YesterdayJul 8 at 9:18am
Manage Discussion Entry
Week 6 - Discussion 2
Employee Engagement & Wellbeing
Employee wellbeing deals with how an employee feels, whereas employee engagement is about how employees feel about their role, their work, and value within their company. Employee wellbeing comprises several wellness categories, including physical health, emotional or psychological well being, community or social relationships, and financial stability. Employee engagement is the extent to which employees feel passionate about their jobs, are committed to the organization, and put discretionary effort into their work. Employee engagement goes beyond activities, games, and events. Employee engagement drives performance.
Employee wellness goes hand in hand with employee engagement. When employees are not feeling well, it's hard for them to stay engaged at work. If an employee struggles with health or financial issues, they're more likely to be distracted and unable to give their full attention at work. On the other hand, when employees are disengaged at work, you can bet it’s taking a toll on other areas of their life. Showing up for a job they don’t like, or working with a team that doesn’t feel supportive, can increase stress and impact an employee’s physical, emotional, and mental health. Employee wellness is much more than annual health screenings and gym memberships. Many areas impact an employee’s health, including their physical, emotional, and financial wellness.
Employee engagement is influenced by many factors, from workplace culture, organizational communication, and managerial styles to trust and respect, leadership, and company reputation. The term employee engagement relates to the level of an employee's commitment and connection to an organization. Employee engagement has emerged as a critical driver of business success in today's competitive marketplace. High levels of engagement promote retention of talent, foster customer loyalty, and improve organizational performance and stakeholder value.
Companies and organizations are experiencing unprecedented shifts in how they perform business, with many implementing alternative work arrangements, such as remote work, to function. Using evidence-based practices, industrial and organizational (I/O) psychology professionals help organizations establish high-functioning, healthy, and safe employees and work environments, even in times of crisis. I/O professionals support workplaces in areas such as employee selection, training and development, and leader development. They help organizations and managers address critical matters such as navigating remote work, increasing diversity and inclusion, and strategically adopting emerging technologies.
Reference
Ge, Y., & Sun, X. (2020). The relationship of employees’ strengths uses and innovation: Work engagement as a mediator. Social Behavior and Personality: An International Journal, 48(5), 1–6. https://doi-org.proxy-library.ashford.edu/10.2224/sbp.9083
Joplin, T., Greenbaum, R. L., Wallace, J. C., & Edwards, B. D. (2021). Employee entitlement, engagement, and performance: The moderating effect of ethical leadership. Journal of Business Ethics, 168(4), 813–826. https://doi-org.proxy-library.ashford.edu/10.1007/s10551-019-04246-0
Reissová, A., & Papay, M. (2021). Relationship between Employee Engagement, Job Satisfaction, and Potential Turnover. TEM Journal, 10(2), 847–852.https://doi-org.proxy-library.ashford.edu/10.18421/TEM102-44
YesterdayJul 8 at 9:03am
Manage Discussion EntryEmployee engagement is defined as “a heightened emotional and intellectual connection that an employee has for his/her job, organization, manager, or co-workers that, in turn, influences him/her to apply additional discretionary effort to his/her work” (Gibbons, 2006). Research in employee engagementsuggests that correlates of employee performance, satisfaction, and retention are mediated by levels of employee engagement (Bakker and Demerouti, 2007), which suggests that organizational health and well-being are supported by employee engagement. Employee health and well-being are also supported by policies that support positive employee engagement.
Flexibility in the workplace is one determinant of employee engagement that impacts employee health and wellbeing. Workplace flexibility is defined as ‘the ability of workers to make choices influencing when, where, and for how long they engage in work-related tasks’ (Hill et al., 2008). Time flexible policies not only affect the commitment and stress level of the employee but also increase performance and decrease absenteeism (Halpern, 2015). Time control for workplace activities, which includes pacing, place of work, and completion of work tasks mitigates stress by decreasing the pressure to complete specific work tasks in a certain place, time, or order (Halpern, 2015). “Personal job flexibility autonomy” is considered the single biggest predictor of conflict between work and non-work activities, increasing the likelihood that individuals will be satisfied with work and report lower levels of stress and higher levels of well-being (Kossek et al., 2005).
Given that connection to the workplace drives discretionary effort and retention, employee engagement determinants should also be explored when designing successful human resource policies. Additionally, according to the principle of exchange, employees are more likely to be engaged with an organization that shows commitment to their development and wellbeing (Eisenberger, et al., 1986), therefore addressing these areas of need will increase employee engagement with the organization and improve retention in the process.
References:
Gibbons, J. (2006). Employee engagement: A review of current research and its implications. New York: The Conference Board.
Halpern, D. F. (2015). How time-flexible work policies can reduce stress, improve health, and save money. Stress and Health: Journal of the International Society for the Investigation of Stress, 21, 157168.
Hill, J., Grzywacz, J. G., Allen, S., Blanchard, V. L., Matz-Costa, C., Shulkin, S., & Pitt-Catsouphes, M. (2008). Defining and conceptualizing workplace flexibility.Community, Work & Family,11(2), 149–163. https://doi.org/10.1080/13668800802024678
Kossek, E. E., Lautsch, B. A., & Eaton, S. C. (2005). Flexibility enactment theory: Implications of flexibility type, control and boundary management for work family effectiveness. In E. E. Kossek & S. J. Lambert (Eds.), Work and life integration: Organizational, cultural, and individual (pp. 243 261). Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.