Engagement at Work: Beyond the Hype Via An Evidence-Based Approach Denise M. Rousseau Carnegie Mellon University

What Social Science and Management Research Says Engagement is… Simultaneous employment and expression of a person’s preferred self in task behaviors that promote connections to work and others, personal presence (physical cognitive and emotional) and active full performances (W.A. Kahn) Engagement is measured as… Vigor, dedication, absorption (Salanova et al.)

Why HR Cares: Engagement’s Effects* Individual Higher Job Satisfaction** Lower Absenteeism Lower Turnover Higher Job Performance Higher Commitment Group or Team Morale Cohesion Rapport Service Climate Customer Loyalty Company Productivity** Profitability** *(See Salanova et al, 2005 for evidence, other citations, etc. unless otherwise noted) ** (Harter et al. 2002)

Helping People to be Fully Present: How to Create Engagement Add Critical Resources Training Autonomy Enabling Technology (to informate routine tasks) Remove Obstacles Physical stressors excessive hours, travel lack of exercise, poor diet Psychological inauthentic conduct (secrecy, informal politics, mixed messages) & unmanageable conflicts (time, goals, work/home

Engagement and Information Processing Full engaged people are mindful… Using more of their intelligence (cognitive, emotional, physical dexterity) in accomplishing a task Processing information more completely via the two types of information processing 1. Automatic/Existing learning: established categories and scripts (for routine situations) 2. Systematic/New learning: creating new categories, ways of behaving, and standards

An Exemplar of an Engaged Organization: FEDEX High competency at established routines 99.9% on time service via highly informated work system (who designed it?) High flexibility in face of new demands The late payroll (who handles customer exceptions?) How is it FEDEX workers can do both?

Bottom-Line A positive workplace Development and use of their valued skills A compelling future (their career and family well-being is enhanced)

Sources Kenneth G. Brown (2005) An Examination of the Structure and Nomological Network of Trainee Reactions: A Closer Look at "Smile Sheets." Journal of AppliedPsychology September 2005 Vol. 90, No. 5, James K. Harter, Frank L. Schmidt & Theodore L. Hayes (2002) Business-Unit-Level Relationship Between Employee Satisfaction, Employee Engagement, and Business Outcomes A Meta- Analysis. Journal of Applied Psychology April 2002 Vol. 87, No. 2, R.E. Johnson, C-H Chang & R.G. Lord (2006) Moving from cognition to behavior: What the research says. Psychological Bulletin, 2006, 132, W.A. Kahn (1990). Psychological conditions of personal engagement and disengagement at work. Academy of Management Journal, Vol 33, 1990, W.A. Kahn (1992). To be fully there: Psychological presence at work., Human Relations, Vol 45, 1992, Marisa Salanova, Sonia Agut, and Jose Maria Peiró (2005) Linking Organizational Resources and Work Engagement to Employee Performance and Customer Loyalty The Mediation of Service Climate. Journal of Applied Psychology November 2005 Vol. 90, No. 6,