Identifying Aspects of Employee Engagement in Contemporary Firms

This essay explores the different aspects of employee engagement in contemporary firms and its implications for the organization and stakeholders. It examines the link between engagement and productivity, and the impact of engagement on employee satisfaction, customer experience, innovation, retention, and talent acquisition. Drawing on theory and empirical evidence, it highlights the importance of creating an effective environment that supports the emotional, cognitive, and behavioural needs of employees.

HR5053QA Organisation
Design and Management
[Individual Essay]

TABLE OF CONTENTS
HR5053QA Organisation Design and Management [Individual Essay].................................1
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................4
MAIN BODY..................................................................................................................................4
CONCLUSION................................................................................................................................9
REFERENCES................................................................................................................................1

Topic- Identifying different aspects of employee engagement in some
contemporary firms, along with its implications for the organisation and its
stakeholders? Drawing on theory and empirical evidence in the essay

INTRODUCTION
Employee engagement has been determined as the concept in which employees invest
their emotional and cognitive behavioural pattern for assuring the positive outcomes in the
organization. The rate of employee engagement must be high in the organization as it provides
idea in regards to the extent up-to which employees are involved in the organization. In case, the
employee engagement rate in the organization is low then, it impacts the productivity of
organization (Sun and Bunchapattanasakda, 2019). Also, effective employee engagement creates
the influence on the organization and stakeholders in positive manner. The current essay is based
on identifying the different aspects of employee engagement in contemporary firms. Also,
implications for the organization and stakeholders will be identified within using theories and
empirical evidence.
MAIN BODY
Employee engagement has been determined as the major concern for the HR department.
The rate of employee engagement in the organization needs to be higher so, the organization can
experience the success. It has been found from various studies that, there are many firms in
which the employee engagement rate is highly low which clearly depicts that employees in those
organizations are not getting proper treatment (Kwon and Kim, 2020). Employee engagement
rate can be determined with the help of the engagement rate of the employees in organization as
the engagement rate determines that, workforce in the company is motivated or not. HR
department of the organizations tries their best to perform the major things so, the employee
engagement rate in the organization can be increased. However, at some point it becomes hard
for organization itself to create motivation on consistent note for the employees. Lower level of
employee engagement rate leads to create the high staff turnover rate. The major aspects that
aligns with the employee engagement rate are-productivity, employee retention, quality of work
and increasing safety of employees.
TESCO which is leading retailing firm established in UK has adopted the effective
procedure of employee engagement that is enabling the organization in regards to increasing the
productivity of firm. The organization has adopted the democratic leadership theory which has
created the effective environment in organization. The employees are free to share their opinion
with the leaders and they can often take part in the decision making process. This results in
creating the sense of belongingness in the employees. However, at some point it leads to create

issues as well. For example- In company, only opinion of some employee has been taken in
consideration then, the other employees might feel that, partial treatment is being done with
them. Thus, employee engagement is hard task in the organization as it is concerned with the
emotions of the employees (Motyka, B., 2018). The emotional needs of the workers need to be
keep in mind so, the employee can feel motivated and their performance can be enhanced. The
productivity is one of the major aspect that is linked with the employee engagement. Employee
engagement is directly linked with the productivity rate of the employees. The employees are
being involved in the major activities of organization then, they get chance to get developed from
all aspects. Their cognitive skills can be enhanced which contributes in the higher productivity.
Increasing in the productivity level of employees results in increasing the productivity level of
organization as well.
The major thing onto which different authors have argued is that, is there any link
established between the engagement and productivity of organization. The research that was
published by the Harvard Business review in 1998 first time stated that, there is link established
between the employee engagement and the productivity of the organization. The higher level of
employee’s engagement results in the creation of positive attitude in the employees which
automatically results in taking up numerous challenges by the employees (Antony, 2018).
Furthermore, it has been witnessed in organizational psychology that, understanding the
emotions of the employees are highly mandatory as it supports in increasing the engagement of
the employees. The motivational theory of Maslow is also aligned with the rate of employee
engagement in the organization. It has been found from various studies that motivation helps in
full-filling the major types of need in the employees.
The major five needs come under the Maslow’s needs are- physiological, safety, social,
esteem and self-actualization needs. The physiological needs are related to the basic
requirements of the employees. In this, workers have desire that, there basic needs must be full-
fill which is related to house, food and clothing. The safety need refers to having the sense of
security in the employees. When safety has been assured to employees then, it results in creating
effective working environment in the organization in which all the employees can collectively
work with each other within feeling safe. After the completion of this need, the next desire is
related to the social needs. Employees wants that, in organization there must be effective
interaction should be created with the people who are working with them. Therefore, in

organization get-togethers has been organization so, employees from different department can
interact with each other (Chen and Peng, 2021). Furthermore, leaders in the organization are
responsible for developing the effective interaction with their subordinates so, they can easily
share everything with them. When the social needs of the employees have been full-filled then, it
develops the sense of belongingness in the staff. Hence effective bonding among the employees
has been created.
Esteem need are concerned with boosting confidence level of employees. This need of the
employees in organization can be satisfied only when employees gets the opportunities of
growing. The confidence level of the employees can be boosted only when they get appreciation
from their work (Turner, 2020). Therefore, organization provided opportunities to employees so,
their engagement level can be increased along within performing personal and professional
development of employees. The last need is the self-actualization need, this requirement of the
employees in the company only gets satisfied when all the four needs (psychological, safety,
social and self-esteem needs) has been full-filled. Thus, the motivational theory is one of the
major theory of employee engagement as well (Ismail, Iqbal and Nasr, 2019). The concept of
organization psychology is aligned with the major attributes in which the ways under which
people gets interact with each other has been studied. This has been done in order to increase the
level of employee engagement in the organization.
As mentioned earlier there are numerous aspect of employee engagement, it is just not
limited to increasing the interaction of employees in organization. It is a wider scope that
involves the motivation, productivity, human behaviour kind of elements. Studies have shown
that, Marks and spencer are committed towards the employee engagement participation.
However, there is no effective strategies in in this context have been witnessed (Shrotryia and
Dhanda, 2018). The organization is using the motivational techniques for improving the
employee engagement level. The needs of the workers in the organization is being full-filled that
helps in creating their engagement level. The major focus is being assured on the five needs of
Maslow’s hierarchical needs in which the needs that starts from basic has been fulfilled along
with the needs that boost the confidence in employees.
Thus, in this manner employee engagement has been increased in the marks and spencer.
The major implication of the employee engagement are- satisfied employees, improved customer
experience, innovative work approach, employee retention and talent acquisition. The employees

feel highly satisfied when there are getting value in the organization. A satisfied employee
contributes more in comparison of demotivated employee. Thus, it creates benefit for
organization itself. When the employees are satisfied then, they perform their task in more
effective manner which results in efficient outcomes. Thus, employee engagement leads to
assure higher satisfaction to the employees and creates positive impact on the organization. From
the perception of the cognitive theory it has been stated that, customers who are the major
stakeholders of the organization gains the effective experience only when five types of
experience get full-filled (Chakrabort and Ganguly, 2019). The major five types of experience
are related to emotion, intelligence, body, feeling and social interaction. When these experiences
of the customers get full-filled then, it results in the higher satisfaction.
These experience to the customers can offered with the help of effective workforce in the
organization. the effective workforce in the organization enhances the working ability of the
employees. Thus, this is again aligned with the process of employee engagement. In
organization, the focus is being assured to increasing the training element which helps in
increasing the effectiveness of employees in performing the task. When the employees in
organization effectively performs their task then, it automatically results in enhancing the
services of the organization and the satisfaction is being assured to the customers (Makoni,
2019). Innovative work approach is the another most important implication of employee
engagement in the organization. the concept of employee engagement allows employees to share
their ideas so, the organization can make innovation within using the innovative work approach.
HR department develops training session in which the employees are being trained and this helps
in enhancing the creativity and skills of the employees.
This develops the innovative mentality in the employees. thus, it can be said that employee
engagement in the training session enables the employees to have effective skills and
creativeness that is further supportable to them in their innovative idea. Thus, organization gets
the benefit in this context within using the opinions and ideas of the employees. Thus, this helps
in achieving the goal in the organization. Company such as Sainsbury has faced the issue in
regards to increasing staff turnover rate (Basu, 2022). The employee retention rate in the
company is highly less, it is important to retain the employees in organization as it can impact
the staff turnover rate in the company. The major issue is lies with the question “how should
employees can be retained in the organization”? As there are numerous techniques, some

organization prefer, motivation techniques for employee retention while some prefer providing
career opportunities to the employees, involving employees in decision making. There are
various ways through which employee engagement in the organization can be increased
Employee retention is the part of employee engagement which is highly important and therefore,
organization uses different techniques for employee retention. When employees get the
appropriate treatment that enhances their confidence. This helps in stimulating the trust among
the employees and organization. In this manner, employees in organization is being retained.
However, it has been found from the studies that retention of employees only becomes possible
when the behavioural pattern of the employees gets impacted. Therefore, organization focuses on
managing the behavioural pattern of the firm within sustaining them. Employee engagement in
the organization supports the talent acquisition in the organization. Talent acquisition has been
referred as the process in which the talented people has been acquired in the organization (Kim
and Kim, 2020). Talented people in the organization helps in supporting the organization as
employee’s talent is useful for the company. Employees gets engaged with each other and share
their talent with each other which helps in approaching the talent in company. Thus, organization
gets the success within approaching specific talent. The implication of the employee engagement
on the organization is highly positive.
The implication of the employee engagement on the employees is varied as employees
are the stakeholders of the organization. They are considered as the internal stakeholders of the
company. Employee engagement provides major advantages to employees if it has been
performed in appropriate manner. This can lead to create the skills and talent in the employees
which helps in the personal and professional development of the employees (Schmidt, 2022).
The moral support to the employees in the organization is highly mandatory as it support the
employees in effective manner and creates sense of belongingness in them. In order to increase
the rate of employee engagement in the organization, leaders support the employees that
provides the assurance of moral support to them. The emotional intelligence theory is comprised
with the five major components which are- self-awareness, motivation, self-regulation, empathy
and the social skills. Emotional intelligence is linked with the employee engagement rate in the
organization.
The concept of EI helps in regulating the emotions of employees in the company and this
helps in supporting the employees within providing them morale support. The self-awareness in

the workers has been developed so they can become aware about their strength and weaknesses.
Employee in company can take the measures for improving their weaknesses. On the other hand,
motivation has been given to employees in terms of monetary and non-monetary elements. In the
self-regulation employees becomes able to handle their anger and sadness (Young and et.al.,
2018). When this has been done then, it becomes easy to reduce the negative thoughts in the
employees. Social and empathy skills in the employee has been enhanced so, they can create
interaction with their mates and effective understanding can be established.
The theory of organizational behaviour states that, in an organization the behaviour of
employees is being guided by the environment provided to them. In regards to increasing the
extent of employee engagement in the company, it is important that effective environment in the
company must be provided to the employees so, they can adopt the positive attitude and
behaviour (Shaik and Makhecha, 2019). However, literature have shown that employee
engagement is entitled with the large elements that includes- positive behaviour, career
opportunities, retention rate and so on attributes. Organization only creates focus on developing
the positive attitude in employees so their engagement rate can be increased. However, there is
more keen focus in required so, employees can effectively become active in organization and
their mental, emotional and cognitive stability can be enhanced.
Effective employee engagement rate in the firms makes them stable in context of facing
competition. Along with this, image of the company in front of the stakeholders such as-
investors, government and public has been enhanced (Arslan and Roudaki, 2018). Thus,
employee engagement works as the indicator through which the environment of the company can
be detected along with the success rate of the organization. It has been proven that, employee
engagement is concerned with various aspects that are all equally important and if it has been
managed in proper manner then, it creates the opportunities of success for the organization.
CONCLUSION
From the above report it has been concluded that, employee engagement plays essential role
in enhancing the productivity of the firm. Also, it helps in impacting the organization and
stakeholders in positive manner. In case, the rate of employee engagement in organization is less
then, it creates direct impact on the success of the organization. the report has shown that there

are various contemporary firms that are using the effective strategies in order to increase the
employee engagement rate in the organization such firms are getting effective benefit that is
leading them towards the success. Whereas those firms who are not focusing over increasing the
rate of employee engagement are facing the major issues in regards to growth in the
organization.

REFERENCES
Books and journals
Antony, M.R., 2018. Paradigm shift in employee engagement–A critical analysis on the drivers of
employee engagement. International Journal of Information, Business and
Management. 10(2). pp.32-46.
Arslan, M. and Roudaki, J., 2018. Examining the role of employee engagement in the relationship
between organisational cynicism and employee performance. International Journal of
Sociology and Social Policy.
Basu, P.S., 2022. ORGANISATIONAL CSR PRACTICES: A STRATEGIC LEVER TOWARDS
HARNESSING HIGHER EMPLOYEE ENGAGEMENT. Journal of Organisation &
Human Behaviour. 11(1).
Chakraborty, T. and Ganguly, M., 2019. Crafting engaged employees through positive work
environment: Perspectives of employee engagement. In Management Techniques for
Employee Engagement in Contemporary Organizations (pp. 180-198). IGI Global.
Chen, S.W. and Peng, J.C., 2021. Determinants of frontline employee engagement and their
influence on service performance. The International Journal of Human Resource
Management. 32(5). pp.1062-1085.
Ismail, H.N., Iqbal, A. and Nasr, L., 2019. Employee engagement and job performance in
Lebanon: the mediating role of creativity. International Journal of Productivity and
Performance Management. 68(3). pp.506-523.
Kim, M. and Kim, J., 2020. Corporate social responsibility, employee engagement, well-being and
the task performance of frontline employees. Management Decision.
Kwon, K. and Kim, T., 2020. An integrative literature review of employee engagement and
innovative behavior: Revisiting the JD-R model. Human Resource Management
Review. 30(2). p.100704.
Makoni, E.T., 2019. Employee Engagement Strategies That Healthcare Managers Use to Increase
Organizational Performance (Doctoral dissertation, Walden University).
Motyka, B., 2018. Employee engagement and performance: a systematic literature
review. International Journal of Management and Economics. 54(3). pp.227-244.
Schmidt, J., 2022. Importance of L&D INITIATIVES in Employee Engagement. HR
Future. 2022(5). pp.22-24.
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Shaik, F.F. and Makhecha, U.P., 2019. Drivers of employee engagement in global virtual
teams. Australasian Journal of Information Systems. 23.
Shrotryia, V.K. and Dhanda, U., 2018. Trends and directions of employee engagement:
perspectives from literature review. Asian Journal of Management. 9(1). pp.69-79.
Sun, L. and Bunchapattanasakda, C., 2019. Employee engagement: A literature
review. International Journal of Human Resource Studies. 9(1). pp.63-80.
Turner, P., 2020. Twenty Important Conclusions About Employee Engagement. In Employee
Engagement in Contemporary Organizations (pp. 257-271). Palgrave Macmillan,
Cham.
Young and et.al., 2018. Who are the most engaged at work? A meta‐analysis of personality and
employee engagement. Journal of Organizational Behavior. 39(10). pp.1330-1346.
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