Challenge and hindrance stressors: Relationships with employees' work engagement

Abstract

This paper investigated the relationships between challenge-hindrance stressor and three sub-factors of work engagement. Based on two-dimensional model of stressor and Appraisal theory of stressor, We hypothesized that challenge and hindrance stressors have divergent relationships with three sub-factors of work engagement. Using a sample of 239 data collected in China, we found that challenge stressor was positively related to vigor, dedication and absorption; in contrast, hindrance stressor was negatively related to them. Our findings provide additional supports for two-dimensional model of stressor and previous results which indicated that not all stressor had negative effects on individuals or organizations. The findings of current study suggests that managers should remove hindrance stressors in order to increase employees' work engagement, at the same time, they should provide challenge-relate stressors in workplace.