Examining the Moderating Role of Mindfulness in the Relationship between Workplace Stressors and Subjective Well-being

Abstract

Aims: This study examined the impact of workplace stressors on employees’ subjective well-being and evaluated the mediating role of coping strategies and the moderating role of mindfulness within this relationship. Study Design: A cross-sectional quantitative survey design was employed. Place and Duration of Study: The study was conducted in Lithuania between January and April 2025. Methodology: A total of 181 employees from various professional sectors participated in an online questionnaire survey. Standardised instruments were used to measure workplace stress, coping strategies, mindfulness, and subjective well-being. Data were analysed using multiple regression, mediation, and moderation models via the PROCESS macro. Results: Analysis revealed that workplace stressors were significantly associated with lower subjective well-being. Coping strategies partially mediated this relationship, with problem-solving and social support linked to higher well-being, and avoidant coping and emotional venting linked to lower well-being. Mindfulness moderated these effects by reducing reliance on maladaptive coping strategies under stress. Conclusion: The findings suggest that workplace stress negatively affects well-being, but this effect is shaped by the type of coping strategies used and moderated by mindfulness. Interventions promoting adaptive coping and cultivating mindfulness may buffer employees against the psychological costs of occupational stress.