The art of workplace happiness: developing a Buddhist-inspired employee sustainability scale

Purpose The purpose of this study is to develop and validate an employee sustainability (ES) scale grounded in Buddhist principles of happiness. It aims to capture the employees' happiness through an outside-in lens in the developing nations. Design/methodology/approach ES scale is developed through a two-phase process of scale construction and validation. Scale is evaluated using a mixed-method validation approach combining SmartPLS and Python. The ES construct is operationalized as a higher-order formative construct comprising multiple formative dimensions. The convergence of results across both platforms ensured methodological rigor and enhanced the reliability and consistency of the scale. Findings A multifaceted method that incorporated both qualitative and quantitative analyses involving 900 employees from manufacturing organizations facilitated the validation of the ES as a multidimensional construct rooted in Buddhist principles of happiness. It comprises eight dimensions: egalitarianism (EG), health and safety (H&S), human rights (HR), learning and development (L&D), cultural enrichment (CE), governance (GV), philanthropy (PL) and psychological well-being (PW). The results validated the significant influence of ES practices within manufacturing organizations in India on employee experiences. Practical implications The proposed ES scale offers leaders and organizations a structured tool to assess and enhance employee happiness through sustainable workplace practices. Social implications By integrating Buddhist principles, the scale promotes a more compassionate, equitable and mentally healthy work environment, contributing to broader societal well-being. Originality/value This study uniquely integrates Buddhist philosophy with sustainability and happiness indices to develop a novel formative scale for measuring ES.