ABERDEEN, S.D.?– Two Northern State University business faculty members are co-authors of a newly published study examining the impact of workplace gratitude on employees in the banking and financial services industry.
The article, “Workplace Gratitude’s Impact on Banking and Financial Services Employees’ Psychological Capital, Intention to Stay and Satisfaction With Life,” appears in the latest edition of the Journal of Applied Business and Economics. The study was conducted by Dr. Kristi Bockorny, Dacotah Bank Dean of the NSU School of Business, and Dr. Aaron Scholl, Assistant Professor of Business at Northern, alongside Todd Muehler of the University of South Dakota and Theresa Giannavola, an adjunct instructor at NSU.
Muehler and Giannavola both previously taught banking courses at Northern, adding further connection to the university’s strong ties in the financial services field.
The research surveyed 167 employees across financial institutions in three Midwestern states, focusing on how gratitude in the workplace influences Psychological Capital (PsyCap), satisfaction with life, and employees' intention to stay with their organization. Results showed that gratitude had a statistically significant, positive relationship with all three variables.
The study also found that gratitude moderates the relationship between Psychological Capital and life satisfaction, strengthening the connection for employees who exhibit higher levels of gratitude. While moderation effects for intention to stay were not statistically significant, gratitude alone had the strongest influence on retention compared to PsyCap or life satisfaction alone.
These findings suggest that workplace gratitude—whether experienced as a stable personality trait or a mindset that can be cultivated—can contribute to greater employee satisfaction and loyalty in an industry where retention is critical.
To read the full article, visit the Journal of Applied Business and Economics:
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