A Cross-generational Research Of The Influencing Mechanism Of Illegitimate Tasks On Work Engagement

Since the beginning of the 21 st century,Illegitimate tasks have gradually entered the field of view of scholars.As a new type of pressure source,illegitimate task is defined as tasks that do not conform to the reasonable professional role norms expected by employees,it includes two dimensions: unreasonable task and unnecessary task.Illegitimate tasks offend individual professional identity,challenge work ability,cause negative effects,and exist widely in the work environment,which needs to be widely paid attention to by enterprises.Based on the stress-as-offense-to-self theory and the job demands-resources model,this study takes Generation Y and Generation Z employees as samples to explore the similarities and differences between the two generation samples and the relationship between psychological detachment and psychological capital in Illegitimate tasks and work engagement.A total of 376 valid questionnaires were collected in this study,and SPSS26.0 and Process plug-in were used for data analysis.The results showed that :(1)gen Y employees’ perception of illegitimate tasks was significantly higher than gen Z employees;(2)illegitimate task negatively predicted work engagement level,and psychological detachment played a partial mediating role;(3)Psychological capital weakens the negative impact of illegitimate tasks on work engagement;(4)Psychological capital weakens the negative effect of illegitimate task on psychological detachment;(5)Psychological capital strengthens the positive effect of psychological detachment on work engagement.The results extend the research on the relationship between illegitimate tasks and work engagement,It has enriched the related theoretical scenes of the mediating and moderating effects of psychological detachment and psychological capital.Theoretically,it provides reference for organizations to adjust themselves and manage employees.It is instructive for employees to maintain high work engagement levels and create higher performance in the face of illegitimate tasks.