Extending the job embeddedness-life satisfaction relationship: An exploratory investigation

Abstract

Purpose This exploratory study adopts a stakeholder perspective on organisational effectiveness. The purpose of this paper is to examine the job embeddedness (JE)–life satisfaction relationship, moderating roles of gender and community embeddedness and mediating role of innovative behaviour. Design/methodology/approach Using a snowballing approach, data were collected from 549 participants employed in organisations located in four major metropolitan centres in South Africa. Findings Analyses revealed a positive relationship between JE and life satisfaction. Gender moderated the JE–life satisfaction relationship, such that the relationship was stronger among females than males. Community embeddedness moderated the organisation embeddedness–life satisfaction relationship, such that the relationship was stronger when participants were highly embedded in their community. Finally, innovative behaviour mediated the relationship between organisation embeddedness and life satisfaction. Practical implications Managers could enhance employees’ life satisfaction through practices that increase on-the-job and off-the-job embeddedness. Furthermore, organisations could encourage employees’ innovative behaviours through workplace supervisors’ supportive responses to innovative employees. Originality/value JE researchers have yet to focus on the personal benefits of embeddedness for employees. Results of the study provide several contributions to this research direction. The study uses JE as a composite construct to confirm its relationship with life satisfaction. It also expands the JE–life satisfaction relationship by examining moderators of the relationship and a mediating variable in the relationship