Date of Conferral
1-1-2021
Degree
Doctor of Business Administration (D.B.A.)
School
Business Administration
Advisor
Gregory Washington, Rocky Dwyer
Abstract
Employee engagement significantly impacts organizational outcomes; however, it is also a significant issue for leaders since employees who are not engaged impact organizational performance and profitability. Through the perspective of the social exchange theory, the purpose of this multiple case study was to explore trust-building strategies laboratory managers use to cultivate the engagement of laboratory employees. The population comprised five laboratory managers across various industries and geographical locations in the United States who successfully implemented trust-building strategies that cultivated employee engagement. Data were collected from semistructured interviews and public organizational documents such as annual reports, employee testimonials, and media/news articles. The two themes that emerged from the thematic analysis were effective communication and effective leadership behaviors. A major recommendation is for laboratory managers to seek frequent feedback from their employees to evaluate the effectiveness of their trust-building strategies, and where appropriate, modify their employee engagement strategies as needed. The implications for positive social change are that organizational leaders may experience increased financial success when their workforce is engaged. As a result, the prospect of creating new employment opportunities may arise, which may contribute to the economic welfare of those in surrounding communities.
Recommended Citation
Treadway, Jessica, "Trust-Building Strategies Laboratory Managers Use to Cultivate the Engagement of Laboratory Employees" (2021). Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies. 11410.
https://scholarworks.waldenu.edu/dissertations/11410
