The influence of employee engagement on managing workplace conflict at the Durban University of Technology

Abstract

The main aim of the study was to establish the impact of employee engagement (EE) on managing workplace conflict at the Durban University of Technology. The study explores types of EE strategies and the development of policies, procedures and workplace interventions to manage employer-employee conflict. This study is motivated by the global challenges facing higher education institutions in South Africa and the need to make a unique contribution to understanding whether employee engagement can help to reduce workplace conflict in the South African higher education sector, which can have a significant impact on overall institutional performance and harmony. Additionally, there is a dearth of research related to employee engagement in HE and more especially its link to workplace conflict. The study was underpinned by key research objectives such as exploring EE strategies, determining the antecedents of EE and investigating the relationship between EE and workplace conflict at the DUT. A quantitative approach using a pre-coded structured closed-ended online questionnaire consisting of a 5-point Likert scale was utilised to collect the data from a selected sample of respondents. The target population comprised of 1876 employees at the Durban University of Technology and a sample of 320 employees was selected using a simple random sampling without replacement technique for both academic and non-academic staff. A total of 198 responses were received reflecting a 62% response rate. The Statistical Program for the Social Sciences (SPSS) version 29 for Windows was used for statistical analyses. The notable findings of the study revealed that employee support, organisational work culture and job stressors are key antecedents of EE, that the antecedents of EE can have either a negative or positive effect on EE and that EE does not have a significant effect on workplace conflict. Other notable findings revealed that EE strategies relating to employee support and positive organisational culture do not have a significant effect on workplace conflict, while job stressors tend to have a positive and significant effect on workplace conflict. Based on the findings of the study, it can be concluded that EE does not have a significant influence on the management of workplace conflict at the Durban University of Technology. The study recommended that the leadership at the DUT implement EE strategies and interventions to improve EE at the institution. This can be achieved through increased supervisor and organisational support for employees; the development of a strong and positive organisational work culture supporting organisational goals; and reducing job-related stressors negatively impacting EE at the institution. It was further recommended that the institution analyse the antecedents of employee engagement to determine where and how engagement initiatives should be addressed. The study identified areas of possible future research related to EE and workplace conflict including an alternative investigation into the influence of workplace conflict on EE. After the completion of the study, the researcher solicited the services of a senior librarian to run the Turnitin programme to test the thesis for plagiarism. The results yielded a 11% plagiarism report.