Beyond the 9-to-5: How Meaningful and Challenging Work Drives Employee Engagement

Abstract

This study examines the relationship between meaningful and challenging work, workplace environment and employee engagement. It addresses the dearth of empirical research in this area and utilises Khan’s (1990) model of engagement as the theoretical framework. The research design employed a cross-sectional descriptive approach, with a sample of 981 employees from the IT, banking, telecommunications and education sectors, selected using quota non-probability sampling. A self-reported questionnaire measured the hypothesised relationships between job design characteristics (JDC), workplace environment (WPE) and employee engagement, analysed using structural equation modelling and AMOS. The findings indicate that both meaningful and challenging work and workplace environment significantly impact employee engagement. However, meaningful and challenging work demonstrates a stronger effect ( = 0.79, p < .000) compared to the workplace environment ( = 0.24, p < .000) in predicting employee engagement. These results contribute to the academic literature by emphasising the importance of integrating meaningful and challenging work and cultivating a positive workplace environment to enhance employee engagement. The study offers practical implications for HR managers, highlighting the need to focus on job design characteristics and improve the workplace environment to foster meaningfulness in work. By doing so, organisations can enhance employee performance and productivity and reduce turnover intentions.