Work engagement and job-related well-being: The moderation by public service work motivation

Abstract

This study examined the relationship between civil servants’ work engagement and job-related well-being, and how it is moderated by work motivation. Participant were 496 Chinese civil servants (female = 41.7%; mean age = 40.5 years, SD = 14.14 years, 93.3% were 26-55 years old; managers = 57.5%). The participants completed surveys on work engagement, job-related well-being, and work motivation. Following moderation analyses, results indicated that moderate work engagement is optimal for job-related well-being. Further, work motivation moderated the relationship between work engagement and job-related well-being, such that the relationship was weakened when work motivation was high. In addition, younger age and working at the administrative level were associated with lower job-related well-being. Findings are consistent with the conservation of resources theory in that excessive work engagement reduces job-related well-being, resulting in resource scarcity. High work motivation buffers the effect of work engagement on job-related well-being.