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This week’s discussion on psychological contract’s influence on organizational commitment ties into William Kahn's (1990) engagement theory.  He was one of the first researchers to identify and coin the term "employee engagement." He explored three ways in which people can use varying degrees of themselves.

• Physical Engagement: This dimension refers to the physical and mental effort employees exert in their roles. When employees feel engaged, they often describe their experiences as energized and fully involved in their tasks.
• Cognitive Engagement: Cognitive engagement involves employees' understanding of their roles within the organization, including the clarity of the organization's vision and their contributions to it. When employees find meaning in their work, they are more likely to engage creatively and make confident decisions.
• Emotional Engagement: This dimension relates to the emotional connection employees feel toward their organization. A positive emotional relationship fosters a sense of belonging and trust, which is crucial for engagement. Interpersonal relationships and management styles play a key role in creating a supportive work environment.

Kahn also identified three psychological conditions that influence these dimensions of engagement:

• Meaningfulness: Does an employee find their work meaningful enough (to the organization and to society) to warrant engaging their full self?

• Safety: Does the employee feel safe bringing their full self to work without the risk of negative consequences?

• Availability: Does the employee feel mentally and physically able to harness their full self at this particular moment?

His findings distinguish engagement from everyday hard work. A diligent employee who can harness their full self will demonstrate loyalty and a sense of ownership. For example, an engaged employee will give discretionary time without being asked, simply because they want to and believe their extra effort will benefit their organization.

Thank you for your participation these last eight weeks.  It has been engaging to read your discussion and your assignments.  Best wishes on your next course.  If this is your last one, congratulations!

Prof.  Elida

References:

Kahn, W. A. (1990). Psychological conditions of personal engagement and disengagement at work. The Academy of Management Journal, 692-724.

Sarmiento, E. (2022). An Analysis of the Differences between the Employee Engagement Index and Federal Workers (Order No. 29206183). Available from ProQuest Dissertations & Theses Global. (2667820363). http://ezproxy.apus.edu/login?qurl=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.proquest.com%2Fdissertations-theses%2Fanalysis-differences-between-employee-engagement%2Fdocview%2F2667820363%2Fse-2%3Faccountid%3D8289

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