Outcomes of Meaningful Work with a Focus on Asia: A Systematic Review

Abstract

Most of the existing literature on meaningful work has come from North America and Europe. Despite an increasing interest in the area in the recent years among scholars and practitioners, there is still a lack of review articles synthesizing meaningful work outcomes, especially studies from Asia. To address this gap, this paper reports a contemporary systematic review from 2000 to July 2020 on meaningful work outcomes by including studies in Asia. The authors focus on answering the question “What are the outcomes when employees experience meaningfulness in work?” A systematic review approach was employed in which material, including gray literature, was gleaned from five online databases. Using specific key search terms, the authors independently evaluated the abstracts and selected literature pertinent to the review question. Further discussion was done to resolve any disagreement on specific items. After selection, the materials were extracted and synthesized. The result revealed that Asian studies affirmed meaningful work outcomes in work-related and personal aspects. The findings suggest that meaningful work is a promising workforce solution in the modern era, as it yields numerous positive outcomes to employees and organizations. Meaningful work should be applied in an integrative way; employees find or craft it in a proactive manner, while organizations manage meaning at all levels at the workplace. Essentially, the authors propose two key elements for effective implementation: integration and balance. Suggestions for future research include further exploration about meaningful work from different stakeholders. Practical implications for individuals and organizations are also discussed.