Job characteristics are the key characteristics involved in ensuring that the employees exceed at their job. They influence the overall performance of an employee. Understanding the breadth to which job characteristics act as a predictor is important. The study investigated the job characteristics-task performance association with employee mental health and leadership behaviors acting as mediator and moderator, respectively. The findings of this study demonstrated the significantly positive relationship between skill variety, task significance, feedback, and task performance. It revealed that employee mental health can be used as predictor of work-related outcomes. It further highlighted the importance of employee mental health to managers, especially when it comes to decision making as well as redesigning jobs in the public sector.

Acknowledgements………………………i
Abstract…………………………………… iii
List of Figures………………………….vii
List of Tables……...…………………ix
CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION...................................1
1.1. Research Motivation and Background............................1
1.2. Research Gap and Purpose..........................2
1.3. Research Scope and Question.....................4
1.4. Research Structure..............................4
CHAPTER 2 LITERATURE REVIEW AND HYPOTHESIS DEVELOPMENT..........7
2.1. Theoretical Base................................7
2.1.1. Job Characteristics Model....................7
2.2. Employee Mental Health.......................................................................................8
2.3. Leadership Behavior.................................................................................................9
2.4. Task Performance......................................................................................................9
2.5. Hypothesis Development....................................................................................10
2.5.1 Job Characteristics and Employee Mental Health...................................10
2.5.2 The Mediating role of Employee Mental Health......................................12
2.5.3 The Moderating role of Leadership Behavior............................................13
CHAPTER 3 METHODOLOGY......................................................................................19
3.1. Sampling Method and Procedure....................................................................19
3.2. Operational Definition and Measurement Items.......................................19
3.2.1. Job Characteristics……….………………………………..............…………………….19
3.2.2. Task Performance………...…………………………………………...............…………21
3.2.3. Employee Mental Health……………………………………………..........…………22
3.2.4. Leadership Behavior………………………………………………….............……..….22
3.3 Questionnaire Design............................................................................................24
3.4 Statistical Analysis...................................................................................................25
CHAPTER 4 RESULTS………………………...…….………….............…………………..…….27
4.1. Descriptive Statistics………………...………..............…………………………………..27
4.2. Common Method Bias……………………………...………………............………...…30
4.3. Reliability and Validity Analysis………...…………………………….........…………31
4.3.1. Cronbach’s Alpha test………………………………………………….........…….…31
4.3.2. Estimates (Factor Loading) …...………………………………….........…………....31
4.3.3. Confirmatory Factor Analysis……………………………........………………..…..32
4.4. Hypothesis Testing………………………………………...............………………………33
4.4.1. Direct Effects………………………………………..................…………………………..33
4.4.2. The Mediation Effect………………………………………….............…………….….34
4.4.3. The Moderation Effect………………………………………............…………...……35
4.4.4. The Moderated-Mediation Effect………………………....……………………...38
CHAPTER 5 DISCUSSION…………….……………………………………….........……...…..47
5.1. Discussion……………………………………………………….....................……………….47
5.2. Theoretical and Managerial Implications………………….……………………..49
5.2.1. Theoretical Implications……………………………..........…………….…………….49
5.2.2. Managerial Implications……………..……………........…………………………….49
CHAPTER 6 CONCLUSION……………………..….........……………………………..……...51
REFERENCES…...…………………..………………………...............……………………………..53
APPENDIX…………...……………………………………...............………………………………..61

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