Work Engagement as a Predictor of Job Performance and Satisfaction among Fashion Designers in South-South Nigeria

This research article examines the predictive value of work engagement on job performance and job satisfaction among fashion designers in South-South Nigeria, which fills an implicit gap in the regional, academic conversation. Work engagement is a questionable psychological condition of active energy, commitment, and engrossment in occupation, commonly associated with increased productivity. In the highly demanding and innovation-driven fashion industry, particularly in the challenging area of South-South Nigeria's evolving market and limited infrastructure. Many designers in the region face persistent job stress and inadequate support, potentially undermining their work engagement, job performance, and overall satisfaction. Adopting a correlational design, the study sampled 358 fashion designers from the six states of South-South Nigeria. Data, collected via a structured questionnaire, were examined by means of Pearson Product Moment Correlation Coefficient. The results showed a strong positive correlation between work engagement practices and job performance (r=.724, p<.001), indicating that highly engaged designers exhibit superior performance. However, unexpectedly, a weak but statistically significant negative correlation was observed between work engagement and job satisfaction (r=−.290, p<.001). This paradoxical result suggests that while engagement drives performance, it may lead to diminished satisfaction for designers in this context, possibly due to factors like work intensification or insufficient organizational support. These findings challenge conventional assumptions about the direct alignment of engagement and satisfaction. The study underscores the need for industry stakeholders to implement balanced engagement strategies that not only foster high performance but also prioritize designer well-being through adequate resource allocation, recognition, and work-life balance interventions