Engaging Through Purpose: The Mediating Role of Person–Organizational Purpose Fit in the Relationship Between Perceived Organizational Purpose and Work Engagement

Abstract

Drawing from self-determination theory and person-organization fit theory, the present study contributes to the literature on organizational purpose by examining the relationship between perceived organizational purpose and work engagement and the mediating role of person-organizational purpose (P-OP) fit herein. Based on data from a cross-sectional quantitative study among 517 knowledge workers from five financial service organizations, we tested two possible psychological mechanisms underlying the direct and indirect relationships between perceived organizational purpose and work engagement. The results of our structural equation modelling confirmed the hypothesized indirect effect model in which perceived organizational purpose was positively associated with work engagement, both directly and indirectly via P-OP fit. These findings show that organizational purpose has the capacity to directly and indirectly foster work engagement. The study suggests avenues for future research in OB, strategic HRM, and marketing.