Can Corporate Sustainability Influence Employee Engagement?

Abstract

The global financial meltdown of 2008 has left many developing countries still trying to rebuild their economies and their labour forces. The aftermaths of the recession have inspired more businesses to incorporate sustainability into their business strategies. The sluggish growth, low productivity and other social, environmental and organizational factors have had an effect on the workforce. The unprecedented effects and outcome of disengagement worldwide have called leaders to find various initiatives to improve employee engagement. Rabid competition, coupled with the global figures of employee engagement has continued to attract both scholars and industry. The arguments put forward in this conceptual paper is meant to generate awareness as well as inspire further research into understanding how corporate sustainability might influence engagement of employees.

Making Organizations Sustainable Through Employee Participation: An Analysis of Factors and Their Interactions

“…Previous studies have generally focused on EP for sustainability in companies, for example, on the influence of corporate social responsibility on EP [23], [44], [46], on EP in sustainability initiatives [47], EP for corporate sustainability [48], and on the effect of corporate sustainability on EP [49]. There have been some studies on EP for sustainability in CSOs, in particular analyzing the importance of EP in higher education institutions (HEIs) [50], [51], [52] and staff engagement to develop sustainability competencies in HEIs [53].…”

“…3) engagement [61]; 4) incentives [54], [59], [62]; 5) employee volunteering [63], [64]; 6) diversity and inclusion [49], [65],…”

“…Employees' perception of sustainability in the organization affects their commitment to the organization [49]. Organizations develop strategies (voluntary actions, workplace sustainability programs, and encouraging employees to voluntarily participate in sustainability programs) to foster their employees [47].…”

“…Diversity and inclusion are significant factors influencing the sustainability performance of organizations [49], [56]. The viability and sustainability of an organization increasingly depend on its diversity and inclusive policies [76].…”