Linking Perceived Corporate Social Responsibility and Employee Well-Being—A Eudaimonia Perspective

Abstract

In recent decades, there has been a shift at the organizational and individual level from merely pursuing financial goals to bearing corporate social responsibility (CSR) and towards finding meaning in one’s work. In light of this, there is a need for a comprehensive understanding of the influence of CSR on employees’ eudaimonic well-being. Firstly, a conceptualization of job-related eudaimonic well-being was proposed. The data provided evidence that job-related eudaimonic well-being comprises aspects such as job self-efficacy, meaningful work, job autonomy, job-related aspiration, job involvement, and positive relationships with others. Second, based on the literature and qualitative data, this study examined and shed light on the relationship between employee perceptions of CSR and eudaimonic well-being in the work context. A theoretical framework was established to illustrate this relationship. I find that companies’ CSR commitment to stakeholders as perceived by employees positively affects employees’ eudaimonic well-being at work. Specifically, employees perceive internal CSR practices to positively influence work meaningfulness, job autonomy, job involvement, and job aspiration. Additionally, the results show that employees seem to experience closer job involvement when they perceive their business as engaging in CSR for customers, community stakeholders, and the environment. The influence of perceived CSR on the eudaimonic well-being of employees can be affected by boundary conditions, namely leadership’s role and companies’ motives for engaging in CSR. I propose avenues for future research and offer practical guidelines for managers.

1. Introduction

Nowadays, there exist increasing internal and external pressures on businesses to achieve greater social goals [1,2,3]. Interest in corporate social responsibility (CSR) and its effects on stakeholders has been increasing both in research and practice. With the increasing importance of CSR, researchers have been focusing on the individual level of analysis, such as employee reactions to and outcomes and perceptions of CSR including perceived employee justice [4], organizational commitment [5], or job satisfaction [6]. Employee perceptions of CSR, specifically how organizations treat their stakeholders and care for their employees’ well-being, have been shown to be linked with above-mentioned outcomes [7]. Even though there is a lack of knowledge of how social purpose issues affect people at work, companies actively highlight the socially beneficial aspects of work in an effort to increase employee commitment, motivation, and a sense of meaningful work.

CSR can be a suitable channel for individuals to find meaningfulness through their work [8]. Because work is an essential part of a human’s life and meaningfulness is a central human need [9], humans often strive for meaningfulness through their work [10]. Finding meaningfulness and realizing one’s potential through work applies to the concept of eudaimonic well-being in a work context. Studies have found that experiencing meaningfulness through work yields positive outcomes such as job satisfaction and organizational commitment [11], organizational identification [12], performance [13], psychological well-being [14], and reduced stress levels [15].

Since the 1980s, research on the impact of CSR on overall organizational performance, such as reputation, competitiveness, and financial performance, has increased [16,17,18,19]. Up until recently, research on CSR has been focused on the organizational level [20]. Yet, the focus on the individual level of CSR analysis is a relatively new research stream and opens up an important avenue for further research [21]. Several studies have highlighted the research gap in the psychological mechanisms that link organizational CSR initiatives to employee outcomes [22,23]. Although CSR entails activities and policies adopted by organizations, these activities and policies are ultimately executed by and affect individuals. Hence, the individual focus is of great importance. Additionally, although the effect of employees’ perceptions of CSR on their hedonic well-being has received increasing scholarly attention, little research has been conducted on the eudaimonic well-being perspective, specifically related to work [24,25,26,27]. Further, eudaimonic well-being issues such as meaningfulness at work at the individual level have generally been ignored in management studies [28].

Further investigation of these subjects is central for researchers to grasp the relationship between perceived CSR and the eudaimonic well-being of employees. It is also essential to help practitioners understand how CSR can be used as a means of giving employees a higher sense of purpose at work and opportunities for them to fulfil their potential. This paper contributes to the existing streams of research and fills the research gaps by, firstly, offering support for a validated conceptualization of eudaimonic well-being in the work context, and secondly, by exploring the impact of employee perceptions of how their organization treats internal and external stakeholders on their job-related eudaimonic well-being. Specifically, I investigate how the perception of CSR and indicators of job-related eudaimonic well-being, such as work meaningfulness, are linked. This paper is organized as follows: Section 2 discusses previous work on CSR, employee perceptions of CSR, and eudaimonic well-being at work. Then, Section 3 presents the empirical method. Section 4 describes and Section 5 discusses the findings. Finally, Section 6 concludes.

2. Theoretical Background

2.1. Corpoorate Social Responsibility

CSR is defined as organizational activities and practices that address different types of stakeholders and the triple bottom line [2]. The triple-bottom-line thinking assumes that organizations’ success depends on economic profitability, environmental sustainability, and social performance [29], and their responsibilities lie beyond pursuing financial self-interests and legal compliance [30]. CSR has risen in importance, as highlighted by organizations’ increasing manifestation of CSR in institutional and organizational rankings, standards, and initiatives. Examples include the 100 Best Corporate Citizens CSR Ranking [31], implementing global responsibility conduct standards into management systems (e.g., United Nations’ Global Compact), and incorporating accountability initiatives into production and supply chain processes (e.g., SA 8000 or AA 1000) [32].

CSR has been found to add to a company’s competitive advantage in terms of establishing “shared value” through influencing stakeholders’ actions, according to research [33,34,35]. A positive link between CSR and a business’s reputation and financial performance has been shown [36,37]. Companies that engage in CSR ought to achieve greater success than those that do not, if CSR can help, for example, in hiring talent, boosting commitment, promoting organizational citizenship behavior, or reducing staff turnover [38]. While research on CSR has focused on its impacts on stakeholders such as investors and consumers [39,40], its impacts on employee outcomes have been explored less thoroughly [22,41]. As it is known that employee attitudes and behavior have broad implications for an organization’s success [42,43,44], understanding the relationship between CSR and employees seems relevant. Employees’ perceived image, attitudes, and intended behavior are all influenced by corporate social performance, according to Riordan et al. [45]. Thus, CSR can act as a means for businesses to respond to the needs of their employees, build up their organizational relationship, and improve their employees’ general well-being [38].

2.2. Employee Perception of CSR

El Akremi et al. [46] found that employees’ perceptions of CSR reflect how they evaluate and view the summed CSR activities of an organization. Employee perceptions address the way employees subjectively perceive their organizations’ CSR activities. They are not objective evaluations of CSR engagement from an organizational perspective, such as analyses by investment research firms, for example [47]. While both objective and perceived CSR are relevant, and perceived CSR is based on objective CSR, “how employees perceive the CSR of their employer has more direct and stronger implications for employees’ subsequent reactions than actual firm behaviors of which employees may or may not be aware” [48] (p. 897). Employees gain perceptions of internal CSR activities aimed at themselves (e.g., flexibility regarding working hours and location, training, and further-education programs), CSR activities aimed at external stakeholders (e.g., community development, sponsorships, and philanthropy), and CSR activities integrated into the company’s core strategy (e.g., sustainability practices) [49,50].

Different approaches to framing CSR perceptions have been proposed by researchers, as shown by Gond et al. [51]. In Gond and colleagues’ [51] review, they summarize the studies on framing CSR perceptions. The issue-based view assumes that “CSR perceptions would stem from appraisals of corporate involvement in different social, environmental, or ethical issues that appear relevant” [51] (p. 231). Further, the responsibility-based view and justice-based view have been proposed, but have received criticism due to lacking differentiation between internal and external forms of CSR, and due to the constructs of CSR perceptions and organizational justice being merged [52,53]. In recent years, the stakeholder-based view has gained attention and been increasingly adopted by researchers [54]. According to the stakeholder-based view, employees form CSR perceptions based on how organizations treat their stakeholders. Stakeholders are defined as “the individuals and constituencies that contribute, either voluntarily or involuntarily, to wealth-creating capacity and activities, and that are therefore its potential beneficiaries and/or risk bearers” [55] (p. 8). According to stakeholder theory, managers think about their actions in terms of relationships with their stakeholders [56]. Consequently, framing employees’ CSR perceptions based on how various internal and external stakeholder groups are treated can be useful. In this vein, El Akremi et al. [46] introduce a multidimensional scale of employee perceptions of CSR, the Corporate Stakeholder Responsibility (CStR) scale, which this study relies on. Their scale consists of factors and items of CSR regarding the community, the natural environment, employees, suppliers, customers, and shareholders.

Studies have shown positive relationships between perceptions of CSR and certain workplace outcomes and responses of employees. Researchers recognize and emphasize how the employees’ perceptions of their employer’s CSR activities impact the company’s social reputation and organizational climate, and thus the need to study the microlevel phenomena [3,48]. Employees report higher job satisfaction when they perceive their company as ethical, according to a study by Koh and Boo [57]. CSR activities are “a natural extension of organizational ethics” [6] (p. 161) since they fulfil stakeholders’ needs by focusing on societal concerns. Further, Bauman and Skitka [38] propose that CSR perceptions are positively related to overall employee satisfaction through group distinctiveness and belongingness. Employees’ perceptions of CSR have been shown to positively relate to employee outcomes such as organizational commitment [5,58,59], affective commitment [41,60], job satisfaction [61], and performance [22], and negatively correlate with staff turnover intention [62]. Rupp et al. [4] analyzed the influence of employees’ perceptions of CSR on their subsequent attitudes and emotions. There is some empirical evidence that CSR activities, for instance, those that support employees’ skills and career development, can potentially increase employee well-being in the form of greater organizational identification [63,64], and positive self-identity [65,66]. The study by Grabner-Kräuter et al. [67], which uses a needs-based framework, shows that employees’ perceptions of CSR are positively associated with the meaning of their work. Additionally, CSR activities that focus on the community and the environment can boost employees’ self-esteem as a result of positive social identity, as well as providing meaning and a deeper sense of purpose in their job [10,38].

2.3. Eudaimonic Well-Being at Work

Since the beginning of philosophical discourse on the topic, well-being has been found to be a complex and controversial concept. Researchers, psychologists, and philosophers have engaged in fierce debate about the definition of well-being and what “the good life” comprises. Ryan and Deci [68] define well-being as “optimal psychological functioning and experience” (p. 142). Other scholars suggest that well-being includes psychological, physical, and social functioning [69,70]. To the same degree as “positive affect is not the opposite of negative affect [71], well-being is not the absence of mental illness” [68] (p. 142). Well-being can be defined based on two different traditional views of what makes a good society—hedonism and eudaimonism—stemming from Greek philosophy. While the hedonic approach “focusses on happiness and defines well-being in terms of pleasure attainment and pain avoidance” [68] (p. 141), the eudaimonic approach says that well-being goes beyond mere happiness in that it lies in fulfilling one’s potential and experiencing true meaning in life [68]. Applying the eudaimonic perspective, Fromm [72] stated that in order to experience optimal well-being, one needs to differentiate.

“between those needs (desires) that are only subjectively felt and whose satisfaction leads to momentary pleasure, and those needs that are rooted in human nature and whose realization is conducive to human growth and produces eudaimonia, i.e., “well-being.” In other words […] the distinction between purely subjectively felt needs and objectively valid needs—part of the former being harmful to human growth and the latter being in accordance with the requirements of human nature”

[72] (p. xxvi, as cited in [68])

The concept of eudaimonia represents a long-term view of well-being that focuses on personal and moral development. While in the hedonic view of well-being, happiness is viewed as an end in itself, “the subjective experiences of feelings of expressiveness (eudaimonia) are a by-product of engaging in actions consistent with the development and expression of one’s best potentials and the pursuit of intrinsic goals” [73] (p. 42). According to numerous researchers, it may be preferable to think of well-being as a multidimensional phenomenon that incorporates elements of both the hedonic and eudaimonic viewpoints. These two viewpoints have provided two distinct research focuses as well as a body of literature that is complementary in some areas and divergent in others [68]. Numerous researchers have conceptualized indicators of eudaimonic well-being: purpose in life, environmental mastery, autonomy, positive relations with others, self-acceptance and personal growth [9,74], learning and development, and self-actualization [75]. Based on these context-free indicators, Demasi [24] derived five indicators of eudaimonic well-being specifically in the work context in her review paper, namely, job self-efficacy, meaningful work, job autonomy, job-related aspiration, and job involvement. For the conceptualization of the indicators of job-related eudaimonic well-being, Demasi excludes the context-free indicator “positive relations with others” since the review paper’s focus lies on “an individual’s well-being and not on his or her interaction with other individuals” [24] (p. 56). Job self-efficacy relates to competence, a feature of mental health, and environmental mastery [76]. “Work meaningfulness represents the job-specific indicator for meaningfulness and purpose in life” [24] (p. 60). Further, job autonomy references autonomy, and job-related aspiration references personal growth. Lastly, Fisher [75] affiliates job involvement with job-related eudaimonic well-being.

Table 1. Overview of job-related eudaimonic well-being indicators.

Indicator of Job-Related Eudaimonic Well-Being	Definition
Job self-efficacy	Extent to which one perceives to be able to perform well in one’s job [78,79]
Meaningful work	“[W]ork experienced as particularly significant and holding more positive meaning for individuals” [10] (p. 95)
Job autonomy	Job characterized by “substantial freedom, independence, and discretion to the employee in scheduling the work and in determining the procedures to be used in carrying it out” [80] (p. 162)
Job-related aspiration	“Degree to which a person pursues challenging goals in the job” [81] (p. 367)
Job involvement	“[T]he degree to which a person is identified psychologically with his work, or the importance of work in his total self-image” [82] (p. 24)
Positive relations with others	Having warm and trusting interpersonal relationships with others [83]

shows the indicators of eudaimonic well-being in the work context as well as their definitions as considered by several authors [24,77]. Up until now, this conceptualization of job-related eudaimonic well-being has not been validated by empirical research.

Based on this existing literature on the understanding of job-related eudaimonic well-being and on the qualitative study of this paper, I aim to offer a validated conceptualization of eudaimonic well-being in the work context. This paper therefore aims at answering the following research questions:

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How does employees’ perceptions of CSR influence their job-related eudaimonic well-being?

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How can job-related eudaimonic well-being be conceptualized?

3. Research Method

I conducted a qualitative study based on interview data to answer the research questions. This approach is appropriate to uncover subjective views and acquire knowledge on relatively complex and new subjects such as perceptions of CSR and individual well-being [84,85]. For this empirical study, I conducted eight semi-structured interviews with nine corporate employees to generate sound knowledge on the topics of this study by analyzing the perceptions of the interviewees [86].

3.1. Sample

In order to obtain varied practical insight into and comprehensive knowledge of the topics from a managerial perspective, employees from a wide range of industries were sought, with the number of employees ranging from 22 to 1,130,000. I chose companies that, to some degree, displayed a general commitment toward CSR. A company was chosen based on the condition that they had information on their CSR commitment published on their website, such as a company value statement or a sustainability page.

Table 2. Overview of interview data.

Abbreviations	Type of Organization	Function	Interview Date and Type
IA	University	Research assistant	24 May 2022, in person
IB	Pharmaceutical company	Environment, Health, and Safety Specialist	30 May 2022, by video call
IC	Catering, wine trade, and vinery company	General manager innovation and catering projects	3 June 2022, by video call
ID	Catering, wine trade, and vinery company	General manager HR	3 June 2022, by video call
IE	Hospitality industry group	Marketing Coordinator	8 June 2022, in person
IF	Catering, wine trade, and vinery company	Restaurant manager	8 June 2022, in person
IG	Production plant of a retail company	Senior lean coach	8 June 2022, by video call
IH	Hospitality industry group	Director of Finance and Accounting	15 June 2022, in person
II	Retail company	Head of Omnichannel Retailing	17 June 2022, by video call

presents an overview of the interviews, including a description of the represented businesses and organizations, and the interviewees’ functions. This study targeted employees in lower-level to middle-management positions, thus being, to some degree, decision makers who might know the practical execution of internal processes such as CSR better than top management [87]. The employees came from a variety of departments and backgrounds, differing in demographic criteria such as age, gender, and occupation.

3.2. Data Collection

An interview guide was developed and later discussed and adapted in consultation with an experienced researcher on the topic of CSR and well-being (see Appendix A). I conducted semi-structured interviews that lasted between 20 and 40 min. The interviewees were asked broad questions ranging from general to more specific ones, enabling an open, yet focused, dialogue. The questions followed the interview guide, first asking about the most important stakeholders of their company and their perceptions of their company’s CSR engagements. In the second thematic block, they were questioned on their eudaimonic well-being at work. During the interviews, notes where taken, and later, the audiotaped interviews were transcribed. The interviewees are titled with their corresponding abbreviations (see Table 2). Statements made by Interviewee A, for instance, are marked as “IA”. The quotations in the findings are denoted as follows: (Abbreviation, quotation number).

3.3. Data Analysis

The interview data were analyzed using the methodology by Gioia et al. [88], a systematic method for conducting inductive research, as well as for coordinating and presenting the analysis. This approach aids researchers in understanding organizational dynamics by “capturing concepts relevant to the human organizational experience in terms that are adequate at the level of meaning of the people living that experience and adequate at the level of scientific theorizing about that experience” [88] (p. 16). The “1^st-order” “informant-centric terms and codes” and “2^nd-order” “researcher-centric concepts themes and dimensions” are analyzed [88] (p. 18). I coded the interview data using the software program “Atlas.ti”. Relying on the interviewees’ statements, I created “1^st-order” concepts, and grouped related “1^st-order” concepts into inductively and deductively generated “2^nd-order” themes. I refer to the “2^nd-order” themes as “codes” in this study. The importance of the “1^st-order” concepts was regularly considered until deciding on a final data structure. Once a certain level of maturity of the “2^nd-order” themes became apparent, they were further categorized into three “aggregate dimensions” in total. This process resulted in the final data structure (see Figure 1), which “provides a graphic representation of how we progressed from raw data to terms and themes in conducting the analyses” [88] (p. 20). The “aggregate dimensions” relate to employees’ perceptions of CSR, job-related eudaimonic well-being, and boundary conditions. I relied on the CStR scale developed by El Akremi et al. [46], a stakeholder-based approach to capture employees’ perceptions of CSR, and on the conceptualization of job-related eudaimonic well-being aspects [24]. The inductive codes are marked with boxes lined with dashes.

Upon completion of the data coding and structure, I analyzed interview text passages in the software program Atlas.ti marked with both codes of the “aggregate dimensions” of “employee perceptions of CSR” and “job-related eudaimonic well-being” to understand such interrelationships between the codes and “1^st-order” concepts. The analysis was completed by building a theoretical model to illustrate the dynamic links between the generated codes and aggregate dimensions after the data structure had been constructed [88]. The theoretical model (see Figure 2) described in Section 5 demonstrates how this dynamic is affected by the boundary conditions.

4. Findings

In this section, the interview results will be presented. To answer the research questions, I first outline how employees perceive their organizations to be taking on their CSR with regard to their different stakeholders (“2^nd-order” themes), and important aspects and goals relating to the different stakeholder groups according to employee perceptions (“1^st-order” concepts). Secondly, the findings on employees’ understanding of what elements constitute job-related eudaimonic well-being (“2^nd-order” themes) and their meanings (“1^st-order” concepts) are presented. Thirdly, the employees’ perceptions of how relevant certain CSR engagements are for job-related eudaimonic well-being are presented. The latter findings are based on analyzing interview statements coded with both “employee perceptions of CSR” and “job-related eudaimonic well-being” codes. Lastly, boundary conditions are shown. Unless otherwise noted, a code is generated deductively.

4.1. Findings on Employee Perceptions of CSR

In order to understand the relationship between employee perceptions of CSR and their eudaimonic well-being at work, I investigated what stakeholder groups the interviewees rank as most important to their companies. The mentioned stakeholder groups are categorized according to the CStR scale by El Akremi et al. [46]. Further, the results show what aspects employees perceive the CSR activities to consist of and what the activities aim to achieve.

Employees and customers were perceived to be the most important stakeholder groups with regard to stakeholder engagement and fostering stakeholder relationships. This is to be expected because these stakeholders are vital for the functioning of businesses [89]. The natural environment and suppliers were perceived to be of secondary importance for inclusion in CSR efforts. These stakeholder groups are seen as important to businesses, but it is not seen as crucial to nurture these relationships or to give extra focus to this stakeholder engagement. Lastly, the community and shareholders were only briefly mentioned because no special engagement with these groups is perceived to be needed. All stakeholder groups from the CStR scale [46] were mentioned.

4.1.1. Community

The interviewees mentioned society in general, public and state authorities, as well as the media, which I categorize under the broad group “community”. However, when asked about important stakeholders, the interviewees listed “community” last and did not comment on its importance for their companies. CSR towards community groups includes special projects for people in need, e.g., for clean drinking water in an African country, or cultural projects. One interviewee addressed the importance of establishing good communication with community stakeholder groups such as public authorities and the media.

“Then of course you have the indirect stakeholders, who you only have to deal with if something really bad happens, like the police or authorities. Of course, you want to avoid that. Nevertheless, you have to take that into account. For me, that simply means being prepared and, above all, knowing how to communicate that in the event of a certain situation […], how to deal with the authorities, in the event of an accident or major event, or how to deal with the media.”

(IB, 1)

4.1.2. Natural Environment

In times of climate change, an urgent sense of responsibility towards the natural environment is perceived by most interviewees. They expressed the importance of ensuring environmental sustainability within their companies, be it by becoming a CO₂-neutral business by a certain time, by managing the companies’ resources sustainably towards a circular economy, or by being members of or taking part in initiatives or projects for environmental issues.

“The environment or society as a whole—I use that relatively closely—is very important to me. I would never work for an employer who, in my view, was unethical there or really only had their financial gain in mind.”

(IG, 1)

“[…] the environment, which is very important for the management of the company, that they use resources as sustainably as possible, that they invest for a longer horizon.”

(IE, 1)

For a few interviewees, CSR for the natural environment comes secondary after social and financial sustainability. In other words, according to them, focusing on social stakeholder groups such as employees and customers and maintaining profitability is of higher importance to ensure the company’s survival.

“I think the environment is important because it is our future. […] But if I’m completely honest, the focus is ultimately… social responsibility is not just the environment, it’s also the social and financial aspects. At the end of the day, you also want your business to be financially stable. I think many companies would already have a paper in their drawer that they could pull out and do more sustainability if the demand was greater. […] But I think a lot of it is what guests are asking for. And the concept absolutely resonates with the guests. If the guest didn’t want it, I don’t know if one would do it then, because ultimately you have to sell the hotel rooms and the experience and be profitable. I wouldn’t subscribe to it now that it’s just for the environment… It’s just holistic. Certainly it’s important, also the issues of reducing plastic, reducing single-use plastic. These are all projects that the company values. And because it’s such an important point of sale with the whole farm-to-table, it’s already something that the company is pushing. I’m not saying that the main focus is out of goodwill for the environment. But it’s initiatives that benefit the environment.”

(IH, 1)

4.1.3. Employees

Fair working conditions and good treatment of employees increase employee satisfaction, which in turn increases productivity. As a result, businesses are perceived to give their employees a lot of attention in their CSR approach. This internal CSR includes fostering interpersonal and long-term relationships, where building trust and establishing transparent internal communication is essential.

“Above all, our own employees, whether it’s always looking for conversations, one to one, always making the rounds, always having a coffee or tea with one or the other, because that’s where you find out most things instead of in official meetings or something. That’s the most important thing, because it’s about the health and safety of the employees. It’s also a personal issue.”

(IB, 2)

“With employees, it’s that we want to work with them for a long time. We want to have a long relationship. We are also very active in development, so that people have opportunities for advancement, can develop—that’s important—and also feel good.”

(ID, 1)

“Then also that transparent communication takes place on a regular basis: ‘Where are we right now?’ This is called Leadership Day.”

(II, 1)

Furthermore, companies are perceived to foster a good and motivating working environment in which employees are involved in decision making and offered development and career opportunities.

“[…] He involves the employees from A to Z, asks for their opinions, always keeps them up to date, shows them in which phase we are, […] Basically, the employees could really have a lot of say.”

(IB, 3)

“Since I’ve been here, actually, they’ve constantly been expanding the range of courses and training opportunities, where employees can develop their technical skills, but also their soft skills, but also something that is perhaps outside the field of activity, that brings the out-of-the-box mindset, and also that they organize talks.”

(II, 2)

Employees perceive businesses to give a sharp focus on work-–ife balance as part of their internal CSR efforts. For instance, flexible working arrangements are offered.

“[Our boss] puts a lot of emphasis on working sustainably, so it’s not that you work 80 h a week and then you’re completely exhausted […] for the rest of the month, but that we take our time and that we have a healthy work-life balance.”

(IA, 1)

4.1.4. Suppliers

Since businesses can often be confronted with several challenges regarding their supply chain, taking responsibility for relationships with suppliers is perceived to be an important component of CSR. Suppliers are therefore selected and evaluated carefully. The interviewees expressed the importance of long-term interpersonal relationships based on mutual trust between management and suppliers.

“I think, first of all, we have to communicate well with them [the suppliers], and secondly, it’s important to give them freedom in that sense. For example, they all have a key to our premises. We have trust in the people who deliver, even when we’re not there. If we ever have something, if something is burning, […] they would be willing to come then. It’s not like they just say, ‘No, now you haven’t ordered. We’re not coming.’ […] They were also selected according to that. […] They are actually companies that the business owners, that is [owner of the catering, wine trade and vinery company] himself, knows and values that you get along well with them.”

(IF, 1)

“We also place value on having good relationships with our suppliers. We also do a lot there and have very long-standing relationships.”

(ID, 2)

4.1.5. Customers

Besides employees, customers are the most important stakeholders for companies as they are crucial for their survival. The interviewees believe that their main responsibilities are to offer their customers high product and service quality and to communicate transparently and honestly.

“That you make that transparently available [..] to the consumers, the customers, regardless of whether it leaves a good image of the product or not. I believe that [name of production plant of a retail company] is very, very strongly committed to this.”

(IG, 2)

4.1.6. Shareholders

The interviewees perceive shareholders, including the owners, to be a notable stakeholder group. However, acknowledgement of the owners’ effective influence on the businesses was the only aspect mentioned when describing the responsibilities management holds towards them.

“The hotels are owned by the [owners of the hospitality industry group] family, which runs [hospitality industry group]. The ownership is important here, as they obviously hold the majority and have the say, and a lot comes from them.”

(IE, 2)

4.2. Findings on Job-Related Eudaimonic Well-Being

Asked what aspects in a job are crucial to get them out of bed in the morning and that motivate them to go to work, the interviewees mostly addressed eudaimonic well-being aspects on their own accord. They mainly discussed long-term well-being and circumstances of not having to be perfect all the time, suggesting that they had adopted a eudaimonic perspective on well-being. Subsequently, they were asked about the relative importance and meaning of specific indicators of job-related eudaimonic well-being conceptualized by Demasi [24]. The most crucial factor at work proved to be having positive relationships with others, an aspect used to define eudaimonic well-being in a neutral, non-work context. This aspect, however, had not been included in the definition of well-being for the work context [24]. It was said at least once that each aspect was a condition for choosing a job or an employer. For instance, if an employer could not guarantee autonomous working or encourage development, that employer would not be chosen by a job applicant. The “1^st-order” concepts generated from the interview data make up the specific indicators’ meanings, including qualities and limits.

4.2.1. Job Self-Efficacy

The interviewees stress that it is important to feel secure and confident in their competence to carry out their work. If such confidence is lacking, it can be strengthened by seeking confirmation, recognition, or support from either colleagues, bosses, or personal contacts, such as family members.

“I think it’s always more pleasant when you’re convinced of the approach, procedure, or whatever is under discussion that one chooses. […] I have opportunities to discuss it with someone from the team. […] a colleague with whom I’m personally on great terms, where I know they’re familiar with the topic and perhaps have more experience. But it can also be the boss. […] and then ask: ‘Hey, can I tell you about my situation? Can I tell you what my thoughts are? Can you ask yourself questions that come to mind or that come up for you when I tell you this?’ And then getting new clues or new ideas through a discussion that I feel more comfortable with, and depending on that, also a confirmation, if it’s a confirmation, or if it’s not a confirmation, but a new approach or a different view. […] I had a blind spot there, now I’ve shed new light on it, and I can decide on a better or broader, more supported basis on how to proceed.”

(IG, 3)

In order to feel confident to do certain tasks, one interviewee prepares a lot.

“I always prepare myself very well for all possible scenarios that could come up. Particularly in the case of presentations to management, I really think about the most critical questions that might come up right from the start, and then I feel confident when I have an answer to everything that I can then go into the shark tank, so to speak. Most of the time then it’s not as bad as I’d made it out to be. You assume the worst and then you’re actually prepared for everything and then it’s not bad at all.”

(II, 3)

However, the aforementioned interviewee also contradicts the notion of needing to feel total self-efficacy at work, as a little uncertainty motivates them to learn and grow. Finding an appropriate balance between being in your comfort zone and being challenged therefore seems important. This concept is closely related to the aspect of “job-related aspiration”.

“That’s also the kick I need, that not everything is always one hundred percent clear and I don’t always move in the comfort zone. That’s the only way I can move forward and grow.”

(II, 4)

4.2.2. Meaningful Work

The interviewees said that achieving a purpose through their work motivates them to do their job for a longer period of time.

“That’s actually what drives me. […] I like to get up every morning because I like doing what I do and I also see the meaning behind it and the result is also really enjoyable. But even there: It’s not always fun, that’s clear. But on the whole, the activity and the goals in the field in which we operate are what drive us.”

(IC, 1)

Further, being able to contribute to and have an influence on the company was said to be important to employees. Not being able to make a difference at their workplace would make their work seem meaningless.

“Definitely a meaningful activity and also the freedom, creative freedom, where I realize that I can make a difference myself, and not that I’m just a cog or a set screw in a giant organization, and no one cares what I do or don’t do, but that I’m really listened to and taken seriously, that I’m allowed to contribute and that I’m wanted.”

(II, 5)

Interviewees also stated that positive feedback from employees and bosses in the form of recognition and appreciation gives them a sense of purpose at work.

“To get appreciation, that is, gratitude, but also mindfulness that others see what is being done.”

(ID, 3)

Asked how important a deeper meaning in their work is to them, interviewees responded that it has great influence on their personal life, including their children and partners, suggesting the importance of meaningful work and its implications for future generations and their close social environment.

“For me it’s very important because when I’m happy here and—I have children, I have a husband at home—when things are going well here and I’m happy, then I also radiate that to my children. I think it’s very important that they also see that mommy is happy and that everyday life is going the way I wanted it to, even if not everything is always perfect in the restaurant business.”

(IF, 2)

4.2.3. Job Autonomy

Feeling eudaimonic well-being at work includes being able to work autonomously. The interviewees commented that this should involve having relative freedom of action and being trusted to make decisions independently.

“We have a great deal of freedom in that respect. It has always been the case that we can decide for ourselves how to approach things. Of course there are encounters with the boss where we can ask questions if we have them. Relatively rarely there are also such things where he then asks what the current status is, how to proceed, etc., but hardly ever. What I do to get where I want to go is really completely up to me. That is certainly something that is very, very cool.”

(IG, 4)

“And for me, it’s important that he gives me that responsibility and that trust.”

(IF, 3)

Job autonomy is perceived to be an essential aspect at work. The interviewees stressed that they would rather feel that they had too much autonomy, i.e., responsibilities to make decisions on their own, than too little autonomy.

“Very important. And I have to say that here, especially in our department, in our situation, it’s even more than expected. […] You have to decide for yourself, do things yourself, and you’re allowed to work autonomously, and you have enough to do. But ultimately… It’s better that way than the other way around, when you have the feeling that you have someone constantly watching over your shoulder and have to ask about every sentence you write or every phone call you make, how, where, and what. That would tend to slow you down and annoy you, I think.”

(IE, 3)

However, job autonomy was said to also have its limits.

“Yes, I have the feeling that you don’t have to be completely free. […] a little less freedom would still be nice at work.”

(IA, 2)

4.2.4. Job-Related Aspiration

Job-related aspiration entails being challenged from time to time, having goals, and being able to learn and experience new things. It encourages intellectual and personal growth and development. For instance, one interviewee described a part of her job as having to cater to many of the stakeholders’ wishes, which could be challenging. According to the interviewee, however, finding solutions for complex matters keeps her work stimulating.

“Yes, very important, because otherwise it gets boring. If it’s not a challenge, you don’t learn anything. You should also grow from it and afterwards, when you have found a solution, it is all the more beautiful. […] You can never please everyone, but at least you can find a way that everyone can live with. That makes it exciting, very varied.”

(II, 6)

According to a few interviewees, there can be limits to job-related aspiration if employees are faced with too many challenges at work. This can cause them too much stress. Hence it seems important to create an appropriate balance between being in your comfort zone and being challenged, relating to the aspect “job self-efficacy”.

“I’m a bit torn on that one. I think that for me as an employee, an environment in which I feel comfortable and also a bit safe is a prerequisite or certainly important, but there must always be challenges, because otherwise it gets too boring. In other words, there must always be change. But I also believe that if it’s not on a basis where you feel good and a bit comfortable, that it can also become too stressful at some point, too many new things at once or so.”

(IG, 5)

4.2.5. Job Involvement

Interviewees pointed out the importance of job involvement and identification for eudaimonic well-being at work. They described that in order to be involved in and able to identify with their job, employees must have passion for the work they do.

“To also have a job that is enjoyable. The restaurant business is tough, but you can work in beautiful surroundings, and you work in a place where people come and actually have a good time. It’s an emotional business, and you either like it or you don’t, and if you like it, you do it with passion. That’s the point for me.”

(IC, 2)

Further, the feeling of being involved in their job entails getting recognition from fellow employees and bosses and being asked for their opinion.

“I find it very cool that I was given the opportunity and was supported, even as a young woman, that I was promoted, and also accepted one hundred percent. Opinions are sought everywhere. I think our work is appreciated. That’s at least the feedback or my perception of what I’m picking up. I am taken very seriously. So I feel very accepted. It is really very nice.”

(II, 7)

To be able to psychologically identify with one’s work and employer, the companies’ values and the employees’ personal values need to match, such as sharing the same goals.

“If I don’t feel comfortable there and if I notice it doesn’t fit or I have different values than the company, or we’re not moving in the same direction, then it would be a reason for me to feel that I am in the wrong place. That’s why it’s very important for me, and also that I notice the acceptance from them, that they take me seriously and notice that the cooperation works.”

(II, 8)

4.2.6. Positive Relationships with Others

The interview data suggest that having positive relationships with fellow employees and bosses is one of the most important aspects of work, so much that it can make up for unpleasant or boring work. This code was generated inductively.

“I think the most important thing for me is my colleagues, including my boss, that I get along well with them. I don’t think it would matter what the work content is if I couldn’t meet people privately or somehow say, when we somehow have a drink together, cool, I’m happy to spend time with them. Then the work content could still be as cool, exciting, and varied as can be, I think that would force me to change jobs in the medium term, for myself. That is certainly important.”

(IG, 6)

The interviewees stress that having a good team spirit and environment, in which the team members share close connections, has a big and positive impact on their working life.

“To offer a good environment there, now also in these times, to be close to the employees despite the size, also to maintain personal contact.”

(ID, 4)

Asked what aspect is important to them in a company culture, interviewees mention being able to rely on one’s team for support.

“You have to feel that there is a willingness of the employees, but also of their superiors, to push your activity and your projects.”

(IB, 4)

4.3. Findings on the Link between Employee Perceptions of CSR and Job-Related Eudaimonic Well-Being

An aim of this paper is to understand how businesses’ CSR engagement as perceived by their employees can be valuable for their long-term well-being at work, i.e., job-related eudaimonic well-being. This section presents these findings as well as the boundary conditions of “leadership role” and “perceived motives for CSR”.

CSR in general was often addressed in relation to having an impact on employees’ eudaimonic well-being. One interviewee states that engaging in meaningful work or being fulfilled job-wise has become a relatively new goal for individuals. In that vein, companies increasingly aim to affect the greater good with their meaningful business activities.

“Nowadays there has been a shift that you don’t just work to earn money, but to have fulfilment or to feel good. That’s why I think it’s important that the place where you work offers something and also tries to do something good for the stakeholders, such as employees and students, and also tries to do something good in general.”

(IA, 3)

However, only CSR efforts for specific stakeholder groups are perceived to be important to employees, such as for customers, employees, the natural environment, and society. One interviewee feels stronger job involvement, i.e., identification, thanks to their companies assuming more commitment to specific stakeholders than required.

“Yes, I think there is certainly a stronger identification with the company if I have the feeling that the employer is mindful of their stakeholders. I would take out owner as a stakeholder, if it were a stock corporation, which it is not in our case. I don’t think that would give me much. But the overall impression, [production plant of a retail company] doesn’t want to simply squeeze money out of the customers and get the highest possible price for some product, but the feeling, yes, it does want to produce the best value for money for the customer […] or make a commitment in terms of sustainability, where perhaps it’s above what one would have to, certainly helps that I identify very strongly with the employer. It certainly depends on what stakeholder engagement. I can’t imagine working for a company that simply exploits its employees.”

(IG, 7)

CSR for social domains was said to be especially relevant. For example, fair treatment of and nurturing relationships with employees or customers influences the “meaningful work” and “positive relationships with others” aspects of eudaimonic well-being.

“If you look strictly at why you get up in the morning, I think social sustainability is the most important point, that the company treats both its employees and the people around it decently and maintains good relationships, and doesn’t try to exploit everything, let’s say, to the max. When you read about companies like this, you get the feeling that everything is trimmed for financial success, whatever the cost. I think that’s a very important aspect of working for a company, that it’s not some kind of exploitation.”

(IH, 2)

Not surprisingly, the findings show that companies’ engagements with employees, also known as internal CSR, by far has the most impact on employees’ eudaimonic well-being at work. All aspects of job-related eudaimonic well-being, except for “job self-efficacy”, were mentioned in this regard.

Showing employees appreciation and recognition and nurturing interpersonal relationships as part of internal CSR efforts can give them a sense of purpose and meaning at work and increase feelings of job involvement.

“One thing is that you’re valued, but also I think it’s important that the company looks at the employees as one of the most important stakeholders of the company, because ultimately they’re the ones who do the work and look to make sure the guests are doing well.”

(IH, 3)

Further, the findings show that internal CSR in the form of providing flexible working conditions increases employees’ autonomy and sense of freedom of action, affecting their eudaimonic well-being.

“It’s clear that if I have any responsibilities, I’ll take care of them first, but I’m pretty free to say: I’ll go to the gym first, or now I’ll take a break or something else, or I can say that I’ll stay at home for a day. Remote working is also okay if you want to be by yourself or switch off a bit. […] So that it is relatively or as pleasant as possible for us to work, because ultimately it is good for us, but also for him [the boss] in terms of sustainability.”

(IA, 4)

One interviewee emphasizes the importance of internal CSR practices, as for them, financial incentives are not enough to keep them in a job. Having the opportunity to obtain further education and training via their employer, such as language courses, to be able to learn new things and grow, relates to the aspect of “job-related aspiration”.

“There are things that I look at purely financially, such as the pension fund. There, at the end of the day, it’s simply a salary component that is not paid out today, but it will be in the future. If I were to work somewhere else, it could simply be compensated through my salary. It doesn’t really matter to me in that sense. The other thing, the further training, for example, is certainly important, that it remains exciting for me, that I can learn something new. I think I would get bored pretty quickly if I did the same thing day after day for years. That with the learning there is always a change in the work content, that when I have done the French course, for example, I can also do or give projects or training in French. That is certainly also important for long-term happiness for me as an employee.”

(IG, 8)

Companies use tools for internal CSR, such as mobile apps for employees to communicate, nurture interpersonal relationships and foster internal communication. Interviewees find this form of communication helpful to strengthen the team spirit and identification with the business. This relates to the aspects of “positive relationships with others” and “job involvement”.

“One example is, during COVID, during the first lockdown, it was so bad in Italy. Of course, we have many employees in Ticino from Italy who came across the border. Some of them couldn’t go home during that time. Then [retail company] booked hotels for them and they were in hotels there for weeks. We have an internal platform, an intranet, where they can also post pictures, it’s called ‘Insta-[retail company]’. They then had dinner together, and how the other stores reacted: ‘I am [retail company]. We stick together. We’re a family.’ And you actually get that feeling.”

(II, 9)

4.3.1. Boundary Condition: Leadership Role

The findings show that leadership’s role can influence the way perceived CSR efforts of companies affect employees’ eudaimonic well-being. Management may implement CSR practices, such as nurturing relationships with suppliers and community stakeholders. However, leadership behavior and actions play a role in how such CSR efforts are perceived. Leadership behavior and actions need to be congruent with their expectations of their employees’ behavior and actions, as interviewees state. In other words, the way that employees perceive it, leadership needs to take on an exemplary role when it comes to living their communicated values, such as following sustainability strategies. Such an exemplary leadership role can positively affect team spirit and employees’ long-term motivation and identification, and thus their eudaimonic well-being.

“If I believe in what we do, then I can identify with it well. Then I’m also proud to tell people what I do and where I work. That often also has to do with the top, what is exemplified by ownership or management. It may not get to the bottom, but if it’s not working at the top, then it’s certainly very difficult. If you realize from the top that you have ownership or management that is just as passionate about it and drives that, then you can go along faster, because otherwise you’re constantly in a clash.”

(IH, 4)

4.3.2. Boundary Condition: Perceived Motives for CSR

The interviews also revealed that businesses’ motives for engaging in CSR can have an impact on employees’ eudaimonic well-being. Some interviewees perceive their employers’ CSR engagements to be a marketing ploy, while others believe them to be for philanthropic reasons.

One interviewee believes that with their CSR efforts for the natural environment, their company aims to please customer demands for sustainability, and will ultimately achieve larger profits. They find these efforts slightly deceitful and not completely authentic, which negatively influences their perception of their work being meaningful.

“To be honest: It is still far from enough to cover the entire quantity that one would have to cover from our own production. […] That is of course interesting to use [for marketing] and nice for the guests to see that it comes from there [local production site], but yes… For the marketing you can use that nicely, but it is just not the whole truth.”

(IE, 4)

“That you have the feeling, even in the media and in marketing, that free journalism or that people write freely about something, that almost doesn’t exist. You get the feeling that it’s all barter deal-like—you do this, for that I’ll do that—so sometimes you think you’re almost obligated. You can’t say anything bad. You help each other, but at the end of the day, you don’t know if it’s of any use, if it’s authentic, if anyone even reads it; does it still have any value?”

(IE, 5)

On the other hand, other interviewees perceive their companies to assume their CSR for philanthropic and not self-interest reasons. One interviewee expressed their employer’s authentic, strong engagement on natural environmental issues and in society as a stakeholder. This interviewee has also expressed their strong feelings of job involvement at their company (see quotation IG, 7).

“In general, also for sustainability, not from the consumer’s point of view, but really as a company, we also have very ambitious goals, that we will be CO₂-neutral by 2030 […], and by 2050 the entire circular economy, that it really takes on a pioneering role there. That it is not, in my view, just doing this for greenwashing, i.e., for marketing reasons, but really because it has an interest and sees itself as having a responsibility to society or the environment in general.”

(IG, 9)

5. Discussion

The analysis has given support to and adapted the conceptualization of job-related eudaimonic well-being by Demasi [24]. Further, the analysis revealed that perceived CSR efforts of businesses positively influence their employees’ eudaimonic well-being. This relationship can be affected by boundary conditions, namely, leadership’s role and companies’ motives for engaging in CSR.

The understanding of job-related eudaimonic well-being [24] was given support by the interviewees mentioning and elaborating on the aspects of job self-efficacy, meaningful work, job autonomy, job-related aspiration, job involvement, and positive relationships with others. The latter aspect was included deductively in the conceptualization from the interview data. The fact that this social aspect was mentioned most to describe eudaimonic well-being reveals its importance for employees. Social functioning is an essential part of well-being, suggesting that humans cannot fully function without a social environment, companions, and relationships [90]. Therefore, it may be unrealistic to study individuals’ well-being, focusing merely on individuals’ needs without this social surrounding. Additionally, the analysis revealed limits to certain aspects, such as job autonomy (IA, 2). While feeling autonomous at work may be preferred by the interviewed employees, support and guidance by their team and superiors should be available when needed (IG, 4). A challenge may be to balance job self-efficacy and job-related aspiration (IG, 5). Though self-confidence in one’s competence is essential to function well at work, there must be a little room left for one’s potential for growth and learning. Being faced with some uncertainty and challenging tasks, from time to time, may positively affect one’s job-related aspiration (II, 4).

Figure 2. Theoretical model.

Figure 2. Theoretical model.

The theoretical model emerging from my empirical analysis is shown in Figure 2. It depicts the relationship between employees’ perception of CSR and their eudaimonic well-being at work, as well as the boundary conditions influencing the relationship. Different CSR engagements, categorized into stakeholder groups, are perceived by employees to be more or less important for job-related eudaimonic well-being. Most important are CSR engagements for employees, also known as internal CSR, according to the interviewees. Internal CSR efforts that were mentioned are fostering interpersonal and long-term relationships with employees and management, ensuring open and transparent communication within the company, including employees in decision making, offering training and events to develop soft and hard skills, and creating a work–life balance. Internal CSR was said to positively affect all eudaimonic well-being aspects, except for employees’ self-efficacy, which was not mentioned. Internal CSR can contain practices to nurture interpersonal relationships and close connections with team members, who can give recognition and support. In that sense, internal CSR could strengthen job self-efficacy by employees receiving recognition and support from team members. One interviewee states that their employer offering them training courses to improve their job-related skills or, e.g., learn a language, enables them to fulfil their aspirations. To them, such internal CSR engagements, allowing employees to fulfil their potential, are reasons to choose and to want to stay with an employer, while mere financial incentives would not be enough (IG, 8). Further, the interviewees emphasize a link between the importance of internal CSR and of having positive relationships with others for the employees’ well-being. Fostering interpersonal, long-term relationships and close connections, not only between employees and management, but within the team, is an essential part of CSR that businesses should not neglect (II, 9). By strengthening team spirit, employees’ well-being can be positively affected, as such relationships can make up for unpleasant or tedious work (IG, 6).

In general, CSR for social stakeholder groups such as employees, customers, and society as a whole was perceived to be of high importance. Companies that place high value on social stakeholders are not perceived to aim to purely maximize profits and minimize costs, such as by exploiting customers and employees. These businesses are, rather, perceived to want to ensure the well-being of people, which increases employees’ sense of purpose and contribution in the company and thus positively influences employees’ eudaimonic well-being (IH, 2).

Not surprisingly, the findings show that individuals have differing views concerning the importance of CSR for the natural environment. Some employees attach great value to their company’s CSR efforts on environmental issues, and thus feel higher identification and involvement at work (IG, 1) thanks to matching personal and organizational values, for instance. Others see it as a secondary issue for CSR. Ensuring a loyal employee and customer base, for instance, and needing to remain financially profitable, will always be of primary importance, according to some interviewees. To some, CSR for the natural environment is nice to have, as it is beneficial for the environment, but also a good selling point for the business (IH, 1). Here, employees appreciate companies’ CSR efforts on the environment that are set within the realm of possibility. These different views come into play when individuals are looking for a new job or employer. Assuming responsibilities for stakeholders such as the environment can be a relevant condition for some applicants to choose an employer. However, as the findings suggest, individuals tend to prioritize employers who focus primarily on social stakeholder groups, such as employees and customers. The two stakeholder groups of suppliers and shareholders, including owners, were not mentioned in relation to employees’ eudaimonic well-being. It can be argued that within companies that place a high value on relationships with suppliers (IF, 1), employees are also on good terms with supplier contacts, which can affect the interpersonal aspect of eudaimonic well-being, “positive relationships with others”. Ultimately, individuals’ perceiving their work to be meaningful positively affects their private life and well-being. Thus, their job-related eudaimonic well-being influences their private life, including their social surroundings (IF, 2).

Leadership’s behavior and actions as well as their motives for CSR, as perceived by employees, can play a role in employees’ perceptions of CSR and its effect on their eudaimonic well-being. Leaderships’ exemplary role in terms of living their communicated values and “walking the talk” can help employees to identify better with the business and its values, increasing their job involvement (IH, 4). In a similar way, if companies are perceived to primarily engage in CSR for marketing and financial reasons, employees might experience a decreased sense of purpose in their work and identify less with their employer.

6. Conclusions

6.1. Theoretical and Practical Implications

This research contributes to closing the current knowledge gap on job-related eudaimonic well-being [9,28,74] and on the micro-foundations of CSR and its outcomes, specifically on the effect of employees’ perceptions of CSR on their eudaimonic well-being [24,25,26,27,38]. By answering the above-mentioned research questions, I find four theoretical implications based on these findings. Firstly, the conceptualization of job-related eudaimonic well-being by Demasi [24] is supported and refined. The interpersonal aspect of “positive relationships with others” is an essential part of employee’s eudaimonic well-being and thus is incorporated as the sixth aspect in the conceptualization [9,74]. Secondly, I find that companies’ engagement with stakeholders, if perceived by employees as more than necessary, positively affects employees’ eudaimonic well-being at work. Specifically, employees perceive internal CSR practices to positively influence the meaningfulness of their work, their job autonomy, job involvement, and job aspiration. These findings coincide with and support the findings from the existing literature [10,38,67]. Thirdly, employees seem to enjoy higher job involvement when they perceive their companies to assume more responsibility than required for customers, community stakeholders, and the environment. Fourthly, this study finds two boundary conditions influencing the relationship between employees’ perceptions of CSR and their eudaimonic well-being: an exemplary leadership role and perceived motives for CSR. These findings provide new explanations for the role of leadership and the perceived motives for CSR in the relationship between CSR and well-being [83,91].

I can draw four practical implications based on this research. Firstly, businesses can positively impact employees’ eudaimonic well-being by adopting CSR practices for internal and external stakeholders. If an employee’s job cannot fulfil certain aspects of well-being such as job aspiration, due to tedious and repetitive work, companies can consider focusing on CSR practices to strengthen other well-being aspects. To make up for unpleasant work, businesses could organize regular team events and informal communication to nurture positive team relationships. Secondly, when recruiting employees, companies should consider that their specific CSR efforts can have an influence on applicants’ employer choices. Individuals who seek to fulfil their potential or work to fulfil a higher purpose might choose employers with matching values and high engagement with stakeholders such as employers or the environment. Thus, investing in CSR engagements may attract employees with similar values regarding stakeholder engagement and motivation to move CSR issues forward. Thirdly, businesses need to consider that if leadership does not act out its communicated values and employees perceive the motives for CSR as financially incentivized, their CSR efforts can in turn have negative consequences for employees and their job involvement. Fourthly, as long as CSR efforts are perceived as authentic by employees, even if an environmentally sustainable strategy, for instance, seems impossible for a company’s industry, employees value the efforts made within the company’s means.

6.2. Limitations and Future Research

This study has limitations inherent to qualitative research, which future research can overcome. Since the findings are derived from a particular group with its own characteristics and may only apply to them, generalization can pose a problem [92]. There might be characteristics in this regard that are specific to the Swiss context at the time of this study. Although a qualitative research approach seems appropriate for the subject of CSR and employee well-being, future research could benefit from a larger number of conducted interviews for the results to be more representative for the research topic. Moreover, this study focuses merely on the psychological aspect of employees’ well-being. Future research could further differentiate between the psychological, physical, and social dimensions of well-being when examining the relationship of perceived CSR and employee well-being.