Psychological capital and work engagement among employees in the Nigerian public sector : the mediating role of emotional intelligence

This study aimed to examine the effect of psychological capital (PsyCap) on work engagement and explore the mediating role of emotional intelligence (EI) on the relationship among public sector employees. Data was collected from a sample of 557 public sector employees in Nigeria, to test the hypothesized model and structural equation modeling (SEM) was employed. The findings of the study indicated that PsyCap has a significant positive influence on work engagement. Importantly, EI fully mediates the relationship between PsyCap and work engagement. The study provides theoretical explanations for the relationship and practical implications were discussed.