The Role of Work Engagement in Promoting Employee Well-Being in the Service Sector of Malaysia

Abstract

The 2019 coronavirus disease (COVID-19) is a public health emergency of international concern and poses a challenge to psychological resilience. Thus, it results in substantial challenges to mental health, and improving employee well-being (EWB) becomes an important human resource management issue. Research data are needed to develop evidence-driven strategies to reduce psychological impacts. This study aimed to examine how vigour, dedication, and absorption affect employee well-being among employee working from home (WFH) in the service sector context during the COVID-19 pandemic. A snowball sampling was used by drawing responses from 152 executives and higher-level positions working in the Malaysian service sector through an online survey questionnaire. The data were then analyzed using structural equation modelling. The findings indicate that vigour and absorption have a significant positive effect on employee well-being while dedication was found to be no direct effect on employee well-being. Our results suggest that work engagement is an important work behaviour, not only promotes effective work outcomes but also has a positive impact on an individual’s well-being. The data for the study were collected from the employees working in the service industry during COVID-19 pandemic situation. Future research could evaluate other factors as potential moderators or mediators, such as employee resilience and risk behaviour, to further evaluate the employee's well-being and further establish its validity. The study contributes by integrating the conservation of resources theory (COR) in the pandemic situation. In the previous COVID-19 pandemic circumstance, the results showed evidence that answered the question of how work engagement played a role in promoting employee well-being in a Malaysian service sector setting.