Core self-evaluations and job embeddedness: Influences on career adaptability and work engagement in Nigerian public sector employees

This study examined the mediation effect of job embeddedness and the moderating effect of core self-evaluation in the relationship between career adaptability and work engagement among a sample of 387 employees of 12 local government areas of Nigeria (female = 42.89%, male = 57.11%; with bachelor’s degrees = 35.66%, below bachelor’s degrees = 64.34%). Data were collected using standardised measures of job embeddedness, core self-evaluation, career adaptability, and work engagement at two-time points in two months. Following regression analyses, results indicated that career adaptability was higher with work engagement and job embeddedness. Core self-evaluation moderated the direct effect of career adaptability on employee work engagement and the indirect effect of career adaptability on employee work engagement via job embeddedness, thereby increasing work engagement. The findings suggest career adaptability as a critical resource for employee work engagement with job embeddedness and positive core self-evaluations.