The role of employee engagement in the relationship between job design and task performance, citizenship and deviant behaviours

Outcomes of engagement: A systematic literature review and future research directions

This study aims to present a systematic literature review of high-quality contributions in the research area of engagement focusing on studies that examine engagement outcomes. More specifically, a systematic review of the relevant literature on engagement outcomes is conducted providing a broad range of knowledge regarding the overall scope and the extent of each peer-reviewed article. Moreover, the study takes into consideration three types of engagement, i.e., work, employee, and job engagement, categorizing individual-level as well as organization-level outcomes of engagement. Additionally, based on a thorough examination of engagement outcomes, a further purpose of this study is to classify each engagement outcome factor into more general categories in respect of individual- and organizational-level outcomes of engagement. The systematic literature review was conducted drawing on an evidence base of 50 articles published in high-ranking journals during the years 2000-2022. The final results provide quantitative data regarding the scope and the extent of each article and map the individual- and organization-level outcomes of work, employee, and job engagement through an in-depth overview of the literature. Finally, future research directions are identified by providing added value to scholars interested in the engagement field of research.

Can engagement and performance be improved through online training on emotional intelligence? A quasi-experimental approach

Purpose

Online learning is an effective training strategy to help students, as one of the success factors is academic engagement. Therefore, the use of online training courses to influence academic engagement and performance in emotional intelligence learning experiences is worthy of investigation. This study explores the influence of emotional intelligence as an online training course and its impact on academic engagement and learning outcomes–performance.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors used a quasi-experimental study with two groups of participants who were randomly assigned (experimental e control) and with pretest–posttest measurements of the online training. The emotional intelligence online training (for the experimental group) was conducted during a single semester, with eight hours of training. The methodology of reflective, role-playing, case study and group work was followed. Measurements of student academic engagement and emotional intelligence were collected before (one week before the training) and after the intervention (on the last training session). Performance was measured after the intervention.

Findings

The mean scores improved for all the variables, with the differences being statistically significant. The students assessed their learning positively. The results also showed that emotional intelligence was positively related to academic engagement but not to performance. This means that emotional intelligence training was effective in increasing the academic engagement of university students.

Practical implications

The results are promising in terms of the students retaining the competencies acquired. Therefore, this type of online training is recommended for the emotional intelligence and academic engagement of future human resources professionals. Moreover, according to the results, it would be possible to use emotional intelligence training programs in schools, besides other programs, to promote the academic engagement and performance of students.

Originality/value

The design of the study provides evidence that is an added value for higher education institutions.

Operational flexibility impact on hospital performance through the roles of employee engagement and management capability

BACKGROUND

Very limited empirical research has been done on operational flexibility management in the healthcare industry, especially in hospital settings. This study aimed to propose a model of the effects of operational flexibility on hospital performance through management capability and employee engagement as mediating variables.

METHODS

The proposed model is validated through an empirical study among 480 clinical and administrative staff from five hospitals in Jordan. Structural equation modeling and confirmatory factor analysis were the main techniques used to validate the model and examine the hypotheses.

RESULTS

Operational flexibility was demonstrated to have a positively significant impact on hospital performance, management capability, and employee engagement. Employee engagement was demonstrated to positively impact hospital performance. Management capability had a significant result on hospital performance without having a clear impact. In addition, management capability and employee engagement played a major role as partial mediating effects between operational flexibility and hospital performance, and there is a role for employee engagement as a partial mediating effect between management capability and hospital performance.

CONCLUSION

Significant progress has been achieved in hospital management, especially in terms of operational flexibility, management capability, and staff engagement.

Stronger Together: Examining the Interaction Effects of Workplace Dignity and Workplace Inclusion on Employees' Job Performance

Despite growing interest in workplace dignity, there is a paucity of empirical research regarding whether and when it leads to higher job performance. To address these research gaps, this study examines the relationship between workplace dignity and job performance, identifying and examining the boundary condition role of workplace inclusion. Multi-source and time-lagged data were obtained from employee-supervisor dyads (n = 169) in non-governmental organizations in Pakistan to test the hypothesized model, employing techniques, such as confirmatory factor analysis, moderated multiple regression, post-hoc slope, and Johnson-Neyman analyses. As predicted, workplace dignity and workplace inclusion positively influenced employees' job performance, while workplace inclusion moderated the dignity-performance relationship such that this relationship was more strongly positive when workplace inclusion was high. At the theoretical level, this study adds new insights to the job demands-resources (JD-R) model, which is used as theoretical lens in this study. Specifically, this study is the first to examine workplace dignity and its consequences from the perspective of the JD-R model, thus introducing a new theoretical perspective into the dignity literature. This study also provides useful advice for management practice, policymaking, and employees, and is germane to the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goal 8.

Impact of perceived organisational justice, support and identity on workplace behaviour through job attitudes: verification in the role of LOC

Purpose

This study used attribution and social exchange theories as bases to test a model comprising the most significant variables, namely, perception, attitudes and positive behaviour. The current research concentrated on the effects of three variables (i.e. organisational justice, support and identity) on task performance and organizational citizenship behaviour via job satisfaction, organisational commitment and work engagement. Additionally, this study aims to determine the external locus of control’s moderator role.

Design/methodology/approach

A questionnaire-based quantitative design was used as basis in collecting data from 1,125 industrial sector (i.e. electricity and oil industry) employees in southern Iraq.

Findings

Analysis of data reinforced the majority of the relationships in the research model. Results showed the mediator variables’ significance in providing explanation to the majority of the relationships and the external locus of control’s role in moderating such relationships. Research outcomes were used as bases in discussing several theoretical and practical implications, as well as presenting a few recommendations for studies in the future.

Originality/value

This research centres on determining the antecedents of positive behaviours via six circumstantial variables and one personal variable in a single model. Moreover, this study is applied in a developing country’s industrial sector with a moderately large sample size to yield evident and significant outcomes. Consequently, practitioners and academics are provided with a reference on managing and changing workplace behaviour.

The relationship between leader-member exchange and work engagement in social work: A mediation analysis of job resources

Introduction

The working environment of social workers has become an important concern in research. Whereas studies typically focus on negative aspects of these environments, this study investigates the possibility of creating a positive environment by examining whether and how high-quality leader-member exchange (LMX) relationships are related to social workers' work engagement. It is hypothesized that particularly relevant job resources mediate the relation between LMX and social workers’ work engagement.

Method

To identify those job resources that are particularly important to social workers, a qualitative preparatory study was first conducted with social workers and social work executives. Based on that, study data were collected by administering an online survey among social workers. Both parts of the study were realized at twenty different advice centers for pregnancy issues of a leading social organization in Germany. The dataset for statistical analyses comprised 43 social workers in total. Regression analysis with parallel mediation was used to test the hypothesized relationships.

Results

Social workers in high-quality LMX relationships operate in working environments with more abundant social and structural job resources: they experience the team atmosphere more positively and have greater work control. Further, it was found that experiencing a positive team atmosphere was associated with higher work engagement, with team atmosphere fully mediating the relationship between LMX and work engagement. Notably, high-quality LMX relationships do not seem to promote work engagement directly.

Discussion

The study underscores the relevance of high-quality LMX relationships in fostering a resourceful work environment. This, in turn, contributes significantly to a high level of work engagement. Organizations and managers in social work should therefore strengthen managerial relationships and create resourceful environments.

Transformation of Strategic Models for Managing Human Risks of Information Security of an Enterprise as an Imperative of the Digital Industry

This article substantiates the imperatives of transforming the information security (IS) human risk management model at a digital industry enterprise using the theories of strategic management, psychological ownership (involvement), and cultural parameters of human activity. The types of strategies and strategic models of information security culture (ISC) have been substantiated. With the use of sociological research, the dominance in organizations of the ISC defensive strategy was revealed, the pattern of the transition from the defensive to the developing strategic ISC model was revealed, and then the transition to the integrative ISC management strategy, thus combining both strategic models. The concept of the draft Information security culture national standard, which can be the basis for the design and implementation of a standard of the same name for any enterprise, is presented.

Employee engagement constructs: “CARE” model of engagement – need to look beyond the obvious

Purpose

The purpose of this article is to identify new variables that form the core building blocks of employee engagement model which can be leveraged by human resources' (HR) practitioners to develop HR strategies to drive employee engagement initiatives in their companies.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors have undertaken extensive literature review to identify the variables that enhances engagement. These variables are yet to be leveraged fully in engagement models that have been developed but have the potential to impact the motivation levels of the employees. Exploratory survey to validate the relevance of these variables was conducted and subsequently these variables were grouped into a Context, Altruistic, Resonance and Enable (“CARE”) framework that can be leveraged by HR practitioners.

Findings

The changing nature of workforce, increasing diversity and tenure of jobs has resulted in changing aspirations of employees as well. The building blocks hitherto adopted by companies to craft their employee engagement strategies have to undergo a perceptible change as well. This paper offers an alternative perspective of relooking the engagement levers currently adopted by firms (work environment, autonomy, appreciation, organization support, etc.) and proposes 15 new building blocks (resonant connections, value congruence, socialization practices, micro-moments of connections, fit amongst others) which are logically grouped under CARE model over which employee engagement strategies can be built by companies.

Originality/value

This paper provides insights into this important concept of employee engagement using a set of newer constructs that can form the foundation of newer models that will drive future HR strategies to enhance engagement.

Does Paradoxical Leadership Facilitate Leaders' Task Performance? A Perspective of Self-Regulation Theory

As an emerging Chinese indigenous leadership style, paradoxical leadership has received considerable attention from researchers. Many studies have demonstrated the positive impact of paradoxical leadership on employees, teams, and organizations; however, there is less information on how paradoxical leaders influence their own work outcomes. On the basis of self-regulation theory, in this study, we examined the impact of paradoxical leadership on leaders’ task performance. In addition, we investigated the mediating effects of job crafting and career resilience on this relationship. Through a survey of 120 leaders and 271 of their immediate followers, our empirical analysis found the following: (1) paradoxical leadership was positively related to leaders’ task performance, (2) job crafting mediated the relationship between paradoxical leadership and leaders’ task performance, and (3) career resilience positively moderated the relationship between paradoxical leadership and job crafting, and had an indirect effect on task performance through job crafting. Our model offers novel insights into the paradoxical leadership literature and implications for improving leaders’ job crafting and task performance.

Effects of internal service quality on nurses' job satisfaction, commitment and performance: Mediating role of employee well-being

AIM

The attitudes and behaviours of nursing staff are critical to determine patients' satisfaction and to have a competitive advantage for any healthcare organization. This study is set to investigate the effects of internal service quality (ISQ) on nurses' job satisfaction, employee commitment, well-being and job performance in the healthcare sector of Pakistan. Further, this study also examines the mediating role of nurses' well-being for the relationship of job satisfaction and commitment with their job performance.

METHODS

This was a cross-sectional quantitative research. A self-administered survey was used to collect data from 412 nursing employees of 20 private sector healthcare centres operating in Pakistan. Partial least square of structural equation model (PLS-SEM) and structural equation modelling (SEM) were employed through Smart PLS 3.2.8 for data analysis.

RESULTS

Study results revealed that ISQ directly effects employees' satisfaction, commitment, well-being of the nursing employees. Moreover, employees' well-being has mediated job satisfaction and job performance relationship; however, well-being did not mediate the relationship between commitment and job performance.

Investigating the impact of knowledge sharing system on workplace deviance: a moderated mediated process model in Indian IT sector

Purpose

This study aims to ascertain the impact of perceived knowledge sharing systems on destructive and constructive deviance through employee engagement. Also, this study explores the moderating role of perceived organizational support (POS).

Design/methodology/approach

Data were collected from 403 entry-level IT employees. Structural equation modeling and PROCESS macro by Preacher and Hayes were used to examine the proposed hypotheses.

Findings

Results specified a significant impact of perceived knowledge sharing systems on employee engagement, which in turn, exhibited a negative relationship with a destructive and positive relationship with constructive deviance, respectively. Results revealed that employee engagement significantly mediated the relationship between perceived knowledge sharing systems and destructive and constructive deviance. Concerning moderating role of POS, it was found that at a high level of POS, the effect of knowledge sharing systems on employee engagement was significant in a positive direction and reached its highest level. Finally, for moderated mediation, results only supported the indirect effects of knowledge sharing systems on destructive deviance through employee engagement at different levels of POS.

Research limitations/implications

This study infers that IT organizations must implement measures to enhance employee engagement and POS by investing in embedded knowledge sharing systems. This will not only cater to the customized needs of employees but will also reduce destructive deviance and stimulate constructive deviance.

Originality/value

Given a few studies integrating workplace deviance, this is the first study that proposes an integrated process model to overcome destructive and stimulate constructive deviance among IT employees by assessing the role of knowledge sharing systems as an antecedent, employee engagement as a mediator and POS as a moderating variable.

Associations between culture of health and employee engagement in social enterprises: A cross-sectional study

Introduction

The aging of staff and skill shortage are major challenges for social enterprises. Nurturing a workplace culture of health and fostering employee engagement could be starting points to combat these challenges. The associations between these two factors have received comparatively little attention from the scientific community, in particular with regard to social enterprises. Hence, this study aims to examine those associations, drawing on the job demands-resources theory and the social-ecological workplace culture of health model. It is hypothesized that employees’ self-rated health acts as a mediator in the relationship between culture of health and employee engagement and that health as personal value works as a moderator.

Method

The study used the Workplace Culture of Health scale to measure culture of health in social enterprises and UWES-9 to assess employee engagement. Data was collected administering a quantitative online survey among employees of social enterprises in Germany. The dataset for analyses comprised N = 172 employees in total. Data analyses included Pearson’s correlations, regression analysis, as well as mediation, moderation and moderated mediation analyses.

Results

Culture of health is a predictor of employee engagement in social enterprises. The analyses demonstrate a moderate association between culture of health and employee engagement. Indications were found that employees’ self-rated health acts as a mediator and that health as personal value acts as a moderator between culture of health and employee engagement in social enterprises.

Discussion

This study suggests that fostering a culture of health in social enterprises does not only have a positive effect on employee health, but also on employee engagement. This applies in particular when employees attribute great value to their health, which is to be expected even more in future. Hence, nurturing a culture of health becomes a pivotal management task in social enterprises. Moreover, a comprehensive assessment of the benefits of health promotion programs in social enterprises should not only consider their health-related outcomes, but also factor in their impact on employee engagement.

Linking Challenge-Hindrance Stressors to Safety Outcomes and Performance: A Dual Mediation Model for Construction Workers

Occupational stressors have long been recognized as an important risk factor for injury accidents. The mechanisms underlying the relationships among challenge stressors, hindrance stressors, safety outcomes (occupational injuries), emotional experiences (attentiveness), and job performance (task performance) were investigated from the perspectives of the challenge–hindrance stress model and the conservation of resources theory. This study collected multi-source data over two timepoints for 105 safety supervisors and 379 construction workers in China. Results revealed that both challenge and hindrance stressors were positively related to occupational injuries, but only challenge stressors were positively associated with attentiveness. In addition, occupational injuries mediated the relationship between both challenge and hindrance stressors and task performance, while attentiveness mediated only the relationship between challenge stressors and task performance. These findings contribute to our knowledge of stress management in the construction project context and provide recommendations for stress management for front-line workers at construction sites.

The effects of high performance work systems in employees' service-oriented OCB

The present research investigates the effects of "High Performance Work Systems (HPWS)" on employees' "work engagement" and "service-oriented Organizational Citizenship Behavior (OCB)", through the development of a social and justice climate. In doing so, "Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM)" was applied based on a convenient sample of 448 customer-contact hotel employees across ten Greek hotel organizations. In summary, the study reveals first the valuable contribution of HPWS towards the development of a justice and service climate, which in turn influence positively employees' work engagement. As a consequence, employees respond by exhibiting extra role behaviors and by engaging in service-oriented OCB. Overall, the findings clarify the mechanism behind the HPWS process, known as the "black-box", a valuable knowledge for professionals practicing Human Resource Management (HRM).

Exploring the mediating role of work engagement between the linkages of job characteristics with organizational engagement and job satisfaction

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to empirically test a hypothesized model establishing job characteristics as an antecedent of work engagement leading to job satisfaction and organizational engagement of employees working with public sector banks (PSBs) in India.

Design/methodology/approach

Based on responses to a survey questionnaire by a sample of 622 Scale I employees of Indian PSBs, the hypothesized mediation model was tested with SPSS macro (Preacher and Hayes, 2004).

Findings

The testing of hypotheses established that job characteristics positively influence work engagement, organizational engagement and job satisfaction. The full mediation by work engagement between the relationships of job characteristics with job satisfaction and organizational engagement is established after the testing of mediation hypotheses.

Practical implications

Jobs of banks (especially in the public sector) are recommended to be enriched with more emphasis on offering employees with identifiable and significant tasks that have autonomy in decision-making and feedback. PSBs should also focus on developing a positive perception of employees toward job design, to increase their levels of job satisfaction and organizational engagement through engaging them with work.

Originality/value

The contribution of this study should be understood in many ways. First, the study has introduced work engagement as a mediator in the study model (between job characteristics and job satisfaction) replacing the three psychological conditions (i.e. experienced meaningfulness, experienced responsibility and knowledge of results) of job characteristics model. Further, the main contribution of this study is the exploration of the linkage between work engagement and organizational engagement. The relationship between these two forms of engagement (i.e. work and organization) has been very rarely investigated in the literature. Finally, this study has attempted to hypothesize a model proposing work engagement as a mediator between the job characteristics and organization engagement which does not seem to be studied so far.

Do high-performance HR practices augment OCBs? The role of psychological climate and work engagement

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to explore the relationship between high-performance HR practices (HPHRPs), psychological climate (PC), work engagement (WE) and organizational citizenship behaviors (OCBs) among IT professionals. This study further intends to provide a framework to understand and predict factors affecting organizational citizenship performance in the Indian IT sector.

Design/methodology/approach

The analysis is based on a sample of 464 IT employees working in 29 information-intensive global organizations, and the statistical method employed is structural equation modeling.

Findings

The results of the present study demonstrated the significance of employees’ perceptions of PC through which HPHRPs can boost employees’ WE, which, in turn, has come out to be the principal mechanism through which HPHRPs and PC have impact on OCBs.

Research limitations/implications

The results have established a platform where HR managers can be motivated to open up new avenues to employees where they can be psychologically involved in work roles and feel highly motivated to bring their good spirits at the workplace in order to benefit the organization at large.

Originality/value

This research explores the changing dynamics of Indian business scenario in the IT context. IT professionals may perceive and react differently to the HR system in the organization and have higher expectations of congenial working conditions that enhance their capability to employ personal skills and resources in the realization of organizational goals. Thus, the study tries to tap their experiences and perceptions and map their performances in the organization.

Organizational support on knowledge sharing: a moderated mediation model of job characteristics and organizational citizenship behavior

Purpose

This paper aims to study the effects of perceived organizational support (POS) on employees’ knowledge sharing intention (KSI). More specifically, this study examined whether these effects are moderated by job characteristics (JCs) and are mediated by organizational citizenship behavior (OCB).

Design/methodology/approach

Data for 426 employees were collected via an online questionnaire from four IT companies in South Korea. Combined effects in the variable set were analyzed using conditional process analyses (Hayes, 2013).

Findings

The results indicate that POS positively affects OCB and KSI, and that JCs moderate the relationship between POS and OCB. Also, the relationship between POS and KSI is mediated by OCB, and the hypothesized moderated mediation model is confirmed.

Originality/value

This study is novel in empirically establishing how employees’ KSI is affected by POS as an integrative construct bringing together JCs and OCB. This paper intends to fill a methodological gap and nurture future research by adopting conditional process analyses assessing whether JCs moderate the relationship between POS and OCB and mediate the effects of OCB on KSI.

Promoting the Sustainability of Organizations: Contribution of Transformational Leadership to Job Engagement

The psychology of sustainability highlights the importance of building organizational environments promoting the employees’ well-being, and leaders play an important role in it. Drawing from Kahn’s theory, the purpose of this study is to simultaneously examine the mediating role of task significance, perceived organizational support (POS) and employees’ core self-evaluations (CSE) in the relationship between supervisors’ transformational leadership and job engagement. In order to test the proposed model, a structural equation modelling was performed using the bootstrapping technique in IBM SPSS Amos 23 for Windows. The sample consisted of 320 employees from emergent high-tech and knowledge-based SMEs in Spain. The results supported all the hypotheses posited. By helping employees to find the meaning and significance of their work, making them feel supported by the organization and strengthening their sense of worth and competence, transformational leaders boost job engagement, a key aspect of the human dimension of organizational sustainability. This paper contributes to the psychology of sustainability by advancing knowledge of the mechanisms through which supervisors’ transformational leadership influences employees’ well-being in terms of job engagement.

Work Engagement in Nonprofit Organizations: A Conceptual Model

Using the revised job demands–resources (JD-R) model as a theoretical framework, our article aims to develop a conceptual model of the work engagement of paid workers in nonprofit organizations (NPOs) by identifying its antecedents and outcomes discussed in the literature. We found that job resources are prevalent antecedents for work engagement, while three categories of the JD-R model are all significant with work engagement. Although some findings are similar with existing studies for for-profit organizations, others implied that we need a different approach to work engagement of NPO workers. We finally offer a proposed JD-R model of work engagement in NPOs that has a new category, ideological resources. At the end of this article, we discuss the findings and academic/practical implications, along with recommendations for future research.

Job resources, engagement, and proactivity: a moderated mediation model

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the mediating impact of work engagement on the relationship between three developmental job resources (i.e. autonomy, task variety, and feedback) and proactive work behaviors. It also attempted to explore the moderating role of job fit (demands-abilities (D-A) fit and needs-supplies (N-S) fit) in the proposed model.

Design/methodology/approach

Data were collected from 225 employees in 20 small and medium-size enterprises in Istanbul, Turkey. Hypotheses were tested using hierarchical multiple regressions and hierarchical moderated regressions.

Findings

It was found that engagement mediated the relationships between job autonomy, task variety, and proactive behaviors. Results also revealed that the relationships between autonomy, task variety, and engagement were positive and significant only for the employees with low D-A fit while the positive impact of engagement on proactive behaviors existed only for those employees with high N-S fit. The conditional indirect impact of job resources on proactive behaviors was strongest when the D-A fit was low and the N-S fit was high while this effect was non-significant when the D-A fit was high and the N-S fit was (either) low or high.

Research limitations/implications

The generalizability of the findings is limited. Moreover, as the data are cross-sectional, it is not possible to derive causal inferences about the hypothesized relationships.

Practical implications

Organizations should provide their employees with more autonomy and task variety to enhance their engagement and proactivity. Moreover, organizations need to consider their employees’ level of job fit when they provide certain job resources.

Originality/value

This study tests the mediating role of engagement on the relationships between three developmental job resources and proactive behaviors. It also sheds light on the moderating role of job fit in the proposed mediation model.

Evaluating the evidence on employee engagement and its potential benefits to NHS staff: a narrative synthesis of the literature

Background

Recent studies have suggested engagement is linked with beneficial outcomes for individuals and organisations. Despite growing demand for resources and advice on engagement within the NHS, there has been no systematic evaluation of how engagement strategies can be developed and operationalised within the NHS.

Objectives and research questions

To evaluate evidence and theories of employee engagement within the NHS and the general workforce to inform policy and practice. Four research questions focused on definitions and models of engagement; the evidence of links between engagement and staff morale and performance; approaches and interventions that have the greatest potential to create and embed high levels of engagement within the NHS; and the most useful tools and resources for NHS managers in order to improve engagement.

Review methods

Evidence was evaluated using a narrative synthesis approach involving a structured search of relevant academic databases and grey literature. The search yielded a final data set of 217 items, comprising 172 empirical papers, 38 theoretical articles, four meta-analyses and three books. From the grey literature, only 14 items were used in the analysis.

Main findings

There is no one agreed definition or measure of engagement. Existing approaches were grouped under three headings: a psychological state; a composite attitudinal and behavioural construct; and employment relations practice. Most fell under the first category, with the Utrecht Work Engagement Scale being the most prevalent. Most theorising around engagement used the job demands–resources framework. Thirty-five studies considered engagement and morale, and the most consistent finding was a positive link between engagement and life satisfaction, and a negative link between engagement and burnout. Some studies suggested that engagement was positively associated with organisational commitment and job satisfaction and negatively linked to turnover intentions. Of 42 studies that looked at performance and engagement, the strongest support was found for a link between engagement and individual in-role performance and a negative link between engagement and counterproductive performance outcomes. A link between engagement and higher-level performance outcomes was also found. Of 155 studies that explored approaches and interventions that promote engagement, the strongest support was found for the following: positive psychological states including resilience; job-related resources and job design features; positive leadership; perceived organisational support; team-level engagement; training and development. Only a small proportion of studies were based in health-care settings, making the application of evidence to wider contexts limited. Studies identified in the grey literature suggested that the focus of practitioner material was more on wider managerial issues than on psychological factors.

Conclusions

The synthesis highlights the complex nature of the engagement evidence base. The quality of evidence was mixed. Most studies were cross-sectional, self-report surveys, although the minority of studies that used more complex methods such as longitudinal study designs or multiple respondents were able to lend more weight to inferences of causality. The evidence from the health-care sector was relatively sparse. Only a few studies used complex methods and just two had taken place in the UK. The evidence synthesis suggests that employers might consider several factors in efforts to raise levels of engagement including development and coaching to raise levels of employee resilience, the provision of adequate job resources, and fostering positive and supportive leadership styles.

Funding

This project was funded by the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) Health Services and Delivery Research (HSDR) programme.

Truxillo D, Fraccaroli F, A. McCune E, Bertolino M. Who benefits from more tasks? Older versus younger workers

Purpose

– Although a substantial body of research has examined the effects of job characteristics on job attitudes, there is a paucity of work on individual difference moderators of these relationships. Based in selective optimization with compensation theory and socio-emotional selectivity theory, the purpose of this paper is to show that age moderated the relationship between task variety and two key job attitudes, job satisfaction and engagement.

Design/methodology/approach

– Data were collected through self-report questionnaires (n=152), using a time-lagged design with two waves (two to three weeks between T 1 and T 2).

Findings

– The authors found that task variety had a stronger relationship with job satisfaction and work engagement for younger workers compared to older workers.

Research limitations/implications

– Although there was good age variance in the sample, it had fewer late-career workers and more workers who are in their early and mid-career.

Practical implications

– To have workers of all ages satisfied and engaged at work, we need to understand which work characteristics are the best for them. For example, it may be a competitive gain for organizations to challenge younger workers with different tasks, and to challenge older workers in ways that utilize their experience.

Social implications

– The study addresses a societal issue related to profound demographic changes in the age composition of the workforce, gaining a better knowledge of differences between workers of different ages to promote effective interventions and policies.

Originality/value

– This is the first study to show that task variety differentially affects worker satisfaction and engagement depending on the age of the worker.