Open Access
ARTICLE
When Does Future Work Self Predict Work Engagement: the Boundary Conditions of Person-Vocation Fit and Trust in Supervisor
Ying Xu1, Ping Guo2, Wenxia Zhou1,*
1 Renmin University of China, School of Labor and Human Resources, Beijing, 100872, China
2 China Europe International Business School, Beijing, 100193, China
* Corresponding Author: Wenxia Zhou. Email:
International Journal of Mental Health Promotion 2019, 21(1), 31-44. https://doi.org/10.32604/IJMHP.2019.010742
Abstract
Work engagement is a crucial positive psychological construct related
to mental health. However, current self-directed and boundaryless career trend
brings unprecedented challenges for organizations to foster employee engagement
using traditional means. From an integrative perspective of the engagement theory
and the career boundaryless theory, we built a model to test the moderating effect
of person-vocation fit and trust in supervisor on the relationship between future
work self and work engagement. After conducting a two-wave study with a sample
of 231 employees, we found that future work-self was positively related to work
engagement; and both person-vocation fit and trust in supervisor independently
moderated the relationship between future work self and work engagement.
Furthermore, the three-way interacting effect of future work self, person-vocation
fit and trust in supervisor on work engagement was significant, and when personvocation fit and trust in supervisor were both at high levels, future work self had a
strongest positive impact on work engagement. These results provided guidance
to engagement management at work from a career development perspective.
Keywords
Cite This Article
Xu, Y., Guo, P., Zhou, W. (2019). When Does Future Work Self Predict Work Engagement: the Boundary Conditions of Person-Vocation Fit and Trust in Supervisor.
International Journal of Mental Health Promotion, 21(1), 31–44.
Citations