1. Introduction
This systematic review used the 2020 PRISMA guidelines to explore the relationship of workplace culture, employee satisfaction/performance, and effectiveness of ABA to improve workplace culture future quantitative research in the field of ABA and employee job satisfaction (PRISMA, 2020) . This study showed that supervisors can have a positive impact on their employees’ job satisfaction by creating a positive and supportive work environment. This literature review aims to understand the interests that employers may have on improving employee job satisfaction to improve performance and productivity. Additionally, it postulates a series of motivational techniques that could be tested to improve worker happiness based on behavioral analytic principles. Numerous studies and analyses have been conducted concerning workplace cultures, their impacts upon employees and workers’ overall attitudes and motivations, and whether the workplace setting can influence employees either positively or negatively with effects such as fatigue, anxiety, or burnout (Boy & Surmeli, 2013) . Venkataramani et al. (2013) define workplace satisfaction through favorable ties with other workers and with upper management and whether they feel they are supported and can approach others for advice, while the authors also note that a negative workplace is demarcated through avoiding those around them, operating within a context in which adverse consequences could occur if mistakes are made, and in which upper management is not receptive to employee input and feedback (p. 1028). Wang et al. (2019) illustrate positive workplaces as being almost an extension of worker personalities and abilities and therefore a solid attribute of individual personalities and characterization as people, which can cement the favorable outcome of increased job engagement in a positive environment or unethical behavior in a negative setting.
Wang et al. (2019) further observe that adverse consequences such as the absence of employee motivation are more likely to occur within a negative workplace. As such, a positive workplace is of mental and emotional benefit to individual workers because it provides an outlet for creativity, constructive interactions with others around them, and offers them a greater degree of self-esteem, autonomy, and self-identity, whereas a negative workplace breaks down these same characteristics and undermines workers’ self-worth, thereby building on their doubts as to their abilities and generating a deleterious effect on company employee retention and morale. Thus, the impetus of the current study is to examine the relative efficacy of workplace culture in aiding in positive self-definitions for individual workers and determining as to whether negative or hostile workplaces can harm employees mentally, emotionally, or potentially even physically.
Moreover, the implications of workplace harassment can and do infiltrate workers’ lives in all aspects, including those of their emotional well-being, mental stability, and interactions with family members and friends outside of their occupation (Applegate, 2019) . Some of these problems can lead to further health problems for workers as well, such as overeating, smoking, or even drug or alcohol abuse. Hence, providing support and resources for potential or actual victims of workplace harassment such as sexual harassment can be keys to emotional happiness on and off the job (Applegate, 2019) . Likewise, programs such as smoking cessation can demonstrate a company’s concern for its employees and their health while also saving money on healthcare premiums and reducing sick time for workers (Kava et al., 2018) . By exemplifying that employees and their best interests remain at the heart of the business’ core, businesses can help to further solidify their image as positive workplaces and avoid the pitfalls which could reduce morale and production.
Research Question
What is the relationship between workplaces culture and employee satisfaction in current workplaces in the United States.
2. Methods
This study provides a framework specific to how the systematic review was conducted to answer the research question. In addition, this chapter will include a description of the participants of the studies collected, the instrumentation, data collection procedures, and data analysis, as well as the study’s ethical considerations.
This study explored only studies that were published in the last five years and primarily focuses on US workplace culture. All studies reviewed only had employees that were 18 or over at their organization. There were no other criteria used for the selection of target groups.
The research for this systematic review was conducted in the spring and summer of 2023. A comprehensive search was conducted in the National University Smart Search using ProQuest Central, PubMed Central, EBSCOhost MEDLINE Complete, EBSCOhost Academic Search Complete, EBSCOhost CINAHL Complete, Elsevier ScienceDirect Journals Complete. A main heading search was performed using the Boolean term, ‘AND’, with the following keywords: “Workplace culture” AND “employee satisfaction” OR “applied behavior analysis” OR “quiet quitting”. Only studies that addressed an American workplace were included and thus studies involving the Chinese “Lying Down” phenomena were not included. The publication date range was from 2013 to 2023 to obtain peer-reviewed articles that were up to date, were written in the English language, and excluded adolescents. After collecting scholarly articles from databases, further selection was made by reading the abstract and results section. The chosen articles were further evaluated by reading the full text to analyze the research question for this systematic review.
2.1. Data Collection Procedures
This comprehensive study is regarding the impact and effectiveness of implementing positive and motivation workplace culture interventions to improve job satisfaction of employees. Comprised in the data collection process was the gathering of different scholarly articles to support the idea that the impact and effectiveness of implementing interventions to improve performance and health outcomes of employees. At the initial gathering stage, collective articles were pulled from searchable terms associated with this study and subjected to further screening (n = 54). Articles subject to a more thorough examination were chosen after reading each abstract, results, and discussion section (n = 23). Several articles were excluded for not meeting the criteria stated for this review (n = 15). The remaining articles (n = 10) were included in this systematic review.
2.2. Data Analysis
The list of reviewed scholarly articles has been provided in the reference list and those articles were limited to those published between 2013 to 2023. Originally only articles published in the last five years (2018-2023) were included, but that search yielded to few articles for a systematic review according to the PRISMA guidelines (PRISMA, 2020) . Based on the articles reviewed for this systematic review, the researchers have conducted various studies with different study approaches, examining workplace culture, job satisfaction, and employee performance. Furthermore, the studied articles expressed that workplace culture and practices play an essential role in the health and well-being of adults and their risk of mental illness or major chronic diseases of physical health conditions such as heart disease, cancer, stroke, and diabetes. However, studies have examined ABA as a tool for improving employee satisfaction and workplace culture. have targeted this specific ethnic minority group within the United States. No internal or external funding was obtained for this study. Both authors of this paper did not have any conflict of interest or personal gain in this study. There were disputes related to this study, and instead this study specifically explored the recent major change of workplace culture in the USA, and the potential role that ABA could play to improve the current challenges of workplace culture including those related to “quiet quitting”, the Great Resignation, and lack of engagement among Millennials and Gen-Z employees. The study did not require institutional review board (IRB) approval as there were no human subjects, and only peer-reviewed and scholarly research articles were chosen for analysis.
3. Results
Outcomes of Positive Workplace Culture
Results from this systematic review, identified recent studies that explored employee job satisfaction and performance, and the current phenomena of quiet quitting and the outcomes of the Great Resignation in the United States (DeBastiani, 2023) . Based upon an overview and a review of the provided literature studies and a comprising of their global results and responses, there would appear to be an indisputable correlation between workplace culture and ultimate mental health outcomes. Workforce members who toiled in places where management was uncaring, unsupportive, dismissive, or angry tended to be more pessimistic in general concerning their lives, their performances at work, and their own abilities. Too, those same workers when faced with hostile or harmful behaviors such as bullying, discrimination or harassment can often have an even lower sense of self-esteem or may suffer from personality issues or even Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. Such actions may result in workers having resultant health problems, including high blood pressure, headaches, heart attacks, or worse. To that end, then, it would behoove managers to identify and prevent such conduct before it takes hold and costs the company money in terms of lost time and lost employees.
The Bureau of Labor Statistics, which states that as of July 2019 approximately over 100 million people work in the United States with an in-person workplace setting (Pew Research Center, 2019) . As such, there is a large exposure of people in a vast dichotomy of office environments and surroundings. In many cases, workplaces focus largely on worker efficiency and output rather than personality traits, characteristics, and backgrounds, which could potentially pose powerful assets for savvy employers seeking to maximize those who comprise their teams and staffing, as demonstrated by Sackett and Walmsley (2014) who note the importance of assessing employee personalities and how these factors can influence workplace performance by way of observing that workplaces can and do change daily in tasks and requirements; therefore, how employees respond to those daily challenges, stressors and activities can and does help formulate their reaction to their job and position (p. 538). These challenges and stressors were compounded further by the COVID-19 pandemic and led to the Great Resignation and also to many employees keeping their positions, but becoming less engaged, which is known as “quiet quitting”. Recent research has shown that in many geographic areas of the United States including the West and East Coastal states have a majority of Millennials and Gen-Z employees feeling not engaged completely after the COVID-19 pandemic.
Furthermore, per Sackett and Walmsley (2014) , qualities such as emotional intelligence, overall consciousness, and the degree of agreeability which workers possess can all represent important elements within serving internal and external customers alike (Sackett & Walmsley, 2014) . Similarly, the authors observe that these same features can contribute constructively to worker emotional stability and allow them to become more extroverted or outgoing than they may otherwise feel comfortable doing (Sackett & Walmsley, 2014) . To that end, then, these traits should be encouraged and developed by companies rather than being stifled. Businesses that discourage interactivity and collaboration between employees are more likely to experience higher degrees of turnover and lower amounts of retention in tandem with reduced worker morale and workers who distrust upper management more often (Sackett & Walmsley, 2014; Mashhadi et al., 2016) . Along the same lines, workers who are apprehensive in the presence of supervisors and other managerial entities may have a greater fear of downsizing, job loss, or other changes within the organization that may not be communicated to them efficiently or effectively. Mashhadi et al. (2016) state that “…sub-ordinates who perceived their supervisor as being low on agreeableness and high on introversion reported significantly more workplace bullying, supporting a negative halo effect hypothesis” (Mashhadi et al., 2016) . These managers lead through fear and intimidation, which in turn can reduce motivation and drive within workers and potentially create a deleterious reputation for the company within its community.
Although there was a focus on business status within a given company’s specific region and community within previously conducted and published research, studies assessing worker happiness within their environments were not given much attention until more recent decades, when the connection between workplace settings and employee satisfaction became more pronounced and evident and therefore presented itself as a viable subject worthy of study, such as within the works of authors including Froman (2010) . In particular, the survival of employees within their surroundings and the emotional toll that their working lives took upon their home lives took center stage, and some researchers began to view workers in this context through the lens of the Bronfenbrenner’s bioeco system. For instance, Boon et al. (2012) noted that Bronfenbrenner’s bioeco system measured several items, including overall social resilience and how such may be measured through problems faced both inside and outside of their vocational settings. While the authors assess this syndrome in terms of how individuals cope when faced with a natural disaster or comparable tragedy, the same “fight or flight” feeling which arises when people feel trapped or cornered can surface in a negative or toxic workplace, and as such these same feelings can surface against that background. Hence, the mental and emotional implications of these frames of mind can ultimately penetrate nearly every aspect of an employee’s life both on and off the job.
Other studies, including those conducted by Froman (2010) , Salah (2016) , Hoever et al. (2018) , Mashhadi et al. (2016) and Papachristopoulos and Xanthopoulou (2019) touch upon the positive and negative aspects of workplace life and its overreaching impact into employees’ lives, including favorable results from managerial praise and peer recognition, the drop in morale when supervisors do not acknowledge staff contributions, and the need for incorporating tools into the business which expand upon worker talents, abilities, and morale. Capitalizing on these areas can serve the corporation’s best interests in conjunction with lifting worker spirits; these perks can serve as their own rewards, as noted by scholars such as Froman (2010) who references the different forms that feedback delivery can take and how each of those forms can alter an employee’s performance adversely or favorably, as well as changing or influencing how the worker views the company, his or her peers, and his or her supervisor (Froman 2010) . Froman refers to this approach as “positive organizational behavior and outcomes” (Froman, 2010) and terms what he views as a “virtuous organization” as “one in which factors such as a worker’s background knowledge, existing experiential base, emotional stability and behavior and how those same workers respond to workplace scenarios and differences are reviewed and analyzed accordingly” (Froman, 2010) . From Froman’s perspective, this aim is accomplished through powerful company leadership which models the behavior that they desire, but which also adheres to a strict moral code in tandem with a clear ethical background (Froman, 2010) . In the absence of these factors, Froman posits that companies will lack the poise necessary to effectively motivate their workers and to provide them with the type of business which would be a desirable workplace and which would present them with the opportunity to network with one another, form lasting friendships and bonds with each other, and the potential to move up in the organization if they were so inclined (Froman, 2010) . Likewise, these managers seek success within their staff by expecting the best from them and encouraging them to perform to those selfsame standards (Froman, 2010) . Thus, upper-level leadership can spearhead the type of performances and behaviors which they would like to see from their personnel and can be instrumental in creating the kind of workspace that they would like to see enacted.
Along the same lines, Hoever et al. (2018) also emphasize the power of feedback as a motivational tool and as a means of uplifting personnel, as favorable feedback can grant employees the opportunity to use their own knowledge to problem solve, brainstorm, and ultimately contribute to their workplace and teams in a conducive manner. The writers advocate the use of this form of feedback to encourage employees to allow their natural personalities to shine through at work, therefore allowing them to share interests with others and to be themselves as well as permitting them to be creative in problem-solving within the job and in developing their work accordingly (Hoever et al., 2018) . Moreover, such an approach can allow a more beneficial performance by workplace teams since people can better communicate with one another and share ideas if they feel more likely to be accepted or heard by those around them (Hoever et al., 2018) . Salah (2016) , concurs with these ideas within his assessment of favorable feedback combined with tangible and intangible employee rewards, observing that elements such as peer recognition can serve as an integral part of the feedback process and express true appreciation, thereby expressing a clearly defined motivation for personnel and staff; this tactic too demonstrates yet another means by which managers can direct their subordinates in a meaningful and uplifting manner. By utilizing this methodology, these managerial actions can result in added employee loyalty to their company, a greater bond and connection among the workers, and a streamlined, goal-oriented workforce overall since individuals will respect one another as friends and colleagues rather than just as coworkers. These feelings can extend to both the workplace and the person’s home environment, as the individual in question will believe he or she will be acknowledged and assisted by others in each case because of these methods. Thus, positive feedback can influence nearly all aspects of staff members’ lives.
But perhaps most important in assessing work-life balance and workplace satisfaction would be an overview of study populaces and those who have been primarily surveyed for such reviews. To that end, a study by Czabała and colleagues (2011) was considered. The study examined a large sampling of literature and specimens: “Out of 4,865 studies identified in a comprehensive systematic literature review 315 were selected for abstract screening and 79 were included in the final review” (Czabała et al., 2011) . The aim of this directed study was to assess employee mental health and the role that such played both inside and outside of their employment. Of the 79 studies selected, multiple outcomes were considered, and different aspects were examined to ensure that the overview was objective, unbiased, and examined the subjects from several angles. The final reviews revealed that mental health was definitively affected harmfully by toxic workplaces, and in the absence of interventional measures such as skills training, an overhaul of the working environment, and programs such as relaxation or exercise breaks, workers could quickly become disillusioned or despondent and seek to make changes for themselves, or even to leave the company should the opportunity to do so arise (Czabała et al., 2011) . Results showed that any sort of intercession from supervisors or managers to protect an employee’s mental health should focus on improving working conditions and could incorporate such items as schedule alterations and other accommodations to permit them to cope with their issues (Czabała et al., 2011) .
These findings echo the need for reforms in negative workplaces to change them to the positive environment needed to allow for employees to be successful within their surroundings. The outcomes of such input can serve employees well in terms of their performance, responsiveness at work, and even their own health. As such, organizations that take steps to protect and develop mental health assistance for workers and which build constructively on their associates and their abilities are better positioned to make a difference in their local communities along with their employees overall (Czabała et al., 2011; DeBastiani, 2023) .
This notion is further reflected by a study undertaken by Bassi et al. (2013) which notes that employees’ physical and emotional health is an essential concept and factor, not only for themselves but for the society which surrounds them; utilizing positive psychology in the workplace can therefore weigh and balance staff’s happiness and job satisfaction with their lives outside of work since the study points out that most people spend a vast amount of time each day (and week) at their respective workplaces instead of at home with their families. Bassi et al. (2013) , posits that, in some cases, workplace counterparts become more influential and important in the lives of those whom they work with since they spend such large amounts of time together, and therefore, their opinions and input become invaluable to those whom they work with and befriend. The authors state that “A moderating effect of job meaning was identified, showing that attributing high importance to one’s job had wide affective consequences, spilling over to global life evaluations” (Bassi et al., 2013) . Essentially, one’s work experiences ultimately influence each aspect of that person’s life, which can include interactions with friends, family, and workmates as well as those whom they may encounter doing business themselves with other companies in their hometown. With that knowledge, then, the idea that an upbeat workplace is necessary for all involved becomes even more centralized and important to staff members to maximize the ripple effect of the good living conditions for employees at home and work.
Some workplaces are centered in areas where there is a higher degree of poverty and/or corresponding crime; Dietz et al. (2017) highlight the fact that businesses in these underserved or underprivileged communities can offer the potential to turn the tide against crime and to reverse the trend of violent crime through providing jobs, educating the public, and addressing the threat of violence anytime it should surface inside the business or in the adjacent areas to the facility. Hence, a positive work environment can and does often have farther reaching ramifications than simply addressing its employees in a kind and benevolent manner.
Increased interpersonal communication is another advantage of the conscientious workplace. Within any given company, there are various personality types, and some people may be shyer, more withdrawn, or introverted for any number of reasons. For example, workers who have been at the business for a longer period may feel more comfortable with one another than newcomers; as such, they may have a more friendly bond and conversational flow than those who are not as outgoing and unable to forge ties with others as readily as others may be able to. Too, age differences and diverse values can sometimes divide departments and teams as well.
Two generations dominate the current workforce: Baby Boomers and Generation X. Popular media has ascribed numerous behavioral and personality traits to them… Psychological sense of community (PSC) is a theoretical construct that identifies the sources of meaning, identity, support, and benefit to community members. It embraces work values, expectations, and perceptions of psychological contract, justice, trust, and organizational commitment. Affective organizational commitment (AC) refers to the employee’s emotional attachment to, identification with, and involvement in the organization. Strong AC occurs when members of the workplace community perceive that their workplace experiences fulfill basic psychological needs (para. 2).
The dichotomy between these age groups can sometimes cause them to appear at odds with one another, instead of working cohesively as a team with shared departmental goals in the company. To that end, then, managers would be well-served in presenting aspects such as shared values and interests, emphasizing corporate expectations and how workers may achieve them efficiently by working both alone and as a group, and drawing upon the common ground that each of these subgroups share. In doing so, supervisors can bridge the chasm that could form and further separate these groups, and they can thus prevent hindrance of workplace tasks, disagreements over procedures and other issues, and ensure that workflow continues smoothly inside the given parameters of the department instead of permitting petty disagreements to simmer and become larger issues that could derail work processes and pose a detriment to productivity. Consequently, workplace interactivity at all levels and ages is imperative for achieving necessary workplace benchmarks.
But the requirement for helpful feedback and rewards at work does not end there either. Mashhadi et al. (2016) additionally place an emphasis upon the connections between bosses and their subordinates, especially in terms of incorporating feedback as a positive learning tool rather than posing negative feedback and information that could demoralize workers (Mashhadi et al., 2016) . Moreover, the method that upper management addresses lower-level staff can be telling as to the depth of the relationship per these authors since those dialogues can either reinforce the favorable perception staff has of their leadership or can single-handedly undermine the relationship. For this study, the authors selected a cross-section of 47 employees whom they surveyed for a four-month period to determine how they responded and reacted to interactions with peers and superiors alike (Mashhadi et al., 2016) . According to the writers, the study’s results yielded not only the impact that feedback had upon employees but opened the door to worker self-review at the same time: “…the designers of future workplace technology … [open] up avenues for future HCI research on promoting self-reflection among employees” (Mashhadi et al., 2016) . These opportunities for self-inventory permit workers to gain a greater understanding of themselves and their own capabilities as well as how they can utilize these abilities within a workplace context. Encouragement from those in higher positions within the company can serve as corporate sponsors and mentors for these individuals while simultaneously granting them the chance to discover and grow from their own life experiences and backgrounds. As such, a positive foundation can lay the groundwork for personal growth on all levels, both professionally and socially.
The primary reason why workplace positivity is such an integral concept may be an outpouring from the Bronfenbrenner’s bioeco system, which was previously referenced. This theory places a strong importance upon how all items interconnect and interact with one another to some extent or another (in some cases in larger or lesser capacities); due of the nature of those bonds, scholars, and researchers such as Bassi et al. (2013) have proposed that personnel mood and morale is directly correlated into an overall community, ambiance and quality of life at all echelons. In terms of workplace health and well-being, workers at a company which was struggling or floundering tended to have a higher degree of uneasiness and lower overall enjoyment of their work as opposed to workers at a company which was busy or thriving; however, a favorable correlation was observed between solid workplace bonds and business uncertainty. The authors note that “a spillover effect of job happiness and meaning on life satisfaction, environmental mastery, and autonomy was also detected. A moderating effect of job meaning was identified, showing that attributing high importance to one’s job had wide affective consequences, spilling over to global life evaluations” (Bassi et al., 2013) .
Management recognizing and acknowledging accomplishments from its subordinates, rather than simply criticizing them constantly or pointing out errors instead of focusing on tasks which employees do well, can help to lay groundwork and foundations for promising endeavors from their workforces. Papachristopoulos & Xanthopoulou (2019) suggest that one method which could help in this task is devising and effecting a reward system, which could be tangible, intangible, or a blend of both (Papachristopoulos & Xanthopoulou, 2019) . Although the authors acknowledge that the most obvious and readily available form of reward is that of financial recompense, the psychological inferences and consequences of other reward forms, such as praise, can have equal or perhaps even greater strength in terms of recipients’ reactions, and in some instances can result in the opposite result and cause unwanted or undesirable behaviors.
With these principles in mind, it is important to consider how a given respondent may react when presented with financial rewards only, or if the incentive for completing workplace tasks is monetary only instead of positive praise. Papachristopoulos and Xanthopoulou (2019) caution against the use of financial rewards alone for that very reason, as the likelihood of workers simply doing whatever is required to attain those funds is extremely high, in conjunction with the notion that those same employees may act inappropriately toward colleagues or undercut them in order to achieve the results needed to reach the financial goal (Del Vecchio & Wagner, 2011; Thibault et al., 2017) . The classic signs of poorly run or threatening workplace include interpersonal deviance which has detrimental consequences that include lower psychological well-being and increased stress (Del Vecchio & Wagner, 2011; Thibault et al., 2017) . Conversely, the authors assert that “employee attitudes and behaviors are dependent on whether the activities they engage in at work contribute to the satisfaction of the three basic psychological needs for autonomy, competence, and relatedness. These basic psychological needs can be fulfilled depending on the work contexts, and greater satisfaction of these needs leads to better outcomes” (Del Vecchio & Wagner, 2011; Thibault et al., 2017) . Moreover, employees should feel empowered to control parts of their environment so that they can excel in their workplace whether it is in person or remote (Del Vecchio & Wagner, 2011; Thibault et al., 2017) . By capitalizing on employee skills and abilities employers can elicit the best gain possible from each of their workers and can obtain the best results possible in the circumstances from the given individual at hand.
The concept of rewards is also addressed as an advantage in the context of team meetings, collaborations, and other forms of interactivity between teammates. Malik et al. (2014) references the usage of presenting high performing employees with recognition in a public sense, such as within newsletters or team meetings, to share the information with the worker’s peers and to provide favorable feedback as well as an example for others to emulate in their own work (Malik et al., 2014) . Along with building on employee self-image and aiding them in feeling valued and wanted by their workplaces, using these methods can permit managers to exemplify that these members of the workforce are part of a larger group with a shared vision and goal within their company, and as such, since they are part of a team and possess clearly defined roles, individuals do not feel isolated and have support systems such as colleagues and superiors who stand ready to aid them should it be required, especially if such assistance will result in realizing company goals; this, in turn, can further expand on camaraderie and friendship between workers (Applegate, 2019) . Malik et al. (2014) also chime in that using teamwork and allowing staff to work together may offer an increased opportunity for workplace happiness, as it helps employees to demonstrate their skills to others and to show their proficiency in various tasks and subjects.
4. Workplace Culture and Mental Health
Similarly, the relationship between mental health and workplace culture is largely symbiotic, as revealed by several different studies and sources. Haar et al. (2014) reference this situation within his study on work-life balance and overall job satisfaction when measured against such; his study of over 1000 employees yielded an affirming workplace culture for those employees who were happy with their work-life balance and their jobs in general; in addition, those same workers indicated a lower degree of anxiety and depression than did employees in higher stress jobs or whose workplace cultures focused more on threats, intimidation or a dearth of managerial support for worker decision making and autonomy. The authors maintain that “High levels of WLB [work life balance] were more positively associated with job and life satisfaction and more negatively associated with anxiety for individuals in gender-egalitarian cultures. Overall, we find strong support for WLB being beneficial for employees from various cultures and for culture as a moderator of these relationships” (Haar et al., 2014) . Utilizing their study, which included a wide demographic of workers from multiple positions and cultures, Haar et al. (2014) present a strong case for workplace culture and its direct connection to mental health.
Likewise, Tong et al. (2019) references the prevalence of depression within our society and notes that such a condition could easily be exacerbated by a toxic or harmful workplace. Interestingly, those bosses and supervisors who trusted workers to perform their jobs independently and permitted autonomy on the job were far less likely to encounter depression within their workforces, while authoritarian bosses were more inclined to face depressive issues and problems among their staff (Tong et al., 2019) . Li adds that “Job autonomy was found to be an effective way to reduce the negative impact of depression on employees’ well-being, a finding that should be considered when organizations develop their work policies” (Tong et al., 2019) . Managers who trust workers to do their jobs and to make their own decisions concerning their workload and how it should be handled are more apt to receive the results they desire from those employees and teams, therefore, whereas authoritative managers or micromanagers are less likely to earn the responses or emotional investment from their workforces that they may desire. This scenario may be particularly true for those employees who do not feel connected to their jobs, or even those who feel that their jobs are meaningless. Bubonya, Cobb-Clark and Wooden (2017) reflect on this idea: “We find that absence rates are approximately five percent higher among workers who report being in poor mental health” (Bubonya et al., 2017) . The authors further point out that “Job conditions are relatively more important in understanding diminished productivity at work if workers are in good rather than poor mental health” (Bubonya et al., 2017) . In almost all cases, the authors noted that job security and support from upper-level staff and personnel played a role in how subordinates viewed themselves, their corporations, and their workplace tasks, and they were more likely to be pessimistic about ongoing job prospects and job security if they felt that management was not supportive of their well-being, emotionally or otherwise (Bubonya et al., 2017) . Thus, the fact that this item is a priority for supervisory staff is important to show workers that the company cares about them more than simple numbers or workers within the corporation.
4.1. Consequences of Negative Workplace Culture
Numerous adverse consequences can arise from negative workplace culture, or one where management is unsupportive or uncaring. Among these problems could be sexual discrimination or harassment, workplace bullying, or social ostracism, which could cause mental strife, anguish, and depression for those affected by them. Powroznik (2017) provides a blatant example of how one form of discrimination, that of weight-based bias and isolation of workers who are carrying a few extra pounds. Powroznik states that “overweight and obese employees are rated more negatively and receive lower hiring recommendations when evaluated for companies with health promotion programs. These findings suggest that health promotion increases the salience and perceived legitimacy of negative fat stereotypes that facilitate weight-based discrimination” (Powroznik, 2017) . Since these workers could then suffer from a lack of promotions and options to expand on their careers, in tandem with their own self-image being eroded by their physical and mental conditions, adverse comments in the workplace could further degrade them and cause them to avoid their jobs, have a higher degree of absenteeism, and possibly even abandon their positions. Similarly, Triana et al. (2019) reference the surprisingly prevalent specter of sexual harassment and gender discrimination and how such can affect workplace relations and progress: “…perceived gender discrimination is negatively related to job attitudes, physical health outcomes and behaviors, psychological health, and work-related outcomes (job-based and relationship-based)”. Moreover, the authors also discovered that these forms of discrimination tended to be more prevalent within countries where labor policies were less enforced and were laxer overall (Triana et al., 2019) . The results of these authors’ studies show that gender discrimination must be reduced or eradicated in order to allow for a positive workplace, and that employees must feel safe and accepted in order to be happy, productive, and loyal to their home companies. Thus, removing the negative consequences of workplaces can make items more optimistic and leaves the door open for more favorable consequences.
4.2. Positive Workplace Culture
Empowering workers to think for themselves and to make their own decisions, and who also acknowledge and provide resources to aid in mental health issues within their departments, are furthermore a more powerful tool to ensure that workers feel respected since they can aid in bridging the gap between workers and upper management or the spaces which separate workers from one another psychologically (Dimoff & Kelloway, 2019) . Dimoff and Kelloway (2019) observe that mental health issues can cost companies immeasurable sums of money, both in terms of employee turnover and in lost revenue from having to replace personnel for those who may leave the company or seek out alternative employment (Dimoff & Kelloway, 2019) . Specifically, leaders who received training shared more information about mental health were more supportive of employees’ mental health issues and were also in employees’ using employer provided mental health resources. Employees whose leaders attended the training also reported an increased willingness to seek out and use available resources” (Dimoff & Kelloway, 2019) . When administrators are well-versed in mental health problems and either know how to address them or are familiar with resources within their given organization to address such issues, they are better equipped to help their staff and in turn, can provide a supportive environment and retain quality staff members. Hence, harnessing these resources and directing people to them when they are necessary can redirect employees into a productive and more motivated course of action and can alleviate workplace stress, problems, or even loss of employment (Dimoff & Kelloway, 2019) .
But the link between mental health and workplace culture does not end there. Williamson, Stevelink, and Greenberg (2018) observe in their study that workers may oftentimes encounter situations within the course of their workplace duties which may trigger mental health issues such as Post Traumatic Stress Disorder or PTSD, or which may directly oppose an employee’s own personal values or belief system (Williamson et al., 2018) . The grounds of Williamson’s study focused on the prevalence of such cases within the workplace: “Many people confront potentially morally injurious experiences (PMIEs) in the course of their work which can violate deeply held moral values or beliefs, putting them at risk for psychological difficulties (e.g., post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), depression, etc.)” (Williamson, Stevelink, & Greenberg, 2018) . From Williamson’s vantage point, the after-effects of such conditions can include repercussions up to and including suicide (Williamson et al., 2018) . According to the study results, the aftermath of such exposures “…were associated with more symptoms of anxiety and behavioral problems (e.g., hostility)” (Williamson et al., 2018) . Assimilating a positive workplace culture, then, could possibly offset any negativity that could arise from these office interchanges and can furnish operatives with the tools that they may need to remain mentally and psychologically healthy considering these instances.
Rahmi (2019) states that “happiness is one of the important issues that need to be considered especially in the work environment” (para. 2). Rahmi further observes that “employees who feel the happiness at work tend to focus more on their work and increase their productivities. Happiness at work is influenced by job satisfaction, job engagement, workplace security, managing stress and self-confidence” (para. 2). These concepts are essential as they are imperative to have in conjunction with one another; by having them combined in the proper blend, then, a welcoming and productive workplace may be created which can operate successfully and which can, therefore, retain quality employees. Pradhan et al. (2017) concur with these findings, adding that “employee wellbeing was positively associated with employee empowerment. Happiness was found to be a significant mediator between employee wellbeing and empowerment” (Pradhan et al., 2017) . Those managers who trust their workers to do the right thing and to make decisions according to their own best judgment, as well as within their own problem-solving abilities, are more inclined to have satisfied employees than those administrators who micromanage, are authoritarian, or are dictatorial; those forms of management tend to result in greater levels of resentment, dissatisfaction, and higher job turnover. As such, listening to workers, granting credence to their input, and letting them be the best judge of their own problems can often be the best course of action.
Along similar lines, Wall et al. (2017) reflect on the usage of a positive work mentality and appreciation being used against the greater context of the workplace, particularly in the case of large group projects necessitating collaboration or continual daily interaction with others. Wall et al. posit that “…insight into the adaptation of appreciative inquiry under challenging circumstances in the context of a work-based learning project. It also provides a richer picture of how positive emotion can manifest in ways which are meaningful to a localized context” (para. 2). The authors then go on to note “It seems that positive emotions create safe workplaces spaces to explore values, meaning, accomplishment, and vision where personal and organizational transformation can happen. However, rather than such an asset view which focusses on what is present and on vision (i.e., something to create)” (para. 5). This allows workers to not only indulge in the company’s vision and ideas for its own direction but permits them to include their thoughts as to how they can aid in building that same sort of progress on the given task and for the improvement of themselves, the company and their coworkers’ workflow. Hence, using this approach can permit everyone to have a voice, to be a part of something larger than themselves while registering their own contributions, and to build on the company’s trajectory as they are able.
Lastly, there is unfortunately an overriding adverse stigma surrounding those who grapple with mental health issues and who seek out treatment for such. To that end, employers can serve as a liaison to connect workers with much-needed services and assistance when and where it is required. Kent et al. (2018) advises that the most probable pathway to success for organizations would be to implement programs to assist in coping with mental health problems and to incorporate these as essential portions of the main workplace culture. Kent et al. (2018) reference “programs, policies, and attributes of the physical and social environments that support employees’ health and well-being”. By extension, the writers point out that happy and healthy workers will then benefit the community at large because of their increased and expanded mental and emotional health. Through constructing what the authors deem as a “culture of health” within their study, the stage is set for creating that selfsame subset of culture within the workplace, and as such, the labor force can enjoy the possibility of increased mental health, aid for any conditions that they may face if they do have mental health difficulties, and a happy and healthy community due to their contributions. Hence, forming programs such as these as an offshoot of workplace culture and a readily available resource for staff members can ensure an upbeat and productive workplace overall.
5. Results for Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) Therapy
Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) Therapy is defined as “a type of therapy that focuses on improving specific behaviors, such as social skills, communication, reading, and academics as well as adaptive learning skills, such as fine motor dexterity, hygiene, grooming, domestic capabilities, punctuality, and job competence” (Psychology Today, 2020: para. 1) . This concept is especially important in terms of job and workplace ability and competence since it allows workers to be able to efficiently accomplish their tasks correctly and in a timely fashion. The idea of this type of behavioral assessment was first brought to light in 1968 in studies (Critchfield & Reed, 2017) . The primary premise behind this theory is that it allows for the assessment of acceptable workplace behavior or reasonable behavior conduct within a given background (Critchfield & Reed, 2017) . However, as Critchfield and Reed also note, the main construct of this theory does not allow for deviations in behavior which may still be acceptable both professionally and socially, yet which do not fall under the tenets of this behavioral theory (Critchfield & Reed, 2017) . As such, understanding that there can be exceptions to these rules which may still be permissible in a workplace setting as well as within everyday communications should be pondered, and the authors go as far as suggesting that the parameters for how this philosophy is measured and applied should potentially be revisited and revamped as necessary (Critchfield & Reed, 2017) . This notion would support the ideals usually presented by therapists who coach clients with ABA techniques, as therapeutic ABA focuses on which behaviors a client may want to work on or alter completely, set goals and deadline dates for reaching them, assess where they stand currently as far as attaining those goals, and determine how best to measure steps toward achieving the goals in question (Psychology Today, 2020: para. 2) . In many cases, this form of therapy is employed to address those whose behaviors may need to be changed for minor reasons (such as those who would like to advance within their workplaces but are introverted and would like to become more outgoing); in other instances, these therapies are used for more extreme behavioral deviations from normal standards, such as those posed by autism. By and large, however, in the constraints of workplace environments, this therapy is used to help clients determine who, how, and where they wish to be and the steps that they could take on their own to accomplish those objectives.
From an organizational standpoint, ABA can form a backbone for expected behaviors in the office as well as other measures, such as how to evaluate efficiency for each worker and what means would serve best to perform an evaluation of this type (Psychology Today, 2020: para. 2) . Each of these areas can inadvertently create an opening for undesirable conduct or actions, and the results of these items could cause ramifications including financial costs or even ruin, cost employees’ jobs, create a hazardous environment for workers, or other related issues. To that end, managers who institute this form of behavior analysis in their respective departments or teams can gain a sense of who is proficient in one area as opposed to another and assign roles to workers according to their strengths (ABA, 2020) .
However, this form of therapy is not a cure-all, nor is it a “one size fits all” tactic intended to correct all behavior issues and to set employees onto a productive career path, such as a leadership track. An outgrowth of this therapy is that of persuasive technology, as presented by Selassie, Oyibo, and Vassileva in their study in 2017. The authors assert that “Persuasive technology capitalizes on the use of technology and the art of persuasion to change the behaviors and attitudes of people without the use of coercion” (Selassie et al., 2017) , which would coincide with the kind of leadership style that would most proficiently supplement a positive workplace: that of leading by example and implementing a supportive and favorable office environment instead of leading by way of threats, dictatorship-style management, authoritarian behavior, and other related concepts. Additionally, using this method allows employees the chance to better outline their workplace duties and detail them so that upper-level leadership will be cognizant of how workers spend their time and how tasks should be delegated (such as if one employee appears to be overloaded, while another has very little to do and can complete his or her workload in a relatively short period). “In many workplaces, it is important that employees provide detailed records of their activities for easy tracking of an organization’s day-to-day activities and future historical reference” (Selassie et al., 2017) . This tracking is significant not only to determine how and when tasks should be assigned but also in industries such as the legal field, where clients are billed depending upon how much time is spent upon that client’s file or addressing that firm’s issues. Thus, this tool would be one more tool for managers to implement that would allow the workday to proceed more smoothly and in a more organized manner.
Applied Behavior Analysis Service Providers
ABA can be correlated to several specific populations, one of which is that of the service providers such as first responders, as such jobs can be mentally and physically grueling due to the continual interaction with others, the need to always provide exemplary customer service, and the requirement to satisfy bosses and their requirements. It also affects individuals with Autistic Disorder or touched by Autism in some fashion (Simpson, 2020) .
Benedettini and Neely (2019) reflect the same thoughts as well, as they present the fact that relationships within a business setting (especially those in customer care and service providers) can fluctuate wildly depending upon circumstances, and as such, possessing an understanding of customer needs and how to best react to them can provide the best line of preparation for workers in most given settings. For example, first responders can prepare for a shift by anticipating the kind of patients whom they may encounter during that time frame, and gather needed equipment accordingly, such as specific drugs or medical equipment. Moreover, the authors place a special emphasis on the fiscal implications of being prepared and how workplaces have learned to adapt to the potential needs of both consumers and workers. By planning, and anticipating training needs, everyone can come away from the exchange feeling happy, satisfied, and best equipped for what may occur, instead of guessing what may be necessary and possibly falling short of what the customer desires. This could lead to a negative customer experience along with a negative work experience (such as by way of an unfavorable consumer review or a write up from a supervisor for the employee if the correct protocols were not followed) which could then cause the worker to become disillusioned or unhappy with his or her job and the customer unsatisfied with the experience; thus, training for such instances is tantamount to ensuring that such scenarios will not take place, or will be minimized as much as is possible within the circumstances.
Lastly, another area that is impacted by ABA and which has been studied is the correlation between behavioral safety, overall workplace safety, and individual worker health. Rost and Alvero (2020) refer to the obvious course of behavioral safety in which managers assess workers for possible dangers and seek out resources to address mental health or psychological issues when and where they are needed; however, safety within the workplace itself is also touched upon within this work, as workstations should be tailored to the comfort and safety of those who utilize them daily. In particular, the authors stress the importance of ergonomics and how including such touches within workstations can make immense differences in the holistic health of employees throughout the company. Customized accouterments such as height appropriate desks and chairs, seating with posture support, and ergonomic keyboards can make for more comfortable working environments and can even contribute to employee health. Conditions such as carpal tunnel, back pain, neck pain, eye strain, and more can be alleviated or possibly even avoided with these protocols in place. The writers re-emphasize this core premise by claiming that managers should “bridge the gap between two major participatory safety management approaches: behavioral safety and participatory ergonomics” (Rost & Alvero, 2020) . In so doing, supervisory staff members can not only alleviate medical and health problems which could result in a greater degree of absenteeism and a more difficult workload for their team, but they could also demonstrate that they care for those who perform tasks for them; small added perks such as these can add up cumulatively to create a welcoming environment for all workers. Hence, these aspects taken singly may appear to make little differences; however, when viewed in the context of numerous other perks in the workplace, there can be an amassed value for these objects and how they gel to generate an ideal workspace and business.
6. Operant/Respondent Conditioning
In the realm of operant and respondent conditioning, much like within a work-place setting, a specific form of behavior is modeled, exemplified, and expected to be followed by all members of personnel and at all levels. To that end, operant and respondent conditioning help to expand more on the principles introduced within ABA. Novak et al. (2020) make this parallel clear within his study, noting that what he termed as organizational behavior management or OBM is a scion of ABA which focuses on ways to improve staff and personnel behavior and to notate patterns by way of tools such as feedback.
Novak et al. (2020) also point out that since workplaces are generally locales where changes occur on a nearly continual basis, equipping workers to be prepared for these is just as imperative as having appropriate work training for their tasks or the requisite tools for their job duties. However, the crucial difference between operant/respondent conditioning and Applied Behavior Analysis is how behavior manifests itself, especially if negative behaviors resurface or are reinforced by the circumstances at hand. Novak et al. (2020) warn of the potential of precisely such an incident occurring, stating that:
One explanation which Novak et al. touch upon which could justify the existence of such unwanted behaviors is the usage of illicit drugs or health issues including obesity (Novak et al., 2020) . Anything along these lines could skew a worker’s actions into an unproductive spiral at best or a damaging path at worst for their own well-being. If these individuals are unable to perform to the standards or conduct guidelines expected of them, then it falls to their teammates to pick up the excess work which needs completion, which could lead to underlying resentment or anger between colleagues. Moreover, an unequal division of work duties could cause teams to lose sight of their goals and to fall behind in their progress, resulting in corporate fiscal problems, missed client deadlines, and other problems that could impact the corporation’s overall reputation and presentation to the community. Hence, being cognizant of these types of problems and advocating for the type of therapeutic pathway which could best address the issues at hand could help management keep their departments on course and in focus rather than permitting squabbles and underlying annoyance take over among their workgroups.
Too, operant/respondent conditioning is designed to develop and execute strategies that promote desirable actions (Novak et al., 2020) . Novak et al. believe that this scenario may be achieved through tools such as feedback and training; for example, incoming new hires are given protocols by which to abide and which delineate the type of behavior they are expected to exhibit and display (Novak et al., 2020) . Likewise, Hulbert-Williams et al. (2016) reference the gravity of using behavior science as a means of providing effective feedback for workers which is both personalized and meaningful; such information can direct employees succinctly, correctly and in a fashion by which they feel as if their accomplishments are being noted by management and upper-level staff and that they are making an impact on the company’s progress through their own work (para. 2). Although Hulbert-Williams et al. acknowledge that behavioral science can backfire if it is not used correctly, the majority of their study’s findings reveal that this practice can be harnessed to provide feedback that can serve as an effective guide for personnel at all facets of the firm. “Existing approaches that are gaining popularity in the coaching field such as Dialectic Behavioral Therapy and Mindfulness enjoy a close affiliation with Contextual Behavioral Science (CBS)” (para. 2). Using this philosophy, then, leadership can help to form a customized plan for each worker in a department that clearly defines that worker’s role and makes his or her impact on the company’s bottom line and goals a visual and measurable
With both operant/respondent conditioning and Applied Behavior Analysis, although the programs appear similar and nearly analogous on the surface, there are some subtle differences that can separate them from one another. Operant/respondent conditioning places a larger emphasis on tailoring input and information to recipients’ needs, while Applied Behavior Analysis focuses on a person’s goals and the steps that he or she can take to strive to meet those selfsame goals (whether they are personal, career-oriented, or a blend of each). These two forms of therapeutic approaches can be used simultaneously to formulate a holistic view of a person and customize a plan for that individual that would best suit the pathway that he or she would need to pursue to achieve success.
7. Gaps Identified in the Current Literature
This studied identified a significant gap in the literature and one important area that needs to be studies is understanding how Applied Behavioral Analysis can be used to review the characteristics of a positive workplace, consider how the effects of such a workplace may affect its employees, and measure as to whether those same effects could be felt in venues outside of the workplace environment, mainly within the community overall. Recent research has provided an overview of some of the primary elements which can help to make for a welcoming and productive workplace, including physical comfort and attributes, managerial support and backing for worker decision making, and alleviation of items that can generate worker stress, either inadvertently or otherwise (Wesarat et al., 2014) . Wesarat et al. (2014) add that the workplace setting is a critical component of worker performance as well and influences health and social ties (Wesarat et al., 2014) which is the focus and area of review for this doctoral project. By way of creating an ideal physical and emotional setting for workers, the individuals from a given company are more inclined to be proud of their workplaces and to be more loyal to their bosses and to their colleagues, and they are also more likely to be pleased with their work-life balance and their lives on and off the job, thereby leading to favorable interactions with external people outside company boundaries and from their towns. There are many ways that managers and supervisors can demonstrate care and concern for their workforces and check in on them without being overbearing or micromanaging can be the determining factor for overall corporate and worker success alike.
Along with expanding on worker self-esteem and skills, company leadership can also be instrumental in aiding for workers who may require it and who may not have any other means of obtaining such, or who may not know how to go about locating it. Mental health issues, for example, can and do still have negative connotations associated with them in the eyes of numerous communities and people, and to that end, those persons who find themselves grappling with these kinds of problems could be hesitant at best to seek out help on their own without support from a clear and focused external source. A close confidante at work or a boss, on the other hand, could be a solid guiding force for these people, and by offering direction without judgment, staff may be more motivated to find and obtain assistance without fear of repercussions such as job loss or penalty.
However, it is equally important for management to be cognizant of such issues as well, as such problems could potentially pose dangers for other workers at the organization; thus, understanding the problem at hand and ensuring that it is being addressed in a manner that will provide for everyone’s safety is key. Too, more common ailments such as depression are extremely prevalent throughout society and in countless workplaces as well; personnel who suffer from this may find themselves literally paralyzed mentally and unable to perform the tasks of their job effectively. Without a treatment option at hand, these workers are more likely to lag in performance (or be unable to perform at all at their jobs) and could be faced with consequences including their teammates having to bear a greater portion of the workload (thereby resulting in resentment from those individuals), and the afflicted person could even face disciplinary action up to and including employment termination. Hence, granting leadership the authority to intervene in these instances and provide resources and direction to help the worker get back onto a productive track is imperative for the achievement of the company as well as the cohesion of the department. Peters (2018) references the need for what she refers to as “mindfulness” and advises utilizing programs such as online training platforms to help managers stay abreast of possible workplace problems and to also keep workers informed as to the possible resources that they may have available to them for assistance if it should be necessary (para. 4). Roy and Konwar (2020) point out that most people simply want others to like them for who they are and their abilities, and workplace members are no exception to that rule: “anyone can be happy at work, not only you could, but you should also”. In that sense, employers can improve on how they provide feedback to their subordinates and the type of information that they provide. For example, most workplaces focus on where errors have been made or where employees made a mistake and seek to assign blame instead of working with their teams to identify, address, and resolve a problem, individually or collectively. By acknowledging that there is an issue and soliciting input from staff to solve the problem, management leadership can provide a more positive approach to the topic and the solution instead of seeking out someone to whom blame can be assigned. That fact alone can assist workers in feeling better about the exchange and allow them to come away from the discussion feeling as if they have a direction and a means of correcting errors when they should happen instead of worrying about facing the blame.
Furthermore, other ways that management could demonstrate caring for workers could be illustrated through added health initiatives, including smoking cessation, exercise, and weight loss, to name just a few; these notions are important to sustain and uphold worker health and well-being to maintain their productivity and overall satisfaction in tandem with improving social ties, which would align with the social cognition theory. Kava et al. (2018) references the validity of introducing seminars and other related tools to aid employees in decreasing or stopping smoking altogether, while spirituality and associated beliefs can be shared with other workers and can function as a unifying force as well (Alas & Mousa, 2016) .
Too, Roy and Konwar note the importance of making employees feel as if what they do has importance attached to it and that their role has meaning for the company, themselves, and their colleagues. “When people have a sense of meaning in their work, they become more committed to the organization People feel happy when they pursue meaningful activities” (Roy & Konwar, 2020) . By sharing the rationale as to why a specific task is necessary or why it is being done, supervisors can make staff feel more included in the team and can incorporate them in the workflow process, in conjunction with empowering them to take charge of their work tasks and to spearhead their own completion of their work. If they are also trusted by management to make decisions as to how tasks are completed or how to resolve problems, then staff are also more inclined to rise to the occasion of addressing items as needed and supporting others when they had issues also. Thus, this approach is one that is symbiotic for all concerned.
However, the link between workplace happiness and the community does not end with workplace performance measurements. Joo and Lee (2017) completed a study regarding the correlation of workplace happiness and how it tied in with local community standards overall. Using a measurement of over 500 participants, the authors assessed what they deemed as the perceived organizational support for the workers along with the “psychological capital” or PsyCap and how each of these affected an employee’s working life. In their study, Joo and Lee measured “happiness in employees’ work (i.e., work engagement), careers (i.e., career satisfaction), and lives (i.e., subjective well-being (SWB))” (para. 2). Upon compiling results, Joo and Lee determined that “Employees were highly engaged in their work, satisfied with their careers, and felt a greater sense of well-being in their lives when they had higher POS and PsyCap. Work engagement fully mediated the relationship between PsyCap and career satisfaction” (para. 3). These results validate the notion that work satisfaction provides for a happier overall outlook on life, in general, both inside and outside the workplace, and grants workers a sense of purpose and meaning for their working lives and for their careers. Moreover, these ideals can help to build friendships that can last both on and off the job. Thus, workplace engagement can provide overall well-being and psychological support.
Interestingly, the question also arose as to whether males or females were more satisfied with their jobs and whether that affected their interactions with the community. Mousa et al. (2020) distributed surveys among over 200 participants to assess their quality of job happiness and how it interacted with their own lives. Out of the participants’ results, most female replies indicated that they did view management’s perception of them a bit differently than their male colleagues did; however, they were more favorable concerning the topic of job happiness: “…gender has no or little effect on…perceptions of workplace happiness. We also found that workplace happiness positively affects…organizational citizenship behavior, and finally, diversity management practices can mediate the relationship between workplace happiness and … organizational citizenship behavior” (para. 3). Survey results further added that “…managers can raise the feeling of workplace happiness among their staff if they maintain some personal relationships…, care about… work/life balance, promote after work gatherings, initiate coffee time talks, encourage open communication practices” (para. 4). This idea would support the concept of allowing supervisors to check-in and readily mingle with staff as a means of seeing how they are doing, what issues they may be having, and just being a part of the team rather than isolating themselves from their underlings. As such, incorporating themselves into the process, without being overbearing or micromanaging, can aid workers to be the best that they can possibly be and to perform their best work, thus helping the company to reach the apex of its achievements.
8. Looking toward the Future
In tandem with improvements in business as well as in living conditions, management can also utilize survey results to determine which workers may want to make changes in their own roles. Therefore, survey results can also reflect upon which workers possess leadership qualities and determine who may be a solid fit for such a role at a future time once they have proven their capabilities for problem-solving, directing others, and upholding a productive work-life balance. While there may be individuals who are content with working in their assigned roles and avoiding leadership placements, others may aspire to become department heads or other higher-ups within the organization; providing them with the tools and direction that could aid them in achieving this benchmark would be of benefit in this regard. One method which could be helpful could include assigning employees a mentor, who would work closely with that individual and demonstrate a hands-on view of the position and what would be required to be successful within that capacity. Moreover, mentorships can also allow subordinates to better grasp how upper-level employees address the complexities of situations that they face daily, and these managers can grant personalized guidance and suggestions to workers to ensure that they are following the correct ethical, moral, and legal pathways to attain and uphold the parameters for the position at hand. Hence, pairing a more senior worker who is a leader with a lower-level employee could help to provide for a solid future career path if that is indeed what should be desired.
9. Conclusion
This systematic review identified that employee satisfaction is on the decline in the United States after the COVID-19 pandemic, and events such as the Great Resignation and phenomena such as “quiet quitting” have changed how employers recruit and maintain employees. This systematic review examined that different strategies are used to improve employee morale and satisfaction in different workplace environments and for employees with different levels of education and training. Rao et al. (2018) define happiness as its own entity: “Happiness is often equated with a form of mood or emotion and is often confused with the word satisfaction… Psychologists attribute happiness as positive emotions in psychology….happiness is the outcome of workplace practices or policies”. The authors consider intrinsic, extrinsic, and work-life issues as a measure of how happiness in a specific person can be weighed and measured. Nidumolu (2020) proposes that the concept of holistic well-being, instead of simply focusing on workplace well-being, can provide a better picture of an employee’s background, personality, and standing within his or her position as well as within the community (Rao et al., 2018) . Nidumolu also notes that workplace well-being has become a greater concern for managers and leaders within many organizations due to the rising number of pressures that employees face daily, both on and off the job (Rao et al., 2018) . To that end, then, Nidumolu recommends reviewing social well-being at work, the ties and interconnectivity workers have with one another as well as with their bosses, and their satisfaction with their position, along with their physical comfort within their workspaces (Rao et al., 2018) . By way of considering these factors, workers can become more engaged in their tasks, develop better relationships with those around them, and be better equipped physically and emotionally to address their workloads (Rao et al., 2018) .
Along the same lines, including aspects of workers’ personalities can also be beneficial, such as touching on spiritual faith or inherent values that workers possess within themselves and their own lives. Hassan, Bin Nadeem, and Akhter (2016) reference the importance of spirituality and how it may weigh into whether workers can experience job-related happiness as well as community satisfaction. Hassan et al. (2016) believe that workplace spirituality is a concept that is comprised of meaningful work, a sense of community, and value of organization. With trust as an underlying factor, workers can readily see support from higher-level management, and that support can allow them to feel more favorably about their jobs.
Similarly, systems such as public recognition within meetings or company communiques such as newsletters or emails can offer a reward by granting attention to those staff members who go above and beyond in their positions. Some corporations offer financial rewards as well, such as fiscal bonuses; however, there are some opponents to that line of thinking due to the level of competition that could result from attempts to achieve these sums. In many cases, though, workers are pleased to receive acknowledgment of their efforts, and financial recompense for such items can aid them with unexpected expenses or offer them a bonus such as a vacation or a new purchase. It can also give back to the community by adding extra spending into local merchants when these workers do spend those funds. Hence, this benefit is one that can be advantageous to the employee and the community simultaneously. Additionally, providing collaborative activities such as teamwork projects, videoconferencing, or having coworkers divide workloads into teams can be helpful for timely completion of tasks as well as solidifying bonds between these workers. These relationships can make for a more efficient team and a cohesive and connected neighborhood that is harmonious for residents and visitors alike.
But workplace happiness does not end at the end of the workday, nor does it simply affect individuals in the business setting itself. Studies have shown that events from the workday can affect an individual at every turn, touching upon their personal lives as well, including their marriages, familial relationships, hobbies, and relationships with friends or others (DeBastiani, 2023) . To that end, then, managers can improve the performance of employees that report to them by simply providing a positive, nurturing workplace environment that encourages engagement and gives respect to all genuine efforts by employees. Providing a positive and upbeat workplace is thus imperative to sustain employee health, well-being at both physical and emotional levels, and expanding on staff self-esteem and self-image. There are many ways that upper-level leadership can work to generate a positive workplace, such as creating a comfortable workspace tailored to a given person’s physical needs (such as an ergonomic keyboard or a specific office chair). A physically comfortable office will allow for employees to be more focused on their tasks rather than on their discomfort. Additionally, supervisors can check in ask is struggling with depression or undergoing a divorce is likely to be distracted and therefore may make more errors within his or her work than he or she would otherwise do; being cognizant of those issues and offering assistance or directing personnel to helpful resources in such events can permit the workers to retain their employment while formulating a plan to get back on track and becoming refocused on their position. Employees will perform better if they know that their supervisors value the well-being of all their employees. Studies have shown that many employees do not quit the job or company as much as they choose to resign because of their supervisor (DeBastiani, 2023) .