A B S T R A C TThe purpose of this study is to analyze the mediating role of work engagement in the relationship between resources and performance, and the invariance of the HEalthy & Resilient Organizations model (HERO) depending on physical exercise. Moreover, the study examines whether there are differences in the perception of these variables based on workout and gender. The sample consisted of 319 employees (156 sedentary and 163 non-sedentary employees). The results show that engagement mediates between resources and performance in both groups, which demonstrates the invariance of the model. Additionally, the findings revealed that, generally speaking, non-sedentary people are more empathetic and more absorbed in their job tasks and, specifically, that non-sedentary men are more empathetic and more vigorous at work than sedentary men. No differences were found between sedentary and non-sedentary women. Finally, regarding gender differences in variables, women are more empathetic and have better performance than men.

The aim of this study is to investigate whether people who exercise regularly have higher levels of psychological well-being at work. Doing physical exercise is a habit that not only has consequences for physical and mental health, but it can also have positive consequences for organizations because physical exercise makes it easier for the employee to recover from physical, mental, and emotional effort during the workday, thus showing higher levels of engagement the next day. Through the analysis of structural equation models in a sample of 485 workers from different Spanish and Latin American companies, this study shows that subjects who exercise more have higher levels of vigor in physical exercise, which is positively related to high levels of well-being at work. This means that organizations that promote activities related to physical exercise among their employees are building a process of resource recovery, which, through the vigor of these activities, makes workers feel less stressed and more satisfied, thus experiencing greater well-being at work. Therefore, at a practical level, these results suggest that the practice of physical exercise is a tool for organizations that want to promote their employees’ psychological well-being.