Constructing Employee Engagement Among Generation Z Employees: A Phenomenological Study In The Organizational Context

Employee engagement has become a critical issue in human resource management, particularly with the growing dominance of Generation Z in the workforce. Unlike previous generations, Generation Z places greater emphasis on meaningful work, career development, supportive relationships, and psychological well-being. However, existing studies are largely dominated by quantitative approaches, offering limited insight into how Generation Z employees construct employee engagement through their lived experiences. This study aims to explore the construction of employee engagement among Generation Z employees using a qualitative approach with an Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA) design. Data were collected through in-depth interviews with purposively selected Generation Z employees and analyzed by identifying key themes from participants’ experiences. The findings reveal that employee engagement is constructed through recognition, trust, supportive interpersonal relationships, participatory leadership, opportunities for growth, work autonomy, and meaningful work. Rather than reflecting unconditional organizational loyalty, employee engagement is understood as a dynamic reciprocal relationship that is continuously shaped by employees’ work experiences. This study contributes to the employee engagement literature by providing a phenomenological perspective that positions employees’ subjective experiences at the center of analysis and offers practical implications for developing human resource management strategies that align with the characteristics of Generation Z