How Dispositional Gratitude Shapes Employee Well-being and Organizational Commitment: The Mediating Roles of Leader-Member Exchange and Coworker Exchange

Abstract

Dispositional gratitude has recently emerged as a variable of interest in organizational contexts. However, it remains unclear whether dispositional gratitude is predictive of employee well-being, with limited theoretical and empirical elucidation of the underlying mechanisms. To address these limitations, the present study investigated dispositional gratitude as a predictor of employee well-being and organizational commitment. Drawing on the broaden-and-build theory of positive affect, the study also examined whether the social bonding resources of leader-member exchange (LMX) and coworker exchange (CWX) mediated these effects. The participating employees (N = 300) completed the survey in three waves at one-week intervals. The results of structural equation modeling (SEM) confirm that dispositional gratitude is positively related to employee well-being and organizational commitment and that these effects are mediated by LMX and CWX. The paper concludes by discussing the theoretical and practical implications of these findings, the study’s limitations, and future research directions.

Keywords

dispositional gratitude leader-member exchange coworker exchange employee well-being organizational commitment

Gratitude is a moral affect that arises when an individual perceives other people have intentionally acted in a way that promotes the beneficiary’s well-being (McCullough et al., 2001). Gratitude has been defined in studied as both trait-like and state-like (McCullough et al., 2002, 2004). Dispositional gratitude, also known as trait gratitude, is an individual disposition reflecting “a generalized tendency to recognize and respond with grateful emotion to the roles of other people’s benevolence in the positive experiences and outcomes that one obtains” (McCullough et al., 2002, p. 112). Individuals with greater dispositional gratitude feel gratitude more frequently and intensely, in more domains of life, and to more entities at a given time point (McCullough et al., 2004). As a fundamental construct in positive psychology (Seligman, 2002; Seligman & Csikszentmihalyi, 2000), dispositional gratitude has consistently been found to relate positively to general individual well-being (e.g., Emmons & McCullough, 2004; Portocarrero et al., 2020; Wood et al., 2010).

Recent empirical studies have also noted the benefits of dispositional gratitude in organizational contexts, reporting a positive association with desirable work outcomes such as job performance (Wang et al., 2020), job satisfaction (Cortini et al., 2019; Kim et al., 2019), and organizational citizenship behaviors (OCBs) (Chen et al., 2020; Guzzo et al., 2020). However, despite these reported benefits, it remains unclear whether dispositional gratitude is a predictor of employee well-being – that is, the overall quality of employee experience and functioning at work (Warr, 1987, 1999). Some recent studies have addressed the links between dispositional gratitude and general subjective or psychological well-being (i.e., general well-being; Cho, 2019; Da Silva, 2019). However, these indicators are not domain-specific, and there is a need to distinguish between employee well-being and general well-being, as work situations are likely to differ from general life and so require a more targeted approach to accurately capture employee experiences.

As about a third of the average adult’s life is now spent at work, the workplace experience has a significant impact on employees’ quality of life (Harter et al., 2003). The well-being of employee is also critical for organizational development and thriving (Wright & Huang, 2012). For instance, employee well-being has been linked to many important workplace outcomes, including job performance, employee retention, innovativeness, and cardiovascular health (Huhtala & Parzefall, 2007; Rath & Harter, 2010; Wright & Bonett, 1992; Wright et al., 2009). Therefore, employee well-being, a positive affective or emotional state grounded in perceived quality of life at work, is a key issue for researchers and practitioners alike.

Affective organizational commitment was included as a measure of employee affective attitude to the organization as a whole, which has received little attention in the existing literature on workplace gratitude (Di Fabio et al., 2017; Portocarrero et al., 2020; Wood et al., 2010). As to the distinction between employee well-being and organizational commitment, the former refers to the individual’s quality of life and work experience while the latter refers specifically to the worker’s identification with the organization in question. Organizational commitment is an important organizational concern because it relates to critical workplace outcomes including turnover intention and retention (e.g., Neininger et al., 2010; Somers, 1995; Tett & Meyer, 1993). Incorporating both variables as parallel outcomes more accurately capture employees’ affective experiences in an organizational setting.

Gratitude is thought to contribute to social harmony and stronger connections (Emmons & Mishra, 2011; Wang et al., 2015). As these qualities are highly valued in China, which is often characterized as a collectivist society (e.g., Hofstede, 2001), it seems valuable to explore the effects of dispositional gratitude on employee well-being and organizational commitment among Chinese workers. To the best of our knowledge, these relationships have not been investigated in any depth in Chinese work settings: previous studies have focused primarily on outcomes such as OCBs (Sun et al., 2019; Zhan et al., 2021), job satisfaction (Winslow et al., 2017), and innovation (Chen et al., 2020; Zhong et al., 2022).

Moreover, although some researchers have reported evidence of direct links between dispositional gratitude and desirable work outcomes (e.g., Emmons, 2003; Ford et al., 2018; Spence et al., 2014), relatively little is known about the underlying mechanisms or processes. A fuller understanding of these mechanisms would help researchers and HR practitioners to identify the psychological factors that underpin the benefits of dispositional gratitude, so furthering the investigation of dispositional gratitude in organizational contexts.

The aims of the present study were (1) to investigate dispositional gratitude as a predictor of employee well-being and organizational commitment and (2) to identify the mechanisms underlying the relationships between these variables. According to the broaden-and-build theory of positive affect (Fredrickson, 2001), gratitude helps people build social resources that include displaying care, loyalty, and social bonding (Fredrickson, 2013). Assuming that dispositional gratitude in organizational settings is likely to facilitate relationship building with supervisors and coworkers, we investigated whether leader-member exchange (LMX) and coworker exchange (CWX) mediate the beneficial influence of dispositional gratitude on employee well-being and organizational commitment.

The present study makes two contributions to the literature on gratitude and employee well-being. First, we extend the gratitude literature by highlighting dispositional gratitude as an important antecedent of social resource accumulation and affective attitude in organizational settings (i.e., employee well-being and organizational commitment). By linking dispositional gratitude to employee well-being and organizational commitment, the present study provides empirical support for the theoretical proposition that gratitude plays a critical role in employee and organizational success (e.g., Di Fabio et al., 2017; Fehr et al., 2017). Second, this study strengthens the theoretical account of dispositional gratitude as a predictor of favorable work outcomes by revealing the underlying mechanisms. Specifically, building on broaden-and-build theory of positive affect (Fredrickson, 2013), our findings confirm that dispositional gratitude increases positivity in interpersonal interactions with organizational insiders (i.e., supervisors and coworkers) and helps to build high-quality working relationships (i.e., LMX and CWX), leading in turn to enhanced employee well-being and organizational commitment.

Theoretical Background and Hypothesis Development

Dispositional Gratitude, Employee Well-being, and Organizational Commitment

Research on employee well-being evolved from the exploration of general well-being, including subjective and psychological well-being (Ryan & Deci, 2001; Ryff & Keyes, 1995). Subjective well-being relates to the individual’s hedonic experience (Ryan & Deci, 2001; Waterman, 1993) and has consistently been described as having three core components: high levels of life satisfaction and positive affect and low levels of negative affect (Busseri et al., 2007; Diener et al., 1999). Psychological well-being focuses on the individual’s eudaimonic state, including psychological functioning and fulfillment of personal potential (e.g., Ryff & Keyes, 1995). The six core dimensions of psychological well-being are self-acceptance, purpose in life, environmental mastery, positive relations with others, autonomy, and personal growth (Ryff, 1989a, 1989b; Ryff & Keyes, 1995).

The related concept of employee well-being is more domain-specific than general individual well-being in that it applies only to work-related settings (e.g., Page & Vella-Brodrick, 2009). As a critical factor in organizational development and survival, employee well-being has attracted increasing research attention (Van De Voorde et al., 2012; Wright & Bonett, 2007; Wright et al., 2009), and researchers have suggested that HRM practices should seek to improve job performance by addressing workers’ happiness (i.e., employee well-being) rather than focusing solely on organizational productivity (Guest, 2017).

To date, however, there is no universally accepted definition or measure of employee well-being. Some early studies utilized context-specific measures of well-being to capture employees’ cognitive and affective experiences at work (e.g., Daniels, 2000; Warr, 1990). Page and Vella-Brodrick (2009) suggested a combined measure of work-related and general well-being. To that end, they also assessed work-related affect and job satisfaction, but empirical validation of the method remained limited. Building on the work of Page and Vella-Brodrick (2009), Zheng et al. (2015) sought to strengthen the concept of employee well-being. Combining qualitative and quantitative methods, they developed an 18-item scale measuring three constructs: life well-being (LWB), workplace well-being (WWB), and psychological well-being (PWB). As well as establishing the reliability and validity of this new scale, they also confirmed its configural invariance across Chinese and American samples (Zheng et al., 2015). The present study utilizes Zheng et al.’s (2015) approach to explore “not only employees’ perceptions and feelings about their work and life satisfaction but also their psychological experience and the level of satisfaction exhibited in both their work and personal lives” (p. 628). By doing so, we comprehensively incorporated the posited components of employee well-being: hedonic (LWB), eudaimonic (PWB), and context-specific well-being (WWB).

As a positively valenced emotion or affect that intensifies the enjoyment of a benefit received from others (Watkins, 2013), gratitude helps to prevent toxic emotions (e.g., envy, resentment) and cultivates positive affect (Emmons & Mishra, 2011) by striking a balance between positive and negative experiences. It follows those frequent experiences of gratitude in the workplace are likely to enhance the individual’s hedonic state, so improving satisfaction with life (i.e., LWB) and positive job attitude (i.e., WWB) and prompting stronger identification with the organization (i.e., organizational commitment). Individuals who exhibit higher dispositional gratitude are likely to have more frequent and intense experiences of thankfulness or appreciation (McCullough et al., 2002; Wood et al., 2010). Accordingly, they focus more on the positive contributions of others and are more likely to feel happy about the good fortune of others (Emmons & Mishra, 2011; Smith et al., 1996). To that extent, gratitude contributes to PWB, including positive interpersonal relationships (e.g., Algoe et al., 2008), personal growth (e.g., Wood et al., 2009), and positive relations with others (e.g., Williams & Bartlett, 2015). According to Wood et al. (2009), dispositional gratitude is positively associated with four dimensions of PWB (i.e., self-acceptance, personal growth, positive relations with others, and purpose in life) even after controlling for the Big Five personality traits.

In organizational contexts, dispositional gratitude also helps employees to cope with workplace stressors (Fredrickson, 2004) – for instance, by seeking instrumental and emotional social support, interpreting situations positively, and resisting behavioral disengagement. These coping strategies increase employee happiness, job satisfaction, and affective commitment (Emmons & Mishra, 2011; Wood et al., 2010). This view is supported by empirical evidence in work settings, such that gratitude is positively related to job satisfaction (Kim et al., 2019; Lanham et al., 2012) – a sub-dimension of employee WWB (Page & Vella-Brodrick, 2009; Zheng et al., 2015). Additionally, in their study of elementary school teachers in Taiwan, Ting and Yeh (2014) reported a positive relationship between teachers’ gratitude and their commitment to the school. As dispositional gratitude can therefore be expected to relate positively to employee well-being (i.e., LWB, WWB, and PWB) and organizational commitment, we formulated the following hypothesis.

Hypothesis 1: Employee dispositional gratitude is positively related to (a) LWB, (b) WWB, (c) PWB, and (d) organizational commitment.

The Relationship Between Dispositional Gratitude, LMX, and CWX

Broaden-and-build theory (Fredrickson, 1998, 2001, 2004) proposes that positive affect can broaden the individual’s momentary thought-action repertoire and build personal resources. Specifically, the broadened mindset engendered by positive affect can help to build personal resources, including physical, intellectual, social, and psychological resources. Accrued resources that endure (e.g., social bonds and attachments) (Aron et al., 2000) can later be deployed to counter threats (see for example Fredrickson, 2001). Drawing on broaden-and-build theory, we contend that dispositional gratitude, as a specific form of positive affect, can broaden employees’ positive feelings of gratefulness, thankfulness, and appreciation and can help to build enduring social bonding resources (Fredrickson, 2001, 2013). As workers in organizational settings most frequently interact with their direct supervisors and coworkers, we propose that dispositional gratitude facilitates the development of two distinct social bonds: LMX and CWX. These would then become the locus of social support for employee well-being and other favorable work outcomes.

Leader-member exchange represents the reciprocal relationship between employee and supervisor and provide insights into the quality of the dyadic relationship between leader and subordinate (Graen & Uhl-Bien, 1995). Leader-member exchange theory proposes that leaders develop unique relationships with individual subordinates through the process of social exchange (Graen & Uhl-Bien, 1995). A high-quality leader-subordinate relationship can be established when the mutual social exchange extends beyond the employment contract in terms of mutual trust, loyalty, and commitment (Blau, 1964; Schriesheim et al., 1999). Building on LMX theory, CWX describes the social exchanges among coworkers who report to the same supervisor, providing insight into the quality of relations between a focal team member and coworkers (Sherony & Green, 2002). A high-quality CWX relationship is characterized by high levels of mutual trust, respect, and obligation.

Individuals who exhibit high dispositional gratitude are more likely to recognize and appreciate favorable treatment from others (e.g., supervisor, coworker). According to broaden-and-build theory, a grateful individual’s mode of thinking may broaden, prompting consideration of a wide array of possible reciprocal actions (Fredrickson, 1998, 2001, 2004), such as expressing appreciation and thankfulness or helping their benefactor in return (McCullough & Tsang, 2004). These broadened thoughts and behaviors signal recognition and appreciation of the kindness received and facilitate high-quality interpersonal relationships. For example, researchers found that expressions of gratitude to partners, friends, or subordinates boost partnership, friendship, and trust in supervisors (Lambert et al., 2010; Leong et al., 2020; Ritzenhöfer et al., 2017).

The broadening of thought and action is not confined to reciprocity or repayment but also extends to more creative actions that contribute to high-quality relationship building (Algoe, 2012; Fehr et al., 2017). Specifically, feelings of gratitude boost positive attitudes and increase trust, loyalty, and prosocial behaviors (e.g., Fredrickson, 2004; Gino & Schweitzer, 2008), leading benefactors and beneficiaries alike to maintain long-term relationships through reciprocal altruism. There is empirical evidence that gratitude contributes to high-quality relationship maintenance by extending beyond mere repayment (e.g., Algoe et al., 2008; Chhajer & Dutta, 2021; Lambert et al., 2010). On that basis, we would expect employee dispositional gratitude to be positively related to LMX and CWX.

Hypothesis 2: Employee dispositional gratitude is positively related to (a) LMX and (b) CWX.

Leader-member exchange and CWX as Mediators Between Dispositional Gratitude and Focal Outcomes

According to LMX and CWX theory (e.g., Graen & Uhl-Bien, 1995), LMX and CWX are resources for social support. Employees with high-quality LMX and CWX are more favorably treated by supervisors and coworkers in terms of affective support (e.g., trust, empathy), useful information, and task-directed helping (Ensher et al., 2001; Liden et al., 1997). For example, high-quality LMX relationships may increase employee involvement in supervisors’ decision-making about task assignment. Employees in high-quality CWX relationships are likely to receive timelier and more referent information from their coworkers that enables them to cope more effectively with work demands and strains (Thoits, 2011).

We anticipate that the effect of this social support on employee job perception is to increase workplace and life satisfaction (WWB and LWB) (Pollock et al., 2016) and to promote a more positive attitude toward self-development (PWB) (e.g., Dose et al., 2019; Liao et al., 2017; Volmer et al., 2011). Enhanced LMX and CWX are also likely to make employees feel valued and cared for by their leaders and coworkers and in turn lead employees to be more committed to the organization (Chiaburu & Harrison, 2008; Martin et al., 2016). Previous meta-analyses have also identified positive associations between LMX and job satisfaction and organizational commitment (Gerstner & Day, 1997; Martin et al., 2016). Given that dispositional gratitude is likely to increase LMX and CWX, we formulated the following hypotheses.

Hypothesis 3: LMX mediates the relationship between employee dispositional gratitude and (a) LWB, (b) WWB, (c) PWB, and (d) organizational commitment.

Hypothesis 4: CWX mediates the relationship between employee dispositional gratitude and (a) LWB, (b) WWB, (c) PWB, and (d) organizational commitment.

Method

The participants were recruited from a large biomedical company in northeast China. Survey data were collected at three time points at one-week intervals. Distribution of the online survey was coordinated by the company’s director of human resources (HR). Employees who were interested in participating received an access link and were instructed to complete the surveys over the following three weeks. At each time point, the research team explained the survey’s purpose and assured participants that they would remain anonymous, and that the information provided would remain confidential. Participants were offered incentives (5 RMB, about 0.8 USD) through the online data collection platform (Tencent Wenjuan; Tencent Inc., CN, https://wj.qq.com). We received Institutional Review Board (IRB) approval prior to initiating this study.

At time 1 (T1), the survey included measures of dispositional gratitude and demographic variables. At Time 2 (T2), we measured participants’ LMX and CWX. At Time 3 (T3), participants reported work outcomes, including well-being (LWB, WWB, PWB), and organizational commitment. The initial sample (T1) comprised 516 employees; the two follow-up surveys (T2 and T3) attracted 414 and 401 responses, respectively. To guard against systematic sampling bias, we compared the characteristics of participants at T2 (N = 414) with those who dropped out at that point (N = 102); similarly, we compared participants at T3 (N = 401) with those who dropped out at that point (N = 13). Chi-square and t-testing showed no statistically significant differences on demographic variables of age, gender, tenure, education, and job position. Participants were asked to report the last four digits of their phone number, which were used for matching purposes across the three surveys.

The final analysis included those employees who completed all three surveys and were successfully matched (N = 300; mean age 33.1 years, ranging from 21 to 55 years; 51.7% male, 48.3% female). Of these, 16.0% had work experience of 3 years or less; 24.0% had 3–10 years of work experience, and more than half (60.0%) had more than 10 years of work experience. In terms of education, 43.3% had an associate degree; 39.7% had a bachelor’s degree, and 17.0% had a master’s or doctoral degree. As for company position, 67.3% were ordinary employees; 22.7% held primary managerial positions, and the remaining 10% occupied middle or senior management positions. Chi-square and t-testing showed no statistically significant differences between the final sample (N = 300) and those who were not included (N = 216) in terms of these demographic variables (age, gender, tenure, education, and job position).

Measures

With the exception of employee well-being, the instruments used in this study were originally in English; the Chinese version was developed using back-translation technique (cf. Brislin, 1993). To begin, the first author translated the original English items into Chinese. All of the other authors then evaluated this version and arrived at consensus on the wording. We then invited a bilingual native English speaker (a doctoral student in psychology) with advanced Chinese to back translate that version into English. Finally, we compared the back-translated version to the original English language version and confirmed that there were no differences in meaning. To measure employee well-being, we employed the Chinese version of Zheng et al.’s (2015) scale. All measures were rated on a 5-point Likert-type scale (from 1 = strongly disagree to 5 = strongly agree).

Dispositional gratitude

Dispositional gratitude was measured using McCullough et al.’s (2001) 6-item Gratitude Questionnaire (GQ-6); A sample item was “I have so much in life to be thankful for.” Higher scores indicate greater dispositional gratitude. As one of the most widely utilized instruments for assessing dispositional gratitude, GQ-6 has been validated for Chinese samples (e.g., college students, adults) (Chen et al., 2009; Kong et al., 2017). Across diverse samples, alpha reliability of GQ-6 ranges from .67 to .94 (Emmons et al., 2019), and the Chinese version scale has also been shown to have good internal consistency (e.g., Cronbach’s α = 0.71 in Chen et al., 2021; Cronbach’s α = 0.75 in Li et al., 2021). In the present case, Cronbach’s α was measured as .93, indicating good internal consistency.

Leader-member exchange

Leader-member exchange was measured using the LMX-7 scale developed by Graen and Uhl-Bien (1995). A sample item was “My supervisor understands my work-related problems and needs.” Participants were instructed to rate items on the basis of their relationship with their supervisor over the past week. Higher scores indicate higher levels of LMX. Leader-member exchange-7 has been validated for Chinese samples (e.g., Hui & Graen, 1997; Wang et al., 2005) and exhibits acceptable internal consistency (e.g., Cronbach’s α = .82 in Aryee & Chen, 2006; Cronbach’s α = .87 in Gu et al., 2015). The Cronbach’s α in the current sample was .89.

Coworker exchange

Coworker exchange was measured using Sherony and Green’s (2002) 6-item scale, which is a slightly modified version of LMX-7 (Graen & Uhl-Bien, 1995). A sample item was “My coworkers understand my work-related problems and needs.” Participants were instructed to rate the items on the basis of their relationship with coworkers over the past week. Higher scores indicate higher levels of CWX relationships. Previous studies have reported that the Chinese version CWX scale exhibits good validity and reliability (e.g., Cronbach’s α =.89 in Liu et al., 2021; Cronbach’s α = .86 in Tang et al., 2021; Cronbach’s α = .82 in Zhang et al., 2021). In the current sample, Cronbach’s α was measured as .90).

Employee well-being

Employee well-being was assessed using Zheng et al.’s (2015) 18-item scale comprising three dimensions (LWB, WWB, and PWB). An example item for each of these dimensions are: “I feel satisfied with my life” (LWB); “In general, I feel fairly satisfied with my present job” (WWB); and “I generally feel good about myself, and I’m confident” (PWB). Higher scores indicate greater employee well-being. The scale was originally developed in Chinese and exhibits acceptable reliability and validity, with alpha reliabilities of .82, .87, and .82 for LWB, WWB, and PWB, respectively (Zheng et al., 2015). In the current sample, the scale again exhibited acceptable reliability, with alpha coefficients of .89, .91, and .93 for LWB, WWB, and PWB, respectively.

Organizational commitment

Organizational commitment was measured using the 6-item affective commitment scale developed by Meyer and Allen (1991). A sample item was “I really feel as if this organization’s problems are my own.” Higher scores indicate greater organizational commitment. The concept of organizational commitment has been consistently tested and validated for Chinese samples and shows acceptable reliability (e.g., Cronbach’s α = 0.78 in Cheng & Stockdale, 2003; Cronbach’s α = 0.80 in Froese & Xiao, 2012; Cronbach’s α = 0.88 in Lee & Wei, 2017). In the present case, the alpha coefficient was .91.

Control variables

Several demographic variables (including age, gender, tenure, education, and job position) were included as control variables because they are known to correlate with employee well-being and job attitude (e.g., Brush et al., 1987; Chen & Francesco, 2000; Gutiérrez et al., 2005; Zheng et al., 2015). Gender was dummy coded (“0” for men and “1” for women). The categorical variable tenure (referring to the number of years working in the same team at the same company) was coded “1” to “5” (up to 1 year, 1–3 years, 3–5 years, 5–10 years, and more than 10 years, respectively). Education was coded “1” to “4” (associate degree or lower, bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral degree, respectively). Job position was coded “1” to “4” (ordinary employee, primary, middle, and senior management, respectively).

Analytic Strategy

All analyses were performed using Mplus 8.0 (Muthén & Muthén, 1998–2017). First, confirmatory factor analyses (CFAs) were performed to confirm the study constructs’ discriminant validities and to check goodness of fit between the measurement model and the data. Specifically, we compared three alternative models to the benchmark model (the proposed seven-factor model) to confirm the factor structure of the study variables. To evaluate overall model fit, we used the Comparative Fit Index (CFI), the Tucker-Lewis Index (TLI), Root Mean Square Error of Approximation (RMSEA), and Standardized Root Mean Squared Residual (SRMR). Based on previous best practice, a cutoff value close to .95 is desirable for CFI and TLI, and cutoff values close to 0.06 and 0.08 are considered desirable for RMSEA and SRMR, respectively (Hu & Bentler, 1999). We utilized chi-square (χ2) to compared competing models but not to determine model fit (because it is impacted by sample size) (Cheung & Rensvold, 2002). To test our hypotheses, we used structural equation modeling (SEM). In the structural model, mediators and outcomes were regressed on the control variables. We used bootstrapping to test for mediating effects, with 10,000 resamples to obtain confidence interval estimates (Preacher & Hayes, 2008).

Results

Preliminary Analyses

For data cleaning and screening prior to hypothesis testing, we used IBM SPSS 26 to check for missing data, univariate and multivariate outliners, and normality. There were no missing data because the electronic questionnaire could not be submitted if any items were left blank. To check for univariate and multivariate outliers, respectively, we used interquartile ranges (box plots) and Mahalanobis distance statistics at p < .001 (Tabachnick & Fidell, 2007); no outliers were identified. Finally, we measured skewness and kurtosis to assess the variables’ normality. As absolute skewness and kurtosis values were less than 1, all constructs were deemed to be normally distributed (Weston & Gore, 2006).

Table 1 shows descriptive statistics and correlations for all study variables, all of which correlated in the expected directions. Age, tenure, and job position were significantly related to some focal variables, indicating the need to control these variables in subsequent hypothesis testing. As gender and education were not significantly correlated with the focal variables, we did not include them as control variables in the structural model in the interests of parsimony.

Table 1.

Means, Standard Deviations, α Reliabilities and Correlations.

Variables	M	SD	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12
1. Age	33.11	8.93	-
2. Gender	-	-	.08	-
3. Tenure	-	-	.62^**	.11	-
4. Education	-	-	-.31^**	-.02	-.15^**	-
5. Job position	-	-	-.04	-.16^**	.24^**	.29^**	-
6. DG	4.08	1.29	.22^**	-.03	.15^*	-.10	.05	(.93)
7. LMX	3.73	.81	.18^**	-.06	.08	-.08	.09	.49^**	(.89)
8. CWX	3.90	.76	.02	-.06	.00	-.06	.05	.43^**	.43^**	(.90)
9. LWB	3.55	.90	.11^*	-.04	.01	-.05	.11	.47^**	.50^**	.43^**	(.89)
10. WWB	3.74	.92	.13^*	-.10	.07	-.05	.10	.40^**	.45^**	.37^**	.70^**	(.91)
11. PWB	3.87	.81	.19^*	-.06	.06	-.05	.06	.53^**	.53^**	.46^**	.78^**	.72^**	(.93)
12. OC	3.93	.93	.23^**	-.10	.16^**	-.05	.12^*	.41^**	.44^**	.37^**	.53^**	.52^**	.57^**	(.91)

Note. N = 300. DG = dispositional gratitude; LMX = leader-member exchange; CWX = coworker exchange; LWB = life well-being; WWB = workplace well-being; PWB = psychological well-being; OC = organizational commitment. Numbers on the diagonal are coefficient αs for relevant measures.

^*p < .05.

^**p < .01.

Measurement Model

Based on the CFAs, the seven-factor model (dispositional gratitude, LMX, CWX, LWB, WWB, PWB, and organizational commitment) showed better model fit (χ2 (df = 839) = 1441.668, p < .01, CFI = .936, TLI = .931, RMSEA = .049, SRMR = .044) than the three alternative models; these were (1) a six-factor model, where LMX and CWX were loaded onto a single factor; (2) a five-factor model, where LWB, WWB, and PWB were loaded onto a single factor; (3) a four-factor model, where LWB, WWB, PWB, and organizational commitment were loaded onto a single factor. The results confirm that the variables are distinct constructs, and that the measurement model exhibits adequate fit to the data. Model fit indexes are shown in Table 2.

Table 2.

Tests of Alternative Model Specifications.

Model	χ²	df	CFI	TLI	RMSEA	SRMR	Δχ²	Δdf
Seven-factor model	1441.668	839	.936	.931	.049	.044
Six-factor model^a	2098.151	845	.866	.857	.070	.061	656.483**	6
Five-factor model^b	1882.831	850	.890	.883	.064	.051	441.163**	11
Four-factor model^c	2532.858	854	.821	.810	.081	.065	1091.19**	15

Note. ^aLMX and CWX were merged into a single factor; ^bLWB, WWB, and PWB were merged into a single factor; ^cLWB, WWB, PWB, and organizational commitment were merged into a single factor. All alternative models were compared to the seven-factor model, which was maintained in this study.

^** p < .01.

Hypothesis Testing

Hypothesis 1 posited a direct relationship between dispositional gratitude and the focal outcomes. The SEM model regressed all focal outcome variables on dispositional gratitude and all control variables (i.e., age, tenure, and position). The model exhibited adequate fit (χ² (df = 473) = 793.406, p < .01, CFI = .953, TLI = .948, RMSEA = .048, SRMR = .049). The results indicate that dispositional gratitude is positively linked to LWB (β = .50, SE = .05, p < .01), WWB (β = .42, SE = .05, p < .01), PWB (β = .53, SE = .05, p < .01), and organizational commitment (β = .40, SE = .05, p < .01). Accordingly, Hypotheses 1a–1d were supported.

Hypothesis 2 posited a direct relationship between dispositional gratitude and LMX and CWX. The SEM model regressed LMX and CWX on dispositional gratitude and all control variables. The model exhibited adequate fit (χ² (df = 200) = 417.677, p < .01, CFI = .942, TLI = .934, RMSEA = .060, SRMR = .059). The results indicate that dispositional gratitude is positively linked to LMX (β = .50, SE = .05, p < .01) and CWX (β = .47, SE = .05, p < .01). Accordingly, Hypotheses 2a and 2b were supported.

Finally, Hypotheses 3 and 4 tested the mediation model, specifying direct paths from control variables and dispositional gratitude to all focal outcomes and paths from LMX and CWX to all distal outcomes. The model exhibited adequate fit (χ² (df = 951) = 1606.782, p < .01, CFI = .930, TLI = .924, RMSEA = .048, SRMR = .061). Standardized path coefficients are shown in Figure 1, and mediation analyses are summarized in Table 3. Specifically, dispositional gratitude demonstrated significant indirect effects on LWB (estimate = .16, 95% CI [.09, .27]), WWB (estimate = .16, 95% CI [.07, .27]), PWB (estimate = .17, 95% CI [.09, .26]), and organizational commitment (estimate = .14, 95% CI [.06, .25]) via LMX. Thus, Hypotheses 3a – 3d were supported. Dispositional gratitude also had significant indirect effects on LWB (estimate = .11, 95% CI [.04, .20]), WWB (estimate = .10, 95% CI [.03, 20]), PWB (estimate = .12, 95% CI [.04, .22]), and organizational commitment (point estimate = .10, 95% CI [.03, .19]) via CWX, indicating support for Hypotheses 4a–4d.

Figure 1.

The SEM Results. Note. LMX = leader-member exchange; CWX = coworker exchange; LWB = life well-being; WWB = workplace well-being; PWB = psychological well-being; OC = organizational commitment. ^* p < .05, ^** p < .01.

Table 3.

Standardized Indirect Effects and Bootstrapping-based 95% Confidence Intervals (CIs).

Model Pathways	Point Estimate	95% CI
Model Pathways	Point Estimate	Lower	Upper
Gratitude → LMX → LWB	.16	.09	.27
Gratitude → CWX → LWB	.11	.04	.20
Gratitude → LMX → WWB	.16	.07	.27
Gratitude → CWX → WWB	.10	.03	.20
Gratitude → LMX → PWB	.17	.09	.26
Gratitude → CWX → PWB	.12	.04	.22
Gratitude → LMX → OC	.14	.06	.25
Gratitude → CWX → OC	.10	.03	.19

Note. N = 300. LMX = leader-member exchange; CWX = coworker exchange; LWB = life well-being; WWB = workplace well-being; PWB = psychological well-being; OC = organizational commitment.

^*p < .05.

^**p < .01

Discussion

The present study examined the influence of dispositional gratitude on employee well-being and organizational commitment. Based on the broaden-and-build theory of positive affect, we also tested the hypothesis that LMX and CWX play mediating roles in linking dispositional gratitude to employee well-being and organizational commitment. The study produced two major findings.

First, the observed positive association between dispositional gratitude and employee well-being aligns with previous reports of the beneficial effects of dispositional gratitude on general individual well-being (Portocarrero et al., 2020). In general, this finding suggests that dispositional gratitude plays an important role in shaping employee well-being. Second, we established that LMX and CWX mediate the relationship between dispositional gratitude and employee well-being and organizational commitment. Grateful employees are more likely to build high-quality relationships with supervisors and coworkers, promoting higher levels of well-being and greater commitment to the organization. This aligns well with the broader gratitude literature suggesting that gratitude enhances social relationships with others in everyday interactions (Algoe, 2012; Algoe et al., 2008).

Theoretical Implications

The present study extends the workplace gratitude literature by confirming the beneficial effects of dispositional gratitude on social resource accumulation (i.e., LMX and CWX) and well-being in organizational settings. The findings identify dispositional gratitude as an antecedent that proximally improves LMX and CWX and distally facilitates employee well-being and organizational commitment. While a number of previous studies have reported that gratitude strengthens high-quality social exchange relationships with friends, customers, and romantic partners (e.g., Algoe et al., 2008; Gordon et al., 2012; Palmatier et al., 2009), relatively little attention has been devoted to social relationships in organizational settings. By incorporating LMX and CWX as indicators of the quality of interpersonal relationships in the workplace, the present study further clarifies the benefits of dispositional gratitude. In addition, by demonstrating that positive emotions like gratitude can help build social resources in the workplace, we also strengthen empirical support for the broaden-and-build theory of positive affect.

Our findings also provide empirical support for Fehr et al.’s (2017) theoretical proposal that gratitude contributes to employee well-being. Although gratitude is known to play an important role in general well-being (Guzzo et al., 2020; Wood et al., 2010), only a handful of studies have explored the benefits of gratitude in terms of employee well-being (e.g., reduced depression, stress, burnout) (see Feng & Yin, 2021; Lau & Cheng, 2017; Lee et al., 2018; Lies et al., 2014). The comprehensive list of indicators in the current study addresses hedonic (LWB), eudaimonic (PWB), and context specific (WWB) aspects of employee well-being. The evidence that all of these are enhanced by higher levels of dispositional gratitude extends existing knowledge of workplace gratitude. In tandem with the growing research on gratitude in the workplace (e.g., Di Fabio et al., 2017; Hu & Kaplan, 2015; Komase et al., 2021), our findings support the view that dispositional gratitude is an individual difference with potential benefits for employees (in terms of well-being, LMX, and CWX) and organizations (in terms of organizational commitment), corroborating the crucial role of gratitude in enhancing workplace outcomes (e.g., Di Fabio et al., 2017; Komase et al., 2021).

Second, we contribute to the growing literature on workplace gratitude by uncovering the underlying mechanisms linking dispositional gratitude to favorable outcomes. While previous studies have acknowledged dispositional gratitude’s potential in enhancing interpersonal relationships (Di Fabio & Gori, 2016; Di Fabio et al., 2017), and the associated benefits for employees and organizations, our study provides empirical confirmation of these effects. In particular, drawing on the broaden-and-build theory of positive affect and the concepts of LMX and CWX, our findings show that dispositional gratitude helps to establish better workplace relationships.

Finally, we contribute to the employee well-being literature by identifying dispositional gratitude as an important antecedent of employee well-being. Previous research has identified antecedents of well-being in terms of organizational environment (e.g., work variety, opportunities for skill use; Warr, 1987), job demands-resources balance (e.g., workload, job autonomy) (Bakker & Demerouti, 2007; Schaufeli et al., 2009), the role of leader/supervisor (e.g., ethical leadership) (Chughtai et al., 2015), and individual differences (e.g., psychological capital, locus of control) (Kim et al., 2019; Mäkikangas et al., 2013). By introducing the construct of gratitude (originated from positive psychology) as an antecedent of employee well-being, the present study invites further research on the predictors of employee well-being to be grounded in the broader positive psychology literature.

Limitations and Future Research Directions

The present study has a number of limitations. First, although we collected the data on antecedent, mediating, and outcome variables at three time points, we could not establish causal relationships among the study variables. Future studies might usefully employ a repeated measures design (addressing all variables at every time point) to rule out any reciprocal relationships between variables. In addition, experimental designs would help to establish the causal effects of gratitude on various work outcomes.

A second limitation of the present study is that all the measures are self-reported. Although the time-lagged design may alleviate concerns about common method variance (Podsakoff et al., 2012), it would be useful to incorporate other-rated measures. For example, one could develop a more complete account of dyadic exchange quality by measuring LMX from the leader’s perspective and CWX from the coworker’s perspective (Cogliser et al., 2009; Paglis & Green, 2002). Future studies should also collect multi-source data to determine whether the present findings can be replicated.

Third, in combination with previous evidence of the benefits of state gratitude for behavioral outcomes such as OCBs (Ford et al., 2018; Spence et al., 2014), our findings regarding the influence of dispositional gratitude on favorable workplace attitudes and affects invite future research on how workplace outcomes are shaped by the interaction between dispositional and state gratitude. For example, the relationship between state gratitude and OCB may be moderated by dispositional gratitude because individuals with a high level of the latter are more likely to exhibit grateful emotions and reciprocal behaviors (McCullough et al., 2002). As well as augmenting the existing literature on gratitude, investigation of these relationships would also provide practical guidance for managers when designing interventions for gratitude cultivation.

Fourth, dispositional gratitude may also enhance employee well-being in ways that were not explored here. Our results indicate that the direct relationships between dispositional gratitude and employee well-being remain significant when LMX and CWX are included as mediators in the SEM model (see Figure 1). This suggests that LMX and CWX may explain only some of the effects of gratitude on employee well-being, and other potential mediators should therefore be explored. For instance, dispositional gratitude may improve employee well-being by reducing toxic emotions (e.g., envy), cultivating coping behaviors, and enhancing positive emotions (Emmons & Mishra, 2011). Future empirical research should explore other potential mechanisms that may reveal the rationale underlying the links between dispositional gratitude and employee well-being.

Finally, it seems likely that untested boundary conditions such as demographic variables (e.g., gender) and culture influence the effects of dispositional gratitude on work outcomes (Froh et al., 2009; Hill & Allemand, 2011). For example, there is evidence that women are more likely than men to experience gratitude and to derive greater psychological benefits from such feelings (Kashdan et al., 2009). In addition, culture may shape how people experience and express gratitude, as in the observed variations lie in how gratitude is cultivated among young people across different countries (Tudge et al., 2015). Future research should therefore investigate whether male and female employees benefit equally from gratitude and whether the effects of dispositional gratitude can be generalized to different cultures. A fuller understanding of these potential boundary conditions would extend the literature on workplace gratitude and would also have significant practical implications for HR management.

Practical Implications

The present findings also have a number of practical implications. First, while dispositional gratitude is commonly viewed as a stable individual difference, it can also be improved through training or other interventions (e.g., Grant & Gino, 2010; Komase et al., 2021; Wood et al., 2010). Previous studies have shown that such interventions can promote gratitude (e.g., Locklear et al., 2021), so facilitating valued workplace outcomes such as job satisfaction and organizational commitment (Mukhtar & Al-Barri, 2018; Stegen & Wankier, 2018). One such program designed and implemented by Komase et al. (2019) for a group of 145 workers reported significant post-intervention improvements in job performance. If gratitude is shown to enhance workplace relationship quality and work outcomes, HR managers should be encouraged to explore such interventions and training programs as tools for organizational development.

Gratitude can also be viewed as a temporal state that is influenced by contextual factors (Andersson et al., 2007; Wood et al., 2010). For example, in Fehr et al.’s (2017) multilevel model of gratitude at different organizational levels, frequent and intensive experiences of episodic (state) gratitude triggered by discrete events (e.g., receiving help from one’s supervisor) may transfer into persistent gratitude. On that basis, strategies to stimulate state gratitude through discrete affective events (Ford et al., 2018; Spence et al., 2014; Weiss & Cropanzano, 1996) might include supervisor care, family support, and skills training. The development of persistent gratitude in this way may ultimately engender an organizational culture of gratefulness (Fehr et al., 2017).

Footnotes

Declaration of Conflicting Interests

The author(s) declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.

Funding

The author(s) disclosed receipt of the following financial support for the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article: This work was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China and the grant number are 71901100 and 72101257.

ORCID iDs

Teng Zhao

Hairong Li

Lu Zheng

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