Why happy employees help: How meaningfulness, collectivism, and support transform job satisfaction into helping behaviours

Purpose Drawing from conservation of resources theory, the purpose of this paper is to investigate the relationship between employees' job satisfaction and helping behaviour, and, particularly, how it may be moderated by two personal resources (work meaningfulness and collectivistic orientation) and one organisational resource (organisational support). Design/methodology/approach Quantitative data were collected from a survey administered to employees and their supervisors in a Pakistani-based organisation. Findings The usefulness of job satisfaction for stimulating helping behaviour is greater when employees believe that their work activities are meaningful, emphasise collective over individual interests, and believe that their employer cares for their well-being. Practical implications The results inform organisations about the circumstances in which they can best leverage employees' positive job energy, which arises from their job satisfaction, to encourage their voluntary assistance of other organisational members. Originality/value This study extends research on positive work behaviours by examining the concurrent roles that job satisfaction and several contingent factors play in promoting employee helping behaviour. In particular, it highlights the invigorating effects of these factors on the usefulness of the enthusiasm that employees feel about their job situation for increasing their willingness to extend help to other members, on a voluntary basis.