Effects of Work Passion on Job Performance and Turnover Intentions: The Mediating Role of Job Satisfaction

Background: Nurses may experience decreased job performance and increased turnover intentions. It is thus important to identify the factors that may influence their attitudes and behaviors at work. Objective: The aim of this research was to examine whether nurses’ perceptions of organization segmentation norms have an effect on their work passion, while investigating the direct and indirect effects of work passion on their attitudes and behaviors. Methods: We used a cross-sectional research design. A sample of 368 nurses and assistant nurses working in various French health care centers completed a self-report questionnaire including measures of nurses’ perceptions of organization segmentation norms, work passion, job satisfaction, job performance, and turnover intentions. We tested a structural equation model specifying relationships between these variables in line with our hypotheses. Results: The results showed that nurses’ perceptions of organization segmentation norms were associated with higher levels of harmonious passion (HP) and lower levels of obsessive passion (OP). HP had positive effects on job satisfaction and performance, and negative effects on nurses’ turnover intentions. In contrast, OP was negatively related to job satisfaction and performance, while the relationship between OP and turnover intentions was positive. Finally, HP and OP were indirectly linked to performance and turnover intentions through their effects on job satisfaction. Conclusions: Health care organizations are encouraged to implement actions to promote work-home segmentation norms to enhance nurses’ HP while limiting their OP, in order to improve individual and organizational functioning.