Work engagement among hotel managers in Beijing, China: potential antecedents and consequences

Purpose This paper aims to examine potential antecedents and consequences of work engagement in a sample of male and female hotel managers employed in Beijing, China. Design/methodology/approach Data were collected from 309 respondents, a 90 percent response rate, using anonymously completed questionnaires. Engagement was assessed by three scales developed by Schaufeli, Salanova, Gonzalez‐Roma, and Bakker: vigor, dedication and absorption. Antecedents included personal demographic and work situation characteristics; consequences included measures of work satisfaction and psychological wellbeing. Findings The following results were observed. First, organizational level and organizational tenure were found to predict all three engagement measures but in opposite ways. Second, engagement, particularly dedication, predicted various work outcomes (e.g. job satisfaction, intent to quit). Third, engagement, particularly dedication, positively predicted various psychological wellbeing outcomes but less strongly than these predicted work outcomes. Surprisingly, absorption was related to some of these outcomes but in the opposite way. Research limitations/implications Questions of causality cannot be addressed since data were collected at only one point in time. Longitudinal studies are needed to determine the effects of work life experiences on engagement. Practical implications Organizations can increase levels of work engagement by creating supportive work experiences (e.g. control, rewards and recognition) consistent with effective human resource management practices. But caution must be exercised before employing North American practices in the Chinese context. Originality/value The study contributes to the understanding of work engagement among managers in a large Confucian country in transition to a market economy.