Abstract
Even though work engagement is a popular construct in organizational psychology, the question remains whether it is experienced as a global construct, or as its three components (vigor, dedication, absorption). The present study thus contributes to the ongoing scientific debate about the dimensionality of work engagement systematically compared one-factor, first-order, higher-order, and bifactor confirmatory factor analytic (CFA) representations of work engagement measured by the short version of Utrecht Work Engagement Scale (UWES-9). We also documented the validity evidence of the most optimal representation based on its test-criterion relationship with basic psychological need fulfillment at work, turnover intentions, work addiction, and work satisfaction. Based on responses provided by two distinct samples of employees (N1 = 242, N2 = 505), our results supported the superiority of the bifactor-CFA representation including a global factor of work engagement and three co-existing specific factors of vigor, dedication, and absorption. This representation replicated well across the two samples through tests of measurement invariance. Finally, while global work engagement was substantially related to all correlates, the specific factors also demonstrated meaningful associations over and above the global levels of work engagement.
Highlights
Following the changes in work conditions and technological advancements over the last decades, employees invest more and more time and energy in their work (van Beek et al, 2012)
Research has generally demonstrated that work engagement is a desirable state of mind that is positively associated with psychological health (Simbula et al, 2013; Gillet et al, 2019), psychological capital (Mills et al, 2012), occupational self-efficacy (Simbula et al, 2013; Villotti et al, 2014), passion at work (Tóth-Király et al, 2021), work performance (Gorgievski et al, 2010; Alessandri et al, 2015), personal development (Simbula et al, 2013), organizational commitment (Hallberg and Schaufeli, 2006), and job satisfaction (Wefald et al, 2012; Schaufeli et al, 2019)
We investigated the relations between this improved representation and key work-related correlates of work engagement, namely basic psychological need fulfillment at work, turnover intentions, work addiction, and work satisfaction
Summary
Following the changes in work conditions and technological advancements over the last decades, employees invest more and more time and energy in their work (van Beek et al, 2012). Research has generally demonstrated that work engagement is a desirable state of mind that is positively associated with psychological health (Simbula et al, 2013; Gillet et al, 2019), psychological capital (Mills et al, 2012), occupational self-efficacy (Simbula et al, 2013; Villotti et al, 2014), passion at work (Tóth-Király et al, 2021), work performance (Gorgievski et al, 2010; Alessandri et al, 2015), personal development (Simbula et al, 2013), organizational commitment (Hallberg and Schaufeli, 2006), and job satisfaction (Wefald et al, 2012; Schaufeli et al, 2019) Despite these findings, the dimensionality of work engagement remains questionable and is frequently investigated in the scientific literature, with two perspectives being prevalent. We investigated the relations between this improved representation and key work-related correlates of work engagement, namely basic psychological need fulfillment at work, turnover intentions, work addiction, and work satisfaction
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