Unpacking work engagement in a high-demand public hospital: A JD-R perspective on wellbeing, organizational support, and job satisfaction

Background This study explores job satisfaction as a motivational mechanism connecting employee wellbeing and perceived organizational support to work engagement in high-demand public hospitals, emphasizing its role in sustaining workforce performance amidst increasing service pressures and resource constraints.Methods A quantitative explanatory design was employed using survey data from 188 healthcare employees in a public hospital in Indonesia. Data were analyzed using Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM).Results The findings indicate that both employee wellbeing and perceived organizational support are positively associated with job satisfaction and work engagement. Furthermore, job satisfaction significantly mediates these relationships, suggesting that the relationships between employee wellbeing, organizational support, and work engagement operate partly through employees’ job satisfaction.Conclusions This study contributes to healthcare management literature by clarifying the mediating role of job satisfaction within the Job Demands–Resources framework in a high-demand public hospital context. Practically, the findings highlight the importance of strengthening employee wellbeing and organizational support to sustain work engagement under high workload conditions.