Work Engagement and its Relationship with State and Trait Trust: A Conceptual Analysis

Abstract

The main objective of this paper is to highlight the vital role that both state trust (trust in top management, trust in immediate supervisor and trust in co-workers) and trait trust or trust propensity play in the advancement of employee work engagement. This study posits that the relationship between trust and work engagement is mutually reinforcing and leads to an upward spiral effect. That is, high levels of state and trait trust boost work engagement, which in turn augments both forms of trust and so on. Additionally, the current paper also examines the interaction effects of state and trait trust on employees’ work engagement.