This document provides an overview of employee engagement from an evidence-based management perspective. It discusses the rise of employee engagement in practice and explores some key questions about what engagement means, how it can be measured, whether it predicts important outcomes, and if/how it can be improved. However, the document finds there is little high-quality evidence available to answer these important practical questions about engagement. It cautions that management fads and biases can influence practices more than evidence, and highlights the need for more rigorous research on engagement.
Evidence-Based HR Management: What is it and what can we do about it?
Alison Eyring
Presentation to IO/Occupational/ Work Psychology Community
18 March, 2013 (Singapore)
The PPT describes the Concept of evidence based human resource management (EBHRM), viz, the meaning and definition, How EBHRM is used?., Why EBHRM?., Good EBHM Practices and the qualities of an EBHRM Practiotioner.
In Chuck Norris we trust - A3 thinking introHanno Jarvet
How to get rid of assumptions, egos and opinions and base your change initiatives on data instead. A3 thinking allows you to craft strategies for change and improvement. Here is a short overview of how to do it.
Evidence-Based HR Management: What is it and what can we do about it?
Alison Eyring
Presentation to IO/Occupational/ Work Psychology Community
18 March, 2013 (Singapore)
The PPT describes the Concept of evidence based human resource management (EBHRM), viz, the meaning and definition, How EBHRM is used?., Why EBHRM?., Good EBHM Practices and the qualities of an EBHRM Practiotioner.
In Chuck Norris we trust - A3 thinking introHanno Jarvet
How to get rid of assumptions, egos and opinions and base your change initiatives on data instead. A3 thinking allows you to craft strategies for change and improvement. Here is a short overview of how to do it.
Design Thinking for Aviation Safety by Dr. Benjamin GoodheartRodrigo Narcizo
Article by Dr. Benjamin Goodheart for Aviation Business Journal | 4th Quarter 2016
Original link: https://static1.squarespace.com/static/59023408197aea7f140106fe/t/5944289a725e25b9d8ec6cd8/1497639069346/Design+thinking+for+aviation+safety.pdf
In this go-go digital age, it seems anxiety about all kinds of things - time, delivery, involvement - is rampant. There are times in projects when a little anxiety can be helpful, but there are also times when it can be harmful. Get some tips for knowing when to leverage it to motivate others and recognizing when it’s counterproductive.
Review of research techniques used for understanding patient experiences, building stronger brands, and monitoring touchpoint performance for service recovery.
Cognitive psychology and design, they are two closely related fields. Cognitive bias should be a powerful tool in the designer’s belt. Because we can take advantage of it.
Human factors in soccer, Communication in an Adversarial SettingLarry Paul
Too often soccer is reduced to simple technological fixes for complex human problems. This presentation looks at the human factors in the game through the lens of wildland fire fighting. A field that’s deadly serious, rigorously studied, debated with much to offer the game. Yet soccer is much more complex then wildland fire fighting. It’s an adversarial activity and must move a step beyond the lessons here.
Systematic review and evidence-based work and organizational psychology
Presentation by Prof. Rob Briner
17th congress of the European Association of Work and Organizational Psychology, Oslo
May 20, 2015
Key Note of the EHMA 2016 Annual Conference in Porto
In this key note, Rob Briner and Eric Barends from the Center for Evidence Based Management will discuss the basic principles of EBMgt and consider why while most people agree with the principles of EBMgt, few organisations are able to take advantage of its potential benefits. Utilising interactive social media tools
Rob and Eric will demonstrate how EBMgt can be used to separate the wheat from the chaff.
Design Thinking for Aviation Safety by Dr. Benjamin GoodheartRodrigo Narcizo
Article by Dr. Benjamin Goodheart for Aviation Business Journal | 4th Quarter 2016
Original link: https://static1.squarespace.com/static/59023408197aea7f140106fe/t/5944289a725e25b9d8ec6cd8/1497639069346/Design+thinking+for+aviation+safety.pdf
In this go-go digital age, it seems anxiety about all kinds of things - time, delivery, involvement - is rampant. There are times in projects when a little anxiety can be helpful, but there are also times when it can be harmful. Get some tips for knowing when to leverage it to motivate others and recognizing when it’s counterproductive.
Review of research techniques used for understanding patient experiences, building stronger brands, and monitoring touchpoint performance for service recovery.
Cognitive psychology and design, they are two closely related fields. Cognitive bias should be a powerful tool in the designer’s belt. Because we can take advantage of it.
Human factors in soccer, Communication in an Adversarial SettingLarry Paul
Too often soccer is reduced to simple technological fixes for complex human problems. This presentation looks at the human factors in the game through the lens of wildland fire fighting. A field that’s deadly serious, rigorously studied, debated with much to offer the game. Yet soccer is much more complex then wildland fire fighting. It’s an adversarial activity and must move a step beyond the lessons here.
Systematic review and evidence-based work and organizational psychology
Presentation by Prof. Rob Briner
17th congress of the European Association of Work and Organizational Psychology, Oslo
May 20, 2015
Key Note of the EHMA 2016 Annual Conference in Porto
In this key note, Rob Briner and Eric Barends from the Center for Evidence Based Management will discuss the basic principles of EBMgt and consider why while most people agree with the principles of EBMgt, few organisations are able to take advantage of its potential benefits. Utilising interactive social media tools
Rob and Eric will demonstrate how EBMgt can be used to separate the wheat from the chaff.
Does executive coaching work? The questions every coach needs to ask and (at least try to) answer.
Rob Briner
January 9th 2013
DOP Annual Conference, Chester, UK
Big data, evidence-based, predictive analytics, today these terms are all over the place. Is this just another fad or an irreversible trend? An increasing group of HR leaders relies on science, critical thinking and data analyses to make decisions.
Evidence-based HR, however, is still perceived by many as too time-consuming, narrow or impractical. Meanwhile, evidence-based practice is becoming mainstream in many other disciplines (like medicine). This is the momentum for pioneering HR leaders to seize the opportunity and make a difference with evidence. As part of an inclusive approach, valuing different perspectives.
We will enter into the dialogue about the why, the what, and most of all the how of evidence-based HR. How to get started and how to blend it with softer, less tangible HR practices? A pragmatic introduction, with realistic ambitions and openness towards other approaches.
Rob focuses on finding ways of improving the use of evidence of various types to enhance individual and organizational decision-making in the world of work.
Evidence-Based HR Management & Systematic Reviews
PhD Consortium of the 7th International Conference of the Dutch HRM network,
Rob Briner, Eric Barends
ONE POINT OF VIEWPaul N. Friga and Richard B. ChapasMA.docxhopeaustin33688
ONE POINT OF VIEW
Paul N. Friga and Richard B. Chapas
MAKE BETTER BUSINESS DECISIONS
Decision-making in today’s environment is difficult, and
new managers in R&D and other technical positions are
often shocked at the lack of systematic decision-making
they find in their interactions with upper management
and their peers in other parts of the organization.
However, there is a well-tested source of insight into how
to improve the decision-making in business: the scien-
tific method. Although it has revolutionized our lives and
the ability to manipulate our material world, the scien-
tific method has not been widely adapted for business
executives. Nevertheless, we believe it can improve the
efficiency and effectiveness of decision-making for
executives, research managers, and business leaders in
general.
In this article, we first examine the typical decision-
making environment in organizations, highlighting the
challenges executives face in their quest for better per-
formance. Next, we introduce some of the basic tenets
from the scientific method and describe how they can
play a role in overcoming several of the key decision-
making deficiencies. We then describe a five-step
process that can assist in the implementation of scientific
method techniques in daily decision-making, illustrated
by a case study relating to new technology develop-
ment.
Challenges Executives Face
Three key macro-level elements that differentiate the
daily decision-making of today include information
overload, shareholder pressure, and shortened business
cycle time:
• The search tools in use for problem solving by execu-
tives at most companies today yield a quantity of infor-
mation that can be overwhelming. This situation has
increased the importance of knowledge management
skills to sort the data, identify what is truly relevant, and
then to create value from it.
• Shareholder pressure, a result of the rise in worldwide
capital markets, has led to a relentless drive to achieve
short-term financial results, often at the expense of long-
term considerations. A number of well-known corporate
failures may have resulted from the pressure to achieve
consistent growth at any cost.
• Finally, the time-to-market and overall business cycles
have shortened to a level unimaginable 50 years ago.
Decisions must be made faster than ever before (1).
Ultimately, decision-making is done on an individual
level. Alarmingly, much of the research suggests that
humans are extremely limited in their decision-making
Paul Friga was clinical associate professor of strategic
management at the Kelley School of Business at
Indiana University in Bloomington, Indiana, when this
article was written. He is now a professor at the
Kenen-Flager School of Business, Chapel Hill, North
Carolina. He researches strategic decision-making,
knowledge transfer, intuition, management consulting
practices, and entrepreneurship. His work has been
published in The Academy of Management Learning
and Educa.
In this closing keynote, Dr Max Blumberg will delve into the transformative power of AI and analytics in shaping the
future of local councils. Discover how AI can catalyse positive change, from enhancing public services to fostering community engagement. Learn actionable strategies to leverage data-driven insights for more effective decision making, all while keeping the community at the heart of innovation. Walk away with a renewed sense of purpose
and the tools to make a lasting impact in your organisation.
The armed forces and the NHS have superbly effective national recruitment campaigns – so why not local government? Inner Circle Consulting director Chris Twigg introduces the creators of some of the UK’s most wellregarded recruitment campaigns, to describe their strategies and the essential ingredients of success; the impact a good campaign can have, at a time when recruitment has never been more difficult; and how your ideas might shift perceptions of local government away from potholes and bins, to a shared sense of purpose and desire to have a positive impact on the world – values that connect with a huge pool of potential talent.
Headlines about inappropriate workplace behaviour are constant with perpetrators often citing “banter” as a defence. And amongst those headlines are worrying accusations that HR does not do enough or, even worse,
perpetuates the inappropriate banter and behaviour.
This is a unique opportunity to take part in an interactive session to honestly address the challenges of getting our own HR teams in order and then using that as a platform for leading change in our organisations.
Dorian is one of the most sought after speakers on his subject of Wellness and speaks all over the World for businesses and organisations that are keen to understand the impact of Corporate Wellness on their performance.
He has spoken at numerous events around the globe and provides his audiences with thought provoking tools and techniques which they can apply to both their work and home lives to enhance wellness.
The chances of another pandemic are low, but your members will likely get through other crises such as increased
demands with stagnant budgets, local crises, changes in laws or regulations, etc. This would help them lead themselves
and their teams through those situations and will help them break the paradigm they have of always staying within one
leadership framework that someone sold to them as the best. This would help them be more flexible with their approach
to find an effective solution faster.
Worker wellbeing is accepted as crucial, but organizations are unable to successfully integrate it as an operational issue.
This session will argue that whole organization approaches are needed to create healthy workplaces. Delineating what
works, for whom and in what contexts is the first step.
This interactive Masterclass introduces the CQ model and research. It will dive into a thorough understanding of ‘culture’.
This session will touch upon the relevance of cultural values, using activities to better understand team dynamics. The
content of this session is rooted in peer-reviewed research and successful practice among leading global organisations
In this session, we will provide an overview of important workforce issues and examine practical solutions and strategies
for addressing them. From recruitment and retention to training and development, we'll cover the essential elements of
building and maintaining an effective and engaged workforce.
Recent events have highlighted the power of disruption, but also our ability to adapt when the situation forces us to be
creative and think differently. So how do we adopt that same mindset and approach to changing the status quo and
perceived norms, as part of our everyday (working) life?
This session will delve into the intricacies of inclusive leadership, using Deloitte’s framework that encompasses six
crucial traits: commitment, courage, cognizance of bias, curiosity, collaboration and cultural intelligence.
In the evolving landscape of public sector leadership in the 21st century, it’s essential to equip leaders with not just
IQ and EQ but, more importantly, with Cultural Intelligence. Bernadette will shine a spotlight on the pivotal role that
CQ plays in empowering leaders to deliver more effective and inclusive services to the diverse communities they
serve.
Don't miss this opportunity to gain insights into fostering inclusive leadership qualities that go beyond conventional
measures. Join Bernadette as she navigates through the key attributes that make leaders not just capable, but
exceptional in understanding, engaging, and serving diverse populations.
The PPMA Awards serve as a platform to share and applaud the fantastic achievements that often go unnoticed. We extend our gratitude to all who entered this year; your contributions have made this celebration possible. Our judges had the pleasure of reviewing outstanding entries, and now, we are thrilled to reveal the shortlisted entries for each award category.
10% of women leave their job or pass up promotion because of menopausal symptoms. Become menopause friendly and avoid
losing talent... Perceptions around the menopause are starting to change and leading employers are taking action now. Join this
session to understand what inspirational employers are doing to become menopause friendly employers, how they’re doing it and the results they’ve experienced.
This session will give a detailed overview of the newly launched NHS Universal Family programme, which is a commitment to
support young people who are care experienced into roles in the NHS and Local Government. Launched in October 2022 by Dr
Navina Evans, the programme has the aim of supporting 1000 care leavers by 2025. The programme is being piloted in ten Integrated Care Boards across the country, in partnership with Spectra who run the Care Leaver Covenant programme, with many
signatories including Amazon, John Lewis, Universities, Banks, Sky and many others, all with the aim of providing a family of love and support to young people who have grown up in foster care or children’s homes, without access to the opportunities that others
have. As Joint Programme Director, Raffaela will talk through the rationale for setting up this national initiative and share the work to date, and also will be seeking opportunities for information sharing across the NHS and Local Government to make this programme a success.
Technology use and adoption is driving change within the public sector at pace, but are we capitalising on using this capability well? Join this session to understand how transformative technologies, digital solutions and data can be used effectively to improve place based outcomes for the people and communities we serve.
Thanks to new and emerging technologies the modern HR function can think again about how it can support the employee and the
organisation with consumer grade Employee Experiences, rich data and insights and tools that make the workforce more productive
and engaged. In this session Andi Britt will bring to life how the future is taking shape now and demonstrate some of the exponential technologies that will help employees and managers bring the best of themselves to work
For most organisations, hybrid working is here to stay. However, the relative newness of this way of working means that most organisations and their leaders are still making it up as they go along. This presentation will share the latest evidence gathered from employees across organisations of what makes the most effective hybrid leadership, as well as provide a range of practical suggestions for how to help your hybrid team realise its potential.
There is rarely a one size fits all approach to hybrid working, and this means that employees will experience it in different ways. The
personalised employee experience could be inevitable. How do we create that in a hybrid environment? Why should we even bother? In this
session we will examine how hybrid working challenges every aspect of people practice, every aspect of the employee lifecycle, and work out
what we need to do about that.
A keynote rooted in systems thinking, inspired by conscious business strategies, highlighting regenerative energy at work; all building
to a next stage organisation design.
Perry will show how to build organisational resilience, we must demonstrate, leverage and appreciate the systems of work.
Within this system, it’s people when placed in an organisational construct, that have the human value to correct imbalance. How do we
pick up on signals through symbols of emergence, understand interconnectedness, and appreciate feedback loops, amongst people?
More from PPMA - Public Sector People Managers' Association (20)
Perry Timms - Organisational Resilience and Regenerative Culture.pdf
PPMA National Service Debate at CIPD Conf 8 Nov 2012 - Rob Briner
1. Engagement, motivation and the
changing nature of the psychological
contract: A perspective on the evidence
Rob B Briner
CIPD / PPMA Private Public Service Debate – Manchester 08/11/12 1
2. Outline
An evidence-based management perspective (not much
directly about changing nature of PC and motivation)
The employee engagement explosion: What’s going on?
Multiple meanings: Why it matters if “engagement” can
means anything vaguely related to employee feelings and
motivation
Muddled measurement: What are engagement measures
really measuring and is it anything new or different?
Management myths: On the enduring appeal of the
happy-productive worker fallacy
An evidence-based management approach to engagement
(or anything)
2
2
3. What are your answers? And what is
your evidence?
1. Does engagement mean anything new or
different?
2. Can engagement be reliably measured or
assessed?
3. Does in general engagement predict
anything important?
4. Can engagement be improved or increased?
5. Does increasing engagement have any
effect?
3
3
4. The underlying logic of EBMgt
Practitioners are faced with decisions
All practitioners have limited knowledge
Our ability to process information is limited
prone to biases
Using techniques to gather more information,
evaluate its quality and relevance, and to
overcome such biases is likely to produce better
decision processes and outcomes
All practitioners already use some evidence to
some extent – this is about using more of it
more effectively
4
4
5. What do we mean by evidence and
evidence-based?
Evidence is any information that might be
relevant to making a decision
No one type or kind of evidence is
necessarily better than another – depends on
question
Legal evidence metaphor (witnesses,
statements, documents, forensic): Lots of
many types presented but all needs to be
judged for reliability and relevance
5
5
6. What is EBMgt?
Evidence-based management is about
making decisions through the
conscientious, explicit, and judicious use
of four sources of information: (1)
practitioner expertise and judgment, (2)
evidence from the local context, (3) a critical
evaluation of the best available research
evidence, and (4) the perspectives of those
people who might be affected by the
decision. (Briner, Denyer, Rousseau, 2009)
6
6
8. What about gut and intuition?
Gut and intuition is a form of evidence
Arises when experts repeat the same or
similar decisions many, many (100s of) times
with immediate feedback from situation
about effectiveness
Unconscious pattern recognition
Not typical of organizational decisions
– Longer term
– Non-programmed
– Less simple or predictable outcomes 8
8
9. So what is the best evidence about
employee engagement?
Depends on questions: Five key questions are
1. Does it mean anything new or different?
2. Can it be reliably measured or assessed?
3. Does in general it predict anything important?
4. Can it be improved or increased?
5. Does increasing it have any effect?
For these questions the worst quality evidence
is: (a) Anecdotes; (b) Expert opinions; (c) Case
studies
But these types of evidence may be extremely
useful for other types of questions
9
9
10. What evidence do you know about EE that is not
anecdotes, expert opinions, case studies…
…and answers any of these questions?
1. Does it mean anything new or different?
2. Can it be reliably measured or assessed?
3. Does in general it predict anything important?
4. Can it be improved or increased?
5. Does increasing it have any effect?
Nope, me neither (though some about 1 and 2)
What might be better evidence?
– Independent studies (not vested interests – and there
are many)
– Longitudinal (before and after)
– Intervention studies
10
10
11. In other words…
…for the most important practical questions
about whether engagement is important, if it
can be increased, and if increasing it does
anything we have no publicly available high
quality evidence that I can find
11
11
12. Why do we need it? What else is driving
decisions?
Biases in thinking and limitations of
information processing
Power of management fads and fashions
The roles of consultants
Power, politics and careers
What about due diligence, Corporate Social
Responsibility, etc? If you are not evidence-
based you’re not accountable or ethical
12
12
13. Error and biases in problem-solving and
decision-making
A bat and ball cost one pound and ten pence.
The bat costs a pound more than the ball. How
much does the ball cost?
13
13
14. Error and biases in problem-solving and
decision-making
In a lake, there is a patch of lily pads. Every day, the patch
doubles in size. If it takes 48 days for the patch to cover
the entire lake, how long would it take for the patch to
cover half of the lake?
14
14
15. Error and biases in problem-solving and
decision-making – some examples
Confirmation bias: Tendency to interpret and search for
information consistent with one’s prior beliefs
Escalating commitment: Tendency to keep investing in a course of
action because considerable investment has already been made
even if the action is failing
Availability heuristic: Tendency to overestimate likelihood of events
with greater availability in memory – “if you can think of it, it must
be important”
Anchoring effect: Tendency to rely too heavily or over-emphasize
one piece of information (e.g., wine price lists, large reductions in
price)
Framing effect: Drawing different conclusions from exactly the same
information presented in different ways (e.g., a ready meal that’s
“85% fat free” or “only 15% fat”)
Meta-cognitive bias: The belief we are immune from such biases
15
15
20. Management fads and fashions
What are they?
Some examples
What do they do?
20
20
21. Management fashions (Carson et al,
2000) are interventions that are…
subject to social contagion because they are novel
and perceived to be progressive, or preferable to
existing fashions or are perceived to be innovative,
rational, functional
aimed at improving organizational performance
either materially or symbolically through image
enhancement
motivated by a desire either to fix an existing
problem or capitalize on opportunities for
improvement
considered to be of transitory value because,
despite some acceptance no systematic research
supporting their utility emerges
21
21
22. Examples
Business process re-engineering
Total quality management
Quality circles
Talent management
Lean
Outsourcing
Employee Stock Ownership
22
22
23. Pictures of book covers were here but
removed to reduce size of file
23
23
24. Article titles: Miller et al (2004)
Stage 1 - Ascendancy: Total Quality: Wave of the
Future, Reengineering: It’s Totally Radical, Welcome
to the Revolution, The Promise of Reengineering,
How to Work Wonders, Completely.
Stage 2 – Maturity: Reengineering: The Hot New
Managing Tool, The Reengineering Rage, Warning:
This Good Idea May Become a Fad, Reengineering:
Beyond the Buzzword.
Stage 3 – Decline: Ten Reasons Why TQM
Doesn't Work, TQM: The Mystique, the Mistakes,
The Hocus-Pocus of Reengineering, Why TQM Fails
and What to Do About It.
24
24
25. How are fads a problem? (Donaldson &
Hilmer, 1998)
“The main problem…is their lack of any solid
intellectual foundation. Implicit in each fad is
a cause effect statement that is rarely made
explicit and never properly supported.”
“…management needs to evolve a sound
body of knowledge and clear language that
will assist members of the profession to
reason cogently. Faddism is the enemy of
this professionalism.”
25
25
27. Following fads and fashions is a human
urge
In retrospect can we identify management
fads?
Why did we follow them?
– Dangers of best practice
– Dangers of benchmarking practices
What happened to them?
Kitchen equipment analogy…
27
27
29. How to detect a management fad — eight
warning signs (Miller et al, 2004)
1. Simple, straightforward: A fad’s ideas are easy to communicate,
comprehend, and reduce to a small number of factors, dimensions, or
characteristics. Clear-cut distinctions, perfect contrasts, and ideal types
are proposed. Simple solutions are suggested.
2. Promising results: Fad auteurs are confidently didactic. There is no
false humility or hedging. Fads promise results such as greater control
and efficiency, more motivated and productive workers, more satisfied
customers, or some other valued result.
3. Universal: Fads propose solutions for everyone. Imparted truths are
said to apply to almost all organizations, functions, tasks, individuals, or
cultures. Fads claim enormous generality and universal relevance.
4. Step-down capability: Fads have the capacity to be implemented in
ritualistic and superficial ways. Recommendations can be implemented
quickly and easily, often without having much effect on organizational
practices. Recommendations involving large expenditures of resources or
substantial redistributions of power can be avoided.
29
29
30. How to detect a management fad — eight
warning signs (Miller et al, 2004)
5. In tune with zeitgeist: Fads resonate with the major trends or perceived
business problems of the day. Respond to challenges that are broadly felt
and openly discussed. Solutions are in tune with prevailing values.
6. Novel, not radical: Fads are novel, not radical. They question existing
assumptions, criticize widespread practices, and point to fresh new ways of
doing things. However, this novelty is not so much a new discovery as a
rediscovery and repackaging of older ideas, values, and approaches.
7. Legitimacy via gurus and star examples: Fads are supported by tales
of excellent companies and the status and prestige of gurus, not by solid
empirical evidence. Stories of corporate heroes and organizational
successes provide role models and suggest prestigious adherents, lending
an aura of legitimacy to the ideas being espoused.
8. Lively, entertaining: Fads are almost always presented in a way that can
be described as concrete, articulate, bold, memorable and upbeat. They are
filled with labels and buzzwords, lists and acronyms. Interesting anecdotes
and corporate war stories abound. Descriptions are vivid and extreme,
making fads fun to read about and listen to.
30
30
31. The role of consultants
Translators of research evidence?
Brokers or sellers of management fads and
fashions?
External objective advisors?
Repositories of experience and wisdom?
Fresh pair of eyes
Neutral advisors
Change agents?
Ways of justifying and externalizing unpopular
decisions?
31
31
32. Pfeffer & Sutton (2006)
“…consultants and others who sell ideas and
techniques are always rewarded for getting
work, only sometimes rewarded for doing
good work, and hardly ever rewarded for
whether their advice actually enhances
performance.
The incentives are often even more perverse
than that, because if a client company’s
problems are only partly solved that leads to
more work for the consulting firm.”
32
32
33. Power, politics and careers
What are managers rewarded for?
– Doing what works? But very few evaluations
– Getting things done?
– Making things happen?
– Not rocking the boat?
– Working hard?
– Obeying orders?
– Solving problems?
– Meeting targets and goals? But who sets and why?
– Making their bosses look good?
Do very senior people get there by being evidence-
based managers?
33
33
34. Huge incentives and punishments around
conventional thinking, fads, fashions
And there we see the power of any big
managerial idea [fads]. It may be smart, like
quality, or stupid, like conglomeration. Either
way, if everybody's doing it, the pressure to do
it too is immense. If it turns out to be smart,
great. If it turns out to be stupid, well, you were
in good company and most likely ended up no
worse off than your competitors. Your
company's board consists mostly of CEOs who
were probably doing it at their companies. How
mad can they get?
34
34
35. Huge incentives and punishments around
conventional thinking, fads, fashions
The true value of conventional management
wisdom [current fashion] is not that it's wise or
dumb, but that it's conventional. It makes one
of the hardest jobs in the world, managing an
organization, a little easier. By following it,
managers everywhere see a way to drag their
sorry behinds through another quarter without
getting fired. And isn't that, really, what it's all
about?
(Colvin, 2004, Fortune)
35
35
36. History shows we don’t sufficiently
question the powerful
Many esteemed bodies, groups, individuals
whose views we take as fact and tend not to
question but they all get things very wrong
– Groups of professionals and professional bodies
– Individual experts
– People with titles, qualifications, letters after their
name
– Gurus, ‘thought leaders’
All often have vested political and power
interests in adopting and maintaining a
position and asserting ‘facts’ 36
36
38. Some background and context
Kahn (1990): Deployment of preferred self under conditions
of meaningfulness, safety, psychological availability
Much practice activity (1999>): Gallup, Towers-Perrin,
SHRM, CIPD, UK & Scottish Government reviews
Maslach et al (1997, 2001): Opposite of burnout with high
levels of activation and energy
Bakker, Schaufeli et al (2002>): Work-related state of vigour,
dedication, absorption
Much bandwagoning, grand-standing, soul-searching
Broader social and political trends in positive psychology,
happiness agenda in politics
Engagement side-steps politics and power (win-win)
38
38
39. Schaufeli & Bakker (2010)
March 2008 and April 2012
4.15m 10,100
175,000 6,800
4.33m 16,900
254 116
391 145*
645 261 39
39
40. Number of Google searches by year
Has satisfaction gone out of fashion to be
replaced by employee engagement?
40
40
42. UK attitudes before and during the recession 2006
to 2010 from British Social Attitudes
Have these increased, decreased or not
changed?
– Job insecurity?
– Changes in general happiness?
– Satisfaction with job?
– Satisfaction with work-life balance?
42
42
43. UK attitudes before and during the recession 2006
to 2010 from British Social Attitudes
What’s happened to
– Job insecurity?
• The proportion of workers saying it is ”very true”
that their jobs are secure has fallen from 32% in
to 23%
– Changes in general happiness?
• Little change in happiness scores
– Satisfaction with job?
• Increase from 6.9 to 7.3 (out of 10)
– Satisfaction with work-life balance?
• Increase from 6.0 to 6.3 (out of 10)
43
43
44. Where are we now?
“Despite the proliferation in engagement related
research…we believe that the notion of work
engagement is at something of a crossroads.
Although one path might involve the ongoing
proliferation of relatively disconnected research
and practice using a diversity of models and
measures, we believe the time is now ripe to
agree some common ground, consolidate what we
know, and leverage from this firm foundation
additional research, which will redress
fundamental issues that still require resolution.”
(Schaufeli & Bakker, 2010)
44
44
45. “Employee engagement is becoming a
popular term among human resource
management and development consultants,
internal communications practitioners, and
business conference presenters, but
questions persist regarding whether
engagement is just a passing fad.” (Shuck &
Wollard, 2010)
45
45
46. “Although seemingly voluminous, most of the
existing literature is opinion, rather than
evidence-based scholarship.” (Shuck &
Wollard, 2010)
46
46
47. Old and new wines and bottles
“The state engagement construct we have
presented to this point in the review is thus a
new blend of old wines with distinct
characteristics and ‘feel’.” (Macey &
Schneider, 2008)
47
47
48. Old and new wines and bottles
“We agree with Macey and Schneider’s above
quote that state engagement constitutes a
‘‘new blend of old wines,’’ but we disagree
that the blend has ‘‘distinct characteristics
and ‘feel’.’’ Indeed, the themes of employee
vigor/energy, dedication, and absorption are
veritable classics within organization science,
and a relabeling of reshuffled items does not
necessarily add conceptual or
phenomenological clarity.” (Newman &
Harrison, 2008)
48
48
49. Old and new wines and bottles
“We also argue that the question ‘‘is
engagement old wine in a new bottle?’’ is
done and dusted. There is enough empirical
evidence to debunk the notion that work
engagement is nothing more than a
repackaging of related constructs.” (Schaufeli
& Bakker, 2010)
49
49
50. Old and new wines and bottles
“…it is time to put to bed the notion that
engagement is nothing more that some ‘‘old
wine—new bottle’’ conceptual cocktail
consisting of commitment, job satisfaction,
organizational citizenship behaviour, and
turnover intentions.” (Bakker et al, 2011)
50
50
51. Work engagement: what we don’t
know yet (Bakker et al, 2011)
1. How should we conceptualize engagement?
2. How should we best measure engagement?
3. Are there fluctuations in engagement across
the working week?
4. What is a ‘‘climate for engagement’’?
5. Can leaders influence follower engagement?
6. Is engagement contagious?
51
51
52. Work engagement: what we don’t
know yet (Bakker et al, 2011)
7. Do engaged employees conserve their own
work engagement?
8. Is there a dark side of engagement?
9. Is engagement related to health?
10.What are effective interventions for
engagement?
52
52
53. So what’s going on?
Popular concept with at least two distinct
fields – psychology and HR/consultancy
Very little good quality evidence
Little agreement on definition
Little agreement about whether it’s a new
idea or an old idea repackaged
Numerous unanswered questions
53
53
54. Multiple meanings: Why it matters if
“engagement” can means anything
vaguely related to employee feelings
and motivation
54
54
56. How many definitions? And does it
matter? (MacLeod & Clarke, 2009)
“There is no one agreed definition of employee
engagement – during the course of this review
we have come across more than 50 definitions.”
“… the concept of employee engagement needs
to be more clearly defined […] or it needs to be
abandoned.” (David Guest quoted in the review)
“We have decided, however, that there is too
much momentum and indeed excellent work
being done under the banner of employee
engagement to abandon the term.”
56
56
57. “This lack of continuity [in definition]
contributes to a deep misconception of the
complexities around the concept.” (Shuck
and Wollard, 2010)
“if the meaning of engagement ‘‘bleeds’’ into
so many other more developed constructs,
then engagement just becomes an umbrella
term for whatever one wants it to be.” (Saks,
2008)
57
57
58. Some practice-oriented definitions
Gallup: “The term employee engagement refers
to an individual’s involvement and satisfaction
with as well as enthusiasm for work”
Development Dimensions International:
“Engagement has three dimensions: (1)
cognitive – belief in and support for the goals
and values of the organization; (2) affective –
sense of belonging, pride and attachment to the
organization; (3) behavioral – willingness to go
the extra mile, intention to stay with the
organization”
58
58
59. Some practice-oriented definitions
Towers Perrin: “personal satisfaction and a
sense of inspiration and affirmation they get
from work and being a part of the
organization”
Mercer: “Employee engagement – also called
‘commitment’ or ‘motivation’ – refers to a
psychological state where employees feel a
vested interest in the company’s success and
perform to a high standard that may exceed
the stated requirements of the job”
59
59
60. Some practice-oriented definitions
Conference Board: ‘‘employee engagement is a
heightened emotional and intellectual
connection that an employee has for his/her job,
organisation, manager, or co‐workers that, in
turn, influences him/her to apply additional
discretionary effort to his/her work”
Work Foundation: “employee engagement
describes employees’ emotional and intellectual
commitment to their organisation and its
success. Engaged employees experience a
compelling purpose and meaning in their work
and give of their discrete effort to advance the
organisation’s objectives.”
60
60
61. Some academic research-oriented
definitions
“the simultaneous employment and expression of a
person’s ‘preferred self’ in task behaviors that
promote connections to work and to others,
personal presence, and active full role
performances.” (Kahn, 1990)
The opposite of burnout: Energy rather than
exhaustion, involvement rather than cynicism and
efficacy rather than professional inefficacy (Maslach
& Leiter, 1997)
“A distinct and unique construct that consists of
cognitive, emotional, and behavioral components
that are associated with individual role
performance” (Saks, 2006)
61
61
62. Some academic research-oriented
definitions
“a persistent, positive affective-motivational
state of fulfilment in employees that is
characterized by high levels of activation and
pleasure” (Maslach et al., 2001)
“a positive, fulfilling, work-related state of
mind that is characterized by vigor, dedication,
and absorption” (Schaufeli, et al, 2002)
“an individual employee’s cognitive,
emotional, and behavioral state directed
toward desired organizational outcomes.”
(Shuck & Wollard, 2010)
62
62
63. Some general definitional issues
The engagement of what? (e.g., cognition,
affect, behaviour)
With what? (e.g., task, organization, role)
Through what processes?
Over what timescales? (e.g., milliseconds,
hours, months)
With what effects? (e.g., task performance,
contextual performance, costs and benefits,
on whom or what?)
63
63
64. Some general definitional issues
Many definitions combine and confuse cause (e.g.,
feelings, cognitions) with outcomes (performance,
extra mile)
Engagement is thus defined as co-occurring positive
affect or attitudes and high levels of performance
From this perspective it is completely circular to say
engagement is a cause of performance:
Engagement (positive feelings and high
performance) causes high performance?
“…many HR consultants avoid defining the term,
instead referring only to its presumed positive
consequences.” (Macey & Schneider, 2008)
64
64
65. Why does it matter?
From a research perspective if researchers are
using different definitions, measures and
meaning then there is no accumulation of
knowledge or understanding
From a practice perspective measures and
interventions remain vague, unfocussed,
impossible to evaluate or compare across
organizations
It remains an ‘all things to all people’
unchallengeable motherhood and apple pie
phenomenon
65
65
66. Muddled measurement: What are
engagement measures really
measuring and is it anything new or
different?
66
66
67. Utrecht Work Engagement Scale
(Schuafeli & Bakker, 2003)
1. At my work, I feel bursting with 9. I feel happy when I am working
energy. (VI1) intensely. (AB3)
2. I find the work that I do full of 10. I am proud of the work that I do.
meaning and purpose. (DE1) (DE4)
3. Time flies when I am working. 11. I am immersed in my work. (AB4)
(AB1)
12. I can continue working for very long
4. At my job, I feel strong and periods at a time. (VI4)
vigorous. (VI2)
13. To me, my job is challenging. (DE5)
5. I am enthusiastic about my job.
14. I get carried away when I am
(DE2)
working. (AB5)
6. When I am working, I forget
15. At my job, I am very resilient,
everything else around me. (AB2)
mentally. (VI5)
7. My job inspires me. (DE3)
16. It is difficult to detach myself from
8. When I get up in the morning, I feel my job. (AB6)
like going to work. (VI3)
17. At my work, I always persevere,
even when things do not go well.
(VI6) 67
67
70. Some other points about UWES
Correlations with other measures (Schaufeli
& Bakker, 2010): Org. commitment (.45-
.55); Job involvement (.35); Job satisfaction
(?); Burnout (.40=.60)
70
70
71. Some other points about UWES
Is it different from burnout? (Cole et al., 2011): “…the
more recently developed UWES may tap a well-known
construct (burnout - cynicism, exhaustion, inefficiency)
under a new label (engagement – absorption, dedication,
vigour).”
– - “…high correlations (…–.85 to –.79) suggest that
burnout-inefficacy is almost interchangeable with all three
constituent dimensions of engagement.”
– “…our analyses revealed that the dimensions underlying
burnout and engagement yielded highly similar (albeit
opposite) patterns of correlations with antecedent and
outcome correlates…”
– “…controlling for the burnout dimensions substantially
reduced the effect sizes associated with the dimensions
underlying engagement (seven of nine possible
relationships no longer reached statistical significance…”
71
71
72. Gallup Q12
1. Do you know what is expected of (coaching)
you at work? (role clarity)*
7. At work, do your opinions seem to
2. Do you have the materials and count? (voice)
equipment you need to do your
work right? (material resources) 8. Does the mission/purpose of your
company make you feel your job is
3. At work, do you have the important? (meaningfulness)
opportunity to do what you do best
every day? (opportunity for skill 9. Are your associates (fellow
development) employees) committed to doing
quality work? (quality culture)
4. In the last seven days, have you
received recognition or praise for 10. Do you have a best friend at work?
doing good work? (social support, (social support)
positive feedback) 11. In the last six months, has someone
5. Does your supervisor, or someone at work talked to you about your
at work, seem to care about you as progress? (feedback)
a person? (supervisor support) 12. In the last year, have you had
6. Is there someone at work who opportunities at work to learn and
encourages your development? grow? (learning opportunities)
*descriptors added by Schaufeli & Bakker (2010) 72
72
73. Some points about Q12
.91 correlation at business unit level with job
satisfaction (Harter et al, 2002)
.22 correlation with performance at business
unit level – same as job satisfaction (Harter
et al, 2002)
> .8 correlation with org commitment and
UWES at individual level (Le et al., 2007)
73
73
75. “How can a concept so underdeveloped and
still emerging in scholarly research have so
little agreed-upon definition and have so few
validated measures yet so widely accepted in
application and practice as to be named the
keystone to business success?” (Shuck &
Reio, 2011)
75
75
76. Management myths: On the enduring
appeal of the happy-productive worker
fallacy
76
76
77. Job satisfaction does not cause job
performance?
Nearly all (90%+) studies (including
engagement studies) are cross-sectional and
provide no evidence about causality
These data show correlation around .20
(96% of variance in performance not
explained by job satisfaction)
Longitudinal studies (controlling for
performance at Time 1) tend to show even
weaker associations and possible reverse
causality
77
77
78. Job satisfaction does not cause job
performance?
Reverse causality? “Job satisfaction [was]
predicted by return on assets and earnings
per share more strongly than the reverse.”
(Schneider et al., 2003)
Spurious correlation? Third variables affect
both satisfaction and performance.
“…the satisfaction–performance relationship
is largely spurious…” much reduced or
disappears after controlling for personality,
self-esteem, etc (Bowling, 2007)
78
78
79. Feelings and performance
Feeling good not necessarily good for
performance
Feeling bad not necessarily bad for
performance
It depends on:
– the specific feeling state
– the dynamics and combination of feeling states
– what kind of performance or behaviour
79
79
80. So why do people believe job satisfaction
(and engagement) causes performance?
It’s neat and simple
Attitude surveys simple managerial tool even though
generally attitudes poor predictors of behaviours
and difficult to change
Seems to fit with daily observations (though
probably picking up flexibility and citizenship
behaviours rather than task performance) and
short-term level of analysis
Satisfied workers more compliant and malleable
Managers prefer to manage such workers
Tells a win-win story which avoids power and
politics
80
80
81. Just how bad an idea is employee
engagement?
It depends which idea of engagement
What are bad ideas like?
– They are beyond criticism: Motherhood and
apple pie
– They inhibit rather than increase analysis
– They encourage a proliferation of multiple and
inconsistent definitions
– Claim great novelty when they aren’t that new
– Re-present ideas that have already been shown
to be more-or-less myths
81
81
82. So what to do in general?
Continue to find out whether engagement is
anything new or distinct or actually predicts
performance
Move away from a mechanical lever-pulling view
of engagement as cause of performance
Even if engagement doesn’t predict performance
it may be a good thing – the business case
argument is morally bankrupt
Be clear, precise and specific about what we’re
talking about – engagement sounds like
everything and anything to do with managing
people
82
82
83. An evidence-based management
approach to engagement (or anything)
What exactly is the problem engagement is going to fix?
How do you know it’s a problem?
– Internal evidence, stakeholders, management expertise
How do you know that in principle engagement will fix the problem
– External (good quality) evidence (not expert opinion, anecdotes, star
case studies)
– Critical thinking and healthy scepticism
If you know there’s a problem what other solutions may fix the
problem as well or more effectively or more cheaply
There is often a bias to taking action and fixing the problem but
without understanding if there’s a problem and what it is
Don’t be swayed by fads and fashions – do what is most likely to
work based by considering the best available evidence
83
83
84. So is engagement the answer?
We simply don’t know
– The concept is questionable
– The measures questionable
– No good quality evidence that engagement can
be increased
– No good quality evidence that increasing
engagement
– But this may change as more evidence becomes
available (if its good quality – not anecdotes, star
case studies or expert opinion)
84
84