Beyond metrics: understanding employee engagement in a regulated service sector
Betty Frino, Shamika Almeida, Felix Orole, Troy SarinaPurpose
To understand how employee engagement is shaped by context in the Australian financial services sector.
Design/methodology/approach
Using a case study method, the paper provides a rich tapestry of personal insights from employees to highlight the multiple factors at play that influence, nurture and sustain engagement. The study is framed by the dynamic employee engagement framework and job demands-resources (JD-R) theory.
Findings
The study confirms engagement to be a dynamic, context-dependent phenomenon shaped by intersecting organisational factors and regulations. We provide evidence to illustrate the interaction effect, particularly within the internal context (team dynamics) as well as external context (clients and regulations). This study identified group and intergroup dynamics to provide fertile ground for engagement. Team-level resources (internal context) emerged as critical buffers against organisational and compliance pressures, reinforcing a client-centric ethos amid structural constraints.
Research limitations/implications
We show that engagement is context dependent and relational, emerging from ongoing interactions. We note the bi-directional nature of job demands and job resources, highlighting how temporal and contextual aspects need to be considered when applying the JD-R.
Practical implications
The study bridges the academic-practitioner gap for service oriented organisations, offering insights for leaders to better align corporate values and strategic direction with employee expectations. We point to a move away from purely target-driven models towards client-centred value systems.
Originality/value
This study provides a context-sensitive and nuanced account of employee engagement, specifically how autonomous, service-oriented employees invest themselves in their work in a highly regulated sector.