https://ir.unisa.ac.za/handle/10500/108 Tue, 05 May 2026 12:50:43 GMT 2026-05-05T12:50:43Z https://ir.unisa.ac.za/handle/10500/32417 A model of employee engagement, motivation and resilience for women retention within the science, technology, engineering, or mathematics (stem) field Baloyi, Joyce The primary aim of this study was to develop a model of employee engagement, motivation and resilience for women retention within science, technology, engineering or mathematics (STEM) field. The secondary aim was to determine the demographic characteristics of employees (gender, marital status, age, educational qualifications and tenure) moderating their retention. A cross–sectional quantitative research design was followed, using explanatory and descriptive research. The data was collected through an online survey, with a questionnaire administered to a sample of 458 engineering employees in South Africa to collect the biographical information and measure their employee engagement, motivation and resilience for retention. The Employee Engagement Instrument of Nienaber and Martins (2014) was used to measure the three dimensions of employee engagement; the Work Preference Inventory of Amabile (1987) to measure the two dimensions of motivation; the Stress Adaptation Scale of Phan et al. (2019a) to measure the two dimensions of employee resilience; and the Turnover Intention Scale 6 of Roodt (2004) to measure employee retention. Based on the literature review, a theoretical model of employee engagement, motivation and resilience for women retention in STEM was developed and empirically tested through structural equation modelling (SEM). Regression analysis was performed using the dependent variable employee retention (turnover intention) and the independent variables employee engagement, motivation and employee resilience. These variables were entered into the model to explain their total variance in terms of employee retention. The three independent variables explained 38% (large effect size) of the variance in turnover intentions. This suggests that the total variance in the dependent variable is explained by the three independent variables. The results revealed significant relationships between the three independent variables. Specifically, they revealed employee engagement as the significant predictor of turnover intention. A final model of employee engagement, motivation and resilience for women retention within STEM was developed based on the statistical analysis with simplified representations of complex systems, processes or behaviours for understanding how to create an environment to allow women in STEM to be engaged, motivated and resilient to thrive amid challenges. Based on the research results, recommendations are made for industrial psychology professionals to advance employee engagement, motivation and resilience for retention practices in STEM.; Maikaelelomagolo a thutopatlisiso eno e ne e le go dira sekao ka go akanyediwa ga badiri mo tirong, go rotloediwa ga bone le boitsetsepelo jwa bone go netefatsa gore badiri ba basadi ba tswelela go nna teng mo tirong ya mo maphateng a Saense, Thekenoloji, Boenjeneri kgotsa Mmetshe (STEM). Maikaelelo a bobedi e ne e le go tlhomamisa dipharologantsho tsa dipalopalo tsa badiri go laola netefatso ya gore ba tswelela go nna teng mo tirong, dipharologantsho tsa bong, maemo a lenyalo, dingwaga, dithutego le pakatiro. Go latetswe mokgwa wa tlhomamiso e e sekasekang dipalopalo tse di kgobokantsweng ka nako e e rileng, ka go dirisa tlhotlhomiso e e tlhalosang tiragalo e e rileng le gore ke goreng e diragetse. Go kgobokantswe deitha ka go dirisa patlisiso ya mo inthaneteng, ka lenaanepotso le le dirisitsweng mo sampoleng ya badiri ba le 458 ba baenjeneri mo Aforika Borwa go kgobokanya tshedimosetso ka ga botshelo jwa bone le go lekanya go akanyediwa ga badiri mo tirong, go rotloediwa ga bone le boitsetsepelo jwa bone go netefatsa go tswelela go nna teng ga bone mo tirong. Go dirisitswe sediriswa se se lekanyang go akanyediwa ga badiri mo tirong (Nienaber & Martins 2014) go lekanya matlhakore a le mararo a go akanyediwa ga badiri mo tirong; go dirisitswe lenaanepotso la gore ba kgothadiwa ke eng kgotsa ba nyemisiwa mooko ke eng ka tiro ya bone (Amabile 1987) go lekanya matlhakore a mabedi a thotloetso; go dirisitswe sekale sa bokgoni jwa go dira sentle mo maemong a kgatelelomaikutlo (Phan et al. 2019a) go lekanya matlhakore a mabedi a boitsetsepelo jwa badiri; mme go dirisitswe sekale se se lekanyang tshwetso le keletso ya badiri go batla tiro e nngwe go sele sa 6 (Roodt 2004) go lekanya netefatso ya go tswelela go nna le badiri mo tirong. Go ya ka tshekatsheko ya dikwalo, sekao sa tiori sa go akanyediwa ga badiri mo tirong, go rotloediwa ga bone go netefatsa gore badiri ba basadi ba tswelela go nna teng mo tirong mo STEM se dirilwe le go lekeletswa ka go dirisa mekgwatiriso e e farologaneng ya go sekaseka dikamano tse di raraaneng fa gare ga dilekanngwa tse di lebeletsweng ka tlhamalalo le tse di sa lebelelwang ka tlhamalalo (SEM). Go diragaditswe tshekatsheko e e bonelang pele dipalopalo ka go dirisa selekanngwa se se ikaegileng ka se sengwe sa go netefatsa gore badiri ba tswelela go nna teng kwa tirong (tshwetso le keletso ya badiri go batla tiro e nngwe go sele) le dilekanngwa tse di ka fetolwang ke motlhotlhomisi go bona dipholo tse di farologaneng mo go akanyediweng ga badiri mo tirong ya viii bone, go rotloediwa le boitsetsepelo jwa badiri. Dilekanngwa tseno di tsentswe mo sekaong go tlhalosa pharologano yotlhe ya tsone malebana le netefatso ya go tswelela go nna le badiri mo tirong. Dilekanngwa tse tharo tse di kgonang go fetolwa di tlhalositse 38.0% (pharologano ya botlhokwa) ya pharologano mo ditshwetsong le dikeletso tsa go batla tiro e nngwe go sele. Seno se tshitsinya gore pharologano yotlhe mo selekanngweng se se ikaegileng ka tse dingwe e tlhalosiwa ke dilekanngwa tse tharo tse di kgonang go fetolwa. Dipholo di senotse dikamano tsa botlhokwa fa gare ga dilekanngwa tse tharo tse motlhotlhomisi o kgonang go di fetola go fitlhelela dipholo tse di farologaneng. Segolo bogolo, di senotse go akanyediwa ga badiri mo tirong jaaka sebonelapele sa botlhokwa sa tshwetso le keletso ya modiri go batla tiro e e botoka go sele. Sekao sa bofelo sa go akanyediwa ga badiri mo tirong, thotloetso le boitsetsepelo go netefatsa gore badiri ba basadi ba tswelela go nna teng mo tirong ya mo STEM se tlhamilwe go ikaegile ka tshekatsheko ya dipalopalo tse di nang le ditlhaloso tse di nolofaditsweng tsa mekgwatsamaiso e e raraaneng, ditirego tse di rileng kgotsa maitsholo a go tlhaloganya tsela ya go tlhama maemo a a neelang basadi ba ba mo STEM tšhono ya tsaya karolo, go rotloediwa le go nna le boitsetsepelo gore ba atlege le fa ba dikaganyeditswe ke dikgwetlho. Go ikaegile ka dipholo tsa tlhotlhomiso, go atlanegisiwa gore baporofešenale ba ba tsepamisang mo maitsholong a badiri mo lefelotirong la bone ba tsweledise go akanyediwa ga badiri mo tirong, thotloetso ya bone le boitsetsepelo jwa bone go direla mekgwatiriso ya go netefatsa gore ba tswelela go nna teng mo tirong ya mo STEM.; Inhloso eyinhloko yalolu cwaningo kwakuwukusungula imodeli yokuzibandakanya kwabasebenzi, ugqozi kanye nokuqina kokugcinwa kwabesifazane ngaphakathi kwemikhakha yeSayensi, Ubuchwepheshe, Ubunjiniyela noma Izibalo noma Science, Technology, Engineering or Mathematics (STEM). Inhloso yesibili kwakuwukunquma izici zezibalo zabasebenzi abalinganisa ukugcinwa kwabo, okungukuthi ubulili, isimo somshado, ubudala, iziqu zemfundo kanye neminyaka yokusebenza. Kwalandelwa idizayini yocwaningo lobuningi obuhlukene, kusetshenziswa ucwaningo oluchazayo noluchazayo. Idatha yaqoqwa ngocwaningo lwe-inthanethi, nohlu lwemibuzo olunikezwe isampula yabasebenzi bonjiniyela abangama-458 eNingizimu Afrika ukuze baqoqe imininingwane yabo yezomlando kanye nokukala ukusebenzelana kwabo nabasebenzi, ugqozi kanye nokuqina ukuze bagcinwe. Ithuluzi lokubandakanya abasebenzi (u-Nienaber & Martins 2014) lasetshenziswa ukukala izilinganiso ezintathu zokuzibandakanya kwabasebenzi; i-inventory yezintandokazi zomsebenzi (Amabile 1987) yasetshenziswa ukukala izilinganiso ezimbili zokugqugquzela; isikali sokuzivumelanisa nezimo zokucindezeleka (Phan et al. 2019a) sasetshenziswa ukukala izinhlangothi ezimbili zokuqina kwabasebenzi; kanye nesikali senhloso yesi-6 (Roodt 2004) sasetshenziswa ukukala ukugcinwa kwabasebenzi. Ngokusekelwe ekubuyekezweni kwezincwadi, imodeli yetiyetha yokuzibandakanya kwabasebenzi, ugqozi kanye nokuqina kokugcinwa kwabesifazane ku-STEM yathuthukiswa futhi yavivinywa ngokwamandla isakhiwo semodeli yezibalo noma nge-structural equation modeling (SEM). Ukuhlaziywa kokuhlehla kwenziwa kusetshenziswa ukugcinwa kwabasebenzi okuncikile (inhloso yenzuzo) kanye nokuhlukahluka okuzimele kokuzibandakanya kwabasebenzi, ugqozi kanye nokuqina kwabasebenzi. Lokhu okuguquguqukayo kwafakwa kumodeli ukuze kuchazwe ukuhluka kwazo okuphelele mayelana nokugcinwa kwabasebenzi. Okuhluka okuthathu okuzimele kuchaze ama-38.0% (usayizi womphumela omkhulu) wokuhluka kwezinhloso zenzuzo. Lokhu kuphakamisa ukuthi ukuhluka okuphelele kokuhluka okuncikile kuchazwa yiziguquguquko ezintathu ezizimele. Imiphumela iveze ubudlelwano obubalulekile phakathi kweziguquko ezintathu ezizimele. Ngokukhethekile, baveze ukuzibandakanya kwabasebenzi njengesibikezelo esibalulekile senhloso yenzuzo. Imodeli yokugcina yokuzibandakanya kwabasebenzi, ugqozi kanye nokuqina kokugcinwa x kwabesifazane ngaphakathi kwe-STEM yathuthukiswa ngokusekelwe ekuhlaziyweni kwezibalo ngezethulo ezilula zezinhlelo eziyinkimbinkimbi, izinqubo noma ukuziphatha ukuze kuqondwe indlela yokudala indawo yokuvumela abesifazane ku-STEM ukuba bahlanganyele, bagqugquzelwe futhi baqine ukuze baphumelele phakathi kwezinselele. Ngokusekelwe emiphumeleni yocwaningo, izincomo zenzelwe ochwepheshe bezengqondo yezezimboni ukuqhubekisela phambili ukuzibandakanya kwabasebenzi, ugqozi kanye nokuqina kwezinqubo zokugcinwa ku-STEM. Thu, 01 Jan 2026 00:00:00 GMT https://ir.unisa.ac.za/handle/10500/32417 2026-01-01T00:00:00Z https://ir.unisa.ac.za/handle/10500/32380 Relationship between employee engagement and employee performance at a NorthWest based manufacturing company Mecuur, Christelean Theolean This study examines the intricate relationship between employee engagement and performance within a manufacturing company in the Northwest region. In recent years, employee engagement has emerged as a crucial determinant of organisational success, significantly impacting job satisfaction, commitment to the company, and overall performance. To investigate this dynamic, a quantitative research methodology was employed, utilising validated survey instruments such as the Gallup Q12® Workplace Audit to measure employee engagement and the Individual Work Performance Questionnaire (IWPQ) to evaluate performance levels. The research findings reveal a notable positive correlation between employee engagement and overall work performance. Employees who are actively engaged in their work exhibited enhanced task performance, completing their specific duties with greater efficiency and effectiveness, and improved contextual performance, encompassing their contributions to workplace culture and collaborative efforts. These results align with existing literature, which suggests that engaged employees tend to display higher levels of enthusiasm and commitment to their roles. Conversely, the study found no significant connection between employee engagement and counterproductive work behaviour, indicating that the factors influencing negative workplace behaviours may differ and require further exploration. The insights from this study highlight the critical need for organizations to foster employee engagement to enhance productivity and achieve favourable organizational outcomes. To this end, the research advocates implementing targeted engagement strategies, such as recognition and reward programs, leadership development opportunities, and supportive workplace initiatives, to drive performance improvements. Overall, these findings contribute valuable knowledge to the field of Industrial and Organizational Psychology (IOP) and offer practical recommendations to enhance employee engagement, particularly in the manufacturing sector. Sat, 01 Nov 2025 00:00:00 GMT https://ir.unisa.ac.za/handle/10500/32380 2025-11-01T00:00:00Z https://ir.unisa.ac.za/handle/10500/32218 Towards a work engagement framework considering personality traits and basic psychological needs from an organisational neuroscience perspective Vorster, Petrus Johannes Despite extensive theoretical exploration, a unified conceptual framework for work engagement remains absent, as reflected by persistently high global disengagement levels. Research indicates that personality traits, as defined by the five-factor model, and the fulfilment of basic psychological needs, both play vital roles in sustaining engagement. However, limited studies have examined their combined predictive influence on engagement, particularly from an organisational neuroscience perspective. Addressing this gap, the present study investigated how personality traits and basic psychological needs together predict engagement, and whether the inclusion of psychological needs enhances explanatory power beyond personality traits alone. Adopting a quantitative, non-experimental design, data were collected from 118 employees of a single South African organisation via an online survey. Instruments included the nine-item Utrecht work engagement scale, the shortened version of the basic traits inventory, and a novel measure of basic psychological needs. Analyses comprised exploratory- and confirmatory factor analysis, correlation analysis, and hierarchical multiple regression analysis. The results supported a two dimensional structure of basic psychological needs, ‘joyful connection’ and ‘autonomous mastery’, which demonstrated acceptable reliability but required refinement to improve convergent validity. Work engagement correlated positively with extraversion, conscientiousness, openness, and agreeableness, and negatively with neuroticism. Both basic psychological need dimensions correlated positively with work engagement and with most personality traits, except neuroticism. Regression analysis revealed that extraversion and conscientiousness significantly predicted work engagement, and that adding basic psychological needs significantly increased the explained variance. ‘Joyful connection’ emerged as a strong predictor, confirming the incremental value of need satisfaction alongside personality traits. The findings underscore that an integrated framework considering both personality traits and basic psychological needs offers a more comprehensive explanation of work engagement. Practical recommendations include fostering supportive and enjoyable work settings, promoting independence and skill development, and addressing emotional stability through mental health support. This comprehensive approach could not only enhance work engagement but also improve overall employee well-being, providing valuable insights for organisational strategies. This study, therefore, bridges gaps in the literature by integrating personality psychology with basic psychological needs within an organisational neuroscience framework, setting a solid foundation for future research and practical applications in enhancing work engagement Wed, 01 Oct 2025 00:00:00 GMT https://ir.unisa.ac.za/handle/10500/32218 2025-10-01T00:00:00Z https://ir.unisa.ac.za/handle/10500/32041 Work-life balance : a Q-methodological exploration of female managers’ perspectives within a South African state-owned enterprise Weber, Erich Luther This dissertation provides an analysis of the work-life balance experiences of women in managerial positions in a South African state-owned enterprise. It explores how these women cope with the demands and expectations of their work and non-work roles, and how they perceive and manage the conflicts and synergies between them. The research made use of Q-Methodology as the main approach of the study. The sample consisted of 40 women who held managerial positions in different departments within a South African state-owned entity. Data were gathered using a card sorting technique and post-Q sorting interviews as the follow-up to the sorting outcome. Analysis was done using Q-Methodology software, an online approach to collecting and analysing data. Eight themes regarding these female leaders’ work-life balance emerged. Recommendations for the organisation, the managers, and the employees who are interested in improving work-life balance experiences of women in managerial positions are then made. Thu, 30 Nov 2023 00:00:00 GMT https://ir.unisa.ac.za/handle/10500/32041 2023-11-30T00:00:00Z