Utrecht Work Engagement Scale Research Articles

The Role of Servant Leadership and Resilience in Predicting Work Engagement

Improving work engagement among Indonesian banking employees become crucial in today’s economic situation due to the pandemic. This study aimed to examine the predicting effect of individual workplace resilience and perceived supervisor’s servant leadership on work engagement. This research used quantitative cross-sectional approach. Research data were collected using the snowball sampling method that was implemented in an online survey that targeted 87 employees of various banks in Indonesia. The measures used in this study were the 9-item Utrecht Work Engagement Scale, 6-item short form Servant Leadership Behaviour Scale, and 21-item Resilience at Work Scale. Multiple linier regression analysis showed that servant leadership and resilience simultaneously had a significant influence on bank employees’ work engagement (F = 14.762; p<0.005) with contribution of 26% (R2 = 0.260). When given separately, resilience contributed 8.9% (R2 = 0.089) whereas servant leadership contributed 25.8% (R2 = 0.258) to work engagement. This study concluded that supervisor’s servant leadership is an important factor to complement employees’ resilience in gaining work engagement.

Australian occupational therapy academic workforce: An examination of retention, work-engagement, and role overload issues

Background The quality of the academic workforce is influenced by multi-level interactionist factors yet there is limited research into these influencing factors. Aim To investigate relationships between individual characteristics of Australian occupational therapy academics and work-related variables. Method An exploratory cross-sectional online survey collected demographic data and used standardized scales including the Turnover Intention Scale, 9-item Utrecht Work Engagement Scale, Work-Life Balance Scale, Role Overload Scale and Self-Defined Burnout Scale. Data were analysed using descriptive and inferential statistics. Results Academics who were more than five years in their current academic level were: significantly more likely to consider leaving their job; more often frustrated when not given opportunity to achieve their work-related goals; and less engaged. Those who had worked in higher education for longer than ten years were more likely to report role overload while participants working in higher education for less than five years were less likely to report burnout. Conclusions and significance To meet current and future demand for Australian occupational therapists, an engaged and supported academic workforce is needed. These findings suggest the need for attention to mentoring and career development particularly for those in academic levels longer than five years to increase work engagement and retention.

Having the Cake and Eating It Too: First-Order, Second-Order and Bifactor Representations of Work Engagement.

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.

Transformational behaviors: Increasing work engagement in multinational environments

The role of a leader is fundamental to increase organizational culture and facilitate employee engagement. However, organizations are not providing clear guidance on how to do it. This study aims to determine the relationship between leadership styles and employee engagement as well as to understand whether there is a correlation between an engaged employee and extra effort. The study uses a Multi-Leadership Questionnaire (MLQ-5x Rater Form) to measure employee perception of the leader styles and Utrecht Work Engagement Scale (UWES-17) to determine employee engagement. The scope of the study is limited to a sample of 167 employees from 7 different multinational companies and 31 different nationalities.Results show that all the transformational behaviors and, concretely the idealized behavior, are significantly positively related to work engagement in multinational environments. Results also reveal a strong correlation between employee engagement and extra effort. The study concludes that leaders or managers should use transformational behaviors if they want to increase engagement and extra effort with their teams. They should increase transformational behaviors like being transparent, consistent, and having a strong sense of purpose to catalyze a collective engagement. These results expand previous studies of transformational leadership and work engagement in multinational environments.

Other-Focused Approach to Teaching. The Effect of Ethical Leadership and Quiet Ego on Work Engagement and the Mediating Role of Compassion Satisfaction.

Recent revisions of the Job Demands Resources (JDR) model acknowledged the importance of personal and organizational dimensions enriching job resources’ effect on work engagement. Consistently, this paper addresses the role of compassion satisfaction, as a job resource, on teacher work engagement, given the saliency of caring in teaching as a helping profession. Furthermore, quiet ego, as a personal dimension, and ethical leadership, as an organizational dimension, are studied as antecedents of compassion satisfaction. Overall, the study verifies with a Structural Equation Model whether and how compassion satisfaction mediates the relationships among work engagement, quiet ego, and ethical leadership. One hundred and eighty-eight Italian teachers took part in the study by completing four scales: the Ethical Leadership Scale, the Quiet Ego scale, the Professional Quality Of Life Questionnaire, and the Utrecht Work Engagement Scale—ultra-short version. The final model showed a good fit to the data: χ2(48) = 75.399, p = 0.007, CFI = 0.979, TLI = 0.971, RMSEA = 0.055 (90% CI = 0.029–0.078, p = 0.342), SRMR = 0.039. Findings showed that teachers’ compassion satisfaction is strongly related to their engagement at school, confirming that teachers’ care toward their students is an important resource supporting their engagement. Furthermore, compassion satisfaction totally mediates the relationship between quiet ego and work engagement (bDIRECT = ns, bINDIRECT = 0.327, p = 0.000). Such mediating path confirms recent expansions of the JDR model about the role of personal resources on job resources and, consequently, on work engagement and confirms the Conservation of Resources theory, stating that personal resources impact work outcomes. At the same time, compassion satisfaction does not mediate the relationship between ethical leadership and work engagement, so that ethical school leaders directly impact teachers’ work engagement. A possible reason for this finding relies on ethical leadership’s role in promoting higher school life participation as a community. More theoretical and practical implications are described in the paper.

Causal Explanation of Job Engagement of Physical Education Teachers Based on Goal Orientation And Teaching Emotions

This study aimed to explain the teachers' job involvement based on goal orientations by the mediating role of teaching emotions. Using cluster sampling method, 228 females (135) and male (116) high school teachers were selected from areas of the Tabriz Education Organization. Participants completed the Goal Orientations for Teaching (GOT: Butler, 2007), the Achievement Emotions Questionnaire for Teachers (AEQ Teacher: Frenzel, Pekrun, & Goetz, 2010), and the Utrecht Work Engagement Scale (UWES-9: Schaufeli; Bakker & Salanova, 2006). Data analysis was performed by structural equation modeling with the help of AMOS software. The results showed that mastery goal orientation positively predicts teachers' job engagement both directly and indirectly through the mediation of positive teaching emotions. In contrast, work-avoidance goal orientation negatively predicts job engagement both directly and through positive emotions. Also, ability-approach and ability-avoidance goal orientations predicted more job engagement only indirectly and mediated by positive emotions. Despite the significant direct effect of mastery goals and work avoidance goals on the teaching of negative emotions, but this emotion did not have a significant effect on teachers' job engagement. These results highlighted the role of adaptive goal orientations in increasing and in contrast, maladaptive goal orientations in reducing teachers' job engagement

Exploring the effects of Perceived Organizational Support on Job Crafting and Work Engagement in the Indian Banking Sector

Job crafting behaviours can change employees’ work identities and meanings by enhancing their organizational commitment, engagement, job satisfaction, and performance (Tims & Bakker, 2010). Perceived Organizational support plays a significant role in determining an employees’ attitudes and behaviours towards the job and the organization. The purpose of the study was to explore the effect of Perceived Organizational support on Job crafting and Work engagement in the Indian Banking Sector. Data was collected from 65 respondents through purposive sampling from banking professionals in private and public sectors using Job Crafting Scale (JCS), Survey of Perceived Organizational Support (SPOS), and Utrecht Work Engagement Scale (UWES). The results indicate that there is a significant relationship between Job crafting and Work engagement. Likewise, there is a significant relationship between Perceived Organizational support and Work engagement. However, there was no relationship found between Perceived Organizational support and Job crafting. Similarly, there is no significant effect of Perceived Organizational support on Job crafting and Work engagement in the Indian Banking sector. Lastly, there is no difference found between the public and private banking sectors in terms of Job crafting, Work engagement, and Perceived Organizational support. Implications for practice and suggestions for future research are discussed.

Influence of Psychological Factors in Federated Futsal and Lifeguard Athletes, Differences by Gender and Category.

This research aims to analyse the differences in optimism, resilience, engagement and competitive anxiety as a function of the sport modality practiced in lifeguarding (individual sport) and futsal (team sport); the sport category by age (cadet or youth) and gender. The LOT-R optimism questionnaire, the Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale (CD-RISC-10), the Utrecht Work Engagement Scale (UWES) and the Competitive Anxiety Scale (SAS-2) were applied to a sample of 189 participants (139 men and 50 womwn) aged between 14 and 17 years. The following statistical tests are performed: Cronbach's alpha, Pearson's linear correlation, Student's t-test, Kolmogorov-Smirnov test, Levene's test and multivariate linear regression. The data indicate that there are significant gender differences in total anxiety (p <0.001) and all its dimensions (somatic, worry, worry-free), also in optimism and pessimism (p < 0.001), as well as in total engagement (p = 0.051) and the absorption dimension (p < 0.001). When comparing the sample by sport categories, there are statistically significant differences in somatic anxiety (p = 0.036) and deconcentration (p = 0.034), as well as in LOT-total (p ≤ 0.001) and pessimism (p ≤ 0.001). In relation to the sport modalities, lifeguards show more anxiety 38.39 (0.49) and more commitment 4.58 (0.87) while futsal athletes reach higher scores in deconcentration 8.45 (2.29). It is concluded that the variables of commitment and resilience had a statistically significant positive effect, and the category of <16 years had a statistically significant negative effect, so the lower the category, the higher the optimism.

The Effect of Perceived Gratitude From Others on Work Engagement: A Cross-Sectional Study.

This study aimed to examine the effect of perceived gratitude from others on work engagement, adjusting for possible confounders: job demands, job resources (supervisor/coworker support), personal resources (resilience), and gratitude trait. This cross-sectional study conducted a secondary analysis of data from previously published research. Work engagement was measured using the Japanese version of the Utrecht Work Engagement Scale. An original one-item questionnaire measured perceived gratitude from others. A hierarchical linear regression analysis was conducted. Hierarchical linear regression showed a significant association between perceived gratitude and work engagement even after controlling for the covariates of occupations, job demands, supervisor support, coworker support, resilience, and gratitude trait (N = 206). The association between perceived gratitude and work engagement was independent of job demands, job/personal resources, and gratitude trait, suggesting the direct association.

Factors affecting virtual employee engagement in India during Covid-19

Many organizations are rapidly changing their procedures due to the rapid spread of corona virus (COVID-19) worldwide. Several companies have switched their entire workforce to temporary telecommuting and remote work. Like other employee-characters, there is believed to be a change in employee engagement as well. This research seeks to examine and statistically assess factors that can impact the employee engagement level. We collected data from 208 employees who are working from home in India with online questionnaire. Engagement scores have been calculated using UWES-14 (Utrecht Work Engagement Scale). We examined the impact of total 10 variables using multiple regression analysis. Our regression results suggest that proper virtual tools, contact by the organization leaders, mental health checkup and virtual training increases the employee engagement. Female employees are found to be more engaged than male employees while working from home. The number of kids are found to have negative impact on employee engagement. This implies that if the number of kids increases, the virtual employee engagement decreases. Our results could not find any significant impact of virtual teamwork, marital status, and entertainment tools on employee engagement. Based on the research results, this study make few recommendations. First, organizations should facilitate the improvement of virtual tools such as internet speed and personal computer configuration. Second, the salary employees should not be decreased. Third, the top organization leaders should have frequent contact with the employees, increase virtual training, and should encourage the employees to undergo the regular mental health checkup.

Effect of Saudi nurses’ perceived work-life quality on work engagement and organizational commitment

The nurse faculty at the University of Ha’il in Saudi Arabia is responsible for academic and in-service education for nursing discipline and for staff and organizational research. They are considered critical players in assuring quality educational experiences that prepare the nursing workforce for a diverse, ever-changing health care environment. Nowadays, Ha’il University is seeking accreditation, which includes evidence that the working environment is appropriate for both students and the teaching staff. Also, managements in public higher education institutions recently have utilized quality of work-life as a tool for attracting and retaining talented academic staff. Because with having quality of work-life commitment and loyalty of the employees created to its potential. Thus the aim of this study is to test the mediating effect of quality of work-life on the relationship between work engagement and organizational commitment among academic nursing staff at Ha’il University. Measures were the quality of the work-life scale, the short form of the Utrecht work engagement scale, and an organizational commitment questionnaire. The results indicated that the academic nursing staff had satisfactory levels of work-life quality (3.56±0.62) and high work engagement (4.76±1.12) and a positive organizational commitment result (3.09±0.22). A correlation was found between quality of work-life and organizational commitment. However, there was neither a significant relationship between quality of work-life and work engagement nor was there between work engagement and organizational commitment. The conclusion was therefore that quality of work-life does not mediate the work engagement and organizational commitment relationship.

From the Balanced Measure of Psychological Needs (BMPN) to Employee Engagement: Indicators that Matter

The purpose of this study was to investigate if confidence, interest, authenticity, and loneliness as independent variables, could help predict employee engagement, the dependent variable. In this setting, the independent variables were indicators of the Balanced Measure of Psychological Needs (BMPN) and the dependent variable was obtained using the Utrecht Work Engagement Scale (UWES-9). After surveying 151 participants in the United States, 17 responses were removed from the final dataset during data and assumptions validation. A multiple regression model was created using the remaining 134 valid cases. Our findings confirmed the existence of a statistically significant relationship between confidence, interest, and authenticity in predicting employee engagement. Only, we could not establish a statistically significant relationship between loneliness and engagement, in contrast to some prior research studies. These findings have significant implications for practitioners and researchers as documented in this article. For example, the findings can be useful for employees in determining their future career path, as they need to first look at what interests them. Indeed, interest was identified as the greatest determinant of engagement as compared to the other three predictors. These findings also suggest that managers can keep their employees engaged by assigning them functions or tasks that are aligned with their interests.

Relationship Between Proactive Personality and Job Performance of Chinese Nurses: The Mediating Role of Competency and Work Engagement.

Background: As one of the main participants in health care, nurses are esteemed an important driving force for the vigorous health care development. Studies report that nurses’ proactive personality has positive effects on their job performance; however, this relationship acquires further understanding.Objective: A cross-sectional study was performed to explore the relationship between nurses’ proactive personality and job performance; the mediating role of nurses’ competency and work engagement in this relationship was also evaluated.Methods: The study was performed in a large third-degree general hospital in October 2019, Xi’an, PR, China. A sample of 246 nurses participated in this cross-sectional study. Proactive personality was assessed with the Proactive Personality Questionnaire (PPS), job performance was assessed by Heilman three-item measurements, nurse competence was estimated with Nurse Competency Scale (NCS), and work engagement was assessed with the Utrecht Work Engagement Scale (UWES). The structural equation model was used to test the main hypotheses.Results: Structural equation model analysis revealed that work engagement partially mediated the association between proactive personality and job performance. The serial two-mediator model which was used to explore the association between proactive personality and job performance through competency and work engagement, in sequence, was demonstrated.Conclusion: This study demonstrates that work engagement partially mediated the association between nurses’ proactive personality and their job performance. The serial two-mediator model demonstrated that proactive personality was associated with job performance via competency and work engagement. This study also revealed the critical role of nursing managers in understanding the nurses’ proactive personality, which would facilitate them to enhance the latter’s competency and promote their work engagement. All these will in turn constantly improve the overall quality of nursing and advance professional development of nursing and benefits for patients.

Workaholism and work engagement: An examination of their psychometric multidimensionality and relations with employees’ functioning

This research sought to provide a better understanding of the psychometric multidimensionality of workers’ responses to the Utrecht Work Engagement Scale (UWES; Studies 1 and 3) and the Dutch Work Addiction Scale (DUWAS; Studies 2 and 3). This research also aimed to document the relations between the components of work engagement and workaholism and workers’ functioning (i.e., job satisfaction, work performance, work-family conflict, and sleeping problems). Three studies (N = 273, N = 241, N = 304) were conducted to reach these objectives. Results from these three studies indicated that a bifactor-exploratory structural equation modeling (bifactor-ESEM) representation of workaholism and work engagement ratings was superior to alternative representations. Specifically, employees’ assessments of work engagement concurrently reflected a global work engagement factor which co-existed with specific vigor, dedication, and absorption components. Similarly, employees’ ratings of workaholism revealed a global workaholism factor and simultaneous specific working excessively and working compulsively facets. Our findings also shed light on the criterion-related validity of these workaholism and work engagement components by documenting their differentiated associations with measures of job satisfaction, work performance, work-family conflict, and sleeping problems. Precisely, results from Studies 1 to 3 consistently showed the key role of global workaholism, global work engagement, and the specific vigor facet in predicting outcomes.

Curvilinear relationship between emotional labour and work engagement in nurses: A correlational study.

To examine if there was a curvilinear relationship between emotional labour and work engagement in Chinese nurses. Emotional labour has both positive and negative effects on work engagement, but the curve relationship between the two has not been tested. Correlational design. Multi-stage stratified random sampling was used to recruit samples, and 528 nurses from 5 tertiary first-class general hospitals were recruited in Henan Province. Data were collected by using Hong and Kim's Emotional Labor Scale for nurse and the Utrecht Work Engagement Scale-9. Curve estimation was used to explore the functional model between emotional labour and work engagement. Results were reported according to the STROBE Statement. The three dimensions of emotional labour, 'emotional control effort in profession', 'patient-focused emotional suppression' and 'emotional pretense by norms', had a function relationship of quadratic (R2 =.57, p<.001), quadratic (R2 =.569, p<.001) and cubic (R2 =.238, p<.001), respectively, with work engagement. There was a one-way increasing quadratic function relationship between 'emotional control effort in profession' and work engagement. However, 'patient-focused emotion suppression' and 'emotional pretense by norms' had an inverted U-shaped curve relationship with work engagement. Below the moderate level, 'patient-focused emotion suppression' and 'emotional pretense by norms' were positively related to work engagement. After a certain level, they were negatively related to work engagement. Our results may provide evidences to manage nurses' emotional labour and improve their work engagement. It seems that encouraging or training nurses to learn and master more strategies of emotional control may improve work engagement. Moreover, nursing managers should fully recognise the positive and negative effects of different levels of emotional suppression and emotional pretense on work engagement, so as to develop targeted management strategies.

Keterikatan Karyawan pada Perusahaan PT XYZ

The role of human resources in the company is very important because it is the main driver for achieving company goals. The ability and willingness possessed by employees is the biggest contribution to a company. The company is expected to be able to manage the workforce in the company appropriately, so that they have an attachment to the company and make an optimal contribution to achieving the company's goals and excellence. This research was conducted to determine the level of employee engagement at XYZ company with descriptive quantitative research methods through online surveys using the UWES (Utrecht Work Engagement Scale) questionnaire version 17 questions. From the results of processing 35 data collected, it was found that the overall level of employee engagement at PT XYZ had a score of 4.14 out of 6.00 (in the Average category). Recommendations are focused on improving the engagement aspect which has low scores in almost all demographic categories, namely the vigor dimension for statement No. 3 "When I wake up in the morning, I feel like going to work (VI03)". The contents of the recommendation are to provide breakfast facilities, pick-up employees, or reward role models who are enthusiastic when leaving for work in the morning by assessing the punctuality of their arrival. In addition, to retain employees who have entered the high category, it is recommended to provide entertainment facilities during break hours, for example sofas, massage chairs, and others.

The Effects of the Civility, Respect, and Engagement in the Workplace (CREW) Program on Social Climate and Work Engagement in a Psychiatric Ward in Japan: A Pilot Study.

Background: Good social climate and high work engagement are important factors affecting outcomes in healthcare settings. This study observed the effects of a program called Civility, Respect, and Engagement in the Workplace (CREW) on social climate and staff work engagement in a psychiatric ward of a Japanese hospital. Methods: The program comprised 18 sessions installed over six months, with each session lasting 30-min. Participation in the program was recommended to all staff members at the ward, including nurses, medical doctors, and others, but it was not mandatory. A serial cross-sectional study collected data at four time-points. Nurses (n = 17 to 22), medical doctors (n = 9 to 13), and others (n = 6 to 10) participated in each survey. The analysis of variance was used to evaluate the changes in the following dependent variables, the Essen climate evaluation schema (EssenCES), the CREW civility scale, and the Utrecht work engagement scale (UWES) over time. Result: We found no significant effects. The effect size (Cohen’s d) for EssenCES was 0.35 from baseline to post-installation for all staff members. Effect sizes for EssenCES for medical doctors and UWES for nurses were 0.79 and 0.56, respectively, from baseline to post-program. Conclusions: Differences in social climate and work engagement among Japanese healthcare workers between the baseline and post-installation of the CREW program were non-significant.

Exploring the psychological well-being of postgraduate accounting students at a South African university

The challenges associated with higher education studies can impact significantly on the psychological well-being of students and can influence their academic success, even leading to anxiety, stress and depression. Factors influencing academic success in postgraduate accounting students have been well researched, but a dearth of literature exists on their psychological well-being. This knowledge gap necessitated an investigation into the psychological well-being of postgraduate accounting students at a South African university. In this descriptive study, a self-compiled demographic questionnaire, the Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support, the Utrecht Work Engagement Scale, and the Zung Self-rating Anxiety and Depression Scales were used for data collection. A total of 115 postgraduate accounting students participated in this study. Students reported a high level of support from family and friends, but their vigour and absorption regarding their full-time studies were merely average. Self-reported anxiety and depression scores indicated mild to moderate anxiety (28.7%), marked to severe anxiety (7.4%), mild to moderate depression (42.4%) and severe depression (17.2%) amongst participants. Study-related issues led to 10% of participants receiving psychological and/or psychiatric treatment and 5% using psychiatric medication. This study creates awareness of and proposes practical measures to enhance the psychological well-being of postgraduate accounting students to ultimately support academic success.

Correlation of Workplace Spirituality and Work Engagement among Faculty of the Senior High School of San Beda University- Manila

Correlation of Workplace Spirituality and Work Engagement among Faculty of the Senior High School of San Beda University- Manila

Leading for Whom? Teaching-Research Officers’ Role Perception and Work Engagement in Chinese Mainland

Purpose: The purpose of this article is to analyze both teaching-research officers’ (TROs) role perceptions and work engagement, figuring out how their competing roles are balanced to ensure continued work engagement and which roles have greater benefits to the community and educational reform. Design/Approach/Methods: The study employs a questionnaire, which is composed of an inventory of work role requirements and the Utrecht Work Engagement Scale, to investigate TROs’ role perception, work engagement, and their relationship. Findings: TROs’ work experience had a complicated relationship with their work engagement. The two strands of the TROs’ role orientation co-existed within their daily work and strengthened each other through exerting effects on the dedication and absorption aspects of work engagement. However, TROs concerned with teacher development displayed higher work engagement than those who put a greater emphasis on policy implementation. Originality/Value: The study contributes to current research in three respects. First, it bridges the macro-level trend of education reform with micro-level role internalization of individuals. Second, it broadens our understanding of work engagement by linking it with the subjective perceptions of one’s work role. Finally, this Chinese case is expected to enrich international perspectives on teacher leaders in the context of top-down districtwide instructional reform.