Date of Award
5-2025
Culminating Project Type
Thesis
Styleguide
apa
Degree Name
Industrial/Organizational Psychology: M.S.
Department
Psychology
College
College of Liberal Arts
First Advisor
Jody Illies
Second Advisor
Daren Protolipac
Third Advisor
Ning Hou
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 4.0 License.
Keywords and Subject Headings
person-environment fit, employee engagement, Self-Determination Theory, person-supervisor fit, person-group fit
Abstract
Employee engagement is an important driver of organizational success, linked to outcomes such as increased productivity, job satisfaction, and retention. This study examines how relational fits, person-supervisor fit and person-group fit, enhance engagement through psychological need satisfaction. Applying Self-Determination Theory and Person-Environment Fit Theory, this research investigates how value congruence with supervisors and coworkers fulfills autonomy, competence, and relatedness needs for employees. A survey of 150 employees assessed relational fits, psychological need satisfaction, and engagement. Mediation analyses found that person-supervisor fit was linked to engagement primarily through autonomy and competence, while the relationship between person-group fit and engagement was fully explained by competence rather than relatedness. When analyzed alongside autonomy and competence, relatedness did not significantly predict engagement. While person-group fit was a stronger predictor of competence and overall psychological need satisfaction, person-supervisor fit still had a stronger impact on engagement. The findings contribute to existing theories by demonstrating how relational fits uniquely contribute to psychological need fulfillment and how each need is linked to engagement. Organizations can enhance engagement by utilizing value congruence in selection, leveraging high relational fit in employees, and strategically training to compensate for unmet needs from misfits.
Recommended Citation
Williams, Breanna M., "Relational Fits at Work: How Person-Supervisor and Person-Group Fit Influence Employee Engagement through Psychological Needs" (2025). Culminating Projects in Psychology. 26.
https://repository.stcloudstate.edu/psyc_etds/26
Comments/Acknowledgements
I am sincerely grateful to my chairperson, Dr. Jody Illies, for his prompt guidance, attention to every detail, and thoughtful questions that helped me grow during my first research experience. I also thank my committee members, Dr. Daren Protolipac and Dr. Ning Hou, for their insightful feedback, offering new perspectives to consider throughout the process.
I also am deeply grateful to my family for supporting my academic interests and providing me with excellent opportunities made possible through their hard work. To my partner, Conrad- thank you for reading my work, boosting my confidence, and supporting both me and our pets during the long hours spent on this project. Finally, I thank my cohort for their advice and support through shared experiences.