Abstract
Orientation: It has become vital for hospitals to create supportive and conducive working environments. With the reported adverse working conditions in public hospitals, it would be prudent to consider the stimulating factors of work engagement. This research suggests that personal resources such as resilience and emotional intelligence may cushion individuals from being disengaged by enabling them to manage job demands. Research purpose: The study aimed to determine the extent to which a combination of positive aspects and resources of emotional intelligence and resilience may influence work engagement. Motivation for the study: The study was inspired by Demerouti and Bakker (2011) who signal that employees become susceptible to health impairments when job and personal resources are likely to be limited. Expanding employee personal resources may thus effectively influence work engagement. Research approach, design and method: The study employed a cross-sectional quantitative survey by means of self-administered questionnaires. The sample consisted of 252 nurses from the Mangaung Metropolitan Municipality, South Africa. Data were analysed using the SmartPLS program. Main findings : Emotional intelligence through resilience influences work engagement. Noteworthy was the strong direct pathway between emotional intelligence and work engagement. Practical or managerial implication: Managers may focus their attention on developing aspects of emotional intelligence and enhance resilience as a way of improving work engagement. Contribution: The findings adds literature to the body of knowledge focusing on expanding personal resource as a way to enhance work engagement among nurses in public hospitals.
Highlights
The work engagement of nurses in the public hospitals has become more critical than ever due to the pressure caused by the coronavirus disease, 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic (Giménez-Espert, Prado-Gascó, & Soto-Rubio, 2020)
The purpose of this study is to examine whether the expansion of personal resources of emotional intelligence and resilience could be the mechanisms to boost work engagement levels
The results indicated that resilience and emotional intelligence explained only 28.8% variance in work engagement, which can be interpreted as moderate contribution
Summary
The work engagement of nurses in the public hospitals has become more critical than ever due to the pressure caused by the coronavirus disease, 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic (Giménez-Espert, Prado-Gascó, & Soto-Rubio, 2020). Work overload, uncompetitive remuneration, inadequate management, unsatisfactory working environment and work-place violence characterise the South African healthcare fraternity (Janse van Rensburg et al, 2016). These aspects leave employees with feelings of fear, hostility and anxiety, which can lead to stress and mental strain that may threaten employees’ ability to be engaged (Boafo, 2018; Kennedy & Julie, 2013; Terblanche & Borcherds, 2018). Rispel (2015) posed that exposure to the suffering of human beings, death, grief and interpersonal conflict leave the nurses emotionally drained
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