Date of Conferral

8-27-2026

Date of Award

August 2026

Degree

Doctor of Business Administration (D.B.A.)

School

Management

Advisor

Rocky Dwyer

Abstract

The prevalence of remote work environments has created challenges for small and medium enterprise (SME) healthcare leaders who must sustain workforce productivity while increasing employee engagement. Declining employee engagement affects not only productivity but also organizational effectiveness and profitability. The purpose of this qualitative pragmatic inquiry research project was to identify and explore the effective strategies that some leaders of remote SME healthcare workforces use to improve employee engagement. Using engagement theory as the conceptual lens to guide the research project, six purposefully sampled United States business leaders who demonstrated successful engagement practices within remote SME healthcare workforces were studied. Data were gathered through semistructured interviews, a review of publicly available organizational data, and the organizations' social media presence. Four themes emerged: employee engagement definition and prioritization; relationship building and communication; barriers to engagement in remote work environments; and leadership practices supporting employee engagement. A key recommendation is for remote SME healthcare leaders to intentionally promote psychological meaningfulness, safety, and availability through mission-aligned communication, relational leadership, employee recognition, and adequate technological and organizational support. These practices support positive social change by improving employee well-being, expanding equitable access to work opportunities, and strengthening participation within remote SME healthcare workforces, contributing to more inclusive, resilient, and sustainable organizations and communities.

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