The effects of perceived corporate social responsibility and Confucian ethics on psychological meaningfulness and employee engagement: A moderated‐mediation study

Abstract This study aimed to explore whether perceived corporate social responsibility (PCSR) and Confucian values impact employee engagement. Specifically, we investigated the relationships among PCSR, psychological meaningfulness, and employee engagement, as well as the moderating effects of Confucian Ren‐Yi ethics on these relationships by using the social identity theory, Job Demands‐Resources (JD‐R) model and the stimulus‐organism‐response(S‐O‐R) model. A valid survey was conducted among 664 full‐time employees of 228 companies in 72 different cities in China from all walks of life. The findings reveal that PCSR was positively associated with psychological meaningfulness and employee engagement. Confucian Ren‐Yi ethics was positively associated with employee engagement, and psychological meaningfulness mediated the effect of PCSR on employee engagement. Moreover, we found that the positive relationship between PCSR and employee engagement through psychological meaningfulness was stronger for high‐level Confucian Ren‐Yi ethics than for low‐level Confucian Ren‐Yi ethics (i.e., moderated mediation). By verifying the impact of Confucian Ren‐Yi ethics and PCSR on employees' work attitudes, this study makes up for the deficiency of existing literature on CSR and Confucian values and enriches the micro research on CSR. Based on our findings, companies should consider improving employee engagement by implementing social responsibility and aligning their policies with Confucian Ren‐Yi ethics.