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Cited by 1,126Job Satisfaction and Organizational BehaviorStress and Burnout ResearchEmployee Performance and Management

Thriving at work: Toward its measurement, construct validation, and theoretical refinement

Open access
Porath, Christine, Spreitzer, Gretchen, Gibson, Cristina, Garnett, Flannery G.·2012·Journal of Organizational Behavior
DOI 10.1002/job.756
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Abstract

Summary: Thriving is defined as the psychological state in which individuals experience both a sense of vitality and learning. We developed and validated a measure of the construct of thriving at work. Additionally, we theoretically refined the construct by linking it to key outcomes, such as job performance, and by examining its contextual embeddedness. In Study 1, we conducted second‐order confirmatory factor analyses in two samples, demonstrating initial support for the two‐dimensional structure of thriving. We provided evidence for the convergent and discriminant validity of thriving in relation to theoretically related constructs, such as positive and negative affects, learning and performance goal orientations, proactive personality, and core self‐evaluations. In Study 2, across two different samples, we further assessed construct validity by establishing a relationship between thriving and career development initiative, burnout, health, and individual job performance, explaining significant variance beyond traditional attitudinal predictors, such as job satisfaction and organizational commitment. Finally, in Study 3, we focused on understanding the contextual embeddedness of thriving. We found differences in reports of thriving across two points in time, when substantial changes are occurring in peoples' work lives and across contexts (i.e., work and non‐work). Implications for theory and practice, as well as directions for future research, are discussed. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

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Crossref · 10.1002/job.756

Cites

94 of 101 references verified0 citation errors · 0 not checkable

Statistics

Nothing to recompute.

Claims the paper makes

0 of 24 cited sources checked · 0 supported · 0 flagged

  • Findingown data

    In the young adults sample, thriving correlated .37 with learning goal orientation.

    “The correlations between thriving and learning goal orientation (r = .37,p < .01),performance-prove orientation (r = .20,not significant (ns)), performance-avoid orientation (r = -.04,ns), and proactive personality (r = .56,p < .01)are also different than one.”
    Quote in the paperSubstantial claim
  • Findingown data

    The thriving measure demonstrated convergent and discriminant validity relative to positive and negative affect, learning and performance goal orientations, proactive personality, and core self-evaluations.

    “We provided evidence for the convergent and discriminant validity of thriving in relation to theoretically related constructs, such as positive and negative affects, learning and performance goal orientations, proactive personality, and core self-evaluations.”
    Quote in the paperSubstantial claim
  • Findingown data

    In the young professionals sample, thriving correlated .46 with core self-evaluations.

    “The correlations between thriving and CSE (r = .46,p < .01)and positive emotions (r = .52,p < .01)are both significantly less than one, providing further evidence of convergent and discriminant validity.”
    Quote in the paperSubstantial claim
  • Findingown data

    In the young adults sample, thriving correlated .49 with positive affect.

    “The correlations between thriving and PA and NA are .49(p < .001)and -.31(p < .01),respectively, both of which are different from one.”
    Quote in the paperSubstantial claim
  • Findingown data

    In the young adults sample, modeling thriving as distinct from positive affect and negative affect improved fit significantly compared to models treating them as the same factor.

    “In the young adults sample, we found a significant improvement in fit when we modeled thriving as distinct from PA and NA than when we modeled PA or NA as an additional latent factor on thriving (i.e., set to load on the same factor as thriving) (PA: Δχ 2 (1) = 50.80,p < .01;NA: Δχ 2 (1) = 101.67,p < .001).”
    Quote in the paperSubstantial claim
  • May combine two claims. 14
  • The quote only partly states this claim. 3
  • Classified as probably not a substantial claim. 15

  • May combine two claims.

    Findingown data

    The pilot study yielded five items for vitality (inter-item r = .40-.77) and five items for learning (inter-item r = .54-.78) after retaining items that correlated at least .40 with the overall thriving item and raised no concerns.

    “We retained items for further analysis if they correlated with the overall thriving item at a level of at least .40 as well as if respondents raised no questions or concerns about the item, resulting in five items that represent the vitality component of thriving (inter item correlations (Pearson's r) = .40-.77) and five items that capture the learning component (inter item correlations (Pearson's”
    Quote in the paperSubstantial claim

  • May combine two claims.

    Findingown data

    Reports of thriving differed across two time points during substantial changes in work lives and across work and non-work contexts.

    “We found differences in reports of thriving across two points in time, when substantial changes are occurring in peoples' work lives and across contexts (i.e., work and non-work).”
    Quote in the paperSubstantial claim

  • May combine two claims.

    Findingown data

    Thriving was related to career development initiative, burnout, health, and individual job performance, and explained significant variance beyond job satisfaction and organizational commitment in two samples.

    “In Study 2, across two different samples, we further assessed construct validity by establishing a relationship between thriving and career development initiative, burnout, health, and individual job performance, explaining significant variance beyond traditional attitudinal predictors, such as job satisfaction and organizational commitment.”
    Quote in the paperSubstantial claim

  • May combine two claims.

    Findingown data

    Thriving explains incremental variance in burnout, career development initiative, job performance, leader effectiveness, job strain, and general health.

    “Of particular interest is that these findings hold, even after controlling for the effects of more traditional attitudinal predictors of important organizational outcomes (i.e., job satisfaction and organizational commitment) and for the included demographic controls; that thriving explains an incremental 10% of the variance in burnout, 8% in career development initiative, 4% in job performance, 9”
    Quote in the paperSubstantial claim

  • The quote only partly states this claim.

    Findingown data

    In Sample 2, a second-order CFA of thriving provided a better fit than a single-factor model (Δχ2 = 241.69, df = 1, p = .001).

    “Difference in χ 2 | 66.02 | | 241.69 |”
    Quote in the paperSubstantial claim

  • The quote only partly states this claim.

    Findingown data

    In the plant facilities sample, thriving predicted career development initiative (β = .52, p < .001).

    “Thriving | | .52*** | | .31**”
    Quote in the paperSubstantial claim

  • May combine two claims.

    Interpretationown data

    The related constructs correlate significantly with thriving but not so strongly that the measure's distinctiveness is in doubt.

    “That is, although these related constructs are significantly correlated as hypothesized, none is so closely related as to raise questions about the distinctiveness of the thriving measure.”
    Quote in the paperSubstantial claim

  • Classified as probably not a substantial claim.

    Interpretationreasoning

    Vitality without learning limits thriving.

    “Conversely, if one feels energized and alive while working but finds personal learning to be stagnant, again, the experience of thriving is limited.”
    Quote in the paperSubstantial claim

  • Classified as probably not a substantial claim.

    Premisecitation

    Thriving can act as an internal gauge used by individuals in pursuing goal attainment and personal effectiveness.

    “According to the earlier conceptual work, thriving potentially acts as an internal gauge used by individuals in the pursuit of goal attainment and personal effectiveness (Spreitzer et al., 2005, p. 537).”
    Quote in the paperSubstantial claim0 of 1 sources checked
    • cites Spreitzer et al., 2005

      Not checked in the free run.

  • Classified as probably not a substantial claim.

    Study design and conductnone given

    Using two different samples increases confidence in the results.

    “Our use of two different samples provides more confidence in our results.”
    Quote in the paperSubstantial claim

  • May combine two claims.

    Premisecitation

    The learning component of thriving fuels competence and efficacy, counteracting diminished accomplishment, a possible third dimension of burnout.

    “In particular, the learning component of thriving fuels feelings of competence (Deci & Ryan, 2000;Ryan & Deci, 2000) and enables efficacy (Bandura, 2001), counteracting feelings of diminished accomplishment, which is sometimes considered a third dimension of burnout (Maslach & Leiter, 1997).”
    Quote in the paperSubstantial claim0 of 3 sources checked
    • cites Deci & Ryan, 2000

      Not checked in the free run.

    • cites Ryan & Deci, 2000

      Not checked in the free run.

    • cites Bandura, 2001

      Not checked in the free run.

  • Probably not a substantial claim: may not pass S2 (checkable).

    Interpretationreasoning

    Thriving, as an internal gauge of growth and development, is best measured through self-report.

    “First, thriving is conceptualized as an internal gauge of a sense of growth and development, which we argue is best measured through self-report.”
    Quote in the paperNot a substantial claim

  • Classified as probably not a substantial claim.

    Premisecitation

    Thriving has been conceptualized as a two-dimensional construct consisting of vitality and learning.

    “Spreitzer et al. (2005) advanced a two-dimensional conceptualization of thriving, composed of the following: (i) a feeling of vitality and (ii) a sense that one is learning or getting better.”
    Quote in the paperSubstantial claim0 of 1 sources checked
    • cites Spreitzer et al., 2005

      Not checked in the free run.

  • May combine two claims.

    Interpretationown data

    The pattern of relationships between thriving and related constructs supports convergent and discriminant validity.

    “Overall, these results provide support for our expectations of the relationships between thriving and other theoretically related constructs and garner evidence of convergent and discriminant validity.”
    Quote in the paperSubstantial claim

  • Probably not a substantial claim: may not pass S2 (checkable).

    Interpretationcitation

    Vitality and learning together capture the essence of thriving in a work context.

    “We suggest-not only in line with the foundational research on thriving (e.g., Spreitzer et al., 2005) but also because of our specific interest in organizations as an important context for thriving-that vitality and learning combine to capture the essence of thriving in a work context.”
    Quote in the paperNot a substantial claim0 of 1 sources checked
    • cites Spreitzer et al., 2005

      Not checked in the free run.

  • Classified as probably not a substantial claim.

    Premisecitation

    Researchers should be cautious about using a fixed cutoff for RMSEA because it depends on model specifications, degrees of freedom, and sample size.

    “Experts suggest that researchers should be cautious about a fixed cutoff point for RMSEA, indicating that it should depend on model specifications, degrees of freedom, and sample size (Chen, Curran, Bolen, Kirby, & Paxton, 2008).”
    Quote in the paperSubstantial claim0 of 1 sources checked
    • cites Chen, Curran, Bolen, Kirby, & Paxton, 2008

      Not checked in the free run.

  • Classified as probably not a substantial claim.

    Interpretationreasoning

    Learning without vitality limits thriving.

    “If one is learning but feels depleted, thriving suffers.”
    Quote in the paperSubstantial claim

  • May combine two claims.

    Premisecitation

    Agentic behaviors generate resources that fuel behavior, so thriving individuals create resources such as new knowledge, meaning, and stronger relationships through their work.

    “Because agentic behaviors produce resources that fuel individual behavior (Hobfoll, 2002), thriving individuals produce resources endogenously, such as new knowledge, more meaning, and stronger relationships, in doing their work (Spreitzer et al., 2005).”
    Quote in the paperSubstantial claim0 of 2 sources checked
    • cites Hobfoll, 2002

      Not checked in the free run.

    • cites Spreitzer et al., 2005

      Not checked in the free run.

  • May combine two claims.

    Premisecitation

    Thriving serves as an internal gauge for self-regulation, leading individuals to act agentically and proactively, which can improve performance.

    “With thriving used as an internal gauge for self-regulation, individuals behave agentically and proactively by taking responsibility and the initiative to control their destiny, respectively, which can, in turn, enhance performance (Grant & Ashford, 2007).”
    Quote in the paperSubstantial claim0 of 1 sources checked
    • cites Grant & Ashford, 2007 source

      Not checked in the free run.

  • Classified as probably not a substantial claim. May combine two claims.

    Interpretationreasoning

    The vitality and learning dimensions of thriving enhance one another and must be experienced together to form thriving.

    “Although each dimension can signify some progress toward growth and personal development at work, it is only in concert that they enhance one another to form the experience of thriving.”
    Quote in the paperSubstantial claim

  • May combine two claims.

    Interpretationown data

    Thriving relates to lower levels of burnout, higher job performance, and more positive health.

    “Third, our findings further indicate the specific ways in which thriving at work is valuable not only for the individuals who experience thriving but also for their organizations as well-that is, thriving relates to lower levels of burnout, higher job performance, and more positive health.”
    Quote in the paperSubstantial claim

  • May combine two claims.

    Interpretationown data

    Thriving contributes to human sustainability through psychological (reduced burnout) and physical (perceptions of health) well-being.

    “Across multiples samples, we provide support for the two-dimensional conceptualization of thriving, with results suggesting that thriving contributes to human sustainability (Pfeffer, 2010) through psychological (reduced burnout) and physical (perceptions of health) well-being.”
    Quote in the paperSubstantial claim0 of 1 sources checked
    • cites Pfeffer, 2010

      Not checked in the free run.

  • Probably not a substantial claim: may not pass S3 (load-bearing).

    Study design and conductnone given

    The study does not address the dispositional bases of thriving.

    “Second, we do not address the dispositional bases of thriving.”
    Quote in the paperNot a substantial claim

  • Classified as probably not a substantial claim.

    Premisecitation

    Thriving at work is meaningfully associated with positive health.

    “Spreitzer and colleagues (2005) suggested that although individual job performance is clearly important in organizational contexts, thriving at work is also meaningfully associated with positive health.”
    Quote in the paperSubstantial claim0 of 1 sources checked
    • cites Spreitzer et al., 2005

      Not checked in the free run.

  • Classified as probably not a substantial claim. May combine two claims.

    Premisecitation

    People with vitality are less likely to feel worried, depressed, or upset and are more likely to be mentally healthy.

    “People with a sense of vitality, for instance, are much less likely to feel worried, depressed, or upset and are more likely to be mentally healthy (Keyes, 2002).”
    Quote in the paperSubstantial claim0 of 1 sources checked
    • cites Keyes, 2002

      Not checked in the free run.

  • Probably not a substantial claim: may not pass S3 (load-bearing).

    Premisecitation

    Stress is highly correlated with health care costs.

    “which is highly correlated with health care costs (Leiter & Maslach, 2005).”
    Quote in the paperNot a substantial claim0 of 1 sources checked
    • cites Leiter & Maslach, 2005

      Not checked in the free run.

  • Classified as probably not a substantial claim.

    Premisecitation

    Employees who reported more learning at work were more likely to report that work affected their mental and physical health positively.

    “For example, Ettner and Grzywacz (2001) found that employees who reported more learning at work were more likely to report that work affected their mental and physical health positively.”
    Quote in the paperSubstantial claim0 of 1 sources checked
    • cites Ettner and Grzywacz, 2001

      Not checked in the free run.

  • Classified as probably not a substantial claim.

    Premisecitation

    Employees with fewer possibilities to learn had a greater probability of being hospitalized for heart attacks.

    “A study by Alfredsson, Spetz, and Theorell (1985) concluded that employees with fewer possibilities to learn had a greater probability of being hospitalized for heart attacks.”
    Quote in the paperSubstantial claim0 of 1 sources checked
    • cites Alfredsson, Spetz, and Theorell, 1985

      Not checked in the free run.

  • The quote only partly states this claim.

    Interpretationown data

    Thriving is associated with increased general health and well-being.

    “Thriving is also associated with reduced job strain and increased general health and well-being.”
    Quote in the paperSubstantial claim
    • Rests on an assumption: The observed associations between thriving and its correlates reflect causal effects of thriving.

  • May combine two claims.

    Premisecitation

    When combined with vitality, this resource creation is sustained and leads to better performance.

    “Particularly when combined with vitality, this resource creation is sustained, leading to better performance (Bruch & Ghoshal, 2003;Marks, 1977).”
    Quote in the paperNot a substantial claim0 of 2 sources checked
    • cites Bruch & Ghoshal, 2003

      Not checked in the free run.

    • cites Marks, 1977

      Not checked in the free run.

30 of 30

  • The paper relies on this without support.

    When people experience growth and forward movement, they yearn to continue that momentum in their career development.

    “When people experience a sense that they are growing and moving in a forward direction, they yearn to continue that momentum with respect to their career development.”

  • The paper relies on this without support.

    Thriving individuals are likely to take initiative to seek out opportunities to acquire knowledge and skills for career development.

    “More specifically, when individuals are thriving-with the sense that they are making progress and getting better through learning at work-they are likely to take the initiative to seek out more opportunities to acquire knowledge and skills helpful for developing their career.”

  • The paper relies on this without support.

    Vitality provides the fuel needed to set goals, seek career opportunities, and develop skills.

    “When combined with vitality, individuals have the fuel they need to set goals, seek out career opportunities, and develop needed skills and abilities.”

  • The paper relies on this without support.

    The same items referencing life outside work validly measure thriving outside of work.

    “we again measured thriving and also included a measure of thriving in life outside of work (α = .92),which used the same items as the thriving at work measure used in the previous studies but referenced participants' life outside of work to include personal relationships (e.g., with family, friends), any hobbies, and volunteer efforts, for example.”

  • The paper relies on this without support.

    The observed associations between thriving and its correlates reflect causal effects of thriving.

    “Thriving employees are less susceptible to burnout and more likely to take an active role in developing a successful career path, which is particularly important given today's protean careers (Hall, 1998).”
    “Thriving is also associated with reduced job strain and increased general health and well-being.”

  • The paper relies on this without support.

    The study samples are representative of the broader employee populations to which the conclusions are generalized.

    “In short, our results indicate the potential for thriving to be a potent force driving human sustainability at work.”
6 of 6

Claims other papers make about this one

Each is checked against this paper’s own text: does it say what the citing paper says it does?

Self-check

Percentages, sums and reported differences re-computed from the paper’s own numbers.

Each contradiction between two passages listed here was confirmed by an independent check.

  • Summary percentages conflict with reported variance increases

    Minor

    The summary says thriving adds 8% for career development, 4% for job performance, and 9% for leader effectiveness. The same results section reports respective ΔR2 values of .02, .03, and .08; Table 12 instead gives .10 for career development.

  • Career-development variance increase differs between text and table

    Minor

    The results attribute an increase in explained variance of .02 to thriving for career development initiative, whereas Table 12 reports .10 for that outcome.

  • Young-adult mean age differs from Table 4

    Minor

    The sample description gives a mean age of 21 years, while the age column in Table 4 gives a mean of 20.00.

  • EMBA respondent mean age is reported two ways

    Minor

    The EMBA sample description states that respondents' mean age was 34.1 years. Table 10 lists 32.72 years for the sample's age mean, a difference too large to be rounding.

  • Overlapping high-thriving groups have two different counts

    Minor

    Both sentences describe the intersection of the same two groups: participants at least one standard deviation above the mean for thriving at work and outside work. That intersection cannot contain both four and five people.

5 of 5

Cites

Flagged first, then by citations

2 of the 103 references couldn’t be matched to a known paper.

Research works printed but not linked: 5

  1. Farr J. L., 1993, Goal orientation and action control theory: Implications for industrial and organizational psychology, International Review of Industrial and Organizational Psychology, 8, 193
  2. Hackman J. R., 1980, Work redesign
  3. Kouzes J. M., 2002, The leadership challenge
  4. Organ D. W., 1988, Organizational citizenship behaviors
  5. Stanko T.(2008). From scout leaders to business leaders: How participation in multiple roles shapes behavior at work.Dissertation University of California Irvine.

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Related

Authors
Porath, C., Spreitzer, G., Gibson, C., & Garnett, F. G.
Affiliations
  • Georgetown University (US)
  • University of Michigan (US)
  • The University of Western Australia (AU)
  • University of Utah (US)
Corresponding author
Spreitzer, Gretchen
ORCID
Venue
Journal of Organizational Behavior
Publisher
Wiley
Published
2011-05-19
Volume
33
Issue
2
Pages
250-275
ISSN
  • 0894-3796 (ISSN-L)
  • 1099-1379
DOI
10.1002/job.756
OpenAlex
W2155331624
Cited by
1,126
References
103
Citations by year
2026: 151 · 2025: 151 · 2024: 152 · 2023: 134 · 2022: 123 · 2021: 90 · 2020: 91 · 2019: 68 · 2018: 39 · 2017: 39 · 2016: 29 · 2015: 22 · 2014: 18 · 2013: 11 · 2012: 6
FWCI
21.08
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Licence
Locations
  • Journal of Organizational Behavior (publishedVersion)
  • Deep Blue (University of Michigan) (submittedVersion)
  • UWA Profiles and Research Repository (UWA) (submittedVersion)
Topics
  • Social Sciences › Business, Management and Accounting › Organizational Behavior and Human Resource Management › Job Satisfaction and Organizational Behavior
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Social Psychology › Stress and Burnout Research
  • Social Sciences › Human Factors and Ergonomics › Employee Performance and Management
Keywords
thriving at work, thriving, vitality, learning, employee performance, burnout, core self-evaluation, proactive personality, performance goal orientation, positive and negative affect, construct validation

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