Positive Affectivity and Employee Engagement

Mediating Role of Social Support

Abstract

Purpose: Previous studies have found that employees’ positive affectivity personality contributes to positive organizational outcomes. However, little is known about the mechanisms by which positive affectivity is related to social support and employee engagement. Therefore, drawing on the conservation of resources theory, this study examined the role of social support as a mediator that links positive affectivity and employee engagement.

Method: The study was conducted using a quantitative approach. It used a survey method to collect data from 260 professional registered nurses in public hospitals in Lagos, Nigeria, who were selected as research participants using a stratified random sampling technique.

Result: The structural model analysis revealed that positive affectivity significantly affects social support and employee engagement. Also, social support significantly correlates with employee engagement and partially mediates the relationship between positive affectivity and employee engagement.

Implications: The findings of this study contributed to the limited literature on positive affectivity, social support, and employee engagement. Practically, this study has implications for clinical practice and management. To enhance employee engagement among nurses, hospital administrators should develop intervention programs that can enhance the nurses' ability to maintain positive emotions in stressful situations.