Context and Personality in Personal and Work-Related Subjective Well-Being: The Influence of Networks, Organizational Trust, and Personality

We propose an investigation of subjective well-being in companies, analyzing both happiness and life satisfaction (we named personal subjective well-being) and job satisfaction (we named work-related subjective well-being). In this research, we explore the three types through analysis of contextual factors (networks and organizational trust) and personality factors, due to its impact on the subjective well-being, observed in the scientific research carried out in this area. We aggregate in our research model the personal networks and personality factors—as significant factors in happiness and life satisfaction research—to job network and organizational trust factors—as significant factors in job satisfaction research—and we search their mediating influence on happiness (model 1), life satisfaction (model 2), and job satisfaction (model 3). Our data set was collected through application of an original survey in Portuguese and Galician companies. The ordered probit regressions performed show that the factors analyzed influence each type of subjective well-being in different ways. Coworker and family networks factors, as well as trust in the company, seem to influence happiness and job satisfaction positively and significantly. Personality factors are influential only in personal subjective well-being (happiness and life satisfaction). Very good health is positively related to all types of subjective well-being, while being in the 46–67 age range and having a secondary or university education are negatively and significantly related to all types of subjective well-being.