The three dimensions of engagement
| Pages | 14-15 |
| Date | 01 January 2005 |
| DOI | https://doi.org/10.1108/14754390580000588 |
| Published date | 01 January 2005 |
| Subject Matter | HR & organizational behaviour |
14 Volume 4 Issue 2 January/February 2005
RESEARCH AND RESULTS
,
A look at current trends and data
,
,
about their company? Is there an
emotional “bond” which makes them
proud to be a part of the
organization and recommend it as an
employer?
3. Behavioral; how do employees act in
relation to their company? Do they
exert the maximum effort in their
work; and do they intend to stay with
the organization through successes
and setbacks?
Each of these dimensions must be
present, to some degree, to achieve high
levels of engagement and fully realize
the benefits for the company. But each
dimension isn’t equally important to all
organizations. Their relative importance
will vary depending on industry sector,
strategic priorities, country of operation
and the performance measurements
that are critical to success in its
particular environment. A company
needs to understand the interplay
between the three dimensions within
the context of its own internal and
external environment if it wants to
increase employee
A
global survey into employee
engagement by ISR, the
international research
consultancy, highlights global variations
in employees’ commitment to their
employers. The report illustrates that
one size doesn’t fit all when it comes to
motivating employees to contribute to
their company’s success. Organizations
must adapt to different cultural values
and norms to attract, motivate and
retain staff.
The survey of almost 160,000
employees found that Brazil and the US
showed the highest overall level of
engagement (both 75 percent),
followed by the Netherlands (72
percent), the UK and Singapore (both
66 percent), Hong Kong (65 percent)
and France (59 percent).
Engagement is described and
defined in terms of three dimensions:
1. Cognitive; what do employees think
about their company? Do they believe
in and support the organization’s
goals, objectives and values?
2. Affective; what do employees feel
The three dimensions of engagement
CLOs challenged to prove business impact
Shared visions and values build a culture of success
Visit ISR’s Web site for more information:
www.isrinsight.com
MORE INFORMATION
h
•empowerment; and
•image.
These issues provide leaders with a
framework for understanding the basic
workplace concerns that affect
engagement around the world.
Cultural variations
Examining the different dimensions by
country, variations emerge which
underscore the importance of cultural
variations when it comes to
understanding engagement.
UK employees’ engagement derives
more from a cognitive acceptance of
their company’s objectives and ways of
achieving them than it does from any
emotional attachment to its purposes
and practices. Employees in Brazil,
however, have particularly high levels
of affective engagement. Their
identification with their companies is
based more upon strong feelings of
emotional attachment than upon a
cerebral endorsement of their
organization’s goals and values.
Employees in the US have the
highest levels of cognitive engagement.
They are more likely to believe in the
organization’s goals and accept its
values, more likely to contribute above
and beyond what’s required in their
jobs, and feel their company inspires
them to do so.
ENGAGEMENT
Career development
Opportunity for
personal development
Image
Endorsement of company
products and services
Career development
Effective management
of talent
Empowerment
Employee involvement
in decision making
Leadership
Respectful treatment
of employees
Leadership
Company’s standards
of ethical behavior
Leadership
Clarity of
company values
engagement.
ISR’s study identified
four issues as global
aspects of engagement
(see Figure 1, left) to
which employees will
respond and from which
shareholders and
corporate stakeholders
will benefit:
•career development;
•leadership;
Figure 1. Core issues identified by ISR influencing employee engagement
,
© Melcrum Publishing Ltd. 2005. For more information, go to www.melcrum.com or e-mail info@melcrum.com
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