Thriving in a multicultural workplace

Abstract

Thriving at work is defined as the psychological state that links both a sense of vitality and learning. The vitality component of thriving may be seen as positive energy, while learning enhances a sense of competence and efficacy. Thriving sheds new light on individual psychological functioning and the experience of growth in the work context. Thriving at work promotes growth through playing an active role in interaction with other people. In particular, thriving can offer a positive insight into social interactions at work and the subjective well-being of employees in a multicultural work setting. The aim of the quantitative study was to examine the relationship between thriving (proximal factor) and subjective well-being (distal factor) including its affective and cognitive aspects in the model of intercultural interaction at work. Correlational design was applied. The results of the studies conducted in a quantitative design indicated that learning is more salient than vitality in a multicultural work setting. The findings suggest that among these two components of thriving, learning is more salient than vitality. Thriving was associated with affective well-being, specifically, vitality was moderately associated with positive and negative emotions while learning was slightly associated with positive emotions. Additionally, the different role of the two components of thriving in the cognitive aspect of subjective well-being was revealed. Organizational satisfaction (overall satisfaction) was dependent on vitality. In contrast, job-related interpersonal satisfaction (satisfaction with work in a multicultural environment) was dependent on both components of thriving, vitality and learning. To the best of the author’s knowledge this is the first study to empirically test thriving in the model of intercultural interaction at work. Specifically it focuses on proximal (vitality and learning) and distal outcomes (subjective well-being).