Exploring employee well-being as underlying mechanism in organizational health: Indian R&D

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to develop a comprehensive organizational health (OH) framework for business organizations. The framework will present the antecedent-OH relationship with employee well-being (EWB) as a mediator.

Design/methodology/approach

The present study conducted a cross-sectional study using case study approach in which concurrent triangulation design was followed, and the collection of qualitative as well as quantitative data was conducted concurrently. A total of 441 structured survey questionnaires and 21 semi-structured in-depth interviews were collected from 10 laboratories of an Indian R&D organization.

Findings

The findings showed that EWB acts as a mediator in an antecedent-OH relationship supporting the full mediation model.

Research limitations/implications

The findings are limited to only R&D organizations. This framework can help organizations in establishing a proper communication channel and reducing occupational stress among employees by empowering the employees. Empowerment practices foster conditions which help the employee feel good about their job which shall help in enhancing EWB thereby, promoting culture for OH.

Originality/value

It is an attempt to conceptualize the concept of OH in business sector similarly as in the case of OH in the education sector.

Citation

Singh, A. and Jha, S. (2018), "Exploring employee well-being as underlying mechanism in organizational health: Indian R&D", South Asian Journal of Business Studies, Vol. 7 No. 3, pp. 287-311. https://doi.org/10.1108/SAJBS-09-2017-0107