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Perceived Organizational Support for the Use of Employees’ Strengths and Employee Well-Being: A Cross-Country Comparison

Author

Listed:
  • Maria Christina Meyers

    (Tilburg University)

  • Byron G. Adams

    (Tilburg University
    University of Johannesburg)

  • Lusanda Sekaja

    (University of Johannesburg)

  • Carmen Buzea

    (Transilvania University of Brașov)

  • Ana-Maria Cazan

    (Transilvania University of Brașov)

  • Mihaela Gotea

    (Transilvania University of Brașov)

  • Delia Stefenel

    (Lucian Blaga University of Sibiu)

  • Marianne Woerkom

    (Tilburg University)

Abstract

Prior research in Western contexts has pointed to the benefits of supporting employees in the use of their personal strengths at work. This manuscript aims to investigate the invariance of the relationship between employees’ perceived organizational support for the use of their strengths and their well-being (work engagement, burnout, and satisfaction with life) across countries. To this end, we collected a cross-sectional sample of n = 1894 working individuals from five different countries (Germany, Indonesia, the Netherlands, Romania, and South Africa). The results of multigroup path analysis indicated that the relationships between support for the use of their strengths at work and the three indicators of well-being did not differ across the five countries. Perceived support for the use of strengths displayed a significant positive relationship with work engagement and satisfaction with life and a significant negative relationship with burnout. Consequently, our findings provide initial evidence for the universal benefits of focusing on individual strengths at work.

Suggested Citation

  • Maria Christina Meyers & Byron G. Adams & Lusanda Sekaja & Carmen Buzea & Ana-Maria Cazan & Mihaela Gotea & Delia Stefenel & Marianne Woerkom, 2019. "Perceived Organizational Support for the Use of Employees’ Strengths and Employee Well-Being: A Cross-Country Comparison," Journal of Happiness Studies, Springer, vol. 20(6), pages 1825-1841, August.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:jhappi:v:20:y:2019:i:6:d:10.1007_s10902-018-0026-8
    DOI: 10.1007/s10902-018-0026-8
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Claudia Harzer & Willibald Ruch, 2013. "The Application of Signature Character Strengths and Positive Experiences at Work," Journal of Happiness Studies, Springer, vol. 14(3), pages 965-983, June.
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    8. Maria Christina Meyers & Marianne Woerkom, 2017. "Effects of a Strengths Intervention on General and Work-Related Well-Being: The Mediating Role of Positive Affect," Journal of Happiness Studies, Springer, vol. 18(3), pages 671-689, June.
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    Cited by:

    1. Michael Yao-Ping Peng & Cheng Xu & Rong Zheng & Yuan He, 2023. "The impact of perceived organizational support on employees’ knowledge transfer and innovative behavior: comparisons between Taiwan and mainland China," Palgrave Communications, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 10(1), pages 1-13, December.
    2. Marc-Antoine Gradito Dubord & Jacques Forest & Lina Marija Balčiūnaitė & Evamaria Rauen & Tomas Jungert, 2022. "The power of strength-oriented feedback enlightened by self-determination theory: a positive technology-based intervention," Journal of Happiness Studies, Springer, vol. 23(6), pages 2827-2848, August.

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