Impact of Corporate Social Responsibility on Employee Engagement – An Evaluation

Abstract

Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) and Employee Engagement (EE) - both have come to occupy the place of pride not only in the annual reports but also in the business strategies of modern day corporate. Both are affirmatively affected by each other i.e. two are positively related.

This research paper is an attempt to explore rather establishes both the textual and contextual connection between the constructs of corporate social responsibility and employee engagement. The outcomes of various research, studies and surveys supporting implementation of CSR for an effective employee engagement as a business case or strategy for organizations are analysed to explore the effects of CSR on EE vis-à-vis other important drivers of the latter. The topic is looked upon from different angles in order to look for points of interactions or to establish the common connections between the two concepts of CSR and EE based on content analysis of findings from both qualitative and quantitative researches.

 Purpose:The purpose of study in hand is to evaluate the relationship orinter-connection between the two variables of CSR and EE and the extent to which CSR affects EE.

 Findings: The study confirms the importance of CSR - both as a means of and an end for EE, in the overall achievement of organisational goal as CSR acts as tool for EE and engaged employees help unleash the potential of Human Resource (HR). The significance of relationship between the variables (CSR and EE) is established beyond boundary of assumption.

 Originality and Value:As the study has been undertaken with an aim to “make a significant and novel conceptual contribution” (Gatrell and Breslin, 2017) “grounded in a thorough and critical review of the literature” (Jones and Gatrell, 2014), the knowledge base in the domain of relationship between CSR and EE and understanding the impacts of former (CSR) on the later (EE) stands significantly extended.

 Implications for Future Research: The study paves the way for evidence based studies i.e. empirical research on the extent of impact CSR casts on EE in terms of employees’ intention to stay with and work for the organisation beyond the call of duty, specific to region and industry. The study set out specific directions for research in shaping future conceptualizations which might challenge the current narrative and shift the paradigm, based on empirical evidence.