Mental Construal and Employee Engagement: For More Engagement Look at the Big Picture

Abstract

This article links research in cognitive and social psychology to that in human resources management by proposing a conceptual model of the impact of mental construal on employee engagement. Based on construal-level theory, I suggest that an abstract mindset can facilitate the process of employee engagement in task work. Specifically, I address the effect of abstract representation of the work situation in an individual’s mind on the features of engagement as being cognitive (attention, self-regulation, commitment, and job involvement), affective (positive affectivity), and behavioral (organizational citizenship behavior, role extension, and prosocial behavior). I also briefly discuss the importance of task characteristics. The proposed model offers new possibilities for human resources practices by introducing relatively new psychological techniques that can impact employees’ attitudes and behaviors in the workplace.