Employee engagement: three levels of analysis measurement

What the paper says

Purpose Given the clear correlation between employee engagement (EE) and organizational success, firms often emphasize enhancing EE and, in turn, need to measure it. However, studies on developing approaches for such measurement have been limited. In this manuscript, the authors revisit the elaboration methods of presenting EE measurement. The three assessments are carried out to reveal varying degrees of EE and pick up varying shaping variables. Rather than contrasting the benefits and drawbacks of those three metrics, this study aims to elucidate how each measures EE at various analytical levels. Design/methodology/approach In a mixed-methods study involving questionnaires and interviews, this paper examined three approaches of measuring EE – questionnaires, interviews and text analysis – among 454 employees of state-owned enterprises in Indonesia. Findings Results show high reliability and validity between the different approaches. Questionnaires assessed engagement objectively, while interviews captured emotional bonding and text analysis reflected unconditional level. Originality/value The results suggest that different approaches should be used to align levels of EE with company-specific purposes and strategies and thus afford a new understanding of various ways of assessing EE.