Predictors of Employee Engagement and their Contribution to Organizational Success

Abstract

Employee engagement refers to an individual’s level of motivation and how he or she may use this motivation to benefit their organization. The factors that determine employee engagement and the predictors that companies use to motivate their employees were different several decades ago and will likely continue to change as time passes. This is mainly due to the constant changes in the world in which we live, such as advancements in technology and changing attitudes towards the workplace (Twenge, 2010). Predictors are perceived differently across generations, and knowing about these differences, organizations are more aware of the predictors that are relevant to their employees and will be able to keep them more satisfied and motivated, which contributes to organizational success. Predictors of employee engagement studied include: individual factors (benefits and rewards, income expectations, personal use of internet in the workplace, and role clarity), and relationship factors (recognition and appreciation from supervisors and coworkers, coworker relationships and communication among workplace staff). Research has looked at how people from different generations desire different things to keep them engaged at work. Some seem to be more important to Millennials entering the workplace than to Baby Boomers, for example. Current research focused on employed college students and individuals, to see how the perception of these different predictors varies between them. Data was collected via an online survey assessing each individual’s perceptions about several engagement predictors and the effects they have on organizational commitment, job satisfaction and turnover intentions.