Guest Editors' Introduction: Designing Interactive Systems for Work Engagement

Abstract

Work engagement is a complex phenomenon referring to a positive, fulfilling, affectivemotivational state of work-related well-being. It is characterized by observable attributes such as vigor, dedication, and absorption (Schaufeli, Salanova, González-Romá, & Bakker, 2002). The majority of research on work engagement has been focused on understanding and evaluating the above specific attributes. Less research has explored how to design a work environment that can improve these attributes. Although Schaufeli, Bakker, and Salanova (2006, p. 702) stated that work engagement is “not focused on any particular object, event, individual, or behavior,” many aspects of the work context do influence work engagement, and these aspects can be influenced by conscious and systematic acts of design. The growth of scientific literature on, for instance, how workspace design, job design, and managerial guidance can improve work engagement shows the possibilities for and importance of designoriented research on work engagement. As digitalization and automation permeates all types of workplaces, it becomes difficult to find a job without some use of interactive technology. The increasing number and types of digital tools for all sorts of work implies that employees spend much of their working time with interactive technologies. Therefore, we find it surprising that research on designing interactive technologies for work engagement is such a neglected research topic. Below, we very briefly discuss the history and recent research of this field.