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Generating employee engagement in a public-private partnership: management communication activities and employee experiences

Lookup NU author(s): Dr Stefanie ReissnerORCiD, Dr Victoria PaganORCiD

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Abstract

Much of existing research on employee engagement is deficient in examining organizational actors’ lived experiences of organizational engagement activities. This article, deriving from qualitative research in a public-private partnership organization, contributes to the current understanding of how employee engagement is generated through management communication activities seeking to promote engagement and employees’ responses thereto. Drawing also on the literatures on organizational change, communication and culture, our research demonstrates that (1) managers use both directive and discursive means of communication to create an environment in which employees may wish to engage and (2) employees respond positively to such communication as it makes them feel valued and involved, which enhances their propensity to engage with the organization. However, contrary to widespread assumptions in the literature, the generation of employee engagement is far from straightforward; employees have an active role to participate in the engagement activities offered by managers.

Publication metadata

Author(s): Reissner SC, Pagan V

Publication type: Article

Publication status: Published

Journal: International Journal of Human Resource Management

Year: 2013

Volume: 24

Issue: 14

Pages: 2741-2759

Online publication date: 11/02/2013

Date deposited: 24/10/2014

ISSN (print): 0958-5192

ISSN (electronic): 1466-4399

Publisher: Routledge

URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/09585192.2013.765497

DOI: 10.1080/09585192.2013.765497

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