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Positive Workplaces – Positive People? Factors Contributing to Positive Individual and Workplace Outcomes

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Thesis(2 MB)

Date

2025

Authors

McCallum, Sarah

Supervisor

Myers, Barbara
Haar, Jarrod

Item type

Thesis

Degree name

Doctor of Philosophy

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Publisher

Auckland University of Technology

Abstract

This thesis is comprised of five related, but distinct, studies contributing to the field of positive psychology and positive organizational behavior knowledge and theory. Positive psychology is well known, and it has an offering that supports individual flourishing as well as organization flourishing, the focus being what is good and right in our world, as well as on an individual’s strengths. More specifically this thesis focuses on available positive improvements within organizations for increasingly beneficial organizational and individual outcomes. This thesis contemplates and gives evidence for the benefits of focusing on positive climate and psychological constructs in our workplaces (Papers 1 and 2) and then offers possible strategies to create increasingly positive workplace environments (Papers 3 to 5). Strategies to improve our workplaces are important as globally we face many challenges and disruption such as geo-political and environmental challenges, technology challenges and constant change, which have an impact on our workplaces. Within this thesis, I conducted five separate studies (papers) using a mixed methods approach (Plano Clark, 2016). Paper 1 (n=1007) and Paper 2 (n=872 employees experiencing change) included New Zealand employees of all types across a range of industries from different organizations. These first two studies use quantitative data to show the potential positive outcomes from an overall global positive climate model made up of inclusion, wellbeing support, psychosocial safety, worthy work, and organizational mindfulness. Paper 3 (n=435) and Paper 4 (n= 245) used qualitative data on employee comments to understand what employees see as the important themes or activities organizations could undertake to improve both the organizational climate or culture to aid positive organizational behavior (Paper 3) and their human resource practices (Paper 4). Finally, Paper 5 seeks to align with the positive organizational behavior literature and explore the potential of an intervention. Paper 5 considers the possibility of practically developing positive workplaces, and uses a reflective practice approach, to both explore and reflect on the positive psychology intervention of a leadership development program (LDP). The premise being that HR interventions or LDPs primary objective is to develop leaders so they can contribute to developing global positive climates and work environments. Overall, the thesis findings provide evidence that positive psychology theory is worth considering as a framework to develop organizations and encourages organizations to focus on (and examine) their workplace cultures and environments to consider possible improvements. Also, the thesis offers a deeper understanding of the opportunities that positive workplace factors may bring towards enhancing work behaviors and work outcomes, including performance. It also highlights an area of positive organization behavior and creating more ‘positive workplaces’ as a future possibility as well as confirming their benefits and positing that positive psychology and positive organizational behavior are worth practicing; and that there are abundant opportunities to enhance the employee experience.

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http://hdl.handle.net/10292/19803

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Doctoral Theses