Mindfulness Practice and Job Performance in Social Workers: Mediation Effect of Work Engagement

Abstract

Despite a rapid increase in the work force over the last decade, the social work labor force is still suffering through high amounts of stress and burnout that could negatively affect work engagement and job performance in China. A potential solution worth exploring, however, is the practice of mindfulness, a concept based on expanding one’s awareness to target focus without judgement. Using 537 social workers from street-level social work service stations in Guangzhou, China, this paper examines the relation between mindfulness practice and job performance, and whether work engagement mediated the relation through the application of the job demand and resources theory. The findings indicate that that mindfulness practice directly increases work engagement (Beta = 0.33) and has an indirect effect on job performance (Beta = 0.21) through its effect on work engagement that fully mediated the relation between mindfulness practice and job performance. In contrast to formal mindful practices (Beta = 0.13), informal mindful practices (Beta = 0.22) encompass a broader impact on employee performance. The findings suggest that mindfulness practice can effectively be used in workspaces to enhance engagement and performance of social workers in China.

A study on the relationship between mindfulness and work performance of web editors: Based on the chain mediating effect of workplace spirituality and digital competencies

“…Based on the motivation-driven process of the JD-R model, this study designs a research model to improve job performance by reducing job burnout caused by job requirements by providing job resources. Job resources are components of the work that might expedite task completion, reduce the psychological cost of job requirements, and enhance work performance ( Huang et al, 2022 ). In this study, the independent variable mindfulness is the psychological resource of web editors, which corresponds to work resources and helps web editors to focus on the current work, reduce negative emotions at work, and improve work performance.…”

“…In this study, the independent variable mindfulness is the psychological resource of web editors, which corresponds to work resources and helps web editors to focus on the current work, reduce negative emotions at work, and improve work performance. Job demands are different aspects of job conditions that call for a consistent amount of physical or mental effort ( Huang et al, 2022 ). In this study, the mediating variables workplace spirituality and digital competencies are the performance of a kind of work ability generated by job resources motivated by occupational individuals, which require continuous efforts to cultivate individuals.…”

“…Regarding the indirect relationship between mindfulness and work performance, scholars Ngo et al (2020) proved through empirical research that creative process participation and employee creativity mediate the relationship between mindfulness and work performance of service employees, which is a new breakthroughs in research of the indirect influence mechanism of mindfulness. In addition, studies have shown that mindfulness practice is effective in increasing work engagement and indirectly affects work performance through its impact on work engagement ( Huang et al, 2022 ).…”

“…Mindfulness prevents mind wandering by maintaining focus in the present. Mindfulness as a personal resource can help individuals maintain a state of concentration at all times, avoid possible distractions in the workplace, and increase productivity ( Huang et al, 2022 ). According to resource conservation theory, all individuals have a tendency to retain and accumulate valuable resources, which in organizational settings may include working conditions, job rewards, social support, employment opportunities, and personal energy ( Hobfoll, 1989 ; Dollard and Bakker, 2010 ), while mindfulness is able to improve the quality of attention and enable individuals to harness these available energy resources to produce more effective creative work ( Montani et al, 2018 ).…”

“…Work performance includes two main factors, task performance and situational performance. Among them, situational performance refers to discretionary additional role behavior beyond formal job responsibilities (such as guiding colleagues), and is an important component of work performance ( Huang et al, 2022 ). According to the concept of workplace spirituality, employees with high workplace spirituality are willing to try to help their colleagues to relieve pain, and can easily put themselves in others’ shoes ( Petchsawang, 2008 ).…”