A Test of Two Positive Psychology Interventions to Increase Employee Well-Being

Purpose: Despite an abundance of organizational research on how contextual and individual difference factors impact well-being, little research has examined whether individuals themselves can take an active role in enhancing their own well-being. The current study assessed the effectiveness of two simple, self-guided workplace interventions ( gratitude and social connectedness ) in impacting well-being. Design/Methodology/Approach: Sixty-seven university employees participated in one of the two self-guided interventions for 2 weeks and completed self-report measures prior to the intervention, immediately following the intervention, and one-month post-intervention. Growth curve modeling was used to examine the effects of each intervention. Findings: Partially supporting hypotheses, the gratitude intervention resulted in significant increases in positive affective well-being and self-reported gratitude but not did significantly impact negative affective well-being or self-reported social connectedness. The social connectedness exercise did not significantly impact any of those four outcomes. However, both interventions related to a reduction in workplace absence due to illness. Implications: The study suggests that self-guided, positive psychology interventions (particularly gratitude) hold potential for enhancing employee well-being. Because the interventions are short, simple, and self-guided, there is little in the way of costs or drawbacks for organizations. Thus, these types of interventions seem like a potentially useful component of workplace wellness initiatives. Originality/Value: This study is one of the few to examine whether self-guided, positive psychology interventions can enhance well-being. Moreover, this is the first study to examine a social connectedness workplace intervention and the first to demonstrate effects on illness-related absence. © 2013 Springer Science+Business Media New York

An examination of two positive organizational interventions: For whom do these interventions work?

Owing to the importance of employee psychological well-being for a variety of work- and non-workrelated outcomes, practitioners and scholars have begun to broaden the scope of workplace well-being interventions by incorporating principles from positive psychology. Among such positive interventions, gratitude exercises have arguably emerged as the gold standard practice, with much research pointing to their effectiveness. However, existing workplace interventions lack a true (i.e., no intervention) control group, and effects have been observed for some-but not all-outcomes tested. Therefore, the purpose of this brief report was to conduct a concise but methodologically rigorous evaluation of the effectiveness of 2 positive psychology workplace interventions in improving employee affect, and to examine potential moderators of intervention effectiveness. Ninety-two employees in a large social services agency were assigned to (a) a gratitude intervention, (b) an intervention in which participants alternated between the gratitude activity and one involving increasing social connectedness, or (c) a wait list control condition, for 1 month. Neither intervention produced a main effect on any of the 3 affective outcomes measured. However, agreeableness, conscientiousness, and job tenure were significant moderators of intervention effectiveness. We discuss the implications of these preliminary results in an effort to advance the literature on workplace positive psychology interventions

Making Masks: Making Discoveries

In our fall 2014 Honors Program course, we explored Arts across cultures and the vital role of creative thinking in the past, present, and future. Masks have played an important role in various cultures throughout history. A Kentucky resident might connect masks to Halloween, a costume party, or a wall ornament, while someone in New Orleans might associate masks with Mardi Gras. Someone else in Mexico might think of masks in connection with Day of the Dead celebrations, while another in Zaire might associate masks with spiritual ceremonies. While exploring the 3-dimensional art form of mask making, we learned and implemented creative thinking skills, and artistic processes, materials and techniques by designing and constructing a unique, expressive mask. In every case we made discoveries about ourselves and others. Even the simple act of selection of materials from our environment was an expression of self. While making and presenting our masks, we learned about ourselves and our classmates, and we gained a deeper understanding of people (past and present) and the messages we receive when exploring their art and culture