The Impact of Organizational-Based Self Esteem on Work Engagement among State Corporations Employees in Kenya

Abstract

Work engagement as a work place behaviour is gaining currency in discussions in management literature. Evidence has been adduced linking high levels of work engagement with enhanced individual employee’s and organizational performance. The general performance in the public service is perceived to be low globally; this has been attributed to low levels of work engagement among employees. In a survey involving 389 managerial employees in 32 State Corporations in Kenya, organizational-based self esteem was examined as a predictor of work engagement.325 returned questionnaires were analyzed to derive descriptive and inferential statistics. Instruments were checked for reliability and validity and found to be within the recommended threshold. The respondents rated themselves high on Work engagement and Organizational-based self esteem mean =4.14 and 4.32 respectively. Relationship between work engagement and Organizational-based self esteem was high (r²=0.39.1, p< 0.01) β=.601.This demonstrated evidence that organizational-based self esteem highly influence Work engagement .Employees would exhibit high levels of work engagement when they perceive themselves as valued competent members of their organizations. Managers have a responsibility to identify and nurture organizational-based self esteem as a strategy towards improving their employees’ ability to voluntarily invoke vigour, dedication and be totally absorbed in their working.

Key words; Organizational-based self esteem, Work engagement, Positive organizational behaviour.