Social support and work engagement in police work: The mediating role of work–privacy conflict and self-efficacy
Policing: An International Journal
ISSN: 1363-951X
Article publication date: 16 July 2019
Issue publication date: 20 November 2019
Abstract
Purpose
Job resources are positively related to work engagement within the motivational process of the job demands–resources model (JD–R). Little is known about mediating mechanisms within that process. The purpose of this paper is to examine self-efficacy and work–privacy conflict as mediators of the relationship between social support and work engagement in a sample of police officers.
Design/methodology/approach
In total, 811 German police officers completed a cross-sectional online survey that assessed social support by supervisors and co-workers, work–privacy conflict, self-efficacy and work engagement. Structural equation modeling was conducted.
Findings
Self-efficacy and work–privacy conflict partially mediated the relationship between social support and work engagement. The direct effect of social support and work engagement was confirmed, too.
Practical implications
Health promotion approaches in police work should foster social support by supervisors and co-workers. Social support eases challenges of work–life balance and self-efficacy and promotes police officers’ work engagement.
Originality/value
The findings validate the motivational process of the JD-R model in a sample of police officers. Job resources and personal resources are interrelated in the prediction of work engagement. Moreover, job resources facilitate dealing with specific job demands, which promotes work engagement, too.
Keywords
Acknowledgements
This research was funded by the Berlin Police, Germany. The funding source supported the collection of the data by addressing potential participants. The Berlin Police had no further involvement with regard to study design, analysis or interpretation of the data, writing process or submission of the paper.
Citation
Wolter, C., Santa Maria, A., Gusy, B., Lesener, T., Kleiber, D. and Renneberg, B. (2019), "Social support and work engagement in police work: The mediating role of work–privacy conflict and self-efficacy", Policing: An International Journal, Vol. 42 No. 6, pp. 1022-1037. https://doi.org/10.1108/PIJPSM-10-2018-0154
Publisher
:Emerald Publishing Limited
Copyright © 2019, Emerald Publishing Limited