Psychological empowerment, work engagement and organisational citizenship behaviour as determinants of individual employee performance

Abstract

The concepts of psychological empowerment, work engagement, organisational citizenship behaviour and individual work performance have been researched over the years indicating positive relationships with performance, efficiency and effectiveness within organisations. This study investigated the relationship concerning the constructs of psychological empowerment (PE); Utrecht Work Engagement (WE); organisational citizenship behaviour (OCB) and individual work performance (IWP) amongst employees (n = 314) in a steel manufacturing organisation in South Africa with the aim to create a scientific model using these constructs. The study followed a quantitative cross-sectional research approach. A web-based survey was used to collect data from a population of 6,500 full-time working adults. Several statistical techniques were used to meet the research objectives such as structural equation modelling and confirmatory factor analysis. Pearson product–moment correlation and mediated/ moderated regression analysis was further used in this study. The findings suggest that there is a significant relationship between all the variables. PE and WE predicted IWP and PE and OCB predicted IWP and that WE and OCB also predicted IWP. The mediated regression analysis results of medium effect were established amongst the constructs PE, WE and IWP and OCB and IWP had the stronger relationship. The mediated regression analysis results showed PE and WE have a positive and significant association with IWP and that PE and WE were positive and significantly associated with OCB. Furthermore, a moderating relationship between PE and IWP was established amongst the employees of the age between 18-35 years, meaning that age was a moderator between PE and IWP, amongst younger employees. Recommendations regarding the four variables have been made, in the form of, a scientific model which was proposed, and when implemented had a potential to enhance psychological empowerment, organisational citizenship behaviour and engagement in the workplace and could assist organisations during a process of recruitment, selection, placement, and development of talent. Following the results highlighted above, the general aim of this study was achieved. In conclusion, employees’ work attitude (PE and WE) played a role in individual’s work behaviour (OCB) and such behaviour influenced the individual work outcome. The abovementioned empirical findings support the theoretical assumptions of this study.