The curvilinear nature of employee flourishing: longitudinal evidence on workplace dignity and positive emotions across career stages

Purpose This study explores how workplace dignity (WD) and positive emotions (PE) contribute to employee flourishing (FW), while examining the moderating role of career tenure in Indian organizations. Design/methodology/approach A two-wave longitudinal survey over six months was conducted with employees from diverse industries in India. Structural equation modelling was employed to test mediation and moderation effects, and importance–performance map analysis (IPMA) was used to identify actionable priorities. Findings Workplace dignity mediates the relationship between PE and flourishing. While overall moderation effects were not significant, analysis of tenure subgroups revealed a curvilinear pattern under which career tenure moderates both pathways: early-career employees (0–2 years) report stronger emotion–dignity links, whereas long-tenure employees (11+ years) benefit most from dignity-flourishing relationships. Mid-tenure employees (3–10 years) show weaker effects, suggesting a curvilinear trajectory. IPMA highlights amusement and love as underperforming emotions requiring targeted interventions. Research limitations/implications Findings are based on self-reported data within a six-month timeframe and limited to Indian organizations. Future studies should incorporate multi-source data and cross-cultural contexts to enhance generalizability. Practical implications Embedding dignity in human resources (HR) practices and fostering positive emotional climates can enhance flourishing across career stages. Organizations can design targeted interventions for specific emotions and tenure groups to sustain employee well-being. Originality/value This study introduces workplace dignity as a novel mechanism linking PE to employee flourishing and highlights career-stage nuances using longitudinal evidence from an emerging economy.