Linking psychological capital to the well-being of university teachers: The roles of work thriving, job burnout, and perceptions of politics

Background With the increasing emphasis on research performance in universities and the associated stress levels among college teachers, understanding the factors that influence their well-being is crucial. Objective This study, grounded in the conservation of resources theory, examines how psychological capital affects the well-being of university teachers, focusing on the mediating roles of work thriving and job burnout, and the moderating effect of perceptions of organizational politics. Method A two-phase survey involving 160 university teachers was conducted. Results Psychological capital was found to enhance well-being by promoting work thriving and reducing job burnout. However, perceptions of organizational politics weakened the protective effect of psychological capital on job burnout, thereby diminishing its indirect influence on overall well-being. Conclusion The study underscores the importance of fostering psychological capital within educational institutions and addressing the negative impacts of organizational politics to improve the well-being of university teachers.