Psychological mechanisms linking employee gratitude and work performance in the Chinese context: A multiple mediation model

Background Trait gratitude, as a stable individual psychological disposition, has been widely acknowledged for its positive association with employees’ job satisfaction and overall well-being. However, the mechanisms through which it influences work performance—particularly within the Chinese cultural context—remain underexplored. Objective This paper aims to investigate the impact of gratitude on employee work performance within the Chinese cultural context, and explore the psychological mechanisms underlying this relationship. Method A total of 278 employees from a Chinese company were recruited to participate in an online survey. They completed the Gratitude Questionnaire, the Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale, the General Self-Efficacy Scale, the Mental Health Continuum—Short Form, and the Job Performance Scale via smartphones or computers. Subsequently, structural equation modeling was conducted to examine the relationships among these variables. Results The results revealed that gratitude significantly and positively predicted work performance ( β = 0.20, p < 0.001). Furthermore, psychological resilience, self-efficacy, and psychological well-being each significantly mediated this relationship, with indirect effect values of 0.266, 0.167, and 0.056, respectively. Additionally, the pathways from psychological resilience to psychological well-being and from self-efficacy to psychological well-being functioned as serial mediators, yielding indirect effect values of 0.078 and 0.052, respectively. Conclusion In summary, this study elucidates the psychological mechanisms through which gratitude influences Chinese employees’ work performance. Furthermore, the findings provide practical insights for organizations aiming to enhance employee productivity in the Chinese context. Specifically, psychological interventions designed to strengthen positive psychological resources may effectively improve work performance among Chinese employees with high levels of trait gratitude.