Employee engagement of engineers in South Africa : antecedent and outcome variables

Abstract

This quantitative, cross-sectional correlational research (n = 461) examined the relationship between the antecedent variables - job fit, affective commitment and psychological climate - to employee engagement. Furthermore the relationship between employee engagement and the outcome variables intention to turnover and discretionary effort was examined. The sample consisted of engineers in South Africa and a self-administered internet survey was used to collect data on the six constructs. A bivariate correlational analysis and hierarchical linear regression analysis was conducted to test the hypotheses. The antecedent variables were found to have a significant positive correlation with employee engagement. Employee engagement was found to have a significant negative correlation with intention to turnover, while it had a significant positive correlation with discretionary effort. From the hierarchical linear regression it was found that affective commitment and the psychological climate subscale, recognition, predicted 48% of the variance in intention to turnover. In terms of discretionary effort is was found that the psychological climate subscales - contribution, recognition and challenge - and the two employee engagement subscales - physical and cognitive engagement - predicted 45% of the variance in discretionary effort. The findings of this research adds to the Human Resource Development theory and provides practical suggestions for managers who wish to cultivate an engaged workforce that ultimately leads to lower intention to turnover and a higher level of discretionary effort.