Enhanced work engagement in Japanese employees following a 12-day online gratitude journal intervention

Background Gratitude interventions have shown various psychological benefits, including enhanced motivation in academic settings. However, their impact on work engagement - a key factor in employee well-being and organizational performance - remains underexplored. This study examined whether a 12-day online gratitude journaling intervention enhances work engagement and increases awareness of job resources, based on the Job Demands-Resources (JD-R) Model. Methods A total of 100 Japanese employees (mean age = 41.0 ± 5.2 years, evenly split by gender) were randomly assigned to a gratitude journal group or a daily life journal group (control). Participants in the gratitude journal group recorded things they felt grateful for, while the control group documented daily occurrences. Work engagement was assessed using the Utrecht Work Engagement Scale (UWES), alongside measures of work motivation, gratitude disposition, perspective-taking, life satisfaction, and psychological well-being. Journal entries were analyzed using word frequency and correspondence analysis to examine whether gratitude journaling enhanced awareness of job resources. Results Participants in the gratitude journal group exhibited a significant increase in work engagement (total score and absorption dimension) post-intervention, supporting the idea that gratitude journaling enhances engagement. Journal content analysis revealed that gratitude journaling was associated with greater recognition of job resources, such as social support, suggesting a mechanism through which gratitude influences work engagement. Both groups showed increases in gratitude disposition, life satisfaction, and competitive-oriented work motivation, suggesting possible broader journaling benefits. In contrast, the daily life journal group experienced temporary declines in purpose in life and autonomy. Conclusions This study provides experimental evidence that gratitude journaling enhances work engagement by increasing awareness of job resources, integrating gratitude into the JD-R Model. The findings suggest that gratitude must be actively cultivated rather than assumed to arise naturally. Given its accessibility and low cost, gratitude journaling offers a promising tool for organizations to foster employee engagement. Future research should examine its long-term effects and evaluate its applicability across diverse cultural contexts.