Employee engagement and business excellence

Z magistrskim delom smo želeli osvetliti pomembnost zaposlenih v modelu poslovne odličnosti EFQM glede na dejstvo, da slovenska podjetja v povprečju zaostajajo za evropskimi po merilih EFQM. Pri tem pa je največja razlika prav pri merilu zaposlenih, kar nakazuje potrebo po tem, da podjetja naredijo določene spremembe v načinu vodenja in upravljanja človeških virov. Osredotočili smo se na zavzetost zaposlenih, ki je po vseh raziskavah povezana z učinkovitostjo zaposlenih in dolgoročno uspešnostjo organizacij. Tudi pri številu zavzetih zaposlenih evropske organizacije dosegajo povprečno nižje rezultate kot organizacije drugih regij. Za dvig zavzetosti zaposlenih smo proučevali dejavnike dveh pristopov upravljanja človeških virov. Ta pristopa sta interni marketing in blagovna znamka delodajalca. Uporabili smo empirične podatke, pridobljene s pomočjo ankete, opravljene med zaposlenimi v slovenskem podjetju, ki je del mednarodne skupine. Za proučevanje vpliva dejavnikov internega marketinga in blagovne znamke delodajalca na zavzetost zaposlenih smo uporabili eksplorativno faktorsko analizo in večkratno regresijsko analizo. Naredili smo tudi samooceno po modelu poslovne odličnosti EFQM, pri čemer smo uporabili vprašalnik, ki so ga izpolnjevale odgovorne osebe posameznih področij v podjetju. Rezultati so pokazali, da dva dejavnika internega marketinga statistično značilno vplivata na zavzetost zaposlenih, to sta empatija in pozornost pri vodenju ter kakovost dela in nagrade. Pri ugotavljanju dejavnikov blagovne znamke delodajalca so rezultati pokazali, da interno komuniciranje blagovne znamke delodajalca statistično značilno vpliva na zavzetost zaposlenih. Prav tako smo dokazali, da tako zavzetost zaposlenih kot pripadnost blagovni znamki delodajalca statistično značilno vplivata na zadovoljstvo zaposlenih, ki je eno izmed ključnih meril modela poslovne odličnosti EFQM 2013. Ugotovitve magistrskega dela dajejo tako prispevek k literaturi kot prispevek k praksi. Ključen prispevek k literaturi je preverjanje modela po Jou et al. (2008), kjer se je pokazalo, da le dva (empatija in pozornost pri vodenju ter kakovost dela in nagrade) od predlaganih šestih dejavnikov internega marketinga statistično značilno vplivata na zavzetost zaposlenih. Pri blagovni znamki delodajalca, kjer smo preverjali model po Burmannu in Zeplinu (2005), pa se je pokazalo, da le eden od treh dejavnikov ključno vpliva na pripadnost blagovni znamki delodajalca, in sicer vodenje z blagovno znamko delodajalca. Ugotovitve dajejo tudi smernice za prakso, kjer naj bi organizacije dajale poseben poudarek vodenju, ki temelji na empatiji in pozornosti ter ustvarjanju delovnega okolja, ki posamezniku omogoča rast, razvoj in dobro počutje. Hkrati pa se morajo podjetja zavedati, da ni dovolj le ustvariti dobro blagovno znamko delodajalca, temveč da je prav interno komuniciranje le-te ključno pri dvigu zavzetosti zaposlenih.The purpose of the master’s thesis is to highlight the importance of employees within the EFQM business excellence model given the fact that according to the EFQM criteria, on average, Slovenian companies lag behind the European. The biggest difference is in the criteria of employees reflecting the need for certain changes in management and human resources management within companies. We focused on the employee engagement, which is related, according to all research, to the efficiency of employees and the long-term performance of organisations. Compared to organisations in other regions, European organisations, on average, also achieve lower results in connection with the number of engaged employees. In order to raise employee engagement, we studied factors of two approaches to human resources management, internal marketing (IM), and the employer branding (EB). We used empirical data obtained through a survey that was conducted among employees in a Slovenian company being part of the international group. In order to investigate the impact of IM and EB dimensions on employee engagement, we used exploratory factor analysis and multiple regression analysis. Likewise, we made a self-assessment according to the EFQM business excellence model, through a questionnaire, which was filled out by persons responsible for individual areas within the company. The results showed that two IM dimensions statistically-specific impact on employee engagement, namely the empathy and attention in the management and the job quality and awards. In determining EB dimensions, results showed that internal brand communication statistically-specific impacts on employee engagement. We have also demonstrated that both employee engagement and brand commitment statistically-significant impact on employee satisfaction, which is one of the key criteria of the EFQM business excellence model 2013. Findings of the master’s thesis contribute both to the theory as well as practice. A key contribution to the theory is the verification of the model according to Jou et al. (2008), which showed that only two (empathy and attention in the management and the job quality and awards) of the proposed six IM dimensions significantly affect employee engagement, whereas in terms of the EB, where we verified the model according to Burmannin Zeplin (2005) only one (brand leadership) of the three dimensions significantly impacts on brand commitment. The findings are also guidelines for the practice in the context of which organisations should place special emphasis on management, based on empathy and attention and the creation of a working environment that enables the individual to grow, develop, and provide well-being. At the same time, companies need to be aware that it is not enough to create a recognised employer branding, and that internal brand communication is key to raising employee engagement