Energy in the workplace: job demands, job resources, and employees’ inner resources as pathways to organizational outcomes

In this study, we expanded upon the job demands–resources model to assess the role of employees’ vitality as an inner resource for their work engagement and job commitment. To assess vitality and related job resources, we developed an index of vitality outside of work and adapted measures of manager autonomy support and organizational support. For job demands, we measured work stress and predicted that each of these four variables would contribute independently to work-related outcomes. Then, in a preregistered study, we collected these measures from a sample of 5,280 American workers (primarily ages 18–34, 54% female). Results from multivariate regression analyses largely confirmed our hypotheses, showing that positive work-related outcomes, such as enthusiasm, enjoyment, and job satisfaction, were positively predicted by manager autonomy supports, organizational support, and individuals’ vitality, and negatively predicted by work stress. The reverse pattern was largely observed for the negative outcome of turnover intention. Exploratory analyses also suggested that individual vitality may buffer the negative effects of stress and low manager and organizational support. The results highlight the potential role of employee vitality outside of work and managerial support in bolstering work engagement and reducing turnover intentions, offering a basis for organizational strategies aimed at improving work culture and retaining talent.