Decent work and work–family enrichment: role of meaning at work and work engagement

Abstract

PurposeThe purpose of the current study is to examine decent work (DW) as a critical antecedent of work–family enrichment (WFE). Further, it also focuses on understanding the underlying mechanisms that facilitate the linkage of employees' perceptions of DW and WFE by investigating about the mediating role of knowledge workers' experience of meaning at work and their work engagement levels.Design/methodology/approachThis study adopts a quantitative cross-sectional research design using survey administration among faculty members employed in public and private universities of North India.FindingsResults depicted that in addition to direct relationship between DW and WFE, both meaning at work and work engagement partially mediate the relationship between access to DW and WFE indirectly. These findings showed that the provision of access to DW by organizations will help facilitate WFE via employees' experience of meaning at work and their levels of engagement with their work.Practical implicationsThe study findings would be useful for organizational practitioners and policymakers to design sustainable human resource development (HRD) policies and practices for enriching the WFE of employees as well as in driving talent retention and engagement.Originality/valueIt is one of the few studies that captures perceptions of employees about access to DW policies and practices and its role in enhancing WFE in the South Asian context. Further, it also advances our knowledge on antecedents and consequences of WFE.