ABSTRACT
Throughout this book, I have argued that a wide variety of factors shape people's attitudes toward their workplace and employer. The kind of work they do; the support they receive; the way they are treated; the relationships they form; the prevailing organizational climate and culture, including leadership style and communication. What is more, expectations of reciprocity encourage positive attitudes and behaviors but a skew in the balance can cause not only dysfunction and loss of productivity but irreparable harm, especially when the imbalance is significant. When that occurs and disengagement sets in, the negative drag on performance and well-being can indeed be serious and follow a downward spiral that is very difficult to reverse. Arguably, engagement has become one of the most significant theoretically supported concepts in the management field with both academics and practitioners showing a growing interest in the subject, especially in light of how new technological and societal changes affect the meaning and nature of work.
