Public Administration Perspective

The Effect of Self-Efficacy and Optimism on Job Performance: The Mediating Role of Work Engagement

Document Type : Research Article (with quantitative approaches)

Authors

1 Ph.D. in Management, Department of Public Administration, Faculty of Management and Economics, Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran, Iran.

2 Professor, Department of Public Administration, Faculty of Management and Accounting, Shahid Beheshti University, Tehran, Iran.

Abstract

Purpose: Undoubtedly, to achieve goals in a specific field, an organization requires its employees to perform specific activities proficiently. This can be achieved if employees believe in their abilities, set challenging goals, and double their efforts to attain success, highlighting the importance of self-efficacy. Additionally, for full employee engagement, organizations must cultivate a positive and satisfactory mindset, facilitating effective communication with work, thereby emphasizing the necessity of work engagement. Moreover, organizations should instill optimism in employees, fostering the belief that their efforts will yield positive outcomes, underscoring the importance of optimism among employees. Given that low job performance is a primary concern for organizations and encompasses various performance domains, this research aims to explore factors influencing high job performance and provide managerial solutions to enhance employee job performance. Thus, this study investigates the impact of self-efficacy and optimism on job performance with work engagement as a mediating factor.
Design/ methodology/ approach: This study adopts a practical approach with survey methodology. The statistical population comprises all experts employed in the Deputy of Management Development and Resources of the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Finance, totaling 200 individuals. Simple random sampling was utilized, and Cochran's formula determined a sample size of 80 individuals. Data were collected through questionnaires assessing self-efficacy (Scheier et al., 1982), optimism (Carver et al., 2010), work engagement (Rich et al., 2010), and job performance (Patterson, 1990). Data analysis employed Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) with the partial least squares method using Smart-PLS 3 software.
Research Findings: Results confirm the validity of the research model, indicating that self-efficacy and optimism positively influence work engagement, which, in turn, impacts job performance. Work engagement also serves as a mediating factor in the relationships between self-efficacy and job performance, as well as between optimism and job performance.
Limitations & Consequences:  One limitation of this research is its focus on a specific organization, limiting generalizability to other contexts. Therefore, conducting similar studies in diverse organizational settings is recommended. Additionally, reliance on questionnaires to measure attitudes poses another limitation.
Practical Consequences: The findings of this pioneering research can guide managerial actions towards employees, enhancing human resource effectiveness and aiding managers in addressing HR challenges within organizations. Thus, understanding employee morale and organizational conditions is crucial for improving job performance.
Innovation or value of the Article: Unlike previous studies that explored only a subset of the variables examined in this research, this study simultaneously investigates four variables, addressing theoretical and practical gaps in previous literature.
Paper Type: Research Paper
 

Keywords

  1. Avey,   B.,  Wernsing,  T.  S.,  &  Luthans,  F.  (2008).  "Can  positive  employees  help  positive  organizational  change?  Impact  of  psychological capital and emotions on relevant attitudes and behaviors". Journal of Applied Behavioral Science, 44(1),  48– 70. https://doi.org /10.1177/0 0218 863 07 311470
  2. Avey, J. B., Luthans, F., & Youssef, C. M. (2010). "The additive value of positive psychological capital in predicting work attitudes and behaviors". Journal of Management, 36(2), 430-452.
  3. Bailey, C., Madden, A., Alfes, K., & Fletcher, L. (2017). "The meaning, antecedents, and outcomes of employee engagement: A narrative synthesis". International Journal of Management Reviews, 19, 31–53.
  4. Bakker, A. B., Schaufeli, W. B., Leiter, M. P., & Taris, T. W. (2008). "Work engagement: An emerging concept in occupational health psychology". Work & Stress, 22(3), 187-200. doi: 10. 10 80/02678370802393649
  5. Bakker, A. B., & Bal, M. P. (2010). "Weekly work engagement and performance: A study among starting teachers". Journal of Occupational and Organizational Psychology, 83(1), 189-206. doi: 10.1348/096317909x402596
  6. Bakker, A. B., Leiter, M. P. (Eds.), (2010). "Work Engagement: A Handbook of Essential Theory and Research". Psychology Press, New York.
  7. Bakker, A. B., & Demerouti, E. (2016). "Job Demands-Resources Theory: Taking Stock and Looking Forward". Journal of Occupational Health Psychology, 22, 273-285.
    https://doi.org/10.1037/ocp0000056
  8. Bandura, A. (1997). "Self-efficacy: The exercise of control". (Freeman, Ed.). New York.
  9. Breevaart, K., Bakker, A. B., Demerouti, E. (2014). "Daily self-management and employee work engagement". Journal of Vocational Behavior, 84(1), 31–38. doi:10.10 16/j.jvb.20 13.11.002 
  10. Britton, A. R., Sliter, M. T., & Jex, S. M. (2012). "Is the glass really half-full? The reverse-buffering effect of optimism on under-mining behavior". Personality and Individual Differences, 52(6), 712– 717. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.paid.2011.12.038
  11. Bunjak, A., Hafenbrack, A. C., Černe, M., & Arendt, J. F. W. (2022). "Better to be optimistic, mindful, or both? The interaction between optimism, mindfulness, and task engagement". Journal of Occupational and Organizational Psychology, 95, 595– 623. https://doi.org/10.1111/joop.12389
  12. Carver, C. S. (2004). "Self-regulation of action and affect". In R. F. Baumeister & K. D. Vohs (Eds.), Handbook of self-regulation: Research, theory, and applications (pp. 13–39). Guilford Press.
  13. Carver, C., & Scheier, M. (2002). "Optimism". In C. R. Snyder & S. Lopez (Eds.), Handbook of positive psychology (pp. 231–243). Oxford: Oxford University Press.
  14. Carver,   S.,  Scheier,  M.  F.,  &  Segerstrom,  S.  C.  (2010).  "Optimism".  Clinical  Psychology  Review, 30(7),  879–889. https://doi .org/ 10.1016 /j.cpr.2010.01.006
  15. Cayır, A., & Ulupınar, S. (2021). "The relationship among educational skills, general self-efficacy perceptions and performance in nursing instructors". Nurse Education Today, 107, 105129. doi:10.1016/j.nedt.2021.105129
  16. Cellar, D. F., Stuhlmacher, A. F., Young, S. K., Fisher, D. M., Adair, C. K., Haynes, S., Riester, D. (2011). "Trait goal orientation, self-regulation, and performance: A meta-analysis". Journal of Business and Psychology, 26(4), 467–483. https://doi.org/ 10.1007/s10869-010-9201-6.
  17. Chen, S. L. (2015). "The relationship of leader psychological capital and follower psychological capital, job engagement and job performance: A multilevel mediating perspective". The International Journal of Human Resource Management, 26(18), 1–17.
  18. Chen, Ching-Fu, & Kao, Ya-Ling (2012). "Moderating effects of work engagement and job tenure on burnout–performance among flight attendants". Journal of Air Transport Management. 25, 61-63. 10.1016/j.jairtraman.2012.08.009.
  19. Chen, Sheng-Syan, Lin, Chih-Yen, Tsai, Yun-Ching (2018). "New product strategies and firm performance: CEO optimism". International Review of Economics & Finance, S1059056016302593. doi:10.1016/j.iref.2018.01.021
  20. Chhajer, R., Rose, E. L. Joseph, T. (2018). "Role of Self-efficacy, Optimism and Job Engagement in Positive Change: Evidence from the Middle East". Vikalpa: The Journal for Decision Makers, 43(4), 222–235. doi:10.1177/0256090918819396
  21. De Meza, David, Dawson, Chris (2020). "Neither an Optimist Nor a Pessimist Be: Mistaken Expectations Lower Well-Being". Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 014616722093457. doi:10.1177/0146167220934577
  22. De Simone, Silvia, Planta, Anna, Cicotto, Gianfranco (2017). "The role of job satisfaction, work engagement, self-efficacy and agentic capacities on nurses' turnover intention and patient satisfaction". Applied Nursing Research, S0897189717302410. doi:10.1016/j.apnr.2017.11.004
  23. Demerouti, E., Bakker, A. B., Nachreiner, F., Schaufeli, W. B. (2001). "The job demands-resources model of burnout". J Appl Psychol. 86(3), 499-512. PMID: 11419809.
  24. Geers, A. L., Wellman, J. A., & Lassiter, G. D. (2009). "Dispositional optimism and engagement: The moderating influence of goal prioritization". Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 96(4), 913– 932. https://doi.org/10.1037/a0014830
  25. Geers, A. L., Wellman, J. A., Seligman, L. D., Wuyek, L. A., & Neff, L. A. (2010). "Dispositional optimism, goals, and engagement in health treatment programs". Journal of Behavioral Medicine, 33(2), 123–134. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10865-   009- 9238- z
  26. Gong, Y., Huang, J.-C., & Farh, J.-L. (2009). "Employee learning orientation, transformational leadership, and employee creativity: The mediating role of employee creative self-efficacy". Academy of Management Journal, 52(4), 765–778. https://doi.org/10.5465/amj.2009.43670890.
  27. Gottschalg, Oliver, & Zollo, Maurizio (2006). "Interest Alignment and Competitive Advantage". Academy of Management Review. 32. 10.5465/AMR.2007.24351356
  28. Granziera, Helena, Perera, Harsha N. (2019). "Relations among Teachers’ Self-Efficacy Beliefs, Engagement, and Work Satisfaction: A Social Cognitive View". Contemporary Educational Psychology, S0361476X17301911. doi:10.1016/j.cedpsych.2019.02.003
  29. Harter, J., & Schmidt, F., & Hayes, T. (2002). "Business-Unit-Level Relationship between Employee Satisfaction, Employee Engagement, and Business Outcomes: A Meta-Analysis". The Journal of applied psychology. 87. 268-79. 10.1037//0021-9010.87.2.268.
  30. Keyko, K., Cummings, G. G., Yonge, O., & Wong, C. A. (2016). "Work engagement in professional nursing practice: A systematic review". International Journal of Nursing Studies, 61, 142–164. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijnurstu.2016.06.003
  31. Kulophas, Dhirapat, Ruengtrakul, Auyporn, Wongwanich, Suwimon (2015). "The Relationships among Authentic Leadership, Teachers’ Work Engagement, Academic Optimism and School Size as Moderator: A Conceptual Model". Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences, 191, 2554–2558. doi:10.1016/j.sbspro.2015.04.298
  32. Lee, T. W., & Ko, Y. K. (2010). "Effects of self-efficacy, affectivity and collective efficacy on nursing performance of hospital nurses". Journal of Advanced Nursing, 66(4), 839–848. https: / / org/10.1111/j.1365-2648.2009.05244.
  33. Lent, R. W., Brown, S. D. (2006). "Integrating person and situation perspectives on work satisfaction: A social-cognitive view". Journal of Vocational Behavior, 69, 236-247.
  34. Li, Xiaobei, Sanders, Karin, Frenkel, Stephen (2012). "How leader–member exchange, work engagement and HRM consistency explain Chinese luxury hotel employees’ job performance". International Journal of Hospitality Management, 31(4), 1059–1066. doi: 1016/j. ijhm 20 1 2. 01.002
  35. Lu, X., Xie, B., Guo, Y. (2018). "The trickle-down of work engagement from leader to follower: The roles of optimism and self-efficacy". Journal of Business Research, 84, 186–195. doi: 10 16/j.jbusres.2017.11.014
  36. Luthans, F., Avolio, B., Avey, J. B., & Norman, S. M. (2007). "Psychological capital: Measurement and relationship with performance and job satisfaction". Personnel Psychology, 60(3), 541–572
  37. Maciel, Cristiano de Oliveira, Camargo, Camila (2016). "Social connection in organizations: the effects of local ties on job engagement and performance". Revista de Administração, 51(4), 377–385. doi:10.1016/j.rausp.2016.07.005
  38. Magni, F., Gong, Y., Chao, M. M. (2021). "A longitudinal examination of the reciprocal relationship between goal orientation and performance: The mediating role of self-efficacy". Personality and Individual Differences. doi:10.1016/j.paid.2021.110960 
  39. Malinowski, P., & Lim, H. J. (2015). "Mindfulness at work: Positive affect, hope, and optimism mediate the relationship between dispo-sitional mindfulness, work engagement, and well-being". Mindfulness, 6(6), 1250– 1262. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12671- 015- 0388- 5
  40. Menguç, B., Fisher, S., Auh, M., Haddad, A. (2012). "To be engaged or not to be engaged; the antecedents and concequences of service employee engagement". Journal of Business Research.
  41. Moreira-Fontán, E., García-Señorán, M., Conde-Rodríguez, Á., González, A. (2019). "Teachers' ICT-related self-efficacy, job resources, and positive emotions: Their structural relations with autonomous motivation and work engagement". Computers & Education, 134, 63–77. doi: 10 16/j.compedu.2019.02.007 
  42. Orgambídez, A., Borrego, Y., Vázquez‐Aguado, O. (2019). "Self‐efficacy and organizational commitment among Spanish nurses: the role of work engagement". International Nursing Review, inr.12526. doi:10.1111/inr.12526
  43. Park, Jeongdoo, & Gursoy, Dogan (2012). "Generation effects on work engagement among U.S. hotel employees". International Journal of Hospitality Management. 31. 1195-1202. 10.1016 /j. ij 2012.02.007.
  44. Pavlova, M. K., & Silbereisen, R. K. (2013). "Dispositional optimism fosters opportunity-congruent coping with occupational uncertainty". Journal of Personality, 81(1), 76– 86. https://doi.org /10. 1 111/j.14 67- 6 494. 2 012 .0 0782 .x
  45. Prochazka, Jakub, Gilova, Helena, Vaculik, Martin (2017). "The Relationship between Transformational Leadership and Engagement: Self-Efficacy as a Mediator". Journal of Leadership Studies, 11(2), 22–33. doi:10.1002/jls.21518
  46. Rand, Kevin L., Shanahan, Mackenzie L., Fischer, Ian C., Fortney, Sarah K. (2020). "Hope and optimism as predictors of academic performance and subjective well-being in college students". Learning and Individual Differences, 81, 101906. doi:10.1016/j.lindif.2020.101906
  47. Salanova, M., Agut, S., Peir, J. M. (2005). "Linking organizational resources and work engagement to employee performance and customer loyalty: the mediation of service climate". Journal of Applied Psychology, 90, 1217-1227.
  48. Schaufeli, W. B. (2017). "Applying the job demands-resources model: A “how to” guide to measuring and tackling work engagement and burnout". Organizational Dynamics, 46, 120–132
  49. Schaufeli, W. B., Salanova, M., González-Romá, V., & Bakker, A. B. (2002). "The measurement of engagement and burnout: A two sample confirmatory factor analytic approach". Journal of Happiness Studies, 3(1), 71–92.
  50. Scheier, M. F., & Carver, C. S. (1985). "Optimism, coping, and health: Assessment and implications of generalized outcome expectancies". Health Psychology, 4(3), 219–247.
  51. Scheier, M. F., Carver, C. S., & Bridges, M. W. (1994). "Distinguishing optimism from neuroticism (and trait anxiety, self-mastery, and self-esteem): A reevaluation of the Life Orientation Test". Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 67(6), 1063 – 1078. https://doi.org/10.1037/0022- 3514.67.6.1063
  52. Seligman, M. E. P., & Csikszentmihalyi, M. (2000). "Positive psychology". American Psychologist, 55(1), 5–14.
  53. Seligman, M. E. (2011). "Learned optimism: How to change your mind and your life". New York City: Random House
  54. Sharot, T. (2011). "The optimism bias". Current Biology, 21, 941–945.
  55. Stajkovic, A. D., & Luthans, F. (1998). "Self-Efficacy and Work-Related Performance: A Meta-Analysis". Psychological Bulletin, 124(2), 240–261. https://doi.org/10.1037/0033-2909.124.2.240
  56. Sweetman, D., & Luthans. (2010). "The power of positive psychology: Psychological capital and work engagement". Work engagement: A handbook of essential theory and research. New York, NY: Psychology Press.
  57. Szalma, J. L. (2009). "Individual differences in performance, workload, and stress in sustained attention: Optimism and pessimism". Personality and Individual Differences, 47(5), 444–451. doi:10.1016/j.paid.2009.04.019
  58. Tims, M., Bakker, A. B., & Xanthopoulou, D. (2011). "Do transformational leader enhance their followers' daily work engagement?" The Leadership Quarterly, 22(1), 121–131.
  59. Tisu, Luca, Lupșa, Daria, Vîrgă, Delia, Rusu, Andrei (2020). "Personality characteristics, job performance and mental health the mediating role of work engagement". Personality and Individual Differences, 153, 109644. doi:10.1016/j.paid.2019.109644
  60. Tomás, José Manuel, Gutiérrez, Melchor, Georgieva, Sylvia, Hernández, Miosotis (2019). "The effects of self‐efficacy, hope, and engagement on the academic achievement of secondary education in the Dominican Republic". Psychology in the Schools, pits.22321. doi: 1002 /pits. 22321
  61. Tuckey, M. R., Bakker, A. B., & Dollard, M. F. (2012). "Empowering leaders optimize working conditions for engagement: A multilevel study". Journal of Occupational Health Psychology, 17(1), 15–27
  62. VandeWalle, D., Cron, W. L., & Slocum, J. W. (2001). "The role of goal orientation following performance feedback". Journal of Applied Psychology, 86(4), 629–640. https://doi.org/ 10 37/ 0021-9010.86.4.629.
  63. Wrosch, C., & Scheier, M. F. (2003). "Personality and quality of life: The importance of optimism and goal adjustment". Quality of Life Research, 12(1), 59–72. https://doi.org/10.1023/A:10235 29606137
  64. Xanthopoulou, D., Bakker, A. B., Demerouti, E., & Schaufeli, B. (2007). "The role of personal resources in the job demands–resources model". International Journal of Stress Management, 14(2), 121–141.
  65. Xanthopoulou, D., Bakker, A. B., Demerouti, E., & Schaufeli, W. B. (2009). "Reciprocal relationships between job resources, personal resources and work engagement". Journal of Vocational Behavior, 74(3), 235-244.
  66. Yakın, Mustafa, Erdil, Oya (2012). "Relationships between Self-Efficacy and Work Engagement and the Effects on Job Satisfaction: A Survey on Certified Public Accountants". Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences, 58, 370–378. doi:10.1016/j.sbspro.2012.09.1013
  67. Zaghloul, A. A, Al-Hussaini, M. F., & Al-Bassam, N. K. (2008). "Intention to stay and nurses’ satisfaction dimensions". Journal of Multidisciplinary Healthcare, 1, 51–58. https:// org/ 10. 2147/JMDH.S3804
Public Administration Perspective
Volume 15, Issue 1 - Serial Number 57
2024
Pages 15-35