Accentuating the positive: The mediating role of positive emotions in the HRM-contextual performance relationship

Purpose The positive psychology movement suggests organisational behaviourists should accentuate the positive by increasing the attention paid to the enhancement of employee wellness. This fits comfortably with the ethos of human resource management which is rooted in notions of social exchange, reciprocity and mutual gain. The purpose of this paper is to inject some positivity into HRM research by examining the mediating role of positive emotions in the HRM-performance relationship. Design/methodology/approach To examine the role played by positive emotions in the relationship between HRM and citizenship behaviours, the authors surveyed a sample of 250 employees from 14 organisations in New Zealand service industries. Sobel and bootstrapping tests were used to examine the mediation model. Findings Results show positive emotional states, both personal and job-related, to positively and partially mediate the HRM-contextual performance relationship. Research limitations/implications Theoretically, this finding opens up HRM's black box affording support for the inclusion of a wider range of psychological states than those presently studied. Practical implications Support is provided for HRM approaches which are more progressive than remedial in nature. Originality/value Emotions are malleable and this study suggests that fostering positive emotional states might hold the key to performance, unlocking desirable employee behaviours.