Appreciative inquiry and strengths development in the workplace: a dual comparative study

ABSTRACT

Research has shown that Appreciative Inquiry (AI) and strengths development interventions can foster well-being, engagement, and performance in the workplace. However, additional studies are needed to develop effective interventions and test their effects on these variables, notably from a comparative perspective. The objective of this research was therefore to measure and compare the effects of AI and strengths development interventions on employee well-being, engagement, and performance at work. Two quasi-experimental studies were conducted among workers in France (n = 202; in-person intervention protocol) and Canada (n = 70; online intervention protocol). Results of analyses of variance indicate that AI and strengths development interventions led to improvements in well-being and engagement. Additionally, results suggest that AI and strengths development interventions produce distinct effects on the studied variables. Theoretical and practical implications are discussed.

KEYWORDS:

• Appreciative inquiry
• strengths
• well-being
• engagement
• performance
• work

Acknowledgments

This research was funded by the MITACS Accelerate grant from Canada. We would like to send special thanks to Jacinthe Bergevin and Josée Blaquière for their contribution in designing the Appreciative Inquiry intervention.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Data availability statement

The data that support the findings of this study are available on request from the corresponding author with the permission of the Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières (UQTR). Restrictions apply to the availability of these data, which are not publicly available due to privacy and ethical constraints.

Practitioner points

- This article suggests that AI and strength development interventions can be effective ways to foster well-being and engagement at work.

- This article indicates that AI and strength development interventions may act on different processes related to well-being, engagement and performance at work.

Additional information

Funding

The work was supported by the Mitacs.