We analysed literature on what factors affect work engagement at the small businesses environments. There were wide-ranging views on it.

Aspiring work environment and employee engagement

Literature demonstrates a positive correlation between an inspiring work environment and employee engagement. Work environment includes how the physical work environment is arranged, how supervisors treat employees, and how colleagues possess an optimistic attitude especially towards employees. This means how the people behave in the organization, how leadership is enhanced, and how positive the overall work environment is towards work. Traditional organizational perspectives have demonstrated how rigid organizational or working environments were, which reduced the ability of employees to perform, engage, and contribute to the organization. However, modern perspectives of flatter organizations come with a view of enhanced flexibility that promote more opportunities to engage on an emotional level. An aspiring working environment is proven to have a positive influence on employee engagement through the literature (Jayaweera, 2015).

Employee empowerment and employee engagement 

Employee empowerment is defined as the processes through which firms provide their workers some autonomy and influence over their daily tasks. Employee empowerment is founded on the notion of empowering workers with the tools necessary to make critical choices and assisting them in ensuring those decisions are proper. This also applies to how leaders empower their subordinates to participate in decision-making at work (Kaliannan, and Adiyovu, 2015). This also fosters a greater sense of belonging among workers. Participatory leaders who empower workers also give them the opportunity to make their own choices. Scholarly perspectives are also portrayed via the lens of self-accountability (Kaur, 2016). Employee empowerment is measured in terms of how much discretion is provided to workers in making decisions, how eager leaders and supervisors are to listen to employees’ concerns, and so on. Numerous experts have found a favorable correlation between employee empowerment and employee engagement. (Robertson and Cooper, 2010).

Provision of Training and Development and employee engagement 

Although training and development are seen as a part of engagement in the literature, good training and development programs give workers with more opportunities to grow. (Kozhakhmet et al, 2020). When workers discover possibilities for progress, their engagement levels increase. Training is provided both internally and outside. Apart from technical education, interpersonal and intrapersonal training are also available. Numerous studies demonstrate a favorable correlation between elements affecting employee engagement, such as training. (Kozhakhmet et al, 2020). Training is strongly related to factors such as workers’ development potential both inside and outside of businesses that make their jobs more desirable. As shown by the research, there is a favorable association between training and development and employee engagement.

Reward Structure 

As mentioned before in this section, employee engagement is seen as an intrinsic factor; yet, studies demonstrate a good correlation between extrinsic incentives and employee engagement. (Leisink and Stein, 2009). Remuneration and bonuses are regarded as good extrinsic incentives and also serve as the foundation of an organization’s compensation plan. These elements are believed to be significant determinants of employee engagement. However, perspectives on such extrinsic elements generate a paradoxical picture in the research, with engagement seen as an inherent component but extrinsic incentives also playing a significant influence. (Robertson and Cooper, 2020). Thus, it is self-evident that compensation, incentives, and extrinsic rewards all have a positive correlation with employee engagement.

Clarity of Company Values

An alignment between company values with individual values is portrayed to have a positive impact on better engagement levels. This also presents a psychological perspective, where individuals tend to be engaged or involved more in tasks when they find a value fit. When values don’t match or fit, this often results in a dilemma that reduces the level of employee engagement. On the other hand, these values have to be communicated well to have clarity first that leads to better understanding of the values. Clarity on co-values, active participation in values, alignment of values with personal values are considered to be the major elements that drive better employee engagement at work.

It is evident that many factors affect work engagement at the workplace.