Mediating role of workplace spirituality and antecedents of work engagement among cancer survivors in Malaysia

The increased number of cancer survivors in the workforce warrants immediate intervention by organisations to boost work engagement and ensure that employees who are cancer survivors stay focused at the workplace. Unfortunately, employers often have the perception that the work performance of such employees might be adversely affected due to their medical condition and treatment. It is, therefore, important to investigate the antecedents of work engagement of cancer survivors. Hence, this study was conducted to examine three selected antecedents (viz. employee resilience, social support, and quality of working life) of work engagement and the mediating role of workplace spirituality among cancer survivors in Malaysia. The framework of the study was underpinned by the Social Cognitive Theory (SCT). A quantitative research paradigm was adopted in this study, with a cross- sectional design using data collected from respondents who were cancer survivors registered at the General Hospital, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. A total of 270 participants in this study were randomly selected by inclusive criteria sampling. A validated instrument was tested in a pilot study. Data were analysed using descriptive statistics and the Partial Least Square-Structural Equation Model (PLS-SEM). The results revealed high readings in the measurements of all the variables (work engagement, workplace spirituality employee resilience, social support and quality of working life) among cancer survivors. Employee resilience, workplace social support and workplace spirituality had significant relationships with work engagement (p<0.05). However, the quality of working life (QWL) revealed a non-significant association with work engagement. The results also showed a direct relationship of work engagement with workplace spirituality. Both employee resilience and workplace social support significantly contributed to workplace spirituality of cancer survivors in Malaysia, although a non- significant relationship was found between QWL and workplace spirituality. Nevertheless, workplace spirituality mediated the relationship between employee resilience and workplace social support towards work engagement. This study contributes to the body of knowledge in terms of developing a research framework in the context of work engagement in relation to cancer survivors in Malaysia. It also enriches the literature on workplace spirituality as a mediator, thus providing useful insight to academics and HRD practitioners. This study supports the SCT by showing that it is important to ensure high levels of work engagement among employed cancer survivors in Malaysia. With respect to practice, this study suggests that HRD practitioners should implement a diversity of pragmatic interventions to help train employees, especially cancer survivors, to tackle challenges in a manner that promotes resilience. Furthermore, organisations should provide adequate training to supervisors of cancer survivors to enable them to develop mentoring programmes to render support to cancer survivors.

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