Work engagement as a mediator between organizational commitment and job satisfaction among community health-care workers in China: a cross-sectional study

The purpose of this study was to explore levels of organizational commitment, job satisfaction and work engagement among community health-care workers in China, and to examine spatial relationships of variables. Data were collected by Organizational Commitment Scale, Job Satisfaction Scale and Utrecht Work Engagement Scale from 1404 community health-care workers in Guangzhou and Shenzhen cities. Structural equation model was used to analyze relationships among three variables. Medium levels of organizational commitment, job satisfaction and work engagement were found among community health-care workers. Organizational commitment was positively correlated to work engagement (r = 0.564) and job satisfaction (r = 0.550). The path analysis indicated that total effect (beta = 0.598) of organizational commitment on job satisfaction (R-2 = 0.52) consisted of a direct effect (beta = 0.264) and an indirect effect (beta = 0.334), which was mediated positively by work engagement. Improvement in work engagement may lead to higher level of job satisfaction and organizational commitment.