How do job demands have an impact on in-role performance through work engagement?

Abstract

The purpose of this research is to examine how job demands (loneliness, technological problems, and job insecurity) have an impact on in-role performance through work engagement (vigor, dedication, and absorption) in the virtual context as a consequence of the global pandemic. The study has two hypotheses in which it first investigates the relationship between job demands and work engagement, and hence investigates the relationship between work engagement and in-role performance. The theoretical framework is based on the theory of Work Engagement by Schaufeli (2002) and the Job Demand-Resource Model by Bakker & Demerouti (2011). Our research design is based on a qualitative methodology with quantitative support. The qualitative method is used to explain how job demands have an impact on employees' work engagement through an in-depth analysis where data is derived from semi-structured interviews. The qualitative method is used to reveal indications of the relationship between the variables (job demands, work engagement, in-role performance) through statistical analysis, which in turn confirms or rejects the hypotheses. The sample of our research is customer consultants at a Norwegian call center who have been highly affected by the global pandemic of Covid-19, and who have been working from home during the past year. Findings from the research reveal tendencies that both loneliness, technological problems, and job insecurity have an impact on employees' work engagement. However, loneliness seems to affect engagement to the greatest extent as it shows to have an impact on both vigor, dedication and absorption, followed by job insecurity and then technological problems. Further, the findings have empirical support in which employees who experience less work engagement as a consequence of job demands perform at lower levels. Similarly, employees who do not experience job demands to the same extent seem to be more engaged and hence have higher in-role performance. The findings add to the literature of positive organizational psychology and are useful for both employees as well as for organizations. Keywords: job demands, work engagement, in-role performance, loneliness, technological problems, job insecurity, virtual context