Linking Ability-Job Fit and Work Engagement in the Public Sector

Abstract

While work engagement has been extensively investigated in private sector research, culminating in an extensive body of knowledge and a thriving engagement “industry”, much less research has been undertaken in public sector contexts. Yet, a focus on engagement may be particularly important given the extent and nature of public sector reforms internationally. This paper draws on the job demands- resources (JDR) model to provide a more nuanced understanding of the processes underpinning work engagement in the public sector. We test a model which examines whether the fit between perceptions of ability and demands is associated with engagement and whether this relationship is mediated by perceptions of meaningful work. We also consider whether prosocial motivation moderates the relationship between ability-job fit and meaningful work. We test our model by drawing on data from two large-scale employee surveys (study 1: N = 10,401 and study 2: N = 18,926) undertaken within the civil service in Ireland. Our findings support the relationships we hypothesize. Our paper discusses our study’s contribution to knowledge and its implications for practice.