Investigating Work Engagement of Highly Educated Young Employees through Applying the Job Demands-Resources Model

Widdy Muhammad Sabar Wibawa ,Yoshi Takahashi ,Corina D Riantoputra

doi:10.33844/ijol.2021.60519

Widdy Muhammad Sabar Wibawa , Yoshi Takahashi + Show 1 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.33844/ijol.2021.60519

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Abstract

This study aims to investigate the applicability of the job demands and resources (JD-R) model. While prior studies tend to focus on older employees, we investigate the potentially effective job resources and demands specifically for the highly educated young individuals that are the future of any organization. We collected primary cross-sectional data from 155 respondents in Indonesia with master’s or doctoral degrees, under 40 years of age, currently working in public and private sectors. Participants completed an online questionnaire by following a link distributed by email. PLS-SEM was used to analyze data regarding the relationships between job resources (perceived organizational support (POS) and employee voice), job demands (emotional demands), and work engagement. Our results indicated the relationships for POS positively and emotional demands negatively with work engagement, while employee voice was not significantly correlated with work engagement. Emotional demands are considered to be perceived as stress rather than opportunity. Furthermore, emotional demands did not moderate the correlation of POS and employee voice with work engagement. A multi-group analysis found no significant differences between employees in the private and public sectors. The results showed the JD-R model was partially applicable. This study is one of few seeking to apply the JD-R model to highly educated young employees in the private and public sectors. The specific results of this study will provide insight for the organizations employing such individuals.

Highlights

Work engagement is “a positive, fulfilling, work-related state of mind that is characterized by vigor, dedication, and absorption” (Schaufeli et al, 2002, p. 72)
Hypothesis Development Among many types of job resources, we focus on Perceived Organizational Support (POS); and the ability to contribute to decision-making processes, referred to as employee voice; as these factors were demonstrated to be essential job resources (Byrne & MacDonagh, 2017; Conway et al, 2016)
This study confirms that the job demands and resources (JD-R) model is partially applicable to highly educated young employees in Indonesia

Summary

Introduction

Work engagement is “a positive, fulfilling, work-related state of mind that is characterized by vigor, dedication, and absorption” (Schaufeli et al, 2002, p. 72). There is a lack of consensus among researchers regarding the most effective theory for analyzing work engagement, the job demands and resources (JD-R) model has been often used in the empirical studies of engagement (Saks & Gruman, 2014). Employing the lens of JD-R model, we aim to understand how highly educated young employees tend to perceive their demands. This study aims to elucidate the effect of job demands on highly educated young employees, considering whether demands are perceived as opportunities or stress. Investigating this will be beneficial for future organizational practice on handling these types of employees

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