Work-based identity and work engagement as potential antecedents of task performance and turnover intention: Unravelling a complex relationship

Orientation: Work-based identity, used as a reference to the self, is the answer to the question’Who am I at work?’ Work-related identities, derived from different social foci throughidentity formation processes, have as behavioural guides a significant influence on employeebehaviour, which, in turn has an impact on work outcomes. Engagement, presented in differentconceptualisations, is viewed by practitioners and academic researchers as an importantantecedent of employee behaviour.Research purpose: The main purpose of the study was to investigate whether work-basedidentity and work engagement differed (in combination with personal alienation, helpingbehaviour and burnout) as potential antecedents (amongst numerous others) of taskperformance and turnover intention.Research design: A census-based sampling approach amongst 23 134 employees in theemployment of an ICT company yielded a sample of 2429 usable questionnaires. Scales used inthe study were the Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI-HSS-20), Utrecht Work Engagement Scale(UWES), Work-based Identity, Personal Alienation, Helping Behaviour, Turnover Intentionand Task Performance Scales.Main findings: The findings indicate that work-based identity and work engagement givesimilar appearing results as potential predictors of turnover intention and task performance.Practical/managerial implications: Reducing withdrawal behaviours and enhancing workperformance are everyday challenges for organisations. Interventions focused on enhancingwork-based identity and work engagement in the work environment should have a meaningfulimpact when these behaviours need to be addressed.Contribution/value-add: Work-based identity as a multidimensional construct has thepotential, with further refinement, to become a valuable construct that can play a leading rolein future work engagement research.