Flourishing at Work/Engagement

Owned by Darlene Edgar
Nov 23, 2023
2 min read

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.