Foster Employee Engagement Research Articles

A Novel Approach to Fostering Employee Engagement and Defect Reduction in a High-Volume Clinical Laboratory

Medical laboratories are complex organizations with myriad processes. Staff engagement is a direct contributor to a laboratory’s productivity. Often, our employees are disengaged because they perceive a limited ability to highlight and improve process inefficiencies (and waste) within their work areas. We devised a novel and online approach to address this gap. Through this, we captured objective feedback …

Culture of collaboration improves safety and efficiency at Travis Perkins

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to detail the award-winning approach to achieving gold-standard safety and efficiency used by the Travis Perkins Group, a UK chain of builders’ merchant and do-it-yourself stores. Design/methodology/approach – This paper focuses on company culture, teamwork, management style, communication, recruitment and training procedures. Findings – The authors describe how implementing a company-wide culture of collaboration and engagement with business goals has directly affected both safety and efficiency, including a number of success stories detailing how employee contributions have resulted in practical solutions to challenges. It has also resulted in the group’s building–trade supplier subsidiary company Travis Perkins, achieving gold level in Transport for London’s fleet-operator recognition scheme. Practical implications – This paper shows the positive and company-wide implications of fostering an inclusive, collaborative environment for employees. Social implications – The key role management plays in fostering employee engagement and the value of listening to, and acting on, employee feedback have been highlighted. Originality/value – A number of HR practices that aid communication and motivation among employees have been explained. This paper shows that strong training and communication processes have a positive effect on employee motivation and work ethic, leading workers at all levels to contribute ideas and feedback that, in multiple cases, have led to changes in procedures that positively affect workers, customers and profitability.

Driving Employee Engagement

Increasingly, organizations and their public relations professionals are recognizing the importance of strengthening internal communication with employees. Internal communication is important for building a culture of transparency between management and employees, and it can engage employees in the organization’s priorities. This exploratory study uses findings from interviews with public relations executives to explore the growing role that internal communication plays in employee engagement. Executives employ a variety of communication methods, including face-to-face communication, to communicate with employees. The executives’ chosen communication strategies aim to build trust and engagement with employees. In doing so, public relations executives find themselves in an expanded role of fostering employee engagement.

Fostering employee engagement in organisations: a conceptual framework

In recent times, the importance of employee engagement has been well acknowledged, but the understanding of the factors that impact engagement needs deeper study. This paper focuses on the existing literature on employee engagement and the engagement practices in leading organisations. Through the use of suitable concepts and practices, a conceptual framework has been developed that can help foster employee engagement in organisations. This paper brings into focus suitable propositions that need to be managed to enhance employee satisfaction and commitment. It also brings forth relevant propositions that organisations should consider to develop employee motivation and advocacy. The paper concludes that employee engagement can be fostered in organisations by focusing on the propositions given in the conceptual framework.

Towards understanding causality between work engagement and psychological capital

Orientation: It is of theoretical and practical interest to establish the sequential relationship between work engagement and positive organisational behaviour, as represented by the psychological capital (PsyCap) construct.Research purpose: The main aim of this study was to conceptualise and investigate the causal relationship and temporal order in the relationship between PsyCap and engagement by means of longitudinal data.Motivation for the study: The rationale for establishing the sequence of engagement and psychological capital lies in the fact that training interventions to enhance the organisational well-being of employees may need to be focused on either one or the other.Research design, approach and method: A longitudinal study with a cross-lagged panel design was conducted; data was gathered by means of a survey that was constructed for the purpose of the study. The survey contained the Utrecht Work Engagement Scale (UWES), and a measure of PsyCap. All employees within a chemical factory (N = 1003) were approached to provide data; 163 employees participated.Main findings: Results revealed that PsyCap at Time 1 (T1) did not significantly predict engagement at Time 2 (T2). Evidence does however exist that initial levels of employee engagement predict subsequent PsyCap.Practical/managerial implications: Results suggest that employee interventions aimed at protecting and fostering employee engagement may have implications for subsequent employee psychological capital.Contribution/value-add: As an empirical, longitudinal study to address the temporal order between PsyCap and work engagement, this study makes a contribution especially to theory, but also with practical implications by indicating that engagement precedes employee psychological capital.

Compensation‐based incentives, ERP and delivery performance

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to investigate the role of compensation‐based incentives in relationships between enterprise resource planning (ERP) usage and delivery performance in manufacturing.Design/methodology/approachThe authors carry out two studies exploring links between ERP, incentives, and performance from alternative perspectives: first, of incentives tied to regular production activities, and their relationship with delivery performance advantage over competitors; second, of incentives tied to improvement activities and their relationship with delivery performance improvements. Statistical analysis is carried out on data from 698 metal‐working manufacturers from 22 countries, giving a broad cross‐sectional view of a global industry.FindingsThe studies indicate that ERP usage relates positively with both delivery advantage and delivery improvements. Furthermore, incentives tied to improvement initiatives may explain delivery improvements, both directly and as moderators in the relationship between ERP and performance.Research limitations/implicationsThe results suggest that ERP adoption can be framed as a principal‐agency phenomenon where performance outcomes are partially influenced by incentives.Practical implicationsThe results imply that incentives tied to improvement initiatives may foster employee engagement with the new ERP, leading to stronger delivery performance benefits.Originality/valueTo the best of the authors' knowledge, this is the first research to explore ERP usage as a principal‐agency problem, and to analyse its relationships with incentives under alternative performance perspectives. The results may significantly contribute to the knowledge of ERP‐performance relationships and the role of incentives.

Fostering Employee Engagement through Human Resource Practices: A Case of Manufacturing Firms in Malaysia

ABSTRACT The primary objective of this study is to determine the influence of human resource management (HRM) practices on employee engagement. HRM practices comprise of training and development, financial and non-financial recognition, fringe benefits, and supervisor-subordinate relationship. A total of 306 operational level employees in manufacturing firms in the Northern Region of Peninsular Malaysia reported on HRM practices in their respective organizations as well as their level of engagement at work. Statistical analyses were conducted to examine the influence of HRM practices on employee engagement. The findings reported a significant and positive impact of financial and non-financial recognition as well as fringe benefits on employee engagement. The regression analysis result indicated that 40 percent of total variance of employee engagement was explained by HRM practices dimensions. Discussions elaborated on the research results while implications brought to fore the theoretical and practical contributions of this study. Finally, recommendations addressed several directions for future research. Keywords: Human resource management practice; Employee engagement; Malaysia ABSTRAK Objektif utama kajian ini adalah untuk mengkaji pengaruh amalan pengurusan sumber manusia (PSM) terhadap keterlibatan pekerja. Amalan PSM terdiri daripada latihan dan pembangunan, pengiktirafan kewangan dan bukan kewangan, faedah sampingan, dan hubungan penyelia dengan pekerja. Sejumlah 306 pekerja peringkat operasi dalam syarikat perkilangan di kawasan Utara Semenanjung Malaysia telah menjawab soal-selidik mengenai amalan PSM dalam organisasi masing-masing serta tahap keterlibatan mereka di tempat kerja. Analisis statistik telah dijalankan untuk mengenalpasti pengaruh amalan PSM terhadap keterlibatan pekerja. Hasil kajian mendapati terdapat hubungan yang signifikan dan positif antara pengiktirafan kewangan dan bukan kewangan serta faedah sampingan dengan keterlibatan pekerja. Keputusan analisis regresi juga menunjukkan bahawa amalan PSM menjelaskan sebanyak 40 peratus varians dalam keterlibatan pekerja. Perbincangan memperjelaskan hasil kajian manakala implikasi menjelaskan sumbangan teoretikal dan praktikal kajian ini. Akhir sekali, cadangan kajian mengemukakan beberapa arah kajian untuk masa hadapan. Kata kunci: Amalan pengurusan sumber manusia; Keterlibatan pekerja; Malaysia

MANAGEMENT COMPETECIES FOR ENHANCING EMPLOYEE ENGAGEMENT AT WORK: A CASE STUDY OF THE RAJBY INDUSTRIES KARACHI

Purpose- Major aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of competency management on employee engagement and to identify leadership or management behaviors which are key drivers of employee engagement. A competency approach was adopted in this study to define the constellation of skills and behaviors required by an individual manager to facilitate employee engagement in their staff. In Pakistan there are serious management problems across the organizations. Line managers or senior managers do not have proper training, skills and experience to effectively manage employees at work. Therefore, the prime purpose of this study was to explore and identify core competencies of managers in order to enhance employee engagement in the workplace. Methodology/sample- The study involved use of questionnaires filled by 100 respondents (with age ranging from 21 to 60) of Rajby industries. Respondents comprised non-managerial staff only. Random sampling technique was used to carry out this research. To analyze the data, Regression and ANOVA tests were applied. Findings- The analysis of results clearly suggested that there was significant impact of competent management on employee engagement. It shows that in order to enhance employee engagement, it is important for managers to display competent behaviors such as giving feedback on proper time, praise and recognition etc Practical Implications- The outcomes of the research might help organizations to design and develop competency framework which provide clear guidelines to managers and supervisors to foster employee engagement.

The use of coaching principles to foster employee engagement

The emerging area of positive psychology has created a heightened interest in applied positive organisational practices, such as coaching, which is increasingly being understood from the positive psychological perspective. A key focus in this area has been what organisations can do to engage their employees, in the form of organisational level drivers of engagement. However, there has been less concern with the individual level (or internalised) drivers that deliver an engaged state. Through an in-depth thematic analysis of factors known to contribute to peak performance at work, this research has identified a series of individual level drivers that contribute to an engaged state. The three individual drivers are Focusing Strengths, Managing Emotions and Aligning Purpose, which can be understood and applied practically through coaching interventions. Through coaching dialogues, it is proposed that individuals can work to utilise their signature strengths, positively manage their emotions and align their values to those of the organisation more effectively, ultimately serving to enhance their happiness, well-being and engagement, and thus be more likely to achieve peak performance.

Getting engaged: Public-service merit and motivation revisited

Abstract: The concepts of merit and motivation are central to recruiting and retaining high-quality public servants. The meaning of merit has evolved to the more flexible interpretation contained in the 2003 federal Public Service Employment Act (PSEA), and the concept of motivation has become much more central to public management. The PSEA enshrines merit and non-partisanship as the main values to be protected in public-service appointments. It also provides a new definition of merit. Employees with a high level of public-service motivation (PSM) are predisposed to having greater job satisfaction and organizational commitment and, therefore, to performing at a higher level. The challenge is to recruit and retain employees with a high PSM level and to maintain this level while fostering high performance by other employees. This challenge is being pursued in part by fostering employee engagement in the sense of job/organization satisfaction and organizational commitment. Among the major drivers of employee engagement is fair staffing practices, including merit-based hiring. The successful pursuit of a high level of employee engagement can improve public-sector management in general and human resource management in particular. Sommaire: Les concepts de mérite et de motivation sont essentiels au recrutement et au maintien d'excellents fonctionnaires. La signification du mérite a évolué pour aboutir à une interprétation plus souple contenue dans la Loi de 2003 sur l'emploi dans la fonction publique (LEFP) du gouvernement fédéral, et le concept de motivation est devenu beaucoup plus essentiel à la gestion publique. La LEFP inscrit le mérite et l'impartialité politique comme les principales valeurs à protéger dans les nominations de fonctionnaires. Elle prévoit également une nouvelle définition du mérite. Les employés qui ont un niveau élevé de motivation pour la fonction publique (MFP) sont prédisposés à tirer une plus grande satisfaction professionnelle, à faire preuve d'un plus fort engagement envers l'organisation et, par conséquent, àêtre plus performants. Le défi consiste à recruter et retenir des employés ayant un niveau élevé de MFP et à faire en sorte qu'ils maintiennent ce niveau tout en encourageant une forte performance de la part des autres employés. Ce défi peut être en partie relevé en encourageant l'engagement des employés sur le plan de la satisfaction professionnelle et du degré d'attachement à l'organisation. Parmi les principaux catalyseurs de l'engagement des employés, on note les méthodes de dotation équitables, y compris l'embauche fondée sur le mérite. L'obtention d'un haut niveau d'engagement de la part des employés améliore la gestion du secteur public en général, et la gestion des ressources humaines en particulier.

The engagement factor: building a high‐commitment organization in a low‐commitment world

Purpose – Attracting and retaining a talented work force is a strategic imperative. Doing so requires organizations to create an overall context through a set of macro‐level organizational practices we refer to as the HR value chain. However, this organizational context must be supplemented at the micro level through leader behavior, job characteristics, and challenging goals. An evidence‐based integrative model of organizational practices is developed that will lead to a high level of employee engagement.Design/methodology/approach – The paper addresses several key questions: Do engaged employees perform better than those that are not engaged? How should companies best organize their HR processes at a firm‐wide level to foster employee engagement? What should companies do at an employee level to foster engagement? What is the role of employee to manager trust in employee engagement? A review and summary of existing empirical literature from the areas of employee engagement, human resources, strategy, and...

Understanding Stakeholder Responses to Corporate Citizenship Initiatives: Managerial Guidelines and Research Directions

Firms are increasingly devoting attention to corporate citizenship initiatives. Despite the great interest in these initiatives, there is little academic research on their potential effects to guide managerial decisions. This article draws on theories from the consumer behavior literature to identify how socially oriented programs can foster both consumer and employee engagement, while also improving the welfare of society at-large and the financial fortunes of companies. In doing so, the authors advance a research agenda and offer prescriptive managerial advice.

The Sustainable enterprise fieldbook: when it all comes together

Building an organization's commitment to sustainability is not just a means to enhancing the health, diversity, and strength of the world's ecosystems but a financially and socially sound best practice as well. The Sustainable Enterprise Fieldbook helps readers understand what sustainability means, and how they can implement it in their organization. Collecting the wisdom of an outstanding network of experts, the book uses models, tools, case studies, and examples from a wide range of companies to show readers how they can: manage the transition to an eco-friendly culture - foster employee engagement - integrate sustainability into the day-to-day realities of their business - oversee both short-and long-term goals for their sustainability initiatives Also included are metrics allowing readers to measure their efforts in promoting an environmentally responsible organization. This book provides the crucial guidance organizations need to make money and make a difference.

It's 2008: do you know where your talent is? Connecting people to what matters

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to speak of the importance of connecting people in the workplace. It describes the types of connections that foster employee development and engagement, and proposes methods and tools that help strengthen these connections.Design/methodology/approachThe analysis in this report is based on industry and literature reviews and interviews with top executives. It builds on research carried out by Deloitte Research on talent management.FindingsIn today's competitive talent market, it is not sufficient for companies to follow a traditional “attract‐retain” talent management strategy. A “develop‐deploy‐connect” strategy seems to better engage and meet the demands of the workforce. Of these three components, “connect” is emerging as the most important but least understood.Practical implicationsBecause value today is created largely out of interactions, people's connections are increasingly important and complex. Companies that do not invest thought and effort in understanding this amorphous topic will find themselves battling attrition. Conversely, meaningful connections help people build the networks and relationship skills that lead to professional effectiveness and organizational growth.Originality/valueThis article categorizes connections into three main types: people to people, to a sense of purpose, and to the resources they need. It presents leaders with a solid framework, research‐backed ideas and leading practices to connect people for performance.