Corporate social responsibility and employee performance: The mediating role of employee engagement in the manufacturing sector of Pakistan

Abstract Past research proposes that corporate social responsibility (CSR) affects employees' behaviors and attitude. However, the empirical evidence of this claim is limited particularly in the context of eastern developing economies like Pakistan. So, the study in hand is an effort to extend the existing CSR literature by investigating the impact of CSR on employee performance using the lens of social identity theory. Additionally, the study also investigates the intervening role of employee engagement (EE) in the above‐mentioned association. To test the proposed model, data were collected from employees of the manufacturing sector in two waves with an interval of 4 weeks. The findings suggest that CSR has a significant impact on employees' performance and engagement. Findings also confirm that EE partially mediates the association of CSR and employee performance. The study concludes with its theoretical and practical implications and directions for future researchers.