Mediating effect of work engagement on the relationship between employee resilience and employee creativity in selected compassion international projects in Uganda

Abstract

This study investigated the relationship between Employee resilience, Work engagement and Employee creativity in selected compassion assisted projects from 8 districts of Uganda. By means of means of a correlational survey design, data was collected using a self-administered-questionnaire from 295 employees. Data was analysed by SPSS 24.0 using Descriptive statistics, Pearson correlation test, multiple regression and mediation analysis. It was revealed that Employee Resilience, Work Engagement and Creativity varied across demographic characteristics, with top managers being above other groups. A high, positive, and significant relationship existed between employee resilience and work engagement (r = .73, P < 0.01), work engagement and employee creativity (r= .78, P < 0.01) and employee resilience and employee creativity (r = .72, P < 0.01). Reliance and work engagement contributed 65.5% to creativity and work engagement mediated (b= .32, p < .001) the relationship between resilience and creativity. Employees were resilient and possessed dedication, vigor and purposefulness that permitted them to effectively navigate challenges, pay close attention to and persist in developing solution-focused ideas and outcomes at their work. Employees learnt how to successfully manage problems and developed more psychological resources that enabled them to come up with novel ways of solving problems. Work engagement is a necessary condition for employee resilience to result into better creative and problem solving among employees. To foster a creative workforce, Compassion International should implement strategies that effectively enhance resilience and work engagement.