Linking work motivation, employee engagement, job satisfaction, and employee health to employee performance in the industrial sector of emerging economy

Abstract Purpose The primary purpose of this study is to examine the relationships among worker performance, work motivation, and health in Bangladesh’s industrial sector. The study investigated how health variables affect the dynamic relationship between work motivation and employee performance to better understand employee well-being in the industrial workplace. Design/methodology/approach The empirical study surveyed 380 Bangladeshi industry workers using convenience sampling from a population of approximately 4 million workers across selected firms in major industrial zones. Data collection occurred from October 2023 to February 2024 in this developing country, and the analysis was conducted using structural equation modelling (SEM). Findings The study found substantial links between health, work motivation, and employee performance. Structural equation modelling revealed this triadic relationship’s pathways and interdependencies. Bangladesh’s industrial sector showed that comprehensive health initiatives improve job happiness, engagement, and performance. Originality/value This study examines employee performance, motivation, and health in Bangladesh’s industrial sector, not by proposing entirely new relationships, but by incorporating employee health as a JD-R-based boundary condition that influences how motivation translates into engagement, satisfaction, and performance outcomes. Furthermore, it applies current motivation-performance research to an understudied industrial environment, providing a theory-refining, context-specific contribution rather than a totally unique model for scholars and professionals. Implications This study stresses the need for managers to incorporate employee health into their motivational efforts. Consistent with JD-R resource interaction logic, the data indicate that motivational programs are most effective when supported by employee health resources rather than executed alone. Bangladeshi industrial enterprises can use these insights to improve motivation, health, and performance. The study therefore advises firms to regard employee health as an enabling state that increases the effectiveness of existing HR practices, thereby assisting HR professionals and leaders in developing more realistic and sustainable workforce plans.