Łukasz Sułkowski

Institute of Public Affairs, Jagiellonian University, Krakow, Poland

E-mail: lukasz.sulkowski@uj.edu.pl, ORCID 0000-0002-1248-2743

Multidimensional perspective on the relationship between self-efficacy and work engagement of local government administration employees

Joanna Wójcik-Chodorowska

Department of Management, WSB University, DąbrowaGórnicza, Poland, E-mail: joanna.wojcikchodorowska@wsb.edu.pl

ORCID 0009-0004-9924-5899

Abstract. The aim of this article is to analyse the relationship between self-efficacy and work engagement among local government employees, understood as a multidimensional construct comprising vigor, dedication, and absorption. The analysis is grounded in Bandura’s social cognitive theory and the Job Demands–Resources (JD-R) model, which conceptualise self-efficacy as an important personal resource supporting the functioning of public sector employees. The study was conducted using an explanatory sequential mixed-methods approach. In the quantitative stage, 272 employees of a selected local government unit located in southern Poland were surveyed. To this end, the General Self-Efficacy Scale (GSES) and the Utrecht Work Engagement Scale (UWES-9) were used. The quantitative analyses were supplemented by qualitative research using semi-structured in-depth interviews. The results indicate statistically significant relationships between self-efficacy and the overall level of work engagement as well as all three of its dimensions: vigor, dedication, and absorption. The qualitative analysis provided a deeper understanding of these relationships, highlighting the importance of professional experience, strategies for coping with procedural burdens, and the subjective sense of agency in everyday work. The findings emphasise the role of strengthening personal resources in human capital management within local government administration.

Received: May, 2025

1st Revision: February, 2026

Accepted: April, 2026

DOI: 10.14254/2071-789X.2026/19-1/11

JEL Classification: J24, M12, H83, J28

Keywords: self-efficacy, work engagement, local government administration, psychological resources, Poland