The Relationship Between Empowerment, Social Support, and Happiness at Work Among Employees in The Private Sector of The Transportation and Warehousing Industry in Chonburi Province

Abstract

This research aimed to 1) examine the levels of empowerment, social support, and happiness at work, and 2) investigate the relationships among empowerment, social support, and happiness at work. The sample consisted of 400 employees from private companies in the transportation and warehousing sector in Chonburi Province, selected through multistage random sampling. The research instruments comprised a personal information questionnaire, an empowerment scale, a social support scale, and the happiness at work scale. The statistical methods used for data analysis included frequency, percentage, mean, standard deviation, and Spearman's rank correlation coefficient.

              The research findings revealed that: 1) overall employee empowerment was at a high level ( M  = 4.07, SD = 0.69), overall social support was at a high level ( M  = 3.97, SD = 0.78), and overall happiness at work was at a high level (M   = 3.83, SD = 0.85); and 2) empowerment was positively correlated with employee happiness at work at a statistical significance level of .01 (r = .793), empowerment was positively correlated with employee social support at a statistical significance level of .01 (r = .734), and social support was positively correlated with employee happiness at work at a statistical significance level of .01 (r = .779).

              The research findings can be applied as practical guidelines for designing human resource policies in transportation and warehousing organizations, such as assigning tasks that allow employees to participate in decision-making, strengthening supervisors' roles in providing support, and developing work environments conducive to teamwork, in order to enhance employee happiness and long-term organizational commitment.