The effects of relational and psychological capital on work engagement: the mediation of learning goal orientation

Abstract

PurposeThis paper proposes a research model in which learning goal orientation (LGO) mediates the impacts of relational capital and psychological capital (PsyCap) on work engagement.Design/methodology/approachData obtained from 475 managers and employees in the manufacturing and service industries in Poland were utilized to assess the linkages given above. Common method variance was controlled by the unmeasured latent method factor technique.FindingsLGO mediates the impact of PsyCap on work engagement. More specifically, employees high on PsyCap are more learning goal-oriented, and therefore are work-engaged at elevated levels. Employees also exhibit higher work engagement as a result of their relational capital.Research limitations/implicationsThis study extends the research stream on the interrelationships of relational capital, PsyCap, LGO and work engagement to Poland. It fills a void in the relevant literature. Yet, the authors collected cross-sectional, self-report data in a single country.Practical implicationsManufacturing and service companies in Poland should create and maintain a work environment where managers and employees develop trust and high-quality relationships with their managers and coworkers and invest in their personal resources. In addition, management should arrange continuous training programs so that employees can continue developing themselves. Such practices are critical in an organization where employees' work engagement is triggered by relational capital, PsyCap and LGO.Originality/valueThis paper enhances the current literature by exploring relational capital, PsyCap and LGO simultaneously as the predictors of work engagement, which have been subjected to limited empirical inquiry. The paper also extends the research stream about the above-mentioned predictors of engagement to Poland, which is an underrepresented country in the field of human resource management.