Nicuță Elena Gabriela, Diaconu-Gherasim Loredana R, Constantin Ticu
Alexandru Ioan Cuza University of Iasi.
J Psychol. 2024;158(2):161-178. doi: 10.1080/00223980.2023.2271637. Epub 2023 Oct 24.
Previous literature suggests that receiving gratitude in the workplace might have beneficial outcomes for the employees; however, the research linking received gratitude to employees' motivation is scant. In this study, we aimed to examine the relations between employees' received gratitude and their controlled and autonomous motivation, as well as amotivation at work. Drawing on the self-determination theory, we also explored whether the frustration and satisfaction of employees' basic psychological needs would mediate the relations between received gratitude expressions and work motivation. A sample consisting of 643 Romanian employees participated in the study. They filled out questionnaires assessing the gratitude they received in their jobs, the frustration and satisfaction of the basic psychological needs (i.e., for autonomy, competence, and relatedness), as well as the motivation to put in effort in their work. Results indicated that received gratitude was negatively related to amotivation and positively related to controlled motivation and autonomous motivation. Moreover, received gratitude was negatively related to the frustration of the three basic psychological needs, while the association between received gratitude and satisfaction of the basic psychological needs was positive. Results further supported the mediational role of the frustration and satisfaction of the basic psychological needs in the relations between received gratitude and employees' motivation. These findings suggest that expressions of thankfulness are an important stimulus for motivation in the workplace, as they remind employees about the importance of their efforts for other people, while also making them feel capable and autonomous in their jobs.
以往文献表明，在工作场所得到感激可能会给员工带来有益的结果；然而，将得到的感激与员工动机联系起来的研究却很少。在本研究中，我们旨在考察员工得到的感激与他们的受控动机、自主动机以及工作中的无动机之间的关系。基于自我决定理论，我们还探讨了员工基本心理需求的挫折感和满足感是否会在得到的感激表达与工作动机之间的关系中起中介作用。一个由643名罗马尼亚员工组成的样本参与了这项研究。他们填写了问卷，评估他们在工作中得到的感激、基本心理需求（即自主、能力和归属）的挫折感和满足感，以及工作努力的动机。结果表明，得到的感激与无动机呈负相关，与受控动机和自主动机呈正相关。此外，得到的感激与三种基本心理需求的挫折感呈负相关，而得到的感激与基本心理需求的满足感之间的关联是正相关。结果进一步支持了基本心理需求的挫折感和满足感在得到的感激与员工动机之间的关系中的中介作用。这些发现表明，感恩表达是工作场所动机的一个重要刺激因素，因为它们让员工想起自己的努力对他人的重要性，同时也让他们在工作中感到有能力和自主。
