Determining the mediating role of psychological well-being and work-life balance in the effect of perceived organizational support on work engagement

This study aims to examine the impact of perceived organizational support on work engagement and the serial mediating roles of work-life balance and psychological well-being in this relationship. A review of the literature revealed that no comprehensive study has investigated both the direct effect of perceived organizational support on work engagement and its indirect effect through work-life balance and psychological well-being. In this context, the study seeks to contribute to the literature by exploring the relationships among these variables. Accordingly, this research aims to provide managers and policymakers with a scientifically based guide on how to develop more effective support mechanisms to enhance employee commitment. The sample of the study consists of employees working in educational institutions in Hatay province. Data were collected through a survey method. In the analysis process, Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) and Analysis of Moment Structures (AMOS) software were utilized. Confirmatory factor analysis was conducted to determine the structural validity of the scales. Descriptive statistics were used to define the main characteristics of the variables, and structural equation modeling was employed to test the hypotheses. Additionally, difference analyses (t-test, ANOVA) were performed to examine whether perceived organizational support, work-life balance, psychological well-being, and work engagement differ based on employees' gender, age, marital status, education level, tenure, and job position. The findings indicate that while the direct effect of perceived organizational support on work engagement remains significant, work-life balance and psychological well-being partially mediate this relationship in a serial mediation model. This suggests the presence of a partial mediation effect. The results demonstrate that organizational support mechanisms can influence employees' work engagement both directly and indirectly. The difference analysis results show that work-life balance varies by gender, perceived organizational support perceptions differ by age, psychological well-being and work engagement vary by marital status, perceived organizational support perceptions differ by tenure, and work-life balance, psychological well-being, and work engagement perceptions vary by education level. In conclusion, this study is believed to provide a unique contribution by examining the dynamics between organizational support, work-life balance, psychological well-being, and work engagement.