Positive Psychology at Work: Mutual Gains for Individuals and Organizations

Abstract

Today, workplace is constantly changing. Organizations are confronted with multiple challenges, brought by continuous change. Facing this situation, organizations have opted for two different types of strategies, either the traditional deficit or problem-solving approach or positive-abundance approach which considers that the goal of the organization is to embrace and enable the highest potential of the organization and its employees. A literature review of the latest advances in positive organizational research was conducted in order to shed light onto two main questions: Are mutual gains for the organization and employees possible? And, what does the evidence shows about the development of theory, research and application of positive approaches? Several keywords and descriptors from positive approaches were used. Finally, 154 articles were reviewed. The results point in favor of the mutual gains but also indicate a lack of theoretical development and the need for further research. Other matters are likewise discussed.

Leading People Positively: Cross-Cultural Validation of the Servant Leadership Survey (SLS)

“…The current way of organizing and working together in organizations is undergoing continual change. Organizations face challenges and difficulties to which they must adapt in order to be competitive, particularly when facing the current recession, new technology improvements, merges and differences that come with a global market, and changes in both customer and employee needs and values (Rodríguez-Carvajal, Moreno-Jiménez, de Rivas-Hermosilla, Álvarez-Bejarano, & Sanz-Vergel, 2010). At the same time, there is an increasing demand for a more ethical peoplecentered management (van Dierendonck, 2011), a management that can combine the constant demand for efficiency and efficacy with a moral focus.…”

Happiness at Workplace

“…Compared to their less happy colleagues, happy people tend to make more money, showing a better job performance, and more often help their colleagues (Boehm & Lyubomirsky, 2008;Lyubomirsky, King, & Diener, 2005).Conversely, the unhappiness in the workplace can reduce the organizational productivity and also increase rates of absenteeism higher in the workplace (Gholipour, Najdi, & Ekhtiari, 2013). It is important that organizations seek the prosperity and the happiness in the workplace, because it is not only benefits for the employees, but also the benefits for the organization, because the happiness in the workplace increases organizational productivity (Fisher, 2010;Rodríguez et al, 2010;Simmons 2014).Jessica Pryce-Jones (in Rao, et al, 2017) adds the happiness in the workplace with regard to utilizing all of the best-owned resources to overcome the challenges faced. This not only builds the individual happiness, but also the happiness of others who will be affected and energized by what is done.…”

Interest as a Moderator in the Relationship Between Challenge/Skills Balance and Flow at Work: An Analysis at Within-Individual Level

“…Up until now, many authors (e.g., Demerouti 2006;Demerouti, Bakker, Sonnentag and Fullagar 2012;Rodríguez-Carvajal et al 2010;ten Brummelhuis et al 2011, etc.) have adopted Bakker's conceptualization of flow at work because of its simplicity compared to Csikszentmihalyi's. Focusing on the flow experience itself, Bakker proposes to look at three concepts: absorption, enjoyment, and intrinsic motivation.…”