Pathways to Employee Engagement: The Mediating Influence of Feedback and Management-Employee Relationships on Sense of Belonging and Intrinsic Motivation

This study investigates the mediating roles of feedback involvement and management-employee relationships in the relationship between sense of belonging, intrinsic motivation, with employee engagement at United Insurance S.C. Rooted in an explanatory research design and a quantitative research approach, the study utilized primary data collected through a structured, self-administered survey instrument targeting a sample of 280 employees randomly selected from a total population of 975 employees. To analyze the data and test the proposed hypotheses, Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling was employed using Smart PLS, allowing for investigation of complex relationships among variables. The results of the study provide employee engagement is driven by both intrinsic psychological factors and relational processes within the organization. Specifically, sense of belonging and intrinsic motivation has the strongest direct effects on engagement, indicating that when employees feel included and purpose-driven, they are significantly more likely to be emotionally and cognitively committed to their roles. Additionally, feedback involvement and management-staff relationships also positively influence engagement, underscoring the importance of participatory communication and supportive leadership in shaping engaged workplace cultures. The study further demonstrates that feedback involvement and management-employee relationships play critical mediating roles between the antecedents and engagement outcomes. These indicate that the effect of belonging and motivation is amplified when organizations foster open communication, and employee involvement in decision-making. Thus, enhancing engagement requires not only empowering individuals internally but also creating organizational structures that translate psychological resources into meaningful behavioral outcomes.