How changes in laughter predict work engagement and workaholism: reciprocal relationships among Japanese employees

Laughter is related to better well-being in daily life. Previous cross-sectional research among employees showed a positive relationship between laughter and work-related well-being (i.e., work engagement). However, longitudinal and even bidirectional relationships have not been yet explored. This study thus investigated the longitudinal and reciprocal relationships of laughter, with work engagement and workaholism as positive and negative aspects of work-related well-being. Specifically, we conducted two-wave web-based surveys among Japanese employees via an Internet survey company with a one-year interval, and 855 valid data were analyzed. The hypotheses were then tested using structural equation modeling. The results showed that increases in laughter during the previous year were positively and negatively related to future work engagement and workaholism, respectively. In addition, through changes in laughter, the initial work engagement led to future work engagement (gain cycle), whereas initial workaholism led to future workaholism (loss cycle). These findings suggest that laughter and work-related well-being influence each other reciprocally rather than unidirectionally. This underlines the importance of studying reversed as well as regular causal effects in the relationship between laughter and employee well-being.