Relationships Between Teachers' Perceptions of Positive Psychological Capital and Organizational Happiness: Mediating Role of Organizational Silence

Abstract

Positive moods such as happiness that encourage interaction with the social environment were expected to be more favorable for organizational contribution and creativity than passive moods such as silence. Positive relationships between positive psychological capital and organizational happiness were expected in educational organizations where positive communication was the most desired. However, negative moods also had negative effects on creativity, and the negative work environments caused organizational silence. In this study, it was aimed to investigate the relationships among teachers' perceptions of positive psychological capital, organizational silence and organizational happiness. The research was designed as a relational screening model and the structural equation modelling technique was used to test the hypothesized model. Participants of the study consisted of 420 teachers working in public and private schools. The results showed that high levels of positive psychological capital were associated with both higher organizational happiness and lower organizational silence. In contrast, higher organizational silence was associated with lower levels of organizational happiness. Organizational silence mediated the relationship between positive psychological capital and organizational happiness. This study supported the idea that the effect of positive psychological capital on creating organizational happiness may decrease in school environments that cause organizational silence.