Workplace spirituality and job satisfaction among teachers: influence of well-being and spiritual leadership

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to examine the role of well-being in mediating the relationship between workplace spirituality and job satisfaction. It also studies the role of spiritual leadership in moderating the effect of workplace spirituality on well-being. Design/methodology/approach The study proposes a hypothesized model tested among 515 teachers from Indian higher educational institutions, selected through random sampling. Mediation and moderation analysis are used to test the hypothesized relationships. Findings Drawn on positive organizational studies, the results indicate that inner well-being, comprising of psychological, emotional, social, spiritual and intellectual dimensions, does not mediate the relationship between spiritual dimension of workplace spirituality and job satisfaction. Same effect is observed for mediation role of physical well-being. However, inner well-being and physical well-being both mediate the relationship between mindfulness and job satisfaction among teachers. Also, teachers experience higher levels of well-being in the presence of spiritual leadership at their workplaces. Research limitations/implications The paper contributes to leadership and workplace spirituality literature by testing an integrated framework of mediating role of inner well-being and physical well-being. Practical implications The study helps practitioners to integrate their practices and programs with workplace spirituality for improving well-being and attaining positive outcomes, which can further contribute to performance and productivity in institutions. Originality/value The proposed framework highlights the impact of workplace spirituality dimensions and mindfulness on inner well-being and physical well-being of teachers which lead to positive outcomes such as job satisfaction. It also enriches the spiritual leadership literature.