From Positive Orientation to Job performance: The Role of Work Engagement and Self-efficacy Beliefs

This study aims to investigate the validity of a conceptual model that explains the mechanisms linking positive orientation (P-OR) to future job performance in a sample of 388 male security agents. The relationship between P-OR and job performance as rated by three supervisors, each with different responsibilities with respect to the participants, was examined via the company’s performance appraisal tool. In particular, this study investigated whether the relationship between P-OR and job performance is mediated by work engagement and moderated by levels of work self-efficacy beliefs. Results were consistent with predictions made from the conceptual model in that work engagement partially mediated the relation between P-OR and job performance. This was particularly the case when work self-efficacy beliefs were high or medium, but not when work self-efficacy beliefs were low. Likewise, P-OR exerted a residual direct effect on job performance when work self-efficacy beliefs were high or medium, but not when they were low. Overall, the findings demonstrated that work engagement and work self-efficacy beliefs refer to key mechanisms turning POS into job performance.