Name:

Niary Gorjian, Ph.D.

Email:

ngorjian@hotmail.com

Institution name:

Alliant International University - California School of Organizational Studies

Title of study:

Virtue of Transcendence in Relation to Work Orientation, Job Satisfaction and Turnover Cognitions

Data level:

Correlational

Research abstract:

The growing interest in spirituality at work is, in part, attributed to employees demand for greater meaning in work. The search for deeper meaning and purpose has been found to be one of the most quoted phrases among people who quit their jobs to live a more spiritually enriched life (Naylor et al., 1996).

The main purpose of this study was to investigate whether strengths of transcendence (appreciation of beauty (awe), hope, humor, gratitude and spirituality) play a role in decreasing turnover cognitions. The study tested whether the strengths of transcendence related to having a calling work orientation (CWO), led to higher levels of intrinsic (IJS) or extrinsic (EJS) job satisfaction, and decreased turnover cognitions (TC).

The sample consisted of 226 employees, 106 hospital nurses and 120 child protective service social workers. Measures included the Values in Action Inventory of Strengths (VIA-IS), the Minnesota Satisfaction Questionnaire (MSQ) short form, an 18-item measure of work orientation and a 5-item measure of turnover cognitions. Using structural equation modeling (SEM), 4 measurement models representing the study variables and 5 structural models (each including a different strength) were examined.

None of the measurement models demonstrated a good fit for the data. However, most manifest variables adequately reflected the corresponding latent variable. All structural models showed a moderately good fit with the data. Results indicated that, except for awe, all strengths have a direct positive relationship with CWO. The strengths of hope, gratitude and spirituality have a positive indirect impact on IJS via CWO, CWO has a positive direct impact on IJS and EJS, CWO has a negative indirect impact on TC via IJS, and hope, gratitude and spirituality have a negative indirect impact on TC via CWO and IJS. Support was not found for the indirect relationship between job orientation and TC via EJS, a direct impact from IJS and EJS to TC, and a negative direct relationship between the strengths and TC.

Implications of the findings and future research needs are discussed.