Unpacking Work Gratitude: Grateful Appraisals Uniquely Predict Employee Outcomes

Abstract

Gratitude has well-documented positive effects on well-being, including in work contexts. However, limited research has explored how distinct dimensions of work-specific gratitude uniquely influence employee outcomes. This study addresses this gap by investigating whether the three subscales of the Work Gratitude Scale (WGS) predict employee outcomes beyond personality traits, while highlighting the differential importance of each subscale. A sample of 300 full-time employees from the US completed measures of conscientiousness, emotional stability, work gratitude, well-being, distress, and work performance. Hierarchical regression analyses revealed that, after controlling for conscientiousness and emotional stability, only one dimension of gratitude – grateful appraisals – significantly predicted well-being, distress, and performance. These findings offer valuable theoretical insights and practical guidance for researchers and practitioners examining the role of gratitude in the workplace.