Shall We Dance? Recreational Dance, Well-Being and Productivity Performance During COVID-19: A Three-Country Study

Michela Vecchi,Akiko Ueno,Patrick Elf,Athina Dilmperi,Charles Dennis,Luke Devereux

doi:10.1177/1069031x221079609

Abstract

Mental health issues are increasingly prevalent worldwide, emphasizing the need to research antecedents and consequences of well-being. Prior research shows that within organizations, higher levels of subjective well-being (SWB) promote productivity performance. Building on this research, the authors hypothesize that recreational dance positively influences productivity through higher SWB. Survey data from Brazil, Italy, and the United Kingdom reveal that recreational dancers are more productive than nondancers due to their higher intrinsic motivation and SWB. Dancing has an additional direct effect on productivity, beyond the mediating role of SWB. The results indicate well-being and productivity improvements in all three countries, although they show a moderating effect such that the relationship between recreational dance and SWB is stronger when social norms are perceived to be looser. This study indicates potentially far-reaching benefits that could be achieved by including recreational dance in corporate well-being programs. International dance organizations could market dance classes as a pathway to increase productivity at work and explore synergies with public health marketing to promote the benefits of recreational dance in joint international campaigns.

Highlights

Building on contributions from marketing, psychology, economics, and neuroscience, this multidisciplinary study investigates the relationship between recreational dance, subjective well-being (SWB), and productivity performance within an international framework
The main part of the questionnaire consisted of items on subjective well-being (SWB), productivity (PROD), intrinsic motivation (IM), and perceptions of tight and loose social norms (T/L)
We found that SWB is significantly higher for recreational dancers on four of the five multi-item indicators (Table 1, Panel A)

Summary

Introduction

Building on contributions from marketing, psychology, economics, and neuroscience, this multidisciplinary study investigates the relationship between recreational dance, SWB, and productivity performance within an international framework. Our results provide support for the positive relationship between recreational dance and SWB in all countries, we find a moderating effect such that the relationship is stronger where social norms are perceived to be looser.

Results

Conclusion