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The Paradox of Employee Engagement and How Managers are Aiming to Control This.

Nielsen, Natascha Maria LU and Ladegaard, Emilie LU (2022) SKOM12 20221
Department of Strategic Communication
Abstract
The Paradox of Employee Engagement and How Managers are Aiming to Control This.
Purpose: The aim of this study is to produce new knowledge of the phenomenon of employee engagement from a managerial perspective. More specifically, the authors want to address how managers are navigating the paradox of employee engagement and control; thus, how they are navigating through the challenges of engaging their employees while controlling them.
Design/methodology/approach: The thesis is based on qualitative research with empirical material that consists of 15 interviews. The 15 interviews comprise managers from several post-bureaucratic organisations located in Denmark, and presents the viewpoint of communication, marketing and human resource... (More)
The Paradox of Employee Engagement and How Managers are Aiming to Control This.
Purpose: The aim of this study is to produce new knowledge of the phenomenon of employee engagement from a managerial perspective. More specifically, the authors want to address how managers are navigating the paradox of employee engagement and control; thus, how they are navigating through the challenges of engaging their employees while controlling them.
Design/methodology/approach: The thesis is based on qualitative research with empirical material that consists of 15 interviews. The 15 interviews comprise managers from several post-bureaucratic organisations located in Denmark, and presents the viewpoint of communication, marketing and human resource managers. All interviews were audio recorded and transcribed as a part of the interview process. The study derives from an abductive approach with semi-structured interviews and draws on the theories and concepts of Sensemaking, Coworkership, Psychological Safety and CCO from a meta-theoretical perspective.
Findings: In Danish and post-bureaucratic organisations, employee engagement is viewed as the commitment to an organisation. Moreover, employee engagement is from a managerial perspective, seen as a strategic communication tool which has tremendous power that can both benefit and disrupt an organisation. As such, in order to establish employee engagement while also controlling the employees, managers must handle the paradox of employee engagement and control. As such, trust has proven to be a significant finding in order to balance this challenge and hence allows for the implementation of softer control forms and coworkership.
Research & practical implications: In order to understand the extent of and utilising employee engagement, managers need to recognise the power of the employee as strategic communicators. Managers should be aware of the expectations towards their employees in relation to employee engagement, and the implications that they may have in relation to burn- out and stress. The biggest risk of employee engagement is the one of not attaining it, and that the risks should be seen as a result of employees as strategic communicators. Control cannot be completely rejected by managers, but should however be implemented through extensive communication. Through trust, post-bureaucratic managers are building relationships i.e., coworkerships.
Key Words: Employee engagement, Management Control, Post-bureaucratic organisations, Coworkership, Sensemaking, Trust, Relationship building, Psychological safety.
Paper type: Thesis
Word Count: 27.623 (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
Nielsen, Natascha Maria LU and Ladegaard, Emilie LU
supervisor
organization
course
SKOM12 20221
year
type
H2 - Master's Degree (Two Years)
subject
keywords
Employee engagement, Management Control, Post-bureaucratic organisations, Coworkership, Sensemaking, Trust, Relationship building, Psychological safety.
language
English
id
9085149
date added to LUP
2022-06-27 14:24:17
date last changed
2022-06-27 14:24:17
@misc{9085149,
  abstract     = {{The Paradox of Employee Engagement and How Managers are Aiming to Control This.
Purpose: The aim of this study is to produce new knowledge of the phenomenon of employee engagement from a managerial perspective. More specifically, the authors want to address how managers are navigating the paradox of employee engagement and control; thus, how they are navigating through the challenges of engaging their employees while controlling them.
Design/methodology/approach: The thesis is based on qualitative research with empirical material that consists of 15 interviews. The 15 interviews comprise managers from several post-bureaucratic organisations located in Denmark, and presents the viewpoint of communication, marketing and human resource managers. All interviews were audio recorded and transcribed as a part of the interview process. The study derives from an abductive approach with semi-structured interviews and draws on the theories and concepts of Sensemaking, Coworkership, Psychological Safety and CCO from a meta-theoretical perspective.
Findings: In Danish and post-bureaucratic organisations, employee engagement is viewed as the commitment to an organisation. Moreover, employee engagement is from a managerial perspective, seen as a strategic communication tool which has tremendous power that can both benefit and disrupt an organisation. As such, in order to establish employee engagement while also controlling the employees, managers must handle the paradox of employee engagement and control. As such, trust has proven to be a significant finding in order to balance this challenge and hence allows for the implementation of softer control forms and coworkership.
Research & practical implications: In order to understand the extent of and utilising employee engagement, managers need to recognise the power of the employee as strategic communicators. Managers should be aware of the expectations towards their employees in relation to employee engagement, and the implications that they may have in relation to burn- out and stress. The biggest risk of employee engagement is the one of not attaining it, and that the risks should be seen as a result of employees as strategic communicators. Control cannot be completely rejected by managers, but should however be implemented through extensive communication. Through trust, post-bureaucratic managers are building relationships i.e., coworkerships.
Key Words: Employee engagement, Management Control, Post-bureaucratic organisations, Coworkership, Sensemaking, Trust, Relationship building, Psychological safety.
Paper type: Thesis
Word Count: 27.623}},
  author       = {{Nielsen, Natascha Maria and Ladegaard, Emilie}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  note         = {{Student Paper}},
  title        = {{The Paradox of Employee Engagement and How Managers are Aiming to Control This.}},
  year         = {{2022}},
}