Are two heads better than one? When and how commitment-focused HR attributions can trigger work engagement

Purpose Drawing on the Conservation of Resources theory, this study investigates how commitment-focused human resource (HR) attributions interact with leader-member exchange (LMX) in predicting work engagement via job crafting. Design/methodology/approach Three complementary studies, including an online survey (Study 1, N = 212) and two scenario-based experiments (Study 2a, N = 240; Study 2b, N = 120), were conducted to test the hypothesized model. Findings The results of Study 1 demonstrated that job crafting mediates the interaction between commitment-focused HR attributions and LMX on work engagement. Specifically, commitment-focused HR attributions had a positive indirect effect on work engagement via job crafting when LMX quality was low. However, this indirect effect was not significant when LMX quality was high. In addition, Study 2a and Study 2b provided further evidence supporting our results in Study 1. Practical implications The results suggest that fostering either commitment-focused HR attributions among staff or high-quality LMX with subordinates may be sufficient to facilitate job crafting, thereby enhancing their work engagement. Originality/value By exploring the interaction between LMX and commitment-focused HR attributions in shaping job crafting, this research enriches the job crafting literature and offers nuanced theoretical insights into how HR practices and leadership jointly facilitate resource-generating yet potentially risky behaviors and ultimately enhance work engagement.