Psychometric Investigation of the Utrecht Work Engagement Scale-17 Using the Rasch Measurement Model

Abstract

Work engagement is considered the core factor that affects various outcomes at the organizational and individual levels including absenteeism, turnover rate, profitability, and productivity. Therefore, the concept is drawing substantial attention in the practical and academic fields. There have been several attempts to measure work engagement to enable its effective management. The Utrecht Work Engagement Scale-17 is a representative tool for measuring work engagement, which is used in several organizations worldwide. However, despite its popularity, the validity of the Utrecht Work Engagement Scale-17 is often questioned. Especially in Korea, the Utrecht Work Engagement Scale-17 is one of the most commonly utilized tools to measure work engagement, but there is limited psychometric evidence on its validity. Thus, the present study aimed to test the validity of the Utrecht Work Engagement Scale-17 in a Korean sample, using the Rasch measurement model to examine validity pertaining to different dimensions. The analysis of item fitness to test the content validity of the tool indicated that two of the items require reconsideration. Furthermore, the person-item map to test its substantive validity indicated that the Utrecht Work Engagement Scale-17 did not reflect the level of work engagement adequately in the Korean sample. The Rasch factor analysis conducted to test the structural validity of the tool indicated that the Utrecht Work Engagement Scale-17 comprises three subscales. Finally, the differential item function between male and female participants was examined to gather evidence on the generalizability aspect of the tool’s validity. Findings revealed that only 9 out of the 17 items expressed adequate differentiation between males and females.

Factors influencing work engagement among male nurses: A structural equation model

“…To measure work engagement, the Utrecht Work Engagement Scale (UWES) was used (Song et al, 2021 ). This scale included three dimensions, namely vigour, dedication and absorption, and nine items.…”

Impacto de la satisfacción con la comunicación interna en el engagement laboral: Análisis correlacional

“…Por ello, la gestión del work engagement tiene como pilar el estado emocional de los colaboradores, que puede ser analizado con diversos predictores como la retroalimentación, el apoyo entre colegas, el género, las edades o el tipo de profesión; impactando en la eficacia, autosuficiencia del colaborador y en la baja o nula intención de rotación, que garantiza un trabajo más constante y coherente, con menos absentismo, menor desempeño y productividad sobre los resultados organizacionales (Chungyalpa, 2019;Doraiswamy, 2016, Song, et al, 2021.…”