Gratitude at work and work engagement: the mediating role of basic psychological needs satisfaction

The relationship between gratitude and many positive outcomes (e.g., work engagement) has been demonstrated, but less is concerned with gratitude in work environments. Thus, it is unclear of whether and how gratitude at work is related to work engagement. To fill the gap, this study examined the impact of gratitude at work on work engagement from the self-determination theory perspective. A total of 536 employees in China took part in the study and were asked to respond to a series of questionnaires consisting of the Gratitude Questionnaire, Utrecht Work Engagement Scale, and Basic Need Satisfaction at Work Scale. The results found that gratitude at work was positively associated with work engagement. Furthermore, basic psychological needs satisfaction mediated the influence of gratitude at work on work engagement. Our findings enrich relevant research on gratitude at work, substantiate a possible mediating mechanism (i.e., basic psychological needs satisfaction) linking gratitude at work and work engagement, and suggest theoretical and practical implications as well as possible future research directions.