Engagement and job satisfaction: evidence in the Peruvian commercial sector

Abstract

the primary objective of this study was to explore the components of engagement that are most significant to the job satisfaction of employees in Peru’s commercial sector. Questionnaires were distributed online and printed to employees from 25 businesses operating within Lima’s commercial sectors. Following an exhaustive literature review, the Utrecht Work Engagement Scale (UWES) was chosen as the survey instrument, resulting in the collection of 260 responses. The participating companies were required to be part of the private sector, and the research adopted a cross-sectional design. The survey was administered free of charge, ensuring complete anonymity for the respondents. The study employed an ordinary least squares model as the instrument, incorporating a quadratic variable for age. The model’s results provided the necessary support to demonstrate a close relationship between the engagement variables of challenge (β = 0.0147, p < 0.05), inspiration (β = 0.0224, p < 0.01), flow state (β = 0.0156, p < 0.05), and job satisfaction among commercial employees. Additionally, these variables were graphically analyzed according to the workers’ age. A quadratic trend is specifically observed in the relationship between job satisfaction and age. Our findings contribute to the literature by offering a unique perspective on engagement studies, providing valuable insights for the development of improved human management policies.