Job Characteristics and Task Performance of Public Sector Employees in Sri Lanka: Mediating Role Work Engagement

Abstract

The primary aim of the current study is to examine whether job characteristics and task performance of public sector employees in Sri Lanka's Western Province are mediated by employee work engagement. A quantitative research design was used in the study and data were collected using structured questionnaire from public sector employees by using stratified random sample. Reliability testing, correlation, multiple regression, moderation analysis, and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) were used in the analysis of 361 valid responses using SPSS Version 25. The results showed that employee task performance is much improved by both job characteristics and work engagement. Additionally, the association between job characteristic and employee task performance is partially mediated by work engagement. As a result, job characteristics have an impact on employees' task performance both directly and indirectly through work engagement. As a result, each effect is considerable. According to the current study's findings in order to sustain and improve employee task performance, public sector organizations must adopt tactics that foster both job characteristic and work engagement. The findings support the job demand resources theory and the job characteristic theory, which contend that employees are more engaged at work and perform better on tasks when they have more interesting and fulfilling employment.