Revisiting the Happy-Productive Worker Thesis from a Eudaimonic Perspective: A Systematic Review

José M. Peiró, David Montesa, Aida Soriano, Malgorzata W. Kozusznik, Esther Villajos, Jorge Magdaleno, Nia Plamenova Djourova and Yarid Ayala
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José M. Peiró: IDOCAL, University of Valencia, 46010 Valencia, Spain
David Montesa: IDOCAL, University of Valencia, 46010 Valencia, Spain
Aida Soriano: IDOCAL, University of Valencia, 46010 Valencia, Spain
Malgorzata W. Kozusznik: IDOCAL, University of Valencia, 46010 Valencia, Spain
Esther Villajos: Business Department, Universidad Internacional de Valencia, 46002 Valencia, Spain
Jorge Magdaleno: IDOCAL, University of Valencia, 46010 Valencia, Spain
Nia Plamenova Djourova: IESE Business School, 08034 Barcelona, Spain
Yarid Ayala: Business School, Tecnologico de Monterrey, 64849 Monterrey, NL, Mexico

Sustainability, 2021, vol. 13, issue 6, 1-27

Abstract: The happy-productive worker thesis (HPWT) is considered the Holy Grail of management research, and it proposes caeteris paribus , happy workers show higher performance than their unhappy counterparts. However, eudaimonic well-being in the relationship between happiness and performance has been understudied. This paper provides a systematized review of empirical evidence in order to make a theoretical contribution to the happy-productive worker thesis from a eudaimonic perspective. Our review covers 105 quantitative studies and 188 relationships between eudaimonic well-being and performance. Results reveal that analyzing the eudaimonic facet of well-being provides general support for the HPWT and a much more comprehensive understanding of how it has been studied. However, some gaps and nuances are identified and discussed, opening up challenging avenues for future empirical research to clarify important questions about the relationship between happiness and performance in organizations.

Keywords: eudaimonic well-being; engagement; happiness; performance; happy-productive (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (3)

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:13:y:2021:i:6:p:3174-:d:516573

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