Work engagement among women managers and professionals in a Turkish bank

Abstract

Abstract Purpose – The paper aims to examine potential antecedents and consequences of work engagement in a sample of women managers and professionals employed by a large Turkish bank. Design/methodology/approach – Data were collected from 286 women, a 72 per cent response rate, using anonymously completed questionnaires. Engagement was assessed by three scales developed by Schaufeli et al.: vigor, dedication and absorption. Antecedents included personal demographic and work situation characteristics as well as work life experiences; consequences included measures of work satisfaction and psychological well‐being. Findings – The following results were observed. First, worklife experiences, particularly, control, rewards and recognition and value fit, were found to predict all three engagement measures. Second, engagement, particularly dedication, predicted various work outcomes (e.g. job satisfaction, intent to quit). Third, engagement, particularly vigor, predicted various psychological well‐being outcomes. Research limitations/implications – Questions of causality cannot be addressed since data were collected at only one point in time. Longitudinal studies are needed to determine the effects of work life experiences on engagement. Practical implications – Organizations can increase levels of work engagement by creating work experiences (e.g. control, rewards and recognition) consistent with effective human resource management practices. Originality/value – This study contributes to our understanding of work engagement among women managers and professionals.