There are many different definitions: each tends to boil down to one proposition – engaged employees perform better than others.
Why? If you strip away the jargon and theorising, there are two main reasons; engaged employees tend to be
- satisfied with their jobs and working conditions
- committed to the organisation and what it’s trying to achieve
Both satisfaction and commitment are integral to engagement because neither is sufficient in itself: those who are satisfied with their jobs and working conditions may be capable of doing a great job, but may not be motivated to do so.
On the other hand, those who are committed may be unable to perform because some aspect(s) of their jobs, the technology or the available resources may be problematic. Why is engagement so important?