The role of self-efficacy and psychological empowerment in explaining the relationship between emotional intelligence and work engagement

Abstract

PurposeThis study aims to investigate the impact of emotional intelligence on work engagement by exploring the mediating roles of self-efficacy and psychological empowerment in this relationship.Design/methodology/approachUsing the survey method, data were collected through both physical and online means. The final sample comprised 304 teachers working in elementary, middle and high schools. Structural equation modeling (SEM) analysis, utilizing IBM Amos version 26, was employed to assess the hypothesized model.FindingsThe study's results revealed that emotional intelligence does not exert a direct impact on work engagement. Additionally, self-efficacy was not found to mediate the relationship between emotional intelligence and work engagement. However, psychological empowerment emerged as a mediating factor in this context. Furthermore, self-efficacy and psychological empowerment concurrently demonstrated significant mediation of the relationship between emotional intelligence and work engagement.Research limitations/implicationsThe findings underscore the significance of teachers' emotional intelligence, suggesting that it can have profound implications for their work engagement through the mediating mechanisms of self-efficacy and psychological empowerment. Educational principals and administrators are encouraged to prioritize the enhancement of teachers' psychological empowerment, recognizing it as a pivotal link between teachers' emotional intelligence and work engagement.Originality/valueThis study contributes to the field by comprehensively examining the mediating roles of self-efficacy and psychological empowerment, addressing prior empirical gaps, and enriching the understanding of how emotional intelligence influences work engagement within the educational sphere.