Happiness at work and organisational citizenship behaviour: Is organisational learning a missing link?

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to examine the relationship between happiness at work (HAW), organisational learning capability (OLC) and organisational citizenship behaviour.

Design/methodology/approach

Through structural equation models, a sample of 167 allergists of public health services was analysed.

Findings

Results suggest that the relationship between HAW and organisational citizenship behaviour is fully mediated by OLC. Hence, OLC has a critical role to describe how HAW improves organisational citizenship behaviour. Basically, HAW promotes motivation for learning, and a better quality of the interactions between employees, which results in pro-social behaviours.

Research limitations/implications

The sample is focussed in a knowledge-intensive context. Future research might consider other service sectors, such as a private business sector. In addition it would be interesting to examine a longitudinal perspective of the model.

Practical implications

The results confirm the direct and positive effect of HAW on organisational citizenship behaviour. Nevertheless, showing positive attitudes as HAW does not assure to achieve perceived service quality. It is needed to take into account certain conditions that promote learning.

Originality/value

Current attitudinal theories do not contemplate environments that promote learning to explain pro-social attitudes. The research offers a theoretical model and provides evidence that the attitudes-behaviours relationship needs to be explained bearing in mind OLC.

Citation

Salas-Vallina, A., Alegre, J. and Fernandez, R. (2017), "Happiness at work and organisational citizenship behaviour: Is organisational learning a missing link?", International Journal of Manpower, Vol. 38 No. 3, pp. 470-488. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJM-10-2015-0163