Dynamics of Passion in Work and Performance

The dynamics of passion in work and performance encompass how individuals internalise their professional roles and the resulting effects on productivity, well-being and career trajectories. Central to this field is the distinction between harmonious passion, arising from autonomous internalisation and fostering balanced engagement, and obsessive passion, stemming from controlled internalisation and often generating conflict and stress. Contemporary research explores antecedents such as personality traits, leadership style and job context, as well as outcomes including job satisfaction, performance, burnout and career commitment. Empirical evidence highlights that harmonious passion supports adaptive coping, flow experiences and resilience under high demands, whereas obsessive passion can undermine work–life balance, intensify exhaustion and reduce intrinsic satisfaction. Across sectors and cultures, the modulation of passion through organisational climate, autonomy support and leader–member interactions has been shown to have practical implications for talent management, employee well-being and sustainable performance.

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Dynamics of Passion in Work and Performance publication trend

The graph below shows the total number of articles in dynamics of passion in work and performance across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).

Technical terms

Dualistic model of passion: Conceptual framework distinguishing two forms of passion—harmonious and obsessive—based on autonomous or controlled internalisation of activities.

Harmonious passion: A form of passion marked by voluntary engagement in work that aligns with personal values, promoting balance and psychological well-being.

Obsessive passion: A form of passion characterised by controlled engagement where the individual feels compelled to invest excessive time in work, often leading to conflict and stress.

Job demands-resources (JD-R) model: Theoretical framework positing that employee well-being and performance arise from the balance between job demands and available resources.

Work-family enrichment: Positive spillover in which experiences in the work domain improve the quality of family life, enhancing overall well-being.

References

1. What drives passion? An empirical examination on the impact of personality trait interactions and job environments on work passion. Current Psychology (2022).
2. Does work passion benefit or hinder employee’s career commitment? The mediating role of work–family interface and the moderating role of autonomy support. PLOS ONE (2022).
3. Harmonious Passion at Work: Personal Resource for Coping with the Negative Relationship between Burnout and Intrinsic Job Satisfaction in Service Employees. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health (2023).
4. Organizational Climate and Job Performance: Investigating the Mediating Role of Harmonious Work Passion and the Moderating Role of Leader–Member Exchange and Coaching. SAGE Open (2021).