Meaningful Work Linking High-Quality Relationships and Commitment: A Conditional Process Study with Career Orientation

Abstract

This study aimed to examine the relations between high-quality relationships, meaningful work, and affective commitment, and evaluate whether protean career orientation moderates the relationship between meaningful work and affective commitment. We collected survey data from a sample of working adults to test the research hypotheses. The findings provide support for the proposed model. Consistent with the tenets of the work-as-meaning model, high-quality relationships were positively related to meaningful work, which, in turn, predicted affective commitment. Furthermore, the relationship between meaningful work and affective commitment was stronger for those high in protean career orientation. This study extends the literature on meaningful work and relational coordination. It offers practical insight for managers and others who can help foster high-quality relationships and meaningful work.

Keywords

meaningful work commitment high-quality relationships protean career orientation

Meaningful work is purposeful, significant, and linked to a sense of identity, with a positive valence that is growth- and purpose-oriented rather than pleasure-oriented (Lips-Wiersma et al., 2016; Steger et al., 2012). It is inherently connected to career development (Dik et al., 2015) and can impact multiple outcomes, for example, job satisfaction (Sparks & Schenk, 2001), well-being (Arnold et al., 2007), engagement (Oprea et al., 2022), and stress (Lease et al., 2019). Despite this body of literature’s long and rich history, furthering our understanding of meaningful work is perhaps more vital now than ever.

Over the last decade, we have witnessed unprecedented workplace changes, and both industry leaders and scholars alike have called for increased attention to meaningful work. For example, Deloitte, which collects and reports annual survey data on human capital trends from 10,000 business and human resource leaders across 140 countries, has urged organizations to help workers find meaning in their work (Langsett, 2021). Similarly, Gallup has frequently noted the importance of meaningful workplace interactions for talent retention (e.g., Nelson, 2022). These calls from industry have been paralleled by scholarly calls for researchers to further examine social factors at work that facilitate meaningful work, and, in turn, other outcomes (Allan et al., 2019).

Whereas researchers have devoted attention to understanding the impacts of job design (e.g., May et al., 2004; Fletcher et al., 2018) and leadership practices (e.g., Arnold et al., 2007) on meaningful work, less attention has been directed toward examining how relationships in the workplace, a key social factor, influence meaningful work. Studies that have examined such have often adopted a narrow view of relationships, such as the relationships between employees and their leaders (e.g., Montani et al., 2017; Tummers & Knies, 2013) rather than a more holistic view of relational interactions in the organization. Further, understanding how individual difference factors, for example, personal values, may influence the impact of meaningful work on other outcomes continues to be an area that warrants more attention (Allan et al., 2019).

In this study, we respond to mounting calls for further research on meaningful work, build on and further contribute to the meaningful work literature, and offer practical insights for organizations. By leveraging relational coordination theory (Carmeli & Gittell, 2009; Gittell, 2002; 2006) and the work-as-meaning model (Steger & Dik, 2009; Steger et al., 2012), we develop and empirically test a model that suggests high-quality relationships contribute to meaningful work. High-quality relationships comprise three components—shared goals, shared knowledge, and mutual respect (Carmeli & Gittell, 2009; Gittell, 2002; 2006).

Steger and Dik (2009) proposed the work-as-meaning model, which specifies the primary components of meaningful work. They posit that individuals need to make sense of who they are, how the world works, and how they adapt and relate to the world around them. To fulfill this need for comprehension, individuals must understand where they fit in the context of their organizations. A deep understanding of these issues supports personal growth (Steger et al., 2012). The work-as-meaning model further proposes that individuals need purpose and a desire to contribute to something greater than themselves and be connected to their organizations. Steger and Dik (2009) suggest that comprehension, purpose, and greater good motivations reinforce each other, and, together, these strengthen one’s organizational identification. Moreover, they theorize identity and appraisals of workplace relationships are central to the meaning-making processes that contribute to meaningful work.

As high-quality relationships play a significant role in the work-as-meaning model, relational coordination theory (Carmeli & Gittell, 2009; Gittell, 2002; 2006) offers a complimentary theoretical backdrop for our study. Relational coordination is “a mutually reinforcing process of interaction between communication and relationships carried out for the purpose of task integration” (Gittell, 2002, p. 301). Such coordination is enabled by high-quality relationships, manifested through shared goals, shared knowledge, and mutual respect (Carmeli & Gittell, 2009; Gittell, 2006). When these are present, individuals can engage in problem-solving and communication more frequently, timely, and accurately (Gittell, 2006).

Building on our assertions that high-quality relationships predict meaningful work, we further posit that meaningful work serves as a linking mechanism to affective commitment. Finally, we integrate protean career theory (Hall, 1996; 2004) to argue that the extent to which meaningful work elicits commitment is influenced by one’s career orientation. Now, we elaborate on the literature and theory that inform our hypotheses.

Hypotheses

High-Quality Relationships and Meaningful Work

We propose high-quality relationships support individuals’ need for comprehension, purpose, and contributing and connecting to things greater than themselves and are thus positively associated with meaningful work. Recall the work-as-meaning model posits that people need to understand themselves and how they fit in the context of their organizations. Knowledge sharing is a key characteristic of high-quality relationships. As organizational members share knowledge, they can become aware of who is good at what (Swaab et al., 2007) and understand how their tasks contribute to the broader work processes (Gittell, 2006). Knowledge sharing is also the fundamental way employees can contribute to knowledge application and the organization’s competitive advantage, thereby supporting one’s desire to contribute to something larger than oneself.

Similarly, we expect the shared goals and mutual respect inherent in high-quality relationships also contribute to meaningful work. Shared goals are present when organizational members have a common vision, common goals, and clear direction (Carmeli & Gittell, 2009). Shared goals enable one to work purposely and help individuals sense that their work has a broad impact on others. Moreover, high-quality relationships are grounded in mutual respect, which is important for perceptions of meaningful work. Mutual respect encompasses a sense of respect among organizational members that enables members to be open and express opinions (Brueller & Carmeli, 2011). Respect encourages individuals to value the contributions of others and to consider the impact of their actions on others (Romero et al., 2014). It also strengthens communication and leads to more frequent discussions. Because sensemaking primarily occurs through discussion (Weick, 1995), this can support meaning-making processes and help individuals understand how their work connects to their larger purpose in life. Finally, high-quality relationships can help shape one’s identity at work, as it is through social interaction that one can explore, claim, and craft an identity aligned with who they want to become (Dutton & Heaphy, 2003). Based on this discussion, as individuals experience high-quality relationships, meaningful work should increase. Stated formally,

Hypothesis 1

High-quality relationships will positively predict meaningful work.

Meaningful Work and Commitment

Recall that Steger and Dik’s (2009) work-as-meaning model proposes that meaningful work can strengthen individuals’ identification with their organizations. This is consistent with research by Pratt (2000), which demonstrated that sensemaking processes, such as those inherent in meaningful work, strengthen individuals’ identification with their organizations. Meaningful work can enhance one’s social identity. A salient social identity includes seeing oneself as part of a larger whole (Meyer et al., 2006; Rousseau, 1998; Tajfel & Turner, 1985), a central facet of meaningful work.

Consistent with research on social identity theory (Tajfel & Turner, 1985), given that those who experience meaningful work have a stronger sense of organizational identification, they should likewise experience stronger levels of affective commitment. Research has demonstrated that organizational identification strengthens commitment (e.g., Marique et al., 2012). When individuals experience meaningful work, they will likely want to continue to use their organizations as a vehicle for engaging in work that satisfies their needs for comprehension, purpose, and making positive contributions. Extant literature has demonstrated that meaningful work and commitment are positively related (e.g., Allan et al., 2019; Steger et al., 2012). Accordingly, we hypothesize:

Hypothesis 2

Meaningful work will positively predict affective commitment.

The Mediating Role of Meaningful Work

Dutton and colleagues (Dutton & Heaphy, 2003) suggest the quality of relationships among organizational members is a key determinant of the extent to which an environment is life-enhancing. Thus, we expect high-quality relationships can foster experiences and outcomes that would increase one’s desire to stay in the organization. For example, high-quality relationships enhance satisfaction (Havens et al., 2018), psychological safety (Carmeli & Gittell, 2009), engagement (Havens et al., 2018), and the capacity to withstand conflicts (Brueller & Carmeli, 2011) and cope with stress (Heaphy & Dutton, 2008). It is logical that, under these circumstances, individuals would be more likely to develop positive feelings of attachment and involvement with their organizations. Moreover, high-quality relationships foster learning behaviors and learning from failure (Carmeli & Gittell, 2009), and scholars have demonstrated that learning processes can increase affective commitment (Fontinha et al., 2014).

More significantly, and as suggested by the preceding hypotheses, we propose the relationship between high-quality relationships and affective commitment will be driven, in part, by meaningful work, which we posit serves as a linking mechanism. Through its contribution to meaningful work, high-quality relationships can help individuals develop their identities, experience a sense of connection, and sense that their work matters and positively impacts others. Consequently, those with high-quality relationships will likely remain organizational members not because they have to but because they want to, as doing so enables them to continue to engage in meaningful work. In line with this reasoning, we hypothesize:

Hypothesis 3

Meaningful work will mediate the positive relationship between high-quality relationships and affective commitment.

The Moderating Role of Protean Career Orientation

Individuals approach their careers and appraise workplace experiences differently depending on their career orientation. For example, those with high PCO appraise their experiences according to their personal goals and internal values rather than external indicators (Briscoe & Hall, 2006; Chui et al., 2022; Direnzo et al., 2015), Consequently, while meaningful work will likely result in stronger affective commitment, we argue the extent to which this occurs will depend on the employee’s career orientation. With higher levels of PCO comes enhanced identity awareness, more salient career identity, and greater career authenticity (Briscoe et al., 2012). Thus, unsurprisingly, those with high PCO are more inclined to leave their organizations when personal values go unmet (Gubler et al., 2014).

Meaningful work is inherently personal. It holds personal significance for the individual and facilitates personal exploration and growth (Steger et al., 2012). With their eyes toward personally valued processes and outcomes, those with higher PCO may experience a more substantial effect of meaningful work on their commitment than those with lower PCO. Those high in PCO are believed to be more attentive to situational information (Holtschalg et al., 2020), which could include an awareness of how their organizations, and the meaningful work available there, are contributing to their goals and value attainment. If true, then protean careerists may be more likely to leverage the organization as a resource, through which they can continue to follow their path with a heart (Hall, 2004). As such,

Hypothesis 4a

Protean career orientation (PCO) will moderate the relationship between meaningful work and affective commitment. More specifically, as PCO increases, the relationship between meaningful work and affective commitment will strengthen.

Conditional Indirect Effect

Based on the preceding hypotheses, we have proposed a model of moderated mediation. The hypothesized indirect effect of high-quality relationships on affective commitment is driven, in part, by the impact of meaningful work on commitment. As such, if PCO moderates the relationship between meaningful work and affective commitment, then the indirect relationship will also be conditional on PCO. Consequently, we present the following hypothesis concerning moderated mediation:

Hypothesis 4b

Protean career orientation (PCO) will moderate the positive and indirect effect of high-quality relationships on affective commitment (through meaningful work). Specifically, the indirect effect will be stronger for individuals high on PCO than for individuals low on PCO.

Method

Participants and Data Collection

Survey data was collected from 355 full-time workers in the United States, who were recruited from MTurk (Mason & Suri, 2012). Seventeen responses were removed due to concern of validity. For example, responses were excluded when participants reported that they worked for a one-person organization, which would not allow an examination of work relationships. Ad hoc analysis demonstrated that the elimination of these participants, which improved the confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) model fit, did not change the findings from hypotheses testing. Of the remaining responses, 13 cases had one or two missing values. These values were replaced using the algorithm of expectation-maximization (EM).

In the final sample of 338 complete responses, the average age was 34.95 (SD = 10.33), and of 43% respondents were female. The average work experience of respondents was 12.63 years (SD = 10.03), and the average tenure in the current organizations was 5.66 years (SD = 5.23). The majority of participants (52.37%) were unmarried; however, 59.17% of them had other sources of household income. Most respondents (68.34%) received higher education, and 66.57% of the participants worked in organizations with 500 or less employees.

Measures

The survey was comprised of multi-item scales that were established in extant literature. We measured all items on a five-point Likert scale with 1 indicating “strongly disagree” and 5 representing “strongly agree.”

High-Quality Relationships

We measured high-quality relationships with a 10-item scale from Carmeli and Gittell’s (2009) research. The scale includes the three high-quality relationships (HQR) dimensions (shared goals, shared knowledge, and mutual respect). A sample item is “In the organization, we share a common vision” (Carmeli & Gittell, 2009, p. 715). Cronbach’s alpha of internal consistency was .82 in their research and .95 in the current study. Prior research has established the scale is a valid measure of HQR and is correlated, for example, to psychological safety and organizational citizenship behaviors (Carmeli & Gittell, 2009; Singh et al., 2019).

Meaningful Work

Meaningful work was measured with the 10-item Work as Meaning Inventory (WAMI) (Steger et al., 2012). A sample item is “I have found a meaningful career” (Steger et al., 2012, p. 330). WAMI has been deemed a precise measure of meaningful work across diverse cultures and is correlated, for instance, with life satisfaction, job autonomy, and servant leadership (Cai et al., 2018; Tims et al., 2016; Steger et al., 2012). Cronbach’s alpha of internal consistency has been .89 in previous studies (e.g., Tims et al., 2016), and it was .94 in the current study.

Protean Career Orientation

Protean career orientation (PCO) was measured with the 6-item values dimension subscale of Direnzo et al.’s (2015) scale. Conceptually, the values-driven dimension, which represents how an individual “makes career decisions with an awareness of their impact on other aspects of one’s life” (Direnzo et al., 2015, p. 543) is more related to our model than the self-directed dimension, and it is not uncommon for researchers to measure only one dimension (e.g., De Vos & Soens, 2008; Jung & Takeuchi, 2011). A sample item is “My career is guided by the opportunity to achieve personally meaningful values” (Direnzo et al., 2015, p. 560). The values-driven dimension subscale is conceptually similar, but empirically distinct, from related constructs such as whole-life perspective (Direnzo et al., 2015). Cronbach’s alpha of internal consistency was .79 in this study and has been .78 and .80 in recent studies that used all items (Li, 2018).

Affective Commitment

Affective commitment was measured with Meyer and Allen’s 6-item affective commitment questionnaire (Meyer & Allen, 1997; Meyer et al., 1993). A sample item is “My organization has a great deal of personal meaning for me” (Meyer et al., 1993, p. 544). The validity of the questionnaire has been supported in diverse contexts and cultures (e.g., Fields, 2002; Meyer et al., 2012) and is correlated, for example, to supervisor support, career growth, and ethical leadership (Demirtas & Akdogan, 2015; Rhoades et al., 2001; Weng et al., 2010). Cronbach’s alpha of internal consistency was .87 in the original study and .88 in the current study.

Results

Measurement Model

In Table 1, we report the average variance extracted (AVE), composite reliability (CR), means, standard deviations, and interconstruct correlations for the variables included in this study. To examine the validity of the measures, we performed a confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) using AMOS. A model with a good fit can be identified with a comparative fit index (CFI), fit index (NFI), and Tucker Lewis Index (TLI) greater than .90, an RMSEA less than or equal to .08, and a normed chi-square (x²/df) less than 3 (Byrne, 2016; Kline, 2005; Kenny, 2020). The hypothesized CFA model in this study achieved good fit (x²/df = 2.13, NFI = .90, CFI = .94, TLI = .94, RMSEA = .06), after removing four items due to low loadings. These included two items from the measure of PCO, one item from meaningful work, and one item from HQR.

Table 1.

Average Variance Extracted (AVE), Construct Reliabilities (CR), Descriptive Statistics, and Interconstruct Correlations.

	AVE	CR	Mean	Standard Deviation	1	2	3
1. High-quality relationships	.53	.91	3.55	.72
2. Protean career orientation	.48	.79	3.14	.56	.48^***
3. Meaningful work	.64	.94	3.17	.84	.75^***	.58^***
4. Affective commitment	.55	.88	2.76	.72	.75^***	.47^***	.79^***

***

p < .001.

We also considered the convergent and discriminant validity of the measures. According to Fornell & Larcker (1981), the convergent validity of the measures is supported when the AVE is above 0.5, or when CR is greater than 0.6 if AVE is less than 0.5. As reported in Table 1, the AVE values of all variables were above .5, with the exception that of protean career orientation, which was .48. Nonetheless, all the CR values exceeded .79, indicating acceptable convergent validity. Finally, discriminant validity of the measures has been previously established in U.S.-based samples, as previously described with the measures.

Responses to all constructs were collected from a single source in one questionnaire. While self-report measures are appropriate given the perceptual nature of this research, using single-source data presents concerns about potential common method variance (CMV). To detect the presence of CMV, we took multiple steps. First, we applied Harmon’s single factor method (Podsakoff et al., 2003). A single factor absorbed 44.64% of variance, which is below the recommended 50% threshold and well below the value that recent simulation studies have determined is concerning (Babin et al., 2016; Fuller et al., 2016).

In addition to Harmon’s single factor method, we included a common latent variable in the hypothesized CFA model to assume the existence of common method bias (Podsakoff et al., 2012). We then compared that model to the hypothesized model to determine which exhibited better model fit. Bayesian Information Criterion (BIC) is recommended for the comparison, and the model with a smaller BIC value suggests a better fit (Nylund et al., 2007). In this study, results demonstrated that the hypothesized model had a smaller BIC value (BIC = 1129.54) than the model with the additional common latent variable (BIC = 1197.54), indicating that CMV did not jeopardize our results. Moreover, Krosnick (1999) suggests that it is less likely respondents will respond in a non-differentiated manner when they have higher levels of education, as was the case for the majority (68.34%) of respondents in this study.

Hypotheses Testing

We tested our hypotheses using the PROCESS macro, which features regression analysis with bootstrapping (Hayes, 2013; Preacher & Hayes, 2004), and we report the results in Table 2. The tests were conducted in two steps, starting with the simple mediation model (Hypotheses 1–3), then introducing the protean career orientation as a moderator in the model (Hypotheses 4a) and examining the moderated mediation effect (Hypothesis 4b).

Table 2.

Moderated Mediation Results.

	Model 1 Direct Effect on Meaningful Work
Predictor	B	SE	t	p	LL 95% CI	UL 95% CI	B	SE	t	p	LL 95% CI	UL 95% CI
Intercept	−.13	.14	−.96	.34	−.40	.14	.75	.36	2.08	.04	.04	1.46*
High-quality relationships	.93	.04	24.47	<.001	.85	1.00*	.41	.04	9.27	<.001	.32	.50*
Meaningful work (MW)							.19	.12	1.57	.12	−.05	.43
Protean career orientation (PCO)							−.29	.12	−2.34	.02	−.53	−.05*
MW x PCO							.09	.04	2.31	.02	.01	.16*
Model R²	.64						.77
Interaction ∆R²							.004			.02
F (1,336)	598.96			.00		F (4,333)	275.29			.00
Index of moderated mediation
							Index		SE		LL 95% CI	UL 95% CI
							.08		.03		.02	.14*

Notes. N = 338; number of bootstrap samples = 5000; LL 95% CI = lower limit of 95% confidence interval; UL 95% CI = upper limit of 95% confidence interval; * indicates that the 95% confidence interval does not include zero within its range.

The variables of HQR, meaningful work, and affective commitment were examined using PROCESS Model 4. Results show that HQR had a positive effect on meaningful work (B = 0.93, p < .001, [0.85, 1.00]) as well as a direct positive impact on affective commitment (B = 0.41, p < .001, [0.32, 0.50]). In addition, meaningful work had a positive relation with affective commitment (B = 0.43, p < .001, [0.36, 0.51]). Finally, the indirect effect of HQR on affective commitment through meaningful work was positive and significant (B = 0.41, [0.30, 0.52]). Thus, Hypotheses 1, 2, and 3 were supported.

For Hypothesis 4, HQR, meaningful work, affective commitment, and PCO were examined via PROCESS Model 14. Recall that Hypothesis 4a predicts PCO strengthens the impact of meaningful work on affective commitment, and Hypotheses 4b predicts a conditional indirect effect of HQR on affective commitment (through meaningful work), in which the effect becomes stronger when PCO increases. While PCO had a significant negative main effect on affective commitment (B = −0.29, [−0.53, −0.05]), the interaction of meaningful work and PCO had a positive impact on affective commitment (B = 0.09, p < .05, [0.01, 0.16]), thus supporting Hypothesis 4a.

Regarding Hypothesis 4b, the conditional indirect effect of HQR on affective commitment (i.e., moderated by PCO) resulted in an index of moderated mediation of 0.08, significant with a 95% confidence interval of [0.02, 0.14]. We conducted a simple slope analysis to visualize the moderating effect of protean career orientation. As shown in Figure 1, when PCO is high, the slope of meaningful work and affective commitment is steeper, compared to when the slope when PCO is low. This direction is consistent with Hypotheses 4a and 4b. Thus, Hypothesis 4b is supported.

Discussion

We aimed to study the relations between high-quality relationships and meaningful work, examine the relations between meaningful work and affective commitment, and evaluate the intervening role of meaningful work and the moderating role of protean career orientation. Leveraging the work-as-meaning model (Steger & Dik, 2009) and relational coordination theory (Carmeli & Gittell, 2009; Gittell, 2002; 2006), we hypothesized high-quality relationships are positively related to meaningful work. Building on this and insights from social identity theory (Tajfel & Turner, 1985), we posited that, in turn, meaningful work serves as a linking mechanism from high-quality relationships to affective commitment. Finally, we leveraged protean career theory (Hall, 1996; 2004), to propose a moderating effect of protean career orientation on the relationship between meaningful work and commitment.

All hypotheses were supported, and our results are consistent with other research regarding the positive impact of meaningful work on affective commitment (e.g., Allan et al., 2019). Further, we found that this relationship is accentuated for those with higher PCO, although the relationship remained significant even at lower levels of PCO. Though the direct relationship between PCO and commitment was not the focus of this study, given inconsistencies in the literature (Gubler et al., 2014), it is worth noting that in this study, PCO was negatively related to affective commitment, which is consistent with Supeli and Creed’s (2016) findings.

Theoretical Implications

A holistic view of the quality of relationships at work has been omitted from previous studies examining predictors of meaningful work. This study demonstrated that when employees are united around a shared vision and goals, understand each other’s tasks and communicate with each other, openly express their views, and manage conflict, their sense of meaningful work and affective commitment increases. As such, this research contributes to meaningful work literature and offers new insights into the interactional aspects of relational coordination theory and its connection to meaningful work and affective commitment (e.g., see Allen & Meyer, 1990; Havens et al., 2018). Consequently, this research leverages relational coordination theory to examine outcomes that benefit workers.

Whereas studies often examine PCO as an antecedent of career outcomes, this study examined a moderating effect of PCO, thus responding to calls (Allan et al., 2019) to examine how individual differences may moderate the influence of meaningful work on other outcomes. PCO was found to strengthen the effect of meaningful work on affective commitment. This research underscores the importance of investigating the intersection of meaningful work and the characteristics of the one engaged in the work, particularly concerning protean career orientation, which has been widely adopted by young workers (Chui et al., 2022).

Implications for Managers and Career Counselors

The findings of this research have important implications for fostering high-quality relationships and meaningful work, particularly in Western contexts, as our data was drawn from a U.S.-based sample. Relational coordination theory provides managerial direction, emphasizing the importance of shared goals, shared knowledge, and mutual respect (Carmeli & Gittell, 2009). Practical suggestions for enhancing relationships in the workplace include demonstrating awareness of colleagues’ qualities and activities; demonstrating compassion, empathy, and concern; expressing gratitude; affirming and respecting others; and providing information and resources to help others accomplish tasks (Stephens et al., 2011).

Managers also need to clarify goals, manage processes that encourage collaboration, and map individual contributions to shared goals. Bringing employees together to identify goals, report on progress, and provide opportunities for input and constructive feedback are practical ways to achieve this. Additionally, managers should communicate vision, provide direction, and model respectful behaviors. Meaningful work is influenced by close ties and family-like relationships within an organization (Pratt & Ashforth, 2003). Leveraging high-quality relationships to foster meaningful work and affective commitment may yield many returns, such as enhanced task performance and organizational citizenship behaviors (Wang et al., 2018). As such, managers should engage in career counseling functions by mentoring employees individually to build relationships, set goals, monitor and give helpful performance, and provide resources for professional development and goal achievement.

Similarly, career counselors can work with clients to assess their current state of work relationships and meaningfulness and identify ways to enhance them. For example, counselors might prompt clients to reflect on workplace situations where they have worked toward common goals with colleagues. Counselors could also encourage clients to identify opportunities for and ways to enhance knowledge sharing about tasks and projects. Moreover, they can help clients explore experiences where they felt heard and respected at work and prompt them to consider how their work contributes to their life purpose or outcomes larger than themselves. These and similar lines of counseling can help clients be more attuned to relational dynamics and meaningfulness at work.

Limitations and Future Research Directions

It is important to consider the study’s limitations when interpreting the results of this research. All data were collected at a single point in time, and all measures were self-report given the perceptual nature of this study. We demonstrated that CMV was too low to overstate results (Babin et al., 2016). Nonetheless, future studies could benefit from robust remedies for CMV. Moreover, because the study was cross-sectional, our results do not confirm causality between variables, although theory supports the sequence we proposed.

The data was collected via MTurk, a valid and well-accepted data collection method in career studies (e.g., Allan et al., 2020; Buhrmester et al., 2011). Nonetheless, as with all samples, MTurk samples are subject to bias. Participants self-selected into the study for a modest payment and represent those with Internet access. The sample is not specific to a particular organization or industry group(s), nor do we note the occupational representation of the sample. Additionally, all participants were full-time workers based in the United States. The generalizability of findings could vary across cultures and types of workers (e.g., part-time or precarious workers).

These limitations can inform future research endeavors. Researchers could examine the relationships in non-western cultures and in distinct contexts (e.g., stigmatized occupations). When doing so, researchers might consider the intersection of the study variables with decent work (e.g., Kekana et al., 2022). Scholars might also consider leveraging longitudinal studies, and experimental designs (e.g., relational interventions), to gather more insight into the interplay among the study’s variables. Because high-quality relationships in this study are based on subjective self-report data, researchers might consider multi-level designs and a network approach when measuring HQR among team members and the impact of such on meaningful work. Finally, future studies might examine other types of individual differences and value constructs that could moderate the effects of meaningful work on attitudinal outcomes.

Footnotes

Declaration of Conflicting Interests

The author(s) declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.

Funding

The author(s) received no financial support for the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.

ORCID iDs

Kelly R. Hall

Baiyun Gong

Maureen Snow Andrade

Author Biographies

Kelly R. Hall is an assistant professor in the Organizational Leadership Department at Utah Valley University. She also serves as Academic Director of the Research Institute at the Women’s Success Center and Director of the Women’s Business Leadership Initiative. Dr. Hall earned her Doctor of Business Administration from Kennesaw State University. She teaches leadership at the undergraduate, graduate, and executive education levels. Her research interests include leadership development, gender at work, employee learning, and positive organizational scholarship. Dr. Hall enjoys spending time outdoors and with family.

Baiyun Gong is an Associate Professor of Management at the H. Wayne Huizenga College of Business and Entrepreneurship at Nova Southeastern University. She received her Ph.D. degree from the Joseph M. Katz Graduate School of Business, University of Pittsburgh. Her research interests include career development, remote work, and social capital. She enjoys traveling, listening to music, and learning about the new trends of information technology.

Maureen Snow Andrade is a professor in the Organizational Leadership Department at Utah Valley University. She has an EdD in higher education leadership from the University of Southern California and is a Principal Fellow of the Higher Education Academy in the United Kingdom. Dr. Andrade teaches organizational behavior and leadership. Her research interests include job satisfaction, work–life balance, leadership, business education, and distance education. She is a former associate vice president and associate dean and is currently serving as assistant department chair. Dr. Andrade enjoys nature and spending time in the mountains.

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