Revisiting Work Engagement from a Moderated-Mediation Vantage Point

Abstract

This paper aimed to shed light on (1) heavy-work investment (HWI) of time and efforts as a mediational mechanism between intrinsic/extrinsic motivation (predictors) and work engagement (WE) as an outcome, and (2) the moderation effect of employment contract type (permanent vs. temporary employees) on the association between work motivation and HWI. Data from 242 high-tech subjects – engineers (68.2%) and engineering students (31.8%) – was collected. Apart from correlational relationships, only investment of effort (and not time) is a partial mediator in the relationship between extrinsic motivation and WE, but is a suppressor variable for intrinsic motivation. Moreover, the associations between intrinsic/extrinsic motivation and HWI were found stronger for temporary employees. Theoretical and practical implications and future research suggestions are discussed.

Keywords

• intrinsic and extrinsic motivation
• heavy-work investment
• work engagement
• employment contract type
• moderation-mediation
• moderation-mediation