Work resources and civic engagement: Benefits to employee physical and mental health

Abstract

Research has demonstrated that people can function better when they participate in both work and non-work roles. Drawing on this premise, this paper examines the combined effects of positive work and non-work experiences–measured by perceptions of acquiring valuable resources at work and engagement in civic activities–on happiness and health. Using a representative sample of 10,331 people in China, we demonstrate that civic engagement and work resources enhance people's perception of happiness and that this, in turn, is conducive to greater mental and physical health. We also found that the association between civic engagement and happiness is moderated by income such that the association is positive for people with either low or high income, whereas there is no association for middle or upper-middle income. There is negative association between work resources and happiness for middle level income, but no association was found for other levels of income. Implications for theory and practice are discussed.