The Meaning of Work, The Power of Volition: The Effect of Meaningful Work on Career Satisfaction through the Mediation of Work Volition

This study examines the impact of individuals' perceptions of meaningful work on their career satisfaction and analyzes the mediating role of work volition in this relationship. While it is known in the literature that meaningful work has positive effects on individuals' psychological well-being, motivation, and work commitment, how this effect relates to career satisfaction and the psychological processes that shape it have not yet been sufficiently clarified. This research aims to evaluate this relationship theoretically and empirically. The study sample consists of 354 participants working in the private sector service sector in Istanbul. Data were collected using the Meaningful Work Scale developed by Fındıklı, Keleş, and Afaçan (2017), the Work Volition Scale developed by Büyükgöze-Kavas and Ünal (2019), and the Career Satisfaction Scale developed by Greenhaus (1990) and adapted to Turkish by (Yüksel, 2010). Regression and mediation analyses conducted with the obtained data revealed that meaningful work has a direct effect on career satisfaction and that work volition plays a partial mediating role in this relationship. The findings are discussed within the framework of job characteristics and self-determination theory and are supported by theoretical contributions and practical implications.