Perceived Workload and Life Satisfaction of Police Officers: Moderated Mediating Roles of Organisational Support and Dispositional Optimism

Abstract Life satisfaction is often linked to positive work outcomes, with research establishing a link between perceived workload and life satisfaction. However, the role of personal factors like dispositional optimism in this relationship requires further attention. This study investigates the conditional indirect effect of dispositional optimism on the relationship between perceived workload and life satisfaction through organizational support. Three hundred and eighty-four police officers (female = 49.2%, mean age = 33.7 years, standard deviation [SD] = 5.11) completed the following standardized psychological scales: Satisfaction with Life Scale, Police Perceived Workload Scale, Perceived Organizational Support Scale and Life Orientation Test (revised). The analysis utilized Pearson product moment correlation and linear regression. Results showed perceived workload significantly predicts life satisfaction and organizational support, which also predicts life satisfaction. The indirect effect of perceived workload on life satisfaction via organizational support was significant, and the conditional indirect effect of dispositional optimism was confirmed. The study recommends fostering a supportive work environment, building capacity to manage mental demands and promoting optimism to enhance police officers' life satisfaction.