The Mediating Effect of Work Engagement Between Job Expectations, Job Crafting, and Intention to Stay

The purpose of this study is to measure the mediating effect of work engagement on the relationship between job expectation, job crafting, and intention to stay, particularly in Korean cultural settings. This study employed structural equation modeling to test the research framework. Self-report data of the study variables were collection from 501 employees working in the various Korean workplace settings. Data analyses indicated there were positive effects of job expectations on work engagement, job crafting, and intentions to stay for a group of Korean workers. Results also showed that work engagement mediated the relationships between job expectations, job crafting, and intention to stay. While several studies have measured the effect of work engagement on several organizational outcome variables, little research has been conducted to investigate the structural influential relationships among the study variables. This study suggests that research of work engagement would be applied equally to the Asian-contexts, especially in Korea, as it has been done in Western cultures. The value of the study is to fill the research gap between the Asian and Western cultural settings.