Human Resources Management Commons^™

Commentary: Survey Finds Singapore Workers Disengaged - But We Shouldn’T Resign Ourselves To This, Nick Chiam

Research Collection Yong Pung How School Of Law

If narratives of unhappy and disengaged Singapore workers solidify, there will be less reason to strive for a better workplace, says SMU’s Nick Chiam.

Employee Engagement And Its Motivational Drivers: Lived Experiences Of Generation Y Employees In The Workplace, Ololade Dorcas Afolabi

Masters Theses, 2020-current

This qualitative study sought to explore the meaning of employee engagement among Generation Y employees in the United States. Specifically, this research aimed to understand how Generation Y employees described their lived experiences of engagement and the motivational drivers that influence their engagement at work. The researcher interviewed five Generation Y employees. Two of them work in retail industry, two work in healthcare technology, and one works in higher education. The findings show that the participants have a shared meaning of engagement, defining engagement as alignment between their personal goals and organizational goals. In addition, participants shared lived experiences of …

Commentary: If You’Re Unhappy At Work, A Hasty Job Change May Not Help, Nick Chiam

Research Collection Yong Pung How School Of Law

Finding joy at work isn’t about having the perfect job, but seeing work as part of the larger story of a life well lived, says SMU lecturer Nick Chiam.

Not All Ei Dimensions Are Created Equal: Differential Effects Of Perceived Leader Emotional Intelligence On Lmx Quality And Employee Engagement, Michael Frommack

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This quantitative study examined the pathways through which employees’ perceptions of their leaders’ emotional intelligence influenced employee engagement, with leader-member exchange (LMX) quality as a mediating mechanism. Using structural equation modeling with data from 368 full-time employees, the study investigated whether the four dimensions of leader emotional intelligence differentially predicted the three dimensions of employee engagement. Results demonstrated that leader EQ strongly predicted LMX quality (β = .80, p < .001, R² = .64), and that leader emotional intelligence and LMX quality significantly predicted employee engagement in bivariate analyses (β = .43, p < .001, R² = .19; β = .47, p < .001, R² = .22, respectively). However, LMX quality completely mediated this relationship. The indirect effect was significant (β = .26, p = .002), while the direct effect was nonsignificant after accounting for LMX (β = .17, p = .108), indicating full mediation. No dimension-specific pathways emerged after controlling for relationship quality. Supplementary analyses revealed that others’ emotion appraisal (OEA) demonstrated almost twice the predictive strength of the other emotional intelligence dimensions for predicting LMX quality (β = .45, p < .001). These findings provide empirical support for Social Exchange Theory and demonstrate that leader emotional intelligence is statistically accounted for by relationship quality mechanisms. Practical implications suggest that organizations should prioritize relationship building competencies in leadership development and selection. Theoretical implications challenge assumptions about dimensional equivalence in emotional intelligence frameworks and establish LMX quality as the complete mediator for leadership influence on employee engagement.

The Relationship Between Leadership, Quality Outcomes, And Turnover In Healthcare, Megan L. Rhoades

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This quantitative, causal-comparative study examined the relationship between leadership effectiveness, employee engagement, quality outcomes, and turnover in non-profit acute care hospitals in Texas. Guided by a pragmatic paradigm, the research utilized archived data to analyze correlations among leader effectiveness scores, employee engagement levels, patient quality metrics, and employee turnover rates. Grounded in Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs, the Motivation-Hygiene Theory, Job Demands-Resources Theory, Path-Goal Theory, and Relational Leadership Theory, the study explored how leadership behaviors and engagement strategies influence organizational outcomes. Results revealed a strong positive correlation between effective leadership and employee engagement, indicating that leaders who provide support, recognition, and …

Digital Leadership And Literacy As Strategic Levers For Employee Outcomes In Pakistan's Telecommunication Sector, Saman Javed, Shaista Nayyar

Business Review

Digitalizing operations is essential for gaining and maintaining competitive advantage, driving product and process innovations, and ensuring effective decision-making. The performance and engagement of today’s workforce are also contingent upon its capability to handle digital technologies. Here, the digital prowess of the leaders plays a cardinal role in the digitalization process. Keeping this in mind, this research aims to determine the impact of digital leadership on employees’ digital literacy, and their subsequent effect on key employee outcomes like engagement and performance in the telecom sector of Pakistan. Data was collected from 369 telecom workers employed at the three major Pakistani …

Leading Gen Z: The Connected Authentic Leadership Model, James Mitchell

The Scholarship Without Borders Journal

Generation Z is rapidly reshaping the global workforce, bringing with them new expectations for leadership grounded in authenticity, purpose, flexibility, technological fluency, and cultural intelligence. However, many traditional leadership models—such as transactional, servant, and even transformational leadership—only partially align with Generation Z’s needs. This study conducted a thematic analysis of 45 scholarly articles published between 2018 and 2024, identifying six leadership dimensions most valued by Generation Z: authentic transparency, servant-transformational focus, adaptive flexibility and inclusion, digital fluency, purpose-driven vision, and cultural intelligence. Based on these findings, the Connected Authentic Leadership Model (CALM) was developed to provide a holistic leadership framework …

Engaging For A Sustainable Manufacturing: The Power Of Adaptive Leadership In Industry 5.0, Rizwana Rasheed, Aamir Rashid, Abdul Hafaz, Rashid Hashmi

Publications and Research

In today’s highly competitive and rapidly evolving business environment, organizations must continuously adapt to technological advancements and market volatility. This study examines how adaptive leadership influences sustainable manufacturing through employee engagement, with employee wellbeing as a mediator and mindfulness as a moderator. Using data from 1,388 U.S. manufacturers and PLS-SEM analysis, the research confirms that adaptive leadership positively impacts sustainable manufacturing through engaged employees and enhanced wellbeing. Additionally, employee mindfulness significantly strengthens the relationship between adaptive leadership and engagement. These findings highlight the importance of leadership styles that foster employee participation and mental wellbeing in achieving long-term manufacturing sustainability. The …

Improving Employee Turnover Intention: Outsourced Human Resources Vs. In-House Human Resources, Precious Carter, Gary Blau, John Deckop, Daniel Goldberg

Engaged Management ReView

Small business research has neglected comparing employees’ perceptions on variables related to in-house human resources (HRI) vs. outsourced human resources (HRO) in small businesses. We used a mixed methods research design to study this issue. The first study consisted of 11 in-depth interviews. The qualitative insights we gained helped to guide survey construction for the second quantitative survey-based study. For the survey, 101 HRI U.S. employees and 97 HRO U.S. employees filled out a survey. Results from the HRI and HRO samples were equivalent in terms of participants’ years of work experience, work schedule, gender, company size, company age, perceived …

Employee Engagement In The Manufacturing Industry, Aubrey A. Miller

Management Undergraduate Honors Theses

The primary objective of this paper is to analyze employee engagement in the manufacturing industry while explaining the implementation processes for putting engagement initiatives in place. Employee engagement has shown to have an impact on overall business performance and this paper examines the original introduction of engagement in a workplace setting, theories relating to employee engagement, the need for engagement in the manufacturing industry, the key drivers of employee engagement, and human resource practices. This paper also walks through my 10-week internship with Klein Tools, and the processes I took to implementing employee engagement methods at Klein Tools’ manufacturing plant …

Beyond The Paycheck: Crafting A Competitive Benefits Package In American For-Profit And Non-Profit Entities, Olufemi C. Akpona

Senior Honors Theses

This thesis explores the changing landscape of employee benefits and theorizes how benefits can further be formulated to appeal to the specific employee base in every for-profit and non-profit organization. An evaluation is given of common benefits offered in the United States as well as an evaluation of the legal, financial, ethical, and psychological dimensions of providing employee benefits. Finally, an example benefits package is presented in order to illustrate how an organization can provide unique benefits to recruit and retain employees in the communities they operate in.

Hope Experience Essentials: The Next Generation Of Service Standards At Mayo Clinic, Jennifer Packard, Richard M. Elias, Thomas J. (Tripp) Welch, Karee A. Munson, Jonathan A. Leighton

Patient Experience Journal

Engaging employees in providing exemplary patient experience has been challenging for healthcare leaders in recent years given the pressures of the regulatory environment, increases in staff burnout and rising patient expectations. Amid these challenges, addressing patient experience remains a top priority for healthcare organizations. A novel intervention has been applied at Mayo Clinic with the goal of improving both employee engagement and patient experience. Previous efforts to teach service excellence involved customer service trainings, sometimes purchased through outside vendors. This new initiative is based on our organizational culture and values, input from our employees and patients, and considers the changing …

Bridging Workplace Discrepancies: Enhancing Managerial Plasticity For Effective Internal Branding And Employee Engagement, Lauren Peng, Tulay Girard

AMTP Proceedings 2025

Workplace value shifts and remote work have created discrepancies in managerial approaches, widening the gap between managers and personnel. This study addresses managerial plasticity development to navigate modern work environments and enhance internal branding. It introduces the Plasticity Model for measuring managerial plasticity and the Internal Branding Plasticity Model (IBPM) to explore relationships between internal branding, plasticity, employee engagement, job satisfaction, and loyalty. The research aims to provide insights into neuroplasticity development for fostering inclusive and innovative work environments.

Staff Matters: Assessing Health Benefits For Lgbtq+ Employees, Jodi Schafer Sphr, Shrm-Scp

The Journal of the Michigan Dental Association

To support LGBTQ+ employees, understand your health benefits by asking key questions about domestic partner coverage, mental health benefits, transgender healthcare, IVF, and surrogacy coverage, and identifying LGBTQ+-friendly providers. Regularly check in with staff to ensure benefits meet their needs and consider making changes if necessary. Proactively share benefit information throughout the year to enhance employee recruitment, retention, and engagement.

Hiring Practices In Black Nonprofit Organizations: Servant Leadership And The Employee Experience, Whitley Dozier

Doctor of Education Dissertations

This dissertation examined the impact of servant leadership within a Black nonprofit organization facing hiring challenges, particularly during organizational growth. The study explored how the leadership style of an executive leader influences employee experiences at a Black nonprofit organization. Using a mixed methods approach, quantitative and qualitative data were collected to assess employee perceptions of servant leadership and its effects on various aspects of their employment journey, including hiring, onboarding, professional learning, personal development, and opportunities for career advancement. By investigating these dynamics, the study sought to contribute to a deeper understanding of how servant leadership and robust human resource …

The Influence Of Leadership Communication On Employee Engagement During Transformational Change: A Case Study Of 123bank, Myrian Barron Garrett

Human Resource Development Theses and Dissertations

This study aimed to understand employee perspectives on how leadership communication efforts impact employee engagement in an organization undergoing transformational change. Kotter’s change management model served as the framework and support for this study. One research question was developed to guide this study, and the qualitative case study approach was used. Data was collected through semi-structured interviews with 26 study participants. The researcher found that most participants had a negative perspective on their leader’s communication efforts during transformational change. Eight main categories were identified, with two to three coded themes each. The findings cannot be generalized to other organizations and …

Coworkers And Leaders: The Relationship Between Trustworthiness, Trust, And Employee Engagement, Lianne Young

Dissertations

A highly engaged workforce provides numerous organizational and individual benefits (Shuck et al., 2016), the culmination of which leads to a competitive advantage difficult to emulate (Burke et al., 2013). It remains challenging to understand how engagement develops, with little research available explaining the process (Shuck, 2020). High employee engagement levels provide a competitive advantage, but stagnant engagement levels remain a significant obstacle (Shuck, 2020).

Shuck (2020) recommends further research focusing on methods to increase engagement. Trustworthiness and trust are antecedents and drivers of engagement (Chughtai & Buckley, 2008; Federman, 2010; SHRM, 2017). A lack of trust has negative impacts …

The Effects Of Positive Leadership Behaviors And Organizational Justice On Employee Engagement, Felicia A. Long

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Increasing employee engagement has been a challenge for many organizations in recent years, especially in America. Most research has focused on organizational factors related to engagement; few have explored interactional issues from a positive leadership perspective. This study sought to contribute to research on engagement by exploring its relationship with fairness and trust This study viewed fairness from the perspective interactional justice, as defined by the interactional justice scale of Colquitt’s Organizational Justice Scale (OJS). This study also viewed trust from the perspective of leader trustworthiness, a positive leadership attribute. The purpose of this quantitative study was to examine the …

What Does It Look Like For Mental Healthcare Organizations To Be Healthy Places To Work? An Action Research Study, Stephanie L. Fox

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

Mental healthcare organizations have a reputation for being unhealthy places to work. The irony of this reputation is keenly felt by its workforce who report unsustainable workloads, high levels of stress, and lack of support or engagement from higher-level leadership. As a mental healthcare provider now in a position of leadership, who has worked across all levels of care within the sector, it was of interest to me to explore how a mental health organization can become a healthier and more sustainable place to work. I approached this study with the assumption that if an organization was healthy and intentional …

The Impact Of The Covid-19 Pandemic On Employee Engagement And Performance In The Teleworking Context In The U.S. Public Sector: A Phenomenological Case Study, Elizabeth Nesuda

Human Resource Development Theses and Dissertations

The global shift to telework during the COVID-19 pandemic has redefined work environments and created challenges and opportunities for the public sector. This study addressed a significant gap in the existing literature by exploring the relationship between employee engagement and performance in the context of COVID-19. This study explores employee engagement and performance in teleworking environments within the federal public sector. This study adopted a phenomenological case study design focused on understanding the experiences of public sector employees who shifted to telework during the COVID-19 pandemic. Research and interview questions were developed to uncover employee engagement and performance experiences in …

Staff Matters: Do You Have Quiet Quitters In Your Practice?, Jodi Schafer Sphr, Shrm-Scp

The Journal of the Michigan Dental Association

In the post-COVID workplace, "quiet quitting" has become a concerning issue where employees meet basic job requirements but lack motivation. This behavior includes a reluctance to take on extra tasks or provide input. To address it, communicate with the affected employees, inquire about their well-being, and assess whether the cause is work-related or personal. Fostering appreciation, connection to the practice's goals, and open feedback can help re-engage employees. Regular one-on-one meetings promote relationships and demonstrate care for their success, improving morale and engagement.

Workplace Fun For Employee Engagement: A Function Of Organizational Culture?, Lacey Logan

Human Resource Development Theses and Dissertations

Workplace fun is an organizational phenomenon intended to bring cheerfulness and joviality to employees’ daily work-related interactions. Because of its uplifting nature, workplace fun is prevalent in numerous organizations. A great number of employees have experienced some aspect of having fun at work. This actuality makes the concept of having fun at work familiar to most employees. HRD practitioners use workplace fun to engage employees. However, research has associated workplace fun with employee disengagement as well. Organizational culture potentially explains the different effects of workplace fun on employee engagement. Organizations with clan cultures have a family-like feel. Contrastingly, hierarchy cultures …

Improving Employee Performance And Job Satisfaction Using Comprehensive Job Descriptions And Performance Evaluations, Jeffrey A. Bishop

IPS/BAS 495 Undergraduate Capstone Projects

Employees who are provided clear expectations—including goals and objectives—with ongoing performance feedback, can realize improved performance and job satisfaction. Performance feedback should be specific and include actions the employee excels at, in addition to areas he or she needs to improve on (United States Office of Personnel Management, 2022). Research has shown that regular feedback can help provide direction, motivate, encourage engagement, and improve the performance of employees. Research has also shown that the absence of job descriptions can lead to employee dissatisfaction and an inability of management to adequately appraise the performance of their employees (Raju & Banerjee, 2017).

The Relationship Between Social Isolation, Telecommuting Intensity Levels, Autonomy, And Job Satisfaction During The Covid-19 Pandemic, Kristy Williams

Dissertations

The COVID-19 pandemic forced workplaces to social distance, and millions of workers began telecommuting or working from home (Kniffin et al., 2021). Becker (2002) stated, “How well companies manage their human capital is a crucial factor in their success (p. 8).” The pandemic has profoundly affected human capital (Ballotpedia, 2021; Collings et al., 2021; Jesuthasan et al., 2020; Kniffin et al., 2021). This study examined the relationship between social isolation, telecommuting intensity levels, autonomy, and job satisfaction during the COVID-19 pandemic. The researcher attempted to answer the research question and objectives by conducting a quantitative correlation study using a survey …

How Positive Practices In Organizations Are Associated With Employee Engagement Via The Moderating Effects Of Generational Cohorts In U.S. Customer Service Organizations, Deborah A. Poole

Theses & Dissertations

The purpose of this study is to examine the moderating role that the respective workforce generational cohorts may have on the relationship between positive practices in organizations and levels of employee engagement of U.S. based adult customer service representatives of all races. Studies show that higher employee engagement positively affects employee motivation, satisfaction, productivity, and ultimately the financial success of the organization. However, the levels of engagement for front line customer service positions are some of the lowest of occupations measured by Gallup and have actually declined in recent years. The broaden and build theory of positive emotions shows that …

The Perceived Differences In Employee Engagement Through Multiple Generations In The Workplace: An Hr Perspective, Ashley Dawson

Senior Honors Theses

Generational differences in the workplace are a perceived challenge that can present hidden opportunities. The workplace currently consists of four generations shaped by the political, social, and economic environments that marked their formative years. These generational differences have resulted in differing workplace values. Employee engagement balances productivity in one’s job with enjoyment in one’s work, optimizing both employee satisfaction and organizational outcomes. The key to engaging employees lies in the meaning each employee finds in the work environment and job functions. This paper aims to address whether or not engagement is affected by generational differences in the workplace and how …

Two-Way Mentoring: How Employees Can Learn From One Another, Peeyush Gupta, Michelle D. Steward, James A. Narus, D.V.R Seshadri

Asian Management Insights

Vibrant cross-generational interactions can result in strong relationships being formed, as demonstrated in the case of Tata Steel Ltd.

Employee Age And The Impact On Work Engagement, Robin Roberts

Publications

Purpose – Employee engagement studies are popular in contemporary research because of the complexity organizations face in nurturing the performance and productivity of multigenerations of workers. The purpose of the current study is to assess association of age and dimensions of work engagement.

Design/methodology/approach - In total 181 participants completed the Utrecht Work Engagement Scale (UWES) to measure work engagement including the dimensions of absorption, vigor and dedication as well as demographics. One way ANOVA and post hoc tests were conducted to examine the relationship between age and work engagement.

Findings: Employees 50 years of age and older were …

Understanding Employee Engagement: A Mixed-Methods Study, Joren M. Scharn

Theses & Dissertations

For over 4 decades businesses around the world have been conducting employee satisfaction surveys at regular intervals and this surfaced a strong positive relationship between employee satisfaction, customer satisfaction, and overall company performance. In recent years however, academics and researchers have reopened the debate on whether employee or job satisfaction metrics are in fact reliable indicators of productivity, suggesting that employee engagement has a far stronger correlation to productivity. This study addresses two interrelated problems that are associated with a practice that is common in working environments all over the world. According to literature, it is generally accepted that (a) …

The Relationship Between Employee Engagement And Work Performance For Individuals Working In Active Asset Management: Examining The Moderate Effect Of Age, Gender, And Job Function., Elizabeth Aubrey Brenner

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The construct of employee engagement and its relationship to desirable organizational outcomes has received a great deal of attention within Human Resource Development (HRD) literature. However, little research has examined the influence of employee engagement on work performance in the active asset management industry, and no academic study has explored employee engagement in the active asset management industry using the lens of HRD. This study examined the relationship between employee engagement and work performance, and the moderating effect of age, gender, and job function on the relationship between employee engagement and work performance, for individuals employed within active asset management. …