Positive Work-Related Identity as a Mediator of the Relationship between Compassion at Work and Employee Outcomes

Abstract

Our purpose in this study was to examine an explanation of how experienced compassion relates to employee outcomes, such as affective organizational commitment, organizational citizenship behavior, and turnover intention. The model tested suggests that compassion at work influences these organizational outcomes by developing positive work-related identity, which in turn prompts employees to accelerate affective commitment toward their organizations and organizational citizenship behavior, while at the same time decreasing turnover intention. The findings of our study demonstrate that compassion at work is an antecedent to positive work-related identity, which in turn fully mediates the relationship between compassion at work and organizational outcomes (i.e., affective organizational commitment, organizational citizenship behavior, and turnover intention).