Supervisor–subordinate guanxi and work engagement: Self-efficacy as a mediator

Abstract

Despite the increasing amount of research attention work engagement has received, there are still some gaps in understanding of its antecedents. We examined the relationships among supervisor–subordinate guanxi, employees' work engagement, and self-efficacy with a sample of 354 employees from six Chinese hotels. Structural equation modeling was used to test the hypotheses. Results revealed that supervisor–subordinate guanxi was positively related to employees' work engagement and self-efficacy, and that self-efficacy was positively related to work engagement. This study is the first to find that selfefficacy is a mediating mechanism that transmits the effect of supervisor–subordinate guanxi to employees' work engagement, which highlights the importance of supervisor–subordinate guanxi and the mechanisms that contribute to enhancement of employees' work engagement. Theoretical and practical implications are discussed.