ETHICAL CLIMATE, INNOVATIVE WORK BEHAVIOR, AND WORK ENGAGEMENT: A STRUCTURAL EQUATION MODEL ON THE QUALITY OF WORK-LIFE OF GOVERNMENT EMPLOYEES

Abstract

This research sought to determine the most suitable structural model for work-life quality using factors such as ethical climate, innovative work behavior, and work engagement. Four hundred local government employees from Region XI responded to a survey after being recruited through stratified sampling. The researchers used statistical methods such as mean and standard deviation, Pearson correlation coefficient, multiple regression, and Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) to analyze the data. The results showed that ethical climate, innovative work behavior, work engagement, and quality of work-life were all high. Additionally, there was a significant relationship between ethical climate, innovative work behavior, work engagement, and the quality of work-life. The effect of the exogenous variables on the quality of work-life was 22 to 22.6%. Additionally, the study found that work engagement was the best predictor of the quality of work-life. The study found that Model 5 was the best fit structural model for quality of work-life. The model showed that work engagement, along with its corresponding manifest variables of vigor, dedication, and absorption, were predictors of the quality of work-life. The manifest variables for the quality of work-life were adequate and fair compensation, use of capacities at work, and opportunities at work. The paper discusses these results and their implications for Human Resource Management in local government units. KEYWORDS: ethical climate, innovative work behavior, work engagement, quality of work-life, structural equation model, government employees, public administration SEM, Philippines