2nd Edition
Understanding Employee Engagement Theory, Research, and Practice
Understanding Employee Engagement is a comprehensive source for the science and practice of employee engagement. This book provides a rigorous and objective review of scholarship and empirical research on engagement from around the world.
Grounded in theory and empirical research, this book debates the definitions of engagement, provides a thorough evaluation of empirical findings in the engagement field including a focus on international findings, and offers practice implications for organizations. The book is broad, with references and research across disciplines and countries, as well as new sections addressing current challenges, such as virtual engagement, engaging the aging workforce, and perspectives on diversity and inclusion. Employers can learn how to foster an engaged organization; practitioners can learn how to measure, identify, and implement evidence-based solutions to disengagement; and researchers can master the existing engagement literature and begin to study the many propositions and new models the author proposes throughout the book.
This book is an essential read for scholars, researchers, practitioners, and business leaders alike for understanding how to measure, identify, and implement evidence-based solutions to foster employee engagement.
Chapter 1. The Story of Engagement
PART I: ENGAGEMENT UNDER THE MICROSCOPE
Chapter 2. What Is Employee Engagement?
Chapter 3. What Makes Employee Engagement Different From Other Concepts?
PART II: SECURING AN ENGAGED WORKFORCE
Chapter 4. How Do We Get Employee Engagement?
Chapter 5. What Prevents Employee Engagement?
Chapter 6. How Do We Assess Employee Engagement and Choose a Good Measure?
PART III: COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGE
Chapter 7. How Do We Improve Engagement for Competitive Advantage?
Chapter 8. How Do We Use Engagement to Create a Healthy-Thriving Organization?
PART IV: THE NEW FRONTIERS OF EMPLOYEE ENGAGEMENT
Chapter 9. Shining an International Light: Is Engagement the Same Everywhere?
Chapter 10. The Paradox of Employee Engagement: Is There a Dark Side?
Chapter 11. Summing It All Up: Where Do We Go From Here?
Biography
Zinta S. Byrne is Professor of Industrial/Organizational Psychology at Colorado State University. She is a SIOP Fellow, APS Fellow, and former Senior Consultant for PDI.
"The second edition of Understanding Employee Engagement is a gem. It is timely, up to date, and packed with research and practical examples. This book is an urgent guide for scholars and practitioners alike." – Daniel H. Pink, #1 New York Times bestselling author of When, Drive, and to Sell is Human
"In too many workplaces, employee engagement isn’t much more than a buzzword. As a leading expert on the science and practice of engagement, Zinta Byrne is here to change that. Her book includes the latest research on measuring and increasing engagement, rejuvenating it coming out of a pandemic, and managing it across cultures."
– Adam Grant, Ph.D., Wharton organizational psychologist, #1 New York Times bestselling author of THINK AGAIN, and host of the TED podcast WorkLife"Understanding Employee Engagement second edition is an absolute must-read. A masterful translation of the science into rich and meaningful evidence-based practice. It is timely, up-to-date, and incredibly complete. A game-changer for those in the work or employee engagement arena." – Steven G. Rogelberg, Ph.D., President, Society for Industrial and Organizational Psychology (2021); Chancellor’s Professor, University of North Carolina at Charlotte
"Zinta Byrne provides a comprehensive and thorough review of the science and practice of employee engagement. She combines and integrates employee engagement research with real-world examples from employees and organizations. The result is a perfect blend of employee engagement research and practice that will be a valuable resource for academics, practitioners, and students." – Alan M. Saks, Ph.D., Professor of Organizational Behaviour and HR Management, University of Toronto Scarborough
"This book is an absolute pleasure to read. Dr. Byrne does a masterful job of synthesizing theory, research, and practice in ways that make clear the importance and practicality of the concept of engagement at work. She makes a compelling argument for taking engagement seriously, as a cornerstone of organizational behavior. Dr. Byrne ought to be proud of this book: it does justice to the complexity and importance of engagement theory." – William A. Kahn, Ph.D., Professor of Organizational Behavior, Boston University
"Professor Byrne's updated edition provides vital current and timely information on employee engagement. The breadth of topics included in this second edition, such as aging workforces and new studies on cross-cultural applications of engagement, is well-chosen and demonstrates the scientific and practitioner importance of employee engagement. The material is timely as leaders grapple with reconstituting their workforces after the pandemic, while also increasing inclusivity. Leaders, HR professionals, managers, and organizational scientists need to know and implement the updated content in this volume, and they have Professor Byrne to thank for making the material available and accessible in one volume." – Theodore L. Hayes, Ph.D., Personnel Psychologist, U.S. Department of Defense (All opinions in this review are solely the author's and do not imply or constitute endorsement of any product, service, or enterprise by DoD.)
