Understanding work engagement in South African higher education: Experiences from a technical department

Abstract

Work engagement is a crucial ingredient that cultivates an individual’s physical and general well-being in the workplace. This, in turn, produces organisational effectiveness and contributes to organisational success and sustainability. Concerningly, work engagement remains under-researched in South African higher education institutions. This study investigated the work engagement experiences of employees in a technical services department of a South African institution of higher education. The study employed qualitative research methods and phenomenological research design. Semi-structured face-to-face interviews were conducted with a purposive sample of 10 participants. Thematic analysis was used to analyse data. The findings suggest that employees who have optimal work demands receive adequate support to discharge their work and feel engaged and attached to their jobs. The findings further suggest that personal and job resources contribute to improved engagement levels among employees. Organisations should enhance the work engagement of employees by effectively managing their job demands while providing adequate job and personal resources. This study provides insights into the importance of cultivating work engagement within the workplace and the ways to achieve this. The study further provides guidelines for enhancing engagement by highlighting four elements to consider: workload, skills and self-efficacy, tools and equipment, and supervisor and co-worker support.    

Keywords: {'name': 'job-demand-resource model; job resources; job performance; personal resources; work engagement'}

Authors & affiliations

Njabulo Ndumiso Ngobese
Tshwane University of Technology

Thulile Ngonyama-Ndou
University of South Africa

Deposited references

Supplied references, not a list of publications citing this article.

DOI: 10.1002/pa.2135

DOI: 10.1108/CDI-08-2021-0213

DOI: 10.1108/CDI-08-2021-0213

DOI: 10.1108/CDI-11-2017-0207

DOI: 10.1108/13620430810870476

DOI: 10.1037/ocp0000056

DOI: 10.1080/10615806.2020.1797695

DOI: 10.1037/0022-0663.99.2.274

DOI: 10.4102/sajip.v39i2.1144

Bless, C., Higson-Smith, C., & Sithole, S. L. (2013). Fundamentals of social research methods: An African perspective. Juta and Company Ltd.

DOI: 10.1191/1478088706qp063oa

DOI: 10.1037/ocp0000082

DOI: 10.1037/a0019364

DOI: 10.4102/sajip.v37i2.889

DOI: 10.1080/02678373.2015.1074629

DOI: 10.1002/job.2020

DOI: 10.1016/j.acra.2020.03.002

DOI: 10.1016/j.ssmph.2017.04.002

DOI: 10.1108/IJM-12-2017-0320

DOI: 10.1111/j.2044-8325.2010.02016.x

DOI: 10.1146/annurev-orgpsych-032117-104640

DOI: 10.1080/14330237.2020.1796021

DOI: 10.1080/1359432X.2020.1718655

DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2021.655148

DOI: 10.1504/IJICBM.2022.124603

Karas, A., & Bełzowski, P. (2020). The concept of balancing work and private life. Zeszyty Naukowe Małopolskiej Wyższej Szkoły Ekonomicznej W Tarnowie, 47(3), 133–145.

DOI: 10.1177/0081246317705812

DOI: 10.1002/hrdq.21310

DOI: 10.1093/occmed/kqx051

DOI: 10.1002/hrm.22153

DOI: 10.1002/pa.2709

DOI: 10.1080/10803548.2017.1396028

DOI: 10.4102/sajhrm.v16i0.900

Muleya, G. (2017). The conceptual challenges in the conceptualisation of civic education. Journal of Lexicography and Terminology, 1, 59–82.

DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvp.2022.101937

DOI: 10.1002/pfi.21929

DOI: 10.1080/02642069.2018.1520842

DOI: 10.1111/sjop.12613

DOI: 10.1111/jan.14270

DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2023.1189665

DOI: 10.1080/14783363.2018.1493919

DOI: 10.1111/jan.14872

DOI: 10.1002/9781118977620.ch18

DOI: 10.1007/s11135-017-0574-8

DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2021.754556

Schaufeli, W. B., & Bakker, A. B. (2020). Work engagement: A critical assessment of concept and measurement. In W. R. Tuch, A. B. Bakker, L. Tay, & F. Gander (Eds.), Handbook of positive psychology assessment. Hogrefe.

DOI: 10.1007/978-94-007-5640-3_4

DOI: 10.1177/0013164405282471

DOI: 10.1177/0022022102033005003

DOI: 10.1108/EJTD-01-2021-0014

DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2020.579560

Sharmila, J. J. V. (2019). Employee engagement: An approach to organisational excellence. International Journal of Social Science and Interdisciplinary Research, 2(5), 111–117.

DOI: 10.1016/j.ijans.2020.100225

DOI: 10.1108/JMP-11-2013-0359

DOI: 10.1108/CDI-03-2017-0060

DOI: 10.1177/1059601110390833

Worldbank. (2020). COVID-19 (Coronavirus) policy response to enhancing institutions for effective and transparent management. https://www.worldbank.org/en/country/russia/brief/covid-19-response-enhancing-institutions-russia

DOI: 10.1037/1072-5245.14.2.121

DOI: 10.1177/0734371X221106792

DOI: 10.3389/fdata.2021.602071