Evaluation of employee engagement towards work performance in a hybrid working model in the Sri Lankan construction industry

Abstract

There are various alternative hybrid working models in practice for middle-layer employees in the construction industry due to post-pandemic work arrangements. This calls for an evaluation of the suitability of alternative working models since hybrid working models encompass a wide range of activities. However, a paucity of literature is observed when it comes to recommending the most effective model to achieve higher work performance and employee engagement. Additionally, there is a scarcity of literature when investigating the factors influencing effective employee engagement towards work performance when hybrid working models are employed. The current study evaluates the moderating effect of gender on the main relationship between employee engagement and work performance. The population is defined as the middle-layer employees of the construction industry in Sri Lanka. Due to the prevailing economic challenges in the Sri Lankan construction industry, a convenient sampling technique was used. The study employed a survey methodology and collected responses from 142 self-administered questionnaires. The one-way ANOVA test results show that out of the four alternative hybrid working models—'at will model,' 'split week model,' 'shift work model,' and 'week by week model'—the shift work model is the best-fit hybrid working model for middle-layer construction employees. From the linear regression analysis, it was found that employee engagement has a positive relationship with work performance. Concerning the challenges faced by middle-layer construction employees, the results reveal that female employees face the challenges more than their male counterparts. However, the results of the interaction effect in the regression analysis show that gender has no effect on the relationship between employee engagement and work performance. The findings of the study help top-level managers in the construction industry make decisions related to enhancing work performance. They can also choose the most appropriate hybrid working model for their projects based on specific considerations and the expected employee engagement in such scenarios.