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Studies suggest that engagement is related with organizationally desired outcomes, including performance, productivity, profitability, employee retention, organization citizenship behavior and employee well-being. Despite its practical relevance in the workplace, the concept of engagement has been theoretically dispersed. Therefore, this study aims to present a conceptual review of engagement studies leading to the development of a nomological framework and an evolution timeline for the concept.

The present study is divided into three sections. The first section elicits the nomological framework based on the comparison between engagement, its predecessors and its contemporary concepts such as motivation theories, job design theories, burnout theories and positive psychology. A review of related theories and concepts highlights the similarities and differences vis-a-vis engagement. In the second section, the study depicts the evolution of the engagement concept based on the nomological framework. The evolution is discussed through the decades of before 1990, 1990-2000, 2000-2010 and 2010 onwards. To consolidate the theories and concepts, the authors covered studies that defined engagement as role engagement, personal engagement, work engagement and employee engagement. The third section presents the future research directions based on the framework and evolution.

The literature review reveals future research directions. These include the addition of new antecedents and theoretical frameworks to enrich the explanatory power and practical relevance of the antecedents of engagement, exploring the context of work with qualitative and mixed method designs, exploring the unit of “role” in engagement studies and the need for more replication studies in this field.

The key contributions of this paper are the nomological framework and the timeline of the evolution of engagement concept.

The purpose of this paper is to examine the effects of job demands, job resources and personal resources on work engagement using the job demands–resources (JD–R) model.

The study utilized a longitudinal research design in a sample of Thai employees (n=182). The data were collected by questionnaires administered in two waves over a period of four months, and the hypotheses were tested using hierarchical regression analysis.

The results supported the negative relationship between role ambiguity and work engagement. In addition, the findings suggested self-efficacy as a moderator in reducing the effect of increasing workload on work engagement.

The results of this study will be helpful for managers in designing appropriate human resources policies and practices; in recruiting, selecting and developing engaged employees; and in ensuring workplace well-being.

This is the first notable study establishing the applicability of the antecedents of work engagement in the JD–R model in a Thai work setting.

The purpose of this paper is to test the hypothesized relationships between job demands, job resources and personal resources toward work engagement, by utilizing a cross section of Thai employees.

In this study, a group of employees (n=416) responded to a set of self-report surveys on job demands, job resources, personal resources and work engagement.

The results of the hierarchical regression analysis supported the relationships between job demands (i.e. workload and role conflict), job resources, personal resources (self-efficacy) and work engagement. In addition, the results supported the role of (positive) self-esteem as moderator in the role ambiguity and work engagement relationship, and the role of self-efficacy in buffering the effect of role conflict and workload on work engagement. The final model explained 43 percent of the variance in the dependent variable.

This study will help managers in understanding employee expectations and providing appropriate feedback. Devising effective jobs, which lead to perceptions of meaningfulness, safety and availability leading to improved engagement.

This is the first study employing the job demands resources model in a cross-sectional study in Thailand.