Role of work ethic in the work–life satisfaction relationship: a longitudinal moderation model
Journal of Managerial Psychology
ISSN: 0268-3946
Article publication date: 22 December 2023
Issue publication date: 22 January 2024
Abstract
Purpose
The authors examine the longitudinal relationship between work satisfaction and life satisfaction, and the moderating role of work ethic.
Design/methodology/approach
The authors use a nationally representative sample of Dutch working adults (N = 1020; three waves over five years) and take a model comparison approach to identify the longitudinal relationship between work satisfaction and life satisfaction. To test the moderating effects of work ethic, the authors use conditional process analyses.
Findings
The authors find more evidence as to how work satisfaction and life satisfaction are positively and reciprocally linked over time using longitudinal data. More importantly, work ethic strengthens the positive effect of work satisfaction on life satisfaction, but no such moderating role is observed as to the effect from life satisfaction to work satisfaction.
Practical implications
The findings raise awareness that employees' overall happiness in life matters to workplace satisfaction. More importantly, one effective strategy to promote work satisfaction is to design work that nurtures strong work ethic – measures that help employees see more value in their work.
Originality/value
The findings regarding the role of work ethic show that the conservation of resources theory can be an informative lens to understand the work–life satisfaction relationship. For individuals with strong work ethic, work satisfaction constitutes a more salient form of psychological resources benefiting their overall life satisfaction.
Keywords
Acknowledgements
Since submission of this article, the following author(s) have updated their affiliations: Nanxi Yan is at Department of Psychology, Faculty of Social and Behavioral Sciences, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
Citation
Jing, E.L. and Yan, N. (2024), "Role of work ethic in the work–life satisfaction relationship: a longitudinal moderation model", Journal of Managerial Psychology, Vol. 39 No. 1, pp. 52-66. https://doi.org/10.1108/JMP-11-2022-0603
Publisher
:Emerald Publishing Limited
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