Flourishing at Work/Engagement

Erum, H., Abid, G., & Contreras, F. (2020). The calling of employees and work engagement: The role of flourishing at work. Business, Management and Education, 18, 14–32. https://discovery.ebsco.com/c/4ax45t/viewer/pdf/adp7bilyzr 
Recruitment and Retention:

• Gaining a competitive advantage involves recruiting and retaining capable, dedicated, and engaged employees.

• Work Engagement:

  • Improves employee performance, organizational effectiveness, job satisfaction, commitment, and lowers absenteeism and turnover intentions.

  • Facilitates business growth, increases productivity, adaptability, creativity, and profitability.

• Drivers of Employee Engagement:

  • Personal vision, positive mood, emotional intelligence, positive organizational support, job characteristics, rewards, positive feedback, good relationships with colleagues and supervisors, training, and growth opportunities.

• Calling at Work:

  • Fulfills core values at work, making work a meaningful mission.

  • Unique to each person, involves identifying with work, expressing passion, and experiencing self and outer congruence.

  • Leads to a perfect fit between job requirements and individual aptitude, talent, and interest.

  • Results in a clearer work goal orientation and stronger commitment for self-actualization.

• Mediator Role: Flourishing at Work:

  • Mediates the relationship between calling at work and work engagement.

• Work Engagement:

  • Psychological presence, attention, absorption, and energy devoted to work-related activities.

  • Involves physical and cognitive components.

• Job vs. Career Differentiation:

  • Job: For making money.

  • Career: Focused on progression and self-actualization.

• Positive Outcomes of Calling at Work:

  • Higher satisfaction, reduced absenteeism, greater passion, lower depression and stress.

• Self-Determination Theory:

  • Emphasizes intrinsic motivation and its connection to work engagement.

  • Flourishing employees are self-motivated, successful, and continuously learning at the workplace.

• Flourishing Employees:

  • Thriving with positive mindset, enjoyment, contentment, and absence of negative emotions.

  • Eudemonic aspect focuses on functioning, authenticity, meaning, growth, and excellence.

  • Called individuals recognize their purpose, are intrinsically motivated, and contribute positively to work.

• Affective Events Theory:

  • Work events can provoke positive emotions and moods, enhancing job satisfaction and performance.

• Study Findings:

  • Called employees are better engaged, contributing to society, with enhanced self-efficacy, higher confidence levels, and better job performance.

  • Flourishing and work engagement mediate the relationship between calling and work engagement.

  • Enhances congruence between interests, skills, and job position, leading to greater satisfaction and reduced frustration.

• Managerial Implications:

  • Managers should shape employee work orientation to view work as useful, enjoyable, and satisfying.

  • Calling orientation is crucial in recruiting.

  • Consider psychological capital, organizational support, and supervisory behaviors in shaping work engagement.