Exploring Different Operationalizations of Employee Engagement and Their Relationships With Workplace Stress and Burnout

Abstract

Many empirical studies of employee engagement show positive relationships with desirable work‐related outcomes, yet a consistent understanding of the construct remains elusive (Saks & Gruman, 2014). We propose that this lack of clarity is leading to an increased risk that employee engagement is becoming overly generalized and that, as a consequence, its utility in both theory and practice is compromised. Indeed, our study of 472 information technology (IT) professionals working in community hospitals reveals that, even though the two measures of employee engagement examined in this study are conceptually based on Kahn's (1990) needs‐satisfaction framework, they are nomologically different, evidence different predictive properties (with regard to workplace stress and burnout), and suggest different workplace interventions. As hypothesized, both measures of employee engagement reveal negative relationships with workplace stress, and burnout has a mediating effect on those relationships. Further, the relationships are significantly different, but these differences are understood only when examining the dimensional levels of each engagement measure. Our findings also clarify the highly debated relationship between employee engagement and burnout and challenge those engagement measures that are conceptually grounded in a burnout‐antithesis framework. Implications and avenues for future research are presented.

How to improve ship crew’s work effectiveness through the leadership style, work life balance and employee engagement in Indonesia national shipping

“…In Philippines, a study shows that improvements in human resource management practices, particularly in the areas of reward management, yielded positive and significant change in the level of employee engagement. Presbitero (2016) and Anthony-McMann et al (2017) clarify the highly debated relationship between employee engagement and burnout and challenge of those engagement measures that are conceptually grounded in a burnout-antithesis framework. Implications and avenues for future research were presented by Anthony-McMann et al (2017).…”

“…Presbitero (2016) and Anthony-McMann et al (2017) clarify the highly debated relationship between employee engagement and burnout and challenge of those engagement measures that are conceptually grounded in a burnout-antithesis framework. Implications and avenues for future research were presented by Anthony-McMann et al (2017). Employee engagement represents a work-related state of art characterized by feelings of vigor, fulfillment, enthusiasm, absorption and dedication (Eldor & Vigoda-Gadot, 2017).…”

Examining the Effects of Cultural Value Orientations, Emotional Intelligence, and Motivational Orientations: How do LMX Mediation and Gender-Based Moderation Make a Difference?

“…There are many antecedents to CWBs, such as individual differences (Palmer et al, 2017), job experiences, work stressors (Welbourne and Sariol, 2017), and more. To indicate a negative exemplar, we examined work burnout, which is usually described as a psychological state related to stress over time and is composed of (a) emotional exhaustion, (b) experienced distance from others (depersonalization), and (c) feelings of reduced personal accomplishment/efficacy associated with a variety of negative outcomes (Anthony-McMann et al, 2017). Moreover, burnout may also be affected by individual differences, job experiences, and work stressors (e.g., Nahrgang et al, 2011;Tziner et al, 2018;Rabenu et al, 2019;Tziner et al, 2019a).…”

Occupational Burnout and its Relation to Academic Staff Performance at Al Ain University, college of education (evaluation study)

“…Besides, Anthony-McMann al., (2017) aimed to identify the impact of stress and occupational burnout on the occupational performance in various workplaces. The results showed that job stress led to occupational burnout and employees became unable to achieve perfect results.…”