The joint study by UIC Barcelona and the Universitat Oberta de Catalunya (UOC) explores employee delight, a highly positive and intense emotional state that arises when a work experience far exceeds employees’ expectations. It highlights the importance of fostering such experiences within organisations.

The research was conducted by Alba Manresa, lecturer and researcher at the Faculty of Economic and Social Sciences and an expert in people management and organisational design, together with Dalilis Escobar and Eva Rimbau-Gilabert, researchers at the Digital Business Research Group (DigiBiz) at the UOC.

The authors explain that delight goes beyond satisfaction, as it requires additional elements such as surprise, activation and recognition from the organisation. “Imagine an engineer who has worked hard on a project and delivers excellent results. In a situation of employee delight, the chief executive would invite her to their office to congratulate her and give her the freedom to lead her own innovation project,” illustrates Alba Manresa. She adds that delight is triggered by the element of surprise, which generates excitement and motivation to act. “Deep validation of talent and potential is a meaningful form of recognition that values the person for who they are, not only for what they have achieved,” she clarifies.

The researchers reviewed 10 empirical studies from the past 20 years to redefine the concept. Employee delight encompasses emotional, cognitive and motivational components. “Each component explains a different dimension of the phenomenon and allows for a comprehensive understanding of what generates it and its consequences,” the authors note.

Organisations and positive psychology

“Traditionally, human resources management has focused primarily on avoiding discomfort: preventing dissatisfaction, reducing burnout and ensuring minimum comfort conditions. This study proposes a paradigm shift: it is not enough for people simply not to feel bad; organisations must aim to create positive experiences that include surprise, joy and deep recognition,” argues Alba Manresa. “When an organisation commits to generating delight, not just satisfaction, it humanises work,” she concludes.

The study also examines the impact of employee delight beyond the workplace. The researchers argue that individuals become more optimistic, more engaged and more willing to contribute to the community. “This can translate into a society with more conscious, involved and emotionally healthier citizens,” notes the UIC Barcelona lecturer.

Specifically, the study by UIC Barcelona and the UOC identifies four types of situations that help generate these feelings: achieving goals or successfully solving problems; receiving recognition and positive feedback; feeling valued in social interactions and collaborative work; and experiencing unexpected positive events.

The future of the research

To advance academically, the authors state that “further studies are needed to explore how employee delight may be influenced by cultural environments, sectors and different types of organisations. This will help to understand which factors facilitate or hinder the emergence of these experiences in diverse work contexts.”

Current research shows that delight is not a fleeting emotion but a psychological resource that can strengthen resilience, creativity and the ability to respond to challenges. “It contributes to human sustainability: less stressed, more motivated and more innovative individuals help build a more balanced society prepared for the future,” concludes Alba Manresa.