Mediating role of corporate volunteering between entrepreneurial attitude and work engagement

Abstract

BACKGROUND Work engagement and corporate volunteering attract significant interest among researchers. The entrepreneurial attitude is missing in research among diverse characteristics of employees predicting work engagement. The aim of the study is to fill this gap by verifying the model of the mediating role of corporate volunteering (work characteristics) between the entrepreneurial attitude (employee characteristics) and work engagement. PARTICIPANTS AND PROCEDURE Utrecht Work Engagement Scale (UWES-17), an abridged version of the Entrepreneurial Attitude Orientation questionnaire (EAO), the Scale of Corporate Volunteering, and the Scale of Satisfaction with Financial Situation were applied in the study. The sample consisted of 111 employees of the public (27%) and business sectors (73%). The sample consisted of 42% (n = 47) women and 58% (n = 64) men aged from 23 to 61 years. RESULTS The model of work engagement was successfully verified. The entrepreneurial attitude proved to be a strong predictor of work engagement and corporate volunteering. Corporate volunteering plays a mediating role between the entrepreneurial attitude and work engagement. Seniority and age, unlike in global studies, correlated negatively with corporate volunteering. Public sector employees were less engaged in work (lower Vigor and Absorption). However, their dedication to work was at the same level as employees in the business sector. CONCLUSIONS Work enhanced with corporate volunteering leads to stronger work engagement, and thus to a psychologically healthier workplace. Measurement of the entrepreneurial attitude can be applied in the employee selection process as a predictor of work engagement.