Positive Psychology has been devoted to enhancing well-being within organizations during the first two decades of the current millennium. Unfortunately, little data is available on current assessment related to positive psychology practices in the workplace. Therefore, to assess organizational well-being in a valid and reliable way, a new scale has been created and validated by the Institute for Wellbeing and Happiness at Tecmilenio University in Mexico: the BEAT Questionnaire whose main contribution to previous models is the element of meaningful work. EFA and CFA were carried out to determine and confirm the scale’s structure; internal consistency tests were performed too; additionally, convergence with measures of engagement, labor resources, and worker relations were also confirmed, and discriminant validity was tested by comparing associations with job search intentions and negative relationships in the workplace, yielding an instrument with four clearly defined latent dimensions, composed by 24 highly consistent items, convergent with three other valid and reliable scales. All procedures complied with statistical requirements, delivering a valid and reliable instrument for measuring well-being in the workplace.

It has been documented that there is a positive relationship between a worker’s subjective well-being and productivity, and individuals who are happy in their work have a better attitude when performing activities: happier employees are more productive. Turnover intention, on the other hand, may arise from various factors rather than merely the need to increase a salary, as the traditional economic theory states. The fact that the work performed does not contribute to the worker’s life purpose, that there might be a bad relationship with colleagues, or else might play a role in the search for a new job. This study aims to show the relevance of meaningful work in happiness at work and turnover intention. Data from 937 professionals, in 2019, in Mexico were analyzed. Regression analyses were used to assess the impact of meaningful work on happiness at work and turnover intention. Results show that meaningful work, feeling appreciated by coworkers, and enjoyment of daily tasks significantly predict happiness at work. A logit model showed that having a job that contributes to people’s life purpose, feeling appreciated, and enjoyment of daily tasks reduces turnover intention. The main contribution of the study is to identify the importance of elements of purpose and meaning in the work context, contributing to economic theory. Limitations include the use of single items from a more extensive survey, which might diminish the validity and reliability of the constructs under scrutiny. Future directions point towards the need for more robust indicators of the variables of interest, but the findings emphasize the importance of research focused on the meaning workers attribute to their own work and the effects this attribution might have on their own wellbeing, organizational results, and productivity, including a return of investment (ROI) indicators.

Well-being research has increased in recent years, making it essential to have validated tools that allow its measurement. The objective of this study was to adapt and validate the PERMA-Profiler in a sample of university students and employees in the Mexican educational context. Through a back-translation, an adaptation of the PERMA-Profiler questionnaire into Spanish was obtained. This version and other well-being measures were administered to a sample of 23,723 students (mean age = 21.50) and further to 2,783 employees (mean age = 36.08). Results showed acceptable reliability and good convergent and discriminant validity between well-being variables. PERMA score was strongly correlated with general well-being, positive affect, and life satisfaction, and slightly correlated with growth mindset and physical well-being. Confirmatory factor analysis using exploratory structural equation modeling revealed a better fit for the original structure of five factors, both in the sample of students and employees. Also, the results provide first indications for measurement invariance for gender and age. Validation of the PERMA-Profiler in the Mexican context showed good psychometric properties. It can be recommended as a valid tool for assessing well-being in the Spanish-speaking population.

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El presente estudio se enfoca en analizar los datos de encuestas de bienestar aplicadas en 2019 y 2020 a los alumnos de las preparatorias de Universidad Tecmilenio. Se utiliza un instrumento desarrollado en la Universidad de Pensilvania y validado en inglés y español para valorar el bienestar de los estudiantes. El instrumento mide los cinco pilares del bienestar propuestos por el modelo PERMA. El estudio identifica las diferencias en términos de bienestar reportado por los estudiantes. Se compara información del año previo a la pandemia e información levantada durante la contingencia sanitaria provocada por el Covid-19.