The relationship between HIWPs and nurse work engagement: the role of job crafting and supervisor support

The purpose of this paper is to provide a mediation explanation of the relationship between HRM and nurse work engagement. The study contributes to understanding how high involvement work practices (HIWPs) relate to nurse work engagement by analysing the mediating role played by job crafting. The study also considers the importance of supervisor support as a moderator in the mediated relationship. The study was based on an anonymous online survey of 2,984 nurses employed in Australia. Analysis confirms the hypothesised relationships in that job crafting was found to mediate the positive relationship between HIWPs and work engagement. Further, supervisor support moderated the indirect relationship between HIWPs and work engagement through job crafting, such that the indirect effect was stronger under increasing levels of supervisor support. The results have implications for the importance of HIWPs on job crafting for nurses who carry out many professional roles simultaneously. Furthermore, the research highlights the role that supervisors play in encouraging and managing nurses who take advantage of HIWP opportunities to shape, mould and redefine their jobs.