Motivational Climate, Employee Resilience, and Work Engagement: Evidence from Nigerian Healthcare Workers Post-Pandemic

This study empirically examines the mediating role of employee resilience in the relationship between motivational climate and work engagement among Nigerian healthcare workers in the post-COVID-19 period, with data collected from Oyo State (South West) and Kano State (North West). The pandemic exposed significant gaps in healthcare workforce management, and understanding the mechanisms through which motivational environments translate into sustained engagement is critical for healthcare system recovery and resilience. A quantitative cross-sectional survey was conducted with 220 doctors, nurses, and allied health professionals. Structural equation modelling was employed for hypothesis testing. Motivational climate was assessed across mastery-oriented and performance-oriented dimensions, while employee resilience was measured through emotional regulation, recovery capacity, and adversity coping dimensions. Work engagement was assessed using the Utrecht Work Engagement Scale adapted for the Nigerian healthcare context. Findings reveal that mastery-oriented climate exerts the strongest positive effect on resilience, which in turn fully mediates the climate-engagement relationship. Performance-oriented climate showed direct engagement effects but did not enhance resilience, suggesting different motivational pathways for immediate versus sustained engagement. The study contributes to the conservation of resources theory applied in African healthcare management contexts. Recommendations include mastery-focused performance feedback systems, resilience-building workshops, and peer support networks. Keywords: motivational climate, employee resilience, work engagement, healthcare workers, Nigeria.