Examining the impact of personal resources and perceived supervisor support on work engagement among Turkish Islamic banks’ employees

Abstract

Work engagement is a global problem that affects organisations in all sectors and countries. Despite extensive research and interventions, employee engagement remains low. In Türkiye, the situation is even worse, with significantly lower engagement rates compared to the global average. This study focuses on the Turkish Islamic banking sector, an emerging and important sector for the country's economy. Understanding the potential personal resources associated with work engagement in the Turkish Islamic banking sector is critical to the organisational effectiveness of these banks. The study examines the role of Islamic work ethic, growth mindset, psychological capital (PsyCap), perceived supervisor support and organisational identification in enhancing work engagement within Turkish Islamic banks. These factors are critical in the stressful Turkish banking sector and are consistent with the motivational process outlined by the JD-R theory. Using a quantitative method and purposive sampling, 368 participants from Turkish Islamic banks, including officers, assistant specialists, specialists, senior specialists and assistant managers from all branches and headquarters, completed an online questionnaire. The collected data were analysed using structural equation modelling (SEM) to assess the relationships between the variables. The results showed that all hypotheses were accepted, except for the relationship between growth mindset and work engagement, which was not statistically significant. The results of the study close the existing knowledge gap in this area by providing actionable insights to improve work engagement. By considering various individual (personal resources) and contextual factors (job resources), the study aims to promote positive business outcomes and cultivate a highly engaged workforce. The findings are relevant and valuable for Turkish Islamic banks as work engagement significantly impacts employee productivity and performance. Overall, this study helps to address the critical issue of low work engagement in the Turkish Islamic banking sector and contributes to the sector's efforts to develop a more engaged and productive workforce.