Work orientation and flourishing life in twelve Ibero-American countries

Abstract

Introduction/Objetive: Work orientation includes the individual’s beliefs regarding the role of work in his/her life as a whole and what they are searching for in their careers. There are three types of orientation to work: job, career, and vocation. Work orientation has the distinction of examining how work connects with people’s lives and is, therefore, an appropriate construct for evaluating the impact of work on human flourishing. The aims of this study are first to explore work orientation in twelve Ibero-American countries; and second, to investigate whether work orientation affects flourishing in the lives of adults in twelve Ibero-American countries. Method: A total of 3000 adults participated in this study. The University of Pennsylvania Work-Life Questionnaire was used to evaluate the type of relationship that employees reported having with their work, according to the distinctions between job, career, and calling. A 12-item version of the Multidimensional Flourishing Scale was used to measure three aspects of flourishing: social, psychological, and emotional well-being. Results: Most participants reported a high level of calling in their work orientation. In most countries, those with a calling orientation reported higher levels of social and psychological well-being than those with a job orientation. The results indicate a clear relationship between a calling orientation and social and psychological well-being. Conclusion: This research is the first to compare the relationship between work-orientation and flourishing in Ibero-America. The findings help us understand that work-orientation is not a secondary aspect of a person’s life but has fundamental implications in the lives of workers.

The Relationship between Career Calling and Workaholism: The Mediating Role of Career Orientation

“…So, more attention is needed to understand the factors that help create this sense of meaning and to continue to inquire about the role of career calling and workaholism. By creating meaningful work based on career calling and workaholism, strengthening a sense of belonging in the workforce, and increasing behavioral connections, organizations will enable the enhancement of workers' roles in cultivating and sustaining their workforce (Mesurado et al 2022;Morkeviči ūt ė et al 2021;Rodrigues et al 2018;Zhu et al 2017;Keller et al 2016).…”

“…It often even looks like something that was idyllic, with its proponents focusing on its benefits for employees (Sharma et al 2022). For example, career calling orientation is positive and significantly related to higher levels of social and psychological well-being (Mesurado et al 2022), as well as work engagement (Zhu et al 2017).…”