Work Engagement Research Articles

ABSTRACT The prevalence of night shifts is extensive in hospital settings, particularly among nursing staff. The increasing importance of night shift work in meeting the demands of modern social care services underscores the urgent need for research into the impact of these schedules on nurses’ health. This study aimed to examine the relationship between night shifts and the physical and mental well-being of nurses. Data were collected through questionnaires to obtain general demographic information and responses to the Chinese Psychosomatic Health Scale (CPSHS). The data were initially entered into Excel 2018 for verification of accuracy before being analyzed using IBM SPSS 26.0 software. The findings indicated that nurses engaged in night shift work exhibited a higher susceptibility to symptoms associated with the digestive system, reproductive endocrine system, depression, and anxiety compared to their day shift counterparts. Furthermore, a significant correlation was observed between the frequency of night shifts and increased symptom scores for digestive issues and depression. Specifically, nurses who engaged in night shifts exceeding eight instances per month demonstrated significantly higher scores in comparison to those working night shifts between five to eight times per month or fewer than four times per month. A prominent finding from the data analysis revealed that nurses undertaking night shifts more than eight times monthly exhibited a markedly higher incidence of somatic symptom disorder. The study implies that the engagement in night shift work is correlated with the physical and mental health of nurses, with the frequency of night shifts exceeding eight times per month identified as a risk factor for physical disorders among this population.

Online labor platforms rely on algorithmic control to manage gig work, but its impact on work engagement remains contested. Existing research predominantly adopts technological determinism perspectives, neglecting gig workers' agency, and lacking systematic exploration of motivational mechanisms and emotional resources. Based on Self-Determination Theory, this study examines how perceived algorithmic control influences work engagement through psychological empowerment, with deep acting as a moderator. Data were collected from Chinese gig workers (delivery riders/ride-hailing drivers, N = 392) through snowball and convenience sampling. Established scales measured core variables. Common method bias was tested using SPSS and AMOS, while PLS-SEM analyzed reliability, validity, and hypothesized pathways. Perceived algorithmic control positively affects work engagement. Three psychological empowerment sub-dimensions-meaning, influence, and competence-partially mediate relationships between perceived algorithmic control sub-dimensions and work engagement respectively. Deep acting strengthens the positive effect of perceptual algorithm tracking evaluation on influence, and shows highest importance for work engagement but suboptimal performance. Among psychological empowerment sub-dimensions, meaning exhibits the most prominent importance and requires priority optimization. This study transcends technological determinism and validates the positive pathway through which algorithmic control enhances work engagement via psychological empowerment. It reveals meaning construction's central role and deep acting's differentiated moderating effects. Online labor platforms should optimize algorithm design, strengthen meaning perception, reduce ineffective monitoring, implement psychological empowerment incentive mechanisms, provide emotional resource support, and guide deep acting strategies.

This study aims to determine the contribution of job satisfaction to work engagement among Generation Z workers. The entry of Generation Z into the workforce brings different behavioural patterns from previous generations, including a tendency to get bored quickly and a desire for constant renewal. These conditions can affect work engagement, so it is important to understand the factors that can increase work engagement, one of which is job satisfaction. This study used a quantitative method with a cross-sectional survey design and involved 100 Generation Z participants selected using accidental sampling techniques. The research instruments consisted of the 36-item Job Satisfaction Survey (JSS) to measure job satisfaction and the 9-item Utrecht Work Engagement Scale (UWES) to measure work engagement. Data analysis was performed using simple regression. The results show that job satisfaction has a positive and significant effect on work engagement (β = 0.171; p < 0.001) with an R² value of 0.541, which means that 54.1% of the variation in work engagement can be explained by job satisfaction. These findings indicate that the higher the job satisfaction, the higher the work engagement demonstrated by Generation Z workers. The results of this study can serve as a basis for organisations in designing strategies to increase job satisfaction in order to strengthen work engagement.

Objective This current study examined the serial mediating role of visions about future (hope, optimism, pessimism) and sport anxiety in the relationship between decent work and work engagement among professional athletes. Methods The participants were 296 professional athletes (30.1% female, 69.9% male) aged between 18 and 48, actively competing in football, volleyball, or basketball leagues in Türkiye. Participants completed the Decent Work Scale, Visions About Future Scale, Sport Anxiety Scale, and Utrecht Work Engagement Scale. Structural equation modeling and bootstrapping methods were used for data analysis. Results The results revealed that decent work positively predicted hope, optimism, and work engagement, and negatively predicted pessimism. Optimism negatively predicted sport anxiety, while pessimism positively predicted it. Sport anxiety had a significant negative effect on work engagement. Furthermore, optimism, pessimism, and sport anxiety significantly mediated the relationship between decent work and work engagement in a serial manner. Hope did not significantly mediate this relationship. Conclusion These findings highlight the critical role of professional athletes’ future-oriented cognitions and anxiety levels in translating perceptions of decent work into higher engagement in sport. The study provides valuable insights for psychosocial interventions and organizational policies to enhance athletes’ sustainable careers.

Recent studies on teachers’ occupational well-being and motivation strive to integrate different theoretical frameworks to explain the educational outcomes. However, findings regarding the association between teacher motivation and classroom behaviour remain inconclusive and often lack parallel perspectives from both teachers and students, suggesting that the underlying mechanisms of this relationship are still unclear. Accordingly, this study aimed to explore the relationship between motivation for choosing a teaching career and both self- and student-assessed teachers’ work engagement, considering the potential mediating role of teachers’ goal orientations. The sample included 1725 students and their 109 early-career elementary school teachers. A multilevel analysis revealed the significance of specific motives for choosing a teaching career and achievement goals for teachers’ work engagement from both teachers’ and students’ perspectives. These results provide a more nuanced understanding of teachers’ occupational well-being, offering theoretical and practical implications that might be of a particular relevance for early-career teachers.

ABSTRACT This article explores the negotiation of contemporary policy agendas in physical education and sport-focused degree programs. Centring on one Higher Education Institution in Wales, the article pursues three foci in negotiations that are integral to the everyday work, relations and identities of academic staff: the commodification of university sport; quality learning and teaching; and changing relations with industry. Conceptually, the article draws upon Bernstein’s concept of symbolic boundaries to critically explore the translation and enactment of different policy agendas, and pursue constraints and possibilities arising for subject, professional and learner identities. Data from focus groups and interviews with 16 participants showed that participants’ conscious engagement in complex policy work legitimises existing identities while creating opportunities for future transformations of the programs. The article emphasises the need to create structures that establish conditions to support academic staff in enhancing skills, knowledge, and capabilities to engage creatively with multiple policy agendas.

Orientation: Employees in education and training are expected to be engaged, and Psychological Capital (PsyCap) may be a critical personal resource for fostering work engagement and creating competitive advantage. Research purpose: The main aim of this study is to examine the relationship between PsyCap and work engagement within a training academy context, with a particular focus on whether PsyCap serves as a significant predictor of work engagement. Motivation for the study: In a VUCA environment, fostering work engagement is vital for organisational performance, especially in training colleges where staff shape future human capital. PsyCap may be a key resource for enhancing work engagement. Research approach/design and method: Quantitative data were collected from 119 employees at a TVET college in the Eastern Cape using non-probability, convenience sampling. Paper-and-pencil-based questionnaires were employed using the shortened validated scales to measure both PsyCap and work engagement to gather data. Main findings: The results suggest that PsyCap and work engagement have a statistically significant positive relationship. It further indicates that PsyCap predicts work engagement, with efficacy and optimism positively predicting engagement. Hope and resilience are insignificant in predicting work engagement. Practical/managerial implications: Recruitment and selection strategies can benefit from assessing PsyCap, as employees with high PsyCap are likely to show greater work engagement. Additionally, training and development programs should include PsyCap interventions, particularly targeting self-efficacy and optimism, to further boost engagement. Contribution/value-add: This research provides meaningful insights into work engagement by highlighting the pivotal role that PsyCap plays in promoting work engagement.

ABSTRACT Career success is a key indicator of preschool teachers’ professional development. Research shows that psychological contracts, work engagement, and regulatory focus influence career success, yet their interactions remain unclear. This cross-sectional study (10 September–1 December 2024) involved 1,237 kindergarten teachers. The study measured Psychological Contract, Career Success, Work Engagement, and Regulatory Focus using validated scales. PROCESS 3.3 in SPSS analyzed mediation (work engagement) and moderation (regulatory focus). Work engagement mediated the link between psychological contract and career success. A promotion focus moderated the effects of psychological contracts and work engagement on career success, whereas a prevention focus showed no significant impact. Findings highlight psychological contracts’ influence on career success and underscore the roles of work engagement and regulatory focus. Causal inferences should be made cautiously given design limitations and potential self-report bias.

Nurses’ work engagement is fundamental to safe and consistent care in Malaysia’s public hospitals, particularly where heavy workloads and resource constraints are routine. Drawing on the Job Demands–Resources (JD–R) model and Conservation of Resources (COR) theory, this study examines how one key demand (workload), two job resources (autonomy, supervisor support), and one personal resource (resilience) shape nurses’ work engagement in Kedah. A cross-sectional design was employed using validated instruments for all constructs. Analyses included psychometric checks, correlations, multiple regression, and single mediation modelling of the pathway from workload to resilience to nurses work engagement. Overall, nurses reported high engagement despite challenging demands. Supervisor support emerged as a consistent positive driver, whereas autonomy alone did not significantly enhance engagement in this context. Workload showed a nuanced pattern: when combined with resilience, it demonstrated a moderate “challenge” effect, yet simultaneously undermined engagement indirectly by eroding resilience. Mediation testing confirmed resilience as the mechanism explaining how workload lowers engagement, producing a “competitive” pattern where a small positive direct link coexists with a negative indirect pathway. Theoretically, these findings refine JD–R by showing that resilience mediates the effects of demands more strongly than resources, while from a COR perspective, they demonstrate a resource-loss pathway from workload to reduced engagement. Practically, hospital management should regulate workload surges, strengthen supervisory support, and mainstream shift-sensitive resilience training; autonomy initiatives will yield greater impact when supported by enabling leadership and adequate structural scaffolding.

Rehabilitation counselors play a significant role in helping people with disabilities achieve their independent living and employment goals. However, the current shortage of rehabilitation counselors driven by a well-documented wave of retirements, job dissatisfaction, and burnout is concerning as it may affect the timeliness and quality of vocational rehabilitation (VR) services. The purpose of this study was to evaluate constructs of the positive organizational psychology model of job satisfaction as predictors of job satisfaction in a sample of rehabilitation counselors ( N = 395). Hierarchical regression analysis was performed with job satisfaction as the dependent variable and four sets of predictors entered in sequential steps based on the positive organizational psychology model of job satisfaction. The final regression model accounted for 60% of the variance in job satisfaction scores (a large effect size). Work autonomy (β = .32, p < .001), work engagement (β = .36, p < .001) and organizational commitment (β = .22, p < .001) were significant predictors of job satisfaction after controlling for other variables in the regression model. Findings of this study can be used to inform leadership in state VR agencies about the development of policies and practices.

ABSTRACT With the rise of digital platforms, gig workers face engagement challenges under algorithmic management. This study examines how algorithmic control impacts gig workers' engagement, focusing on psychological contracts and algorithmic fairness. A three‐wave survey of 328 gig workers in China examined the effects of algorithmic control dimensions on psychological contracts and engagement. The findings demonstrate that perceived algorithmic control shapes gig workers' engagement through psychological contracts. Standardized guidance fosters relational contracts, thereby enhancing engagement, whereas tracking evaluation and behavioral constraints undermine relational contracts, diminishing engagement. Conversely, all dimensions of algorithmic control strengthen transactional contracts, thereby promoting engagement. Moreover, perceived algorithmic fairness moderates these relationships by amplifying the positive effects of standardized guidance and attenuating the negative impacts of tracking evaluation and behavioral constraints on engagement. The findings offer insights for balancing algorithmic management and humanization, providing strategies to improve gig workers' engagement through effective algorithmic practices.

Purpose This paper aims to review the latest management developments across the globe and pinpoint practical implications from cutting-edge research and case studies. Design/methodology/approach This briefing is prepared by an independent writer who adds their own impartial comments and places the articles in context. Findings The study finds that entrepreneurial intention increases work engagement among new-generation employees by encouraging job crafting, while person–job fit unexpectedly weakens rather than strengthens this relationship. Originality/value The briefing saves busy executives, strategists, and researchers hours of reading time by selecting only the very best, most pertinent information and presenting it in a condensed and easy-to-digest format.

Work engagement, defined as a positive, motivational state of dedication and absorption in one's work, is important for both occupational well-being and for organizational performance. Individuals experiencing work engagement are motivated to develop and voluntarily act in a way that benefits the workplace. From an organizational perspective, work engagement enhances the financial success of an organization and the commitment of its employees. However, during times of organizational change, particularly in restructuring scenarios involving layoffs or redundancies, work engagement is often diminished, which can lead to less well-being and decreased organizational commitment and poor overall performance. This study looks at how leadership can actively maintain employee work engagement during and after change negotiations. It is conducted via an online survey of members of the Finnish Academic Engineers and Architects Association. This study explores how leadership traits can help sustain employee engagement during and after change negotiations. The research utilizes survey data from members of the Finnish Academic Engineers and Architects Association to identify leadership behaviors that support engagement amid uncertainty. Work engagement is found to be closely linked to well-being, which is enhanced by a positive work environment and opportunities for meaningful contribution. Leadership traits fostering clarity, empathy, and recognition play a critical role in maintaining engagement during change negotiations. The study adds to the understanding of employee-centered strategies in order to sustain motivation and commitment. It also offers insights into how leadership can promote organizational resilience during change negotiations and offers practical insights to organizations undergoing change negotiations and wanting to maintain the motivation of the employees throughout. The importance of leadership in maintaining employee engagement is also highlighted by this study.

Employee work engagement is the extent to which employees are able and willing to commit to an organization, and the results of such commitment can be observed in their performance and tenure. This study aims to examine the effect of transformational leadership style and job satisfaction on work engagement through perceived organizational support at PT. Viva Vegas Ventury Denpasar. The study was conducted at PT. Viva Vegas Ventury Denpasar with a total sample of 45 employees. The sampling technique used was saturated sampling. Data were collected through observation, interviews, questionnaires, and documentation. The analytical method employed was a variance-based structural equation modeling, commonly known as Partial Least Squares (PLS). The results of the analysis show that transformational leadership style, job satisfaction, and perceived organizational support have a positive and significant effect on work engagement. Transformational leadership style and job satisfaction also have a positive and significant effect on perceived organizational support. Moreover, perceived organizational support mediates the influence of transformational leadership style and job satisfaction on work engagement.

ABSTRACT High‐quality teaching is vital for accommodating the individualised learning needs of diverse students. However, compared with specific explicit teaching practices, teaching styles that determine their use of teaching methods have received much less attention. This study investigated the contributions of inclusive education teachers' work motivation to their teaching styles and the mediating role of work engagement. A total of 515 teachers from inclusive primary schools in Guangzhou, China, participated in this study. Results showed that autonomous motivation positively predicted creativity‐generating (Type I) teaching styles and that controlled motivation positively predicted norm‐favouring (Type II) styles—beyond teachers' gender, age, length of teaching and in‐service training. The absorption dimension of work engagement mediated autonomous motivation's positive prediction for Type I styles, and it activated that for Type II styles. It was concluded that autonomous work motivation and absorption are the keys to cultivating teachers' diverse teaching styles in the inclusive education context. Theoretical contributions, practical implications and limitations of the study are discussed.

<p><em>This study is motivated by the low level of Organizational Citizenship Behavior (OCB), despite a relatively high level of employee engagement, as indicated by employees' responsibility for their work and efforts to seek innovative ideas. The study also aims to examine whether employee engagement can serve as a predictor of Organizational Citizenship Behavior (OCB) among employees in a service company. A quantitative approach was used, employing a survey research design involving 32 randomly selected employees. Data collection was conducted using a modified work engagement scale and an OCB scale. The statistical analysis results indicate that employee engagement does not have a significant simultaneous effect on OCB (p=0.059; R²=23%). Partial tests also show that the dimensions of cognitive engagement, emotional engagement, and behavioral engagement are not significantly related to OCB. In conclusion, employee engagement is not a significant predictor of OCB. The study's findings suggest that employee engagement does not have a simultaneous effect on OCB</em><em>.</em></p>

The growing adoption of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in Human Resource (HR) practices has revolutionized how organizations handle people, processes and performance. In this research, the impact of AI application in HR on the performance of the employees is examined with the employee engagement as a mediating variable. This study has a quantitative design based on the Technology Acceptance Model (Davis, 1989) and the Utrecht Work Engagement Framework (Schaufeli and Bakker, 2004). A structured questionnaire will be used in this study. The sample consisted of 385 employees in the software houses in Rawalpindi and Islamabad, Pakistan who were sampled using simple random sampling method using the formula of Kerjcie and Morgan (1970). Measurement tools of the study proved to be very reliable as Cronbach alpha values were above 0.80 across all the constructs used. The SPSS analysis regression analysis showed that AI integration has a strong positive influence on the employee performance directly and indirectly through employee engagement. The results indicate that AI-based HR practices increase the sense of involvement, motivation, and productivity of the employees. The paper can be added to the recent literature on digital transformation in HRM because it emphasizes the psychological processes of how AI enhances workforce performance. HR managers can have a practical implication of the need to design AI systems in a way that facilitates engagement and encourages a continuous employee development.

Purpose This study seeks to investigate the influence of personality traits of casino dealers on work engagement (WE), organizational commitment (OC) and customer orientation (CO) within the hospitality sector. To this end, this study investigates the relationship between dealers’ personality traits in the casino industry and the manifestation of customer-oriented behaviors by applying the frameworks of trait activation theory (TAT) and self-determination theory (SDT). This study specifically explores the influence of personality traits on customer-oriented behaviors, while considering the mediating roles of WE and OC as well as examining the moderating effect of job satisfaction (JS). Design/methodology/approach A survey was administered to casino dealers, with a sample size of 317 participants. The data collected were analyzed using structural equation modeling. Confirmatory factor analysis was conducted to assess the validity of the research model, while mediation and moderation effects were evaluated through non-parametric bootstrap methods and K-means clustering analysis. Findings Openness significantly influenced both WE and OC, while agreeableness had no significant effect. Neuroticism, extraversion and conscientiousness affected only WE. JS moderated the relationship between WE and CO. Dealers with high openness exhibited stronger engagement and commitment, which translated into increased CO. Practical implications Human resource managers should prioritize personality traits – especially openness – when recruiting for customer-facing roles. Tailored onboarding and training programs aligned with personality profiles and engagement levels can enhance CO and service quality, particularly in high-stress environments like casinos. Additionally, the moderating role of JS underscores the need for HRM strategies that actively promote job satisfaction in high-pressure service contexts. Originality/value This study represents the first empirical investigation to examine the mediating roles of WE and OC in the relationship between casino dealers’ personality traits and CO. Theoretically, it integrates TAT and SDT, providing a novel framework for understanding personality-driven performance in high-stakes environments. From an epistemological perspective, the study offers unique insights into how personality traits influence emotional labor and customer service dynamics within the hospitality sector, particularly under the specific pressures of casino settings. Practically, it offers actionable recommendations for human resource management by identifying key traits that enhance service quality, thereby informing targeted recruitment and training strategies for casino operators.

Employee engagement influences employees' attitudes towards their jobs and towards the organisation at large. Due to the poor institutional framework in manufacturing firms in SSA, employees are less inclined to be engaged in their work, leading to low employee productivity. Employee engagement results in motivated work behaviour and increases levels of effectiveness, innovation, and competitiveness. The study examined the state of work engagement in manufacturing firms and its impacts on employee performance of selected manufacturing firms in Kenya. The study was underpinned by the Job Demands-Resources theory, and adopted an explanatory research design with a target population of 6,254 employees of the selected manufacturing firms, with a sample size of 361 employees who were sampled through a proportionate stratified random sampling technique. A structured questionnaire was used, and the data collected were analysed using descriptive and inferential statistics, and the output was presented in tabular and pictorial formats. Data was transformed before hierarchical multiple regression models based on the Hayes (2018) Process 4.2 macro to test the hypotheses at 0.05 significance levels. Diagnostic tests were carried out before regression analysis, and the assumptions were not violated. The study revealed that demographic characteristics (work experience, β = -0.187, p < 0.05 and job designation, β = 0.140, p < 0.05) and employee engagement (β = 0.700, p < 0.05) significantly and positively predicted employee performance. The study concludes that employee engagement positively influences performance. The study implication is that employee engagement practices are readily adoptable and contribute to the overall employee wellbeing while augmenting employee performance. Because of its collective benefits, manufacturing firms can improve work behaviour by revitalising formal employee engagement procedures. The JD-R theory provides a foundation for which the work engagement practices can be contextually applied to accentuate employee performance.

Time is a critical factor that shapes stressor-outcome relationships. Despite its importance, few studies have directly investigated the role of time in stressor-outcome relationships. Based on the longitudinal data collected 10 times throughout a year from 101 full-time workers, we explored whether varying time lags influence stressor-outcome relationships and examined the unique dynamics of role stressors (role conflict, role ambiguity, and role overload) and illegitimate tasks with two work outcomes (i.e., work engagement and turnover intention). We analyzed data using continuous time structural equation modeling, which informs the timing and duration of the theorized effects. The results revealed that beyond a certain point in time (e.g., approximately 2 months for work engagement), the stressor-outcome relationships did not substantially differ depending on varying time intervals and showed diluted effects over time. While the patterns over time were similar across stressor-outcome combinations, magnitudes of mean effects varied, aligning with thematic correspondence. When considered together, role ambiguity and role overload, but not illegitimate tasks, had a significant negative relationship with work engagement, whereas illegitimate tasks, but not role conflict and role ambiguity, had a significant positive relationship with turnover intention. Our study offers a more nuanced understanding of the role of time intervals in stressor-outcome relationships. Overall, our results suggest that the time interval alone does not sufficiently explain the varying magnitudes in stressor-outcome relationships and that the specific nature of variable dyads should also be considered. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2025 APA, all rights reserved).