Grateful disposition predicts aircraft maintenance technicians’ safety behaviors through organizational identification and work engagement

Purpose This study examined the role of grateful disposition, a positive psychological trait, in aircraft maintenance technicians (AMTs) and how it predicts safety behaviors through organizational identification and work engagement. Design/methodology/approach Based on a survey of AMTs (N = 930, 872 males and 58 females, with a mean age of 27.68 ± 3.45 years), we utilized SPSS 26.0 and the PROCESS macro (models 4 and 6), along with Amos 24.0, to conduct an empirical test of a multiple mediation model elucidating the relationship between grateful disposition and safety behavior. Findings Grateful disposition positively correlates with the safety behaviors of Chinese AMTs. Organizational identification and work engagement play an independent mediating role in the relationship between grateful disposition and safety behaviors. Organizational identification and work engagement jointly mediate the relationship between grateful disposition and safety behaviors. Further analyses have revealed consistent findings among AMTs with 0‒5 years and 5‒10 years of experience. However, a grateful disposition directly predicts safety behaviors for AMTs with over 10 years of experience, with no mediation effect from organizational identification or work engagement. Research limitations/implications The present study suggests strategies to foster a grateful disposition in the aviation maintenance industry to enhance overall safety performance. Originality/value Given the intense safety pressures of aircraft maintenance tasks, AMTs need robust and positive psychological dispositions to fulfill their role in flight safety. Therefore, exploring the potential relationship between the AMTs’ grateful disposition and safety behaviors provides significant theoretical and practical value.