Influence of Core Self-Evaluations on Work Engagement: The Mediating Role of Informal Field-Based Learning and the Moderating Role of Work Design

Abstract

This study aims to examine the effect of employees’ CSE on their work engagement, along with its underlying mechanisms and boundary conditions. Based on the job demands–resources (JD-R) model and conservation of resources (COR) theory, we propose and test a moderated mediation model that examines IFBL as the mediator and work design as the moderator in the relationship between CSE and work engagement. We use time-lagged data from 231 employees to analyze the data. The results indicate that: (1) CSE is positively related to work engagement of employees; (2) IFBL mediates the relationship between CSE and work engagement; (3) problem solving reinforces the effect of IFBL on work engagement, which consequently enhances the mediated relationship between CSE and work engagement via IFBL. We further discuss the limitations and future research directions of this study.

The Impact of Core Self-Evaluations on Job Satisfaction and Turnover Intention among Higher Education Academic Staff: Mediating Roles of Intrinsic and Extrinsic Motivation

“…CSEs are an individual’s important assessment of their own pride, ability, and effectiveness [ 13 ]. CSEs incorporate four broadly examined ideas, specifically locus of control, which includes internal and external locus of control (it refers to a person’s belief about what causes events in life); self-esteem (i.e., the worth one places on oneself); neuroticism (i.e., tendency to show poor emotional adaptation and negative methods of perception); and self-efficacy evaluation of an individual’s capability to handle situations in several ways [ 26 ].…”

The core self-evaluations, psychological capital, and academic engagement: a cross-national mediation model

“…Hence, available resources influence people’s capacity to obtain more resources ( Hobfoll, 2011 ; Robayo-Tamayo et al, 2020 ). The more personal resources they have, the more they can gain, which sustains them to follow their goals and engage in different activities ( Ouweneel et al, 2011 ; Martínez et al, 2019 ; Ma et al, 2022 ).…”

“…People high in CSE are more confident in their abilities, can deal with different demands, and have more available resources to solve problems ( Judge and Hurst, 2007 ). Also, they evaluate various situations more positively and are confident in their capacity to control things and achieve goals ( Ma et al, 2022 ). CSE is linked to PsyCap, a state-like psychological attribute involved in assessing the self in relation to the environment ( Howard, 2017 ), and also a valuable personal resource ( Siu et al, 2014 ).…”

“…Moreover, evidence showed mutual relationships between AE and PsyCap that can be explained through the COR mechanism ( Ouweneel et al, 2011 ; Siu et al, 2014 ; Martínez et al, 2019 ). Hence, people’s capacity to gain more resources is influenced by their existing resources ( Ma et al, 2022 ). When students’ resources are high (i.e., PsyCap), their repertoire of strategies to achieve the goals and overcome the encountered obstacles is richer and more diverse; they are more confident in their strengths and engage more in the study activity.…”

The Relationship between Physical Exercise and Smartphone Addiction among Chinese College Students: The Mediating Effect of Core Self-Evaluation

“…Core self-evaluation refers to the most basic evaluation made by individuals on their own abilities and values, which is put forward by Judge et al [ 31 ]. It is a good predictor of career adaptability [ 32 ], job satisfaction [ 33 ], and work engagement [ 34 ].…”