Full engagement: the integration of employee engagement and psychological well‐being

Abstract

Purpose By introducing the concept of “full engagement,” this article aims to propose that employee engagement is more likely to be sustainable when employee well‐being is also high. Design/methodology/approach Research evidence covering the separate concepts is reviewed and evidence of the benefits that both engagement and well‐being confer on organizations is presented. Findings Most current perspectives on employee engagement include little of direct relevance to well‐being and reflect a narrow, commitment‐based view of engagement. This view focuses too heavily on benefits to organizations. A broader conception of engagement (referred to as “full engagement”), which includes employee well‐being, is a better basis for building sustainable benefits for individuals and organizations. Research limitations/implications Research exploring the links between employee engagement and well‐being is needed to validate and develop the propositions put forward in this article. Practical implications A model for improving full engagement in organizations is presented and brief; case study illustrations are also given. Originality/value The integration of well‐being and commitment‐based engagement into the single construct of full engagement provides a novel perspective.