Basic satisfaction, as a desired reaction among customers and employees, has been challenged by the recommendation to achieve more and to create and capitalize on emotional reactions such as delight. While research on delight has blossomed from the perspective of the customer, research evaluating delight from the perspective of the employee has lagged. As such, important questions such as the optimal way to measure employee delight remain unanswered. In response, the purpose of this study is to define and develop a measure of employee delight to fill this gap.
Across four studies (699 full-time employees and 158 customers), this study uses established scale development procedures to develop and test a measure of employee delight, which is defined as a specific positive emotional response characterized as positive valence and high activation caused by job-related events.
Results support a six-item scale that is shown to be a reliable and valid measure of employee delight. In addition to establishing its psychometric properties, findings also provided insights into several variables that explain the formation of, and outcomes associated with, this distinct employee emotion. Finally, results also show that customers can assess employee delight, and that delighted employees have a positive impact on the customer.
Strategic decision-makers may also incorporate employee delight into their arsenal of intangible and inimitable resources; an emotion that, if suitably managed, could not only result in a dynamic capability but also create a sustained competitive advantage.
This multi-study investigation provides a validated measure of employee delight. This scale is valuable to researchers investigating various strategic issues, including how best to nurture and maintain delight among employees. This scale is also beneficial to researchers studying performance differences across individuals, groups and organizations.
