The Longitudinal Link between Organizational Citizenship Behaviors and Three Different Models of Happiness

Abstract

A growing body of research conducted in general life settings has found positive associations between happiness and prosocial behavior. Unfortunately, equivalent studies in the workplace are lacking. Organizational citizenship behaviors (OCBs), the prosocial behaviors at work, have not been properly studied in relation to happiness, despite the positive consequences of both constructs for workers and companies. In response, our research aims to better understand this relationship from several angles. First, using a three-wave longitudinal design, we explored how OCBs and happiness are related to each other over time. Second, happiness was measured from a broad perspective, and three conceptualizations were adopted: the hedonic (e.g., positive affect and life satisfaction), the eudaimonic (e.g., relatedness and autonomy), and the flourishing (e.g., meaning and engagement) approaches. Thus, not only the prospective link between OCBs and happiness was tested, but it was also explored using the three models of happiness previously mentioned. Third, we conducted this longitudinal design in a less typical sample than previous research (i.e., Chile). We found results that supported our main hypotheses: (1) OCBs are prospective positive predictors of hedonic happiness, eudaimonic happiness, and flourishing; (2) the three models of happiness also prospectively predict OCBs. Our findings suggest that OCBs foster a broad range of happiness facets, which in turn fosters back the emergence of more OCBs, leading to a virtuous circle of prosociality and well-being in the workplace. This positive spiral benefits not only workers’ quality of life, but also organizations’ profitability and sustainability. Theoretical and applied implications for the field of Positive Organizational Psychology are discussed.

Prosocialness and Happiness in Chilean Student Teachers

“…First of all, and on a general level, the positive relation between prosocialness and happiness was consistent with the results of other studies (Lyubomirsky, 2001;Lyubomirsky and Layous, 2013;Unanue et al, 2021). This extends to the economic dimension if it is considered that item 9 on the prosocialness scale for adults specifically refers to this ("I easily lend money or other things").…”

“…This is relevant since a common goal of human beings is to achieve happiness (Buss, 2000). It should be emphasized that happy people are more successful on different vital planes (Lyubomirsky et al, 2005a): They adapt better to everyday situations and are more resilient to negative experiences (Abbe et al, 2003;Lyubomirsky et al, 2005b;Nielsen and Christensen, 2021) Based on the previous research, Unanue et al (2021) studied the relationship between prosociality and happiness applied to the organizational environment. Using a longitudinal model, they considered the concepts of hedonic, eudaimonic, and flourishing happiness and their relationship with prosocial behaviors at work.…”

Coalescence of CSR and happiness for corporate sustainability: a systematic review of literature

“…The second research domain including the "operationalization of happiness" topic is in line with previous studies, which mentioned that there is no consensus on the nature (Chia et al, 2020) and definition of the term (Kim-Prieto et al, 2005) due to its multifaceted and multidimensional structure (Cuesta-Valiño et al, 2023). This research domain also accords with the studies which emphasized the difficulties in measuring happiness (Judge and Kammeyer-Mueller, 2011;Uchida and Oishi, 2016;Unanue et al, 2021). Finally, the last research domain related to various stakeholders and methodological issues could be due to the nature of CSR.…”

“…From well-being perspective, it is more related to cognitiveaffective feelings, and engagement with a broader whole is long-term focused (Huta and Ryan, 2010). There has been a long-dated debate on which happiness approach is superior to the other, yet it has been acknowledged that both forms are considered relevant alike, and have been subject to comprehensive research (Unanue et al, 2021). Handling the issue by using the two dimensions together was considered the appropriate measurement approach.…”

Impact of a Chaxu Atmosphere on Nurses’ Organizational Responsibility behavior—The Mediating Roles of Envy and Silence

“… 2 , 3 Nurses’ responsible behavior toward the organization—as guided by their conscientiousness—is beneficial both for patients and the healthcare organization. 4 Responsible behavior is positively associated with reduced negative emotions and medical errors, an increase in nurses’ positive emotions, workplace happiness, 5 and improved service quality and patient satisfaction. 6 Nurses’ behaviors are largely determined by personality traits, 7 the leadership style of supervisors and managers, 8 and organizational transformation and organizational culture, 9 as observed in diverse occupational climates.…”