Employee empowerment and its performance in emerging economy: mediating role of psychological capital

  • S.M. Sayem Faculty of Business Studies, Bangladesh University of Professionals, Dhaka, Bangladesh
  • Most. Sadia Akter Bangladesh University of Professionals
  • Md Muktadir Islam Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA)
  • Azharul Islam Faculty of Business Studies, Bangladesh University of Professionals, Dhaka, Bangladesh
Keywords: employee empowerment, structural empowerment, psychological empowerment, psychological capital, employee performance

Abstract


The study aims to examine the mediating role of psychological capital between employee empowerment and its performance in an emerging economy like Bangladesh. A structured questionnaire has been distributed among employees serving in different public and private organizations in Bangladesh. Data collected from 385 respondents are analyzed with Partial Least Square Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) to test hypothetical relationships among the latent constructs. The results showed that both structural and psychological empowerment positively influence employee performance. The psychological capital which presents a significant positive influence on performance, also mediates the positive relationship between both empowerment (structural and psychological) and employee performance.  The study pioneered in establishing psychological capital as a mediator between empowerment and employee performance in a developing economy context like Bangladesh. The results would provide valuable insights for the organization in designing human resource policies and training programs that will empower employees which leads to improved psychological capital and subsequently enhance their performance.

References

Adri, E., Setiawan, D., & Hia, C. (2022). The role of transformational leadership style in psychological empowerment of employees: literature review. Indonesian Journal of Multidisciplinary Science, 1, 1195–1201.

Afram, J., Manresa, A., & Mas-Machuca, M. (2022). The impact of employee empowerment on organizational performance: A mediating role of employee engagement and organisational citizenship behaviour. Intangible Capital, 18 (1), 96-119.

Aggarwal, A., Chand, P.K., Jhamb, D., & Mittal, A. (2020). Leader–Member Exchange, Work Engagement, and Psychological Withdrawal Behavior: The Mediating Role of Psychological Empowerment. Frontiers in Psychology, 11, 423.

Al-Hammouri, M.M., Rababah, J.A., & Ta’an, W.F. (2021). Structural empowerment, formal and informal power, and job performance quality: A moderated mediation analysis. Journal of Nursing Management, 29 (6), 1596–1602.

Alhozi, N., Al Hawamdeh, N., & Al-edenat, M. (2021). The Impact of Employee Empowerment on Job Engagement: Evidence from Jordan. International Business Research, 14, 90–101.

Ali, I., Khan, M.M., Shakeel, S., & Mujtaba, B.G. (2022). Impact of Psychological Capital on Performance of Public Hospital Nurses: The Mediated Role of Job Embeddedness. Public Organization Review, 22 (1), 135–154.

Al-kharabsheh, S., Attiany, M., Alshawabkeh, R., Hamadneh, S., & Alshurideh, M. (2023). The impact of digital HRM on employee performance through employee motivation. International Journal of Data and Network Science, 7, 275–282.

AlMulhim, A. F. (2023). Organizational climate and psychological capital of university faculty members in Saudi Arabia: The moderating role of innovative organizational culture. Problems and Perspectives in Management, 21 (1), 35–47.

Astuti, W., & Amalia, L. (2021). The Relationship between Work Motivation, Job Satisfaction, and Employee Performance: The Moderating Role of Psychology Capital and The Mediating Role of Organizational Commitment. Jurnal Manajemen Teori Dan Terapan, 14, 102.

Baig, S., Iqbal, S., Abrar, M., Baig, I., Amjad, F., Zia-ur-Rehman, M., & Awan, M. (2019). Impact of leadership styles on employees’ performance with moderating role of positive psychological capital. Total Quality Management & Business Excellence, 32, 1–21.

Bakker, A.B., & Demerouti, E. (2014). Job Demands–Resources Theory. In C.L. Cooper (Ed.), Wellbeing (1st ed., pp. 1–28). Wiley.

Bluedorn, A., & Kanter, R.M. (1980). Men and Women of the Corporation. The British Journal of Sociology, 31 (1), 135.

Cacioppe, R. (1998). Structured empowerment: An award-winning program at the Burswood Resort Hotel. 19 (5), 264-274.

Chew, J., Cook, C., Gendron, T.F., Jansen-West, K., Del Rosso, G., Daughrity, L.M., Castanedes-Casey, M., Kurti, A., Stankowski, J.N., Disney, M.D., Rothstein, J.D., Dickson, D.W., Fryer, J.D., Zhang, Y.-J., & Petrucelli, L. (2019). Aberrant deposition of stress granule-resident proteins linked to C9orf72-associated TDP-43 proteinopathy. Molecular Neurodegeneration, 14 (1), 9.

Conger, J.A., & Kanungo, R.N. (1988). The Empowerment Process: Integrating Theory and Practice. The Academy of Management Review, 13 (3), 471–482.

Cudjoe, J., Agyapong, D., Light, O., Frimpong, S.E., & Opoku, R.K. (2023). Psychological empowerment and job performance of star-rated hotels: The mediating role of emotional intelligence. Cogent Business & Management, 10 (3), 2266131.

Dahou, K., & Hacini, I. (2018). Successful Employee Empowerment: Major Determinants in the Jordanian Context. Eurasian Journal of Business and Economics, 11, 49–68.

Dalain, A. (2021). Inspecting the role of empowerment, ostracism, defensive silence and employee proactivity with relation to employee creativity and organizational performance. information technology in industry, 9, 1300–1314.

Deci, E.L., Connell, J.P., & Ryan, R.M. (1989). Self-determination in a work organization. Journal of Applied Psychology, 74 (4), 580–590.

Du, J., He, S.-Z., Li, M.-J., Wu, C., Zheng, W.-K., Zhang, L.-Y., Heng, C.-N., Ni, C.-P., & Lang, H.-J. (2023). The relationship between psychosocial job stressors and insomnia: The mediating role of psychological capital. Nursing Open, n/a(n/a).

Fan, X., Zhao, S., Zhang, X., & Meng, L. (2023). The Impact of Improving Employee Psychological Empowerment and Job Performance Based on Deep Learning and Artificial Intelligence. Journal of Organizational and End User Computing (JOEUC), 35 (3), 1–14.

Fernandez, S., & Moldogaziev, T. (2013). Employee Empowerment, Employee Attitudes, and Performance: Testing a Causal Model. Public Administration Review, 73 (3), 490–506.

Gao, Q., Xu, J., Wang, Q., & Wu, C. (2023). The Use of the Analytic Hierarchy Process in Improving Psychological Empowerment and Employee Performance. Journal of Organizational and End User Computing, 35, 1–22.

Gencer, O., & Duygulu, S. (2023). Speak-Up Behavior of Oncology Nurses: Organizational Trust and Structural Empowerment as Determinants. The Journal of Nursing Administration, 53 (9), 453–459.

Hair, J. F. Jr., Hult, G. T. M., Ringle, C. M., Sarstedt, M. (2014). A Primer on Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM). Sage Publications. ISBN: 978-1-4522-1744-4. 307 pp. Reviewed by Lawrence Hoc Nang Fong and Rob Law, European Journal of Tourism Research 6(2), 211-213.

Haji, L., Valizadeh, N., & Karimi, H. (2020). The effects of psychological capital and empowerment on entrepreneurial spirit: The case of Naghadeh County, Iran. International Journal of Finance & Economics, 27, 290-300.

Hemakumara, H. (2020). The Impact of Motivation on Job Performance: A Review of Literature. Journal of Human Resources Management and Labor Studies, 8. (2), 24-29.

Hermina, U., & Yosepha, S. (2019). The Model of Employee Performance. International Review of Management and Marketing, 9, 69–73.

Hooi, L.W., & Chan, A.J. (2023). Does workplace digitalization matter in linking transformational leadership and innovative culture to employee engagement? Journal of Organizational Change Management, 36 (2), 197–216.

Islam, K.M.A., Karim, M.M., Islam, S., Haque, M.S., & Sultana, T. (2022). Exploring the effect of job satisfaction, employee empowerment, and emotional intelligence on bank employee performance: A study on commercial banks in Bangladesh. Banks and Bank Systems, 17 (3), 158–166.

JH Coun, M., Peters, P., Blomme, R.J., & Schaveling, J. (2022). ‘To empower or not to empower, that’s the question’. Using an empowerment process approach to explain employees’ workplace proactivity. The International Journal of Human Resource Management, 33 (14), 2829-2855.

Jafari, F., Salari, N., Hosseinian-Far, A., Abdi, A., & Ezatizadeh, N. (2021). Predicting positive organizational behavior based on structural and psychological empowerment among nurses. Cost Effectiveness and Resource Allocation, 19 (1), 38.

Javed, B., Abdullah, I., Zaffar, M., Haque, A., & Rubbab, U. (2018). Inclusive leadership and innovative work behavior: The role of psychological empowerment. Journal of Management & Organization, 25, 1–18.

Jiao, Y., Zhang, X., Lu, S., Wu, Z., & Deng, Y. (2022). Research on the influence of team psychological capital on team members’ work performance. Frontiers in psychology, 13, 1072158.

Kanter, R. M. (2008). Men and women of the corporation: New edition. Basic books.

Khan, S. A. R., Ahmad, Z., Sheikh, A. A., & Yu, Z. (2023). Green technology adoption paving the way toward sustainable performance in circular economy: A case of Pakistani small and medium enterprises. International Journal of Innovation Science, ahead-of-print(ahead-of-print).

Laschinger, H.K., Finegan, J., Shamian, J., & Wilk, P. (2001). Impact of structural and psychological empowerment on job strain in nursing work settings: Expanding Kanter’s model. The Journal of Nursing Administration, 31 (5), 260–272.

Luthans, F., Avolio, B.J., Avey, J.B., & Norman, S.M. (2007). Positive psychological capital: Measurement and relationship with performance and satisfaction. Personnel Psychology, 60 (3), 541–572.

Luthans, F., Youssef-Morgan, C.M., & Avolio, B.J. (2015). Psychological capital and beyond (pp. xv, 318). Oxford University Press.

Ma, L., Zhou, F., & Liu, H. (2021). Relationship Between Psychological Empowerment and the Retention Intention of Kindergarten Teachers: A Chain Intermediary Effect Analysis. Frontiers in Psychology, 12.

Mahoney, T.A., Jerdee, T.H., & Carroll, S.J. (1965). The Job(s) of Management. Industrial Relations: A Journal of Economy and Society, 4 (2), 97–110.

Mansur, S.M.A., & Jia, G. (2019). Transformational Leadership and Individual Creativity: An Integrated Approach of Empowerment as a Mediator. 357–360.

Mathew, J., & Nair, S. (2022). Psychological Empowerment and Job Satisfaction: A Meta-analytic Review. Vision, 26 (4), 431–440.

Matsuo, M., Matsuo, T., & Arai, K. (2021). The influence of an interactive use of management control on individual performance: Mediating roles of psychological empowerment and proactive behavior. Journal of Accounting & Organizational Change, ahead-of-print.

Ngwenya, B., & Pelser, T. (2020). Impact of psychological capital on employee engagement-job satisfaction and employee performance. SA Journal of Industrial Psychology, 46, a1781.

Ochoa Pacheco, P., & Coello-Montecel, D. (2023). Does psychological empowerment mediate the relationship between digital competencies and job performance? Computers in Human Behavior, 140, 107575.

Peng, C., Xue, K., Tian, Y., Zhang, X., Jing, X., & Luo, H. (2022). Organizational Emotional Capability Perspective: Research on the Impact of Psychological Capital on Enterprise Safety Performance. Frontiers in Psychology, 13, 854620.

Peterson, S.J., Luthans, F., Avolio, B.J., Walumbwa, F.O., & Zhang, Z. (2011). Psychological Capital and Employee Performance: A Latent Growth Modeling Approach. Personnel Psychology, 64 (2), 427–450.

Ranga, A., & Kamboj, R. (2018). A study on the Relationship Between Employee Satisfaction and Employees’ Performance. TRJ Tourism Research Journal, 2 (2), Article 2.

Sarkar, A., Garg, N., Srivastava, D., & Punia, B. (2023). Can Gratitude Counter Workplace Toxicity? Exploring the Mediating Role of Psychological Capital (PsyCap). Business Perspectives and Research, 227853372211483.

Seibert, S. E., Wang, G., & Courtright, S.H. (2011). Antecedents and consequences of psychological and team empowerment in organizations: A meta-analytic review. Journal of Applied Psychology, 96 (5), 981–1003.

Sherief, S., & Rehman, S. (2022). Factors Affecting Educators’ Psychological Wellbeing Amid Covid- 19 Pandemic: A Quantitative Approach. 1–21.

Spreitzer, G.M. (1995). Psychological empowerment in the workplace: Dimensions, measurement, and validation. Academy of Management Journal, 38 (5), 1442–1465.

Staniulienė, S., & Zaveckis, A. (2022). Employee Empowerment in Remote Work in Case of Lithuanian Companies. Sustainability, 14 (14), Article 14.

Thomas, K.W., & Velthouse, B.A. (1990). Cognitive Elements of Empowerment: An “Interpretive” Model of Intrinsic Task Motivation. Academy of Management Review, 15 (4), 666–681.

Ullrich, A., Reißig, M., Niehoff, S., & Beier, G. (2023). Employee involvement and participation in digital transformation: A combined analysis of literature and practitioners’ expertise. Journal of Organizational Change Management, 36 (8), 29–48.

Wagner, J.I.J., Cummings, G., Smith, D.L., Olson, J., Anderson, L., & Warren, S. (2010). The relationship between structural empowerment and psychological empowerment for nurses: A systematic review. Journal of Nursing Management, 18 (4), 448–462.

Wardani, N.W., & Dewi, I.G.A.M. (2022). Role of Organizational Citizenship Behavior as a Mediating Variable on the Effect of Psychological Empowerment and Competence on Employee Performance. European Journal of Business and Management Research, 7,(6), Article 6.

Xu, Q., Hou, Z., Zhang, C., Yu, F., & Li, T. (2022). Career Capital and Well-Being: A Configurational Perspective. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 19m(16), Article 16.

Yao, Q., Chen, R., & Cai, G. (2013). How internal marketing can cultivate psychological empowerment and enhance employee performance. Social Behavior and Personality, 41(4), 529–538.

Yuan, Z., Zhang, X., Wang, F., Jin, M., Teng, M., He, H., & Wang, J. (2023). Levels of psychological capital among nurses: A systematic review and meta-analysis. International Nursing Review, 70 (1), 89–96.

Zaman, R., & Zulganef, Z. (2023). Effect of Work Motivation and Job Satisfaction on Employee Performance (Case study at Islamic bank of BJB Jakarta). International Journal of Global Operations Research, 4, 1–12. 6

Zu, S., Zhang, J., & Sun#, Y. (2021). The Effect of University Researchers’ Achievement Motivation on Job Achievement: The Mediating Role of Psychological Capital. Psychology, 12 (10), Article 10.

Published
2025/11/17
Section
Original Scientific Paper