1st Edition

Work Engagement A Handbook of Essential Theory and Research

Edited By Arnold B. Bakker, Michael P. Leiter Copyright 2010
    224 Pages
    by Psychology Press

    224 Pages 11 B/W Illustrations
    by Psychology Press

    This book provides the most thorough view available on this new and intriguing dimension of workplace psychology, which is the basis of fulfilling, productive work.

    The book begins by defining work engagement, which has been described as ‘an opposite to burnout,’ following its development into a more complex concept with far reaching implications for work-life. The chapters discuss the sources of work engagement, emphasizing the importance of leadership, organizational structures, and human resource management as factors that may operate to either enhance or inhibit employee’s experience of work. The book considers the implications of work engagement for both the individual employee and the organization as a whole. To address readers’ practical questions, the book provides in-depth coverage of interventions that can enhance employees’ work engagement and improve management techniques.

    Based upon the most up-to-date research by the foremost experts in the world, this volume brings together the best knowledge available on work engagement, and will be of great use to academic researchers, upper level students of work and organizational psychology as well as management consultants.

    Leiter, Bakker, Work Engagement: State of the Art. Schaufeli, Bakker, Defining and Measuring Work Engagement: Bringing Clarity to the Concept. Sonnentag, Dormann, Demerouti, Not All Days are Created Equal: The Concept of State Work Engagement. Taris, Schaufeli, Shimazu, The Push and Pull of Work: The Differences between Workaholism and Work Engagement. Sweetman, Lutgans, The Power of Positive Psychology: Psychological Capital and Work Engagement. Shirom, Feeling Energetic at Work: On Vigor's Antecendents. Hakanen, Roodt, Using the Job-Demands-Resources Model to Predict Engagement: Analysing a Conceptual Model. Halbesleben, A Meta-analysis of Work Engagement: Relationships with Burnout, Demands, Resources and Consequences. Salanova, Schaufeli, Xanthopoulou, Bakker, The Gain Spiral of Resources and Work Engagement: Sustaining a Positive Worklife. Spreitzer, Lam, Fritz, Engagement and Human Thriving: Complementary Perspectives on Energy and Connections to Work. Demerouti, Cropanzano, From Thought to Action: Employee Work Engagement And Job Performance. Leiter, Maslach, Building Engagement: The Design and Evaluation of Interventions. Bakker, Leiter, Where To Go From Here: Integration and Future Research on Work Engagement.

    Biography

    Arnold B. Bakker is full professor at the Department of Work and Organizational Psychology at Erasmus University Rotterdam, The Netherlands. His research interests include positive organizational behavior (e.g., flow and engagement at work, performance), burnout, crossover of work-related emotions, and serious games on organizational phenomena.

    Michael P. Leiter is Canada Research Chair in Organizational Health and Professor of Psychology at Acadia University and Director of the Center for Organizational Research & Development that applies high quality research methods to human resource issues. He is actively involved as a consultant on occupational issues in Canada, the USA, and Europe.

    "This volume is outstanding and absolutely innovative. The recent evolution in the field calls for the publication of a thorough and complete overview, as offered in this volume. This book has the potential to become a landmark text in this new and increasingly important field." - Hans De Witte, Research Group Work, Organisational and Personnel Psychology, Department of Psychology, K.U. Leuven, Belgium

    "Work Engagement: A Handbook of Essential Theory and Research provides a comprehensive examination of the work engagement construct. It provides enough background information to serve as an advance primer to the topic area. Yet it also provides enough novel empirical work to be of interest to those already familiar with the topic. I believe it would be a valuable resource for anyone interested in the systematic study and development of work engagement." - David J. Woehr, Professor of Management, The University of Tennessee, Knoxville, USA

    "The editors have included the latest thinking and research findings in this collection. This volume is timely, research based, links well with emerging concepts in positive psychology, includes new concepts such as state work engagement and vigor, and offers practical applications for those committed to making workplaces more effective. A must read for anyone interested in the current state of our understanding of work engagement"Ronald J. Burke, Professor of Organizational Behaviour, Sculick School of Business, York University, Canada

    "This is an excellent collection of chapters on the topic of work engagement, written by the European and US leaders in the area. It offers thoughtful and fascinating perspectives on a topic of great interest to all who care about creating or working in healthy workplaces. Overall, this book provides an excellent review of knowledge on the fundamental topic of work engagement."Michael West, Aston Business School, UK