Management, Work & Organisation Division

DISSERTATION TOPIC PROPOSAL FORM

DUE 11.00am on FRIDAY 08 OCTOBER 2021

BUSUMD8

Aya Yousuf Al Ismaili

Student Name:
2730302
Registration Number:

Impact of employees engagement on organization

Proposed Working Title: performance in private sector in sultanate of Oman

Proposal

Provide a one-page summary of about 250 words, covering the following points, using
the following five headings and not lists or bullet points:

1. The subject/topic
The impact of employee engagement on the performance of the institution in the private
sector in Sultanate Oman.

2. Why it is of relevance / why is it of value?

Employee Engagement's Importance
When people are involved in their work, they are more inclined to invest in it, resulting in
higher-quality output. Your organization will be able to boost productivity, work quality, and
profitability by investing in employee engagement.

3. Sources of data (please refer to previous literature)

Primary data will be collected by a questionnaire, while secondary data will be gathered
through obtaining past literature reviews, articles, and books.

4. Your key research question(s)

To comprehend the concept of employee engagement and its impact on business
performance. To learn more about the elements that influence employee engagement.
 5. Proposed methodology
The proposed research methodology used in this research is a quantitative method, and
primary data will be used to collect data by designing questionnaire secondary data will be
used also by referring to previous studies and different articles

Supervisor Name and Email Address

Signature: Date:

This form should be submitted to Canvas and NOT to the Module Co-ordinator.
1. Introduction

1.1 Research Background

One of the most significant markers of job happiness is employee engagement. Employees now
want to be active in their job, passionate about the business they work for, feel like they belong,
and have time and location flexibility. It's more than just a salary for engaged workers who are
pleased and fully devoted to their jobs - it's their devotion to their companies and roles that
makes them enthusiastic about their work, which is frequently reflected in their results.
Employees that are engaged have a greater feeling of purpose in their work, which is linked to
psychological safety and psychological availability. Employee engagement allows them to get
absorbed in their work, dedicated to the organization and its goals, and show enthusiasm in their
interactions and task execution. As a result, engaged employees produce important
organizational outcomes. As per Grumman and Saks (2011), express that among an example of
65 associations in various ventures, the main when compared to the last 25% on a commitment
file, the first 25% had a higher return on resources, benefit, and nearly two times the investor
esteem. Using diverse execution measurements, Schwartz (2011) reports that a review led
somewhere in the range of 2007 and 2008, among 90,000 representatives in 18 nations, found
that organizations with the most locked in representatives had a 19 percent expansion in working
pay during the past year, while those with the most minimal levels had a 32 percent decay. These
backings that in accomplishing upper hand, individuals in associations can't be recreated nor
duplicated by contenders. Engaged workplaces are more considerate of employees' needs,
encouraging them to take proper care of their health. Flexible scheduling, fresh fruits and
vegetables in the break room, and business road races are just a few examples. Employee health
has various advantages for a company, the most important of which is a higher bottom line.

1.2 Significance of the Study

The study's benefits involve having a clear image of its workforce's engagement levels and
acting accordingly to either rectify or strengthen such levels. Furthermore, understanding
engagement levels and their influence on organizational performance will aid Oman's private
sector in developing programmes to increase employee involvement and accomplishments,
making them feel like they are a part of the sector. Furthermore, these programmes were
developed based on comments made by workers during the research. Employees that are highly
engaged are more likely to stay with the company and perform better, which translates to higher
productivity and competitiveness for the company. The study's findings aided the organization in
either enhancing employee engagement or strengthening existing engagement strategies.

1.3 Research Problem

Employee engagement and corporate performance are significantly linked in studies and data
acquired by previous scholars. Several research, including Mishra et al. (2015), Karatepe (2013),
Kang, and Sung (2015), have found a strong link between higher levels of employee engagement
and improved corporate performance or productivity. There is still a lot of effort to be done in
order to develop working solutions that can improve employee engagement in firms. Oman's
private sector has never taken part in these surveys, and management has realized that there is a
lack of reliable data on employees' performance levels, as well as their intentions to resign or
remain, and the variables that influence them. Due to a lack of reliable data, the company
continues to operate without knowing how engaged its workers are, which has an impact on how
employees do their jobs and how the firm performs in the competitive environment, either
favorably or badly.

1.4 Scope of Study

Mentioning the vital effects of employee engagement around whole companies in the world, the
study scope is aiming to discuss and give a light at the private sector in sultanate of Oman. To
clarify, this research is based on considering the previous researching and data analysis of the
employee engagement. The targeted population is the private sector companies in Muscat,
Oman. Therefore, it will be easy to take the questionnaire survey from the managers of the
companies and on time of 2 weeks the data will be collected from the companies.

1.5 Sector Profile

In this research, the private sector in Oman is being studied and discussed. To illustrate more, the
private sector in Sultanate of Oman plays a very clear and tremendous role in its economy.
Hence, the employee engagement is not only affecting the private sector but also the income of a
country.

1.6 Research Aims and Objectives

The study's goal was to look at employee involvement in the private sector in Muscat Oman and
how it can affect organizational success. The goal of this research is to look at the elements that
influence employee engagement and disengagement in the workplace. Second, look at the
relationship between employee interaction and productivity, dedication, leadership style, and the
workplace environment. Because the study aims to demonstrate a link between employee
engagement and the company's desired goals, a quantitative method was adopted. Work
environment as a moderator and leadership style as a mediating variable were used to measure
the independent variable and employee engagement in the dependent variable productivity.

 To determine the variables determining employee engagement levels in the private sector
in Oman.
 To analyze the link between employee engagement and organizational performance in
private sector of Oman.
 If risks to organizational effectiveness are identified, make suggestions to increase
employee engagement in companies in Oman.

1.7 Research Questions

1. What are the factors affecting the engagement levels of employees within private sector
in Oman?
2. What is the link between the employee engagement and organizational performance in
private sector of Oman?
3. What are the recommendations/suggestions to increase the employee engagement in
companies in Oman?
2. Literature Review

The literature review sections describe how the research variables are operationalized as well as
provide a theoretical overview of the components. The results of previous studies are also
addressed.

2.1 Concept of Employee Engagement

Employees that are engaged are emotionally invested in their company and are deeply immersed
in their work, with a strong desire to see their employer succeed, going above and beyond the
terms of their employment contract (Markos & Sridevi, 2010). Job fit, organizational
commitment, and psychological environment were all shown to be strongly associated to
employee engagement, while discretionary effort and turnover intention were also found to be
significantly connected (Shuck, Rio & Rocco, 2011). The findings of the hierarchical regression
analysis for the discretionary effort model revealed that employees who reported a favorable
psychological climate were more likely to report greater levels of discretionary effort. The
findings of the hierarchical regression analysis on the intention to turnover model demonstrated
that emotional commitment and employee engagement significantly predicts levels of employee
intention to leave.

Employee involvement is a term that has been described in a variety of ways. The amount of
devotion and participation that employee had for their business and its principles, according to
one definition (Anitha, 2014).

Another study emphasizes the emotional aspects of engagement, characterizing it as passion and
dedication, as well as willingness to devote oneself and increase one's discretionary effort to
assist the especially if the project (Abu-Khalifeh & Som, 2013).

As subfactors of engagement, some definitions contain other aspects such as employee

excitement and satisfaction (Harter et al., 2002; Nguyen & Pham, 2020).

Employee engagement is described by Shuck and Vollard (2010) as the emotional, cognitive,
and behavioral condition of the employee, with an emphasis on the intended organizational goal.
Employee engagement is described as a quality of an organization's connection with its
employees. Employee engagement, in other terms, refers to employees' intellectual and
emotional interest in the business (Amhalhal et al., 2015).

Employee engagement is also a precise definition of the interaction between employees and their
jobs. Employee involvement may aid in the reduction of absenteeism, mishaps, and attrition, as
well as increase employee and organizational performance. There is a link between employee
engagement and direct measures of an organization's efficacy, such as productivity, quality,
performance, customers’ satisfaction, profit, and growth (Sundaray, 2011).

2.2 Concept of Organizational Performance

Organizational performance is a multi-dimensional notion, and measuring it is an important

component of leadership, because continuous progress relies on the capacity to review the
organization's performance on a regular basis (Shahin, Naftchali & Pool, 2014). Changes in the
makeup of boards of directors were studied as a dependent variable to see how organisations
dealt with changing external circumstances (Boeker & Goodstein, 1991). Various variables
impact organizational success, including internal aspects that the firm may alter and external
factors that are beyond the company's control.

In certain circumstances, attitudes in general, and specifically work satisfaction, have a

significant impact on organizational behavior, but this is not always the case. Furthermore, the
relationship between work job satisfaction and work performance was examined in the same way
as the previous year's organizational performance was investigated and the next year's job
satisfaction was examined. It was hoped that by doing so, it would be possible to determine if
organizational success leads to increased work satisfaction (Danica, 2016).

Employee attitudes are a positive component in their commitment to the organization's success.
Employee attitudes must be recognized in order for competition to contribute to an organization's
profitability (Shamila, 2013). Others stated that in order to improve employee engagement and
organizational success, it is necessary to communicate and exhibit ideas for the organization's
strategic plan.

Fulfillment and employee retention, which are non-financial elements that play a crucial role in
an organization's lifetime commitment, are given less weight by researchers. Employee
involvement is a key component of a company's commitment to excellence. Employee attitudes
must be recognized in order to compete and increase organizational profitability. According to
researchers, companies must discuss employee commitments and organizational performance
with them, as well as demonstrate their strategy implementation ideas (Shamila, 2013).

Human concerns are being ignored, according to Hromei (2014), despite the fact that it is now
well recognized that employee satisfaction leads to improved performance, creativity, and a
company's commitment to its objectives. According to the survey, management faces difficulties
in improving the organization's performance owing to a lack of understanding and expertise in
incorporating non-financial human capital concerns such work environment equilibrium and
productivity. Employee engagement is another factor that influences an organization's
effectiveness.

2.3 Previous Studies

The methods in which engagement impacts employee behavior are most likely to blame for
engagement's effects on performance. Employees that are engaged are more devoted, driven, and
creative, making their companies more inventive and competitive (Bedarkar & Pandita, 2014).
Employees who are engaged are also rated higher in terms of task performance, effort, and
organizational citizenship behavior. Evidence shows a link between employee engagement and
organizational performance, with the better the company's engagement and commitment, the
better the organization's effectiveness. Employee engagement has a favorable impact on
absenteeism, retention, progression, facilitating customer services, and motivating employees to
improve the organization's performance (Macleod and Clarke, 2012).

The goal of this study was to look at the link between employee engagement and individual
performance outcomes (such as development, success, contribution, and customer satisfaction) in
significant corporations in Thailand, which is quickly becoming a global economic hub. The
research was conducted at the Thai headquarters of multinational firms whose performance is
critical to Thailand's general economy as well as the firm's continuing presence in the country. A
survey approach was used to perform the research. Employee engagement and individual
performance outcomes were surveyed by a convenience sample of multinational firm workers (n
= 423). Linear regression analysis was used to examine the data. Employee engagement was
found to have a strong, positive link with all four of the intended performance objectives,
according to the findings. Achievement (= 0.899), followed by growth (= 0.887), contribution (=
0.872), and customer satisfaction (=.867), had the largest influence. Employee engagement,
according to these data, is a substantial and powerful element that influences the individual
performance of multinational business employees. As a result, businesses must evaluate ways to
increase employee engagement. These findings were limited by a number of factors, including
social response bias and the identity nature of performance (Sungmula and Verawat, 2021).

Employee engagement is critical to the success of both employees and organisations. It forecasts
personnel performance, organizational achievement, and the company's financial performance.
Tejaswi and Raya (2014), suggested six work areas that need specific attention. Control,
workload, fairness, cultures, incentives, and values are all factors to consider. Employee
integration, they claim, is recognized in specialized work (self-employment) and involvement
through discussion, the exchange of thoughts, ideas, and views (self-expression). Fundamentally,
most research have concentrated not only on the variables that drive employee engagement, but
also on the individual and organizational outcomes that are linked to it.
3. Research Methodology

This study examines the factors that influence employee engagement and performance in a
sample of Oman's retailing businesses. The goal of this study was to investigate and discover the
link between employee engagement and organizational performance.

3.1 Research Approach

Three research gaps were discovered after a review of the literature. First, despite the widespread
usage of PRP, studies of performance pay in both the public and private sectors have grown. In
addition, there are less studies that relate to the system's success or failure. The majority of the
research focuses on the reactions of the participants. Despite the fact that extensive study has
been done on the performance pay system, few studies have looked at it from several
perspectives, including middle management, personnel, document analysis, and theoretical
notions. Second, despite their widespread adoption, the effectiveness of PRP systems is
uncertain. There are no widely agreed-upon elements or rules for setting up and operating the
system because there are none. Thirdly, there was a gap between the descriptive and
experimental research and actual system use. As a result, there were some issues. Several studies
have shown that the strategy has a positive impact on performance. These studies, but at the
other hand, do not provide a path or set of criteria for achieving beneficial outcomes. The study's
foundations are built on exploiting the aforementioned gaps in the pay literature, as there are few
studies that compare public and private sector organisations, as well as their many categories,
such as global and local private sector (Tkachenko, Hahn, and Peterson, 2017).

3.2 Research Methods

The research study was done through analyzing the data and information given by another
researchers. However, it included the studying of questionnaire and sampling as well by using
quantitative research method.

3.3 Previous Studies

The focus of conventional human resource management (HRM) theory has traditionally been on
how to improve people management. The parallel stream of research on the link between
employee engagement and performance has just recently piqued interest, bringing the two
together to imply that engagement may be the mechanism by which HRM practices influence
individual and organizational performance. Engagement, on the other hand, has developed as a
contested construct whose meaning is subject to 'fixing, shrinking, stretching, and bending.' It
hasn't been examined from a critical HRM standpoint, and the sociological and contextual
ramifications of involvement within the HRM domain haven't been considered. We examine how
the seven articles in this special issue contributed to the progress of theory and evidence on
employee engagement, as well as areas where more research is needed to answer key concerns in
the emerging subject of HRM and engagement.

3.4 Data Collection Method

The primary data collection method used is by questionnaire survey. This study was carried out
as a quantitative survey. To make participation easier for respondents and to gather data quickly
from a large sample, a self-administered questionnaire was utilized. This strategy also allowed
individuals to answer anonymously, preserving their personal information. Because the
respondents were questioned about their participation and work performance, and this
information may have severe effects for them if they were recognized, this was a key ethical
concern. Representatives from various private sector firms in Oman filled out a standardized
questionnaire for the study. The questionnaire was divided into two portions, with the first
section focusing on questions about employee engagement criteria and the second section
focusing on questions about organization performance. The questionnaire was created
specifically for this study based on a literature analysis of the impact of employee engagement
on organizational outcomes. Basic demographic questions (gender, age, educational status, and
family status), an engagement question, and a number of questions on the four performance
outcomes: development, success, contribution, and customer satisfaction were all included in the
survey.

3.5 Population and Sampling

The population for the current research work is the private sector of Muscat, Oman. The sample
approach is an important aspect of research because it helps researchers to draw conclusions
about the individuals who are being studied. It's crucial to make sure the sample you've picked is
representative of the whole population. Because doing research that covers the whole population
is challenging, selecting a sample that truly represents the community is crucial. This is partly
due to the challenges of obtaining large numbers of subjects, which may take a long time and be
very expensive, making it impossible to analyze the whole population. A simple random sample
is widely used to generate an unbiased sample of the population. The participants' inability to
disclose their identities, such as gender and age, was one of the challenges in the questionnaire,
making it difficult to sort and classify them. People have attempted to perform many tests in
SPSS (Software Package), such as the t-test, using the sample obtained, but no meaningful
findings were produced, probably due to a lack of variables and categories that could be
assessed.

3.6 Statistical Tools and Measures

This research proposal focuses on a quantitative investigation. It examines the link between
employee engagement and organizational success in Oman's private sector businesses. The data
is analyzed using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) application, which is a
tool for assessing questionnaire surveys. SPSS delivers a descriptive statistical analysis with
regression analysis for the data obtained from the current study attempt. Tables and graphs were
used to present the results of the survey. The dissertation's major conclusions will be examined
in depth in the next part.

3.7 Limitations

The sampling, the data, and the research are facing such a huge lack in Sultanate of Oman.
Besides, the private sector in Oman usually tends to hide their grouping and working
experiencing even for scientific sake. Therefore, those points, unfortunately, lead to very weak
research.

3.8 Research Implementation Timetable

Start Submit

Topic and Proposal Form From 7 Oct 2021 to 10 Oct 11 Oct 2021
2021
Chapter 1.0 From 28 Oct 2021 to 29 Oct 25 Nov 2021
2021

Chapter 2.0 From 23 Oct 2021 to 25 Nov 25 Nov 2021

2021

Chapter 3.0 From 13 Nov 2021 to 24 Nov 25 Nov 2021

2021
References

AbuKhalifeh, A. N., & Som, A. P. M., (2013). The antecedents affecting employee engagement
and organizational performance. Asian Social Science, 9(7), 41-46.

Anitha., (2014). Determinants of employee engagement and their impact on employee

performance. International Journal of Productivity and Performance Management, 63(3), 308-
323

Harter, J. K., Schmidt, F. L., & Hayes, T. L., (2002). Business-unit-level relationship between
employee satisfaction, employee engagement, and business outcomes: A meta-analysis. Journal
of Applied Psychology, 87(2), 268-279

Nguyen, L. G. T., & Pham, H. T., (2020). Factors affecting employee engagement at not-for-
profit organizations: A case in Vietnam. Journal of Asian Finance, Economics and Business,
7(8), 495-507.

Shamila, V.J., (2013). Employee Engagement—An Approach to Organizational Excellence.

International Journal of Social Science & Interdisciplinary Research, 2, 111-117.

Bedarkar, M., & Pandita, D., (2014). A Study on the Drivers of Employee Engagement
Impacting Employee Performance. Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences, 133, 106-115.

Sungmula, N. and Verawat, A., (2021). The Impact of Employee Engagement on Employee
Performance: A Case Study of Multinational Corporations in Thailand. The Journal of Asian
Finance, Economics and Business. Volume 8 Issue 5; Pages.1091-1097

Macleod, D. and Clarke, N., (2012). The Evidence: Employee Engagement Task Force: Nailing
the Evidence. Engage for Success, London.
Aaronson, D. and Phelan, B., (2017). Wage Shocks and the Technological Substitution of Low‐
wage Jobs. The Economic Journal, 129(617).

Brad, S., Reio, J. T. G. & Rocco T.S., (2011). Employee engagement: an examination of
antecedent and outcome variables, Human Resource Development International, 14:4, 427-445,
DOI: 10.1080/13678868.2011.601587

Danica, B., (2016) Relationship between job satisfaction and organisational performance,
Economic Research-Ekonomska Istraživanja, 29:1, 118-130, DOI:
10.1080/1331677X.2016.1163946

Hildebrandt, T., Grotzinger, A., Reddan, M., Greif, R., Levy, I., Goodman, W. and Schiller, D.,
(2015). Testing the disgust conditioning theory of food-avoidance in adolescents with recent
onset anorexia nervosa. Behaviour research and therapy, 71, pp.131-138.

Isa, M.F.M., Ugheoke, S.O. and Noor, W.S.W.M., 2016. The influence of organizational culture
on employees’ performance: evidence from Oman. Journal of Entrepreneurship and Business,
4(2), pp.1-12.

Joseph, D.L. and Glerum, D.R., (2016). Emotional Intelligence and Its Relevance for Coaching.
Handbuch Schlüsselkonzepte im Coaching, pp.1-8.

Karodia, A.M. and Rehman, S.M., (2014). Management Styles and Their Impact on Employee
Motivation at a Small to Medium Sized Manufacturing Business with Particular Reference to
Finance and Accounting Practice in General. International Journal of Accounting Research, 1(8),
pp.30-35.

Karodia, A.M., Chisoro, C. and Morgan, L., (2015). An Evaluation of the Impact of
Organisational Culture on Employee Work Performance: A Case Study of a FET College in
Durban. Oman Chapter of Arabian Journal of Business and Management Review, 5(4), pp.132-
175.

Katzenbach, J.R. and Smith, D.K., (2015). The wisdom of teams: Creating the high-performance
organization. Massachusetts: Harvard Business Review Press.

Kiresuk, T.J., Smith, A. and Cardillo, J.E., (2014). Goal attainment scaling: Applications, theory,
and measurement. U.K: Psychology Press.
Lewis, S., (2015). Qualitative inquiry and research design: Choosing among five approaches.
Health promotion practice, 16(4), pp.473-475.

Alfes, K., Shantz, A.D., Truss, C., and Soane, E.C., (2013). ‘The Link Between Perceived
Human Resource Management Practices, Engagement and Employee Behaviour: A Moderated
Mediation Model,’ The International Journal of Human Resource Management, 24, 330–351

Shuck, B. and Wollard, K., (2010). Employee engagement and HRD: A seminal review of the
foundations. Human Resource Development Review. 2010;9(1):89–110.

Amhalhal, A, Anchor, J., Dastgir, S., (2015). The Effectiveness of the Use of Multiple
Performance Measures: The Influence of Organizational Contingencies. London: Sage. 2015.

Sundaray, B.K., (2011). Employee engagement: A driver of organizational effectiveness.

European Journal of Business and Management. 2011;3(8):53–9.

Hromei, A., (2014). Non-Financial Factors That Influence the Success of a Merger Transaction.
Economic and Management. 2014;504-11.

Tejaswi, B. and Raya, R.P., (2014). Employee engagement: Key to organizational success.
SCMS Journal of Indian Management. 2014;11(4):61–71.