This presentation by Dr. David Guest from King's College, was made at the Lead, Engage, Perform expert meeting on public employment and management, OECD, 21-22 January 2015. For further information please see http://www.oecd.org/gov/pem/lead-engage-perform-expert-meeting.htm

1. Employee Engagement:
A Path to Organizational Success?
David E Guest
Department of Management
King’s College, London
OECD Presentation: Paris, January 2015

2. The Growth of Interest in Engagement
• Focus of academic interest since Kahn (1990)
• Focus of consultancy and organizational interest, initially
prompted by Gallup (see Harter, Schmidt and Hayes, 2002)
• Focus of UK government interest since 2008 (Mandelson set
up MacLeod Enquiry)
• Raises questions including what is it, what evidence is there
about its impact and how can it be effectively applied?
• Aim – to explore these questions
• Start by considering the question – what is engagement?

3. What is Engagement? Two Parallel Worlds
• Academic approaches focus on work engagement which is an
individual-level concept with clear antecedents and consequences
– There is a distinction between behavioural engagement and attitudinal
engagement
• Organizational interest focuses on employee engagement with the
organization, and is primarily concerned with levels of engagement
across the organization and with the association between
engagement and organizational performance
– Leaves open the question of what we mean by engagement
• Start by looking briefly at work engagement

4. Work Engagement (American Model)
Work engagement initially developed by Kahn as a motivational
concept
“..the employment and expression of a person’s ‘preferred self’
in task behaviors that promote connections to work and to
others, personal presence (physical, cognitive, and
emotional) and active, full performance” (Kahn)
This implies that engagement is a multi-dimensional
motivational concept

5. Content of (American) Work Engagement
• Physical engagement
– “I devote a lot of energy to my job”
• Emotional engagement
– “I am enthusiastic in my job”
• Cognitive engagement
– “At work, I am absorbed by my job”
Engagement is thus defined as a motivational concept and
viewed as a mediating variable between inputs and outcomes

6. Work Engagement (European Model)
Work engagement is an attitudinal concept defined as
“a positive, fulfilling work-related state of mind that is
characterised by..”
• Vigour – high levels of energy, willingness to invest time and
persistence in the face of difficulties
• Dedication – highly involved in work, experiencing a sense of
significance, inspiration pride and challenge
• Absorption – fully concentrated and happily engrossed in
work; time passes quickly and it can be difficult to detach
from work
This form of engagement is viewed as the opposite of burnout,
exhaustion and cynicism. (Shaufeli - Utrecht)

7. The Utrecht Work Engagement Scale
A simple nine item measure (or a 17 item version). This has
been the dominant measure used in research on work
engagement
Vigour
“At my work, I feel that I am bursting with energy”
Dedication
I feel enthusiastic about my job
Absorption
I am immersed in my work
Rated on a scale from ‘never’ to ‘every day’

8. Antecedents of Work Engagement
• Value congruence – identification with the values and goals of
the organisation
• Perceived organisational support – a belief that you can
count on the organisation. A sense of personal safety and
trust
• Positive core self-evaluation (Self-efficacy) – confidence in
your ability to engage successfully
• Autonomy and challenge in the job – design of jobs to tap
pro-active behaviour. Scope for job crafting

9. Outcomes of Work Engagement
Extensive evidence, based largely on the European model, shows
that higher work engagement is associated with:
• Higher individual performance
• Higher organizational citizenship behaviour
• More pro-active, innovative behaviour
• Lower labour turnover
• Lower absence
• Higher job satisfaction and personal well-being
This evidence is found in both cross-sectional and longitudinal
studies

10. Work Engagement: An Assessment
• A clearly defined construct with a well-established measure
• Several major reviews and meta-analyses reflect large body of
research: i.e. a strong evidence base
• Evidence points to specific antecedents leading to clear policy
guidelines
• Evidence about its consequences confirm positive impact on
behaviour and well-being
But – it is an individual-level construct and organizations seem to
want to improve performance through employee engagement
with the organization rather than with their work

11. Origins of Organizational Engagement
• Developed and promoted initially by Gallup
• Gained some initial academic credibility via Harter, Schmidt &
Hayes (2002) analysis of the Gallup 12
• Heavily marketed by consultants through surveys
• Entirely separate from the dominant stream of academic
research on work engagement

12. What is Organizational Engagement?:
All Things to All People
“Individuals’ involvement and satisfaction as well as enthusiasm
for work” (Gallup)
“..employees willingness and ability to contribute to company
success” (Towers Perrin)
“...a positive attitude held by the employee towards the
organisation and its values” (IES)
“..a combination of commitment to the organisation and its
values plus a willingness to help out colleagues” (CIPD)

13. Organizational Engagement Through Attitude
Surveys: The Example of the Gallup 12
The Gallup Organization initially marketed organizational
engagement by developing the Gallup 12 from its standard
surveys.
The Gallup 12 “explain a great deal of the variance in what is
defined as ‘overall job satisfaction’...we refer to them as
measures of employee engagement to differentiate these
actionable work-group-level facets from the more general
theoretical construct of ‘job satisfaction’”. (Harter, Schmidt and
Hayes, 2002)
However it is questionable whether the items can point to action

14. The Gallup 12 (examples)
I know what is expected of me at work
There is someone at work who encourages my development
The mission or purpose of my company makes me feel my job is
important
I have a best friend at work
Responses range from ‘strongly agree’ to ‘strongly disagree’

15. Engagement and the Use of Attitude Surveys
Most organizations seem to “do” engagement by using
consultancy-based attitude surveys.
KCL survey of 350 HR managers: over 75% measured
engagement using measures of job satisfaction, organizational
commitment and identification with organizational values
• Consultancy surveys identify an “engagement deficit”:
Typically 30% highly engaged, 30% not engaged
• Consultant surveys also consistently report a correlation
between engagement and performance across all countries
and sectors
• But does it matter what goes into the surveys?

16. The Effective Use of Surveys
• Engagement recently seen as the number one problem/
challenge facing UK HR managers
• So the label of “engagement” may be a means of gaining
leverage for action. Surveys feedback can prove useful.
• Organizations like United Utilities in the UK use the Gallup
survey to benchmark internal departments. Then send in a
‘hit squad’ to those that get a low score to diagnose the
problem and involve local staff in finding a solution

17. Engagement Through Leadership:
The UK MacLeod Enquiry
The MacLeod Enquiry was set up by government to explore the
potential for engagement to enhance productivity and
innovation in industry
Report concludes: “Despite there being some debate about the
precise meaning of employee engagement there are three
things we know about it: it is measurable; it can be correlated
with performance; and it varies from poor to great”
Enquiry received over 50 definitions of engagement: For example:
“You sort of smell it, don’t you, that engagement of people as
people. What goes on in meetings, how people talk to each
other. You get the sense of energy, engagement, commitment,
belief in what the organisation stands for”.
“You know it when you see it”

18. Action Arising From the MacLeod Report
Enquiry settled on the following definition:
“A workplace approach designed to ensure that employees are
committed to their organization’s goals and values, motivated
to contribute to organizational success, and are able at the
same time to enhance their own sense of well-being”
And recommended four main areas of action:
Leadership: Integrity: Engaging managers: Voice
Set up an implementation task force “Engage for Success”,
endorsed by Prime Minister Cameron and leading
industrialists, to promote engagement

19. Implementing Leadership-Driven Engagement
The MacLeod Report offers four broad recommendations:
• Leadership revealed in a “strong strategic narrative” and reflected
in the organization’s aims, values and culture
• Engaging managers “facilitate and empower rather than control”
• Integrity which is concerned with the consistent application of
values to promote trust
• Voice: “an effective and empowered employee voice – employees’
views are sought out: they are listened to and see their opinions
count and make a difference. They speak out and challenge where
appropriate. A strong sense of listening and of responsiveness
permeates the organisation, enabled by effective communication”

20. An Assessment:
Challenges for Organizational Engagement
• The lack of clarity about what it is
• Threat of concept redundancy – big overlap with job
satisfaction and organizational commitment
• The lack of ‘exchange’ – why should employees be interested
in engagement?
• The lack of clear guidelines for action (other than undertaking
surveys)
• Lack of theory about the causes and consequences
BUT
• Given the enthusiasm for engagement, there is an
opportunity for action drawing on evidence about related
concepts

21. Towards and Effective Approach to Employee
Engagement
• Build on the best elements of different approaches to
engagement
• Utilise an evidence-based approach drawing on knowledge
about what works for engagement and more particularly for
related concepts (e.g. commitment, satisfaction, motivation,
organizational citizenship behaviour, a fulfilled psychological contract)
• Adopt a stakeholder perspective recognising the need for
active support from both senior leadership and employees

22. A Strategy to Promote Engagement
Gain leadership
commitment to
partnership
Monitor Develop HR Create a
progress practices for climate for
towards engagement engagement
engagement
Promote Reinforce the
work climate
engagement

23. Implementing Engagement:
The Leadership Role
• Develop and promote engagement values, stating:
– What engagement is; and the associated values
– What you hope to achieve through engagement
– What benefits it brings to stakeholders including employees and the
public
– Make a public commitment to implementing the engagement values
• Develop and promote a (high commitment) human resource
strategy and organizational climate to promote engagement

24. The High Commitment/High Engagement
Model of HRM and Performance
Recruitment & selection
Training & Development
Opportunity to
participate
Employee
motivation
Employee
competence
Job design
Involvement systems
Communication
Performance appraisal
Financial rewards
Feedback
Employee
commitment
Internal promotion
Security
Fair treatment
Met psych. contract
Enhanced
employee
performance
Enhanced
employee well-
being

25. Creating a Climate for Engagement
• Ensure fairness and trust by providing high levels of two-way
communication and effective voice mechanisms
• As far as possible promote employment security and
flexibility – or flexicurity - partly though developing
employability
• Ensure strong perceptions of organizational and supervisor
support
• Ensure that promises and obligations that form part of the
psychological contract are fulfilled (and don’t make promises
you can’t keep)
• Reward managers on their effectiveness in promoting
engagement

26. Reinforcing the Climate for Engagement
• Create a ‘strong’ engagement climate through signals from
implementation of policy and practice
– For example by taking visible action to reward good engagement
practice and prevent bad practice
• Constantly communicate the importance of engagement
• Reinforce through symbolic actions such as promoting
engaging managers
• Celebrate distinctive success in applying engagement

27. Promote Work Engagement
• Design work systems, teams and jobs that provide autonomy,
challenge, variety, skill utilisation and opportunities for
learning and development
• Select workers who value intrinsic motivation and welcome
engaging jobs
• Provide the training and development to ensure the ability
both to contribute in the job and to gain satisfaction from task
performance

28. Monitor Progress towards High Engagement
• Use attitude surveys to measure base line and progress in
engagement and to benchmark department progress
• Design surveys to measure causes, content and consequences
of engagement policy and practice
• Recognise that there are extensive well-validated measures
freely available.
• Use appropriate statistical analysis to determine impact of
different policies and practices
• Follow up survey results by providing detailed feedback, draw
up action plans and use internal ‘hit squads’ to act on any
problem departments

29. Final Comments:
The Risk of Organizational Engagement
• Almost all management fashions promote specific practices (e.g.
MbyO, quality circles, process re-engineering). But engagement is a
“state”
• So is it limited by the absence of a coherent set of practices (other
than surveys)?
• Risk of inappropriate action can lead to endless benchmarking or
cynicism about wasted energy on yet another management fad
• Is it essentially a state of organizational anxiety – a problem that
needs somehow to be addressed? Or does it offer the promise of
motivated and committed workforce?

30. Final Comments:
The Opportunity of Employee Engagement
• Recognise that the key to effective engagement is to focus on
the antecedents/causes
• There is good evidence about the HR and related practices
that promote job satisfaction, commitment, motivation and
other elements that are closely allied to organizational
engagement
• The interest in engagement creates an opportunity to reverse
the anxiety about declining satisfaction with work and for
action to promote performance and well-being

31. Thank you for listening!
david.guest@kcl.ac.uk