Employee engagement is indispensable for any organization that seeks sustainable success. How employees perceive the organizational climate has significant and far-reaching consequences for the organization. The manufacturing sector remains a cornerstone of the Kenyan economy. However, it has been noted that the sector is experiencing decline amidst a myriad of challenges that include high handedness, failure to adopt global management practices and a generally negative perception by employees. Yet, it is of utmost importance that organizations create a conducive environment for employees to thrive and remain engaged. This study sought to evaluate the relationship between rational goals and employee engagement in manufacturing firms in Kenya. Specifically, this study sought to determine the relationship between clarity of goals, effort, efficiency, quality and feedback as the sub-constructs of the independent variable and employee engagement as the dependent variable. A cross-sectional survey research design using both quantitative and qualitative approaches was adopted. The target population for this study was all the 578 manufacturing firms located in Nairobi and its surroundings and which are members of the Kenya Association of Manufacturers. Stratified and simple random sampling was used to arrive at a sample of 236 manufacturing firms. Primary data was collected by the use of a structured questionnaire and subsequently analyzed using a mix of descriptive and inferential statistics using SPSS version 25.0. Pearson Product Moment Correlation was used to establish the direction and extent of the relationship between the variables. Univariate regression was used to explain the relationship between these variables while ANOVA was used to determine whether the regression model was reliable or not. Standard f and t tests were used to determine the significance of the coefficient. The hypotheses were also tested. Data was presented using tables. The study established that there was a positive and significant relationship between rational goals on one hand and employee engagement on the other. The conclusion deduced from this study was that engaged employees are the catalyst for organizations seeking success. Additionally, human relations, is a key element affecting employee engagement in manufacturing firms in Kenya. In view of this, it is recommended that manufacturing firms be obligated to create an organizational climate that is contrived to and aimed at enhancing employee engagement.