HRD challenges when faced by disengaged UK workers

Abstract

Purpose – This paper seeks to consider employees' perceptions of engagement from their lived experiences of UK employees following the global credit crisis, post 2008. It draws from the prior studies of Hassard et al. (2009), which researched work practices in the period preceding the study. Design/methodology/approach – The research utilised focus group discussion, which was analysed by template analysis from an interpretive perspective and adopts narratives to facilitate a critical interpretive paradigm. Findings – There is clear evidence of theories surrounding the positive value of employee engagement, however the findings do not demonstrate that it is necessarily valued by UK management by their responses towards the work environment given post 2008 trading conditions. Research limitations/implications – The limitation of the study lies with the size of the sample participating. While this reflects the need for further future research to be undertaken, the study also recognises that the findings are determined by the perceptions of employees which may not reflect the intentions of the management within the organisations which they work. Originality/value – There is a dearth of empirical study into the post 2008 period. This research attempts to ground theories of engagement within the post global credit crunch timeframe.

Work disengagement: A review of the literature

“…Regardless of workers' personal preferences, those who receive feedback and support from their supervisors are less disengaged from their work (Collie et al, 2018;Petrou & Demerouti, 2010). Lack of validation, communication, guidance, and caring from supervisors, however, result in employees disengaging from their work or the organization (Kahn, 1990;Keeble-Ramsay & Armitage, 2014;Shuck et al, 2011;Smith et al, 2013) to maintain and protect their positive self-image. As a result, employees with supervisors who support a balanced work-life relationship experience higher wellbeing and are less disengaged and exhausted (Koch & Binnewies, 2015).…”

Contextualising employee engagement in crisis: a protective caring approach to employee engagement in the banking sector in Bosnia and Herzegovina

“…In times of crisis, additional contextual ambiguities become apparent (Arrowsmith and Parker, 2013). Studies on employee engagement in crises mainly highlight negative effects, e.g., elevated stress levels and workloads (Keeble-Ramsay and Armitage, 2014); social or psychological distancing (Caligiuri et al ., 2020); changes in work environments and increased uncertainty (Carnevale and Hatak, 2020) or issues with balancing work and care obligations (Arora and Suri, 2020). This can lead to disconnectedness, a lack in motivation and negative effects on wellbeing (e.g., Li et al ., 2020).…”

Effect of Employer-Employee Relationship on Employee Engagement and Task Performance

“…The employer-employee relationship is one of the dominant management practices and is achieved only through mutual understanding and sharing among both parties. It is one of the governing factors having the potential to decide the fate of organization (Wilkinson et al, 2014;Sparrow & Makram, 2015;Keeble-Ramsay & Armitage, 2014;Persson & Wasieleski, 2015). It was proven by many of the researchers that the majority of the goals are achieved only due to effective relationships between employer-employee, but it is a double-edged sword, which can exhibit both positive and negative sides.…”