The mediating role of positive affect on the relationship between psychological empowerment and employee outcomes : A longitudinal study

Purpose Even though the relationship between psychological empowerment and employee outcomes is well established, less is known about the mechanisms that underlie this relationship. Drawing on affective events theory and broaden-and-build theory, the purpose of this paper is to examine a mediation model in which psychological empowerment influences positive affect which in turn affects job satisfaction and work stress. Design/methodology/approach Two-wave longitudinal data from a sample of Welsh local government workers ( n =362) were used to test the hypothesized relationships by using structural equation modeling. Findings The results indicate that psychological empowerment has a positive influence on positive affect. Furthermore, positive affect mediates the relationship between psychological empowerment and job satisfaction. However, it does not mediate the relationship between psychological empowerment and stress. Originality/value This study is among the first to empirically examine the mediating role of positive affect on the relationship between psychological empowerment and both job satisfaction and work stress.