Embracing workplace spirituality for nurturing subjective wellbeing: The role of ethical climate and work engagement

Abstract

In the volatile, uncertain, complex, and ambiguous (VUCA) corporate landscape, employee wellbeing has become essential for attaining a competitive advantage. There remains a scarcity of studies concerning subjective wellbeing among Indian software professionals. The present study seeks to examine the relationship between workplace spirituality and subjective wellbeing, with work engagement serving as a mediating variable. A total of 37 items adapted from established workplace spirituality measures were administered to 250 Indian IT employees online. The pilot study yielded 182 valid samples with a response rate of 73%. EFA of 37 adapted items supported a six-dimensional conceptualization of workplace spirituality comprising meaningful work, sense of community, alignment with organizational values, mindfulness, transcendence, and inner life. In the second step, using a cross-sectional purposive sampling approach, data were collected from 783 IT employees and analyzed with structural equation modeling in SmartPLS 4.0. The study reveals the mediation role of work engagement between workplace spirituality and subjective wellbeing. Moreover, it highlights the potential of an ethical climate in enhancing workplace spirituality. The study underscores the significance of workplace spirituality in the IT sector and calls for its incorporation into human resource management practices and policies. By suggesting a unified scale for measuring workplace spirituality, the current study may act as a foundation for future researchers aiming to enhance their investigations into workplace spirituality.