Employee engagement at Free State Provincial Treasury (FSPT)
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Date
2020
Authors
Booi, Siphumle
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
University of the Free State
Abstract
The primary objective of this research was to determine employee engagement at Free State Provincial Treasury (FSPT). Employee engagement is important and should be a human resource priority in all organisations as engaged employees boost retention and enhance productivity. Literature has confirmed that there is minimal empirical research about employees in the public sector. Additionally, FSPT as a public sector organisation has never conducted employee engagement surveys in the past twelve years. A sample of 372 was chosen for this study and data was collected electronically from employees at FSPT using the UWES-17 questionnaire. Schaufeli and Bakker’s theory on employee engagement forms the basis of this study as the variables for the UWES-17 directly link with engagement dimensions such as emotional, cognitive, and physical elements. The quantitative data was then analysed using statistical methods.
The results of the study revealed that employee engagement at FSPT is at an average level. Furthermore, the results also found a significant link between employees’ age, years of service, marital status, occupational level, and gender. The recommendations of the study are that the engagement efforts should have a specific focus on millennials as they now make up more than half of the workforce and are less loyal to the organisation. Training and development should be a continuous service from the department to employees because it improves employee performance which will be beneficial to the department, as the government is under immense financial strain and that affects the employee performance rewards. The department should introduce non-monetary rewards that will ensure that employees feel valued and that their contribution towards the departmental goals is recognised. These findings can assist to increase the number of empirical studies on employee engagement in the public sector.
Description
Dissertation (MBA (Business Administration))--University of the Free State, 2020
Keywords
Employee engagement, public sector, vigour, dedication, absorption, discretionary effort, Utrecht Work Engagement Scale (UWES-17)