Outcomes of Meaningful Work: A Meta-Analysis

摘要

Using job characteristics theory as a framework, we calculated meta-analytic effect sizes between meaningful work and various outcomes and tested a mediated model of meaningful work predicting proximal and distal outcomes with meta-analytic structural equation modelling (MASEM). From 44 articles (N = 23,144), we found that meaningful work had large correlations (r = 0.70+) with work engagement, commitment, and job satisfaction; moderate to large correlations (r = 0.44 to -0.49) with life satisfaction, life meaning, general health, and withdrawal intentions; and small to moderate correlations (r = -0.19 to 0.33) with organizational citizenship behaviours, self-rated job performance, and negative affect. The best MASEM fitting model was meaningful work predicting work engagement, commitment, and job satisfaction and these variables subsequently predicting self-rated performance, organizational citizenship behaviours, and withdrawal intentions. This meta-analysis provides estimated effect sizes between meaningful work and its outcomes and reveals how meaningful work relates directly and indirectly to key outcomes.