The impact of enterprise social media affordances on employees' thriving at work: An empowerment theory perspective

Abstract

Enterprise social media (ESM) bring new pathways to enable employees' thriving at work. This study examines the effects of ESM affordances (accessibility, persistence, and association) on employees' thriving at work through structural and psychological empowerment. The research model was examined using Smart-PLS 3.0 with data on ESM use gathered from 311 employees. Results show that: a) structural empowerment mediates the effects of ESM accessibility and association on psychological empowerment, b) psychological empowerment mediates the effect of structural empowerment on both dimensions of employees' thriving at work (vitality and learning), and c) accessibility and association positively influence vitality and learning through a chain of mediating effects involving structural and psychological empowerment. The study contributes to the existing ESM literature and suggests that managers should implement appropriate strategies to leverage the value of ESM affordances in empowering employees and enabling them to thrive at work.