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Advances in Social Sciences Research Journal – Vol. 8, No. 8
Publication Date: August 25, 2021
DOI:10.14738/assrj.88.10646. Alghamdi, M. A. A., Ng, S., Ho, J. A., Ramachandran, S., & Abdulsamad, A. (2021). Employee Well Being and Knowledge Sharing
Behavior Among Employees of Saudi Aramco. Advances in Social Sciences Research Journal, 8(8). 261-284.
Services for Science and Education – United Kingdom
Employee Well Being and Knowledge Sharing Behavior Among
Employees of Saudi Aramco
Mansour Ali A. Alghamdi
Ph.D. Candidate; School of Business and Economics
UPM, Malaysia
Siew-Imm Ng
Ph. D, School of Business and Economics
UPM, Malaysia
Jo Ann Ho
Ph. D, School of Business and Economics
UPM, Malaysia
Sridar Ramachandran
Ph. D, School of Business and Economics
UPM, Malaysia
Akram Abdulsamad
Ph.D. Candidate; School of Business and Economics
UPM, Malaysia
Lecturer; Faculty of Economics
Political of science, University of Aden, Yemen
ABSTRACT
The oil and gas industries in Saudi Arabia requires research attention regarding
Knowledge Sharing Behavior (KSB), as the industries suffer from compromised KSB
which may adversely affect sustainability in knowledge advancement and
competitive advantage. There are research gaps in the antecedents of KSB such as
1) dimensions of Employee Well Being (EWB) being contextual and untested in
Saudi Arabia; 2) leadership style and culture that motivate KSB were unknown.
Thus, this study aims to uncover EWB, leadership and culture factors that
determine KSB. A total of 260 Aramco employees’ responses were analysed using
SPSS. The study has found physical well-being, psychological well-being, social well- being, benevolent leadership, and innovative organizational culture contributed to
increasing KSB among Saudi Aramco employees. Theoretical and managerial
implications were then discussed.
Keywords: Employee well-being; Knowledge sharing behavior; Physical well-being;
Social well-being; Benevolent leadership; Innovative organizational culture; Aramco
Saudi
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Advances in Social Sciences Research Journal (ASSRJ) Vol. 8, Issue 8, August-2021
Services for Science and Education – United Kingdom
INTRODUCTION
The Saudi Arabian Oil Company (Aramco) employs over 65,000 employees in its operations in
oil creation, exploration, marketing, refining, and international shipping. Given that the
petroleum industry in Saudi Arabia, dominated by Aramco, is a fundamental contributor to the
Saudi Arabian economy, the well-being and knowledge sharing of employees in the industry is
of utmost importance to its performance [1]. However, the relationship between employee
well-being and their knowledge-sharing behavior in the Saudi Arabian petroleum industry has
not been addressed sufficiently in the literature [1]. Understanding how employee well-being
impacts Aramco employees’ willingness to share their experience may significantly influence
human resource policies pertaining to employees’ job satisfaction and performance [2].
According to Amin H. Nasser, the president and CEO of Saudi Aramco, “The oil and gasoline
sector is centralized on enhancing the well-being of everybody who works in or is affected by
our segment”. Overall health and emotional wellness, specifically, have been in high demand
among individuals. Aramco have distributed a few guides throughout the years, including the
mental dangers of expulsion and the evaluation and management of weaknesses. However,
there is still a need for more programs to increase the well-being of employees in the oil
companies like Saudi Aramco [3].
The risks that exist and the negative consequences in the workplace can have health
complications, which will cause the employee's well-being to be low and not perform as they
should [4]. Halim et al. [5] comment that a company's expenses on health and safety for
employees are an investment that pays off in a better way like productive performance and few
absences. According to Albrechtsen et al.[6], although some entrepreneurs see these benefits
as an expense, they need to keep employees well and reach their maximum production and
performance level. Occupational risk prevention is the discipline that seeks to promote the
health and safety of employees by identifying, evaluating, and controlling the dangers and risks
associated with a work environment. Therefore, the development of activities and measures
necessary to prevent accidents within the organization should be encouraged, since there are
possibilities that a worker suffers an illness or accident related to the workplace [7], as a
measure to enhance physical well-being of workers.
The oil and gas industries require research attention regarding employee well-being (EWB), as
the industries suffer from compromised EWB as a result of weak enforcement of safety
measures, work structure and support. If not addressed, desired level of knowledge sharing
behavior may not be achieved. Research gaps remained in relation to EWB dimensions,
leadership style and culture that affect KSB. Hence, the purpose of the study is to determine
factors that motivate KSB.
LITERATURE REVIEW
The concept of Employee Well-Being
Employee well-being (EWB) is defined very differently across the literature. Some defined EWB
narrowly. Van Laar et al. [8] explained EWB as "quality of working life or quality of work life
(QWL)." However, some defined the EWB broadly. Page and Vella-Brodrick [9] described EWB
as "employee mental health which is related to physical, psychological and social well-being".
Researchers are difficult to compromise on a single basic term of EWB, which may be due to the
large number of words and idioms used by researchers when referring to EWB or a general
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Alghamdi, M. A. A., Ng, S., Ho, J. A., Ramachandran, S., & Abdulsamad, A. (2021). Employee Well Being and Knowledge Sharing Behavior Among
Employees of Saudi Aramco. Advances in Social Sciences Research Journal, 8(8). 261-284.
URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.14738/assrj.88.10646
idea. Page and Vella-Brodrick [9] investigated working environment well-being and employee
mental health, whereas Wright, Cropanzano, and Bonett [10] investigated psychological well- being (PWB).
Authors prefer to go from one EWB to another, implying that there is no major difference in
terms. Van Laar et al., [8] for example, claimed that QWL is conceptually equivalent to EWB,
whereas Sirgy et al. [11] claimed that QWL is related to employee well-being. Several
researchers adopted other definitions of well-being since psychologists from various branches
of psychology have provided a different description of welfare [12]. A study by Cañibano [13]
adopted the definition of well-being by the World Health Organization, which specified well- being as a three-dimensional concept comprising of physical, psychological, and social faculties.
As stated by Boxall and Macky [14], EWB contained enjoyment, health, and relationship aspects.
Juniper et al. [15] adopted the definition of work-related well-being in health-related quality of
life clinics, whereby it is referred to as part of an employee's total well-being, which they
perceived to be determined chiefly by their work and is influenced by workplace interventions.
Meanwhile, Ryan and Deci [16] surmised that there are two main theoretical views in the
context of well-being: one related to happiness such as hedonism, and the other in recognizing
individual capability like eudemonism[17]. Despite these definitions that offer an overall idea
of well-being, they do not provide a consistent explanation.
Page and Vella-Brodrick [9] suggested a thorough model that includes three main components
of employee well-being, namely employee well-being, workplace well-being, and psychological
well-being (PWB). As stated by Diener and Chan [18], EWB refers to an individual’s judgment
of these life qualities based on their private ideals [17]. In short, there is a general
understanding of EWB that seems energetic, subjective in character, multi-faceted, and also
unique to task satisfaction. Additionally, EWB describes a psychological condition. There
continue to be mixed perspectives around the workplace facets it adopts, its relationship using
network domain names, and the way overall well-being and physical well-being could be linked
to the concept [17].
Theoretical Foundation of the Study
Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs is employed in this study to explain the needs of EWB in an
organization. Maslow [19] proposes that motivation is the result of a person’s attempt to fulfill
the five basic needs of physiological, safety, social, esteem, and self-actualization. These needs
can create internal pressures that can influence a person’s behavior [19]. Employee well-being
dimensions of physical, psychological and social are corresponding to Maslow's safety, esteem
& self-actualization and social needs respectively. Thus, EWB dimensions are the main driving
forces for people to demonstrate desirable work outcomes in organization. It also contains
goals that lead to fulfilment and happiness. The theory's strength is that it promotes
management approaches to focus on individual autonomy and personal growth, allowing
employees to meet their esteem and self-actualization requirements. Effective management
and support to meet these requirements at work will result in continuous development in the
working life due to increased motivation [20]. Furthermore, Maslow's needs hierarchy implies
that the higher order wants for esteem and self-actualization have the greatest effect on
motivation. When these greater wants are met, they get stronger, but when lesser needs are
met, they become weaker. However, the occupations that individuals undertake will not always
meet their higher requirements, especially if they consist of repetitive or deskilled activities