Linking empowerment, engagement, communication and organizational health: moderated mediation model

Abstract

Purpose This paper aims to examine the factors that mediate and moderate the relationship between psychological empowerment and organizational health. Specifically, work engagement is posited to mediate the relationship between psychological empowerment and organizational health and organizational communication to moderate the relationship between psychological empowerment and work engagement. Design/methodology/approach Data were collected from 524 scientists belonging to 10 laboratories of CSIR – an Indian R&D organization. For statistical analysis of moderated-mediation model, hierarchical multiple regression and process macro for SPSS was used. Findings Results revealed that work engagement was found to mediate the positive relationship between psychological empowerment and organizational health and organizational communication moderated the influence of psychological empowerment on work engagement. Results of moderated-mediation revealed that mediation of work engagement was moderated by organizational communication such that at higher levels of communication, the mediating effect of work engagement became stronger. Originality/value This study extends the understanding of the organizational health concept by studying the mediating effect of work engagement being moderated by organizational communication and its subsequent impact on organizational health.