Hostname: page-component-78c5997874-lj6df Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-01T11:56:24.228Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Does Employee Recognition Affect Positive Psychological Functioning and Well-Being?

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  14 September 2015

Mª Dolores Merino  and
Jesús Privado
Mª Dolores Merino*
Affiliation:
Universidad Complutense (Spain)
Jesús Privado
Affiliation:
Universidad Complutense (Spain)
*
*Correspondence concerning this article should be addressed to Mª Dolores Merino. Universidad Complutense de Madrid. Facultad de Psicología. Departamento de Personalidad, Evaluación y Tratamiento Psicológico II (Ps. Diferencial y del Trabajo). Campus de Somosaguas, 28223. Pozuelo de Alarcón, Madrid (Spain). Phone: +34–913943174. Fax: +34–913942820. E-mail: lolamerino@psi.ucm.es; jesus.privado@pdi.ucm.es
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

Employee recognition is one of the typical characteristics of healthy organizations. The majority of research on recognition has studied the consequences of this variable on workers. But few investigations have focused on understanding what mechanisms mediate between recognition and its consequences. This work aims to understand whether the relationship between employee recognition and well-being, psychological resources mediate. To answer this question a sample of 1831 workers was used. The variables measured were: employee recognition, subjective well-being and positive psychological functioning (PPF), which consists of 11 psychological resources. In the analysis of data, structural equation models were applied. The results confirmed our hypothesis and showed that PPF mediate the relationship between recognition and well-being. The effect of recognition over PPF is two times greater (.39) with peer-recognition than with supervisor-recognition (.20), and, the effect of PPF over well-being is .59. This study highlights the importance of promoting employee recognition policies in organizations for the impact it has, not only on well-being, but also on the positive psychological functioning of the workers.

Keywords

employee recognitionpsychological resourceswell-beinghealthy organizations
Type
Research Article
Information
The Spanish Journal of Psychology , Volume 18 , 2015 , E64
Copyright
Copyright © Universidad Complutense de Madrid and Colegio Oficial de Psicólogos de Madrid 2015 

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Abad, F. J., Olea, J., Ponsoda, V., & García, C. (2011). Medición en ciencias sociales y de la salud [Measurement in social sciences and health]. Madrid, Spain: Síntesis.Google Scholar
Amutio, A., Ayestaran, S., & Smith, C. (2008). Evaluación del síndrome de quemarse por el trabajo y bienestar psicológico en los profesionales sanitarios del País vasco: Dureza emocional, estrategias de afrontamiento y consecuencias [Evaluation of burnout and psichological well-being a mong health professionals in the Basque Country]. Revista de Psicología del Trabajo y de las Organizaciones, 24, 235–252.Google Scholar
American Psychological Association (APA) (2015). Psychologically healthy Workplace Awards. APA.Google Scholar
Arbuckle, J. L. (2006). Amos 7.0 user’s guide. Chicago, IL: SPSS.Google Scholar
Argyle, M. (1997). Is happiness a cause of health? Psychology & Health, 12, 769–781. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/08870449708406738 CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Bentler, B. M., & Bonett, D. G. (1980). Significance tests and goodness of fit in the analysis of covariance structures. Psychological Bulletin, 88, 588–606. http://dx.doi.org/10.1037//0033-2909.88.3.588 Google Scholar
Bentler, P. M. (1990). Comparative fit indexes in structural models. Psychological Bulletin, 107, 238–246. http://dx.doi.org/10.1037/0033-2909.107.2.238 CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Brun, J. P., & Dugas, N. (2008). An analysis of employee recognition: Perspectives on human resources Practices. The International Journal of Human Resource Management. 19, 716–730. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/09585190801953723 Google Scholar
Byrne, B. M. (2001). Structural equation modeling with AMOS basic concepts, applications, and programming. New Jersey, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum.Google Scholar
Daniels, K., & Harris, C. (2000). Work psychological well-being and performance. Occupational Medicine, 50, 304–309. http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/occmed/50.5.304 Google Scholar
Diener, E., Emmons, R. A., Larsen, R. J., & Griffin, S, (1985). The Satisfaction with Life Scale. Journal of Personality Assessment, 49, 71–75. http://dx.doi.org/10.1207/s15327752jpa4901_13 Google Scholar
Gifford, E. D. (2009). An examination of organizational commitment and professional commitment and the relationship to work environment, demographic and organizational factors. Journal of Social Work, 9, 386–404. http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/1468017309346232 CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Grawitch, M. J., Gottschalk, M., & Munz, D. C. (2006). The path to a healthy workplace: A critical review linking healthy workplace practices, employee well-being, and organizational improvements. Consulting Psychology Journal, 58, 129–147. http://dx.doi.org/10.1037/1065-9293.58.3.129 Google Scholar
Hair, J. F., Black, W. C., Babin, B., Anderson, R. E., & Tatham, R. L. (2006). Multivariate data analysis (6th Ed.). New Jersey, NJ: Pearson.Google Scholar
Hobfoll, S. E. (1989). Conservation of resources: A new attempt at conceptualizing stress. American Psychologist, 44, 513–524. http://dx.doi.org/10.1037//0003-066X.44.3.513 Google Scholar
Hobfoll, S. E. (2002). Social and psychological resources and adaptation. Review of General Psychology, 6, 307–324. http://dx.doi.org/10.1037//1089-2680.6.4.307 CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Hobfoll, S. E. (2011). Conservation of resource caravans and engaged settings. Journal of Occupational and Organizational Psychology, 84, 116–122. http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.2044-8325.2010.02016.x Google Scholar
Hopkins, H. (1995). A challenge to managers: Five ways to improve employee morale. Executive Development, 8, 26–28. http://dx.doi.org/10.1108/09533239510099129 Google Scholar
James, L. R., Mulaik, S. A., & Brett, J. M. (1982), Causal analysis: Models, assumptions and data. Beverly Hills, CA: Sage.Google Scholar
Jöreskog, K. G., & Sörbom, D. (1993). LISREL 8: User’s guide. Chicago, IL: Scientific Software International.Google Scholar
Kahn, W. A. (1990). Psychological conditions of personal engagement and disengagement at work. Academy of Management Journal, 33, 692–724. http://dx.doi.org/10.2307/256287 Google Scholar
Larsen, A. K. (1993). Employee recognition. A working model to enhance job satisfaction. AORN Journal, 57, 909–912.Google Scholar
Lowe, G. (2010). The healthy organization creating healthy organizations: How vibrant workplaces inspire employees to achieve sustainable success. Toronto, ON: University of Toronto Press.Google Scholar
Luthans, K. (2000). Recognition: A powerful, but often overlooked, leadership tool to improve employee performance. Journal of Leadership & Organizational Studies Winter 7, 31–39. http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/107179190000700104 Google Scholar
Lyubomirsky, S., & Lepper, H. S. (1997). A measure of subjective happiness: Preliminary reliability and construct validation. Social Indicators Research, 46, 137–155.Google Scholar
Magnus, M. (1981). Employee recognition: A key to motivation. Personnel Journal, 60, 103–107.Google Scholar
Martínez Arias, R., Hernández Lloreda, M. J., & Hernández Lloreda, M. V. (2006). Psicometría [Psychometry]. Madrid, Spain: Alianza Editorial.Google Scholar
Maslach, C., Schaufeli, W. B., & Leiter, M. P. (2001). Job burnout. Annual Review of Psychology, 52, 397–422. http://dx.doi.org/10.1146/annurev.psych.52.1.397 Google Scholar
Merino, M. D., & Privado, J. (2015). Positive psychological functioning: Evidences for a new construct and its measurement. Anales de Psicología, 31, 1–10.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Rodríguez, A., Martínez, M., Moreno, B., & Gálvez, M. (2006). Predictores organizacionales del acoso psicológico en el trabajo: Aplicación del modelo de demandas y recursos laborales [Organizational predictors of workplace bullying: Application of job demands-resources model]. Revista de Psicología del Trabajo y de las Organizaciones, 22, 333–346.Google Scholar
Rohades, L., & Eisenberger, R. (2006). When supervisors feel supported: Relationships with subordinates’perceived supervisor support, perceived organizational support, and performance. Journal of Applied Psychology, 91, 689–695.Google Scholar
Saks, A. M. (2006). Antecedents and consequences of employee engagement. Journal of Managerial Psychology, 21, 600–619. http://dx.doi.org/10.1108/02683940610690169 Google Scholar
Siegrist, J. (2000). A theory of organizational stress. In Durham, J. (Ed.), Stress in the Workplace: Past, present, and future (pp. 52–66). London, UK: Whurr Publishers.Google Scholar
Steiger, J. H. (1990). Structural model evaluation modification: An interval estimation approach. Multivariate Behavioral Research, 25, 173–180. http://dx.doi.org/10.1207/s15327906mbr2502_4 Google Scholar
Veenhoven, R. (2009). Medidas de la felicidad nacional bruta. [Measures of gross national happiness]. Intervención Psicosocial, 18, 279–299.Google Scholar
Wayne, S. J., Shore, L. M., Bommer, W. H., & Tetrick, L. E. (2002). The role of fair treatment and rewards in perceptions of organizational support and leader–member exchange. Journal of Applied Psychology, 87, 590–598. http://dx.doi.org/10.1037//0021-9010.87.3.590 Google Scholar
Warr, P. (2007). Work, happiness and unhappiness. London, UK: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.Google Scholar
Yung, Y. F., Thissen, D., & McLeod, L. (1999). On the relationship between the higher-order factormodel and the hierarchical factormodel. Psychometrika, 64, 113–128.Google Scholar