Linking employee work-related personal resources and perceived employability: the mediating role of work engagement

Introduction In the modern dynamic labor market, perceived employability, defined as an individual’s self-assessed capability to obtain and retain employment and to make labor-market transitions, becomes particularly important. In this context, it is relevant to empirically disclose the role of work-related personal resources and the mechanism linking them to perceived employability in the external labor market. The aim Building on the Job Demands-Resources framework, this study examines the relationships between work-related personal resources and perceived external employability and the mediating role of work engagement. Methods The study sample included 1,032 employees from various Lithuanian organizations: 54.8 percent were female, and the mean age was 42.5 years ( SD = 11.85). The survey questionnaire included self-report measures assessing personal resources (adaptability, job crafting, and strength use), work engagement, and perceived employability. Results and conclusion Structural equation modeling reveals that adaptability and job crafting were positively related to work engagement and perceived employability; work engagement mediated the relationships among adaptability, job crafting, and the utilization of strengths and perceived employability, highlighting the motivational pathway proposed by the Job Demands–Resources framework. Implications The results extend the theory by showing that employability is a key outcome of employees’ investment in personal resources and engagement. In practice, the findings suggest that organizations and employees themselves can enhance perceptions of employability by developing a range of personal resources, such as adaptability, job crafting, and strengths utilization, and by promoting work engagement. The study provides empirical evidence supporting the role of work engagement in linking personal resources to perceived employability in today’s labor markets.