Friday 31 August 2012

Good morning, good day: A diary study on positive emotions, hope, and work engagement

Else Ouweneel, Wilmar B Schaufeli and Corine I van Wijhe (Utrecht University, The Netherlands) and Pascale M Le Blanc (Eindhoven University of Technology, The Netherlands) published in Human Relations Volume 65 Number 9 (September 2012)

Abstract

The objective of this diary study was to look at the potential positive within-person relationships between positive emotions, work-related hope, and the three dimensions of work engagement on a daily level (i.e. vigour, dedication, and absorption).

Following Broaden-and-Build theory and Affective Events Theory, it was expected that the experience of positive emotions would cause hope, which in turn would lead to a state of vigour, dedication, and absorption.

The study was conducted among 59 employees of a Dutch university, who filled in a diary questionnaire for five consecutive working days, twice a day.

As expected, the experience of positive emotions had an indirect effect on the level of vigour, dedication, and absorption through hope across days. So, it seems that an individual and daily perspective on work engagement is particularly worthwhile and provides valuable insights to enhance employee engagement in practice.


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