Placing relationships in the foreground: the role of workplace friendships in engagement

McBain, R. and Parkinson, A. (2017) Placing relationships in the foreground: the role of workplace friendships in engagement. In: Zerbe, W. J., Hartel, C. E. J., Ashkanasy, N. M. and Petitta, L. (eds.) Emotions and Identity. Research on Emotion in Organizations, 13. Emerald Publishing Limited, Bingley, pp. 199-221. ISBN 9781787144385 doi: 10.1108/S1746-979120170000013011

Abstract/Summary

We explore the role of workplace friendships as a lens for understanding the emotional element and relational context for personal engagement (Kahn, 1990). The review of engagement theory differentiates personal engagement, recognising the role emotions play in enabling individuals’ ‘preferred selves’. Workplace relationships and friendship provide a conceptual discussion of individuals in social and workplace roles in engagement, drawing on friendship, emotion, attachment theories, particularly Kahn’s work. A case study drawn from recent research illustrates our discussion before concluding with ideas for the development of a future research agenda in answer to recent calls for work on the social context of engagement.

Item Type	Book or Report Section
URI	https://reading-clone.eprints-hosting.org/id/eprint/71471
Item Type	Book or Report Section
Refereed	Yes
Divisions	Henley Business School > Leadership, Organisations and Behaviour
Uncontrolled Keywords	workplace friendship, engagement, relational context, emotions
Publisher	Emerald Publishing Limited
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