprecedented global pandemic.

Work grit as a moderator of politics perceptions

2018 ◽  
Vol 23 (6/7) ◽  
pp. 576-594 ◽  
Author(s):  
Samantha L. Jordan ◽  
Wayne A. Hochwarter ◽  
Gerald R. Ferris ◽  
Aqsa Ejaz
Keyword(s):  
Leadership Development ◽  
Turnover Intentions ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Interactive Effects ◽  
Quality Of Work Life ◽  
Citizenship Behavior ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Multiple Sources ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Work Settings

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to test the interactive effects of grit (e.g. supervisor and employee) and politics perceptions on relevant work outcomes. Specifically, the authors hypothesized that supervisor and employee grit would each demonstrate neutralizing effects when examined jointly. Design/methodology/approach Three studies (N’s=526, 229, 522) were conducted to test the moderating effect across outcomes, including job satisfaction, turnover intentions, citizenship behavior and work effort. The authors controlled for affectivity and nonlinear main effect terms in Studies 2 and 3 following prior discussion. Findings Findings across studies demonstrated a unique pattern differentiating between grit sources (i.e. employee vs supervisor) and outcome characteristic (i.e. attitudinal vs behavioral). In sum, both employee and supervisor grit demonstrated neutralizing effects when operating in politically fraught work settings. Research limitations/implications Despite the single source nature of data collections, the authors took steps to minimize potential biasing factors (e.g. time separation, including affectivity). Future research will benefit from multiple sources of data as well as a more expansive view of the grit construct. Practical implications Work contexts have grown increasingly more political in recent years primarily as a result of social and motivational factors. Hence, the authors recommend that leaders investigate factors that minimize its potentially malignant effects. Although grit is often challenging to cultivate through interventions, selection and quality of work life programs may be useful in preparing workers to manage this pervasive source of stress. Originality/value Despite its practical appeal, grit’s impact in work settings has been under-studied, leading to apparent gaps in science and leadership development. Creative studies, building off the research, will allow grit to maximize its contributions to both scholarship and employee well-being.

scholarly journals Transformative service research: a conceptual framework based on consumer's perspective

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Veronica Ungaro ◽  
Laura Di Pietro ◽  
Maria Francesca Renzi ◽  
Roberta Guglielmetti Mugion ◽  
Maria Giovina Pasca
Keyword(s):  
Conceptual Framework ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Service Research ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Bottom Line ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Consumer Perspective ◽  
Social Environmental ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
Depth Interviews

PurposeThis study aims to investigate the consumer's perspective regarding the relationship between services and well-being, contributing to the knowledge base in transformative service research (TSR). More specifically the aim was to understand consumers' perceptions of the relationship between services and well-being and their views about how companies can contribute (directly and/or indirectly) to achieve the well-being.Design/methodology/approachTo reach the research aim, the study adopts an explorative inductive design, carried out through a qualitative approach and grounded in 30 in-depth interviews with consumers.FindingsService sustainability represents the fundamental characteristic that determines the service ability to be transformative, requiring the implementation of the triple bottom line dimensions: social, environmental and economic. It emerged that, in the consumer's mind, the service categories that present a stronger relationship between service and well-being are as follows: healthcare, financial and transport.Originality/valueThe paper proposes a conceptual framework to describe the consumer perspective of the services' transformative role in promoting well-being, providing a theoretical lens for conducting future research and continuing to expand transformative service research (TSR).

scholarly journals QUALITY OF LIFE DITINJAU DARI SPIRITUAL WELL-BEING PADA MAHASISWA KEPENDETAAN DI SEKOLAH TINGGI THEOLOGIA INJILI INDONESIA MEDAN-SUMATERA UTARA

2019 ◽  
Vol 6 (1) ◽  
pp. 21-27
Author(s):  
Delviana Buulolo
Keyword(s):  
Quality Of Life ◽  
Data Analysis ◽  
Positive Relationship ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Theological Seminary ◽  
Normality Test ◽  
Spiritual Well Being ◽  
Linearity Test ◽  
The Given

This study aims to find out relationship between quality of life and spiritual well-being. The hypothesis proposed in this study states that there is a positive relationship between quality of life and spiritual well-being, assuming that the higher is spiritual well-being, the higher quality of life will be and conversely the lower is the spiritual well-being, the lower will the quality of life be. The subjects of this study were 80 student on on the evangelical theological seminary of Indonesia Medan. Data were obtained from a scale to measure quality of life and spiritual well-being. The calculation was performed by testing requirements analysis (assumption test), which consisting of normality test and linearity test. Data analysis was performed by using Product Moment Correlation Analysis through SPSS 18 for Windows. The results of data analysis showed that  r = 0.405 and p = 0.000 (p < 0.05), which indicates that there is a positive relationship between quality of life and spiritual well-being. The results indicate that the contribution of the given variable, quality of life and spiritual well-being is 16.4 percent, while the remaining 83.6 percent is influenced by other factors not examined in this study. From these results, it is concluded that the hypothesis stating that there is a positive relationship between quality of life and spiritual well-being.

scholarly journals Spiritual Well-being and Work Performance among Ground-level Employees: Unravelling the Connection

2021 ◽  
Vol 29 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Jeffrey Khong Loong Yee ◽  
Jonathan Smith ◽  
Simon Robinson
Keyword(s):  
Narrative Inquiry ◽  
Work Performance ◽  
Quantitative Methods ◽  
Workplace Spirituality ◽  
Ground Level ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Work Outcomes ◽  
Direct Connection ◽  
Spiritual Well Being ◽  
Nuanced Understanding

Extant research shows that spiritual well-being and work performance are directly connected. The connection is theorised to be due to the alignment between what employees are spiritually inclined towards and what they do at work. However, research overemphasises the performative benefits of spiritual pursuits and privilege the leaders’ views. These developments, coupled with the prevalent use of quantitative methods, have resulted in one-sided and uncontextualised theorisations that constrict how workplace spirituality is investigated, understood, and converted into action. In response to these gaps, this paper investigates the experiences of ground-level employees to uncover stories of how spiritual well-being may be connected to their work performance. The study uses the qualitative paradigm and narrative inquiry as its methodology to uncover the diverse ways in which spiritual well-being and work outcomes are connected, including ones that diminish or are inconsequential to work performance. There is a need to re-examine accepted knowledge regarding the direct connection between spiritual well-being and work performance and the assumed compatibility of enacting spiritual inclinations in organisational settings. This paper calls for a more nuanced understanding of how spiritual well-being is experienced and the implications these experiences might have on the ground-level employees’ work performance. Even as research unravels this relationship further, prescriptions for practice ought to be qualified, contextualised, tentative, and customised for and by the ground-level employee.

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