Table of Contents

Acknowledgements: …………………………………………………………………………………………. 4
Abstract ………………………………………………………………………………………………………….. 5
Chapter 1: Introduction …………………………………………………………………………………….. 6
1.1 Overview: ………………………………………………………………………………………………. 6
1.2 Research objectives …………………………………………………………………………………. 7
1.3 Research Questions …………………………………………………………………………………. 8
1.4 Relevance of the questions ……………………………………………………………………….. 8
1.5 Rationale for and intended recipients of the research …………………………………. 10
1.6 Research biases and limitations ………………………………………………………………. 10
Chapter 2: Literature Review …………………………………………………………………………… 12
2.1 Introduction ………………………………………………………………………………………….. 12
2.2 The current role of the HR manager In EE ……………………………………………….. 12
2.3 Definitions of Employee Engagement ……………………………………………………… 13
2.3.1 The Benefits of Employee Engagement …………………………………………….. 14
2.3.2 Employee disengagement and the negatives……………………………………….. 16
2.3.3 Negative Factors that affect Employee Engagement …………………………… 16
2.4 Positive Factors of Employee Engagement ………………………………………………. 17
2.4.1 Two way communication …………………………………………………………………. 17
2.4.2 Vision and Role Clarity …………………………………………………………………… 18
2.4.3 Trust ……………………………………………………………………………………………… 18
2.4.4 Empowerment ………………………………………………………………………………… 19
2.4.5 Training and development ……………………………………………………………….. 19
2.4.6 Leadership ……………………………………………………………………………………… 20
2.5 What is HR doing for Employee Engagement (a practitioners view)? ………….. 21
2.6 Management and Employee Engagement …………………………………………………. 22
2.7 Engagement of bank staff and Banking culture: ………………………………………… 23
2. 8 Banks and their customers …………………………………………………………………….. 25
2.9 Engagement rates ………………………………………………………………………………….. 26
2.10 Literature Gap …………………………………………………………………………………….. 27
Chapter 3: Research Methodology……………………………………………………………………. 27
3.1 Introduction ………………………………………………………………………………………….. 27
3.2 Research ontology and philosophy ………………………………………………………….. 29
3.2.1 Ontology ……………………………………………………………………………………….. 29
3.2.2 Epistemology …………………………………………………………………………………. 30
3.3 Research approach ………………………………………………………………………………… 31
3.4 Research strategy ………………………………………………………………………………….. 32
3.5 Research choice ……………………………………………………………………………………. 33
3.6 Research time horizon……………………………………………………………………………. 34
3.7 Data collection ……………………………………………………………………………………… 35
3.7.1 Primary data collection tools ……………………………………………………………. 35
3.7.2 Secondary data sources ……………………………………………………………………. 36
3.8 Data analysis ………………………………………………………………………………………… 37
3.9 Population and sample …………………………………………………………………………… 37
3.9.1 Sample frame …………………………………………………………………………………. 37
3.9.2 Actual sample…………………………………………………………………………………. 38
3.9.3 Sampling technique …………………………………………………………………………. 39
3.10 Research limitations and potential problems: ………………………………………….. 40
3.10.1 Limitations of research ………………………………………………………………….. 40
3.10.2 Practical issues ……………………………………………………………………………… 40
3.11 Potential biases……………………………………………………………………………………. 41
3.12 Ethical issues and implications for research, …………………………………………… 42
Chapter 4 Findings …………………………………………………………………………………………. 44
4.1 Overview ……………………………………………………………………………………………… 44
4.2 Primary Research: Interviews …………………………………………………………………. 46
4.2.1. Research Question 1 ………………………………………………………………………. 47
4.2.2. Analysis: ………………………………………………………………………………………. 48
4.2.3 Research question 2 ……………………………………………………………………………. 52
4.2.3 Research question 2 continued ……………………………………………………………… 53
4.2.4 Analysis…………………………………………………………………………………………. 54
4.2.5 Research question 3: ……………………………………………………………………….. 59
4.2.6 Analysis…………………………………………………………………………………………. 60
4.2.6 Analysis continued ………………………………………………………………………….. 63
4.2.7 Research question 4 ………………………………………………………………………… 64
4.2.7 Research question 4 continued ………………………………………………………….. 65
4.2.8 Analysis…………………………………………………………………………………………. 65
4.2.9 Research question 5 ………………………………………………………………………… 69
4.2.10 Analysis……………………………………………………………………………………….. 71
Chapter Five Discussion of Findings: ……………………………………………………………….. 74
5.1. Overview …………………………………………………………………………………………….. 74
5.2. Research Objective 1: How has the role of the HR manager changed in relation
to EE since 2008?……………………………………………………………………………………….. 74
5.3. Research Objective 2: To outline what factors HR managers feel impact with
Employee Engagement: ………………………………………………………………………………. 76
5.4. Research Objective 3: How have engagement levels changed since 2008? ….. 78
5.5. Research Objective 4: What approaches do HR managers feel benefits EE
within financial organisations? …………………………………………………………………….. 79
5.6. Research Objective 5: What challenges do HR managers see arising in
Employee Engagement in banking in the future? ……………………………………………. 81
5.7. Limitations of research: ………………………………………………………………………… 82
Chapter Six Conclusion: …………………………………………………………………………………. 83
6.1. Hypotheses: …………………………………………………………………………………………. 84
6.2. Key Findings: ………………………………………………………………………………………. 86
6.3. Call for further research ………………………………………………………………………… 87
Bibliography: ………………………………………………………………………………………………… 89
Appendices ………………………………………………………………………………………………….. 100
Appendix 1 Reflection on learning ……………………………………………………………… 101
Introduction: …………………………………………………………………………………………. 101
Reflections on selecting the MBA and the course itself ……………………………… 101
Reflections on topic selection and dissertation proposal: ……………………………. 103
Reflections on the dissertation: ……………………………………………………………….. 104
Conclusion: ………………………………………………………………………………………….. 105
Appendix 2 poster …………………………………………………………………………………….. 106
3 A Estimate of Total Sample …………………………………………………………………….. 107
3 B List of employees of Banks in Ireland …………………………………………………… 107
Appendix 4.A: ………………………………………………………………………………………….. 108
Appendix 4.B: Confidentiality Agreement with Interviewee ………………………….. 109
Appendix 5 Interview researcher logs: ………………………………………………………… 110
Interview 1 – 7 July 2014: ……………………………………………………………………… 110
Interview 2: 8th July 2014 ………………………………………………………………………. 111
Interview 3: 10 July 2014 ………………………………………………………………………. 112
Interview 4: 11th July 2014 ……………………………………………………………………. 112
Interview 5: 17th July 2014 ……………………………………………………………………. 113
Interview 6: 24th July 2014 ……………………………………………………………………. 114