Collective organisational engagement in times of change

Abstract

Collective organisational engagement concerns the common perception among organisational members that members of the organisation are mentally, physically, and emotionally invested in their work (Barrick, Thurgood, Smith & Courtright, 2015). This common perception of engagement has been identified as transferable across organisational members, which can be seen as beneficial in certain settings, such as change. In this fashion, we propose that collective organisational engagement contributes to successful change, and more specifically positive attitudes toward organisational change. We further suggest that this relationship is moderated by a third variable, namely perceived motivational climate. To test these assumptions, empirical data is collected from a highly ranked bank. The results from the cross-lagged survey suggest a direct link between these variables, and more thoroughly that a perceived mastery climate contributes positively and strengthens the relationship between collective organisational engagement and employees’ attitudes towards organisational change. Lastly, implications for practice, limitations of study and directions for future research are discussed.