Psychology Research and Behavior Management (Dec 2023)
The Effect of Passion for Outdoor Activities on Employee Well-Being Using Nature Connectedness as the Mediating Variable and Environmental Identity as the Moderating Variable
Abstract
Chunyu Zhang, Xiao Ma, Liping Liu School of Economics and Management, Guangxi Normal University, Guilin, 541006, People’s Republic of ChinaCorrespondence: Xiao Ma; Liping Liu, School of Economics and Management, Guangxi Normal University, No. 1 Yanzhong Road, Yanshan District, Guilin, 541006, People’s Republic of China, Email [email protected]; [email protected]: Although prior research has found outdoor activities to be an important effect on employee well-being, the mechanisms of their effect are understudied. This study integrated the Broaden-and-Build Theory, Attention Restoration Theory and Cognitive Assessment Theory to examine the relation between passion for outdoor activities (two dimensions, namely, harmonious passion, obsessive passion) and employee well-being (three dimensions, namely, life well-being, workplace well-being, psychological well-being) by the mediating role of nature connectedness and the moderating role of environmental identity.Participants and Methods: Data were collected from 403 employees of Guangxi enterprises in China. The structural equation model was constructed using AMOS and SmartPLS to test the hypotheses proposed in this study.Results: Our results confirm that harmonious passion for outdoor activities had a positive effect on employee nature connectedness, workplace well-being and psychological well-being. Obsessive passion for outdoor activities had a negative effect on employee nature connectedness, life well-being and psychological well-being. Natural connectedness has a positive effect on all three dimensions of employee well-being. Nature connectedness mediates between harmonious passion for outdoor activities and all three dimensions of employee well-being. Environmental identity positively moderated the relationship between nature connectedness and the three dimensions of employee well-being. Harmonious passion for outdoor activities has no direct effect on employee life well-being. Obsessive passion for outdoor activities had no direct effect on employee workplace well-being.Conclusion: This study reveals the mechanism of passion for outdoor activities on employee well-being from a new perspective and unveils that the two dimensions of passion for outdoor activities have different effects on employees’ life well-being, workplace well-being, and psychological well-being. Business managers should give attention to the benefits of outdoor activities and nature connectedness for their employees, through which they can relieve stress at work, recover attention and improve well-being.Keywords: Passion for Outdoor Activities, Employee Well-being, Broaden-and-Build Theory, Attention Restoration Theory, Cognitive Assessment Theory
