The relationship between job involvement and well-being

Researchers have reported contradictory relations between job involvement and well-being. In this study, a differentiation was made between job involvement based on need congruence and the resulting need fulfillment in one's job and job involvement not based on this concept. Participants were 383 women and 50 men. Job involvement based on need congruence was related to a high level of well-being. Job involvement not based on need congruence was independent from well-being or was negatively related to it. The mean levels of the two kinds of involvement were equal. Results suggest that job involvement is related to well-being only if the constructs are based on equal processes-that is, on need congruence in one's job.